Latest news with #Grandfather
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fathers Don't Just Protect—They Prepare
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. My grandfather was born in 1882 in the small Ukrainian town of Zawale, which was part of the vast, multiethnic Austro-Hungarian empire. In 1914, this mega-state, like so many European nations, threw itself into a world war with frenzied enthusiasm. My grandfather later told my father how puzzled he had been to watch thousands of happy young men—really still just boys—boarding trains in Vienna, cheering as they went off to what was almost certainly their death. He did not volunteer, he avoided conscription, and he survived. His son, my father, was born in Vienna in 1927. He was 6 years old when Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany. Austria still had a few years of freedom left, and my grandfather used them well: Because an archive had burned down, several of his family documents had to be reissued. Through skillful manipulation, he managed to turn himself from a Jew into what the Nazis would later classify as a 'half Jew.' And as Germany's annexation of Austria became inevitable, he came up with an especially daring idea: In a court proceeding, he had his wife, my grandmother, declared the illegitimate daughter of the janitor in her parents' building. He bribed witnesses who testified that her mother had had an affair with that janitor. It worked: My grandmother was officially declared the daughter of an Aryan. And as a result, my family survived. This Father's Day, I find myself reflecting not only on paternal love but on paternal foresight—the clarity and focus it takes to see what others might not, to act before the danger has a name. Raising children is always a challenge, but never more so than in times of deep insecurity about what the future will look like. To meet that challenge, it can help to look at the generations that came before. [Anne Applebaum: This is what Trump does when his revolution sputters] Despite my grandfather's efforts, life for my father quickly changed under the Nazis. In swimming school, two boys nearly drowned him while the lifeguard looked on, grinning. When my father finally emerged, gasping for breath, the lifeguard laughed and said, 'Can't swim, Jew?' Around the same time, the man who lived in the neighboring house began watching my father and his sister with dark, brooding looks. But only after Hitler's army had entered Austria did he begin shouting, each and every time they passed: 'Jewwws!' My father would recount these events with amused detachment. He had already learned as a teenager to recognize the profound absurdity of Nazism—the deep, grotesque nonsense of what Charlie Chaplin and Ernst Lubitsch were turning into dark political comedies at the same time in Hollywood. A few months later, two men came to my grandparents and ordered them to leave their house with their children. They moved into a small apartment, and their home was 'bought'—at a tiny, symbolic price—by the 'Jewww'-shouting neighbor. Corruption is the most corrosive force in a democracy, but in a dictatorship it can save you. Once a month, a Gestapo officer would appear at my grandparents' apartment and take something valuable—a piece of furniture, a porcelain plate, a painting. In return, the file on my grandparents would sink a little lower in the stack on his desk. At my father's school, the boys had to line up, and all those tall enough were asked—in fact, ordered—to volunteer for the SS. My father raised his hand and said, 'Requesting permission to report—I'm one-quarter Jewish!' To which the SS man shouted in disgust, 'Step back!' And so my father was spared from becoming a war criminal in Hitler's service. In almost every situation, having Jewish ancestry was a mortal danger. But in this one instance, it became his salvation. In the final months of the war, my father was arrested after all and spent three months in a concentration camp close to Vienna, constantly at risk of death. But after the war had ended, there was still a striking atmosphere of leniency toward the perpetrators. When he went to the local police station to give a statement about his time in the camp, he was met with scornful dismissiveness. 'It wasn't really that bad, was it?' the officer asked. 'Aren't we exaggerating a little?' It was then that my father decided to move from Austria to Germany, paradoxically—because there, under pressure from the occupying powers, some reckoning with the past was taking place. Austria, meanwhile, had successfully cast itself as the war's first victim. [Timothy W. Ryback: Hitler used a bogus crisis of 'public order' to make himself dictator] I tell my son, who never met his grandfather (as I never met mine), that my father was obsessed throughout his life with the idea that what had happened once could happen again—not just to Jews, but to anyone. Of course, my son, raised in a seemingly stable world, feels profoundly safe. And that's a good thing. But we are currently living in the United States, a country that for my grandfather was a refuge impossible to reach, but that is currently in the throes of what some serious scholars now describe as an authoritarian power grab. And even in Germany, where we could easily return, a right-wing extremist party is now so strong that it might come in first in the next election. So I think about the responsibility of raising a child in a time when the future is impossible to predict. I think, more and more, of my grandfather, who in 1914 watched people plunge into war hysteria and decided to resist their excitement, and who would later take very unconventional steps—steps that would, after history took a turn for the worse, ensure his family's survival. My grandfather understood the psychology of fanaticism very early; my father understood the stupidity and mediocrity of the people whom the dictatorship empowered, without mistaking them for harmless clowns. Now, as we watch society once again take a dangerous turn—as books are banned, people are sent to foreign prisons without even a court order, and soldiers are deployed against protesters—I wonder what stories my future grandchildren will one day need to remember. Memory is not a picture book; it's a tool. And fatherhood, especially in times like these, is not just about protection. It is about preparation. Article originally published at The Atlantic
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rehab centre for Russian veterans from Ukraine fills up
"Ded", a Russian veteran of Moscow's offensive against Ukraine, still limps on his new prosthetic leg after the amputation. But thanks to the care he is receiving at a rehabilitation centre near Moscow, the 53-year-old is starting to walk again. The man, who goes by his military nickname meaning "Grandfather", said his leg was blown off when he stepped on a mine -- his fourth injury in the conflict. "I've lost count of all the concussions. It's like having a runny nose," he told AFP at the Ruza restorative therapy centre 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Moscow. "After a week of treatment here, I started to walk again," said the man, who fought in a Russian private paramilitary unit, praising the "fast and effective help". Like him, around 30 people wounded in Ukraine are receiving physical and mental therapy at the state-funded centre. Russia's offensive on Ukraine, which started in February 2022, has killed thousands of people on both sides, according to observers. The centre, which treats paramilitary veterans, dates back to the Soviet era when it was used for the Communist Party elite. It was then transformed into a rehabilitation centre for veterans of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989). Since the 1990s, veterans of the two wars in Chechnya have also been treated there. The centre offers physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, massages and psychologists. There are also prayer rooms and, in the evenings, the veterans living at the centre can choose between dancing, singing karaoke or watching patriotic films. The centre is a showpiece that has been visited by other foreign media. - 'Re-discover the joy of living' - Another veteran, who goes by the nickname "Scorpaena" -- a fish with poisonous spines -- said he sleeps better at the centre. Before, he said, "I used to wake up every hour to check that everything was OK" -- as he did during his mission in Ukraine. "I couldn't sleep for six hours at a time," said the combatant, who is suffering the consequences of a traumatic shock. Yury Pogorelov, head of the centre's prosthetic workshop, said most amputations occurred as a result of mine blast injuries. "Most often, they are amputations of the tibia, from the leg to the hip, a double amputation of the legs, and more rarely of the arms," he told AFP. Rehabilitation centres like the one in Ruza provide a second stage of care for amputees. Doctors say they are expecting an influx of patients once the conflict is over. Alexander Pogorelov, a physiotherapist, said patients meet older veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya "and they see that life goes on, even without legs or arms". "They re-discover the joy of living," he said. "Everyone has their pain and their memories. But between us we don't talk about the war. If someone asks me questions, I say: 'If you're interested, go and see for yourself what's going on over there,'" said "Ded". "We're here for treatment and rest," he said. - 'Life in peacetime' - Chief doctor Tsyren Tsyrenov said centres like Ruza "are needed in every region". He said several hundred veterans had been treated there since the offensive began. Many of the patients worry about how to find a job when they return to civilian life. Unlike regular soldiers, Russians who fought in Ukraine as part of private paramilitary groups at the start of the offensive in 2022 and 2023 complain that they receive no financial assistance. "For health reasons, I can't find a permanent job. I do odd jobs," said "Scorpaena". "I have no choice. The war will end sooner or later. You have to get used to life in peacetime," he said. "Our lads will soon be starting to come home and the numbers of those needing rehabilitation will increase. We'll probably have to open new centres like this one." bur/fg-jj
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 Acura ADX Classes Up the Subcompact-Crossover Joint
Spinning silver strands from steel wool is standard practice in the auto industry. Take the new 2025 Acura ADX. Based on the salt-of-the-earth Honda HR-V, it enters life with much of its development and tooling costs already amortized. After all, the redesigned-for-2023 Honda HR-V has already sold over 273,000 units in the U.S. alone. At this point, not trying to squeeze a little more juice from the corporate fruit by way of an upscale derivative could be considered a dereliction of duty. While it'd be tempting to dismiss the ADX as just a "gussied-up" HR-V, it'd be a categorically inaccurate statement. (Attention readers less than 50 years old: Gussied up is what Grandfather called the Cadillac Cimarron when it debuted, as it was essentially a Chevrolet Cavalier run haphazardly through a derelict Bits 'N' Glitz storage closet located in the basement of GM's headquarters.) No, Acura has gone to great lengths to give the ADX a personality of its own, one that reflects the sporty-luxe ethos that distinguishes the brand from Honda. The makeover starts by ditching the HR-V's 158-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in favor of a 190-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter unit. It pairs solely with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with six stepped simulated "gears"; no manual or traditional automatic options are available. If that sounds familiar, it's probably because it is. Though altered slightly, the ADX's engine is quite similar to the 200-hp powertrain used in the current non-Type S Acura Integra—as Acura proudly, and repeatedly, points out. We'll point out that it's also similar to the mill found under the hood of the Civic Si, as well as the nonhybrid Honda CR-V that shares its output ratings. Compared to the Integra, Acura notes that the ADX's mill has a higher compression ratio of 10.6:1 versus 10.3:1. Both models also employ unique valve-timing strategies, though the ADX does not use the Integra's lightweight flywheel. Acura says to chalk up the ADX's slight power deficit to the usual issues of vehicle weight, purpose, packaging, and efficiency targets. The "gear" and final-drive ratios of the CVT are also shuffled slightly to accommodate the needs of each vehicle. While this attention to detail illustrates how thoroughly Acura approached this transformation, the ADX does not get the option of a limited-slip rear differential, nor does it have adaptive dampers as are available on the Integra. That's unfortunate. The ADX comes standard with front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive is available across the lineup for a reasonable $2000. But that AWD setup is Honda's less sophisticated Intelligent Control System that electronically manages torque between the front and rear axles; it will not help you rotate the vehicle by cleverly proportioning power side to side across the rear axle as the SH-AWD system does in Acura's larger SUVs, including the RDX and MDX. Otherwise, the ADX relies on styling and features to make its case. Though the ADX shares the HR-V's 104.5-inch wheelbase, Acura's stylists managed to stretch the overall length by six inches to 185.8 inches. Most of that stretch comes from the ADX's familial beak and its rear design treatment. Speaking of which, the ADX is just 1.6 inches shorter in length and 1.9 inches shorter in height than its big brother, the RDX. Plenty of exterior sculpting is on hand to complement the brand-specific fascia without creating excessive visual drama. Interior measurements hide no surprises: Legroom checks in at 41.9 inches front and 37.7 inches rear, same as the HR-V. Cargo room also is the unchanged, with the standard ADX matching the HR-V's 24 cubes with the rear seat up and 55 cubes with it down. Know that the ADX's subwoofer—part of the Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker audio system in the top-trim A-Spec with Advance Package—reduces both of those cargo figures by 1 cube, so bass lovers will want to leave behind that third pair of socks. Materials quality gets attention too, with a standard leather-wrapped steering wheel (flat-bottom design on the A-Spec and up). There's also an eight-way adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, rear air vents, dual-zone climate control, LED ambient lighting, a sunroof, standard 18-inch wheels (19s, A-Spec and up), and more. It's almost enough to justify the roughly $4000 upcharge that the ADX's entry point holds over a fully loaded HR-V EX-L AWD model. Almost. Where the ADX makes its case is in the chassis tuning and the body-structure improvements that work toward validating its price premium. We drove a fully loaded A-Spec with Advance Package (leather seating, four-way lumber adjustment, the B&O sound system, heated steering wheel, model-exclusive black wheels and exterior trim, remote start, multi-view camera), but every ADX benefits from these improvements. First observation: It's remarkably quiet. Acura takes that already-rigid body structure and applies extensive sound-deadening measures, including the liberal application of foam insulation, sound-absorbing fender liners, and an interior floor covering teamed with sound-absorbing carpet. The result is a far more relaxing environment. There's still a little wind noise, and tire noise occasionally penetrates the cabin when the tread pattern finds fault with the pavement texture. But it's a rolling anechoic chamber compared to the HR-V. More significantly—to us anyway—the chassis gets a full work-over with specific tuning for the dampers and springs, as well as stiffer anti-roll bars. Acura also tweaked the software for the electric power steering and fussed with the steering shaft column bearing. Working in conjunction with the 235/45R-19 all-season tires (the base model gets 225/55R-18 rubber), the setup is a revelation. We kept pace with an eager driver in a BMW 3-series on the winding roads near Southern California's Palomar Mountain long enough to discover precise, linear steering response without a hint of twitchiness, plus enough grip to hang as tight as we were willing to push it on the unfamiliar roads. Did the 3-series walk away from us easily when the driver tired of playing games? Of course. The ADX is not a canyon carver, but it harbors no unpleasant surprises, and that is respectable. On the highway, the steering has a nice center valley that makes for relaxed cruising. The chassis bits are so in tune with each other that you may ask, "Why didn't Honda start with this setup on the HR-V?" But—and there's always a but—the transplanted turbo engine left us wanting more, despite its much-ballyhooed Integra lineage. That could be because, at a claimed 3611 pounds in its grandest AWD trim, the ADX is around 300 pounds heavier than the last HR-V we tested. Mashing the accelerator elicits a typical CVT response: The engine revs and the tach needle swings toward its 6500-rpm redline, but vehicle speed is always a step or two behind. Employing the shift paddles—made of aluminum, no less—can help you game the system, and it adds a level of driver involvement. Left in Sport mode (Snow, Normal, and Comfort are also available, with the top trim getting an Individual mode too) and with the shifter pulled back for a sportier response, the CVT does have a pretty well-honed instinct for "downshifting" and holding the engine at higher revs when braking before a corner. But it can't match the Integra's joyful verve. Basically, the ADX, like so many Acura vehicles before it, sees itself as a shrewd alternative to European competitors. In the subcompact luxury SUV segment, that means the Audi Q3, BMW X1, and Mercedes-Benz GLA-class, a trio of Teutonic players with meaningfully more horsepower and traditional automatic transmissions—as well as price premiums to match for most trim levels. Starting at $36,350 with front-wheel drive and retailing for $45,350 in the top-tier A-Spec with Advance Package, all-wheel drive, and nearly every available option, the ADX seems almost bizarrely expensive until you compare it to its European rivals. Looking at the top trims, in particular, the ADX is a tad pricier than the Audi Q3 while undercutting the Mercedes GLA250 by a little and the BMW X1 by a lot. While spinning an upscale model from the corporate parts bin is not uncommon, the ADX does a convincing job of stepping out from the shadow of its humble HR-V foundations. 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