The high profile obituaries in the papers make interesting reading. While most of them will be of people that you’d have heard of, some of them are not. They’ll be people plucked from obscurity, or people who made a big difference yet were not recognised for it.

The Economist does something similiar, but because they’re a weekly publication they have to choose from a weeks worth of deaths. I figured that last weeks would be Milton Friedman; I can’t think of a thinker of recent times that has been more in keeping with the Economist views. Since that was the case, he wasn’t their monthly obit; his death and obituary warranted a special report.

Meaning that the bog-standard obit still needed to be filled. And it was, with one for Marshal Igor Sergeyev. Not a name, I’ll admit, that meant anything to me. But, as it turns out, it probably should. Because the good Marshall did more than anyone else to keep a track of the USSR’s nuclear arsenal following the disintegration of the USSR.

So, all those theories, movies and books about USSR nukes falling into the hands of rogue elements in the early 90’s (ie, True Lies) didn’t happen then, because of this dude.

Hell of a couple of weeks at the office, I think. And well deserving of a pat on the back from the Economist.