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TIME: Almanac 1990
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1990 Time Magazine Compact Almanac, The (1991)(Time).iso
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100989
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10098900.020
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1990-09-18
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WORLD, Page 57World NotesSOVIET UNIONMurphy's Law Moscow
The autumn session of the Supreme Soviet was only 45 minutes
old when President Mikhail Gorbachev smiled at the 470 Deputies and
pointed with pride to giant projection screens suspended at both
ends of the Kremlin hall. "Let's try out the new machine," he
suggested, referring to the electronic voting system installed
during the summer recess. He gave the signal, and the sound of
clicking filled the hall. Hundreds of faces turned to the screens
and saw . . . nothing.
In a sarcastic tone, Gorbachev said, "The machine doesn't work.
Get out your old weapons." The Deputies waved the credentials cards
traditionally used for voting. Determined as usual to advance
perestroika, Gorbachev kept the Deputies after the session for a
lecture and a demonstration of how the new system was supposed to
work. This time the technicians remembered to turn on the power.