Monthly Archives: April 2009

Preparing for the Pandemic

Posted on April 28, 2009 by AK

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few days, you will know the world is facing a possible swine flu pandemic originating from Mexico. As I write this, on the evening of April 27 California time, there are … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee House | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Rite of Spring: Russia Fertility Trends

Posted on April 26, 2009 by AK

This is an article I wrote for Russia Blog. After its long pre-modern stint as Europe’s most populated nation, France started transitioning to lower birth rates from the Napoleonic era, about a century in advance of the rest of Europe. … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee House, Da Russophile, Sublime Oblivion | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Grenade Fishing on the Potomac

Posted on April 20, 2009 by AK

Though hard to imagine, the Washington Post – or Pravda on the Potomac, as Eugene Ivanov quite rightly labels it – surpassed even its own sordid standards for Russia coverage, in the form of the latest op-ed from George F. … Continue reading →

Posted in Da Russophile | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Victimized Venezuela III: The Road to Reconciliation

Posted on April 19, 2009 by AK

At the recent Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, two great leaders, Obama and Chavez, shook hands in what could be the symbolic first gesture of reconciliation. Treasonous neocons will no doubt rush to condemn this as yet another limp-wristed … Continue reading →

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Twitter Terror in Moldova

Posted on April 11, 2009 by AK

This was also kindly published on Johnson’s Russia List and republished at Guardian-PSJ. Download PDF. Twitter Terror: Unraveling the Unrest in Moldova Riding on the apathy of the masses, crony Communists rig the elections in a small, corrupt post-Soviet backwater … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee House, Da Russophile | Tagged , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Review of “World made by Hand” (J. Kunstler)

Posted on April 10, 2009 by AK

Kunstler, James – World made by Hand (2008) PDF Category: post-collapse fiction, oil peak; Rating: 3/5 Summary: Energy Bulletin Review (Keith Thomas) 2008 I actually wrote this a few months ago and posted it up, but deleted it for some … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Sublime Oblivion | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Notes on “The Collapse of Complex Societies” (J. Tainter)

Posted on April 9, 2009 by AK

Tainter, Joseph – The Collapse of Complex Societies (1988) PDF Category: collapse, resource depletion; Rating: 5/5 Summary: Complexity, Problem Solving and Sustainable Societies (J. Tainter) 1996 As you may have noticed from the sidebar, I am currently researching a book … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Sublime Oblivion | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Was the French Revolution primarily a Class Struggle?

Posted on April 4, 2009 by AK

This is an old essay I wrote on interpreting the French Revolution (pdf). I copied it here from my sole paper copy – unfortunately I’ve lost the references. The basic argument is that far from consolidating the historical victory of … Continue reading →

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Farewell, Readers!

Posted on April 1, 2009 by AK

After a months-long crisis of conviction, I unequivocally reject my support, rationalization and in a sense enablement of the reptilian thugs, fascists and kleptocrats who stalk the parapets of the Kremlin. I sincerely apologize to my loyal readers for so … Continue reading →

Posted in Da Russophile, Life in General | Tagged | 15 Comments