Saturday, December 13, 2025
I'm just looking for my nyolc óra of pihenés, never mind the szórakozás.
ASEEES 2025: Thoughts on a Conference, Border-Crossers, and "Eurasia"
Monday, November 24, 2025
I just got back from the ASEEES conference in Washington, DC. "ASEEES" stands for "the Association of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies," and it's the main international organization that brings together scholars working in the fields of Russian, East European, and post-Soviet studies.
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Testing the waters...
Friday, September 19, 2025
While everybody in the US was busy screaming at one another, Russian fighter jets today entered the airspace of NATO member Estonia.
On the Recent US-Azeri-Armenian Agreement
Saturday, August 10, 2025
The US, Armenia, and Azerbaijan signed a "peace accord" in Washington this week.
This week's agreement in Washington formalizes the end of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but also places the United States at the center of the region's new reality. This is an interesting and significant change that upends the Moscow-centric deal that was struck five years ago and which placed Russian peacekeepers in the region.
All in all, it's an intriguing move.
Hokkaido Highway Blues
Thursday, July 24, 2025
One of my top priorities for this summer was to spend a lot of time sitting on my front porch. Yes, I know--very ambitious.
Lately I've been reading Will Ferguson's Hokkaido Highway Blues, a travelogue recounting Ferguson's hitchhiking travels across Japan. I enjoyed it immensely.
Bear News: Late July Edition
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Wow--a pretty scary story, but a good example of how to remain cool-headed during a bear encounter.
What else is happening? Well, here's the Bear News roundup:
Postcard from Belgrade: Come Visit our Plein-Air Propane Gas Tank Museum
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
The next time you're in downtown Belgrade, make sure to visit our plein-air propane gas tank museum.
Turkey's two Cyprus invasions
Monday, July 21, 2025
The Türkiyeish Daily News posted the article yesterday: Erdoğan marks 51st anniversary of Cyprus operation.
Actually, in the summer of 1974 there were two Turkish invasions of Cyprus. The first occurred on July 20. Within two days, Turkey had achieved most of its stated goals in preventing Greek annexation of the island (legitimate fears of which had prompted Turkey's invasion in the first place).
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Postcard from Belgrade: the Venetian District
Friday, July 18, 2025
Known for its laid-back attitude and sun-drenched shoreline, Belgrade's Venetian District brings the Adriatic spirit to Gallatin County.
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With Dwight the Deer at Story Mill Park
Thursday, July 17, 2025
This looks like a diorama in a provincial history museum in mid-90s Bulgaria, but it's just the bike trail en route to Story Mill Park.
Chernow on Mark Twain
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
I enjoyed listening to Ron Chernow discuss his new biography of Mark Twain on the Ryen Russillo podcast. I haven't read the book, but I've been eyeing it over the past couple of months. I'd read a pretty scathing review of Mark Twain in The New York Times, which had put me off a bit, but I understand as well as anybody that a scathing review usually tells us more about the reviewer than the book.
It was interesting to learn about Twain's entrepreneurial side. It reminded me a bit of Rebecca Loncrain's biography of L. Frank Baum in some ways.
What did I tell you?
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
According to the Washington Post: "Trump backs Kyiv in War with Russia through Weapons and Threats to Moscow."
Not so different from what I suggested might happen in an interview with The Bozeman Yesterdaily News back in January.
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"Terör-Free" Türkiye
Saturday, July 12, 2025
A terror-free Turkey is great, depending on how the word 'terror' is defined.
If we're talking about the PKK laying down its arms, then super.
But if the word "terror" is expanded to include peaceful opposition, then I can't say I'm much of a fan.
Trailz
Thursday, July 10
One thing I miss about living in Bozeman is the accessibility to bike trails. In Belgrade I ride my bike to the supermarket, liquor store, and various other downtown locales when the weather is in agreement. Beyond the downtown area of Belgrade, which is small, there isn't much else to attract me as a bike rider.
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| En route to Story Mill Park |
Postcard from Belgrade: A 5th Corner?
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Rumor has it that, due to overcrowding and other demands on its infrastructure, the town of Four Corners will soon be constructing a fifth corner.
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Postcard from Belgrade: Festive Fourth Weekend
Monday, July 7
It was a festive 4th of July in Belgrade. Belgrade has no municipal firework show, so instead people make their own.
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| There was a good turnout for "Cars on Broadway" |
Postcard from Belgrade: Belgrade Summer Nights
Thursday, July 3, 2025
On Wednesday of last week I went to the first of this year's "Belgrade Summer Nights."
However, I am a bit disappointed that the organizers didn't come up with an alliterative name, as is their wont, for this event. This name has no alliterative allure. Where's the spirit that brought us (in alphabetical order), the Book Brigade, Christmas Convoy, and Fall Festival?
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| No "Sensational Summer Nights?" Why not? |
Is alliteration no longer cool at the Belgrade Community Coalition?
Red Star over the Black Sea: Paperback edition out
Sunday, June 29, 2025
The paperback version of Red Star over the Black Sea: Nâzım Hikmet and his Generation has come out.
Yay!
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| I love this cover |
The hardcover came out in July of 2023, and a Turkish edition is supposed to be in print within the next year or so.
Below you can find links to reviews, podcasts, and online lectures related to the book.
Haven't read the book yet? What's wrong with you!? Pick up the paperback here for a measly $35. While you're at it, order a copy for your local library, too.
Assad's Fall and Russia's Stumble
Thursday, December 12, 2024
I can only imagine how eerie it must have been for the residents of Damascus to wake up this past week and find themselves finally rid of the Assads.
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| All smiles for now |
But it must be terrifying as well, at least for those who don't savor the idea of living under the rule of fighters who, until quite recently, were affiliated with ISIS and other extremist Sunni Muslim militias. So, while I doubt that there are very many Syrians who will miss the tyranny of Assad's rule, there are some who will definitely be sorry to see the secularism of Baath party rule come to an end.
Now that Assad has been overthrown, the jockeying for power begins.
Kristmas Konvoy N & P: News from Belgrade and the World
Sunday, December 8, 2024
This past Thursday was our last day of classes at MSU, so there's been a lot going on. In the city of Belgrade, meanwhile, the Christmas Convoy rumbled through town last night.
The rumbling was so loud that I've barely been able to focus on the news. Russia, Romania, South Korea, Georgia--so much stuff going on. For my takes on the latest at home and abroad, see below.
Postcard from Belgrade: the Snows of Autumn
Sunday, November 24, 2024
The snows of autumn are back.
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| Not so long ago, the evenings were still quite balmy |
I woke up this morning and headed out into the living room area. There room has a number of high windows so it gives me a good sense of what the weather is like on any particular day. I saw a bunch of snow falling and all of a sudden felt really energized.
It's nice to have some real snow again.
Shotz from Ireland
Saturday, August 10, 2024
This past May I finished my last class on a Thursday afternoon, then went to my department's end-of-year party. The next morning I got up at 3:30 am, showered, and left my place at about 4:30. As usual, I walked to the airport--it's about fifteen minutes door-to-door--and then flew out to Michigan to see my parents.
I spent a weekend in Ann Arbor before traveling out to Philadelphia for a week to do some research for a new project that I'm working on. The research in Philly could only be conducted in the first week of the month, while some other research I had planned in DC could only take place in the last week of May.
It was a short trip, but a memorable one.
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