[NEWS] Four links from the former Soviet Union: Donbas, Crimean Tatars, Russian nationalism, Yandex

• Open Democracy reports on what appears to be a coup waged in the Luhansk republic by the forces of Donetsk. What is going on in the twin Donbas republics, anyway?
• Maxim Edwards reports from the Ukrainian border with Crimea, from Crimean Tatars rebuilding their communities in exile (again), over at Open Democracy.
• Leonid Bershidsky suggests that the Russian ultranationalism promoted by Putin will remain virulent long after the man is gone, over at Bloomberg.
• VICE reports on the quietly effective censorship that Russian-language search engine Yandex is forced to employ, here.

Advertisements

[BLOG] Some Saturday links

• Centauri Dreams considers, in the context of ‘Oumuamua, the import of shads and axis ratios. What does it suggest about the processes by which planetary systems form?
• The Dragon’s Tales notes a report suggesting that Russia is not at all likely to legalize bitcoins.
• At A Fistful of Euros, Alex Harrowell takes a look at Article 63, the German constitutional article that governs the selection of the Chancellor.
• The Frailest Thing quotes a passage from Jacques Ellul about the adaptation of humans to a mechanized world.
• Hornet Stories notes that out actor Russell Tovey is set to play the (also out) Ray in the Arrowverse, an anti-Nazi superhero from an alternate Earth.
• Language Hat tells the story of Lin Shu, an early 20th century translator of European fiction into Chinese whose works were remarkably influential.
• Lawyers, Guns and Money is amused by the story of a young university student who has used basic knowledge of Foucault to play with his family’s household rules.
• The LRB Blog notes the very awkward, and potentially fatal, position of the Rohingya, caught between Burma and Bangladesh.
• The Map Room Blog links to a talk recently given on fake maps, on maps used to lie and misrepresent and propagandize.
• The NYR Daily meditates on the precocity and the homoeroticism inherent in the Hart Crane poem “The Bridge.”
• Starts With A Bang’s Ethan Siegel notes that we can see, so far, only a surprisingly small fraction of the observable universe. (So far.)
• The Volokh Conspiracy celebrates the many defeats of Trump as he fights against sanctuary cities as a victory for federalism and against executive power.
• Window on Eurasia notes a poll suggesting that, after 2014, while Crimeans may feel less Ukrainian they do not necessarily feel more Russian.
• Arnold Zwicky takes a look, linguistically, at an Ian Frazier phrase: “That is aliens for you.”

[BLOG] Some Tuesday links

• The Dragon’s Gaze links to a paper suggesting exoplanet transits could start a galactic communications network.
• The Everyday Sociology Blog looks at the connections between eating and identity.
• The Frailest Thing’s Michael Sacasas looks at the need for a critical study of the relationship between technology and democracy.
• Language Hat notes how nationalism split Hindustani into separate Hindi and Urdu languages.
• Lawyers, Guns and Money reflects on the grim outlook in Somalia after the terrible recent Mogadishu bombing.
• Marginal Revolution’s Tyler Cowen thinks Trump’s decertification of the Iran deal is a bad idea.
• The Map Room Blog links to an article imagining a counter-mapping of the Amazon by indigenous peoples.
• Neuroskeptic considers the possibility of Parkinson’s being a prion disease, somewhat like mad cow disease.
• The NYR Daily notes that a Brexit driven by a perceived need to take back control will not meet that need, at all.
• Personal Reflections’ Jim Belshaw looks at the problem Sydney faces as it booms.
• The Power and the Money’s Noel Maurer looks at the extent to which an independent Catalonia would be ravaged economically by a non-negotiated secession.
• Peter Watts tells the sad story of an encounter between Toronto police and a homeless man he knows.
• Window on Eurasia notes a Sakhalin bridge, like a Crimea bridge, may not come off because of Russian weakness.

[BLOG] Some Tuesday links

• Anthrodendum offers resources for understanding race in the US post-Charlottesville.
• D-Brief notes that exoplanet WASP-12b is a hot Jupiter that is both super-hot and pitch-black.
• The Dragon’s Gaze links to a paper examining various models of ice-covered worlds and their oceans’ habitability.
• The Everyday Sociology Blog takes a look at the value placed by society on different methods of transport.
• Far Outliers looks at how Chinese migrants were recruited in the 19th century.
• Hornet Stories notes that the authorship of famously bad fanfic, “My Immortal”, has been claimed, by one Rose Christo.
• Marginal Revolution notes one explanation for why men are not earning more. (Bad beginnings matter.)
• Peter Watts has it with facile (and statistically ill-grounded) rhetoric about punching Nazis.
• At the NYR Daily, Masha Gessen is worried by signs of degeneration in the American body politic.
• Livejournal’s pollotenchegg maps the strength of Ukrainian political divisions in 2006 and 2010.
• The Power and the Money’s Noel Maurer is afraid what AI-enabled propaganda might do to American democracy in the foreseeable future.
• Roads and Kingdoms notes an enjoyable bagel breakfast at Pondichéry’s Auroville Café.
• Drew Rowsome celebrates the introduction of ultra-low-cost carriers for flyers in Canada.
• Strange Company notes the 19th century haunting of an English mill.
• Window on Eurasia notes that Crimean Tatars, and Muslims in Crimea, are facing more repression.

[BLOG] Some Monday links

• Centauri Dreams reports on asteroid P/2016 G1, a world that, after splitting, is now showing signs of a cometary tail.
• The Everyday Sociology Blog considers outrage as a sociological phenomenon. What, exactly, does it do? What does it change?
• Joe. My. God. reports on a new push for same-sex marriage in Germany, coming from the SPD.
• Lawyers, Guns and Money examines the Alabama government’s disinterest in commemorating the Selma march for freedom.
• Marginal Revolution looks at Oxford University’s attempt to recruit white British male students.
• At the NYRB Daily, Masha Gessen warns against falling too readily into the trap of identifying conspiracies in dealing with Trump.
• pollotenchegg maps the distribution of Muslims in Crimea according to the 1897 Russian census.
• Savage Minds takes a brief look at ayahuasca, a ritual beverage of Andean indigenous peoples, and looks at how its legality in the United States remains complicated.
• Elf Sternberg considers the problems of straight men with sex, and argues they might be especially trapped by a culture that makes it difficult for straight men to consider sex as anything but a birthright and an obligation.
• The Volokh Conspiracy considers how the complexities of eminent domain might complicate the US-Mexican border wall.
• Window on Eurasia reports on protests in Russia and argues Belarus is on the verge of something.

[BLOG] Some Wednesday links

• Dead Things looks at the health issues of a hadrosaur.
• The Dragon’s Gaze notes close binary systems may not support planets very well.
• Joe. My. God. notes Trump’s reaction to Obama’s statement that he was unfit.
• The Map Room Blog notes Russia’s issues with Google over the non-recognition of Crimea’s annexation.
• Marginal Revolution notes that driverless taxis are coming to Singapore.
• The Power and the Money’s Noel Maurer disproves arguments claiming that Pennsylvania is uniquely suited for Trump.
• Peter Rukavina shares his schedule for the Island Fringe.
• Spacing Toronto notes the problem of distracted cycling.
• Window on Eurasia looks at language death in the North Caucasus.

[BLOG] Some Tuesday links

• Centauri Dreams considers agriculture in space.
• Crooked Timber examines the tribalisms which benefit Donald Trump.
• Dangerous Minds notes an angry New York City television editorial criticizing the Sex Pistols.
• The Dragon’s Tales notes the cycles of Mars’ north polar gap.
• Language Log talks about Chinese script, starting with Ted Chiang’s criticisms.
• The LRB Blog speculates about the future of a Labour Party that has lost its working-class support.
• Marginal Revolution’s Tyler Cowen likes the Chinese city of Qingdao.
• The Planetary Society Blog notes the dispatch of the OSIRIS-REx probe to the launch pad.
• The Power and the Money’s Noel Maurer wonders what solution Bernie Sanders is proposing for Puerto Rico.
• Understanding Society describes sociological frameworks for writing biographies.
• Window on Eurasia speculates the doping scandal may cost Russia not only the Olympics but FIFA in 2018, and is unsurprised by Gorbachev’s support of the annexation of Crimea.