#Amazing Caucasus

[tankgotstuckinthecircusgate]

hairy south caucasian moment

[darth-mortem]

This is a second chapter of my COD fic "At the Crossroads of the Worlds" translated by @g8se.

Task force "141" was sent to clean up a secret laboratory, the research of which was financed by states recognized as sponsors of terrorism. The soldiers broke into a bunker located in the Caucasus Mountains on the Russian-Georgian border. At first, everything went according to plan, but after the fighters split up, Ghost came across a strange room, the door of which locked automatically the moment he was inside. Without knowing it, Simon Riley had set off an experiment that had been brewing here for years, and now he would have to be very strong to finally return home.

Chapter 2 of 6. 2431 words. You can read first chapter here.

Past character death, angst, action, secret lab, experiment, parallel worlds

August 15, 2016. Georgian-Russian border. Caucasus Mountains. Coordinates classified. Experiment status: Two hours after successful equipment launch. Experiment No. 16/3 successful. The object has been transported. Reality LW414/2016.

Captain Riley sat by the campfire, holding a cigarette between his fingers, trying to make sense of everything that had happened today. Next to him sat a young man in a balaclava with a skull print. Across from them were the two individuals they had met near the helicopter. The wounded soldier lay in a tent, bandaged and medicated with supplies from Ghost's first aid kit. The condition of this soldier was severe, but based on Riley's experience, he believed the man would survive and eventually return to duty.

Simon stared into the fire with a motionless gaze, but the moment when he leaped out of the helicopter still lingered in his mind.

The landing had been difficult. They were running out of fuel and Riley managed to land literally on its last drops. Opening the cargo compartment, he shut off the engine and unbuckled from his seat. People who had come to meet them were already nearby, and as Simon jumped out of the cabin, ready to help with the wounded, he suddenly saw who was approaching him.

The captain's eyes darkened instantly. His breath caught, and a piercing and unpleasant feeling stabbed him in the chest. He leaned heavily against the helicopter, feeling his legs giving way.

Before Simon there stood Johnny. He was older, had a scar over one eye, wore some outdated gear, but it was undeniably him, without any doubts.

“Hey, what's with you?” through the haze that filled Riley's eyes, the face of this Johnny appeared, and then strong hands grabbed him. “Are ye injured? Mate, look at me! Hey, who’s he, anyway?”

This was said somewhat to the side. The guy in the balaclava also approached, shifting his gaze from Simon to Johnny, and then shrugged.

“I thought you sent him,” he said and also peered into Captain Riley's face. “He got shot, but he's in armour, so he should be fine. Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Simon rasped, shook his head, and straightened up. “Solid.”

“Well, he's clearly not our enemy,” the third man intervened, who had managed to peek into the cargo compartment and was now standing a little further away. “So we'll talk later. We need to move Roach to our camp. Ghost, come on, help!”

“Yes, sir!” the guy in the balaclava and Captain Riley replied in unison, then looked at each other in surprise.

They all were soldiers, so, setting aside their amazement and confusion, they carried the wounded man to a small camp. The first aid kits of these four were half-empty and outdated, so Captain Riley pulled out his own. He used up all the haemostatic agents and stimulants, but he managed to stop the bleeding and stabilize the condition of the wounded man. They bandaged him and settled him in one of the two tents. After that, a soldier resembling Johnny lit a fire, and all four finally sat around, able to talk.

“Well, friend, let's get to know each other now,” said the man in the hat, lighting a cigare. “I'm Captain John Price. This is Captain John MacTavish and Lieutenant Simon Riley. The guy in the tent is Sergeant Gary Sanderson. And who are you?”

“I’m... Captain Simon Riley,” Ghost said, feeling his head starting to spin again. “Call sign - Ghost. I'm the commander of the Task Force 141.”

Now it was time for these three to exchange glances and lose their ability to speak. The guy in the balaclava froze, staring at Simon. Captain MacTavish coughed, choking on the smoke from his cigarette. Captain Price stared at Ghost for a few seconds, then spoke slowly:

“But we are the 141. And we don't know you.”

“But I know you,” Ghost replied and shook his head. “I mean, not you, but someone very much like you, and... I don't understand.”

“We too,” the lieutenant said. “I’m Ghost! Here are my dog tags!”

Captain Riley looked at his dog tags and pulled out his own. Two simple silver rings - wedding rings he had bought, planning to propose to his Johnny - hung on the same chain with them. He had hesitated for a long time, although he knew that Soap loved him, and then... then it was already too late.

Captain Riley's dog tags changed hands. All three examined them, and then Price handed them to the owner and rubbed at his temples.

“Okay,” he said in a completely bewildered tone. “Tell us how you ended up here. With all possible details.”

Simon lifted the edge of his mask, lit a cigarette, and deeply pondered, staring into the fire. They didn’t rush him, probably trying to make sense of everything on their own and maybe find some explanations. Lieutenant Riley, on the other hand, looked at him with wide-open eyes, mechanically rubbing his balaclava around his mouth, where Captain Riley had a scar that split his lips.

“On August 14, 2030, Major Price and I received data on a new mission for our 141,” Ghost finally spoke.

“What d’ye say?” MacTavish immediately interrupted him. “2030?! That's...”

“Son,” Captain Price put his hand on his shoulder, “let him tell everything. We'll ask questions later.”

“Okay,” Soap nodded, rubbed his temples, and looked at Captain Riley. “Sorry. Go on.”

“Intelligence uncovered an illegal laboratory funded by countries sponsoring terrorism,” Simon continued. “My unit was supposed to infiltrate the bunker where the lab was located, conduct clean-up, and find out what they were actually working on. We reached the destination on August 15. The combat groups of Major Price, Lieutenant Garrick, and Lieutenant Sanderson engaged with the facility's security. I went down to the lower level, took some scientists hostage, and then found myself in... probably the main lab. There was a strange room behind the sturdy airlock doors. I entered in, and the exit locked automatically. Then something started happening. Everything around electrified, there were sensors and indicators, a countdown, and then...”

Ghost paused, trying to recall the details, but they slipped from his memory, and he rubbed at his temples, furrowing his brow.

“Then I came to my senses where the bunker was, but on the surface,” he continued. “I saw... Lieutenant Riley and Sergeant Sanderson, General Shepard was about to kill them. The same Shepard that Price shot seven years ago, in 2023. Even then, I realized that something was off, but there was no time to hesitate, so...”

Captain Riley fell silent, glanced at Lieutenant Riley, and pulled out another cigarette from the pack. After a second of thought, he handed the pack to the other Ghost, who took it and lifted the edge of his balaclava. Simon saw that he had the exact same scar, splitting his lips.

“Ye mentioned Lieutenant Garrick,” MacTavish broke the silence. “Kyle “Gaz” Garrick?”

“Exactly,” Riley nodded.

The three soldiers exchanged glances again. Captain MacTavish started to look saddened. Captain Price shook his head.

“For a moment, I thought I was beginning to understand something,” he said, “but this fact changes everything. Captain, it's now August 15, 2016. There are no bunkers or labs here. We, 141, came here to find some information and clear our names. We've been set up, and now we're wanted. We trusted Shepard, but he was behind all of this.”

“And he would have killed me and Roach if you haven't showed up,” Lieutenant Riley added.

“I thought maybe you were from the future,” Price continued, “but our Gaz is dead. And we're at war here. With Russia.”

“What about me?” Captain MacTavish suddenly asked with interest. “Am I in yer unit?”

“Sergeant John “Soap” MacTavish was killed by the Russian terrorist Makarov in 2023,” Ghost replied bluntly, then stood up. “I'm sorry.”

He walked away from the campfire, away from the tents, disappearing into the evening shadows. He didn't see Lieutenant Riley stretch and kick Captain MacTavish with his foot, giving him a meaningful look in the eyes. Price sighed heavily, tossed the stub of his cigarette into the fire, and also got up.

“Okay, Soap,” he said. “I think we could all use a little snack. Let's check our supplies and organize us some evening grub, and Ghost, go and bring Captain Riley back.”

The lieutenant nodded and went to where his... double had disappeared a few minutes earlier. Simon couldn't find answers to the question; he only understood that he was literally drawn to the other Riley. Therefore, he easily found him among the trees and rocks. The lieutenant moved silently, but the captain still heard him and turned his head, exhaling smoke from another cigarette.

“Mind if I join you?” the lieutenant approached, but stopped at a distance, ready to leave if the older and clearly more massive Ghost said he was not allowed.

“Go ahead,” nevertheless, the captain replied in a broken and very tired voice.

The lieutenant came closer and sat down next to the fallen tree trunk. There was only one cigarette in his pack, and he sighed, lifted the edge of his balaclava, and lit it.

“You loved him, didn't you?” he asked quietly, unable to look at his double. “Johnny...”

“No,” Ghost shook his head. “I didn't love him. I still do, and that's my problem.”

“So those rings on your dog tags...” the lieutenant finally glanced at the captain, and he noticed that his eyes were suspiciously shining, as if from tears.

“Yes,” Riley nodded. “I dreamed of marrying him. Retiring together. Growing old together. That's why when I saw your MacTavish, I felt sick.”

The lieutenant fell silent, looking at the captain with wide-open eyes, and then impulsively moved forward and hugged him. Riley was stunned, but then cautiously placed his hand on the shoulders of his younger and much smaller double, bringing him closer. He didn't ask any questions about Captain MacTavish; he simply enjoyed moments of warmth and peace in this absolutely astounding and terrifying situation he found himself in.

“Shall we go back?” Lieutenant Riley suggested when they both finished their cigarettes. “The captains have probably cooked us food by now. You could use some dinner and rest.”

“Yeah, you're right,” the captain sighed, squeezed the shoulder of his younger double, and got up with difficulty. “And we need to check on your Roach too.”

When both Ghosts returned to the camp, Price and MacTavish were sitting by the fire, a pot was hanging over it. A familiar smell of field food wafted from the pot and Captain Riley even smiled a little under his mask, sitting back in his place.

“Simon,” MacTavish began, and both Ghosts looked at him. “Damn, we need tae come up with something so that ye two understand who we're talking tae.”

“Call me Ghost,” Captain Riley said. “Him – Simon. So what did you want to say?”

“Well, we talked with Price,” Soap paused, clearly unsure how to express his thoughts. “In short, it may sound strange, but maybe in tha’ lab ye were clearing, they were researching parallel worlds and ways to travel between ‘em? Yeah, I know it sounds like a comic book plot, but if we simplify it, this option seems the most true tae life.”

“Maybe,” Ghost replied, shrugging. “At least it’s some explanation.”

“Alright, boys,” Price interrupted. “None of us understand any of these things, so let's solve the problems step by step. Tomorrow morning, our pilot will arrive and take us to our temporary safehouse. I think, Ghost, you should come with us.”

“As you say, sir,” Captain Riley complied, lowering his head. “Probably, that's my only option.”

“Hey,” Lieutenant Riley sat down next to his older double and put a hand on his shoulder. “I can't even imagine what you're feeling, but let's try not to think about it right now. We all need to eat and rest, okay?”

“Yes,” Ghost looked gratefully at the younger Simon. “Yes, you're right.”

“Great,” MacTavish rubbed his hands together, then scooped a portion of porridge with canned meat onto an aluminium plate and handed it to Captain Riley. “Price ‘n’ I will take the first shift, so ye and Simon eat up and go tae sleep. We've already checked on Roach; he’s fine, as much as he can be in his condition.”

“Understood,” Ghost nodded, handing his plate to his younger double and taking the one MacTavish offered. “Thank you for all this. For believing.”

“We still don't know what to believe in,” Captain Price shook his head. “But you saved two soldiers from our task force and took down a traitor. So, we trust you. Now eat.”

Nodding, Simon took a folding spoon from his gear pocket and dove into his meal. Only now did he realize how hungry and tired he was. Finishing his portion, he immediately went to the other empty tent, not even waiting for his younger double. However, he quickly joined him. For a few minutes, they both fidgeted, trying to arrange themselves so that they were warm and comfortable. Finally, they froze, closing their eyes and diving into sleep. The older Simon embraced the younger one from behind, and he had no objections. Their equipment lay nearby, and Lieutenant Riley pressed his back against the chest of his muscular older counterpart, realizing that this warmth was much more comforting than the thin blanket they both covered themselves with.

“Simon?” the lieutenant called quietly, feeling the captain's hand on his heart.

“Mmm,” the older Ghost responded drowsily.

“I believe you,” continued the younger Ghost. “I don't know how to explain it, but I feel something common between you and me. You're different – so big, strong, and self-assured, but still...”

“Yes,” Ghost shifted, pressing the lieutenant closer to him. “I feel it too. Simon?”

“Yes?” the younger one tilted his head slightly to look at his older double.

“You may not be as big as I am, but I'm sure you're very strong too,” Captain Riley spoke and smiled, causing his eyes to narrow slightly in the openings of his mask. “Let's go to sleep.”

“Yes,” the lieutenant settled back down and relaxed, feeling absolute trust and peace toward this visitor from a parallel universe.

Captain Riley had the same scar that cut across the lips. Perhaps his other scars matched those of the lieutenant? Maybe in his world, he experienced the same horrors? Maybe he could understand Simon?

All of this troubled the young lieutenant, but drowsiness was stronger, and feeling the captain's steady heartbeat and his hand on his chest, he fell into such a peaceful sleep that he hadn't experienced since Shepard, the traitor, took him from the scorching fire of Manuel Roba’s base.

[mariacallous]

Tucker Carlson went to Moscow last week and had an absolute blast. He rode the subway and marveled at its clean cars, the fancy tilework in Kievskaya Station, and the lack of booze-drenched hobos. He went to a grocery store and was astonished by what ordinary people could apparently buy. He even managed to meet a local history buff and sit down for tea and conversation. Carlson, who had never previously visited Moscow, declared himself “radicalized” against America’s leaders by the experience. He didn’t want to live in Moscow, but he did want to know why we in America have to put up with street crime and crappy food when the supposedly bankrupt Russia provided such a nice life for its people, or at least those people not named Alexei Navalny.

My former Atlantic colleague Ralph Waldo Emerson called travel a “fool’s paradise,” but not all forms of foolishness are equal. Many commentators have guffawed at Carlson’s Russophilia and pointed out that Russia’s murder rate is roughly that of the United States, and that its citizens are dirt poor, about a fifth as wealthy per capita as the citizens of the United States overall. “I don’t care what some flagship supermarket in an imperial city looks like,” The Dispatch’s Jonah Goldberg tweeted. “Russia is far, far poorer than our poorest state, Mississippi.” Bloomberg’s Joe Weisenthal suggested that Carlson instead visit the grocery stores of the “10th or 50th” richest Russian cities, and see how they compare with America’s.

In 2019, I visited several large and small Russian cities, and I went grocery shopping at least once in each. Would you believe that Tucker Carlson is on to something? In Moscow (the largest) and St. Petersburg (No. 2), the flagship supermarkets are indeed spectacular. The Azbuka Vkusa branch next to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow is more luxurious than any grocery store within 100 miles of Washington, D.C. Other branches in Moscow vary in quality, and they are usually smaller than American supermarkets. But to some extent that’s just a matter of culture: The U.S. has fewer supermarkets, but each one is big enough to feed the 82nd Airborne Division for a month; in Europe, supermarkets are more numerous but tiny.

Makhachkala (22), the capital of Dagestan, followed a similar pattern to Moscow. One supermarket downtown was amazing, the equal of an upscale supermarket in Washington or Dallas. On the outskirts the quality varied, but not drastically. Local residents were not eating soups made from grass clippings. In Murmansk (71), the cramped bodega near my rented flat had a good wine selection and enough fresh staple foods to prepare a different meal your mom would approve of every day of the week. Only in Derbent (134) did I start to wonder whether the bad old days of the Soviet Union were still in effect. But even that would be an exaggeration. In Derbent, for $15, you could get champagne and caviar with blini and velvety sour cream. If you want to flash back to Cold War communism, go to Havana. There the grocery stores stock only dust and mildew.

With apologies to Emerson, travel can disabuse you of foolish notions just as often as it plants them in your head. An idea ripe for dispelling among Americans at this particular moment is that life in Russia must suck because the frigid depression of the Cold War never ended. In those days ordinary citizens were spied upon and tortured and killed, and the shops were empty, save for substandard goods at prices few could afford. Now Russia is different. The state repression is much more limited, though no less brutal toward those who attract its attention. Until the Ukraine war added a huge category of forbidden topics, the main ones that you could get locked up for discussing were war in the Caucasus and the personal life and finances of President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle. Most other topics were broachable, and you could whine all you liked about them.

Equally in need of updating are American expectations about Russian economic misery. Those whose visits to Russia stopped 20 years ago tend to have outdated views of the best the country has to offer. My visits started 24 years ago. Back then, I spent days at a time on the Trans-Siberian, crammed into railway cabins with little to do but talk with Russians and see how they lived. Life was not beautiful. The men busied themselves with crosswords and sullenly browsed pornography. When not in motion, I stayed with Russian friends in single-room flats that looked straight out of a New York tenement building 100 years ago. No one I met was starving, but women sometimes approached me in train stations hoping to rent out their homes or bodies, or to sell me family heirlooms. That type of desperation seems to have subsided, although I would be shocked if any of those people are able to buy the jamón ibérico at the Smolenskaya branch of Azbuka Vkusa yet. On the roads between the big cities, there are still villages so ramshackle that they look like sets from The Little Rascals. Evidence suggests that the Russian military’s frontline troops tend to come from these depressed and benighted lands, the places that really are stuck in the 20th century.

Certain aspects of life remain dismal even in the cities. My flat in Murmansk had surly drunks tottering outside its entrance, and its stairwell smelled like every cat, dog, and human resident had marked its territory there regularly since the Brezhnev era. But the playgrounds were decent, and you could get a delicious smoked-reindeer pizza at a cozy restaurant for $7. Remember, this is in a small, depressed Russian city—not somewhere stocked with goodies just in case an American wanders out of the lobby of the Radisson and needs to be impressed. The “useful idiots” of yesteryear were treated to fake Moscows, which evanesced as soon as the next Aeroflot flights took off. The luxuries of Moscow that Carlson sees, and that I saw, are not evanescent, and they are not (as they are in North Korea, say) a curated experience available only to those on controlled visits.

The stubborn belief that all good things in Russia must be illusory can in turn warp one’s analysis of the country, and in particular of Putin’s durability in power. After all, why would anyone remain loyal to an autocrat who delivered only hunger, penury, and the reek of cat piss? Putin rules by fear but not only by fear. Most Russians will tell you that Russia today is better than it was before Putin. They compare it not with the Soviet era but with the anarchy and decline of the 1990s. Life expectancy has risen, public parks are better maintained, and certain fruits of capitalism can be tasted by Russians of all classes. Who would risk these gains? Like every autocrat, Putin has ensured that his downfall just might destroy every good thing Russia has experienced in the past two decades. This risk is, from the perspective of regime continuity, a positive feature, because it keeps all but the most principled and brave opposition quiet, and content to shut up and enjoy their cheap caviar. Those like Navalny who object do not object for long.

Carlson’s videos never quite say what precisely he thinks Russia gets right. Moscow is in many ways superior to New York. But Paris has a good subway system too. Japan and Thailand have fine grocery stores, and I wonder, when I enter them, why entering my neighborhood Stop & Shop in America is such a depressing experience by comparison. Carlson’s stated preference for Putin’s leadership over Joe Biden’s suggests that the affection is not for fine food or working public transit but for firm autocratic rule—which, as French, Thais, and Japanese will attest, is not a precondition for high-quality goods and services. And in an authoritarian state, those goods and services can serve to prolong the regime.

I confess I still enjoy watching Carlson post videos of Moscow, wide-eyed and credulous as he slowly learns to love a country that I love too. I hope he posts more of them. One goes through stages of love for Russia, often starting with the literature and music, then moving to its dark humor and the personalities of its people, which are always cycling between thaw and frost. Inevitably one reflects on the irony that this civilization, whose achievement is almost without equal in some respects, is utterly cursed in others—consigned to literally centuries of misgovernment, incompetence, and tyranny. The final stage is realizing that the greatness of Russia is part of the curse, a heightening of the irony, as if no matter how much goes right, something is deeply wrong. Maybe when things go right, the more deeply wrong it is. Carlson seems to still be in one of the early stages of this journey.

[ohsalome]

What are some amazing, most read Ukraine authors? The only one I know is Gogol and I would like more on my radar.

First important disclaimer is that without knowing ukrainian, your pool of choice is very limited. Unfortunately, our translators haven't done nearly enough to make ukrainian literature acessable for english speakers, so a lot of genuinely amazing stuff would require you to know the language.

The second important disclaimer is that I am going to recommend you a lot of poetry, and, with no disrespect to the translators, it doesn't hit nearly as hard in english as it is in ukrainian. I've recently heard the phrase "to read poetry in translation is like to take a shower wearing a raincoat", and it is so true. So, apologies for this barrier, but there is nothing one can do.

With that in mind, let's start from classics:

The first most important author is Taras Shevchenko. He mainly wrote poetry, but has some prose works as well, and during his life he was more known as a popular artist. The Bible of his works is Kobzar (a ukrainian word for travelling blind musicians), and the same word is also often used as a nickname for Shevchenko - akin to how Shakespeare can be called the Bard. Among the most important poems pay attention to A Dream (the poem for which he was imprisoned by the russians with an explicit ban on writing and painting), The Caucasus, My Testament, Kateryna, A cherry orchad by the house, О thoughts of mine

The second big name to know is Lesya Ukrainka. Lesya is also more known for her drama and poetry than her prose, but she also was a prolific translator and a feminist. Her most well-know play is The Forest Song (a cartoon adaptation is soon to be released after 7 years of production, but from the trailer it looks like it's not going to be close to the text). I find her Бояриня play to be much more interesting and relevant, however, it looks like it has not been translated yet. Among her poems, some of the most important are Contra Spem Spero and Cassandra (the latter has had some successful stage prouctions in Great Britain last year, mayhaps it will gain popularity)

Some links to her works: [x] [x]

Fun fact: there are speculations about Lesya Ukrainka's relationship with her close friend Olga Kobylyanska. The letters they exchanged are quite intimate and sometimes even erotic in nature, which lead some academics to believe that they were more than friends (most still fall in the "gal pals" camp tho). However, if that were true, that would mean that Lesya Ukrainka is the only bisexual woman to ever be printed on banknotes.

The third pillar of ukrainian classical literature is Ivan Franko. Once again, we are talking about partiotic poetry, but there are also many socialistic ideas in his works (although he became dissilusioned with it in his later years ), which I think many western readers will find appealing - (side comment - it looks like "collective west" is going through the same processses that we overcame a century ago, so ehm... good luck, y'all will need it). I haven't been able to find much of his works translated in English, so here is a good master page. Zakhar Berkut is considered to be one of his greatest works (a ukrainian-american co-production movie The Rising Hawk was released a couple of years ago, it was shit). If you manage to put your hands on it, I would greatly recommend The Painted Fox and Moses. Also, reading Eternal Revolutionary imprinted on me so much in childhood and determined who I grew up to be, I pretty much consider Franko to be my spiritual father.

A great event that happened this year is that Valeryan Pidmohylny's The City is finally getting an english translation. I have been gushing about this book on this blog before (you can also find the link to the publisher there), because for the archetypical ukrainian literature this book is a breath of fresh air. It's beautiful, it's modern, it's urbanistic, the protagonist is irredeemable asshole, it's amazing and I should re-read it as well.

Among the authors that are much more difficult to find, I greatly recommend Ivan Nechu-Levytsky. In my humble opinion, he like no other has managed to capture the "ukrainian spirit" and his plots are extremely captivating and dramatic as hell.

I will always, always add Ivan Bahryiany to my lists of ukrainian "must reads". He is an author of the first ever ukrainian adventure novel Tiger Trappers/The Hunters and the Hunted, which is the book that is loved even by those who don't like ukrainian literature. However, I personally find his Garden of Gethsemane to be a much more important (but take care, it is much more depressing as well). This author is extremely important, but I struggle finding PDFs of his work - perhaps, you'd have to search the libraries or ukr diaspora publishers for paperbacks. I have also been unsuccessfully hunting for an english translation of Why I am not going back to the Soviet Union? pamphlet for years - and I know for sure it exists because the USA first lady at that time has read it and it influenced her opinion on the USSR - but I've had no luck so far.

Another very important author of the same time period is Mykola Khyvylovy. One of his plays has actually been recently put to stage in English (shamefully, I haven't watched it yet, but I can vouch for the text it was based on - it's brutal).

I can't speak about ukrainian literature without mentioning crimean tatars, and although their works are much, much less known (in Ukraine as well, unfortunately), please do not overlook it. It is a gorgeous culture, and reading it, I grew to love and value Crimea so much even without ever visiting it. There are some english translations avaliable, including those of Noman Çelebicihan - an extermely important figure in Crimean Tatar history, the founder of the unfortunately short-lived Crimean Democratic Republic, the author of their national anthem, and overall very influential revolutionary.

Now let's jump to the popular modern authors. Many don't have english translation, but the problem is much less prominent in comparison to the ukrainian classics. With these authors, you shouldn't have trouble with finding paperbacks. Among the most influential authors I can recommend Serhiy Zhadan (Timothy Snyder has once said that he expects Zhadan to receive a Nobel Prize in literature and I agree), Oksana Zabuzhko (she either aught to release soon or has already released an english-exclusive book about the russian-ukrainian war), Yuri Izdryk (extremely modern and unconventional, but he's a good represention of the current state of art), Yuriy Andrukhovych (love his mastery of language, hate his characters). These authors are more light-hearted, but a grim necessity for today is Stanislav Aseyev's The Torture Camp on Paradise Street. It is a autobilgraphical book describing his experience being imprisoned by russians between 2017 and 2019. Western journalism often describes the war crimes russians commit on our land, but just listing the number of people lost doesn't show the face of the russian horror. Read this book to understand why we were screaming about the russian threat before the full-scale invasion, and why every time we regain the territory we brace with terror of what we'll discover there - because everywhere russian army goes, they build hunderds of such Isolyatsya camps that the book describes.

Also check out Serhiy Zhadan's band!

[slavic-roots-western-mind]

Favorite soviet movies (and where to find them)

The general opinion about the soviet union varies from person to person, but I think many can agree that the movies that came from this time period were phenomenal. Here are my top favorite movies that I recommend, which also have generally good english subtitles.

Hussar Ballad

A rare musical-comedy gem that I absolutely adore. Shura Azarova, a 17 year old girl joins the army to fight against Napoleon. Plot twist: She's pretending to be a guy and starts falling for a fellow soldier, who she actually engaged to but he has no idea that his new friend is actually a girl (she doesn't like him in the beginning and no wonder lmao). Has a lot of catchy numbers, especially давным давно/ a long time ago/ davnim davno. It may seem a little weird, but watch the first 10 minutes, I guarantee that it will not be a waste of your time.

2. Ivan Vassilvveich changes profession/Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future.

A scientist successfully creates a time-machine but accidentally sends his building's manager and a thief all the way back in time to Ivan IV The Terrible's reign, whilst sending the actual Tsar to the modern decade. Chaos ensues for all.

3. Prisoner of the Caucasus/Shurik's New Adventures/Kidnapping, Caucasian Style (I had no idea this movie had this many translations lol) A kind but naive student named Shurik goes to the Caucasus on vacation where he meets a young woman named Nina, who he ends up accidentally kidnapping (yes, he's that much of a dumbass but he was told that bride kidnapping is a tradition that Nina follows and God forbid that anyone uses this thing called communication). It works out in the end just as chaotically as it started.

4. The Garage A cooperative is planning on buliding a garage for its members except for it now has to be reduced and there won't be enough space for everyone so someone's going to be left out. The comitee ignores said members objections, so someone locks them in for the night leading to them spending the night locked inside the museum which is also the meeting spot. It's actually quite funny, despite the odd description, but I am writing it whilst extremely caffeinated so bear with me here.

5. Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia (Невероятные приключения итальянцев в России). A fantastic comedy. An elderly lady of soviet origin reveals to her grandaughter that there's a treasure buried in Leningrad. However, the wrong people hear about it, so they try to outwit each other in their race to Russia. Pretty funny, especially when the actual treasure hunting commences.

6. The Bremen Town Musicians An animated movie, but nonetheless deserving a mention. The troubadour with his gang of friends made from a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster travel around singing, until he meets a princess but the king doesn't approve of them etc. Pretty standard story, but the singing is amazing, especially Troubadours song "Luch solntsa zolotovo/Луч солнца золотого/ Beam of the Golden Sun" with the translation here sung by Muslim Magomayev who honestly deserves a separate post dedicated because his voice is amazing. The english subtitles are a bit iffy here, but nonethless it's worth a watch as it's only 20 or so minutes long.

7. The Mystery of the Third Planet Also an sci-fi animated movie, but the staple of my childhood. Captain Zelyoniy and Professor Seleznyoviy with his daughter go around various planets collecting new species for the zoo. However, on one of the planets they end up discovering something odd and before they know it, they're right in the middle of a conspiracy and a famous missing captain. Fantastic soundtrack and great animation.

There are many more movies that I'd definitely recommend, so this list will be updated sometime in the future.

[alcestas-sloboda]

When I first listened to the interval act in the second semifinal, I didn't give it enough thought, even as a Ukrainian. Well, even at first glance, you can see a representation of Ukrainian musical talents - Mariya Yaremchuk singing her dad's song about family, a modern rendition of Taras Shevchenko's poem, Shedryk. But today, I've seen it over and over again on TikTok, and I realized the sheer symbolism of this act.

Nazariy Yaremchuk is one of the brightest musical talents Ukraine has ever produced. His songs are almost folklore here, but he is not the only singer you can see during the act. On the screen, there are different portraits of Ukrainian cultural figures - everyone from Lesya Ukrainka to Volodymyr Ivasyuk. The fate of the latter is for you to find on the internet, but like most of the Ukrainian cultural elite, he was killed for being too Ukrainian for the Soviet liking.

After the first song, the melody follows - Skoryk's Melody in A minor. It is frequently described as a spiritual hymn of Ukraine and has been used in commemorations of the Holodomor. That is why you can see so many wheat spikes, symbolizing the tragedy, and the Revolution of Dignity.

Then you have OTOY's rendition of Shevchenko's "Cherry Garden Near the House," and my god, it is amazing not only from an artistic perspective but also from the perspective of historical justice. For me, as well as for most Ukrainians, this is a poem we know by heart since we are in first grade in school. It's not as powerful as Shevchenko's "Testament" or "Caucasus," but it is a simple retelling of a family doing their work and living a peaceful life in their home with the song of a nightingale always present.

But now, in 2023, it is being sung to millions and millions of people worldwide, after Ukrainian language was forbidden countless times, after the Ukrainian elite was killed for even daring to dream about a free Ukraine, after so much being thrown at Ukrainians just to destroy them but no, we are here. I really hope Shevchenko sees us right now and is smiling because we are his kids, we truly are. We are breaking those heavy chains, and we remember you, father, albeit not in a very soft-spoken way, but with beats and drums. I know you would have liked that. You loved partying back in the day.

And of course, Shedryk, another statement of just how much Ukraine has given to the world. Yulia explained it perfectly herself, so I won't repeat it here again. But it was, is, and always will be better in the original Ukrainian language.

After all these years of fighting on every front, Ukraine lives. Its language and its culture live and make people happy. And as for Eurovision being a great representation of this? Just as Ivasyuk sang, "The song will be among us."

Слава Україні! Слава всім її захисникам і всім її героям! Шана моєму незламному народу!

[nncastle]

Seeds Purchased from Stonecrop Gardens, NY

One of the biggest benefits of membership at Stonecrop is access to their amazing seed bank. Members can purchase rare seeds for $1 a pack. These are plants that are sometimes extremely difficult to find at nurseries and that work perfectly for my area. Here is a list of what I purchased from them...some I've already begun.

The seed collection got suddenly a lot more interesting.

Rarium: Centaurea macrocephala

Rarium: Digitalis parviflora

Rarium: Echinops exaltatus

Rarium: Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans

Rarium: Polygonatum giganteum

Rarium: Salvia coccinea 'Brenthu

Seminum: Acmella oleraceae

Seminum: Actaea japonica (syn. Cimicifuga japonica)

Seminum: Actaea racemosa (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa)

Seminum: Actaea simplex 'Brunette' (syn. Cimicifuga ramosa 'Brunette'

Seminum: Agastache foeniculum 'Alba'

Seminum: Allium angulosum

Seminum: Allium tuberosum

Seminum: Amaranthus hybridus var. erythrostachys 

Seminum: Ammi visnaga

Seminum: Anemone virginiana

Seminum: Anethum graveolens

Seminum: Angelica gigas

Seminum: Anthriscus sylvestris 'Raven's Wing' 

Seminum: Aster tataricus

Seminum: Astilboides tabularis (syn. Rodgersia tabularis)

Seminum: Astrantia major

Seminum: Calendula officinalis

Seminum: Campanula takesimana 'Alba'

Seminum: Cuphea viscosissima 

Seminum: Cynoglossum amabile ‘Firmament’

Seminum: Emilia coccinea

Seminum: Helleborus orientalis

Seminum: Ipomoea lobata (syn. Mina lobata)

Seminum: Monarda punctata

Seminum: Nigella damascena 'Miss Jekyll Blue'

Seminum: Papaver somniferum Mix

Seminum: Salvia farinacea

Seminum: Verbena bonariensis

Anemone virginiana. Interesting thing about this plant is that for years I've pulled it thinking it was a weed. On the years that I forgot to pull it, I was like, man that is pretty! So I now leave it alone. It's drought tolerant and the flowers are loved by pollinators. I'll be planting some more from seed as well.

Anethum graveolens - Dill

Centaurea macrocephala - Started Seeds 5/3/2024 - This plant is too cool for school!

Category: Rarium | Sub-Category: Perennials for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Centaurea macrocephala

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 3′. Great Golden Knapweed. Caucasus. A large, leafy, robust plant bearing sturdy stems topped with incredible, rich golden yellow, hemispherical, thistle-like blooms. The fringed, rusty brown coloured involucre of bracts is very prominent and persists. Midsummer. Makes excellent dried cut flowers. Sun.  3, D & T2

Digitalis parviflora - Started seeds 5/3/2024 - Really different foxglove. Love it.

Category: Rarium | Sub-Category: Perennials for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Digitalis parviflora

Family: (Plantaginaceae)

(P) to 2′. Spanish Foxglove. This is a true perennial species of Foxglove, native to the mountains of northern Spain. Plants form a rosette of dark, deeply veined, green leaves bearing in early summer, tightly packed spikes of small, rusty orange-red to chocolate brown flowers on stiff, leafy, upright stems. Eye-catching. Well-drained soil. Sun. 4 & T2

Echinops exaltatus

Category: Rarium | Sub-Category: Perennials for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Echinops exaltatus

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 6′.  Tall Globe Thistle.  Eastern Europe to Russia.  Globular flowerheads composed of numerous, tiny, pale blue florets.  Flowerheads to 2-½ inches in diameter stand tall on sturdy, downy-white stems and mature into dense, prickly seedheads.  The bold, greyish green, thistle-like foliage forms an impressive clump.  This summer-to-fall bloomer is a magnet for bees, hoverflies and butterflies.  Sun.  4 & T2

Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans

Category: Rarium | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans

Family: (Asparagaceae)

(P) to 3′. “…most sumptuous of all the Hostas.” (GST**).  Huge, broad, glaucous, heavily textured, bluish green leaves form magnificent, stately clumps that add accent and poise to the woodland garden.  The pale lilac-white flowers appear in early to midsummer, though they barely emerge from beneath the foliage.  3 & T3, then it may need 40º for 2-3 months.

Polygonatum giganteum - Started 5/3/24

Category: Rarium | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Polygonatum giganteum

Family: (Asparagaceae)

(P) to 7′. Giant Solomon’s Seal. Statuesque and unmistakable. This spectacular giant is similar to Polygonatum biflorum in everything but size. Bell-shaped, greenish white, tubular flowers hang from the tall arching stems in early summer with the dark blue berries following in fall. Moist soil. Shade/partial shade. 3 & 6

Salvia coccinea 'Brenthurst'

Category: Rarium | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Salvia coccinea 'Brenthurst'

Family: Lamiaceae

(A/TP) to 2.5′.  A cool-coloured cousin of the red bedding Salvia with numerous spikes of bicoloured,  lipped blooms.  The pale whitish pink upper hoods and three lobed, deeper pink lower lips contrast nicely against the dark tinted calyces and stems.  Blooms late summer and lasts until frost.  Sun. 4 & T2

Acmella oleraceae - Toothache Plant

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Acmella oleraceae

Family: (Asteraceae)

(A) to 10″.  Toothache Plant.  South America.  A profusion of rounded, orange-yellow disc florets with brownish red centres resemble eyeballs.  Creeping, bronze-green foliage has numbing properties when chewed, hence the common name.  Easy to grow.  Very unusual and fun; a “must have”.  Summer blooming.  Sun.  3 & 6

Actaea japonica (syn. Cimicifuga japonica) - snakeroot

Category: Rarium | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Actaea japonica var. acerina (syn. Cimicifuga japonica var. acerina)

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 3′.  A Japanese native with handsome maple-like foliage that has long, pointed lobes.  Slender branched spikes of white, tufted flowers bloom in September and October.  Moist soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6A

Actaea racemosa (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa)

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Actaea racemosa (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa)

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 6′. Early Snakeroot, Black Cohosh. An eastern North American native with branched wands of white, bottlebrush flowers. Blooms prolifically in June. Light green, divided foliage remains at three feet tall. Partial shade. 3 & 6A

Actaea simplex 'Brunette' (syn. Cimicifuga ramosa 'Brunette')

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Actaea simplex 'Brunette' (syn. Cimicifuga ramosa 'Brunette')

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 6′. One of the darkest leaved Cimicifugas. Stems are a rich purplish brown with pure white, upright, fragrant flower spikes in September. Not all seedlings will be as dark as ‘Brunette’, but definitely worth a try. Partial shade. 3 & 6A

Agastache foeniculum 'Alba'

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Perennials for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache foeniculum 'Alba'

Family: Lamiaceae

Short-lived perennial to 3.5′.  White Anise Hyssop.  A white cultivar of the above. Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

Allium angulosum - mouse garlic

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Bulbs

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium angulosum

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 16″. Mouse Garlic. Europe. Loose heads formed by multiple, cup-shaped flowers of pale purple. Blooms June to August. Sun. 3 & 6

Allium tuberosum - this already grows wild here

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Bulbs

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium tuberosum

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 18″. Garlic Chives. Southeast Asia. Spherical, white blooms freshen the flower garden throughout August. Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6

Amaranthus hybridus var. erythrostachys

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amaranthus hybridus var. erythrostachys

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 5′.  Peruvian Tassel Flower.  Many branched panicles of crimson, tassel-like flowers accentuated by the deep maroon foliage of this plant, creates drama in the border.  Sun.  3 & T3

Ammi visnaga - Started Seeds 5/3/2024

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Ammi visnaga

Family: (Apiaceae)

(A) to 3′.  Khella, Toothpick Plant.  Egypt.  Grown since antiquity for medicinal purposes.  This sophisticated Queen Anne’s Lace relative produces masses of feathery, delicate, aromatic foliage topped with wide, compound, flat umbels of tiny, greenish-white flowers.  An excellent and unusual filler; most desirable for cut flower displays.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T1

Angelica gigas - Started seeds 5/3/2024

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Perennials for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Angelica gigas

Family: (Apiaceae)

(B/P) to 5′. This terrific Barry Yinger introduction from Korea and Japan is a stunner. Dramatic, deep maroon, spherical flowerheads emerge from red-flushed, bulbous, leafy sheaths above glossy green, dissected foliage. The afternoon sun intensifies the colour and lends this plant another dimension. Please note, insects, especially hornets, also find it irresistible. Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6

Anthriscus sylvestris 'Raven's Wing'

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Perennials for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Anthriscus sylvestris 'Raven's Wing'

Family: (Apiaceae)

(B/P) to 5′.  Lacey compound umbels of tiny, five-petalled, creamy white flowers, reminiscent of Queen Anne’s Lace, float on hollow, dark stems above fern-like, dusky purple-coloured foliage.  Long bloomer that provides an airy elegance to the border.  Always admired in our Flower Garden.  Self-seeds gently.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6

Aster tataricus - this is already thriving in the garden

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Perennials for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Aster tataricus

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 7′.  Tatarian Aster.  Siberia.  Tall, long-blooming Aster with glorious, loose sprays of bold, lilac-blue daisies with yellow centres.  Dense clusters of wide, lance-shaped leaves.  Tough, durable plant that will thrive in a variety of conditions.  No staking needed, blooms late – September and October and well worth the wait.  Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6 & Δ

Astilboides tabularis (syn. Rodgersia tabularis) - Planted some last year, started a bunch of seeds - we'll see. 5/3/2024

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Astilboides tabularis (syn. Rodgersia tabularis)

Family: (Saxifragaceae)

(P) to 4′. William Robinson described it best, “A bold growing and handsome species with huge peltate leaves and plumes of creamy white flowers.” Leaves reach a height of 2 to 2.5 feet. A superb plant to use as a focal point in the garden. Definitely stimulates conversation. Partial shade. 4 & T2

Astrantia major

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Astrantia major

Family: (Apiaceae)

(P) to 2.5′. Great Masterwort. Central and eastern Europe. No garden should be without this effortless and beautiful plant. Several greenish white, often blushed pink flowerheads each arranged in a dome with a “collar” of bracts. Dense clumps of divided basal foliage. Content in the flower garden or in the woodland. Summer blooming. Great in flower arrangements, too. Sun/partial shade. PC- 4 weeks. 4 & 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

Campanula takesimana

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Campanula takesimana 'Alba'

Family: (Campanulaceae)

(P) to 2′. Korea. An outstanding white variety of the beautiful Campanula takesimana. Leaves large in basal rosettes. Branched inflorescence of large, pendant bells on nodding stalks. Flowers are pure white with purple spotting within. Blooms July to September. Sun/partial shade. 4 & T2

Cuphea viscosissima - Seeds already started 5/3/2024

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cuphea viscosissima

Family: (Lythraceae)

(A) to 20″. Blue Waxweed. A North American native and one of our most revered annuals. This non-stop summer bloomer has six deep, magenta-purple petals with the upper two being the longest and a tubular green calyx covered in fine purple hairs. An easy-care annual that requires no deadheading or staking. Very sticky stems trap unsuspecting insects. Self-sows. Sun. 4 & T3

Cynoglossum amabile ‘Firmament’ - chinese forget me not

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cynoglossum amabile ‘Firmament’

Family: (Boraginaceae)

(A) to 2.5′.  Chinese Forget-me-not.  Producing all summer long a profusion of sky-blue, five-petalled flowers.  Reminiscent of the Forget-me-not, only taller.  Self-sows.  Sun.  3, D & T2

Emilia coccinea

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Emilia coccinea

Family: (Asteraceae)

(A) to 3′.  We love this selection of Tassel Flower.  A native of Tropical Africa that produces a profusion of orange to scarlet, thistle-like flowers in terminal corymbs.  Best if inter-planted or grown closely together.  A real beauty in our Red/Orange/Yellow Bed.  Sun. 

Helleborus orientalis

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Woodland

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Helleborus orientalis

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Lenten Rose.  Europe.  Leaves are wide, dentate, glossy and evergreen.  Nodding, cup-shaped, pinkish rose, five-petalled flowers have numerous cream stamens.  An understated, long-blooming beauty.  Early spring.  Partial shade.  3 & 72° for 6 weeks, followed by 25-39° for 6-8 weeks.

Ipomoea lobata (syn. Mina lobata) spanish flag

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Ipomoea lobata (syn. Mina lobata)

Family: (Convolvulaceae)

Annual vine to 10′.  Spanish Flag or Firecracker Vine.  Mexico.  An excellent, vigorous, twining vine with attractive, tri-lobed leaves and single-sided, six-inch long racemes of tubular flowers held on slender red stems.  The flowers gently arc upward and outward, away from the vine, and mature from red to pale yellow, creating a gradient from the top to the base of the raceme. Blooms freely from mid to late summer until frost. The flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. A show-stopper on a tripod.  Sun.  1, 2B, 3 & T3

Monarda punctata - Started seeds 5/3/2024

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Monarda punctata

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(A) to 3′.  Horse Mint.  Native to the Great Plains of the United States.  Dense whorls of pale yellow, hooded flowers spotted with purple-brown.  Each whorl is surrounded by large, pink-tipped, green bracts.  The narrow, toothed leaves have a grey cast.  A very showy plant.  Sun.  4 & T1

Salvia farinacea

Category: Seminum | Sub-Category: Annuals for Sun

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Salvia farinacea

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(A) to 3′. Mealy Sage. Native to Texas and Mexico. Tubular, two-lipped, violet-blue flowers are densely congested in whorls along erect stems creating a 4″-8″ spike above the numerous grey-green, lance-shaped leaves. The common name is in reference to the mealy-white (sometimes purple) appearance of the sepals, which are covered with felted hairs. A long-bloomer. Sun/partial shade. 4 & T2

[look-sharp-notes]

Есть на Северном Кавказе удивительный народ- Кабардинцы. Более трех столетий в истории жизни этого региона, прошли под их влиянием. Они стали законодателями во всех сферах: в одежде, воинском мастерстве, оружейном деле, коневодстве и искусстве верховой езды, в танцах, музыке, кулинарии, в построении социальной и политической жизни. Кабардинцы и есть подлинный источник того образа горца, который появился в 19 веке в русской классической литературе: бурка, черкеска, башлык, папаха, газыри, кинжал, шашка, методы ведения войны мелкими группами, тактика пластунов, песни, танцы, горская поэтика, культ и образ горца, все это, полностью сформировано кабардинцами. Этот народ создал и фундаментальную основу и для морально-нравственных ценностей, своеобразного кодекса чести воина-рыцаря «Уорк Хабзэ», который во многом схож с самурайским кодексом бусидо в Японии. В Европе рыцарство как идеология сформировалась в XII веке и как любое историческое явление, пережив периоды расцвета и упадка, спустя два столетия сошло с исторической сцены, став сюжетом рыцарских романов, исторических преданий и легенд. На Северном Кавказе и в Японии эта идеология продолжала культивироваться вплоть до XIX века.

There are amazing people in the North Caucasus - Kabardians. More than three centuries in the history of life in this region passed under their influence. They became legislators in all areas: in clothing, military skills, weapons, horse breeding and horsemanship, in dancing, music, cooking, in building social and political life. Kabardians are the true source of the image of the mountaineer, which appeared in the 19th century in Russian classical literature: burka, cherkeska, hood, hat, gazyri, dagger, saber, methods of warfare in small groups, plastun tactics, songs, dances, mountain poetics, cult and the image of a highlander, all this, was completely formed by the Kabardians. This people also created the fundamental basis for moral values, a kind of code of honor for the warrior-knight “Work Habze”, which is in many ways similar to the samurai code of Bushido in Japan. In Europe, chivalry as an ideology was formed in the 12th century and, like any historical phenomenon, having experienced periods of prosperity and decline, two centuries later it disappeared from the historical stage, becoming the plot of knightly novels, historical traditions and legends. In the North Caucasus and Japan, this ideology continued to be cultivated until the 19th century.

[tsuki-sennin]

Brave In! Kyoryu Change!

Fire!

Dinosaurs... Plus humans! Only 10 years ago did the Brave Team from the Cretaceous Era come to the Heisei Era to protect the world! Now, in the Reiwa Era, six kings from the planet of Tikyuu arrive for... reasons yet to be made apparent!

In honor of the Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger's most momentous anniversary... I'm gonna have to... keep... catching up with... another show. One that they're in though, I can promise you! It's going to get wild! Just try to stop us!

Listen and be amazed!

Spoilers, I guess...

-Yeah, I'm real sad I missed out on this one.

-Where the fuck are we?

-I don't think the PM's gonna listen to you guys.

-Man, Dugded was right, this place sucks

-Soujiiiiiiiiiii! How you doin', bud?

-"Ohgai Busou!"

-Good thing God Kuwagata's

-Wait

-Ohhhhhhhhhh, that might be a problem.

-CHESTOOOOOOO!

-Junior Prince.

-Ah, there's Candelilla and Luckyuro!

-How's Nobuharu doing, eh? Do we still need shielding from his puns?

-"Be nicer to your sword, you little demon."

-"Er... please pardon me, but if you're a Prince..."

-Oh

-Oh, you're serious

-There they be

-The Zyudenryu...

-Oh hey Kaguragi!

-Omg Gentle hiiiiiiiiii!!!!

-At least you're having a nice day.

-"Umai~!"

-DEBOSS SPOTTED

-Oh, he's

-He's a Megazord of the Deboss generals, I see.

-See, there's Aigaron!

-Dogold there.

-Hot damn, Gentle!

-Hatch It!

-...H-Hatch It?

-"Mom?"

-NOBUUUUUU

-Kyoryuger?

-Ok, byeeeeeee!

-Oooooh~! Shade~!

-The pictures are in the same style as the Kingohger's prophecy... Hmm...

-Hi, Ian. I see you're still making friends.

-Two thousand years ago, even back then did the Kyoryugers run wild.

-"So, you're like... actually a king?"

-I see we don't

-DUGDED????

-Holy shit, he overrode a good ending.

-Welcome to Japan, bitches.

-I see, a voice only cameo from Daigo and Utsusemimaru.

-"So like... wanna tell us where we are~?"

-Oh I forgot

-Time travel.

-At least Yanma's having fun :)

-Ol' Prince is off to have fun training too~!

-Deboss, you're looking

-Quite silvery

-And beetle-y too...

-Laid the fuck out

-They stole our fucking dinosaurs

-Our Gods are far beyond us

-"Time to make the prince awaken!"

-Jeramie's also having a lovely day.

-Hot damn! Yanma figured it out right quick

-"I claim Japan in the name of Shugoddam!"

-Hoooo!

-Yeah, this guy's Daigo's successor alright.

-"Of course I cheat! I'm doing it right..."

-Give your sword a kiss and start over.

-"Hmph."

-YEAHHHHH

-Well done!

-Kuwagon~!

-That's our Gira for you.

-Souji :)

-"C'mon Kingy. Make my day."

-Brave In!

-Kyoryu Change!

-Bust it down, boy!

-Kiiiiing~!

-Hooooo!

-Hot damn!

-Gonna get wild!

-This is so sick

-God, Himeno's absolutely serving

-King Vomola Mucho!

-Head hurty

-Oh, nope, couldn't be that simple.

-NOOOO SOUJIIII

-Ah, he's fine

-Amyyyyyyy!

-Whaddup, girl, we missed you.

-"Hey so uh..."

-Earth...

-Tikyu... Chikyuu...

-What's the difference?

-JERAMIE'S PART SPACE ALIEN????

-Hot damn... His dad pulled!

-Unearned bravery'll do that to you, Deboss.

-Oh, skipping the title sequence, okay!

-Despair's our big enemy here.

-...Rita......

-Rally up our kingdom!

-"Oh???"

-Earth drip!

-Yuko-chan... Rika-chan!

-Suzume-san....

-"This is peak."

-Moffun...?

-AAAAAAH

-This feels good

-Music

-That's our key, here, huh?

-Welcome to Earth, bitch!

-We just had a whole other Earth out there, huh?

-DAD????

-"I learned from my Dad, after all."

-A Space Ship.

-Okay.

-Cool.

-Thank you for that, ancestors.

-"I-I take regal responsibility for Prince!"

-Gabutyraaaaaa!

-Amyyyyyy!

-Mom~!

-Have I mentioned how cool it is, applying similar principles to crossover power sets?

-Thanks, Dad!

-From across the universe, Castle Caucasus Kabuto answers the King's call!

-Nobuharu!!!

-Candy and Nobby, 2gether4ever!

-Awwwwww :)

-"Oh! I see~! That's wonderful!"

-Jeramie :D

-God, I love Himeno's Kikaider jean jacket.

-Well, you tried Ian.

-nods

-Good taste, all around.

-Where is our earthly melody?

-OHhhhhhhh, of course!

-That's a good reason to skip the intro.

-Yeaaaaah!!!!

-Bravery Restored.

-Ohgai Busou!

-Brave In!

-Fire!

-hehehehehehehehehe

-Muteki no Sentai~!

-Pincering Brave! King Kyoryu Red!

-Bullet Brave! Kyoryu Black!

-Armored Brave! Kyoryu Blue!

-Slashing Brave! Kyoryu Green!

-Horned Brave! Kyoryu Pink!

-Strongest and bravest! Zyuden Sentai! Kyoryuger!

-Time and space are relative concepts anyway.

-Absolutely wildin'.

-YEAAAAAAAH

-This is worth everything.

-Brave In!

-Chomp those batteries!

-Oh that's cute, even King-Ohger's sambaing down.

-Goodbye, Deboss!

-One day...

-Consider yourself on the right path, Prince!

-Daigoro...

-Amy and Daigo fuck.

-Farewell... I'm gonna miss those bug guys.

-...wait a second...

-OHHHHH THAT'S SO CUTE THEY'RE DOIN THE DANCE

-YEAAAAAAAAAH

-Oh we're back

-OH WE'RE STILL ON THE DINOSAURS

-SHUGO MASK????

-OH WELL FUCK ME, I'M NOT GONNA JUST LEAVE IT OFF THERE AM I?

-Deboss...

-Our stupid kings are now headed home.

-"Wi-fi's back on."

-A loud screech is the last thing you'd ever wanna hear on a spaceship.

-Oh, Yanma, you

-You brought a little souvenir, eh?

-Dugded is just Discord if he actually was a supervillain.

-Hello, Shugo Mask.

-"That's it, I'm going to bed."

-The kings are back, baby!

-...oh God, I hope relativity isn't coming back to bite us.

-"Booooooooooooo!"

-I swear, Hat Guy's talking like Josh Peck.

-...Hat Guy, Jesus, it has been way too long.

-His names Goroge, I know that!

-"Free jewelry for life, baby~! That's the rule of Dugded for you!"

-"Oh, oops."

-I guess most of our modern science survived out in Space.

-"Kill a king... and you get to be one too!"

-Damn, Yanma was gonna throw down.

-THEY JUST WENT OFF SCREEN, HOW'D YOU LOSE THEM

-Takes greed to know greed.

-New King?????

-Suzume-sama????

-Where is she?

-"Oh come now..."

-Alright, kinglings, let's dish out some church and state!

-DINOSAUR POWER

-Rulin' like it's 70 Million BC!

-Oh Kohgane, thank god

-Et tu, Boone?

-Shugo Kamen...

-He reversed Man in the Iron Masked us.

-"Oh well, peace is good :)"

-Left spinning their wheels in despair.

-C'mon, King Weiner!

-They shot him...

-Oh hi~!

-He's so small!

-He speaks fluent spirit!

-"Now... with the Power of the Dinosaurs! It's time for me to lead a charge! It's Morphin' Time! Energize! Unleash the power!"

-It was a much different effect, Gira had noticed, compared to King-Ohger. But if Minityra was willing to provide his aid, how could he refuse~? Breaking it down would be no small feat, but by the Gods, he'd simply have to!

-Sorry, Fly Boy! No amount of money's gonna let you step up to the King~!

-Good job~!

-Suzume's totally taken over.

-"Shut up, weiner! You're not the boss here!"

-"Oh noooooooooo~! Save me, my beloved Shugo Mask~!"

-Racules.

-Who else?

-How do you have a voice filter, your mouth isn't even covered.

-Ho man...

-Those blasted space bugs.

-There he is.

-Big Brother Racules.

-Hooo...

-You are one captivating son of a bitch.

-Racules Husty. Tremble at his name.

-Hooo....

-That's gonna be all from me tonight! I am...

-Quite tired, I'm just gonna lie down~! See you~!

[99centmusecd]

So, correct me if I’m wrong-

I know the Zero-One comic is guilty of getting the Progrisekeys wrong in so many ways, but did they legit just reuse the KR Fandom Wiki’s infobox image for this panel???

Everything’s in the same place, from Amazing Caucasus in the bottom right corner, to the light blue one really looking like Sting Scorpion on the case, and the rest being whatever.

I knew this run had its issues but this is just hilarious

[youjustwaitsunshine]

these weeks in georgia are so amazing, last weekend we went horse riding in kakheti (incredibly beautiful, super friendly little mountain horses and very impressive nature) and now i found out theres still SNOW in Bakuriani and im kinda debating if im brave enough to make a solo weekend trip there to go skiing in the lower caucasus

[m-madeleine]

hi! for the end of the year asks: 1, 3, 9, 14, 22, 24?

Hiiii!

1. How many books did you read this year?

Officially 33, although counting is difficult because I interned in publishing this summer and read some books that weren't out at the time. I keep thinking of more books I finished half a year ago. There's one that's announced for February and I guess I'll be counting it for this year instead??

Then there were also a couple that I technically finished, but am not counting for my goodreads challenge for Reasons, like I was basically skimming because of fast review deadline...or found so artrociously horrible I don't even want it to stain my account lmao. And that last one, I did the final edit for, so I know how bad it was even after multiple professional editing rounds :P

3. What were your top five books of the year?

In no particular order

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (EL!!! El, the girl who was born to be evil and fights tooth and nail to stay good out of spite T-T) (Also I realized I operate nigh daily on the exact same level of vigilance as a kid in a school that will KILL YOU and that's....a lot)

The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane (chill nonfiction about hiking and sailing mostly around Britain)

Shadow Girls by Carol Birch (girl's schools and ghostssss)

The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell (two girls bury their own parents in their backgarden; macabre in the best ways, grim but full of love)

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (essentially a fictional true crime case where you actually get the satisfaction of unpeeling all the layers through a round dance of POVs, left me Pondering for daysss)

Bonus: Along the Trenches by Navid Kermani (a travelogue that gets into the nitty gritty of the history and politics of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus) (I've only gotten halfway through, but I have to mention it NOW because it's amazing and Kermani has been cemented as my non-fiction crush)

9. Did you get into any new genres?

Not really! I def felt a taste for dark stuff this year though.

For the opposite of Getting Into, I had to read a lot of r0mance novels and new adult fiction for work, and mmmmmmm no. No shade, I did enjoy a couple, even though I'm not sure I would've finished them if I didn't have to. But they're just so formulaic T-T I need my books to have a kick.

14. What books do you want to finish before the year is over?

Worked hard on finishing In Männerkleidern by Angela Steidele. It's somewhere between an academic work and a conventional biography? The subject is a working class AFAB person in early 1700s Germany who lived sometimes as a woman and sometimes as a man, had a really interesting life, married a woman but eventually got busted and executed for "sodomy with a woman".

I think Steidele is pretty solid about dealing with the transman or lesbian or?? controversy potential, refers to the main character as whatever gender they were presenting as at the time and when discussing the possibility of interpretation at the end gives evidence for and against all possibilities fairly imo.

You're usually not gonna catch me reading history stuff outside uni, but this was a treat.

22. What’s the longest book you read?

Mansfield Park!

24. Did you DNF anything? Why?

Oh yea. For one, a lot of that was involuntary through work, often you'll only get a 50 page sample, sometimes the rest isn't even written yet.

One thing for work I DNFd more or less voluntarily was What Doesn't Kill Us by Ajay Close (sent in for translation licensing). I actually loved it and for the first and last time felt that famed editor "This is MY manuscript and I'm FIGHTING for it" feeling. Buuuuut it's very dark and visceral and I wasn't in a great headspace at the time, so I kind of just quiet quit on it during my last week. I did still write it a recommendation for as far as I got.

Outside of work, The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker. Only took me a couple pages to realize it was based on Mary Bell. I actually thought it was very well done, but it was tough to read just because of the subject and even flipping forward didn't help. I don't think I'll go back to it, I feel like I kind of know what it was doing and where it was going and I liked it, but don't need to experience it page by page.

[travelwithtravejar]

Museums in Georgia offer a Cultural Exploration: Visit 7 Must-See Exhibits

Explore Georgia's rich history through its diverse museums on our exclusive Georgia tour packages 2023. Discover archaeological treasures, sacred artifacts, and artistic masterpieces spanning over 1,000 years. The National Museum of Georgia, the largest in the country, houses an extensive collection, including Urartian inscriptions, hominid bones, ceramics, ancient icons, handicrafts, and historical clothing. Explore these remarkable exhibits not only in Tbilisi but also in various display buildings. Additionally, delve into comprehensive collections of zoology, anthropology, and geology, enhancing your immersive journey through Georgia's cultural tapestry. Join us for an unforgettable exploration of Georgia's fascinating heritage in 2023.

Georgia also has a large number of local exhibition centers and art galleries where exhibitions from diverse collections are frequently opened. The majority of art galleries are private, although this does not stop them from exhibiting the best Georgian masterworks from previous centuries. Please be aware that practically all museums in Georgia close at 18 o'clock on Mondays (and even earlier in the winter). 

Museum of Georgia

The Museum of Georgia, a section of the National Museum of Georgia, is situated on Shota Rustaveli Avenue in the heart of Tbilisi. Taxis and public transportation are both simple ways to get to the Museum. The Museum in Tbilisi is home to an exceptional collection of ancient artifacts from all around the world, including items from the third century. A permanent exhibit about the Caucasus' natural history is available to visitors to the Millennium BC.

Soviet Occupation Museum 

The Georgian History Museum houses the Soviet Occupation Museum, which depicts the 70 years of Soviet authority in Georgia, starting in 1921 and ending with its fall in 1991. Along with other artifacts depicting Georgia's social and political tyranny during the Soviet era, you can view the personal files of "rebellious" prominent personalities in Georgia as well as preparations to have them executed or exiled. One of the train cars where the 1924 national revolutionaries were executed is also housed in the hall.

National Gallery, Tbilisi

The National Gallery is one of the amazing places to visit in Georgia if you love art and want to see Georgian painters' greatest works. The structure was constructed in response to the Russian tsar's 1888 plan to establish a military and historical museum to highlight the superiority of the Russian Empire inside its borders. The works of Georgian artists from the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Niko Pirosmani, Lado Gudiashvili, David Kakabadze, and the sculptor Iakob Nikoladze, are currently on display in the museum's permanent collection. 

Dadiani Palace Museum

In addition to these objects, the museum boasts a beautiful library with books from Napoleon's personal library, furniture in the French and Russian styles, and personal gifts from British, Russian, and foreign nobles to the Dadiani family. Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi, Samegrelo region, is home to more notable remnants of both Georgian and European culture. Over 45,000 pieces, some of which were part of the Dadiani family collection, may be found at the museum. The death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte and the robe thought to have been worn by the Virgin Mary are two of the most important treasures on display here. Salome Diadiani Murat, the spouse of Napoleon's nephew Achille, brought the mask to Georgia.

Sighnaghi Museum

Georgia's most renowned wine-producing region is Akheti. The best tourist spot that must be seen practically all year round is this one. Home to a number of museums in Kakheti, but one is unquestionably worthwhile. This is the Sighnaghi Museum, which is situated in the romantic city of Sighnaghi. Five thousand ethnographic relics, including textiles, copper and wooden household goods, agricultural tools, winemaking supplies, jewelry, and musical instruments, are on display at the Sighnaghi Museum. You may also see the extensive numismatic collection of around 2000 coins, which includes old Sassanid Persian coins as well as local coinage issued by Georgian kings Erekle, Tamar, and Lasha-Giorgi. On the second floor of the museum, Niko Pirosmani's transient paintings are also on display.

Tsinandali Museum

In the Akheti district, the Tsinandali Museum is housed in the residence of Alexander Chavchavadze, a poet and aristocrat from Georgia. Various slices of furniture, works of fine and decorative art, and manuscripts from Chavchavadze's collections are on show in the museum. The house-Museum also features a beautiful nineteenth-century garden and a wine cellar that was constructed in 1835. Regional buses and taxis are two ways to get to Sighnaghi and Tsinandali. The stations are a short walk from several museums in Georgia.

Svaneti Museum and Tower of Margiani

Visitors visiting Georgia are required to climb the Svaneti Mountains. As the tsars transported their wealth to the mountains during invasions, the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region served as the Keeper of the Georgian Treasury for centuries. The Svaneti Museum in Mestia, which is a division of the National Museum of Georgia, currently houses these artifacts, making it one of the most significant collections kept in Georgian institutions. With its renovated media library, modified foyer, and roof terrace (in the summer), the Svaneti Museum serves as an important regional social space in addition to exhibiting one-of-a-kind masterpieces of domestic and international decorative and applied arts. 

Before continuing your ascent to Ushguli, which is thought to be the highest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, a cup of delectable coffee at a cafe with a panoramic view of the towers of Svaneti and the summit of Tetnuldi will lift your spirits and give you new energy. Regional buses go from Zugdidi and Tbilisi to Mestia. The Mestia city center is just a short stroll from the Museum to visit during Georgia tours.

[reversemoon255]

Tarantula Knight, Shugod Centipede, and Shugod Cicada

I have been thoroughly enjoying Kingohger so far. Strong characters, a good balance of seriousness and humor, good action, etc. Related to today's topic, Spider Kumonos has a lot of characteristics I like; being hinted at earlier in the series (playing the narrator), being half-kaijin, having a great design, and having his own goals that both pair him with and put him against our main team when required. Now, let's talk about his robot companion.

The Good: Excellent posability. While it lacks a waist joint, Tarantula Knight probably has better movement options than King-Ohger, having a ton of ab movement and unimpeded arms and legs. This also allows God Tarantula to have similar levels of posability as a spider. The transformation is rather simple, but has a few tricks, and the combination is a little boring but isn't hard to balance.

Centipede and Cicada: Cicada is pretty fun, having more transformation than expected when becoming a weapon and fully posable wings. Centipede is definitely the better looking weapon, but suffers from a somewhat loose ball-joint at its base connection and lacking any interesting action features on its own apart from being able to turn right.

The Bad: My only real complaint is Extreme King-Ohger is unwieldy and unbalanced. It looks better than previous incarnations of this transformation thanks to the Legend parts, but high posability is a hindrance to big combinations; a double-edged sword.

Overall, this is a superb individual robot with appreciated interplay with King-Ohger. It's amazing this is only the fourth posable release. Cicada and Centipede are both ok, but you're probably getting them for their eventual combination with Kabuto Caucasus Castle.

[una-vida-silenciosa]

Iran is openly saying that if the Azeris try to take back the corridor between Azerbaijan properly and the autonomous region enclave, annexing a big chunk of Armenia they will intervene militarily, it’s strange in the sense is like something from a Sassanian chronicle, when I read that I expected for some reason the declaration of Zoroastrian magi, you see, Ahura Mazda will purge them lol. I supported the offensive of 2020 because I think the Azeris show more resilience and that with the peace that would be the end of the conflict, the blood feud between Armenians and Azeris is long, but if Armenians can forgive the Kurdish that almost exterminated them they can do that with the Azeris with the time,  but is obvious that Azeris wants the extermination of Armenians, something that it’s pushed by their Israeli allies but not by the Turks. Erdoğan doesn’t want to fight Armenians, much less it can’t afford to fight alongside the Azeris, Türkiye is broke, the country is desolated by the outcome of the earthquake, and the imbalance in the trade commerce, the armed forced can’t fight in another theater, Huluci Akar already said it, the army have sent all its redundant material to Ukraine and their supply of gas depends on the Iranians, and Saudi and emirate bank loans. Iran and the Saudis have made something amazing, they have destroyed the system of balances and join forces against the Americans. This nonsense that will end with a regional conflict only will serve the interests of NATO and the Yankees, destabilizing the Russian Caucasus front and murdering thousands of Christians, like during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Thousands of people will die so American mostly Jewish neocons can make their dreams of mass murder of gentiles real, again.  

[inkyami]

9. which of your neighbouring countries would you like to visit most/know best?

I mentioned Norway, Japan and Finland last time I answered, but I grew very intrigued with Georgia. Mother always dreamed of visiting, and now with a huge wave of emigration friends and acquaintances keep sending cool facts and amazing places. Not to mention the Caucasus mountains’ nature. Or coisine. Or material culture.

“Hi I’m not from the US” asks