Monthly Archives: January 2006

“What’s that? Are we getting a bus militia as well?” asks Lyudmila, a 68-year-old Moscow pensioner. Not quite yet, according to a Moscow Times article on the new trial deployment of okhraniki on Moscow buses. Mosgortrans has signed a deal with two private security companies, Fort and Vites-Vak, to “to protect passengers from fake ticket inspectors, troublemakers and shoddily dressed riffraff.” Dressed in imposing black uniforms, the two man teams carry handcuffs and teargas to handle any hooligans that attempt to disrupt the natural order of public transportation. The teargas, however, will only be used in the most dangerous of situations like when a terrorist is on the bus. Well now I feel safe! Though, I never felt afraid riding a Moscow bus. They tend to be so crowded that no one can move to disrupt the ride. But come to think ..read more

As some of you noticed, I haven’t blogged in almost a month. I’ve missed commenting on a lot of news—the outcome of the Gazprom-Ukraine crisis, the continued politics of natural gas supply and demand, the recent British spy scandal and its potential effect on NGOs, in addition to a whole host of big and small stories. What a time to be too busy to blog! As some of you know, I’m writing my dissertation in Russian history on the Young Communist League in the 1920s. An upcoming deadline for a chapter, applying for writing grants, and beginning to teach has absorbed most of my time over the last month. Some of these things (grant writing and chapter deadline) will pass in the next few weeks. I plan on returning to regular blogging then.