I confess to having never heard of Vanga until I saw a headline this week that launched me down this research rabbit hole.
There's an interesting beat about Putin. I think I recommended it in the newsletter a few weeks ago, but The Story of Russia (Orlando Figes) is such an interesting way into a millenia of Russian history. The symbolism…
I confess to having never heard of Vanga until I saw a headline this week that launched me down this research rabbit hole.
There's an interesting beat about Putin. I think I recommended it in the newsletter a few weeks ago, but The Story of Russia (Orlando Figes) is such an interesting way into a millenia of Russian history. The symbolism of Vladimir Putin pushing towards Kyiv, overseen by the statue of Prince Volodymyr — the father of Kievan Rus', the mythical state that Putin wants so desperately to recreate — is not lost on many Russians. I'm always cautious to not ascribe too much high-handed motive to despots, but I think Putin is both genuinely superstitious and also aware of how much myth and legend can captivate people.
I don't think we talk enough about how corrosive the Mail is. It's tapped right into the MAGA world and is doing very well from it.
And I'm no great fan of Post News, to be honest. It's shiny, but it lacks the inter-personal, social aspects of Twitter. I'm increasingly a fan of Mastodon. I think it might be *the* future. The Washington Post just announced they are betting big on it.
Hanukkah Sameach to you too! (And happy holidays to everyone, since I apparently forgot to make that wish in the body of the newsletter. Whoops!)
I confess to having never heard of Vanga until I saw a headline this week that launched me down this research rabbit hole.
There's an interesting beat about Putin. I think I recommended it in the newsletter a few weeks ago, but The Story of Russia (Orlando Figes) is such an interesting way into a millenia of Russian history. The symbolism of Vladimir Putin pushing towards Kyiv, overseen by the statue of Prince Volodymyr — the father of Kievan Rus', the mythical state that Putin wants so desperately to recreate — is not lost on many Russians. I'm always cautious to not ascribe too much high-handed motive to despots, but I think Putin is both genuinely superstitious and also aware of how much myth and legend can captivate people.
I don't think we talk enough about how corrosive the Mail is. It's tapped right into the MAGA world and is doing very well from it.
And I'm no great fan of Post News, to be honest. It's shiny, but it lacks the inter-personal, social aspects of Twitter. I'm increasingly a fan of Mastodon. I think it might be *the* future. The Washington Post just announced they are betting big on it.
Hanukkah Sameach to you too! (And happy holidays to everyone, since I apparently forgot to make that wish in the body of the newsletter. Whoops!)