much absent

I've been (unusually) hugely busy at work and trying to keep up with the reading in my course. My apologies if I've missed anything I really ought to have replied to. Hopefully I'll be back here soon. I the meantime I'll foist off on you this ( overlong screed on Russification in Central Asia )

are some people really this... oh, I don't even need to ask

( A safety notice from our local police. )