There’s some commenter unrest in a thread below about our lack of coverage of recent events in Ukraine. Lacking the resources of the BBC or the NY Times, I’m afraid that we assorted academics and oddballs at CT can’t aspire to comprehensive news coverage and usually (well sometimes!) restrict ourselves to writing about stuff we know something about. Fortunately, when we are ourselves in a shocking state of ignorance, we can sometimes point to people who are not. And such is Nick Barlow, over at “Fistful of Euros”:http://fistfulofeuros.net/ , who has multiple posts on the topic.
{ 31 comments }
des von bladet 11.24.04 at 12:59 pm
Really, you lot!
The European pig fat exports futures market could be plunged into chaos – chaos, I tell you! – if Ukraine goes south.
And all you lot can say is “Oh, we’ve never been there; Oh, we can’t read the language; Oh we don’t even _like_ raw salted pig fat anyway.”
It’s simply not good enough; kindly cancel my subscription.
Barry 11.24.04 at 2:47 pm
If you’re not posting 24/7 on Ukraine**, you’re objectively anti-Ukrainian!!!!!!!!! Indeed. Heh.
** I, of course, reserve the right to be snarky tomorrow about you not posting 24/7 today on something else.
nic 11.24.04 at 3:00 pm
I don’t believe you. I think you’ve been bribed by Putin to avoid any more “unacceptable interference”. I cancel my subscription too.
abb1 11.24.04 at 3:04 pm
Well, actually the pig fat exports are already in trouble:
Who lost Ukraine?
Hektor Bim 11.24.04 at 3:11 pm
Here’s a site that has links to a lot of English-language Ukranian blogs.
http://ukrainiandemocracy.serenatamusic.com/
Brian Weatherson 11.24.04 at 3:24 pm
It’s holiday season over here so I’ll be politer than I normally would to the wretched imbeciles who make the kind of complaints Chris is referring to. Rather, I’ll just kindly ask that until they have addressed all the topics of concern to me about Australia (What will stop the gangland killings in Melbourne? Is the rise of Family First a threat to secular democracy? Why is Chris Latham of Socks Down still in the national team? And other questions that arise as I see fit.) they not complain about my not addressing the questions they are interested in.
George Williams 11.24.04 at 3:36 pm
Those who are unhappy with the coverage offered by Crooked Timber should demand a full refund of the money they’ve paid to access this site. And then they should start their own blog as competition, drawing away the CT subscriber base, until there is no longer enough funding to go on, forcing CT to shut down, an event that is sure to restore balance and stability to the web…
…Go! Do it! Why are you wasting your time reading this comment thread?
Doug 11.24.04 at 3:41 pm
I dunno, I’d take it as a compliment.
“Here’s a story that’s tailor made for the guys at Crooked Timber,” says me. “More Kiwis!” says Giblets. “There’s like a revolution in a big European country,” says me. “Up Lynne Cheney with a Christmas tree!” says Giblets. “Will it be Vaclav Havel, or will it be Tiananmen Square,” says me. “COOL PICITURES!!” says Giblets. “It looks like people power versus Russian imperialism,” says me. “Lakoff!” says Giblets. “Or maybe it’s duelling appartschiks,” says me. “Juan Cole in a Memri hole,” says Giblets. “They’re waving Georgian flags and holding up roses,” says me. “We didn’t write about the revolution in Georgia either,” says Giblets.
“Oh,” says me. “Let’s go get some pizza with Chris.”
Ray 11.24.04 at 3:49 pm
I demand a post on Family First and whether or not they’re a threat to secular democracy!
Katherine 11.24.04 at 4:15 pm
Havel sent a message to the demonstrators
“Taipei, November 23, 2004
Dear Citizens,
Allow me to greet you in these dramatic days when the destiny of your country is being decided for decades ahead. You have its future in your hands. All trustworthy organizations, both local and international, agree that your demands are just. That is why I wish you strength, perseverance, courage and good fortune with your decisions.
Yours truly,
Vaclav Havel”
rea 11.24.04 at 4:21 pm
“We didn’t write about the revolution in Georgia either”
There’s been a revolution in Georgia? High time–I hope they dealt harshly with Gingrich . . .
Peter K. 11.24.04 at 4:37 pm
Well, it’s like this site complaining that supporters of the removal of Saddam Hussein don’t discuss the malnutrition study of Iraqi children.
It’s the sin of ommission. Some might not like the point about Putin consistently opposing the removal of dictators, whether in Iraq or Ukraine. Ironically, the Ukrainian democrats would pull their troops out of Iraq…. But now it looks the iron fist is coming out … opponents of Western neo-colonialism must be pleased.
Peter K. 11.24.04 at 4:39 pm
Well, it’s like this site complaining that supporters of the removal of Saddam Hussein don’t discuss the malnutrition study of Iraqi children.
It’s the sin of ommission. Some might not like the point about Putin consistently opposing the removal of dictators, whether in Iraq or Ukraine. Ironically, the Ukrainian democrats would pull their troops out of Iraq…. But now it looks the iron fist is coming out … opponents of Western neo-colonialism must be pleased.
msk08 11.24.04 at 5:11 pm
Well, I would like to complain also about the coverage here. I politely requested more sex-related topics, after I believe it was this very CT poster who said he was also thinking more about sex. And what do you know, no sex postings have appeared, although I have offered a couple of polite well-worded discussions.
I know I can’t ask for any refund, because this is a free site, but oh, the hours I have spent looking for some good sex-related material and not has been published so far.
Marc Mulholland 11.24.04 at 5:34 pm
I had a post in good time:
http://marcmulholland.tripod.com/histor/index.blog?entry_id=533306
But have I got any comments at all? Like hell! No fair! ):
Zackary Sholem Berger 11.24.04 at 5:48 pm
Please keep writing whatever you feel like writing about . . .
Something I haven’t seen pointed out in the media coverage (e.g. in the Times) is that the split in Ukraine parallels the East/West split that’s been true there for a good long time.
Robert Nagle 11.24.04 at 5:56 pm
Although I don’t normally write a lot about Ukrainian politics, I’ve taught at Ukrainian universities and have recently written some commentaries on my idiotprogrammer weblog . Also, I’ve been working on some travel and cultural articles about Ukraine (unrelated to the current conflict).
Of course, many weblogs have been providing excellent analysis and commentary. Here’s a great interview with Michael McFaul on PBS newshour (scroll down a bit).
My contribution: The last decade and the recent reign of Kuchma have been total hell for Ukrainians. They are at wit’s end, and the level of desperation is great enough to force an extreme solution. We are past the point of compromises.
My vice-rector of the business college where I taught wrote me recently about the crisis. For them the problem is much more complex than it appears to Western reports (no surprise). The problem is that European and US corporations have shown relatively little interest in investing in Ukraine. Probable reasons: corruption, lack of legal reform and an oppressive tax system. (Also a sinking currency hasn’t helped).
On the other hand, Russian companies have shown a great amount of interest in Ukraine, as has (!) China. According to my vice-rector, Chinese firms seem more likely to stay in Ukraine than American firms. That’s just sad.
The admission of Poland to the EU certainly aggravated this alienation from Europe. It made it difficult for Ukraine to do normal business with its Polish neighbor and made crossborder travel very difficult.
It’s a mistake to believe that Yanukovych or his policies are necessarily evil (although the political machinations certainly are). He has advocated closer ties to Russia, pension increases and various work programs for the unemployed. His crucial mistake was in not recognizing that he was undermining his own political legitimacy by letting his party manipulate the media or do ballot-stuffing.
US has a strong tradition of democratic processes but an indifferent or uninformed citizenry. Ukraine has lousy democratic processes, but a skeptical citizenry willing to challenge. This exercise should be instructive for Americans.
abb1 11.24.04 at 6:08 pm
The last decade and the recent reign of Kuchma have been total hell for Ukrainians. They are at wit’s end, and the level of desperation is great enough to force an extreme solution. We are past the point of compromises.
No kidding – when salo has become elite product, that’s certainly the closest thing to hell for an Ukrainian. And I am being absolutely serious here.
Well, hopefully, there is still enough gorilka there.
Hektor Bim 11.24.04 at 6:23 pm
Chris, thanks for setting up this topic. I’m learning things in the comment section.
des von bladet 11.24.04 at 6:23 pm
abb1: There really is a Europe-wide lard shortage, you know. And Hungary and Polandland, being EU members, get first dibs.
We’ve had a velvet revolution and a rose revolution; is it now time for a lard (salo) revolution?
Zackary Sholem Berger 11.24.04 at 6:35 pm
If anyone’s interested, I just posted to my blog on Jews, the Ukrainian elections, and whether Yuschenko is an anti-Semite. (Short answer: who knows?)
Ukraine Guy 11.24.04 at 6:36 pm
Ukraine is game to you? How about I take your little board and smash it?!?
abb1 11.24.04 at 6:51 pm
des von bladet,
my wife likes good salo. She says you can’t get decent salo either in Switzerland or France, but if you drive thru the Montblanc tunnel to Aosta, Italy – they sell excellent (according to my wife) salo there. We almost always stop there to buy some salo. They sell it in every alimentari. I’m pretty sure salo we buy in Aosta is Italian product, not Unkranian or Polish, but it’s exactly the same (or better). I hope this helps.
But I can’t really imagine Ukraine without salo in every grocery; when I was there – oh, in the early 80s, I guess – salo was pretty much the only form of protein available. If they don’t even have salo anymore, it must be really-really bad.
Matt McGrattan 11.24.04 at 6:57 pm
abb1:
Apparently there is a Europe-wide pork-fat drought. It’s not specifically Ukraine. The BBC had a thing a few nights ago about the shortage of lard here which means people may have to use an alternative in making pastry for mince pies, etc.
I have no idea how genuine the shortage actually is.
abb1 11.24.04 at 7:19 pm
Ukraine Guy,
How about I take your little board and smash it?!?
Sounds good, but didn’t you guys give all you nukes to the Russians? Why would you expect to get any respect now?
Hektor Bim 11.24.04 at 7:50 pm
I hear reports of troops heading to Kyiv – along with some rumors that there are Russian troops among them. This is supposed to tie in with Yanukyvich being sworn in, even though the requisite 15 days have not passed.
Anyone have better information? Is the blood about to flow?
Maria 11.24.04 at 9:19 pm
I’ve certainly been glued to the telly to follow the fate of Ukraine, like lots of others I imagine. I thought about blogging it but really had nothing to add other than: Putin – v. v. bad, and that the protesters seem an amazingly good-tempered bunch of people, so far. And, of course, I desperately hope it turns out well. But given my general ignorance about the place, it didn’t seem really bloggable…
I know it can’t be very satisfying for commenters/readers, but sometimes there are events (like Beslan) where all you feel compelled to do is keep watching and hoping.
I would be very shocked, though, if the Russian military were anywhere near. That seems a step too far, even for Putin.
Phil Hunt 11.25.04 at 12:18 am
My blog Cabalamat Journal is also covering the Ukraine situation, particularly in its Ukraine section.
des von bladet 11.25.04 at 9:42 am
abb1:
Thanks! I am taking notes…
raj 11.25.04 at 12:15 pm
>Apparently there is a Europe-wide pork-fat drought. It’s not specifically Ukraine.
They can always try chicken fat, instead.
One wonders whether the pork fat drought is a result of the apparent world-wide obsession to have leaner pork. Which, of course, necessitates brining pork prior to cooking to avoid having the cooked pork have the consistency of cardboard.
raj 11.25.04 at 12:16 pm
>Apparently there is a Europe-wide pork-fat drought. It’s not specifically Ukraine.
They can always try chicken fat, instead.
One wonders whether the pork fat drought is a result of the apparent world-wide obsession to have leaner pork. Which, of course, necessitates brining pork prior to cooking to avoid having the cooked pork have the consistency of cardboard.
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