Otto's Random Thoughts

Regarding the Tuvel controversy there is something that I have not seen brought up. That is the difference between ethnicity and race. Ethni...

In relation to the last post, Beria's official justification for the deportation of Turks, Kurds, and Hemshins from Georgia in November...

In November 1944 the Soviet government accused nearly 9,000 Kurds from Georgia including women, children, old men, Red Army soldiers, and Co...

On Thursday I finished classes for the semester. Now I just have to give and grade finals. In the last two weeks I also sent out three journ...

Today I went to the Amna Suraka prison and museum . The political prison designed by the East Germans specialized in the torture of Kurds ac...

Today I got up at 5:00 am. But, fortunately I went to bed at 9:00 pm so I got enough sleep. I took the 7:00 am bus to work and ate a breakfa...

At this point I am sure this blog has no readers other than my parents left. But, I feel compelled to keep the thing alive just out of sheer...

I thought Stalin's construction of socialism causing the premature and excess death of over 15 million people was near the top of inhuma...

Today I took a taxi to the bank and then strolled to the bazaar. At the bazaar I had a falafel roll and ayran for lunch. Then I walked to a ...

Today is the 73rd anniversary of the deportation of the Balkars by the NKVD to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. I don't have a lot new to add ...

March 8th is International Women's Day. I have the day off for other reasons. But, after living in Kyrgyzstan I am always shocked at how...

Today I took a cab to the bazaar to get something to eat from one of the Nepali stands outside the park that set up on Fridays. I had two la...

Yesterday I ate at the new Chinese place everybody here is raving about. It was pretty good. I had spring rolls, fried rice, pepper beef, ku...

I am quite sure that most of my regular readers (ie my parents) prefer my posts about life and work in Sulaimani to those linking to my work...

On 24 February 1966 the Ghanaian army and police overthrew the Convention People's Party government of Kwame Nkrumah. This coup was on...

Yesterday was the 73rd anniversary of the deportation of the Chechens and Ingush from their Caucasian homeland to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzsta...

Last night at a little before ten the electricity cut out. Then I heard a very loud knocking on my door. It turned out that a flat on the fl...

Yesterday I taught four classes. Today I had no classes. Instead I had to go to the bank to take care of something. Getting there involved s...

Today I actually got a couple of concrete accomplishments done. I called my mother. I did laundry. Finally, I ventured out to Majidi Mall to...

Yesterday I took the 8:00 am bus to work. I then ate breakfast and taught two classes. For lunch I had rice and shish tavuk, Then I taught a...