All About Latvia

On the eve of Latvia’s birthday

RIGA — The following is my translation of the editorial published in the Russian-language newspaper Segodnya on November 18, 1925, Latvia’s 7th independence anniversary. I kept the original emboldened text. Seven years of independence, seven years of independent existence … In the history of the nation, this is a short term. But for the newly [...]

Language Wars

RIGA – “Where do I go sign up to protect the Russian schools,” a distraught voice of a teacher-friend of mine blasted into my ear. “Latvians now want to close all our schools. We want to protest.” The All for Latvia party has spearheaded the effort to collect the first batch of signatures to amend [...]

Blow

RIGA – After Pussylounge Bar, this Elizabetes street designer clothes store has one of the funniest names in the city. It takes its name from a 2001 movie “Blow” with Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz. The film – favored by the store’s owners – tells a story of George Jung, the man who established the American [...]

It’s Genocide!

RIGA – Words are a powerful tool. They paint a picture. They persuade. They dissuade. They arose people to war. They declare peace. They matter in a public discourse. They set the public mood and reveal the mindset of its leaders, who rely on words to persuade the armies of Joe Six-packs. Sloppy word usage [...]