My heart goes out to you brave and beautiful souls. May you land in a safe place where you can have the satisfaction of fulfilling your life purpose, whether back in Novgorod or somewhere else. May we all prevail in this battle with the banality of evil. I live in Mount Airy, Philadelphia and you would be most welcome in my home. Just send me a pm.
Thank you for this lovely posting. The village project was quite wonderful and I look forward to your stories and any other writings you can send us. I am struck by the way little Susan, as a tiny kitten, held her/his own among all those dogs. Kittens are so brave. You are terrific people and if they chuck you out of Russia, that is Russia's loss. Bon courage!
Here's hoping you get to return to the chaos and animals and manure and all the other sweet benefits of Novgorod Oblast.
If you do get stuck here in the USA, do you think you'll end up in New Hampshire again? Rural NH and Vermont (where I lived for 15 years until last year) seem pretty close to your village in some respects.
My Vermont journey had a slightly similar trajectory: moved there from Silicon Valley, met someone who was farmer, logger, weaver, long-distance backpacker, and all-around backwoods woman. We built a house, got married, farmed, logged, hiked, skied, and got a craft show business off the ground. It was a great learning experience that I'd never have gotten in Silicon Valley. I had to leave the marriage in 2020 just a few weeks before the Scamdemic, and eventually had to leave Vermont behind. But I don't regret the journey at all.
I have come to understand that the Man In Charge in the Kremlin likes animals such as dogs and has even been famously photographed on horseback. Perhaps an appeal directly to him, given your similar love for our four-legged friends, might pay dividends. Your--and Katya's--heart belongs back in Novgorod tending to your village duties. I dedicate todays Bourbon-tasting to you!
I enjoy your posts, Riley. Thanks for informing us of what is going on in your neck of the woods in Russia. I appreciate it. I miss your weekly interviews with Jessie Zurawell on TNT radio. I know that was long ago, but I appreciated your musings on "COVID" and what is going on in Ukraine during this period. Do you still communicate with Jessie? Is he doing okay? Just curious as I haven't heard from him online in several years. Peace to you and your family. Keep doing what you're doing.
Jesse is taking a long break. Too bad, he had a great show, particularly in 2024 when he did it on Substack. His page, The Methods Section, is still alive, though inactive.
Riley, for all of the sanity, reasonableness and human decency your every post brings me, I'll be a subscriber for at least a very long time, regardless of your posting frequency.
I wish that I had discovered Marco earlier and I'm sorry he and many others are not here with us anymore. But it seems his writings will remain relevant and eye opening and his mind will continue to bring clarity, light to this world.
We love you, Edward! You and Katya take care. I pray you will be able to return soon to that big, beautiful, chaotic country, Russia. It feels heartbreaking to have to leave Novgorod. And, for what??
I don’t see any subscribers complaining about the Slavsquat reports and musings over recent years so no apologies needed. Yours has been my favourite blog by a mile and the tales of village life have been such a bonus! I hate to think of you in this no man’s land atm and I do hope you get at least a reply soon. Much love ❤️
I'm afraid, as I intimated previously, international relations are strained. Russia is at war, and NATO (aka the U.S.A.) and EU nations are behaving abominably like bloodthirsty heathens.
Our time suffers a peculiar disease: the call and love of war or bloodlust particularly by ignoble individuals such as Victoria Nuland. I grew up in Americana circa 1950-60s. We counted ourselves lucky to escape nuclear holocaust. I'm sure the Russians did, too. I marched for peace. Peace was a highly valued commodity. Today, no one cares.
People today laugh at death. Someone's assassinated, like Charlie Kirk, and people laugh, jeer, and clap in elation. I never followed Kirk so had little knowledge of him. However, we easily see everywhere the string to human feelings has been severed in this time.
Your video and stories of the village return us to an era when human connection mattered. The video was marvelous. Good luck!
You are a total legend, Eddie, make no mistake. You are one of the very few English language publicists who called out the Scamdemic and Friendly Banker Convenience BS in the Slavlands for what they are. Together with Rurik and Marko you correctly expected a phony Not-War in the Slavlands that would strip the regular folks off their lives and basic rights, while most of the other dissidents just keep parroting the usual Z Anon nonsense - to this day. Thank you, and all the best to your family and folks. It's been a wild half of a decade.
Greetings from the far left edge of the North American continent. Yes, the sharp uptick has been noted with increasing enthusiasm and engagement! I have to confess I've been slacking a bit as more active tabs have clamored for attention. However, Susan and company have remained enshrined in the depths of my heart.
You're having quite the adventure, not that I necessarily envy the particulars and chaos. Fleeing and/or being deported from a country is certainly a good way to elevate the heart rate. Thankfully I left that sort of thing behind a while back, and did return to the 'sunny side of the bay', albeit with some slight compromises with the authorities.
RIP to Marko. Perhaps we had co-inhabited a certain location on the internet before it too ended too early. I still disagree with his characterization of taxes as theft, as one first needs to become a collaborator before financial regime support becomes possible. I do not transcribe the particulars of this world view into official red flags on the internet.
If you happen to make it a few hundred miles north of 'Another WorldView Is Possible', join me for coffee at the local roaster, or for my treat at my favorite sushi purveyor.
The video montage just made my day 🥹 - a beautifully chaotic and joyful experience.
Yes! Delightful!
May there be many happy returns for you and Katya, to the Motherland. It's what people crave.
If you make it back to SoCal. Hit me up. If you need one, you will receive a free surf lesson - probably at Venice Pier... But who knows?
My heart goes out to you brave and beautiful souls. May you land in a safe place where you can have the satisfaction of fulfilling your life purpose, whether back in Novgorod or somewhere else. May we all prevail in this battle with the banality of evil. I live in Mount Airy, Philadelphia and you would be most welcome in my home. Just send me a pm.
Thank you for this lovely posting. The village project was quite wonderful and I look forward to your stories and any other writings you can send us. I am struck by the way little Susan, as a tiny kitten, held her/his own among all those dogs. Kittens are so brave. You are terrific people and if they chuck you out of Russia, that is Russia's loss. Bon courage!
Here's hoping you get to return to the chaos and animals and manure and all the other sweet benefits of Novgorod Oblast.
If you do get stuck here in the USA, do you think you'll end up in New Hampshire again? Rural NH and Vermont (where I lived for 15 years until last year) seem pretty close to your village in some respects.
My Vermont journey had a slightly similar trajectory: moved there from Silicon Valley, met someone who was farmer, logger, weaver, long-distance backpacker, and all-around backwoods woman. We built a house, got married, farmed, logged, hiked, skied, and got a craft show business off the ground. It was a great learning experience that I'd never have gotten in Silicon Valley. I had to leave the marriage in 2020 just a few weeks before the Scamdemic, and eventually had to leave Vermont behind. But I don't regret the journey at all.
Does she have a sister? J/K. If my GF sees this, I'm dead.
Sorry, her sister would not be a good choice. Trust me on this.
Tks.
I have come to understand that the Man In Charge in the Kremlin likes animals such as dogs and has even been famously photographed on horseback. Perhaps an appeal directly to him, given your similar love for our four-legged friends, might pay dividends. Your--and Katya's--heart belongs back in Novgorod tending to your village duties. I dedicate todays Bourbon-tasting to you!
Your account of the mysterious disappearance and friend's death reminds me of author David Graeber's own mysterious death:
https://nevermoremedia.substack.com/p/the-wisdom-of-kandiaronk-was-this
https://nevermoremedia.substack.com/p/did-david-graeber-know-ahead-of-time
https://nevermoremedia.substack.com/p/was-david-graeber-offered-a-deal
Your village and life is Novgorod is obviously where your heart is and where you belong.
Hope you stay healthy and alive.
As the Worst Of All Worlds podcast is not possible anymore, I miss and hope for the comeback of the Red List podcast with Riley and Rolo.
I enjoy your posts, Riley. Thanks for informing us of what is going on in your neck of the woods in Russia. I appreciate it. I miss your weekly interviews with Jessie Zurawell on TNT radio. I know that was long ago, but I appreciated your musings on "COVID" and what is going on in Ukraine during this period. Do you still communicate with Jessie? Is he doing okay? Just curious as I haven't heard from him online in several years. Peace to you and your family. Keep doing what you're doing.
Jesse is taking a long break. Too bad, he had a great show, particularly in 2024 when he did it on Substack. His page, The Methods Section, is still alive, though inactive.
Riley, for all of the sanity, reasonableness and human decency your every post brings me, I'll be a subscriber for at least a very long time, regardless of your posting frequency.
I wish that I had discovered Marco earlier and I'm sorry he and many others are not here with us anymore. But it seems his writings will remain relevant and eye opening and his mind will continue to bring clarity, light to this world.
Best wishes with your and Katya's situation.
We love you, Edward! You and Katya take care. I pray you will be able to return soon to that big, beautiful, chaotic country, Russia. It feels heartbreaking to have to leave Novgorod. And, for what??
I don’t see any subscribers complaining about the Slavsquat reports and musings over recent years so no apologies needed. Yours has been my favourite blog by a mile and the tales of village life have been such a bonus! I hate to think of you in this no man’s land atm and I do hope you get at least a reply soon. Much love ❤️
Dear Ed--the answer is in the reply.
I'm afraid, as I intimated previously, international relations are strained. Russia is at war, and NATO (aka the U.S.A.) and EU nations are behaving abominably like bloodthirsty heathens.
Our time suffers a peculiar disease: the call and love of war or bloodlust particularly by ignoble individuals such as Victoria Nuland. I grew up in Americana circa 1950-60s. We counted ourselves lucky to escape nuclear holocaust. I'm sure the Russians did, too. I marched for peace. Peace was a highly valued commodity. Today, no one cares.
People today laugh at death. Someone's assassinated, like Charlie Kirk, and people laugh, jeer, and clap in elation. I never followed Kirk so had little knowledge of him. However, we easily see everywhere the string to human feelings has been severed in this time.
Your video and stories of the village return us to an era when human connection mattered. The video was marvelous. Good luck!
You are a total legend, Eddie, make no mistake. You are one of the very few English language publicists who called out the Scamdemic and Friendly Banker Convenience BS in the Slavlands for what they are. Together with Rurik and Marko you correctly expected a phony Not-War in the Slavlands that would strip the regular folks off their lives and basic rights, while most of the other dissidents just keep parroting the usual Z Anon nonsense - to this day. Thank you, and all the best to your family and folks. It's been a wild half of a decade.
Greetings from the far left edge of the North American continent. Yes, the sharp uptick has been noted with increasing enthusiasm and engagement! I have to confess I've been slacking a bit as more active tabs have clamored for attention. However, Susan and company have remained enshrined in the depths of my heart.
You're having quite the adventure, not that I necessarily envy the particulars and chaos. Fleeing and/or being deported from a country is certainly a good way to elevate the heart rate. Thankfully I left that sort of thing behind a while back, and did return to the 'sunny side of the bay', albeit with some slight compromises with the authorities.
RIP to Marko. Perhaps we had co-inhabited a certain location on the internet before it too ended too early. I still disagree with his characterization of taxes as theft, as one first needs to become a collaborator before financial regime support becomes possible. I do not transcribe the particulars of this world view into official red flags on the internet.
https://files.catbox.moe/88mmmh.jpeg
If you happen to make it a few hundred miles north of 'Another WorldView Is Possible', join me for coffee at the local roaster, or for my treat at my favorite sushi purveyor.
All possible good luck to Katya and yourself!