Where did he go?

Fusian, do you mean to say that Chakster is now active on VE?

Not here.  I for one have been concerned about him, since on occasion he was a vocal critic of the Russian government, at least on this forum.  And if he was politically active, he might have been in danger for expressing his views. I said as much a year ago on this thread.

All kidding is definitely aside.

200 years ago, and longer ago, was the heyday of the Czars. The vast majority of Russians were virtually slaves to the nobility. It’s a wonder to me that their revolution had to wait 100 more years after Napoleon.

So Bill, which is it? Is he absent because banned or because depressed?i think he is courageous in a way and at a time in history where it counts.

I hope it was for reasons described by Raul and not for reasons mentioned by me.

Chakster was an outspoken critic of the Russian government, even on these pages where politics is not the subject. So I have been concerned that he got himself in trouble for expressing his opinions. At the very least, he may have been deprived of internet access.