kalmn

russian names are very strange from an english speaking standpoint. nicknames, in particular.

natasha, for example, is a nickname, in russian. for natalya.

natka is an even shorter version. or natusik. or natul'ka. or even natashka, apparently.

tasha is not a nickname for a russian woman named natasha. it just isn't. dear fic writers, please stop using it now. throws me out of the damn story every time.

(sasha, the story you linked was good otherwise.)

yes, this is sf author joel rosenberg. yes, he used to go to minicon. i believe he's given it up recently. yes, he was one of the major drivers of mn-stf schisming *again* over guns.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2010/12/08/police-man-brings-handgun-knife-into-mpls-city-hall/

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Minneapolis man and author of a conceal and carry book was arrested Wednesday, accused of bringing a dangerous weapon into a Minneapolis City Hall on Nov. 5, according to police.

Joel Rosenberg, 56, allegedly walked into the City Hall with his wife for a pre-arranged meeting with Sgt. Bill Palmer, who is the Public Information Office for the Minneapolis Police Department.
[...]
Police said they later learned that Rosenberg is active in posting commentary on many web logs and Internet sites. Police believe he wrote an open letter to Palmer, which said, “When you stupidly lunged at me to grab my knife and gun, you didn’t watch my hands. One of them was on my back-up gun; the other was within an inch of my back-up knife.”

to my friends who have conceal/carry permits-- this sort of shit is why i don't believe you when you explain why conceal/carry permits are a great idea and everyone should have one.