Hopefully, you should be able to see a whole new two-column design.  If you can’t, try hitting the refresh button on your browser to clear the old site out of your cache.

I have to say, I’m quite pleased with the new look, although it’s meant plenty of blood, sweat, tears and cursing.  As well, I’ve found out things about style sheets that no sane man was meant to know.

Aside from the move to two column format, I’ve tidied up the banner image, which was beginning to look a bit dated, and changed the title font in an idea blatantly stolen from registan.net.  The font of the main text has also changed to Arial.  I think it’s easier to read, but let me know if you have any problems with it.

I’ve updated the sidebar, too, and put together what is, I hope, a reasonably comprehensive list of weblogs focusing on the Former Soviet Union.  I’m sure I’ve missed some blogs out though, so if you want to be added, give me a shout.   Beside each link is the country which I’ve arbitrarily decided they specialize in.  Some blogs cover more than one country though, so if you think I’ve misrepresented anyone, tell me please, and I’ll amend the list.

Finally, I’d really like your opinion on the design from a user’s perspective.  I thought long and hard about the switch from two sidebars to just the one, as I was worried that reducing the amount of sidebar space on the opening screen would also mean losing some of the site’s functionality.  To compensate, I’ve put what I think are the most popular sections (search, recent posts and recent comments) at the top of the page.  Let me know, though, if you’d prefer a different arrangement.

Right.  That’s it for today.  Any minor tweaks can wait until tomorrow.  I’m off to break into my emergency stash of White Gold, and pour my self a celebratory drink.  Na zdaroviye!

Have you ever wanted to know what I think about Russia’s relations with the European Union?  What foreign policy the US should adopt in relations with Russia?  Whether China would get Russian support if it invadedTaiwan?  Whether Vladimir Putin is one of my political heroes, or whether I’m starry eyed about Gorbachev?  Whether I think Chechnya has an earthly of remaining within Russia, or how much I like Mongolia?

Well, you could read this blog, of course.  But, if you feel the need to have my opinion on pretty much everything under the sun wrapped up in one neat package, check out my Andres Gentry profile which has just been published.

And if, by the end of the profile, I haven’t managed to offend at least half of you with my nutty opinions, I will be forced to conclude that I am very boring indeed.

Finally it’s over!  In a tense three-way fight to the finish to the First European Weblog Awards, Siberian Light scraped home in the Best CIS Blog category a mere 7 votes ahead of The Argus, who in turn sealed their second place finish by only 3 votes from Neeka’s Backlog.   

The first debt of thanks has to go to Mum.  Simply because she’s Mum, and she’d get mad at me if I did an acceptance speech without mentioning her.

Thanks also to all who voted for and read Siberian Light, and congratulations to all the finalists in the CIS category.  The closeness of the finish is certainly due to the high quality of blogs covering the region.

Siberian Light also finished a very distant fourth in the Best Weblog Focused on a Single Country or Region category - a full 272 votes behind deserved winner The Glory of Carniola.   

For the rest of the results, go check out the official roll of honour over at A Fistful of Euros.

I only just noticed - today is the 1st birthday of Siberian Light! 

It’s been great fun writing this blog, and I’d like to thank everyone who has dropped by over the last 12 months.  Without you this blog wouldn’t have lasted for very long at all.

Birthday presents are always appreciated, and can be dropped off over at the Best CIS Blog section of the 1st European Weblog Awards… which is my oh so subtle way of saying "Vote for me!" before the polls close tonight Tuesday night.

This is a placeholder post.  I’ll update it soon.  Promise!