December 20, 2018

Merriment and Mischief


Merriment and Mischief
The Reckless, the Robotic, and the Rebellious

1. Watch out for fake robots, friends. Even the best among us can fall for their beautiful, shining allure. Russia-24, a state television channel, spent time at a youth robotics forum admiring Boris the “robot,” for his dancing skills. Sharp-eyed viewers were skeptical, asking where Boris’ sensors were, and why his dancing contained so many movements. And, above all, why did photos of Boris reveal a sliver of skin in between his head and body? Alas, Russia-24 had been duped. But let this be a lesson, both to our readers and the so-called robots that would try and take them in: never let them push your buttons.

Robot man

Photo: Gizmodo

2. Russian educators in Perm are finally doing as students want and getting out of their hair. Quite literally, too, as officials have told local schools to stop expelling students based on their hair color. This all started when one student was suspended from classes for having pink hair (the horror!), and the suspension was subsequently investigated. Not to worry, though, schools are still discouraged from letting students wear symbols of “asocial informal youth cultures,” whatever that means, as well as clothes that promote illegal behavior.

3. We get it, you’re Russian. One Siberian daredevil (lunatic?) awed crowds by being swung around in circles while hanging onto an excavator bucket at -37 degrees celsius, after which he was promptly doused by a bucket of water. All this in a pair of shorts and nothing else, no less. This was part of the “Open Winter Siberiada” games, a winter festival in a small town in Krasnoyarsk Krai, in which a variety of stunts and competitions occurred.

In Odder News:

Christmas ticket tree

Photo: Meduza

  • O Christmas ticket tree, o christmas ticket tree: a new Moscow metro art display smashes together holiday and commuting vibes.

  • Was it the 66th car that tipped them off? A Russian transport official was fired after his wife purchased a stunning 66 cars for personal use

  • Move over Khabarovsk, there’s a new capital of the Far East: Vladivostok

Quote of the Week:

“The festival was a big success and the Siberian freeze (minus 37 degrees Celsius) had no effect on the mood of the town’s residents,”

— The company Sibzoloto, commenting on the heartwarming conclusion of the Open Winter Siberiada

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955