August 31, 2017

Burger Bucks, Dyeing of Shame, and Flying Ballerinas


Burger Bucks, Dyeing of Shame, and Flying Ballerinas
Dollars, Dyes, and Summertime Snow

1. Burger King in Russia has launched its own cryptocurrency, titled the WhopperCoin. Working with the block platform Waves, Burger King issued one billion WhopperCoins, which burger eaters can get by scanning their receipt. The company expects the coins to work like a loyalty program at first, and eventually expand (just don’t push your luck trying to buy a Big Mac with a WhopperCoin).

2. If you don’t have enough green, just dye your face green. Apparently, two Khabarovsk taxi drivers forced two young women to do just that when they didn’t have enough money for their ride. The two drivers were fired after the taxi drivers’ union called for their dismissal, condemning their “medieval methods.” The bright green antiseptic, known as zelyonka, is not harmful, but is hard to remove. Reason enough to think twice before you try to bum a free ride.

3. Winter is coming. In fact, winter has already come to Sakha, Yakutia, and other regions of Siberia and the far north, which apparently decided to skip fall and head straight into a wintry wonderland. Yakutia’s northern reaches also got a dose of snow in mid-July, and regions around Russia have been experiencing severe storms and colder-than-average temperatures. Worst of all, the August snowfall fuels the stereotype of always-snowy Russia. What’s next, a barrage of balalaika-playing bears?

In Odder News

  • The history of salt. A single painting. Death. Check out Russia’s weirdest museums.
  • The first Sunday of every September, up to 10,000 reenactors recreate the Battle of Borodino. Learn about the important military history of this otherwise peaceful field of grass and wildflowers.
Quote of the Week

"The summer has not ended, and it's winter already."
—Alexander, a resident of Yakutia, on the snowfall that hit his region this weekend.

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

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

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.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

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.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

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