March 28, 2019

Naked Facts about Science, Art and Agriculture


Naked Facts about Science, Art and Agriculture
A snow leopard cub. Denis Guliaev

Throwback Thursday

Bolshoi Theater in early 19th century
The Bolshoi Theater in the early 19th century. / Wikimedia Commons
 

It’s a big day for the Big Theater (that would be a literal translation of the Bolshoi, though maybe “Grand” would be more appropriate). On this day 243 years ago the theater was founded in Moscow. 

(Not) shooting, (not) smoking, (not completely) stripping

1. Hunters are shooting snow leopards in Sailugemsky National Park – with cameras. The World Wildlife Foundation offered six former hunters the opportunity to become wardens back in 2015. It was an ultimate win-win: the hunters, who were trying to feed their families (according to a recent according to a recent interview), gained steady employment, and the conservation efforts benefit from the hunters’ deep knowledge of the animals. Now, the leopard population is rebounding well, and this week new photographs show that three new cubs survived the winter.

2. For Yulia Divnich, leader of the Association of Cannabis Growers, weed is very much not a weed. In a recent interview, Divnich said that Russia certainly has room to grow in the field of hemp agriculture in order to catch up to the rest of the world, which is using the plant in everything from cars to yogurt, as well as in other ways that are currently illegal to “propagandize” about in the Russian press. Advocating even legal uses of hemp is frequently seen as stirring the pot in Russia, but Divnich has reason to hope. This past month she successfully led a conference in Kurgan about how the canna-biz can help solve ecological problems.

3. Russian men this week put out for art and science. The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow was treated to an “unsanctioned performance” by a nearly naked man, who later gave a vague explanation that actions and art have to do with social problems, one of which is opportunities for modern artists to “integrate into the context of a museum space.” Seems like he hasn’t been getting it lately… that is, museum exhibitions, of course. Meanwhile, also in Moscow, a man tried to board an airplane after stripping naked, shouting that “clothing impairs the aerodynamics of the body,” according to a witness.

Blog Spotlight

Ever wondered why you, a Russophile, love Georgian khachapuri so much? So did Tiffany Zhu, so she dug for answers in “When Russian Cuisine Turns Georgian.” 

In Odder News

  • Heroes come in many shapes and sizes, such as the 19-year-old who ran into a burning building to save a family of strangers, and a conductor who stopped a train in its tracks to rescue a dog tied to the rails. 
Dog on railroad tracks
Luckily, the doggo went free shortly after. / Ovcharka Lakki sbitaia poezdom
 
  • The meme of the week? The head of Russia’s Investigative Committee examining a computer screen with a magnifying glass. Of course.
Bastrykin holds magnifying class to computer
Enhance! / Russian Investigative Committee
 
  • On a popular news program, a political scientist cited dialogue in a film as if it contained biographical facts about the actor. In philosophical Russian fashion, after the fact the political scientist said that the actor “fixed it [the fact] in the role, it is a cultural archetype. The principal meaning does not change.”

 

Quote of the Week

“So what if it's minus 30, we hang out like in Europe while you sit in your office on your ass.”

– A line from a rap song by an Irkutsk grandmother who enjoys winter swims in Lake Baikal.

Thank you to David Edwards for a story idea!

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.

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

Some of Our Books

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.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

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.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
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.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
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.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 

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