October 19, 2023

Not My Cab of Tea


Not My Cab of Tea
A Yango car in Helsinki, Finland. Nerdbird89, Wikimedia Commons.

As reported by Bloomberg, Yango, Russian tech giant Yandex's ride-sharing app, is under scrutiny for potential breaches of European Union data protection regulations

The Dutch Data Protection Authority is investigating the operations of Yango on suspicion that the app may be involved in the unauthorized transfer of user data to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). The investigation seeks to ensure the protection of user data and privacy rights in the Netherlands.

A report published by Meduza in August revealed that all user data from taxi trips booked through Yandex services abroad is being sent to Russia. Two anonymous Yandex employees told Meduza that taxi service data is stored in Russian data centers.

This raises concerns that user info from foreign taxi services might be accessible to the FSB, due to new laws that went into effect September 1, 2023, granting the FSB access to passenger taxi order databases.

The company officially stated it would not provide the FSB with overseas trip data, and stated in a press release, “Data on trips can be obtained exclusively by law enforcement agencies of the country where the trip was made, according to the procedures prescribed in local laws: this is how Russian legislation and the legislation of most other countries works. After the entry into force of the taxi law from September 1, this logic will not change.”

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The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

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At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

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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.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
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Chekhov Bilingual

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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.
White Magic

White Magic

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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.

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