July 03, 2020

Voting From Space


Voting From Space
Voting from the ISS is now possible. Image by NASA via flickr

Russians are going to the polls to vote on changes to the Russian constitution. But not everyone can make it in person – online voting is a popular variant, and one man is making history. The Russian astronaut Anatoly Ivanishin was reputedly the first person in the world to vote online from space.

Ivanishin is currently onboard the International Space Station (ISS). He was able to vote online, since he has permanent residential registration in Moscow. Way to keep your documents up to date, even from space!

One other Russian astronaut, Ivan Wagner, will also cast his vote from the ISS. Unlike his colleague Ivanishin, however, Wagner’s vote will be made via proxy – Wagner will communicate his vote to the proxy via a secured connection, and the proxy will cast the actual ballot.

Voting on amendments to the constitution took place in Russia from June 25 through July 1. Among the several contentious questions is whether Vladimir Putin will be allowed to run for president again.

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The Little Humpbacked Horse

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93 Untranslatable Russian Words
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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.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
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Jews in Service to the Tsar

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A Taste of Russia
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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.

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