October 31, 2019

"Eagles These Days Text Too Much," Said Putin (Or Did He?)


"Eagles These Days Text Too Much," Said Putin (Or Did He?)
You’d never guess it, but this gal is a texting fiend. Центр реабилитации диких животных

Quote of the Week

“The family likes the series Jeeves and Wooster and they want the candidate to pay attention to the main character of the series (Jeeves), to see what is expected from the butler.”

— One rich Russian family’s job posting for a butler

Voracious Vegans and Didactic Deepfakes

1. Think teens text too much? Then check out the eagles of Novosibirsk, which send thousands of dollars in texts every season. Of course, they’re not the ones texting — rather, scientists have hooked them up to SMS transmitters that ping the scientists with their location. Nevertheless, these eagles give the scientists as big a headache as if they were texting teens. This summer, one eagle racked up 7,000 rubles ($117) per day, forcing the scientists to crowdfund to “Top Up the Eagles’ Mobiles.” Fortunately, their data provider noticed their unusual flight plight and promised to give them a discount. So the next time you get overcharged for texting, just blame the eagles.

2. Some Russians don’t believe that Putin would ever say “I’m tired, I’m leaving.” Thanks to a new AI, however, their dream may come true. The AI, Vera Voice, takes voice recordings of anybody — Putin included — and any text you want that person to say, and generates a recording of that person saying that text. Now, this kind of AI creates all sorts of risks. But its creators hope people use it for wholesome things like audiobooks and films. They themselves have used it to make Putin’s voice lecture listeners about the dangers and benefits of AI. See, now we’re listening.


AI imitates reality. / Video: Vera Voice
 

3. Russians aren’t known for loving meatless food, but they do love discounts. At least, that’s what one of Russia’s largest restaurant operators is betting on as it pioneers Meatless Mondays in Russia. Since mid-October, restaurants in seven cities have been offering Monday discounts on meatless delivery orders. It’s an uphill battle in terms of awareness, though. Some vegetarians will love the move; others point out that, in the end, most people just would rather stay with their meaty traditional dishes. Nevertheless, if there’s two things people vote with, it’s their stomachs and their pockets, and maybe the pockets will win in the end.

In Odder News

  • Opposition activist Alexei Navalny staged a photo where he took a selfie while his wife was about to smack him with a frying pan. Memes ensued.
Navalny meme
“Thirtieth birthday” / “Nineties kids” / @oldLentach
  • Survivor, meet Orthodoxy. A Russian TV channel is launching a reality show bringing together ten people to live in a monastery for a month.
  • Meet four bands leading Russia’s underground feminist punk scene.
  • Bonus: On Wednesday, the oldest woman in Russia passed away aged 124. She lived through the February and October Revolutions, not to mention World Wars I and II and the end of the Soviet Union. Read more about her life.

Thanks 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.

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

Some of our Books

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

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
July 15, 2022

Steppe

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.

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. 

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

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.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

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.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

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.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

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