September 15, 2016

Siberia's natural wonders meet the Duma elections


Siberia's natural wonders meet the Duma elections

Sink your tusks in

Amos Chapple, rferl.org

1. There’s a treasure hunt on in Yakutia, and X marks the fossilized woolly mammoth. In the hunt for ancient ivory, illegal tuskers spend their summers carving, spraying, and finagling excavations of Siberian permafrost, avoiding police patrols and having some casual drunken fights amid the labor of looking for priceless white gold. Follow Amos Chapple on a powerful photo journey documenting the hunt.

Sergey Karpukhin, dailymail.co.uk

2. Is that a backdrop from an old Star Trek set? Nope—it’s the natural world’s latest wonder: towering granite formations in a part of Russia so remote they’re believed never to have been spotted before. The formations spout from the ground in almost inaccessible part of northern Yakutia (a few thousand miles north of the tuskers). After they were spotted by air, wildlife photographer Sergey Karpukhin crowdfunded a snowmobile journey to the site and returned with the first pics of Russia’s answer to Stonehenge.

youtube.com

3. Elections for Russia's parliament, known as the Duma, take place tomorrow. It may be predictable that United Russia will score pretty high, given the state’s low tolerance for opposition candidates and continued popularity, but the elections will be legitimate, analysts say. Some Russians don’t need to read the analysis: they’ve voted for the same candidates for years. So where’s the excitement? In the campaign ads, which add a spark (and some sweet scything) to this electoral party.

In Odder News

dailymail.co.uk

Quote of the Week

“I know it's bad, but what can I do? No work, lots of kids.”

—A man who spends his summers in the difficult, often futile labor of hunting mammoth tusks in the hopes of striking it rich. Only 20-30% of tuskers find enough to make a profit.

RosKultLit
Russian Cultural Literacy

What do this year’s Duma elections really mean for Russian politics and Russian society at large? Sure, the ruling party’s win is predictable, but with post-Crimea patriotism, a tighter focus on traditional values, and the aftermath of the 2012 protests shaping political change of recent years, this round of elections may have more to it than meets the eye. But don’t take our word for it: get down-and-dirty on the Duma with this in-depth analysis.

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

The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

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.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
At the Circus

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.
Fearful Majesty

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.
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.
A Taste of Russia

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.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

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. 
Murder at the Dacha

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