July 31, 2022

Flooding in Paradise


Flooding in Paradise
Sochi, with normal water levels.  Wikimedia Commons, Trace. 

Over the weekend of July 22, 2022, record-breaking rainfall caused flooding in Sochi.

Sochi saw an unprecedented 90 millimeters (3.5 in) of rain in one hour. Vehicles and roads were destroyed, residences flooded, and debris was thrown about the city. According to Mayor Andrei Kopaygorodsky, the flood also caused several Sochi residents to lose power.

Arshak Makichyan, a Russian climate activist, said that climate change is to blame for the flood.

As of July 24, the Emergency Situations Ministry said water levels were back to normal in surrounding rivers. Shortly afterward, Mayor Kopaygorodsky re-opened Sochi’s beaches. Sochi is Russia’s largest resort city, enjoyed by tourists visiting the Black Sea coast.

Unfortunately, several injuries and one death occurred due to the chaos. Photos from the incident can be seen here.

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Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

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A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
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Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

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A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

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.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

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.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
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Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

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