December 03, 2020

Oh Nice, Real Mature


Oh Nice, Real Mature
You don't have a dirty mind. We see it too. Telegram channel FrequentFlyers.

The leadership of Pobeda ("Victory") Airlines is under scrutiny after social media found that the flight path of a recent trip from Moscow to Yekaterinburg took on the shape of a... sneezing elephant.

The November 10 maneuver was done, according to the airline, as a way to dump excess fuel. After all, they argue, the pilot had permission from ground control for the route.

Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, investigating the flight that was carrying 102 passengers at the time, asserts that the deviation from normal routes was done in support of Artem Dzyuba, a player on Russia's national soccer team who is currently embroiled in scandal after an intimate video of him leaked online. The massive, airborne coconut tree, per this argument, is a symbol of solidarity and a rejection of the team's coach's decision not to allow him to play this season.

We can't say that, if we were airline pilots, we couldn't resist the temptation to sometimes make a big rocket ship in the sky.

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Marooned in Moscow

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
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.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

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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.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

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Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

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Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

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