Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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‘I Had to Breathe Through My Clothes’: Russian Police Pepper-Sprayed Protesters in a Cell
St. Petersburg protesters claim of abuse and use of pepper spray while in detention.
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How the European Court Undermined Russia’s Gay Propaganda Law
European Court of Human Rights ruled against the infamous gay propaganda law, sending a bold sign to Russia is on the wrong side of history.
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The Story Behind the World’s Largest Watercolor Painting
The massive artwork marks the opening of the MASS MoCA’s new 130,000-square-foot wing, which makes it the largest contemporary art museum in the U.S.
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Sleepless in St. Petersburg: Make the Most of White Nights
This week marks midsummer, which means it’s the perfect time to head north to Russia’s former imperial capital and experience its famed “White Nights.” But don’t worry if you can’t make it yet – this period of luminous twilight la
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Russia Blocks Google Temporarily in Tax Dispute
Google.ru appeared Russia’s register of banned sites for approximately three hours on Thursday afternoon.
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Russia’s Big Brother Is Trying To Watch You (But Is Annoyed You Won’t Let Him.)
Russian authorities want to wipe anonymity out of the Internet. But is it possible?
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Moscow City Hall Exposed Awarding $67M in Illegal Building Contracts
An audit found that companies were awarded illegal government tenders to the sum of 4 billion 98 million rubles.
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Two-Thirds of Russians Believe USSR Would Have Won WWII Without Allied Help
Some 63 percent of Russians said that the Soviet Union would have triumphed without aid from abroad.
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Most Russians back Putin’s domestic, foreign policy, survey by US research center says
According to the survey, “a full 87% have some or a lot of confidence in Vladimir Putin’s handling of global issues” Most Russian citizens support domestic and foreign policy of President Vladimir Putin, a poll carried out in Russia by a US-based Pew Research Center showed on Wednesday. According to the survey, “a full 87%…
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TASS correspondent Alexei Bukalov gets International Pushkin Award in Rome
The award was established in 2014 to encourage achievements in art, literature and research, at the same time accentuating the close relationship between the Russian and Italian cultures TASS correspondent in Italy Alexei Bukalow received the International Pushkin Award for literature in Rome for a series of literary works devoted to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin’s…
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Russia, France mull Cross Year of Russian-French languages, literature — Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov said the civil and public dialogue between the two states “should be all-encompassing and involve the civil society” Russia and France discuss holding the Cross Year of the Russian and French Languages and Culture next year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday. “The Cross Year of Russian-French Cultural Tourism ends this…
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Producer for Konchalovsky’s new work about Michelangelo reveals movie’s budget
The actor for the leading role has not yet been selected Russian movie director Andrei Konchalovsky is gearing up to shoot his new Russian-Italian film “Sin” about Michelangelo in August. The film’s producer Olesiya Gidrat stated that the project’s budget is at $ 13.1 mln during a meeting of the Expert Council on Feature, Independent…
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Russian Politician Uses Her Breasts to Protest Building Demolitions
Moscow local municipal candidate Lucia Stein installed several plaster copies of her bust on the walls of buildings planned to be demolished under Moscow renovation program.
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Tillerson’s Russia Strategy May Look Too Much Like Obama’s (Op-ed)
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is working hard to save what remains of the U.S.-Russia relationship.
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Moscow’s Most Racist Landlords Revealed
It is illegal for Russian landlords to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity or nationality. But the city’s property listings tell a different story.
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Putin, Depersonalized: What Does Oliver Stone’s Film Reveal About Russia’s Leader?
During all Putin’s time in power, hardly a single image of him having fun with others comes to mind. We have never seen him enjoying something or sharing a mundane emotion with any other human being.
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After 50 Years of Song, Dance, Food, Even Hog Calling, at the Folklife Festival, Is It Still Worthwhile?
Recognizing traditional culture in the information age is ever more important argues the director of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
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Russian Regions Slash Cancer Spending Amid Rising Costs
Statistics for 2016 show that spending on oncology treatment has fallen in almost half of Russia’s 85 regions.
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Russia’s Channel One to air Oliver Stone’s documentary on Putin
The documentary is based on more than ten conversations that the US filmmaker had with the Russian president over the past two years On June 19, Russia’s Channel One will show the first part of the The Putin Interviews, a documentary made by US filmmaker Oliver Stone. The four-part film premiered on Showtime in the…
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Helmut Kohl did much to develop German-Russia relations -— ex-president Yeltsin’s widow
Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl passed away aged 87 The late former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl did much to develop relations between Germany and Russia, Naina Yeltsina, the widow of first Russian President Boris Yeltsin, told TASS. “Mournful news has come that former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl passed away, the man who had done much…
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Russian watchdog shuts down five illegal children’s holiday camps
This summer Russia’s consumer rights watchdog has carried out 8,541 scheduled and random checks on conditions of children’s recreation Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor has revealed five unauthorized children’s holiday camps that accommodated 340 minors and shut them down this year, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova told the governmental commission at a meeting in the National…
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St. Isaac’s Cathedral administrator vows landmark will continue functioning as museum
The Committee on Culture earlier announced that Yuri Mudrov had been appointed as the museum’s director St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg will continue to operate as a museum, its newly-appointed Director Yuri Mudrov said at his first meeting with employees. “Let’s proceed from the premise that the museum is working. Should there be changes,…
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Construction works help archaeologists unearth Stone Age relics in Moscow
The scientists believe the artifacts could have penetrated the much older cultural layers 400 or 500 years ago during digging efforts Archaeologists have uncovered rare 5,000-year old tools in Moscow during the city’s ongoing construction project to renovate pedestrian zones, the mayor’s office said on Friday. The scientists discovered a silicic cutter from the Neolithic…
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St Isaac’s Cathedral museum in St Petersburg gets new director
The position of director at St Isaac’s Cathedral Museum was vacant as of June after the voluntary resignation of the previous director, Nikolai Burov Committee for Culture of the St Petersburg city government appointed fine arts historian Yuri Mudrov to the position of director of the St Isaac’s Cathedral Museum, a committee spokesperson told TASS.…
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State Duma received 26 versions of oath for persons accepting citizenship
The final text of the oath will be drafted on the basis of these proposals A workgroup in Russia’s State Duma in charge of supervising adoption of an oath for foreigners accepting Russian citizenship has received 26 versions of the text of the oath, Pavel Krasheninnikov, the chairman of the Duma committee for state construction…
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Putin says decision on retirement age should be made prudently, without haste
The possibility of raising the retirement age is being actively discussed but no final decision has been made yet, Putin said The decision on retirement age should be made prudently and without haste, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an annual televised question and answer session on Thursday. “It is necessary to take such decisions…
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Putin does not want his grandchildren to be brought up as ‘blue bloods’
Vladimir Putin says his children and grandchildren live in Moscow ussia’s President Vladimir Putin during the annual televised question and answer session said shortly earlier he had become a grandfather for the second time. “My second grandson was born not long ago,” he said. He asked the audience to understand he tried to shield his…
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Average life expectancy in Russia up to 72 years — Putin
President Putin has also noted that in the recent years, infant and maternal mortality has decreased The average life expectancy in Russia has risen to 72 years, said Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual televised question and answer session on Thursday. While commenting on the positive results in social welfare, President Putin noted that…
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It’s the Russians Wot Done It (Op-ed)
BuzzFeed’s investigation plays into a dominant narrative within the West where “Russia is to blame.”
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Why Piri Thomas’ Coming of Age Memoir Still Resonates Today
“Down These Mean Streets” was an instant classic, a text of painful truths
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Roscosmos Wins Multi-Million Dollar Payout Over Faulty Rocket
Three Roscosmos satellites were damaged after a Proton-M rocket produced by Russia’s Khrunichev Center crashed in 2013.
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Former Head of Russian Authors’ Society Jailed for Fraud
The former head of the Russian Authors’ Society (RAO), Sergei Fedotov, has been jailed for 18 months.
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Former Director of Moscow’s Gogol Center Arrested For Embezzlement
The former head of Moscow’s Gogol Center theater has been detained by police as part of an ongoing fraud investigation.
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Creatures Great and Small: 7 Places For City Kids to Meet Animals
For many children, even ordinary domestic pets are magical creatures. Here are our top places for kids to interact with animals in safe, sanitary, and humane settings.
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In Pictures: Germany’s Helmut Kohl and Russia
Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the architect of German reunification, died Friday at the age of 87.
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3 Injured After Trains Collide at Moscow Railway Station
Three people have been injured following a collision between two trains at Moscow’s Kursky rail terminal.
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Sales of Crimea Vacation Deals Fall by Almost Third
Russian travel agents have seen sales of package holidays to Crimea fall by almost a third, new data has revealed.
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Come for the Bug Eating and Get a Lesson in Humanity from Andrew Zimmern
A Q&A with the Travel Channel’s ‘Bizarre Foods’ Chef
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Come Together
For Rabbi Yaakov Klein, Moscow is about building community.
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Russia’s Most Unorthodox Priest Is ‘Difficult to Have Around’
The 42-year old cleric has an unusual and, for the Church, controversial passions in the literary field.
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Moscow TV Round-Up: High-Octane Thrills Eclipse New Oliver Stone Documentary
This week viewers four hours of pretend-important chit-chat, three great Russian films and two young adult features that will by turns rev your engines and make idling in neutral seem adventurous.
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Russia’s Powerful Pensioners Are Struggling to Control Unruly Youth Online (Op-ed)
Russia currently blocks 6.3 million websites, according to internet freedom watchdog Rublacklist.net.
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Russian Priest Tells Men Not to Shave to ‘Protect From Homosexuality’
The head of Russia’s Old Believers has called on Russian men to stop shaving in a bid to “protect themselves from homosexuality.”
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Siberian Forest Fires Triple in Size as Hundreds Battle Blaze
Ongoing forest fires in Siberia have more than tripled in size over the past two days, Russian officials have announced.
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RME on Google Art & Culture
14.06 – 14.07 2017 The Russain museum of Ethnographymuch is much closer to public than earlier. We are glad to announce that due to the partnership with Google Art & Culture it became easier to see collection of The Russian museum of Ethnography. At Google Art & Culture visitors are able to see the part…
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The Plaid Clothes are Beautiful and the Striped Clothes are Gorgeous
01.06 – 01.09 2017 The Exhibition of plaid and striped fabrics from the Russian Museum of Ethnography is linked to the 20th Internation Conference “Fashion and design: Historical Experience – New Technologies”, which will be held on in Saint-Petersburg from May 30 to June 2 2017 In last decade the RME prepared a series of…
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COLLECTORS OF THE RUSSIAN MUSUEM OF ETHNOGRAPHY
25.04 – 30.06 2017 Exhibition dedicated to the ethnographic exhibition to the upper volga region in 1922 In 1922 the research officer of the Ethnographic Department of the Russian Museum D.A. Zolotarev undertook the one of the most notable integrated ethnographic expeditions of that time. The aim of the expedition was to continue work that…
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The World of the Tatar Culture of the 19th – 20th Century
23.03 – 23.06 2017 For the first time the Russian museum of Ethnography presents objects revealing common and distinctive features of ethnic, territorial and ethno-confessional groups of the Tatars in Russia. The exposition gives visitor deep insights in resilience and development of Tatar national traditions in dwelling design, costume, cult objects, and applied arts. The…
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The Arctic – Inhabited Land
06.12.16 – 25.06 2017 For most of us the Arctic is an enigmatic “ice corner” of our planet with numerous shining white icebergs and ice covered seas, endless polar days and nights; it is the land of unlimited domain of the cold and the source of constant challenges to man, the place of self-sacrifices and…
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On Thin Ice. Expedition of the Norwegian Polar Institute
30.05 – 30.06 2017 г. In January 2015 the Norwegian Polar Institute organized an expedition on a research vessel Lance to determine the reasons of climate changes which had happened on the Earth. The vessel had frozen into the ice in the latitude of 83° N, 756km away from Northern Polar and 364km – from…
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Oranienbaum
The architectural and landscape complex of Oranienbaum is a unique palace and park ensemble of the 18th-early 20th century, which survived World War II in its historic condition. It is situated in the distance of 40 km from St Petersburg, and being on the way after Strelna and Peterhof, it finishes the sequence of maritime…
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Strelna
Strelna is located about 22,5 km from St. Petersburg and overlooking the south shore of the Gulf of Finland. Strelna was favorite site for Peterburgers’ summer residences during 19th century. It was Strelna where the so-called “dachas” (summer cottages) of A.Suvorov-Rymniksky, A.Orlov, A.Lyvov, M. Kshessinsky were situated. The lanscapes of Strelna inspired A.Odoevsky, A.Griboedov, K.Romanov,…
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Peterhof
The Peterhof Museum Complex is one of the most popular museums not only in Russia, but in the whole world. Even a few hours here are enough to feel the spirit of history, which still lives on and breathes in this magnificent place. As a former residence of the Russian monarchs, Peterhof brings together the…
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Peter and Paul Cathedral
Peter and Paul Cathedral is justly regarded one of the main attractions of Peter and Paul Fortress. It was built in 1712–1733 as the main cathedral of St Petersburg, new capital of the Russian Empire. Designed in Baroque style by Dominico Trezzini, it combines typical features of West-European and Italian church architecture. It is rectangular…
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St Petersburg Moderne
from 28 November 2016 to 31 December 2019 The exhibition is based on the original objects from the unique collection of the museum, which have never been displayed before at such scale. Displayed are historical relics discovered during archaeological excavations, maps and plans, paintings, graphics and works of applied art. All these items carefully preserve…
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History of the Trubetskoy Bastion Prison. 1872 – 1921
The history of Peter and Paul Fortress as the main political prison in Russian began in 1718, when the son of Peter the Great, Prince Alexey was imprisoned here. In the late eighteenth the Secret House for preliminary detention of state prisoners was built on the territory of Alexeevsky Ravelin. One of its most famous…
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Three centuries above the city. The history of the bell tower of Peter and Paul Cathedral
Peter and Paul Cathedral has undergone several alterations in course of its long history. Permanent display in the belfry tells about the main stages of its construction and restoration. Drawings and photographs, a copy of a famous “Panorama of St. Petersburg” by Alexey Zubov (1716), model of Peter and Paul Cathedral, showing its design in…
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History of Peter and Paul Fortress
Permanent display in the Neva Curtain Wall explores the history of Peter and Paul Fortress. More than 500 items from the museum collection, including archeological finds, engravings, photographs, construction equipment, models of the fortification structures, tell the story of the construction and development of the unique historical monument. Architectural designs, Russian and Swedish layouts and…
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Advertisement and Package in St Petersburg
16.06.2017 from 24 December 2015 to 2 July 2017 Peter and Paul Fortress, Engineer’s House Commercial advertisement has always been an inevitable part of city life, but in the mid-19th century, it took on a new meaning, becoming one of the spheres of artistic creativity and inspiring many renowned artists and journalists. Development of this…
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History of St Petersburg – Petrograd. 1703 – 1918
Permanent display in the Commandant’s House of Peter and Paul Fortress consists of two sections. The first section explores the ancient history of the Neva banks and the history of St Petersburg of the early eighteenth – early nineteenth century. On display are archaeological finds, maps and layouts, paintings, pieces of graphic and applied art,…
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