February 07 2015, 14:02

(Question closed) I’ve been unable to find an answer on the internet for half an hour now regarding a simple question: the services of a private plumber in the area (this is urgent) + services of a private electrician in the area (not so urgent anymore). Bibirevo or North-Eastern Administrative District. Maybe someone could recommend specific individuals, or some specialized site with reviews and phone numbers.

What’s important: 1) I would like to save money by reaching out to a private individual instead of a company. Most of the results on Google or Yandex are companies. 2) I would like the person to live nearby 3) I would prefer not just anyone off the street, and I hope economizing does not lead to incompetence. Recommendations or online reviews are better than none.

Thanks for the recommendations: profi.ru, masterdel.ru, Yandex.Master

February 06 2015, 19:54

Sitting at Almaty airport, reading the news. “…Due to the devaluation of the Russian ruble, Kazakhstan plans to impose an embargo on the import of some Russian goods and restrict the import of others from Russia. Specifically, this includes oil products, cars, chicken, flour, and confectionery products..”

More than one person in Almaty has told me that crowds of Kazakhs are traveling to Russia for cars, appliances, and other costly goods. They are even organizing shopping tours now.

Example: In Almaty exchange bureaus, rubles are sold for 2.85 tenge (source: valuta.kz). My LG G3 D856 phone here costs from 117500 tenge to 129000 tenge (source: Yandex.Market). The cost of the phone in Moscow – 29900 rubles (same source) or 85215 tenge. So, ordering the phone from Russia is cheaper by 32000 tenge, which is 37% of its price in Russia.

http://www.novayagazeta.ru/news/1691416.html

February 01 2015, 02:54

A night, a street, a lamp, a drugstore

A meaningless and dismal light

A quarter century outpours —

It’s all the same. No chance to flight.

You’d die and rise anew, begotten.

All would repeat as ever might:

The street, the icy rippled water,

The store, the lamp, the lonely night.

//Blok //4 Alisa A Hale

French translations are not so beautiful http://www.translitterature.fr/media/article_31.pdf