The Death Star in Minsk

by Annie Scott on

Star Wars fans, put Minsk on your destination list. The Death Star has totally landed there.

This is no ordinary poly-dimensional structure; it also lights up. This is the most disco-loving, pimped-out car imitating, Force using library ever.

That’s right. It’s a library. This library was built as the result of a 1989 contest, and it took 13 years to build. According to EnglishRussia.com, The National Library in Minsk, Belarus, was erected “by a personal order of Belarus president Mr. Lukashenko. Locals joke: ‘Lukashenko had just learned to read and decided to build a library dedicated to this new ability he acquired.'”

1989 … just six years after the release of Return of the Jedi …

Design in Belarus kind of reeks of Star Wars. Have you seen their airplanes with elliptical wings? Luke would totally fly in that.

The building was completed in June of 2006, but to us? It still looks like it’s from the future. Check out the rockin’ video of the library in action below! It’s like Epcot on speed.

Strange New Year’s traditions around the world

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Unlike many holidays, where celebrants are bound by tradition or religion, New Year’s is a holiday that allows each individual to choose his own method of celebration. Some revelers will soak themselves in alcohol, boozing it up with copious bottles of champagne. Others choose to make the evening a quieter affair, settling in for a movie and an early night in bed.

However you personally choose to celebrate New Year’s 2009, people around the world certainly have some wacky ways that they choose to bring in their new year. MSNBC is reporting on some of the more interesting customs. Here’s a look at a few of the more curious:

  • South America – in countries like Brazil and Bolivia, it’s what’s inside that counts. Residents in cities such as Sao Paulo and La Paz ring in the New Year by donning brightly colored underpants. Those who choose red are hoping for an amorous year ahead, those with yellow wish for money. I guess this begs the question of how you tell who is wearing what color underwear. Perhaps that is best left unanswered…
  • Denmark – as if the effects of plentiful New Year’s alcohol were not disorienting enough, many Danish revelers leap off chairs at the stroke of midnight, hoping to banish bad spirits in the year ahead.
  • Philippines – New Year’s celebrations in places like Manila tend to be circular; Filipinos focus on all things round, consuming “round” fruits such as grapes and wearing clothing with round shapes like polka dots. The spherical theme is meant to remind celebrants of the “round” shape of coins and prosperity.
  • Spain – at the stroke of 12, Spaniards begin to consume 12 grapes, attempting to eat the whole bunch by the time the clock stops chiming.
  • Belarus – the new year in Belarus is all about getting hitched. Unmarried women compete at games of skill and chance to determine who will tie the knot in the coming months. One game involves setting piles of corn and a rooster before the potential brides-to-be – whichever pile the bird chooses apparently picks the lucky lady.

You can check out the full list of weird New Year’s traditions here.

Movie Posters from Belarus

by Dave Luna on

Have a look at this movie “poster” found in Belarus. Any idea what American movie this is? I’ll give you a minute. (The answer is after the jump.)

You can check out more posters at the wonderful English Russia site. I love these images because I think films can be a good common ground to share with others in a foreign country. I once had a very interesting conversation about American films with some German guys at Oktoberfest in Munich. I learned from them that the Cameron Diaz movie The Sweetest Thing was called Super Sweet and Super Sexy in Germany. Yeah, shocking stuff, I know.

(Thanks for the tip, Mike!)

A. Just Married starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy.

Red Corner: Belarus Bison

by Neil Woodburn on

There aren’t too many places left in this world where you can go back in time and observe how life was lived during the Soviet Union. Belarus, is one such place.

Run by a strong-armed dictator in much the same manner as his Soviet predecessors, Belarus remains a window into a fascinating period that should simply no longer exist.

Andrew Evans of The Times (UK) journeyed here recently to observe this phenomenon firsthand. He pens a short article but instead of dedicating it’s breadth to collective farms and KGB goons lurking about, Evans spends time praising the beauty of the country instead.

One of his more unexpected highlights is the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site where a herd of European bison roam unhindered. Once nearly extinct, the bison population is now flourishing strongly in Belarus; much like old school communism itself.

Red Corner: Chernobyl Anniversary

by Neil Woodburn on

Twenty years ago today, something so horrendous occurred in the Soviet Union that the swath of earth on which it happened, as well as thousands of miles in every direction, remains unlivable even today.

That tragedy was, of course, the Chernobyl disaster. Today marks the 20th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident. For those displaced from their homes, suffering from cancer, and still mourning the loss of family and friends who succumbed to the accident this, is not a happy day.

The Chernobyl accident affected 5 million people and is expected to kill upwards of 9,000 after all the side-effects of radiation poisoning runs its course. The radiation cloud, which swept over much of Europe, has also left a dead zone of 5,800 square miles where no one can live, raise crops, or otherwise exist. Tour groups with Geiger counters in hand are now gingerly exploring the region but only for limited amounts of time and only if the winds are blowing in a safe direction.

A number of commemorative efforts will be held today to honor the “liquidators” who were forcibly sent in to clean up the mess. The commemorations will, of course, be matched by protests against nuclear energy and inadequate financial support for those still suffering from the tragedy.

April 26 remains a black day on this planet no matter what anniversary is being commemorated. When mankind can so easily destroy a small chunk of earth and poison it for thousands of years, we need to all stop and think for a moment; the world really doesn’t need any more liquidators.