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17 Sep, 7 tweets, 2 min read
You might not know this but I enjoy translating occasional song lyrics from Russian to English as a hobby. I usually just throw them away but I figured some people might find translations interesting! So, in the spirit of the internet, I’ll be threading them here.
In particular, I like to translate songs by Boris Grebenshikov (Aquarium). He became prominent in the 80’s when USSR underground rock music went mainstream. Lyrically, he established a unique blend of Russian songwriting, Dylan-esque imagery, references to Tolkien, Lao Tsu, etc. Boris Grebenshikov
It is important to understand that in the Russian musical culture (at least between 80’s and 00’s), the music itself tends to be secondary, and the lyrics are at the forefront. Sometimes this means the music is shitty or derivative, sometimes it’s minimal (e.g. acoustic guitar).
I want to start sharing these translations because I do them for fun anyway, and I think it’s cool if they get more people to check out the songs. Especially if you’re learning the Russian language and want to venture slightly outside the “classics” (it can’t all be Pushkin!)
Disclaimer: I am not a professional translator. I tend to translate as close as I can to the original, rather than capturing the corresponding poetic form in the English language. Boris’s songwriting is full of imagery yet has an English “plainness” to it, so that helps a bit.
I will post the first translation as a separate thread soon and link it from here. Then, if I make more, I will keep adding them to this thread. So this thread will be an index. (No I’m too lazy to put them on a website or whatever—they’ll live here. Feel free to copy.)

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More from @dan_abramov

19 Sep
You don’t (generally) need math for programming. That much is true. There is some specialized knowledge that you need for a few areas (ML, graphics) but you can pick it up as you go.

And yet, I want to talk about my love for math. What it means to me, and where it’s coming from.
When I say “love for math,” a stereotypical image pops into my head. That of a student who’s great at solving examples in the textbooks, someone who reads complex formulas without batting an eye, someone who knows how to solve problems using math. That person is not me.
Math in high school (and in many university courses) is often taught as means to an end. As a set of techniques you can apply to answer practical questions. How to solve an equation? How to calculate the area of a surface? How to describe a physical process? Step 1, 2, 3, done.
Read 33 tweets
18 Sep
can i pay google to never show me another AMP page? please?
like, i get it, many people find it useful, that’s cool. all i’m asking for is per-user opt out. is that really so difficult? AMP wastes my time because i always end up requesting the normal version anyway. wtf Google why can’t you just add an opt-out. it sucks
i don’t care about it for any ideological or big company reasons or “open web”. it just feels broken. it’s annoying like a faulty lightswitch or leaking boots or shaking table. it takes a medium that’s already shitty at usability (mobile web) and somehow makes it worse in my exp.
Read 10 tweets
18 Sep
It’s ok. You don’t have to “defend” $technology. Sometimes it’s just a matter of taste.
I mean the aesthetic part. There’s a saying, “what’s good for a German is death to a Russian.” I don’t think it goes quite as extreme but what’s cute to some can make my eyes bleed and vice versa. That’s ok.
Then there’s also the model and which problems it solves. But who wants to talk about that 😛 Not me.
Read 4 tweets
17 Sep
This thread is my translation of the Christmas Song by Boris Grebenshikov. More about this translation project (and an index of my other translations) in the linked thread!
Boris Grebenshikov
To start off, I’d recommend listening to the song itself to get the mood. There are two versions that I think are interesting.
1) This is a recording from the 1984 live album which is considered canonical: aquarium.lipetsk.ru/MESTA/mp3/1984…. At the time, they weren’t allowed to play shows so they would play at friends’ places, and someone recorded it on a tape. The quality is crap but that makes it more visceral.
Read 18 tweets
12 Sep
I’m looking for a math tutor in London. Ideally for in-person weekly meetings (sick of zoom, yes I’m fully vaxxed). My circumstances are a bit unusual. I’m not a student and don’t need to prepare for exams or anything—it’s just curiosity. [thread]
A little bit about me. I’m a software engineer but I always had some interest in math. As a kid, I learned derivatives before multiplication table. However, my attempts to learn math were sporadic and would fizzle out when I have no one to ask questions and support me.
My background is very patchy but similar to a first-year college student. I’m familiar with basics of analysis (and read Tao’s rigorous axiomatization in Analysis 1 though I didn’t do exercises). A long time ago studied linear algebra, diff eq, prob theory, but barely remember.
Read 10 tweets
22 Aug
So. I have a medical symptom that’s been bugging me and so far doctors don’t know what it is. I don’t want to self-diagnose but at this point I want to ask if any of you experienced something similar — and what it turned out to be in your case, if you jnow. (Thread)
It’s been going on for about six months by now. It’s a bit hard to describe. It’s like sore throat but there’s no pain (even when swallowing). The sensation is more like there’s something in my throat and I want to clear it. It’s like I “feel” more throat more than I do normally.
There is no chest pain or anything like this. No real difficulty breathing except subjectively the airflow feels more “noticeable”. I get tired speaking a bit sooner than normal. The symptom does not progress linesrly — it’s roughly same level but some days are better/worse.
Read 8 tweets

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