Traditions of the Warm Season
Sergei Yolkin
2013
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Since a shower head looks vaguely like an old Sov public radio loudspeaker, Yolkin has it broadcasting a “message”. In fact, all the old Sov news bulletins of the ‘30s and ‘40s started with Yuri Levitan intoning, “внимание” (vnimanie: attention)… often, followed by “говорит Москва” (govorit Moskva: Moscow calling). Every year, the local authorities turn off the urban central hot water plant for about a week to maintain the system. It could be as short as three days… it could be as long as two weeks… you’re looking for precision? Hey, “Russians aren’t Germans”. Of course, they don’t publish it (you’re supposed to “know” that such things happen on a regular basis at about the same time every year)… you get the “announcement” the “hard way”… now, that’s getting your attention the Russian way…
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Attention, attention! Sergei Yolkin wants you to know that they’re turning off the hot water in Moscow to do the traditional summer maintenance of the system!
13 May 2013
Sergei Yolkin
RIA-Novosti
