Arrival Today I discussed with my friend an episode from the movie “Arrival”. Main hero in that movie learns an alien language and it gives her an ability to see future. She sees that she will give birth to daughter who will die at 14 or 15. Despite that she decides she will give birth to her baby and that made my friend unsettled. But I don’t agree with him. I think that even 14 years is a million times more than zero.

K. profile K. is very talented journalist. He is well-read, he speaks English fluently and writes articles in Russian with a perfect style. Unfortunately, on the other hand K. is very lazy. He often hands in articles very late. His irresponsibility ruined our magazine schedule for a few time and finally it became the main reason why edition decided to stop cooperation with K.

Twelve Collegia Yesterday I and my son were driving back to the home from the zoo. When we were getting by strange-looking long red building named “Twelve Collegia”, I decided to tell my son the legend behind that place which is one of my favorite spots in St. Petersburg. “Twelve Collegia” was built in 18th century by order of Peter the Great. Famous Russian tsar decided to place all legislative bodies there. About me, “Twelve Collegia” has a perfect architecture but placed in very strange way. Like in almost all cities in the world, in St. Petersburg long buildings usually placed along embankments. But not in this case. “Twelve Collegia” is extremely long and it’s placed perpendicular to Neva river, crossing almost entire Vasilievsky island. The legend says when Peter the Great was going to Europe for a long time, he gave a plot of land along Neva river to his appreciated associate Alexander Menshikov and ordered him to construct a building for legislative bodies. Also tsar said that if some land left, Menshikov would be able to take it. That was the reason why cunning Menshikov decided to build “Twelve Collegia” perpendicular to Neva river. When Peter the Great had returned for Europe he got angry because of Menshikov’s decision, took a heavy wooden stick and would run after his fellow hitting him before they would get by all building’s length. But historians say that legend is bullshit. Really, there is the Menshikov’s palace placed next to “Twelve Collegia”, but that palace was built a while before. Also it was Tsar’s idea to construct that building perpendicular to Neva river. Peter the Great wanted to build large square on the eastern end of Vasilievsky island and “Twelve Collegia” would be one of the sides of that square. But than St.Petersburg development plan was changed and a street was built along “Twelve Collegia” instead square.

Ben's Failure Last Monday Ben totally screwed himself up. It happened after the school while Ben was chilling with friends in his house. “How about some card tricks?”, he asked. A day before Ben saw a National Geographic’s documentary about illusionists and wanted to demonstrate his new skills to his fellows. They agreed. Ben stood up and took a card deck out of “secret place” in his desk. It was an amazing deck with beautiful women depicted on card backs. Ben shuffled cards and tossed them in three stacks. “Pick one”, he asked. One of guys pointed at the stack. Ben put his hand over the card. “Now I’ll guess this card”, he said with confidence. Ben flipped the card over and of course he failed. Fellows started bantering at him but it was a funny game and they decided to move on. Boys yelled and laughed trying to guess cards, but all the sudden Ben’s friends got silent. Ben noticed that boys were staring at point behind him. He turned around and saw his mom inspecting the cards and especially women on the backs. Of course, mom got angry. She kicked the cards off and then started scolding Ben.