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Russia

Online Shopping Causes 500-Ton Backlog At Russian Post Office

KOMMERSANT (Russia)

Worldcrunch

MOSCOW - Russians have long griped about the time it takes packages to arrive in the mail, complaining about government bureaucrats and not-always diligent postmen. But blame for a recent deepening of postal delays falls squarely on the shoulders of...the Internet.

Due to an explosion in online purchases - especially those e-purchases shipped from out of the country - the Russian post office is dealing with a serious backlog, with more than 500 tons of international packages sitting at customs points and airports in Moscow alone, Kommersant reports.

This backlog has international reverberations, as the German post office has send their Russian counterparts official complaints about the excessive wait times for German trucks handing over mail to the Russian post office, Kommersant reports.

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A Moscow post office (A. Savin)

Part of the problem is the boom in Internet shopping. In 2009, there were approximately 2.3 million packages ordered online in Russia, while in 2012, there were 17 million. The post office has not been able to keep up. It doesn’t help that the customs service, where much of the delays take place, is supposed to reduce the number of personnel by 20 percent between 2011 and 2013.

What is the solution for those waiting for packages to arrive? Patience, the Russian post office says.

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Society

Mendoza's "Recycled" Winery, Argentine Eco Architecture With A Splash

Architects in Mendoza, western Argentina, have used hundreds of tons of recycled building material, shipping containers and discarded decorations to create an otherwise high-tech winery.

Photo of Maalwines' winery Las Compuertas, Mendoza, Argentina

Maalwines' trash recycled winery Las Compuertas, Mendoza, Argentina

Graciela Baduel

MENDOZA — Winemaking and wine tourism installations are usually built with a tasteful nod at the landscape around them. In the case of the MAAL winery in western Argentina, its environment-friendly design includes use of 300 tons of discarded construction and decoration materials found in and around the district of Mendoza.

Local architects Mora Hughes wanted to make the project a badge of their "commitment to nature," but with all the "charm of a Mendoza winery." MAAL winery is in Las Compuertas, on the outskirts of the city of Mendoza and at the heart of a celebrated winemaking region.

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