The calabash or bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria (synonym Lagenaria vulgaris Ser.), also known as opo squash or long melon, is a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe.
He was lucky on the economic front. Oil and gas make up 16 percent of Russiaâs GDP, 52 percent of its budget, and more than 70 percent of its exports, and oil climbed in the 2000s from $24 to $100 per barrel. Mr. Putin used the money to reduce poverty and modernize the military.
Some experts believe Prime Minister Vladimir Putin remains Russia's real leader. Medvedev, Putin's hand-picked successor, proposed the changes in November, starting with the next president. The new law extends the term of the president from four years to six. Medvedev also signed a law extending the term of members of the lower house of parliament, the Duma, from four years to five. Putin stepped down as president in May after two terms and is now prime minister.