OT – Russia

[FlyerInHi]

Sergey is pretty real estate savvy. Better than hgtv.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=harvey]

True, most Russians don’t have a mortgage as there are no financial infrastructure that could successfully manage long-term-risks on ordinary people. Of course most Russians don’t own houses either, or even have consistent hot running water or other utilities.

Americans like to bash our financial institutions – the Fed, Freddie/Fannie etc. but they have no clue what it would mean if these things didn’t exist.
[/quote]

Very true.

Our property taxes are high but US housing is comparatively the cheapest in the world.

The US and Canada are the 2 countries where central hot water to all faucets is standard. I have been to many places, including Europe, where a nice hot shower is not available. In Britain, people still use those stupid separate hot water taps.

[spdrun]

Meh.

I grew up in a house that wasn’t plumbed for hot water on the upper floors.

The bedrooms got a sink in the hall with a single cold tap and a closet with a “water closet.” Actually, no heat upstairs either, just grills in the floor for heat to rise. This was in the US, BTW.

The separate taps in British houses are more a matter of style, since they’re easily converted to a single faucet. The plumbing for hot water is generally there.

What is more common in Continental Europe are instant water heaters. One in the kitchen, one for the bath. It’s lovely to always have hot water available, not run out half way through a shower as the tank gets cold!

[FlyerInHi]

Spdrun, you minimize the small things that added together create comfort, enjoyment and a high standard of living.

You can eat boiled chicken and cabbage for dinner. But if you have the skills, ingredients and cookware and/or someone to prepare a nice meal, then you enjoy life more.

[spdrun]

Maybe homes and cars are just not my priority, I don’t know.

Agree with your example of good food, but my needs in a home are pretty minimal.

[Escoguy]

harvey,

Thanks for providing some background on your personal experiences.

The adoption step is one of the best things a person can do in life.

Admittedly, the former USSR kind of sucked me in and I ended up working there about 15 years. It’s really a fascinating place and I’m sure at some point in time I’ll be back.

Speaking of flights to Russia, my first one was during Gorbachev’s attempt at prohibition in 1987. Needless to say, that didn’t work and was a classic example of the limits of government policy, no matter how well intended.

[FlyerInHi]

If I remember, Putin banned American adoptions from Russia. Sad for the orphans.

I’m waiting to see how Trump will improve relations with Russia while at the same time projecting more American in Syria and the Middle East, and supporting Israeli settlements in Palestine. Will Trump recognize the annexation of Crimea?

On the energy front, I believe that renewals have broken a sustainable point, so high oil prices are nowhere on the horizon. Not good for Russia.

Any other US President would try to encourage a maidan type revolution in Russia as economic difficulties set in.

[mixxalot]

well you must not have been to Switzerland! Same goes for Chile and Uruguay. All modern places.

[FlyerInHi]

I have movie script.
Trump is the manchurian candidate. Ivanna and Melania were moles from the KGB.

Putin will become master of the universe.

[The-Shoveler]

Say what you want but if you really really want to stop nuclear proliferation and nuclear materials from getting into the wrong hands, there is only one ally you absolutely must have.

But if that were to happen then we might not get into another nuclear arms race and that might piss someone off.

Just saying

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=The-Shoveler]Say what you want but if you really really want to stop nuclear proliferation and nuclear materials from getting into the wrong hands, there is only one ally you absolutely must have.

But if that were to happen then we might not get into another nuclear arms race and that might piss someone off.

Just saying[/quote]

Even without Trump, we are already spending $1 trillion to upgrade our nuclear arsenal.

maybe you were not paying attention, but despite this talk of friendly relation with Russia, Trump says he wants an arms race. So his rhetoric is inconsistent.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-nuclear-arms-race-russia-232944

Personally, I think that Russia has something on Trump. He will cave to them and Assad will remain in power to create the Shia crescent, and that means caving to Iran also.

[The-Shoveler]

[quote=FlyerInHi]
Personally, I think that Russia has something on Trump. He will cave to them and Assad will remain in power to create the Shia crescent, and that means caving to Iran also.[/quote]

IMO it is and unfortunate “inconvenient truth” that the only way you get Assad out is go to war with Russia as well.

It is a lost cause IMO and prolonging it just causes more suffering and problems that get exported elsewhere.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=The-Shoveler]

IMO it is and unfortunate “inconvenient truth” that the only way you get Assad out is go to war with Russia as well.

It is a lost cause IMO and prolonging it just causes more suffering and problems that get exported elsewhere.[/quote]

Exactly… we tried to change Syria and failed. We should have left Syria alone to change on its own. But we have a megalomaniac security establishment (Hillary and the likes of McCain and the generals included) that wanted to intervene.

Security wise it was arguably necessary to topple Assad because the invasion of Iraq inadvertently created the Shia crescent that empowered Iran and destabilized the region.

Can’t have better relations with Russia without caving on Syria and Crimea. It’ll be interesting what Trump does.

[FlyerInHi]

It just occurred to me. Red America is just like Russia. Drunk and substance addicted, nationalistic, war mongering. All to avoid facing reality.

http://www.pbs.org/video/2365962295/

[ucodegen]

[quote=FlyerInHi]Russia has been in the news a lot lately.

I listened to some Russian music this morning. Seems like a great country in many ways. but I think of Russia mostly as a frozen country of drunkards.

Will Russia ever be a prosperous free country of happy people?[/quote]
And they used to vote Democrat until they voted for Trump! It right there in the video.

[Author]

Posts