IntenseDebate - MattMacl

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Windows to Russia: Goo... · 0 replies · +1 points

there are still tickets on ebay for his concerts - some that were put up this morning, with starting prices of £300 each!

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Prime Minister Putin -... · 1 reply · +1 points

Moscow food prices are always going to be excessively high due the fact that it is all "locally imported" (i.e comes from outside Moscow, but not necessarily foreign). In the smaller towns, where you have local markets, or what we would call Farmers' markets in the UK, food prices are much more seasonal, and you can get a better deal most of the time, just through supply and demand.

The main problem with basing your economic forecasts on food prices is making sure you check the right ones. For Russia, a large supermarket would not seem to me to be the ideal place to check the national prices!

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Why Russia Needs to st... · 1 reply · +1 points

Isn't the real issue with China (or at least one of the issues) about import/export duties? If you have subsidised raw materials and you impose high levels of duties on imports then you can damage foreign industries.

My main objection to WTO is that it is not independent, it should not be situated in the US, and would be better as a branch of the UN, but I guess no one'l listening to my opinion.....

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - In Moscow Russia we Ha... · 1 reply · +1 points

I find a match does wonders for them! Childish, maybe, but fun nonetheless (obviously I am not endorsing in any way shape or form, those reckless people who (a) give matches to children, or (b) set fire to pukh in the streets! ;-) )

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Day of Memory and Grie... · 1 reply · +1 points

It is definitely a toss up who killed more Soviet citizens - Hitler or Stalin. However the statistics don't need too many comments:
The approx population of USSR in 1930 was approx 147 million people. In 1947 it was 125 million, even including the addition of the Baltics and an annexed area of Poland, Sakhalin etc. Estimates of those killed range between 20mill and 40mill - either number could be correct.

Whatever you think of Russia/USSR the pure human suffering is horrific

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - From Russia: The Russi... · 0 replies · +1 points

It is a little extreme using a tornado as bellows to get your fire to the right temperature!
Glad you're all well - did you lose your fruit trees/vegetables?

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Russia: Have You Ever ... · 0 replies · +1 points

I met my wife because of carrot juice! It's a long story, which I won't go into just now.
It does annoy me however that I always have to explain that the internet isn't the only place you can meet Russian women! We've been together since 1992 (Pre-internet, and even pre-mobile phones)!

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Freedom House Discredi... · 1 reply · +1 points

Our honourable Chancellor (Minister of Finance) recently used anti-terror legislation to freeze the assets of Icelandic banks to ensure British organisations' money was kept safe. Local councils frequently use anti-terror legislation to deal with "nuiscance" crimes, and anti-social behaviour. Terrorism is used to justify the huge numbers of CCTV cameras. It seems to me that Huxley and Orwell severely underestimated the capacity for "liberal" governments and societies to impose forceably their liberal values on the entire population

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Freedom House Discredi... · 1 reply · +1 points

"I will never be back to this stupid blog."

Hoorah - natural selection at work

14 years ago @ Windows to Russia! - Freedom House Discredi... · 0 replies · +1 points

The USA and UK and many other countries denounced South Africa politically in the 1980's for it's racist Apartheid system. Apartheid is a European/North American export that we had abolished within our own societies and therefore are in a position to make a qualitative judgement about the pros and cons, and we can make a moral decision.

Ignorant debate, however, is an evil that should be stamped out!

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