Interesting things about Russia

My observations about Russia and its people: --Some people "have," many "have not." The middle class is much less distinct in Russia. In other words, there is a much bigger division between those who have money and those who have almost nothing. --Russia always has been and always will be deeply connected to its military --Russian boys (from birth to death) are absolutely obsessed with cars ("machinas") --Traffic is wild and wacky. Yet, you don't see that many accidents. --Many pairs of pointy shoes (men and women) --Young people (teens and 20-somethings) dress up more (especially on dates) Nice, European look! --Rarely do you ever see blue jeans --Smoking is a HUGE public health problem --Raw vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) are a popular part of the Russian diet... For breakfast, too! --Seat belts? Nope. --People are lining up to buy cell phones --The ratio of clerks-to-customers in Russian stores is a lot higher than in U.S. businesses --Russian TV newscasts spend a lot of time covering "crime and punishment." They love to show video of people being arrested. --Yes, there is a Russian version of "American Idol." (Obviously from the same producers --same format, look, logo design) --Some Russian radio stations: Every third or fourth song is an American pop song (in English) It's a very interesting, engaging culture! Mike