Why Russia May Not Be Able To Save The Ruble

businessinsider.com ^ | Nov. 15, 2014 | The Economist

[Nowhere Man]

What type of Soviet computers did you use? I know they had a clone of the Apple ][ although the research I’ve done, most Soviet 8-bit PC’s followed an Intel 8080 or Zilog Z-80 system. I’ve seen screenshots of the Russian “Radio” magazine for hobbyists and amateur radio operators (I’m an amateur radio operator) over there.

[wetphoenix]

I had a home-made z80 based Sinclair clone and later factory-made Magic5 and Quorum128 on that same platform. Apple clones were out of my parent’s price range.

[Boiler Plate]

Did you ever actually drive one or ride in a Niva? The transmissions were horrible and the were highly susceptible to rust. The brakes were crap and that is why everyone who owned one that I saw always kept two rocks in their vehicle in lieu of a working parking brake. Essentially they were four drive Fiat 124s with a Russian gearbox and transfer case. I can still hear the grinding as one passes by.

The Buran was neat looking too, just missing a few parts like a launch vehicle and engines. I did use to shop at Korvet’s though.

[nascarnation]

LOL sounds like the Russian gear manufacturing was not up to modern tolerances...

[Boiler Plate]

A whopping 72hp and a tow capacity of 1900lbs. Yeah it was a poor Russian’s version of a Jeep Cherokee.

[Nowhere Man]

I talked to an online friend in the UK and he told me the Niva was the best and most reliable vehicle he ever owned. It was easy to repair and didn’t cost too much to fix. He had to retire it after 20 some years although of he had the money to fix the frame, he would have kept it. One of my dream cars is a GAZ-13, the Soviet clone of the Packard.

[Boiler Plate]

I certainly hope you get one.

[AdmSmith]

Oil price and RUB/USD exch rate on the same chart (June thru now). Bets on when the lines will intersect?



source: https://twitter.com/NoYardstick/status/538683039833128960

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks AdmSmith.

Yet in recent weeks there have been creeping signs of something scarier. Faced with a clamour for dollars, Russia's banks have raised the rates they pay on dollar deposits to try to suck some in. Demand for safety-deposit boxes is up, suggesting customers are hoarding foreign currency.

[wetphoenix]

~A whopping 72hp and a tow capacity of 1900lbs. Yeah it was a poor Russian’s version of a Jeep Cherokee.~

They aren’t in a same class. I think Niva was the first unibody awd crossover suv, though still featuring all the off-road bells and whistles you can find on special off road vehicles.

[Boiler Plate]

The 1984 was a unibody vehicle. The Niva was a essentially a wagon version of the Fiat 124. Lada had been building the 124 under license for years.

If being under powered, the use of a large rock for a parking brake and having clunky transmissions are the bells and whistles the that are typically featured on special off road vehicles then it was a huge success. What I saw was a inexpensive vehicle that compensated for the lack of paved roads. It was ubiquitous throughout the CIS and for good reason.

I should revise my statement however, “It was a poor Soviet's version of a Jeep Cherokee”.

[bert]

these are gold plated with diamond inlay Apple Logo