[P.O.E.]

I visited Russia back in the 70s for about a week (part of a college student-exchange thing).

Streets of Moscow basically deserted, few shops, no billboards, etc.

Only people on the street were:

- on the trolleys going to-from work (with not a word spoken when the thing broke down for about 20 minutes)
- shopping at the beet-potatoes-and-cabbage store, the bakery bread line, etc.
- babushka-ladies street sweeping, an occasional soldier

Is any of this beginning to sound familiar?

[Elsie]

I remember the pictures of nearly empty store shelves, taken in eastern bloc countries; and commented about them to whomever would listen at Walmart yesterday.