[Sequoyah101]

I did a job in the southern Urals. I was stupefied at how many were perpetually drunk. They must make vodka by the tanker load and ship it the same way.

[jmacusa]

Years ago I read the story of Viktor Blenko, the Russian pilot who defected to the West with a MiG 25 Foxbat.

The story he gave of his childhood growing up in Russia, the corruption at every level of society, the hopelessness and despair of living in a Communist system and the pervasive and endemic alcoholism was astounding.