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Entries Tagged as 'Behind the Iron Curtain'

When In Doubt - Check Her Out

October 24th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Dating world is a minefield already, sometimes a quick crotch-check a la Crocodile Dundee is necessary to ensure future compatibility.

Candidates for the Amazing Philippines Beauties contest for transvestites and transsexuals wave after they were presented to the media at a hotel in Manila October 7, 2008. Some 25 contestants are vying for the annual crown [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Nostalgia · Uncategorized

On Income Redistribution

October 22nd, 2008 · 15 Comments

The phrases “income redistribution” and “socialism” are thrown around by clueless people a lot these days. Any tax system that has a welfare component probably qualifies as income redistribution so the fact that it already exists in this country shouldn’t surprise anyone. At the other extreme is the Soviet system where the Government kept 100% [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Pet Peeve

Hardship-Off

October 17th, 2008 · 10 Comments

Reader Grace practically challenged me to a hardship-off. In response to my post “How old am I in dog American years?” she writes:
I was born in pre-economic-Tiger South Korea. We had an outhouse, and took baths in a big tub in the courtyard that my mom filled with hot water. In the winter we went [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Random · Russian Accent

Comrade Rockstar

September 22nd, 2008 · 4 Comments

Dean Reed was an American singer who was more popular in the Latin America and the USSR than in the USA. He would have turned 70 today. Because he was a communist sympathizer he was one of a few English-speaking performers approved to entertain the Soviet people. I remember as a child playing his records [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Nostalgia · Russian Accent

Behind the Iron Curtain: Photos

September 17th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Some photos made in the USSR when the Iron Curtain still existed periodically circulate around the Internet. This set is a pretty good compilation without confusing Russian text. Some people react with nostalgia, others with hate. It was a controversial time and as it moves further into the past people tend to forget the bad [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Photo · Russian Accent

New Caption Contest Announced

September 15th, 2008 · 1 Comment

Previous caption contest is now a distant memory and you are sitting at work with nothing else to do. Luckily I am still here to rescue you out of your boredom, bad weather and gloomy news.
Remember all these Soviet Military Parades that made you look around for the nearest bomb shelter and watch your worn-out [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Humour · Photo

Behind The Iron Curtain: This Post is Classified

September 8th, 2008 · 2 Comments

This morning I drove past some weird-looking railroad machinery of unknown purpose:
It reminded me of some machines I saw during my heroic two years in the military service. Most of these I have never seen in motion. Many of them were on so called conservation, which meant they were waiting for their time when enemy [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Nostalgia · Photo

Behind the Iron Curtain:1980 Moscow Summer Olympics

August 23rd, 2008 · 1 Comment

For a person with a surprising and painful lack of childhood memories I seem to remember a lot about the Moscow Summer Olympic Games of 1980. I remember where I was at that time and remember watching the games on a 12 inch black-and-white TV. Since the 1980 Olympics were boycotted by the USA and [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Nostalgia

Freedom To Shut Up

August 12th, 2008 · 7 Comments

I may be wrong, but the most cherished American freedom is the Freedom of Speech. We have it and we want everyone else in the world to have it. Of course we all know that you can’t yell “free pop-corn fire” in a crowded theater, or say the word “bomb” in the airport. Oh, you [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Random · Russian Accent

Ukrainian Gourmet: Smoked Salo

August 6th, 2008 · 6 Comments

WARNING: This post is not kosher on any day of the year.
My imaginary friend Moxie Mama wants to celebrate her 1/4 Ukrainian heritage by eating what real Ukrainians eat. Well, that’s real simple and no cooking required to boot. Ukrainian National Food is salo which is non-rendered pork fat. There is nothing like a thick [...]

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Tags: Behind the Iron Curtain · Food · Kansas City · Photo · Russian Accent · Shopping