No crime in Soviet Union?

[SANDRO43]

I suppose back then IBM was predominantly male

Not quite, although I must say I had a mild shock at my hiring interview in 1969, conducted by a US female (she-managers were an almost unknown species in Italy then), who later became my boss .

and they all had bones in their.......... tongues? 

Couldn't say, I never French-kissed a male colleague .

[OlgaH]

I was in the USSR once, in 1990. 

It was the time of the Collapse of the USSR. The beginning of economic crisis in the country was officially announced in 1989. Social and political distemper... the criminal structures became much more intense...


Oh Soviet time  I remember my mother and I very often forgot to lock our thin wood door for the night time...  we, children, during our school vacation could play in the yard till midnight  What a wonderful movie was "Investigation held by experts"

[msmoby_ru]

You're 'loosing' your sense of humour along with your spelling and grammar ?

Mark, you're beginning to worry me, is your prolonged exposure to Cyprus's climate taking too heavy a toll ? Maybe you'll recover after your future return to your native ambience, I was in Nicosia (Lefkosia) in 1997 giving a course to a local bank's IT staff and the natives, though pleasant enough, did not strike me as outrageously witty (despite their having been under Britsh rule for some time, or maybe just because of that  ?).

Hi Sandro ... thanks for your concerns

1/ I am in the cool / damp UK and have acclimatised !

2/ The Cypriots ( in the main ) most definitely DID NOT inherit the British acerbic wit

3/ But.. as they may have had more wealthy entrepreneurs in the rich lists by %age of population - do not write them off .. they are shrewd !:)

Did you know that Cypriots have roots back to Genoans and Venusians ? !! .. Before the arrival of the Ottoman's in 1578 Famagusta had been the richest city in the world ?!  Cyprus is the site of the world's oldest winery and perfumery ..

The British are only one in a long line of invaders - Egyptian, Phoenician's, Persians, Romans, French, Italians, Ottomans to name a few ...

Lastly, if you are going to use Lefkosia , for Nicosia - you are "siding" with the Greek speakers - The Turk speakers call it LefkosHa ( spelt Lefkosa) - I don't have the Turkish character to make the SH sound !! Westerners should stick to Nicosia and avoid possible offence !..


Lastly as you are kind enough to point out my many spooling mistooks .. it is AmbiAnce, BritIsh     .. I am now taking a crash course in Italian - NOT !!

[msmoby_ru]

I believe India is seen as the triumph of British Colonialism.   

Unless you were one of the millions having to move ( many died) to prepare for independent India and Pakistan and "prevent" deaths amongst different religious creeds

NOT - Britain's finest hour and oft forgotten and overlooked..

[Ooooops]

Actually, it's quite funny to talk to young FSU kids who grew up in post-USSR times.   Sometimes it feels like we speak different languages...   

[SANDRO43]

Did you know that Cypriots have roots back to Genoans and Venusians ? !!

I knew about Venetians, not about extra-terrestrials . How much Oύζο did you have to ply a local with, to have him confess the dark secret ?

Lastly as you are kind enough to point out my many spooling mistooks .. it is AmbiAnce

Actually, both spellings are acceptable, yours corresponding to the original French word .

Lastly, if you are going to use Lefkosìa , for Nicosia - you are "siding" with the Greek speakers - The Turk speakers call it LefkosHa (spelt Lefkosa)

Nicosia, known locally as Lefkosia (Greek: Λευκωσία, Turkish: Lefkoşa), "White City". In Classical Greek it would have been pronounced Leukosìa, but the -EU- diphthong became -EF- over time (easier pronunciation), as in ευχαριστίες, ευχαριστòς (thanks).

[msmoby_ru]

I knew about Venetians, not about extra-terrestrials . How much Oύζο did you have to ply a local with, to have him confess the dark secret ?

AYEEE - and I was hoping to beat you at your own game - I reckon Venusians or real English Perry ( pear cider) could be to blame .. I was using the spell checker and I allowed it to correct the people of Venice to the inhabitants of planet Venice  !!

BTW -the Greek Cypriot tipple is Zivania - a spirit distilled from grape skins - "The Cyprus Vodka" !  - The Cyps regard Ouzo as a "Pushti" drink - a gay drink !  Strictly speaking, the Cyps think their Greek cousins are Gays who still write with quills and the Greeks refer to Greek Cyps as Arabs wearing shoes

Actually, both spellings are acceptable, yours corresponding to the original French word .

In UK English we spell Ambiance the French way .. isn't this educational ?!

Nicosia, known locally as Lefkosia (Greek: Λευκωσία, Turkish: Lefkoşa), "White City". In Classical Greek it would have been pronounced Leukosìa, but the -EU- diphthong became -EF- over time (easier pronunciation), as in ευχαριστίες, ευχαριστòς (thanks).

Actually, post 74 partition, the totally Greek speaking govt. of the Republic decided ( illegally - according to their constitution )  to remove the English / Greek / Turkish road signs and replace them with Greek and English ( spelt in a uniquely Greek cyp dialect) .. Nicosia = Lefkosia, Larnaca = Larnaka, Limassol = Lemesos..  Even the GCs still use Nicosia half the time !

The Greek Cyps "assassinate"  the more dulcet pure Greek tones  .. Ochi ( no ) becoming Oiyee  - as an example.. Many Greeks pronounce Nicosia ( in Greek) in the manner you suggest has lapsed. ! 

[Shadow]

AYEEE - and I was hoping to beat you at your own game - I reckon Venusians or real English Perry ( pear cider) could be to blame .. I was using the spell checker and I allowed it to correct the people of Venice to the inhabitants of planet Venice  !!

Before Sandro will jump on the rest, I do not yet know the planet Venice, perhaps you mean Venus ?

[msmoby_ru]

Before Sandro will jump on the rest, I do not yet know the planet Venice, perhaps you mean Venus ?

OMG .. it get's worse... and I can't blame alcohol ..  I doubt I ever be able to correct your Dutch or his Italian, or my wife's Russian

[steviej]

Distilling what I've read about the Soviet Union (I can't give a specific quote) I think it is correct that what Westerners call "street crime" was significantly less in the Soviet Union. This is typical of a police state. Crime was more institutional. For example, Beria would drive around in his limosine at night and abduct teenage girls for sex. This was not a crime. What I mean is, the girl and her family could not report a crime to police, demand an investigation, get a journalist to run an expose, get their day in court, and prosecute. I think we are equally wrong to say there was nothing good about communism and there is everything good about capitalism. Naked communism and naked capitalism have near equivalent capbilities drive large numbers of people into miserable lives. Don't forget, capitalism was absolutely remorseless about putting children to work 70hrs/wk in coal mines. That's the result of a truly "free" market. Most of us would say that is wrong, but it isn't capitalism that fixes it. It is government and the power of government to regulate and enforce laws that can protect people from capitalistic markets. I have my own expression: Marx was right about capitalism and wrong about communism. People in America are very confused that capitalism and democracy are the same thing. They have nothing to do with each other. One is a political system, the other is an economic system.

[SANDRO43]

Before Sandro will jump on the rest, I do not yet know the planet Venice

Shadow, it's that romantic planet using those quaint oar-propelled space ships .

In UK English we spell Ambiance the French way .. isn't this educational ?!

But slightly confusing, I was expecting 'in THE UK English'. 
 

[msmoby_ru]

Shadow, it's that romantic planet using those quaint oar-propelled space ships .
But slightly confusing, I was expecting 'in THE UK English'. 
 

I had been speaking to my wife.. and I find I speak like a Russian - dropping the articles everywhere, afterwards -  - youngest daughter  "Dad why do you talk like the little Jedi after you've been talking to someone from Cyprus/ Russia?"

"They don't understand me if I speak English, properly"

Caio

[SANDRO43]

  - youngest daughter  "Dad why do you talk like the little Jedi" after you've been talking to someone from Cyprus/ Russia?"

Aha, that's where the 'Venusian ConfusiAn' may originate .

[msmoby_ru]

Aha, that's where the 'Venusian ConfusiAn' may originate .

talk like him do I..

[OlgaH]

For example, Beria would drive around in his limosine at night and abduct teenage girls for sex. This was not a crime.

yeah... but in the Stalin time the teenage girls did not walk at night...

[steviej]

yeah... but in the Stalin time the teenage girls did not walk at night...

Generally true. He may have "marked" them during the day, had his goons pick her up at her house in the evening, or some other method of operation. Usually he would threaten the parents directly or indirectly, and the girl herself, with imprisonment if she wouldn't come with him. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Still, I think it is fair to say, on narrow grounds, that "street crime" was significanly less in the Soviet days than now. I know Russians (wife's parents, their friends, relatives, etc) that refer sarcastically to the "great new Russian democracy".

[OlgaH]

Generally true. He may have "marked" them during the day, had his goons pick her up at her house in the evening, or some other method of operation. Usually he would threaten the parents directly or indirectly, and the girl herself, with imprisonment if she wouldn't come with him. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

steviej,

oh these writers of historical novels and other similar things  I understand that the terrible and scandalous "truth" means better selling  Sometimes some authors of the "truth" have too rich imagination.

[steviej]

steviej,

oh these writers of historical novels and other similar things  I understand that the terrible and scandalous "truth" means better selling  Sometimes some authors of the "truth" have too rich imagination.

Yes, its hard to believe, but Stalin and Beria used to put on chicken suits and go out together at night running around the street screaming to scare people. ........

[OlgaH]

Yes, its hard to believe, but Stalin and Beria used to put on chicken suits and go out together at night running around the street screaming to scare people. ........

No, to attract attention of the beautiful women. Beria loved only beautiful women.  He especially was successful (in his chicken suit) and he had so many mistresses that he even could not remember their names.   

[Boethius]

I noticed someone perusing this old thread, and it was a great reminder to me of Sandro. 


On the subject matter, there was an extensive amount of crime in the USSR, but it differed in different republics.  In the 1980's, for example, in Kyiv, women would go to Tsum and leave baby carriages, with baby in it, unattended near the front door.  I expect that was the same across the USSR at that time.  I can't imagine that occurring in North American cities at that time.  Rape was very uncommon in Slavic republics, and most rapists were from the Caucasus and the Asian republics.  Theft was extremely common, so common, it wasn't even considered bad (which infuriated the better half).  Factories ran second shifts, where everything produced was sold on the black market with goods stolen from the state.  Thefts from homes were also common, at least, in cities.  I knew a lot of people who were victims of crime, and also knew neighbours who were perpetrators.  Drug use wasn't rampant, but alcoholism certainly was.  I could go on and on.  What has changed since the collapse is that crime is not officially hidden.

This post was composed without the aid of google.

[msmob]

OMG,

*I*, in an earlier 'format', got taken apart by Shadow and Sandro and it was great ...  thanks for digging it up ..

*I* think crime in Russia is franchised from the top down  (