Misha:
As I said to Blues Fairy (who took to me on in an even more vitriolic manner, giving me a taste of the fabled RW's penchant for arguing, something I am more than willing and able to match
) this is not my approach, something I pointed out in my first post. Rather, I was paraphrasing Jack Bragg's comments in the GQ Article "From Russia with Prenup" and inquiring as to their accuracy, the author actually referring to places like Perm in the same breath as the Boondocks AKA postindustrial regions.
If you ask my opinion, I agree this seems a rather crude way of approaching it, the likely consequence being that one may well lose sight of the rich diversity present in a country like Russia (especially so, given its size). I mean Siberia is so often characterized in the western popular consciousness as a place not fit for human habitation, being associated only with Gulags etc. - and then you see places like Tomsk, which forces a rethink (though Possum's post about Tomsk in winter has me thinking that summer is the preferred time to visit!); all the more reason why one has to go there and experience the place for themselves.
Still I guess Jack was just trying to give a general impression of people's chances in Russia and elsewhere. There would indeed be less affluent areas in the big cities, along with more prosperous regional centers, just as there are in any other country. This kind of variation, however, is not accounted for in labels, just as it is concealed in statistical averages (i.e., if one were to approach this from a statistical perspective, big cities like Moscow appear outstrip other areas of the country by a ratio of 3 to 1 income wise, but again these figures are based on averages and don't give a detailed picture of the country; for that you need to take a closer look.)
StevieJ:
Once again, thanks for your detailed insights. I feel we have a fair bit in common and love this kind of scientific approach. Thanks for alerting me to the WOVO vs WVMV distinction, which helps me narrow things down in a scientific manner (factor analysis - now we are talking!).
YourJullie:
What you say makes a lot of sense (and was even touched on in the aforementioned article). If one were going purely on looks, and seeking women who presented themselves on this basis alone, I figure they would have a fair bit of competition from Russian men nowadays, what with the amount of wealth now coming into the country. Me: I don't want an aspirational, rags-to-riches model; I want a woman in tune with my sensitivities combined with that very Russian 'hard-edged romanticism' (a lady who just happens to be pretty as well!), an all too rare thing where I am from.
Ben Armen:
Interesting experiences. Was that woman buying condoms in anticipation of other 'mates', or a big night with you? (I take it that your 'red flag' statement indicated the former!). Anyway, good to hear some field reports. I am only speculating on how I would best approach this venture and I am sure it is quite a different story once you are 'in-country'.
That said, as Stevie pointed out, it takes all types, with success depending on recognizing which type you are closer to. The numbers game might work for me, but honestly, I have always been a quality over quantity person. (Which of course relies on an ability to judge someone's true intentions and whether or not you are cut from the same cloth from a very early stage - not an easy thing when emotions are involved.)
