>Tonight at some ice skating competition, a Russian was asked whether he had
>gotten used to life in the US, and his general impressions about it. He
>replied that it was taking a while, and that he was surprised about the
>supposed "freedom" we have in the US. He said in his country they don't
>have to answer 20 private questions just to do normal everyday things, and
>you don't get asked for a social security number for all of your business
>transactions. "It seems we might be more free in Russia, yes?"
>
>The reporter quickly hushed him and turned to the camera, suggesting that
>maybe Mr. Totally-Unpronounceable-Name might be exaggerating a little.
No, Carlos, this is almost the EXACT SAME conversation that I had with Scott Stewart's physicist friend from Russia, Ludmilla Equallyunpronounceable(sp?), on our way to see "Jurassic Park" a few years back. It didn't seem rehearsed to me then, and this skater's appraisal of our "Police State Sans Bread Lines" seems exactly like what I would say if I were a visiting jock who never knew I had to first pee in a cup to be able to take a shit in a federally mandated toilet stall.
"It seems we might be more free in Russia, yes."
Phil
"Have you nothing of your own? Nothing to stand on that is not provided, defined, delineated, stamped, sanctioned, numbered and approved by others?" -- Vorlon Inquisitor, from "Babylon 5"