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by baybal2 2082 days ago
> They suffered enormously in the 90s - quality of life and life expectancies declined enormously.

If you lived in the Potemkin village №1 — Moscow, then yes. Having myself lived in a part of Russia where light wasn't shining back in soviet times, nineties were such a giant breath of fresh air, and opportunity.

For most of people there, it was a never before seen opportunity to change their predicament to live in the empire's cloaca — the union's Far East. Were they to continue live as in USSR, most there would've probably kept living on a few dollars a day.

In 1993, longshoremen, and dockers in Vladivostok at my father's business were getting $300-$500 a month, almost as much as average bankers in Moscow. It was enough for somewhat comfortable living for most.
1 comments
082349872349872 2082 days ago
Vladivostok? I guess it could've been worse in soviet times. At least your father wasn't in Magadan.

It sounds like you're a generation or so too young, but do you have any opinions on КИНО? Any recommendations for Vladivostok (or general Pacific) music groups I should look up?

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baybal2 2081 days ago
No music, tv,radio, or anything there. The city was closed back in the union, no exit, or entry without a blessing from KGB, partcom, and the pope roman.

People were living alone along with their boredom, and their hatred.

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082349872349872 2081 days ago
That's a shame. With no local scene, and no radio to get leningrad programs like https://naftalin.radiorecord.ru , it must've been nothing but saunas, accordion, lox and great patriotic stuff like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dciV2ruUIsI on infinite repeat. My condolences.

Edit: if only you'd had radios, you would've heard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RVeoPQ8FiM . The pics seem to be recent, but the song's from 1985 Moscow. (Only 125 years? That's a boomtown: no wonder the USSR had so many similarities with the US. The city near me has been populated since about 6'000 BC, but only has a twentieth of the habitants.)

Bonus clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGbzCBLmfJg

The アニメ clips, as well as the album cover, hint at japanese influence. I guess japan is awfully close by, by which uncle youtube leads us to a bonus bonus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAHX_Oefm3c

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