[0x0nyandesu]

I'm an American born in Crimea. The only reason my family was able to finally leave Ukraine when the Soviet Union fell apart is because of the self imposed cultural and economic blockade by the Soviets for 50 years. A whole generation of people lived and died in that time thinking of western music, jeans, movies, and tech as luxuries. My grandpa who lives in the USA now still talks about the Panasonic color tv he managed to get in 1989. Back then a completely black market luxury.

Today a Russian actually has way more freedom than they did in those days. Free travel and the internet have completely changed everything. It will be painful for the Russian people but the best thing western economies can do to hit Russia where it hurts is deny travel entry and conduct a total economic and telecommunication blockade. No credit cards, no internet, no travel, no student visas. Nothing.

The oligarchs know they can just live a western life style in Russia and still have a house in every tax Haven in the world. They send their kids to top universities in Europe and the United States while piliging the Russian people.

If you leave Moscow Russian roads are garbage, schools are falling apart, and vodka freezes when you put it in the freezer.

Russia is so vast that every Russian could be living in a Midwestern style mcmansion and yet everyone lives in gray falling apart квартири.

[petre]

What would this accomplish? Create a new Soviet Union? Why punish common Russians for the actions of the Russian "elites"? Put Putin, his oligarchs and maybe their direct relatives and other criminals on a no travel and asset freeze list and that's it. Well off Russians travel abroad to Turkey, Egypt and Cyprus anyway. I really doubt Egypt or Turkey would play by the US playbook. Why bar these innocent people from travelling, since they're just minding their own business? Being Russian doesn't make one a Putin cheerleader. Of course, a few "tourists" like the ones who poisoned Serghei Skripal and his daughter will slip through, just put them on the naughty list and carry on.

[0x0nyandesu]

Turkey, Egypt, and Cyprus is just a vacation spot. They don't send their kids there for any education. Unfortunately Russia harbors criminals regularly and considers any hacker proceeds as just a source of money. Nothing will change if the west keeps leaving a door open. An oligarch will just have fake documents made.

[ab_testing]

> vodka freezes when you put it in the freezer Sorry, I am ignorant on this issue , but should vodka not freeze when put in the freezer?

[nacs]

It shouldn't freeze because the alcohol percentage should prevent that.

I'm guessing the bad vodka GP is referring to has been heavily diluted to having very low alcohol content causing it to freeze.

[wlonkly]

Unadulterated vodka won't freeze in the freezer because it's 40% alcohol. But watered-down vodka will freeze.

[golergka]

No. That's how you should chill it before drinking.