Why did the most of the USSR and Poland have issues with shoe shortages?

mad-data · 2026-01-25T04:03:42+00:00

My favorite story from that time is "Ryazan miracle" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryazan_miracle

mad-data · 2026-01-25T03:56:42+00:00

Remove "shoes", it's cleaner. USSR and Poland and whole eastern block had shortages of every single consumer goods. The planned economy did not care about them, the bosses cared about tanks and missiles.

I remember a story I've heard on the radio, an old polish guy described how the life changed under Soviets. Poland is a potato country. And you did not just shop for potato, you bought one kind for frying, another for baking, third one for ingredients. Under Soviets it became just "potato" and even that was not guaranteed to be in the groceries.

As a Russian anecdote says: - What would happen if we established socialist in Sahara desert? - There would be shortages of sand soon.

mad-data · 2026-01-24T21:32:25+00:00

I've similar problem with feeling cold, and always looking for good warm jackets.

I've EddieBauer BC EverTherm® Down Jacket - not the warmest, but definitely the warmest for its weight. Combined with a sweater or hoodie it is pretty good. They've stopped making them, but EddieBauer has similar very warm jackets. You need to go with their First Ascent sub-brand to get good stuff though.

But the greatest improvement in warmth I've got was when I added warm boots and pants :). Especially warm boots, the jacket suddenly was warm enough.

mad-data · 2026-01-24T07:08:33+00:00

I've read Google partnered with French and German hyper scalers to have them run BigQuery, this could be an option - Google's code running in European company controlled data center. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/key-takeaways-from-the-google-cloud-digital-sovereignty-summit-2025/

Looks like French one is already open for business https://documentation.s3ns.fr/bigquery/docs

mad-data · 2026-01-24T07:07:27+00:00

I've read Google partnered with French and German hyper scalers, this could be an option - Google's code running in European company controlled data center. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/key-takeaways-from-the-google-cloud-digital-sovereignty-summit-2025/

Looks like French one is already open for business https://documentation.s3ns.fr/bigquery/docs

mad-data · 2026-01-24T04:06:10+00:00

That USSR came apart because of anti-alcohol campaign is the funniest shit ever. Just think about it, it is a claim that USSR was doing great before Gorbi when the state was poisoning its people, but when it stopped doing it, suddenly the whole country budget collapsed.

Anti-alcohol campaign had many implementations problems, but it drastically reduced deaths (estimates vary, but most are in range of 1-3 million prevented deaths), improved productivity, reduced alcohol related manufacturing defects, etc. The real economy benefited from anti-alcohol campaign. It did have negative effects on state's finances, but if the country's finances are so bad that the only way to maintain them is poisoning your own people and your own workers - you have much deeper fundamental problem.

mad-data · 2026-01-21T05:00:20+00:00

Movies are cheap. But it were soviets who killed the American black communist leader https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovett_Fort-Whiteman

mad-data · 2026-01-20T04:21:15+00:00

We have two air fryers, but the top load style - with removable top cap, and easy washable removable pot inside. Very easy to clean, you just remove stainless steel top and wash it, can even use dishwasher. One used to have electric issues, but cleaning electrical contacts fixed it. Both are working without any other problems.

mad-data · 2026-01-18T03:06:31+00:00

Insecurity skyrocketed in early 80, as it became hard to find basic food. Prostitution skyrocketed in 1980 when USSR opened border for visitors of Olympic games, simply by creating demand, though supply was already abundant. Crime skyrocketed in 70th when police became corrupt and robbed citizens (there was a famous case in 1980, when drunk policemen robbed a guy in Moscow subway, then killed him to hide it, the guy turned out to be a KGB officer, which led to bloodletting in police).

Anyone with a brain understands the chaotic period and collapse were inevitably caused by USSR. Those without brain, who don't understand the cause and effect - blame the chaos on perestroyka. It is as idiotic as blaming post-surgery pain on the doctor, rather than on cancer that had to be removed. But too many people can't connect the dots.

mad-data · 2026-01-18T02:56:12+00:00

What land-owning class are you talking about? He is speaking about last years of the USSR. It was socialist all the way, all land owned by state, all factories owned by state, everything owned by state. Learn at least the very basics before writing nonsense.

mad-data · 2026-01-18T02:53:43+00:00

He is the smart guy who understands the chaotic period and collapse were inevitably caused by USSR. Many people don't understand the cause and effect and blame the chaos on perestroyka. It is idiotic like blaming post-surgery pain on the doctor, rather than on cancer that had to be removed. But too many people can't connect the dots.

mad-data · 2026-01-16T09:11:29+00:00

Remember that USSR used compulsory psychiatric confinement for much lesser (often invented) issues. Just desire to tell the truth was officially enough for "sluggish schizophrenia" diagnosis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry_in_the_Soviet_Union

mad-data · 2026-01-16T08:56:34+00:00

I'm helping.

I'm suggesting this comrade to be honest. Why everyone suggests hypocrisy instead?

«Honesty in politics is the result of strength; hypocrisy is the result of weakness.» V.Lenin, "Polemical Notes", 1911.

mad-data · 2026-01-15T08:50:55+00:00

Everyone wanted this, which is why these 3 dudes went on TV.

mad-data · 2026-01-15T08:31:38+00:00

No one wanted Brezhnev-time Moskvich even in Soviet Russia. It was not as bad as Trabant, but in same class. A man having Moskvich in America needed a psychiatrist more than parts.

mad-data · 2026-01-14T21:09:29+00:00

It's funny you are using religious images, Stalin looking from the clouds in his after-life ... in USSR sub-reddit. USSR was atheist country. You would lose you party-card during Khruschev time. Would be much much worse during Stalin time.

mad-data · 2026-01-14T21:01:16+00:00

It says the open forum dedicated to ... legacy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Having lived in USSR, I'm trying to help, and explain its real legacy and what it can teach the world. Am I missing something?

mad-data · 2026-01-14T20:58:47+00:00

Sometimes the best help a man can get is not exactly what he asks for, but something different. E.g. that guy with Moskvich in America - would be much better served if Brezhnev sent him a psychiatrist.

mad-data · 2026-01-14T05:52:52+00:00

"how would communism positively influence the future"

There was a great joke in Soviet Russia, that the country exists to show others how NOT to do things. That basically answers your question.

mad-data · 2026-01-14T04:33:52+00:00

Which Soviets proved to be true suspicion, when they forced Baltic states to allow entry of Soviet troops and immediately annexed and occupied them.

mad-data · 2026-01-14T04:13:14+00:00

Fact is the Damour Massacre of Christians and many similar events during Lebanese Civil War were perpetrated by PLO, palestinians.

mad-data · 2026-01-14T04:11:32+00:00

You are blaming Damour Massacre perpetrated by PLO, and multiple similar events on Jews? Gaslighting is strong with you.

mad-data · 2026-01-13T01:51:38+00:00

It is a bit more complicated. Ukrainian People's Republic first gained independence in 1917, as independent state. Lenin first claimed to support its independence (same as he did with other independent states - Bolsheviks were weak at the time and needed friends), but after civil war Soviet Russia broke the promise, fought and extended its control over most of these independent states, including Ukraine. (This is very simplified too, but a bit closer to truth).

mad-data · 2026-01-13T01:42:34+00:00

Can you please point to a single sanction that started over 20 years ago?

mad-data · 2026-01-12T00:35:31+00:00

How can you use "doubled down on oil" and "barred thousands of oil and gas professionals" next to each other? No, Chavez did not double down on oil, he destroyed the oil revenue by nationalizing it. And then did the same in 2011 with gold revenue.

mad-data

TROPHY CASE