Youtube hearted comments of Mitch Young (@mitchyoung93).

  1. I don't know how I came across this channel, or why 'the algorithm' may have recommended it, but it really is fascinating. Clearly you are an accomplished individual that knows this subject inside and out. It's a pleasure to get info from an expert with deep knowledge. Thanks for your work.
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  2. So much better than modern day docs in the style of Frontline. No tricks of threatening music, grave voiceovers or darkened shots. Just straightup information. I mean there is music, put it is light and not overbearing.
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  3. Eine Brucke in Osten sounds like a war novel/movie
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  4. Russia's economy keeps failing to fail.
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  5. The thing is we have essentially the same situation in many towns in the 'rustbelt' of the US, or even in farming towns in California where consolidation means that in areas that once hundreds of farms with middle class families working the land are now massive agro-industrial complexes with fewer workers, mostly migrants, doing the work.
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  6. Russia didn't invade Hungary or Czechoslovakia. That was the Soviet Union, or more properly the Warsaw pact, and no doubt there were troops from the Ukrainian SSR among the invaders. Russia's 'invasion' of Georgia was in response to the Georgian central government attacking an area that had been autonomous in the Soviet Union and which won its autonomy back in the early 90s, when Russia was very weak. However Russia did have peacekeepers there and the peace managed to hold for more than 20 years...not a mean feat in the Caucasus. Russia did enter Georgian territory proper but after a ceasefire was signed it withdrew. Not only did the RF not gain any territory, but South Ossetia and Abkhazia didn't gain any territory either. Total status quo ante except that Russia finally recognized two areas it had withheld recognition from for two plus decades. As for the Baltic states, they were so worried about 'Russian aggression' that they were still tied to the Russian electricity grid until this month, 2025. I'd say that other than their 'nation' building myths and stories (largely mythical or exaggerated as all such stories, see Eric Hobsbawm or Benedict Anderson) , a lot of their joining NATO had to do with W. and Rumsfeld and the 'coalition of the willing' , namely Eastern European countries that sold themselves to give cover to our illegal and brutal invasion of Iraq in 2003.
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  7. Slovenia is a great place to visit, especially if you are into winter sports. I visited in December and there was a great Christmas market with literal peasants -- and I use that term with respect -- who came down from the mountains and were selling products from the mountains...honey, balsam wreaths, all manner of beeswax and much besides. In addition at least in 2016 there were still a lot of socialist-zeit kiosks, tower blocks, little shops etc. Also had the best pizza of my life at Pizza Kratchowil in Ljubljana. Go to Slovenia!
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  8. I think the West may have been a bit hubristic thinking economic sanctions would bring Russia to its knees.
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  9. I thought the same thing, though it was surfing and skiing in my day, in that order.
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  10. @MalluFilipino Yes, and the flip side of that, as Guido notes, is the relative abundance of other ingredients in the United States. I'm guessing that an Italian peasant or tradesman in the 1890s got beef mostly when a work animal died. But when he migrated to the US he (or more likely his wife) finds that beef is basically a staple and thus giant beef meatballs are born (this is strictly a hypothetical example but I think a plausible one)
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  11. The Budapest memorandum's significance has been blow up beyond all reason. First, the Ukraine didn't actually have command and control over any strategic nuclear weapons; that was all in Moscow. It is possible though doubtful the Ukrainian government had control over some tactical nuclear weapons...those were in the hands of theatre commanders and some of those might have gone over to the Ukrainian side (like Syrski). Second, the memorandum only requires that signatories go to the UN Security Council in the event of violation of the Ukraine's sovereign territory. It isn't any sort of guarantee of military assistance, let alone direct intervention. Third, the Ukraine was absolutely incapable of maintaining the weapons systems, which is why they were willing to 'sell' back to Russia Tu-160s they had simply rotting away on airfields (in return for the gas they were getting from Russia for giant discounts in the first place). But regardless, Russia's position is that after 2014 the Ukrainian government is neither legitimate nor sovereign, and that the western installed Kiev government has violated Russian speaking and Russian identifying areas the right of cultural self expression and political self determination (btw Donetsk and Lugansk both voted ...separately... for autonomy from Kiev way back in 1994). Also the Ukraine has violated its original position of neutrality. You might say that's hogwash, but the Russians aren't ignoring the memorandum, they are saying the conditions predicate to the agreement no longer apply.
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  12.  @SamsRussianAdventures  I was under the impression you knew them previously
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  13. So weird to think that just 15 or so years ago most of us didn't have smartphones and still we managed to get from place A to place B, and even meet people at place B at a specified time. In the mid to late 00s I lived in London (UK) and a lot of us carried a pocket sized London A-Z which pretty much covered the whole city.
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  14. Man, you really have some cheek...I mean that in the best sense.
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  15. I get that Pringles are bad for one, but what does that have to do with the periodic table? Signed, a guy refreshing his college and military Russian.
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  16.  @CheLanguages  And land!
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  17. That matching hipster couple would be totally obnoxious here in the USA but somehow they are endearing in your Russian provincial town.
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  18. Any relatively young life lost is sad. But he wasn't a journalist.
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  19.  @expatamerican3234  The good old Thomas Guide
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  20.  @expatamerican3234  I'm a SoCal native.
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  21. Love the gopnik flatcap Kristoph is sporting.
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  22. As someone trying to relearn my basic Russian, your level of English is incredible. Wide vocabulary and you have mastered articles, which are usually a bit tough for Slavic speakers. Позравляю вас
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  23. I like how the woman insisted you buy something...no charity for her.
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  24. @4:41 ...right side in distance almost a silloutte. Is that the famous statue that's depicted before all the old Soviet Mosfilm...uh...films?
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  25. @7:03 Is that a drive thru church?
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  26. Heels in sky, Western spy Heels on ground, comrade found Boris (from Life of ...)
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  27. Talgo was name of the long haul train in Spain, Sevilla to Barcelona, back in the late 1990s. Wonder if they were sold on to Kazhastan.
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  28. @PullingDefeatFromTheJawsofVict Sachs is an economist that specializes in international economics and was directly involved in the post Warsaw pact, post Soviet space. How is he outside his competence?
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  29. US... and like all real Americans I love peanuts, peanut butter, peanut brittle, anything to do with peanuts.
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  30. Man, think of all the dishwashers the Russians had to loot to make those 450 missiles....
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  31. I gotta say this is a great channel and you gays (I assume you have a team) are doing great work. Approaching topics in an adult way.
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