Quote Originally Posted by Neo View Post
Mr G... no offense here, bit of a tangent really.
Have you seen the documentary about the Russian cosmonauts?
In the 50's Russia beat the US into space on several counts, the US up to that point had portrayed Russia as a nation of potato eaters and the public was taken aback that Russia had succeeded ahead of the US. The US turned this into fear to control their population, that Russia could send missiles to America. It's true that the Russians built the first ICBM, they were always ahead in rocket technology; it was their success. The US's humiliation after all the rhetoric of victory led them to vilify Russia and control their own population. And they're still doing it. The US is a very bad loser.
I don't dispute any of your history about cosmonauts, the first ICBMs, who had the best rocket technology (probably by minds looted from Germany after WWII, like we did) etc. I just don't know.

I have clear memories of the 50s, the Cold War, Russian Bears, Atom Bombs, duck and cover, but no where do I recollect Russians being characterized as a bunch of dumb potato eaters. I do remember driving through America's Great Smokey Mountains when it was a two lane road and seeing shacks with porches and chickens running in and out.

Yes, I'm fully aware that the US is a bad loser. Who isn't? Hell, we only recently came out and said we lost the Vietnam War.
I am fully aware of the media propoganda machine that, while ostensibly independent and private, are more accurately described as being in symbiosis with the government and the corporate power structure by keeping everyone entertained, ignorant and, even more important, forgetful.
Yes, they bad-mouth each other. Been going on for years. Used to wave atom bombs at each other...pound shoes on the podium at the UN. It's not news.