At Long Last I Return

I have been in Russia, Scotland and England for the past few weeks so I have missed my blogging updates. So, some thoughts after being in Europe. First, general reflections.

1. Most people in Russia and Europe really like us. America and Americans are considered to be their friends and many are very friendly. Some are grumpy but it is a minority. His is rather surprising because we get really bad press in most of their papers. George Bush is portrayed as a warmonger, a kid killer and a wild man who rejects science because he is a radical fundamentalist with similar views as the Muslim fundamentalists.

2. Religious people are not trusted. They have had so many years of religious wars that they are frightened of anyone who has strong spiritual convictions.

3. Everyone smokes. Yuk! There are few, if any, non-smoking cafes.

4. Prices are very high. How they can live I do not know. We are very blessed in America. Things here are so cheap and so plentiful that it is difficult to imagine how they make it with such high prices.

5. Russia is getting more prosperous but they have an awfully long way to go. I will write about terrorism later. However, their social and medical systems are 1930-ish . Despite well educated doctors, their medical technology is very low and doctors few. Had the school crisis happened in the USA, and it very well could happen, we would have hundreds of doctors, nurses and EMTs standing ready to offer high quality care for victims. There would have been large MASH field hospital units ready with surgeons, trauma units and expert psychologists to offer care. They did not even have enough ambulances to carry the victims to hospitals. Civilians in automobiles had to carry the injured to get medical help and there were no filed hospital units on the scenes at all. NONE!

6. The US economy is better, prices cheaper, goods superior and more available and our unemployment less than Europe. France and Germany are in crisis. The key to success is competition, hard work and a good education.

7. One comment helped me understand the Soviet Union situation. "The very best automobiles in the Soviet Union were much worse than our poorest cars."

I am happy to be home.

Gary