Situational Awareness 101.

No comments, just the report from one of the STRATFOR founders. Some quote with a link to Color Commentary On Russia.

So what are the dominant impressions derived from my recent trip? Of a country suffering under sanctions? A little, but not much. Of a country poised to conquer the West? Absolutely not. To the contrary, I've seen festivities. I've seen wealth. I've seen people on the streets who are free and highly self-expressive. The postures, the gaits, the eyes, the clothing!
"Oh, but you were just in Moscow, where the wealth is concentrated. The rest of Russia is still in the 12th century," you might object.
But we spent a week in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, two time zones east of Moscow on the edge of Siberia, and I've rarely seen so many building cranes. The Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center and Museum in Yekaterinburg is an architectural wonder. The mayor is a lanky 6-foot-5, 54-year-old runner straight out of central casting, vibrant and impressive, who began his career as a poet.
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One final thing: Did I or my traveling companions experience a shred of anti-Americanism? No. Not one shred.

For those who are interested, here are some photos of Yekaterinburg:

     

                
                     

 

                   

Yeltsin Center eventually has to be renamed and all what relates to this drunk low life has to be removed and center transferred for children's use.