No, Jesse, I have never talked to "real Russians!" I am only married to one, have them over at my house weekly for dinners, and lived in Russia for 30 years...but I drank a special potion that made me invisible each morning, and I just moved around among them in silence...for THREE DECADES...I know more about Russians than all that you think you know from Dr. Zhivago, Lolita, and the two IT guys you know from work--both named Ira--which is really a woman's name in Russia and the name of my second wife. Russians survive the bullshit of their reality by minimizing INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY. As for your Putinist remark that Russians mostly shoot at military targets, shame on you! Jesse, do me a favor and read ALL OF MY WRITINGS about Russia before you comment here again, ok? Have a nice day.