My company had a client who did those financed schemes where people buy furniture and TVs and stuff and pay in installments. The one bit of information that stuck with me was they expected 50% of customers to default. They went under.

I was about to say how can you run a business like that but it just clicked. The execs were running a scheme on the company itself. The company tricks financially illiterate customers (I sympathise, not denigrating) into debt and bankruptcy, ruining their lives, while the owners pay themselves handsomely and buy cars and mansions running the company into bankruptcy. But they walk away with all their toys paid for by the broken finances of their victims.

Fucking parasites.

I can say from experience being mixed white and Japanese I’ll always be a second class citizen there.

Can’t speak for Russia but I knew a woman who once said she envied her mother because she was “pure”, pale skin and blonde hair, while she had dark hair and more eastern (Mongolian heritage?) features. That was really painful to hear someone say about themselves and if it’s the prevalent attitude I wouldn’t assume I’m welcome just by a blood connection.

The MitreSmiter 9000. Puts all doubt to rest.