A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today’s selection: Russian Army Choir - Полюшко поле (aka Song of the Plains; Meadowlands)

Can't really say I'm a Russophile but I don't think of Russians as my enemy either - in spite of spending my childhood huddling under my desk to aid in identifying my burnt remains save me from Soviet nuclear attack. It's a place I'd like to visit, at least St Petersburg.

Way back when ... I was in 8th grade ... Vietnam raging and the Soviet Union evil incarnate ... I had a social studies teacher (a WWII vet) who told us that in our lifetimes, there would be a good chance that we'd see the US turn into a police state and Russia become the land of freedom. About the only thing I directly remember about 8th grade ...

While that teacher has not yet been proven correct - or incorrect, I can't say I've seen anything recently to disavow me from the notion that both countries seem to be on that path.

I'd much rather the US was "friends" with Russia than some of those we (supposedly) are friends with - say China and Saudi Arabia.