Russian light bulbs cost about 15 cents each and considering how long they last, they are way overpriced.
Changing a light bulb in most vintage apartments and houses is no joke. Half of the “fixtures” are not actually attached to anything. They just hang down from the ceiling on wires, and since the cheap Russian bulbs often break off in the socket when you try to remove them, it can turn into a “dodge the 220 volt” game.
Russian lamps are also good for ghost stories. In an American lamp, the socket is made of metal so that here is a good contact even as the bulb and socket heat and cool. Russian lamps are made with all plastic sockets that have a little piece of brass sticking out to make contact with the bulb. As the lamp heats and cools, the little piece of brass can lose contact with the bulb, so the lamp can go off and on by itself. You can tap the bulb, screw the bulb tighter, or just go “Woooooooo” and scare the wife and kids.
They just built a modern pool in a nearby city. In order to get access to a public pool, I had to get a certificate from a dermatologist and a syphilis check.
During the check, I found out that all drivers have to have a complete physical every three years to keep their license. They have to a physical exam by a doctor, a psych exam, and a syphilis check. Women are also required to have gynecological examination to keep their licenses.
This means that the Russian authorities have very little idea how syphilis is passed, and absolutely no idea how a woman drives a car.