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Lousy honest Ausies, be less... open.[/quote]

That reminds me, there were time when NSA had stood for No Such Agency.

It's 21st century now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHELON
That system IS functioning.

There were a joke some time in the past:
NSA = No Such Agency :)

Paying to receive calls is a bit weird.

In the UK we only have to pay to receive calls if we are abroad.[/quote]

Russia is a weird country :)

On July 1st this year all incoming rings are free - caller pays. It has to do with a passing of a new law on communications.

8 is because we got accustomed to domestic call so when we want to make a call from Moscow to St.Petersburg we have to dial 8 (to reach an inter-city commutator) then wait for a tone (or busy...