Former USSR question. Communism?

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Do any of you remember living in the USSR? If so, was it better of worse than Russia today. Give me details such as economy, freedoms, rights, etc.

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I was born in the USSR. I do remember the times where there was no food on the shelves and the huge lines to get the food and good we had coupons for (sugar, soap, wine, washing detergent, tea....). There was less crime out there and safer in the streets... but then any one could get suspected in "espionage" and KGB would watch you, check your mail, listen to your phone conversations. They would even recruit students to spy and tell on their classmates.....

I can't tell it's better now.... Crime rates are high. Lots of things in the stores (probably the same stuff you guys have in the States) but most of people do not have the money to afford it. The rent and utilities, as well as all the prices rise every month, whereas the salary is not. Poor people wish for some better life they can't have.....

But we were happier as kids than we are now as adults.
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i'm sorry no, i don't..but hten again, i was born in 1990...maybe thats why i don't remember..
I was born in 1977, and I remember the last decade of the USSR, it was terrible (especially the very end).

I don't agree to Tatiana about present time. Not everything is so bad. In fact, the only things which are too expensive are things which can only be produced inside of Russia (mainly it is realty). This is due to numerous obstacles Russian state creates for anyone willing to work. It is Russian system, when the state sets up such laws that it's impossible to obey them, and than officials for bribes allow to violate that laws. And Russian people (servile by nature) prefer to bear it.
Well there wasn't a lot of stuff in stores. There wasn't much variety (You wouldn't have 70 different brands in a shoe store). However, when you actually managed to buy something it wouldn't break in two weeks because the government monitored the quality of the goods.
There was free health care and education. Theoretically, we are supposed to have that now, but in reality we don't.
Corruption was pretty much the same as it is now.
In some ways life then was better, in others it wasn't, but most people say they were happier because they feel nostalgia for the Soviet Union, which was a superpower. Russia is still the largest country in the world, but politically we let everyone kick us around. Hopefully, that will change.
short answer USSR time was better so much better . now we are one of the counties in eastern europe be4 we were super power