Dear Editor,
Tired of racism and desiring to live ‘all together’ in peace, most of us would like to appoint a Black president, evidencing we matured as a society and left behind a terrible part of our history, but it has to be the right person.
We can’t chose a Candidate based on what he/she promises, because as political campaigns go, anyone will promise whatever they think will get them elected. Circumstances will ‘change’ later, so we can’t hold them to their promises. We need to chose a president based on character and judgment as evidenced by their record, not by what or how they say it.
Past performance is the best indicator of future conduct. With so many communication specialists, social scientists and others telling the candidates what to say, how to move, how to dress, etc. there is very little of the actual Candidate that we get to see or hear. What they can’t customize tough, is what they did: let the record speak for them!
Barack Obama ran for office and took the chair of someone who could have been actively involved in creating new legislation, but he voted ‘present’ more times than others, missing on opportunities to contribute his intellect. Barack showed no interest in visiting our soldiers and warzones, until invited by McCain. Still, he never visited south of our border any county in Latin-America. Barack took more money from Fanny and Freddy, and opposed regulating them; in fact he was part of the influence on those two companies to give mortgages to people who could not (and did not) repay them. Barack surrounded himself with Reverent Wright, Bill Ayers, Rezko and Acorn would indicate (at least) poor judgment if not something sinister. The bottom line is that Barack showed poor judgment on his choice of friends. Since his mistakes helped him (at least initially) propel his political career and buy a house that he could not otherwise afford, we find hard to trust his judgment and even shadows his character. Barack has a record of voting ‘present’ (a wasted seat in the Senate) or strictly along party lines. These are not real basis to select him as our next President.
John McCain chose to stay with his troops, for 5 years of tortures in a Vietnamese jail, out of sheer character. He was put to a test that most of us would not pass, and he aced it. He was given the choice to walk out of jail, free as a result of his privileged position being a son and grandson of admirals. He would not leave unless his troops were let go with, so they all stayed in jail. This is one of the highest moral standards I ever hear off: we was put to the test in a situation as real as it gets, and he passed. McCain is an independent, he votes his consciousness and he teams up with anyone from any party, to follow his ideals. He voted against his fellow Republicans and along with Democrats.
The differences in judgment, if not character, are all too obvious. If we find Barack compelling because of his impeccable speech, wide smile and command of the microphone, we need to remember that no successful sham was ever pulled by anybody who does not meet that exact description: anyone else could not con anybody. Barack also comes from a minority (he is half white, but he sees himself only as a black person), adding to our shared feeling of supporting the underprivileged and the underdog. As an immigrant myself, I know first-hand of the generosity and openness of this great Nation to welcome and help immigrants and minorities. We are a good nation because we sympathize and want to help those who need it the most, but again, this is not enough reason to appoint somebody as our President.
Obama supporters, wish against reason, voting with their hearts that he is the right person for the job, regardless of his record and known associates. The value of Obama is not on what he did or even what he says, but how he says it. He is a masterful speaker and extraordinary communicator. Are those qualities enough to be the President?
As for 'spread the wealth around' socialistic doctrine, Barack’s' 1,5M mansion could be a good start. He should lead by example. His follower Warren Buffet could shed his last billions to the benefit of the poor as well, as he still has more billions that he can spend.
If we love America, we need to accept and embrace the principles that made America what it is today. That includes the encouragement of individual initiative and the repulsion of socialistic principles. As a President put it ‘when you give something for free to someone, you are killing their spirit’. That is what America is all about, and if you love it, do not tamper with it. By his actions and associations, Barack is a socialist in (poor) disguise. His closest associates: his reverend, his wife and his friend Ayers, they all vocalized their disdain and contempt for America. Why are we to believe that he is any different?
If we chose our President, the Commander in Chief of the world’s last superpower and the leader of the free world, based on irrational ‘thinking’, there will be hell to pay. We will destroy the basis of what made America what it is, and will extinguish the beacon America is to the desperate, oppressed, tyrannized people in four corners of the world.
Yes, we do want to put racism behind and show it to the world. We do want a Black president, but this one is not it, or not yet.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 03, 2008
Wall Street Bailout
Agreeing to this bailout means that we played capitalism, and we accept that it failed. This is a repudiation of capitalism and embracing socialism. This is admitting to the failure of our way of life and concedes to China, the old Soviet Union and Cuba.
For too many years we saw the self-important, legends-in-their-own-eyes, arrogant wallstreeters driving their red Ferraris and burning fuel by the hundreds of gallons on their cigarette boats. We were wondering how people who did not create anything, did not produce a single sack of potatoes or planted a single tree, who did not add any value to the world, could live that way. Now we know, they party and they leave it to us to pay for the musicians.
This is the largest money heist in the history of the world, rushed down our throats because it is an ‘emergency’. We should not allow them to get away with it.
The value of true corporations did not disappear overnight. The money that is not being lent did not get sucked into a hole in the earth. The money is still there, and money that is not let, generates no interest. They can hold to the money for so long, then they will need to lend it again. This is playing chicken with the rest of us, waiting to see us blink first.
The money is somewhere, and can’t stay still for too long, or they really have to close their doors.
They are scaring us, this are the departing shots of President Bush and his friends, who want one last bounty before leaving office. Vote no, no way, no how.
For too many years we saw the self-important, legends-in-their-own-eyes, arrogant wallstreeters driving their red Ferraris and burning fuel by the hundreds of gallons on their cigarette boats. We were wondering how people who did not create anything, did not produce a single sack of potatoes or planted a single tree, who did not add any value to the world, could live that way. Now we know, they party and they leave it to us to pay for the musicians.
This is the largest money heist in the history of the world, rushed down our throats because it is an ‘emergency’. We should not allow them to get away with it.
The value of true corporations did not disappear overnight. The money that is not being lent did not get sucked into a hole in the earth. The money is still there, and money that is not let, generates no interest. They can hold to the money for so long, then they will need to lend it again. This is playing chicken with the rest of us, waiting to see us blink first.
The money is somewhere, and can’t stay still for too long, or they really have to close their doors.
They are scaring us, this are the departing shots of President Bush and his friends, who want one last bounty before leaving office. Vote no, no way, no how.
NATO membership for new Eastern European Democracies
Ukraine’s place in NATO should not be put into question because of the noise, disagreements and disorder in Government: all those are healthy traits of any democracy, especially a young one. Do we prefer the silence and compliance under Stalin, Mussolini or Putin? Democracy is messy, and we are very happy for that. Let differences of opinion clash! Both, Tymoshenko and Yushchenko are positive forces supporting freedom and democracy, on their own rights and with their own flavors. They are not that different, in essence.
Angela Merkel should find no excuse on the internal debate of Ukraine, or in the invasion of Russia into Georgia, to negate NATO membership to the young democracies of Eastern Europe. Mrs. Merkel, coincidentally, made the announcement that a plan for membership will not be offered, when her gas supplier Putin was at her side… This is coward, underhanded and cruel. This is a sad reminding of how lightly Germany decided on the freedom and lives of countless other people in a non-too-distant past, that we would all like to think will never repeat.
Georgia, Ukraine and the other nascent democracies of the former Soviet Union are fragile and easy prey for a sick, power-hungry and expanding Russia who is seeking to reinstate their former empire. Negating them the protection of NATO membership is ‘giving’ them, ‘delivering’ them to Russia in a silver tray. Angela Merkel thinks and feels so little of the liberty and lives of so many millions of people who are craving for a better life and desperately need protection from their former abuser waiting to strike.
Russian claimed a ‘privileged zone of interest’, meaning: peoples and nations that ‘belong’ to them, which they can dominate while asking everyone else to stay clear. Germany is acquiescing with Russia’s plan by coldly and with absolute lack of compassion, denying such protection to those countries.
The newly liberated countries of Eastern Europe have two choices: accept (again) the ruthless and cruel Russian dominance, or join NATO. Germany is deciding for them. This is sickening to the human spirit, bringing Germany yet to a new low.
It is also stupid. Russia will only grow larger and stronger with the addition of Ukraine and others to their domain. This will mean a larger and more powerful enemy for the democratic world.
The internal dynamics in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and others will tilt towards their former oppressor, or to the West. Mrs. Merkel is telling the population of those countries to give up, give in and accept the tyranny of Russia yet again, as she is closing their hopes and path to the democratic world. These are millions of lives, now and in the future, that will live in fear, domination, abuse and may not live at all if sent to other ridiculous wars (like Afghanistan or Chechnya). Good job Angela! May the other countries of the NATO alliance persuade Merkel and the other shortsighted leaders in the West, of all the implications: humane, political, economic and historical of negating ascension to NATO and EC to those young countries that so are looking to them as their last hope to contain Russia, evolve into full fledged democracies, and build their societies and families in freedom.
Angela Merkel should find no excuse on the internal debate of Ukraine, or in the invasion of Russia into Georgia, to negate NATO membership to the young democracies of Eastern Europe. Mrs. Merkel, coincidentally, made the announcement that a plan for membership will not be offered, when her gas supplier Putin was at her side… This is coward, underhanded and cruel. This is a sad reminding of how lightly Germany decided on the freedom and lives of countless other people in a non-too-distant past, that we would all like to think will never repeat.
Georgia, Ukraine and the other nascent democracies of the former Soviet Union are fragile and easy prey for a sick, power-hungry and expanding Russia who is seeking to reinstate their former empire. Negating them the protection of NATO membership is ‘giving’ them, ‘delivering’ them to Russia in a silver tray. Angela Merkel thinks and feels so little of the liberty and lives of so many millions of people who are craving for a better life and desperately need protection from their former abuser waiting to strike.
Russian claimed a ‘privileged zone of interest’, meaning: peoples and nations that ‘belong’ to them, which they can dominate while asking everyone else to stay clear. Germany is acquiescing with Russia’s plan by coldly and with absolute lack of compassion, denying such protection to those countries.
The newly liberated countries of Eastern Europe have two choices: accept (again) the ruthless and cruel Russian dominance, or join NATO. Germany is deciding for them. This is sickening to the human spirit, bringing Germany yet to a new low.
It is also stupid. Russia will only grow larger and stronger with the addition of Ukraine and others to their domain. This will mean a larger and more powerful enemy for the democratic world.
The internal dynamics in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and others will tilt towards their former oppressor, or to the West. Mrs. Merkel is telling the population of those countries to give up, give in and accept the tyranny of Russia yet again, as she is closing their hopes and path to the democratic world. These are millions of lives, now and in the future, that will live in fear, domination, abuse and may not live at all if sent to other ridiculous wars (like Afghanistan or Chechnya). Good job Angela! May the other countries of the NATO alliance persuade Merkel and the other shortsighted leaders in the West, of all the implications: humane, political, economic and historical of negating ascension to NATO and EC to those young countries that so are looking to them as their last hope to contain Russia, evolve into full fledged democracies, and build their societies and families in freedom.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Microsoft - The Evil Empire
They did not get to this extraordinary market position, worldwide, by being silly. We can discard that. So when Microsoft puts out such flimsy software, full of bugs, and the only way to fix them is to pay them: http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&x=7&y=11&prid=10181&gprid=423614 to the rate of $99.00 for email support, $259.00 for online support, or.... ready for this? $259.00 (double that if after hours) to talk to one of their $10 a day 'experts' in India... this is not coincidence. This is Machiavellian, malicious, evil marketing ploy to milk, abuse and rip off their enormous customer base.
Once they acquired a virtual monopoly, they dictate rules that are inconceivable if they had any kind of competition, decency or respect for their customers.
And their lawyers are not dummy either. Before you attempt to fix their lousy software, they make you agree to preposterous disclaimers such as:
"PLEASE NOTE: Microsoft Corporation (or based on where you live, one of its affiliates) licenses this supplement to you. You may use a copy of this supplement with each validly licensed copy of Microsoft 2007 Office System Desktop Application software (the “software”). You may not use the supplement if you do not have a license for the software. The license terms for the software apply to your use of this supplement. To read the license terms, go to the “Help” menu in the software. Microsoft provides support services for the supplement as described at www.support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx."
This means, they can abuse you, rob you, and there is nothing you can do.
The Evil Empire bought out many young, promising companies that could one day compete with them, only to stop them and eventually absorb into their products or discontinue them. This is how they eliminated any possible future competition.
How many billions Gates made? This is how he did it.
Once they acquired a virtual monopoly, they dictate rules that are inconceivable if they had any kind of competition, decency or respect for their customers.
And their lawyers are not dummy either. Before you attempt to fix their lousy software, they make you agree to preposterous disclaimers such as:
"PLEASE NOTE: Microsoft Corporation (or based on where you live, one of its affiliates) licenses this supplement to you. You may use a copy of this supplement with each validly licensed copy of Microsoft 2007 Office System Desktop Application software (the “software”). You may not use the supplement if you do not have a license for the software. The license terms for the software apply to your use of this supplement. To read the license terms, go to the “Help” menu in the software. Microsoft provides support services for the supplement as described at www.support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx."
This means, they can abuse you, rob you, and there is nothing you can do.
The Evil Empire bought out many young, promising companies that could one day compete with them, only to stop them and eventually absorb into their products or discontinue them. This is how they eliminated any possible future competition.
How many billions Gates made? This is how he did it.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Lets not Forget Holodomor
An Ominous Sign For Ukraine
May 17, 2008
Article
Last week, Russian tanks, missile launchers and columns of goose-stepping soldiers again paraded through Red Square. The Victory Day parade sent a collective shudder through the republics of the former Soviet Union. Although the modern governments of Japan and Germany have renounced their militaristic past and have worked to atone for the acts of genocide committed by the Nazis and the Hirohito regime, the new rulers of Russia remain in a state of denial about the horrific crimes their predecessors inflicted on millions of people throughout Eastern Europe and Asia.
Not only are Vladimir Putin and his hand-picked successor Dmitry Medvedev completely unrepentant about their Soviet past, they are actively promoting a resurgence of Russian chauvinism and militant imperialism that is clearly aimed at intimidating its neighbors and reasserting Russia's dominance as a world power. Today, human rights activists and members of the Ukrainian American community from across Connecticut will meet at the state Capitol to commemorate the 75th anniversary of one of the most brutal campaigns of ethnic cleansing ever perpetrated on a defenseless population.In the late 1920s, Josef Stalin ordered the collectivization of farms throughout the Soviet Union.
When Ukrainian farmers resisted his policies, Stalin ordered the confiscation of grain and foodstuffs from villages throughout eastern Ukraine and the predominantly Ukrainian ethnic areas of Kuban and the Northern Caucasus. Millions of Ukrainians starved to death in what became known as the Holodomor ("death by hunger") or The Great Famine. Years later, Stalin admitted to Winston Churchill that the death toll from his forced collectivization campaign was more than 10 million people. This was accompanied by the execution of Ukrainian political leaders and the mass deportation of Ukrainians into Siberian death camps in an attempt to crush their cultural identity.
Khrushchev told the delegates to the 1956 Communist Party Congress that Stalin harbored such a deep antipathy for the Ukrainians that he would have deported them all to Siberia, except there were too many of them.While the Soviets exported the bumper crops they had seized, the secret police and military sealed off Ukraine's borders to prevent foreign observers or relief shipments from reaching the victims. Gareth Jones, a British embassy official, was one of the few Westerners who defied Stalin's orders and slipped into Ukraine on foot to witness the horror. He wrote about the swollen stomachs of the children in the cottages where he slept.Historian Robert Conquest compared the Ukrainian countryside in 1933 to "one vast Belsen where a quarter of the rural population ... lay dead or dying, the rest in various stages of debilitation with no strength to bury their families or neighbors."Years later these ghost towns and prairies were resettled by ethnic Russians who remained loyal to the Kremlin and largely ignorant of the plight of the people they replaced.
Unlike the Nuremberg Trials, there was never an accounting for the crimes committed against the Ukrainian people. Today, as a new Russian regime tries to rekindle a perverse nostalgia for its Soviet past, it is vital for the world community to remember the Holodomor and to insist that such crimes never be repeated. Alexander B. Kuzma Glastonbury The writer serves on the steering committee for the Connecticut Committee for the Commemoration of the Ukrainian Famine, which is organizing the observance at the Capitol.
Copyright © 2008, The Hartford Courant
May 17, 2008
Article
Last week, Russian tanks, missile launchers and columns of goose-stepping soldiers again paraded through Red Square. The Victory Day parade sent a collective shudder through the republics of the former Soviet Union. Although the modern governments of Japan and Germany have renounced their militaristic past and have worked to atone for the acts of genocide committed by the Nazis and the Hirohito regime, the new rulers of Russia remain in a state of denial about the horrific crimes their predecessors inflicted on millions of people throughout Eastern Europe and Asia.
Not only are Vladimir Putin and his hand-picked successor Dmitry Medvedev completely unrepentant about their Soviet past, they are actively promoting a resurgence of Russian chauvinism and militant imperialism that is clearly aimed at intimidating its neighbors and reasserting Russia's dominance as a world power. Today, human rights activists and members of the Ukrainian American community from across Connecticut will meet at the state Capitol to commemorate the 75th anniversary of one of the most brutal campaigns of ethnic cleansing ever perpetrated on a defenseless population.In the late 1920s, Josef Stalin ordered the collectivization of farms throughout the Soviet Union.
When Ukrainian farmers resisted his policies, Stalin ordered the confiscation of grain and foodstuffs from villages throughout eastern Ukraine and the predominantly Ukrainian ethnic areas of Kuban and the Northern Caucasus. Millions of Ukrainians starved to death in what became known as the Holodomor ("death by hunger") or The Great Famine. Years later, Stalin admitted to Winston Churchill that the death toll from his forced collectivization campaign was more than 10 million people. This was accompanied by the execution of Ukrainian political leaders and the mass deportation of Ukrainians into Siberian death camps in an attempt to crush their cultural identity.
Khrushchev told the delegates to the 1956 Communist Party Congress that Stalin harbored such a deep antipathy for the Ukrainians that he would have deported them all to Siberia, except there were too many of them.While the Soviets exported the bumper crops they had seized, the secret police and military sealed off Ukraine's borders to prevent foreign observers or relief shipments from reaching the victims. Gareth Jones, a British embassy official, was one of the few Westerners who defied Stalin's orders and slipped into Ukraine on foot to witness the horror. He wrote about the swollen stomachs of the children in the cottages where he slept.Historian Robert Conquest compared the Ukrainian countryside in 1933 to "one vast Belsen where a quarter of the rural population ... lay dead or dying, the rest in various stages of debilitation with no strength to bury their families or neighbors."Years later these ghost towns and prairies were resettled by ethnic Russians who remained loyal to the Kremlin and largely ignorant of the plight of the people they replaced.
Unlike the Nuremberg Trials, there was never an accounting for the crimes committed against the Ukrainian people. Today, as a new Russian regime tries to rekindle a perverse nostalgia for its Soviet past, it is vital for the world community to remember the Holodomor and to insist that such crimes never be repeated. Alexander B. Kuzma Glastonbury The writer serves on the steering committee for the Connecticut Committee for the Commemoration of the Ukrainian Famine, which is organizing the observance at the Capitol.
Copyright © 2008, The Hartford Courant
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Balance of Power in Europe?
Angela Merkel opposes admission of Ukraine and Georgia on the grounds that it will alter the 'balance of power' in Europe. 'Balance of Power' is sought by those on the short or losing end. NATO has this unique and dissipating window of opportunity, this historical chance to take the upper hand and consolidate their power OVER Russia. Russia does not understand 'balance of power', they only understand 'domination' if you are at all familiar with their history of invasions and land-grab. Appeasing Russia does not work, it never did with any totalitarian system which is identical to Russian tradition. Europe and the West are missing out on a rare, unique opportunity as Russia is rebuilding their military (at the expense of their people, again, at the purest Stalin style), and this alleged 'balance of power' will tilt toward Moscow. Germany, France and others are delivering Ukraine and Georgia to Russia, in the futile hope to appease their appetite. Feeding the monster only makes it stronger. This does not work. This implies sacrificing more lives of Ukrainians and Georgians to the appetite of Russia. This is a stupid decision by all standards, and self defeating. It is also cruel and inhumane.
Graphic
"We must warn you of the graphic contents of the following segment" is used to describe some gory or adult images to follow on tv programs. This equates 'graphic' with 'adult' or 'porn'. This is killing the language.
I guess graphic artists are porn artist now. Is the English language so poor that they need to steal words meant to represent something totally different, to make references to obscene or potential upsetting images?
How about ""We must warn you of the potentially offending contents of the following segment", instead?
I guess graphic artists are porn artist now. Is the English language so poor that they need to steal words meant to represent something totally different, to make references to obscene or potential upsetting images?
How about ""We must warn you of the potentially offending contents of the following segment", instead?
Give Ukraine and Georgia a chance.
Give Ukraine and Georgia a chance.
Four centuries of occupation by Russia, had a profound impact on Ukraine. On their intend to eliminate the Ukrainian identity, Russian became the mandatory language and most vestiges of Ukrainian history were eliminated from history books, museums and architecture. By sending millions of Russians to intermingle and marry the natives, Russia was highly successful in achieving their goal. In fact, the 50%+ of the Ukrainian population willing to join NATO and the CE are a testament to incredible resiliency by peoples who have been systematically assimilated into the civilization of their enemies.
Russians are very cruel occupiers. They created two artificial famines, to break the Ukrainian spirit, killing, for no other reason, over five million Ukrainians. Russians forced thousands of Ukrainians into a Afghanistan, when Moscow decided to invade that Country as well.
Russia has not given up on their expansion and imperialistic goals, not a bit. They occupied sovereign nations long before Communism, and they will continue long after. The Soviet Union is just a small chapter on the history of conquest and atrocities by Russia.
Nobody knows this more than the countries that have been under their control. They also know they are powerless to stop Russia from taking them over again. Ukraine, Georgia and the other nations formerly controlled by Moscow know that their only chance at surviving as independent is by joining NATO.
Since attacking one NATO member is the equivalent of attacking them all, Russia will not dare to make a move on its former colonies.
Accepting and accelerating NATO membership to Ukraine, Georgia and the other nations in similar situation is not only the decent and compassionate thing to do, it is also the smartest. If we stand to the side and allow Russia to take them over again (as they will), we will have to deal with a stronger Russia as an enemy. The cold war is not over.
A legislator in Moscow recently declared “the concept of an independent Ukraine makes no sense”. When Ukraine courageously approached NATO and asked for an admission plan, Putin declared that his nuclear missiles will be pointing at Ukraine.
Ukraine and other nations in similar predicament had suffered enough on the hands of Russia. It is for the decent people of the world to see that this does not happen again. Alone they are helpless.
I traveled to Ukraine twenty times during the past three years, as our Company employs people there. I have firsthand experience on dealing with many of their people as I traveled the Country by road, taking on people asking for rides and talking with them. I had the chance to meet the families of our employees in all four corners of that beautiful Country. 400 years of being dominated, humiliated and massacred left deep marks on these highly intelligent, hard working and ethical people.
Russia also ‘gave’ them Chernobyl. The consequences of the world’s largest man-made disaster are yet to be fully understood. A full half or our employees or their direct family, have immunodeficiency diseases. A large portion of Ukraine will be unfit for human life for forty thousand years. When the explosion occurred, Russia denied the accident for several days, until the Swedish detected it and the New York Times reported it on their first page. Pravda reported a small article in page 9. This allowed for countless more Ukrainians to be contaminated with high levels of radiation.
The cruelty of Russia towards the nations they invaded, knows no limits. The claim that Ukraine, Georgia and others need to follow Russia because they under Russia’s ‘are of interest’ is phony. The only fault of those countries is to border Russia.
Some of us in the West thought that many of the stories we heard about life under the Soviets, were exaggerated if not fabricated by the CIA or American press. Unfortunately those stories are accurate. I had the opportunity to hear it first hand from Ukrainians that lived under the Soviets. Their stories, if anything, are worst than what I read in any American magazine or watched on TV. Control was absolute, there was no freedom at all, dissent was unheard off and those with ‘peculiar’ ideas were in fact sent to mental institutions for ‘rehabilitation’.
They need our help.
We may stereotype Ukrainians as being similar, if not identical, to their tormentors. Nothing further from the truth. During last year’s Independence Day celebrations, in Maidan Square, I had (at first) that impression. Those soldiers came marching down Khreshatik (Kyiv’s main street). They wore uniforms that appear identical to those of the Russian soldiers marching down Red Square, the same goose step, long and powerful, swinging one arm almost violently from side to side, the face severe and topped with that big hat with green, gold and a lot of red. I felt like the lone American about to battle an army of ruthless soldiers… to my amazement, the moment they reached the Square, the music changed to the tune of Strangers in the Night and those same soldiers broke lines and started dancing to a choreography of a Sinatra’s song. These are not the same as the Russians marching in front of Lenin’s tomb!
It is our moral responsibility to admit them into the safety of NATO. It is also the intelligent thing to do, in our own best interests. The fears of Germany, France and Spain of a Russian reaction to the expansion of NATO are misguided. They should fear more an even larger, more powerful Russia encompassing and including those additional countries and their populations now as troops at the command of Russia’s generals. You can’t appease Russia. A disproportionate number of casualties on the Russian side during the invasion of Afghanistan, were Ukrainians. You can see their photos, letters to their mothers, etc. at the Afghan War Museum in Kyiv. They send those troops first.
Four centuries of occupation by Russia, had a profound impact on Ukraine. On their intend to eliminate the Ukrainian identity, Russian became the mandatory language and most vestiges of Ukrainian history were eliminated from history books, museums and architecture. By sending millions of Russians to intermingle and marry the natives, Russia was highly successful in achieving their goal. In fact, the 50%+ of the Ukrainian population willing to join NATO and the CE are a testament to incredible resiliency by peoples who have been systematically assimilated into the civilization of their enemies.
Russians are very cruel occupiers. They created two artificial famines, to break the Ukrainian spirit, killing, for no other reason, over five million Ukrainians. Russians forced thousands of Ukrainians into a Afghanistan, when Moscow decided to invade that Country as well.
Russia has not given up on their expansion and imperialistic goals, not a bit. They occupied sovereign nations long before Communism, and they will continue long after. The Soviet Union is just a small chapter on the history of conquest and atrocities by Russia.
Nobody knows this more than the countries that have been under their control. They also know they are powerless to stop Russia from taking them over again. Ukraine, Georgia and the other nations formerly controlled by Moscow know that their only chance at surviving as independent is by joining NATO.
Since attacking one NATO member is the equivalent of attacking them all, Russia will not dare to make a move on its former colonies.
Accepting and accelerating NATO membership to Ukraine, Georgia and the other nations in similar situation is not only the decent and compassionate thing to do, it is also the smartest. If we stand to the side and allow Russia to take them over again (as they will), we will have to deal with a stronger Russia as an enemy. The cold war is not over.
A legislator in Moscow recently declared “the concept of an independent Ukraine makes no sense”. When Ukraine courageously approached NATO and asked for an admission plan, Putin declared that his nuclear missiles will be pointing at Ukraine.
Ukraine and other nations in similar predicament had suffered enough on the hands of Russia. It is for the decent people of the world to see that this does not happen again. Alone they are helpless.
I traveled to Ukraine twenty times during the past three years, as our Company employs people there. I have firsthand experience on dealing with many of their people as I traveled the Country by road, taking on people asking for rides and talking with them. I had the chance to meet the families of our employees in all four corners of that beautiful Country. 400 years of being dominated, humiliated and massacred left deep marks on these highly intelligent, hard working and ethical people.
Russia also ‘gave’ them Chernobyl. The consequences of the world’s largest man-made disaster are yet to be fully understood. A full half or our employees or their direct family, have immunodeficiency diseases. A large portion of Ukraine will be unfit for human life for forty thousand years. When the explosion occurred, Russia denied the accident for several days, until the Swedish detected it and the New York Times reported it on their first page. Pravda reported a small article in page 9. This allowed for countless more Ukrainians to be contaminated with high levels of radiation.
The cruelty of Russia towards the nations they invaded, knows no limits. The claim that Ukraine, Georgia and others need to follow Russia because they under Russia’s ‘are of interest’ is phony. The only fault of those countries is to border Russia.
Some of us in the West thought that many of the stories we heard about life under the Soviets, were exaggerated if not fabricated by the CIA or American press. Unfortunately those stories are accurate. I had the opportunity to hear it first hand from Ukrainians that lived under the Soviets. Their stories, if anything, are worst than what I read in any American magazine or watched on TV. Control was absolute, there was no freedom at all, dissent was unheard off and those with ‘peculiar’ ideas were in fact sent to mental institutions for ‘rehabilitation’.
They need our help.
We may stereotype Ukrainians as being similar, if not identical, to their tormentors. Nothing further from the truth. During last year’s Independence Day celebrations, in Maidan Square, I had (at first) that impression. Those soldiers came marching down Khreshatik (Kyiv’s main street). They wore uniforms that appear identical to those of the Russian soldiers marching down Red Square, the same goose step, long and powerful, swinging one arm almost violently from side to side, the face severe and topped with that big hat with green, gold and a lot of red. I felt like the lone American about to battle an army of ruthless soldiers… to my amazement, the moment they reached the Square, the music changed to the tune of Strangers in the Night and those same soldiers broke lines and started dancing to a choreography of a Sinatra’s song. These are not the same as the Russians marching in front of Lenin’s tomb!
It is our moral responsibility to admit them into the safety of NATO. It is also the intelligent thing to do, in our own best interests. The fears of Germany, France and Spain of a Russian reaction to the expansion of NATO are misguided. They should fear more an even larger, more powerful Russia encompassing and including those additional countries and their populations now as troops at the command of Russia’s generals. You can’t appease Russia. A disproportionate number of casualties on the Russian side during the invasion of Afghanistan, were Ukrainians. You can see their photos, letters to their mothers, etc. at the Afghan War Museum in Kyiv. They send those troops first.
Remove the H1B Visa Cap
Technology is an essential component on the lifecycle of all products and services. The ‘technology component’ plays an ever-increasing role on the quality, price, speed to market and overall competitiveness of anything offered.
Technology workers make it possible. The availability, quality and cost of those workers have a direct impact on the competiveness of governments, companies, products, services and (ultimately) whole economies and countries.
Our system of quotas on the number of H1B visas granted to high tech workers is a godsend to our competition, and a hindrance to our ability to compete and win. Out system allows for few engineers to come and train, only to deny them the right to renew their visas and stay. They leave, join other companies and governments, and compete against us, with the tools we taught them.
The necessity to increase our technology advances is heralded by all presidential contenders, but this will not happen without courageous and deliberate action by Congress and the President. The beginning is to dramatically expand, or eliminate, limits on the number of qualified technology workers admitted into the Country.
Getting down to business, this is what happens: when a company needs to improve their services or products (which is ‘always’ if they want to remain competitive, make better products or reduce costs), they will look for technology workers to do it. They are buyers of technology. If the sellers (the workers) are not available, or are too expensive locally (limited supply), the company will either postpone or eliminate new development, or offshore it.
Should this company postpone development of their services or products, they fall behind and cannot compete globally. Eventually, imports will even affect their domestic market. Under this scenario, we lose.
Should this company offshore development, we lose the opportunity to ‘on-the-job-train’ new workers, increase our technology capital, the tax revenue of salaries not paid to American workers and the income not spent in our economy.
As long as there is a buyer, there is a seller. When we need technology, we will buy it wherever it is. If we find it here, the technology and money stays here. If we buy it overseas, they both go to enrich another country. If we do not buy it, we lose the market to other companies that have readily cheap technology available to them.
We cannot ignore the technology component in all we do, enjoy and buy. Technology does not just ‘happens’, it requires workers. Highly skilled and intelligent engineers from the world over are motivated to come and join our communities and our economy, bringing with them millions of dollars worth of education. Other countries fight for them while we keep them out. This does not make sense; we should open the doors to them, as they will enrich our society in many ways.
Technology is an essential component on the lifecycle of all products and services. The ‘technology component’ plays an ever-increasing role on the quality, price, speed to market and overall competitiveness of anything offered.
Technology workers make it possible. The availability, quality and cost of those workers have a direct impact on the competiveness of governments, companies, products, services and (ultimately) whole economies and countries.
Our system of quotas on the number of H1B visas granted to high tech workers is a godsend to our competition, and a hindrance to our ability to compete and win. Out system allows for few engineers to come and train, only to deny them the right to renew their visas and stay. They leave, join other companies and governments, and compete against us, with the tools we taught them.
The necessity to increase our technology advances is heralded by all presidential contenders, but this will not happen without courageous and deliberate action by Congress and the President. The beginning is to dramatically expand, or eliminate, limits on the number of qualified technology workers admitted into the Country.
Getting down to business, this is what happens: when a company needs to improve their services or products (which is ‘always’ if they want to remain competitive, make better products or reduce costs), they will look for technology workers to do it. They are buyers of technology. If the sellers (the workers) are not available, or are too expensive locally (limited supply), the company will either postpone or eliminate new development, or offshore it.
Should this company postpone development of their services or products, they fall behind and cannot compete globally. Eventually, imports will even affect their domestic market. Under this scenario, we lose.
Should this company offshore development, we lose the opportunity to ‘on-the-job-train’ new workers, increase our technology capital, the tax revenue of salaries not paid to American workers and the income not spent in our economy.
As long as there is a buyer, there is a seller. When we need technology, we will buy it wherever it is. If we find it here, the technology and money stays here. If we buy it overseas, they both go to enrich another country. If we do not buy it, we lose the market to other companies that have readily cheap technology available to them.
We cannot ignore the technology component in all we do, enjoy and buy. Technology does not just ‘happens’, it requires workers. Highly skilled and intelligent engineers from the world over are motivated to come and join our communities and our economy, bringing with them millions of dollars worth of education. Other countries fight for them while we keep them out. This does not make sense; we should open the doors to them, as they will enrich our society in many ways.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)