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We see threats to liberal democracy coming from lots of directions. We have to create something new, a common response, because in so many places - the UK, France, Germany - ultranationalists and the far left threaten the free market and liberal democracy. ~ Garry Kasparov Nixon urged Clinton to maintain his relationship with Yeltsin but make contact with other democrats in Russia. He warned Clinton away from some ultranationalists and toward those interested in liberty and reform. He pressed Clinton to replace his ambassador in Kiev and concentrate future U.S. economic aid on Ukraine,…

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." ~ William Arthur Ward "People won't have time for you if you are always angry or complaining." ~ Stephen Hawking "What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain." ~ Maya Angelou Make lists of positive aspects. Make lists of things you love - and never complain about anything. And as you use those things that shine bright and make you feel good as your excuse to give your attention and be…

"Since September 11, 2001, the powerful coalition of nations, led by the United States, has seen many successes against al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. It is imperative that we remain united and steadfast in the quest to defeat terrorism around the world." ~ Kenny Marchant "Now, al Qaeda's on the run. Afghanistan is no longer a base of operations. The Afghan government is a friendly government that is trying to bring democracy to its people." ~ Condoleezza Rice "I fear that our true motivation is about oil and our own flailing economy; about the failure to destroy Al Qaeda and about…

"How about Proust's In Search of Lost Time?" Tamaru asked. "If you've never read it this would be a good opportunity to read the whole thing." "Have you read it?" "No, I haven't been in jail, or had to hide out for a long time. Someone once said unless you have those kinds of opportunities, you can't read the whole of Proust." ~ Haruki Murakami "Proust, more perspicaciously than any other writer, reminds us that the 'walks' of childhood form the raw material of our intelligence." ~ Bruce Chatwin "After Proust, there are certain things that simply cannot be done again. He marks off for you…

A heart full of courage and cheerfulness needs a little danger from time to time, or the world gets unbearable. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche Everyone becomes brave when he observes one who despairs. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche Something might be true while being harmful and dangerous in the highest degree. Indeed, it might be a basic characteristic of existence that those who know it completely would perish, in which case the strength of a spirit should be measured according to how much of the 'truth' one could still barely endure- or to put it more clearly, to what degree one would require it to be…

Dealing with extremely unprofessional and negative colleagues can be challenging. Avoid unnecessary interactions with negative colleagues. Position yourself physically away from them. Say "No" Clearly If a colleague's negativity disrupts your organization's work, state that you need to focus on your organization's and tasks. Don’t Mirror their negative behavior. It is a dead end. Stay calm, composed, and professional. Matching their negativity only escalates the issue. They want conflict and they want to cause issues. Log everything... Unprofessional actions, especially if their…

"From the backstabbing co-worker to the meddling sister-in-law, you are in charge of how you react to the people and events in your life. You can either give negativity power over your life or you can choose happiness instead. Take control and choose to focus on what is important in your life. Those who cannot live fully often become destroyers of life." ~ Anais Nin "I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet." ~ Mahatma Gandhi In your life, the power of negativity often overshadows the glow of positivity, shaping how you perceive and respond to the…

The tragic toll of the Ukraine conflict raises questions about the cost of war, the motivations of leaders, and the broader geopolitical stakes involved. What Is It All For? For Ukraine, it's a fight for sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and manipulation of NATO, and its industrial military complex of those NATO countries. For Russia, it is a strategic and historical necessity to prevent NATO's encroachment and protect its sphere of influence. The Leaders and Their Roles On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emerged as a leader, advocating for NATO…

"As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility." ~ Nelson Mandela "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace." ~ Jimi Hendrix "Peace, however, is not merely a gift to be received: it is also a task to be undertaken. In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within the community and concerned to raise…

I have looked at public opinion polls in France in the late 1940s and early 1950s during the height of Marshall Plan aid. They had a very negative attitude towards the United States then. There were negative attitudes towards the United States because of Vietnam. There were negative attitudes about the United States when Reagan wanted to deploy intermediate range ballistic missiles. I don't think the president should base his foreign policy on American public opinion polls, let alone foreign public opinion polls. ~ John Bolton The story of Russia's new super hypersonic missiles, like the…

"Tariffs that save jobs in the steel industry mean higher steel prices, which in turn means fewer sales of American steel products around the world and losses of far more jobs than are saved." ~ Thomas Sowell "The benefits of a tariff are visible. Union workers can see they are "protected". The harm which a tariff does is invisible. It's spread widely. There are people that don't have jobs because of tariffs but they don't know it." ~ Milton Friedman "Any time you read that your government is erecting tariff barriers, supporting threatened industries with subsidies, or interfering in any…

"Control is the source of strategic power." ~ Noam Chomsky "Writing in a journal each day, with a structured, strategic process allows you to direct your focus to what you did accomplish, what you're grateful for, and what you're committed to doing better tomorrow. Thus, you more deeply enjoy your journey each day, feel good about any forward progress you made, and use a heightened level of clarity to accelerate your results." ~ Hal Elrod You’ve heard the noise, the endless chatter of advice. But true power lies in silence. Listen to the calm voice within, the one that speaks without…

"Anything can change, because the smartphone revolution is still in the early stages." ~ Tim Cook "The smartphone revolution is under-hyped, more people have access to phones than access to running water. We've never had anything like this before since the beginning of the planet." ~ Marc Andreessen "Future is mobile computing - smartphones and tablets are just elements of it. The industry is on the verge of a whole new paradigm." ~ Thorsten Heins I remember when smartphones were just gadgets that felt like toys. But now, I see them for what they’ve become, quiet yet powerful force,…

Before adopting my American Pitbull from the Humane Society, I often strolled through the park, observing how people reacted to dogs that looked aggressive—some smiled, while others avoided them, crossing the path as if these dogs were ticking time bombs. I would sometimes chuckle as these misunderstood dogs tugged eagerly at their leashes, noses to the ground, chasing scents their owners didn’t notice. They weren’t dangerous, just curious, but I realized their strength came with a responsibility not everyone was ready to handle. By the end of these short walks, I had learned more about…

There is always an element of realpolitik that has to be present in the conduct of any nation's national security affairs. At the same time, we have to also have a balance between realpolitik and Wilsonian principles of freedom and democracy and human rights. And maintaining that balance is the greatest challenge that we in the West, including the Federal Republic of Germany, have to face because it's many times a very difficult decision-making process. ~ John McCain As discussed in previous posts, the worship of force disregards universal ethics and morality, prioritizing utilitarian…