| High priced gasoline is not the PROBLEM. High priced gasoline is the SOLUTION! |
4 Aug |
High priced gasoline is not the PROBLEM. High priced gasoline is the SOLUTION! The PROBLEM is that we are burning up oil as fast as the world can pump it out of the ground. In the thirty five years since OPEC made it clear that we had a serious problem, we have done nothing to solve it. We should have created high priced gas and oil through add-on taxes over the last 35 years, and we would not have this problem today.
The PROBLEM is that we are burning up oil as fast as the world can pump it out of the ground.
| High priced gasoline is not the PROBLEM. High priced gasoline is the SOLUTION! |
2 Aug |
High priced gasoline is not the PROBLEM. High priced gasoline is the SOLUTION! The PROBLEM is that we are burning up oil as fast as the world can pump it out of the ground. In the thirty five years since OPEC made it clear that we had a serious problem, we have done nothing to solve it. We should have created high priced gas and oil through add-on taxes over the last 35 years, and we would not have this problem today.
The PROBLEM is that we are burning up oil as fast as the world can pump it out of the ground.
| High priced gasoline is not the PROBLEM. High priced gasoline is the SOLUTION! |
1 Aug |
High priced gasoline is not the PROBLEM. High priced gasoline is the SOLUTION! The PROBLEM is that we are burning up oil as fast as the world can pump it out of the ground. In the thirty five years since OPEC made it clear that we had a serious problem, we have done nothing to solve it. We should have created high priced gas and oil through add-on taxes over the last 35 years, and we would not have this problem today.
The PROBLEM is that we are burning up oil as fast as the world can pump it out of the ground.
| America’s Failure: Russia and Serbia |
24 Jul |
The USA failed to block the Russian advance towards the Balkans.
I. NATO’s Bucharest summit
The United States had two strategic goals as it faced its reluctant allies in NATO in the April 2008 Bucharest Summit:
1. To seal NATO’s commitment to encompass and extend its security guarantees to Southeast Europe (the western Balkans, notably Macedonia, Albania, and Croatia, aka the Adriatic Charter Group) and, thus, to completely surround a belligerent Serbia, peeved as it is by Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.
| No American Security Guarantees for Macedonia |
24 Jul |
The USA will not guarantee Macedonia’s security in the wake of its conflict with Greece.
On the strength of a Greek veto, Macedonia did not receive an invitation to join NATO, while Albania and Croatia, the two other members of the Adriatic Charter Group did.
As partial compensation, the USA may sign a “technical-military” agreement with Macedonia, but it will NOT include “security guarantees”.
Why so?
1. Security guarantees are granted exclusively in the wake of a war or a conflict and as a means to ascertain the implementation of an agreed settlement between the adversaries (e.g., a ceasefire or a peace agreement).
| A Taxonomy of Political Conflict In Central and Eastern Europe |
24 Jul |
Axes of conflict converge in Central and Eastern Europe.
When the previous VMRO-DPMNE government of Macedonia came to power and I signed on as its economic advisor, I was asked by local journalists, with genuine amazement: “what are you doing with these villagers (seljaci)?” “Villagers” is just about the most pejorative word applied here to rivals and adversaries. In a Macedonian, the word evokes the image of uncouth, rough-hewn and yahoo usufructuaries.
Transition is a messy affair even in the best of times and the 1990s in Central and Eastern European (CEE) history have been by far the worst in the last 50 or so years. Politics mirrored this age of mayhem and upheaval. It unfolded along several axes of conflict:
| The USA, Israels’ Friendly Bully |
24 Jul |
The USA has not always been Israel’s friend.
I. Introduction
It is common knowledge that, in international affairs, emotions defer to self-interest. As George Orwell noted in his masterpiece, “1984″, the flux of circumstance may render yesterday’s foe tomorrow’s friend.
Thus, ever since the USA bombed Yugoslavia in 1999 and then proceeded to champion the cause of the restive Albanian minority in 2001 (amidst a bloodied insurgency), America was widely considered by many Macedonians as the enemy. A mere 7 years later, Bush’s United States has become Macedonia’s last hope and great supporter in its conflict with Greece over the “name issue”.
| Talking to an Iraqi |
24 Jul |
It is important to understand the cultures and traditions and especially the people of the world in places like Iraq and AFghanistan where people are struggling trying to get a better life for their families and themselves…
Last night I met a young lady from Iraq that arrived in the United States not too long ago. I was amazed listening to her story of leaving Iraq a few years ago and moving to another country because of threats that were on her life. I don’t think that most of us really appreciate what is going on in that country and how people are suffering, not because the United States is there, but because they fear their own people. The terrorists in Iraq are not killing the infidels; they are killing their own people. They are doing what they can to keep the Iraqi people in fear so that they can gain back control.
| Arctic Lessons |
23 Jul |
