August1991

Canada is a civilised federal state. From around the world, people want to live here. In Canada, we have various counter-weights. Our primary counter-weight is Quebec.

I often think that you Americans are like the guy in Shirley Valentine - you always turn the conversation to yourself. But in this case, you Americans have a hand in this civil war between Slavs. ==== Obama and Trump, in their own ways, avoided this - and had a better understanding of America in the world.

In 2014, Russia peacefully brought Crimea into the Russian Federation. ==== IMHO, from the American side, Obama and Trump managed this well. Bush Jnr and Biden (the people under both) have screwed this up.

I read quickly through this thread. Myata, I'll choose your post as a punching bag for response. The current situation is not the 1930s. If anything, it is 1910. ===== 1. Putin is not another Hitler/Napoleon. 2. Putin has no desire to occupy Kiev, invade Poland. 3. Unlike the Cold War, this is NOT an existential war. 4. I understand what Putin is doing - and it makes sense. ==== Sadly, tragically, all of this death destruction could have been avoided. Churchill (or Macmillan) famously said that jaw, jaw is better than war, war.

I have never met Trudeau Jnr. His father was short - about 5'9 - but magnetic - I met him several times., in Alberta and Ontario More significant, I recall meeting Jacques Hébert in Montreal - at the Ritz.

In her book, Beyond Reason, Margaret says that Trudeau Snr once explained that if she were kidnapped, he would not negotiate.

The context? This was in late June 1968. Martin Luther King was assassinated in April 1968. Robert Kennedy was assassinated in early June 1968. ===== A few weeks later, in late June 1968, Trudeau Snr was not afraid to be in public - and he waved away the security people. Imagine.

What about Justin Trudeau....

NATO was designed to stop Communism - listen to the speeches of Truman and JFK. (Like Reagan, JFK was harsh.) (Nixon wanted to deal with these people.) ==== Anyway, the Soviet Union is no more, and the only Soviets/Marxists are in American universities.

Disagree. Reagan won. The Soviets lost. "Anglo-American Hegemony"? We in Canada are not an American protectorate. You Americans are admirable neighbours.

Many ordinary, honest people use coins, paper. === If the server smiles at my bad joke, I leave a tip in the jar - so everyone hears.

Build up. Condos of 5 storeys - max. People prefer to live near one another. ===== Our world problem is not a lack of children; it is a lack of educated children.

How do we discover the truth? ==== Feynman also made this remark: Birds have found a method to fly. We humans also fly - but we don't fly the way birds fly.

Disagree. In 2014, there was a coup in Ukraine. (Like Canada, Ukraine is a divided society). ===== Crimea is in the Russian-speaking part - like the Donbass. Or northern New Brunswick. ===== In the past, our leaders kept us out of such nonsense: Lévesque was a democrat more than a federalist. Trudeau was a federalist more than democrat.

Good point. I once asked a German (this was Soviet times) why they didn't have Mozart on their money. She answered: "It depends where the person was born." All the Euro notes (5 and above) show bridges - but none of the bridges exist. Euro notes show nothing real. Euro coins however show nations. While at an Aldi or Lidl in Germany, I have often turned coins to see their origin.

Jan 2024? I go with the 2024 date of the Iowa caucus, or the NH primary. Whichever party. America, what a country! You Americans solve your problems and renew your State.

I remember when I watched Yeltsin resign - I saw his face across many TVs in a Moscow electronics store. It was in December 1999. Yeltsin said that he wanted to be remembered as Russia's first president. ==== For modern history. this century. the events of August 1998 are perhaps more significant.

It may sound weird to Americans but Obama and Trump were good Presidents - you kept yourselves far from foolishness. From 2008-2020, you Americans didn't do anything too stupid. Oprah Winfrey apparently financed Obama's campaign and said: "Don't screw this up." (In other words, like Laurier, be more anglo-than-Victoria.) ===== Bush Jnr and Biden? Total f* up.

This destruction in eastern Ukraine was avoidable. These deaths of young guys were avoidable. ===== It started after 2021. when Biden became president.

Last year (2022). I walked around central Berlin - through the Brandenburg Gates. I thought. Once again, these foolish Germans have decided to build a Ukrainian Embassy (with flags and placards) in front of a Russian Embassy - which is surrounded by gates. IOW, these foolish X people have allowed Y people to offend the Z people.

Reagan said correctly about the Soviets: "We win. you lose." Well. the wall is no more. I agreed then. == To my knowledge, Putin never wanted to change the US regime. ====== But this US military invasion of Iraq, Serbia, Libya? Imagine if Americans decided to change our regime in Canada? "We won't stay. We're not an occupying force. We're going home."

Putin? Biden wants regime change in Russia.

All of this death could have been avoided. ==== Russia/Putin never wanted more than it had.

If you people (in the elite) need a politically correct name - here's one: Gabrielle Roy Put her face on the 20 - in rotation. ===== At least, put a name/face that we might know.

I live in Montreal. In Canada, there is a huge divide between ordinary people and the elite. Even in America, it has nothing to do with money.