tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.comments2024-03-05T22:54:47.691+01:00A View from AcqualoretoRoberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02026862295263156116noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-7387533512050126822024-02-26T16:54:38.750+01:002024-02-26T16:54:38.750+01:00Peace in the world is a rather elusive goal as mos...Peace in the world is a rather elusive goal as most conflicts are founded on desires that often involve taking other people’s stuff, engaging in forced religious conversions or are caused by racial issues or simply male combativeness, often supported by their respective social networks. <br /><br />Assigning the world’s conflict woes to Biden is a bit of a stretch as the hostilities of Russia towards its own people and its neighbors have been ongoing and quite brutal for quite some time. There is a reason that Russia has a modest population and a reason that virtually no one immigrates there. The Russian people do love their country and their culture and there is much to be said for both, but they have never achieved stable rule and while the fought WW2 Germany and took many losses, the initially sided with Germany to invade Poland and Eastern Europe. They did this because the Red Army failed to reach Spain as they set out to do in 1920. They were stopped by the Poles. Putin has been unhappy about all of this, including the collapse of the USSR. He says mistakes were made, but that grossly underestimates the carnage that decimated the population and was largely self inflicted. We supported White Russia, rather than the Red Army, but it was the Poles who stopped them in 1921 and again with the collapse of the USSR. <br /><br />As for the Middle East, this conflict is a thousand year old religious conflict involving three relions, two of which had Judaism as their ancestor. No one has been able to resolve this, nor has anyone been able to resolve the conflicts between the various Islamic Sects. Gaza had a zillion miles of war tunnels beneath it. The Jews suffered 6 million deaths in Europe, the Palestinians got tossed from a Homeland that resulted from a Jewish diaspora inflicted by Rome. There is no happy place there because three religions have great difficulty leaving each other alone. Jerusalem had three mayors and a set of laws, one for each group, when the British got there. The Turks might have had a better idea on what to do with the situation. Biden didn’t do this. We initially tried to settle the Palestine issue in the UN, but that was overrun by other issues in Europe resulting from the consequences of WW1 and WW2. Peace is elusive given the level of fanaticism present. <br /><br />Biden is a person whose main mission is preserving Democracy. He is battling Trump of course, whose main mission seems to be to destroy it, but there is an underlying problem in the country that is caused by a portion of the population that cannot cope with a multicultural society.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-81384470972874297122023-12-10T16:44:23.950+01:002023-12-10T16:44:23.950+01:00Dear Robert,
Thank you for a clear analysis of th...Dear Robert,<br /><br />Thank you for a clear analysis of the situation in Gaza and Israel. I find it dificult to accept that my parent's and grandparent's generations did not set up both viable Palestinian and Israeli states whilst UK held the mandate for governance in the area until after the second world war.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Eddie B.Eddie Brittainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07772162619011631105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-24632989524202081482023-11-02T15:04:41.095+01:002023-11-02T15:04:41.095+01:00Perhaps just a tiny bit sardonic, even vitriolic??...Perhaps just a tiny bit sardonic, even vitriolic??! How about a blog outlining a hopeful and even practical path forward for the old USA. Problems are easy to discern but what is the root cause and what is the solution?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-27154118233676541942023-09-28T23:30:28.945+02:002023-09-28T23:30:28.945+02:00The United States is, in reality, a nation compris...The United States is, in reality, a nation comprised of a dozen or so groups and nationalities the settled the country and have had very different values since the colonial era. These differences manifested themselves many, many times both before and especially after the American Revolution. The folks that settled in the South and established an economy based on slave labor had and have a very different set of values than those who settled Pennsylvania (Dutch and Germans) from those who settled New England. The West was settled by both the Spanish and displaced Southerners after the Civil War. It often comes as a surprise to many to know that there were strong Slave sympathies in the now liberal state of California, as there were in many of the Western States. Much has been written about all this and there are strong differences and suspicions about government in general that originated with Quakers and other religions organizations because of persecutions in Europe. Without dragging this out too long, the proliferation of the media and the Internet age have highlighted these differences and created some turmoil in public, that in times past and other than the Civil War, were often more local affairs. That is not true anymore because of the computer. <br /><br />At this juncture there is a camp of folks who are generally empathetic toward world issues and then there is a group who are not, and actually never were. The latter stemmed from the Slave Plantation era and that problem continues today. <br /><br />A good portion of the country is rather empathetic toward Climate, Environmental and Social issues and probably represent a majority. The peculiarities of our electoral system has given additional power to the less empathetic people because rural areas have two senators and small populations. This allows them to wield more power than their population warrants. That is the current dilemma. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-9310612616200752592023-09-28T21:34:27.653+02:002023-09-28T21:34:27.653+02:00Robert, an uplifting and at the same time a depre...Robert, an uplifting and at the same time a depressing apologia sua vita if I have the correct Latin. God is dead and democracy is dead. I can only hope that both statements are false. I am even older than you but I still hope that life is not the end even though I cannot easily believe it. With love to you and Angela. I am lucky to have one of your children as my daughter in law. Eddie Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-35705844441162053992022-04-03T19:23:39.303+02:002022-04-03T19:23:39.303+02:00How do you see the Russian invasion and indiscrimi...How do you see the Russian invasion and indiscriminate killing in Ukraine? You have keen insight in so many ways Robert and I am always interested in your thoughts. How can you leave this out of your analysis? To me, the invasion was and is wrong on any level and must be condemned. Certainly, the US has not handled this situation constructively. But Putin has been and is apparently in the sway of mystical thinking about Russia and it's and his destiny. That makes him particularly dangerous. Yes, hate has become unbridled in the world and all kinds of people cling to theories of their own superiority. The whole planet faces unimaginable chaos and climate change hasn't gone away because we have found a way to ignore it. Alarmed, yes I am.<br /> Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00726836522590683715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-77322462020319379572022-03-04T02:21:59.901+01:002022-03-04T02:21:59.901+01:00Oh Robert.
The whole world is watching Putin's...Oh Robert.<br />The whole world is watching Putin's war of death and destruction. And you do not see this? And you do not know that he did the same thing in Chechnya and Syria murdering thousands of innocents. And in your screed you can spare no words to honor the heroism of the Ukrainian people or their Zelenskyy? While for Putin who, with his cronies, has plundered Russia, impoverished its citizens, turned it into a pariah state, brought it to the brink of economic collapse, and now threatens the world with nuclear destruction ... for this evil deranged monster you have only kind words of sympathy and respect? <br />What has happened to the Robert I thought I knew? Hopefully I'll see him once again.Hughnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-52442602325829155772022-03-04T00:24:42.461+01:002022-03-04T00:24:42.461+01:00Robert,
It's good to see the events of the las...Robert,<br />It's good to see the events of the last few days discussed in their complexity and within an historical framework. Mainstream media is on a tear to demonize Putin. They want him to fit a profile of a lone, isolated madman acting in an inexplicable manner. You hear little of past encroachments by NATO, an Obama led coup that replaced a Russian-friendly Ukrainian regime, and pro -Western and neo-nazi elements in the Ukrainian government.<br />This is risky business. Treaties linking countries to other European countries triggered WW I and II. We have no such treaty with the Ukraine. We may also be reminded that in the run up to WW II Germany felt they had been unjustly deprived of their former territory. <br />Yes, recent events may be seen as despicable but NOT inexplicable. <br />Burkeburkearnstrong@gmail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-50223505386888086532022-03-04T00:23:08.656+01:002022-03-04T00:23:08.656+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.burkearnstrong@gmail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-1292626747315521992022-03-04T00:21:28.165+01:002022-03-04T00:21:28.165+01:00Robert,
It's good to see the events of the las...Robert,<br />It's good to see the events of the last few days discussed in their complexity and within an historical framework. Mainstream media is on a tear to demonize Putin. They want him to fit a profile of a lone, isolated madman acting in an inexplicable manner. You hear little of past encroachments by NATO, an Obama led coup that replaced a Russian-friendly Ukrainian regime, and pro -Western and neo-nazi elements in the Ukrainian government.<br />This is risky business. Treaties linking countries to other European countries triggered WW I and II. We have no such treaty with the Ukraine. We may also be reminded that in the run up to WW II Germany felt they had been unjustly deprived of their former territory. <br />Yes, recent events may be seen as despicable but NOT inexplicable. <br />Burkeburkearnstrong@gmail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-28922800785946039092022-03-02T22:21:43.451+01:002022-03-02T22:21:43.451+01:00Robert,
Of course the West has also been at fault ...Robert,<br />Of course the West has also been at fault over the years since the collapse of the former USSR. But what a pity that more use was not made of the 1990's Partnership for Peace, whih included Russia, Ukraine, the UK and the USA, before the huge expansion of NATO to include former USSR territories in the mid 90s was pushed for by the West.<br /><br />Eddie BrittainEddie Brittainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07772162619011631105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-70990510426456007682022-02-11T22:27:15.577+01:002022-02-11T22:27:15.577+01:00Robert, A good summary of the usefulness of NATO i...Robert, A good summary of the usefulness of NATO in the past, now and in the future. eEddie BrittainEddie Brittainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07772162619011631105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-11020735596870127052021-12-02T15:36:44.436+01:002021-12-02T15:36:44.436+01:00HI Robert,
Astonishing, your writing skills are re...HI Robert,<br />Astonishing, your writing skills are remarkable.<br />I enjoyed your blog about "Communication and the Internet".<br />It helped me much to improve my English.... except for my pronunciation.... perhaps<br />you could also establish a podcast???<br />Have a wonderful Advent time with Angela and your family<br />Love from Berlin<br />ClemenciaClemenciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04604022177348111509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-52640001249171193432021-05-06T13:44:54.686+02:002021-05-06T13:44:54.686+02:00As always a wonderful thought provoking blog.
It ...<br />As always a wonderful thought provoking blog.<br /><br />It is amazing how we allow our laptops and iPhones to do our thinking for us!<br /><br />I too try to keep a few line a day ongoing diary, to remind me in the future some of the events that shaped it!<br /><br />As for reading it is one of life's great pleasures and should not be lost.<br /><br />Dear Robert looking forward to your next piece.<br /><br />Patrick Delaney.<br />Patrick Delaney Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14318821342372432361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-53585851558149469752021-05-05T19:43:51.305+02:002021-05-05T19:43:51.305+02:00" I find Linux simpler and easier to use &quo..." I find Linux simpler and easier to use " Robert, you have made my day! I am glad that your enforced separation from Linux and dependence on Windows has forced you to realize how limiting proprietary software is. Your precious betamax and VHS tapes, and soon your Google-stored photos, are entirely hostage to the power of the corporations that own the format. Open source software will exist as long as humans exist with the interest and knowledge to understand the underlying concepts. You will never lose the ability to recover your data.<br /><br />Your comments about our tendency to isolate ourselves by private and secret languages is spot-on. Reject acronyms and jargon. Speak plainly.David De Graafnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-24086179632473783122021-02-22T22:48:47.497+01:002021-02-22T22:48:47.497+01:00Arthur Constantine Martin Jr. said.....
Robert, yo...Arthur Constantine Martin Jr. said.....<br />Robert, your discussion about names was interesting and entertaining as usual. I do not know the source of my middle name except a great-grandfather had it, as did my father and me. There were no Greeks in my family history. I will never forget the old sergeant in my ROTC days at college stating, after he heard my middle name, ....and he's a jr. too". I hope that all is well with you. - Arthur Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-67687195371091121012021-02-22T15:01:18.017+01:002021-02-22T15:01:18.017+01:00Robert, your essay opens many tempting avenues for...Robert, your essay opens many tempting avenues for discussion, but I have to get to work. But I do have to mention one opporuntity you missed. Cassius Marcellus Clay is not only a wonderfully musical name, but it was the name of a noted abolitionist , also from Kentucky. That Cassius Clay was the name sake for Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., the father of Muhammad Ali. Paul Naprsteknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-51878377945031424842021-02-21T18:37:38.597+01:002021-02-21T18:37:38.597+01:00Roberto, Tante grazia. Nice to hear from you again...Roberto, Tante grazia. Nice to hear from you again. I'm still in Key West although the weather now and then gets chilly -- that is, when the temperature goes below 70 F. SteveStephen P. Dawkinsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-36604752557519204162021-02-08T03:48:54.413+01:002021-02-08T03:48:54.413+01:00Hello Robert -- I love the click-on-ads-of-no-inte...Hello Robert -- I love the click-on-ads-of-no-interest rebellion. I will join. Long live the resistance! Happy Birthday and be well soon. Mary Deal<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00726836522590683715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-2571635439475675742021-02-06T22:57:13.775+01:002021-02-06T22:57:13.775+01:00Keep going Robert. Best wishes for your birthday ...Keep going Robert. Best wishes for your birthday on 15th February, I assume, like me,you will claim to be 58. With love to you and Angela, Eddie BrittainEddie Brittainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07772162619011631105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-61815197240965733122021-02-06T20:21:54.588+01:002021-02-06T20:21:54.588+01:00The last comment was mine .. don't know why my...The last comment was mine .. don't know why my name didn't show?Hughnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-4678286846745675762021-02-06T20:15:06.629+01:002021-02-06T20:15:06.629+01:00I like your idea of clicking on ads that are of no...I like your idea of clicking on ads that are of no interest to confuse the online advertising machines. A creative rebellion!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-49277426649081452022021-02-06T00:22:54.423+01:002021-02-06T00:22:54.423+01:00Robert, Thank you. It's been a while. I'm ...Robert, Thank you. It's been a while. I'm still in Key West. My wife is in an elder care facility up north. Life remains quiet here. Your emails remind me of my time in la bella Italia, Napoli. Thank you so much. Steve DawkinsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17143125205833596198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-36334097296653544552020-11-01T15:20:45.482+01:002020-11-01T15:20:45.482+01:00Very interesting analysis Robert. Amazing to me h...Very interesting analysis Robert. Amazing to me how clueless so many Americans are to what is going on here. I will pass your article on in hopes that it may inform those in need of awakening. Thanks! Hughnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150277304485808246.post-10182833668034952562020-11-01T15:14:32.175+01:002020-11-01T15:14:32.175+01:00Fascinating and excellent analysis Robert. Thanks...Fascinating and excellent analysis Robert. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com