American Affairs
- Six Weeks Across Europe
- The Human Wilder-Beast
- Perception Verses Reality
- Economics Change Political Agendas
Posted by
Frank W. Hardy
Frank W. Hardy
The rising euro and falling dollar led me on a quest to determine whether Europe was still affordable to the average North American. The unequivocal answer was Yes & No!
Andorra la Vella, Barcelona, Pamporovo, Paris, Toulouse and Vienna in 1.5 months.
Barcelona, Spain: was my first stop. The capital of Catalonia and Spain’s second largest city, is160km south of the Pyrenees Mountains on the Mediterranean Sea. Several acts of violence occurred in neighboring Basque but 5 days at the Tryp hotel were enjoyable.
Andorra and the Pyrenees: The 16th smallest country is nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. Co-governed by France's President and Spain's Bishop of Urgel I spent two days spring skiing.
Toulouse, France: Seven days in Toulouse turned into two weeks when a racially motivated neo-Nazi attack knocked me silly (I was mistaken for an African Immigrant.) My stay in the four star Crown Plaza, located in the heart of the Ville Rose, was still exceptional.
Paris, France: Having made numerous trips to Paris my feelings changed little: Paris is best left to Parisians. The four star Sheraton Airport Hotel was my domicile; however, I was still recovering from my Toulouse escapade and my impressions were jaded
Vienna, Austria: was inspired for historical reasons and I found it one of the more enjoyable places on this trip. Rapidly becoming a wind energy leader in Europe, Wien’s surrounding area is amazing. The four star Hotel Stefanie, located in the heart of the city, had me as a guest for 7 short days.
Pamporovo, Bulgaria: The further east I went the cheaper the prices: one day in Paris was worth nearly one week in Bulgaria. The five star Grand Monastery, was my lodging for 10 days. Located in the Rhodopes Mountains and 30 km from the Greek boarder, I had some of the best spring skiing in years. Side trips to Smolyan presented the classic European atmosphere one expects and a 1.5 hour drive landed me on Greece’s Aegean Sea.
Barcelona, Spain: was my first stop. The capital of Catalonia and Spain’s second largest city, is160km south of the Pyrenees Mountains on the Mediterranean Sea. Several acts of violence occurred in neighboring Basque but 5 days at the Tryp hotel were enjoyable.
Andorra and the Pyrenees: The 16th smallest country is nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. Co-governed by France's President and Spain's Bishop of Urgel I spent two days spring skiing.
Toulouse, France: Seven days in Toulouse turned into two weeks when a racially motivated neo-Nazi attack knocked me silly (I was mistaken for an African Immigrant.) My stay in the four star Crown Plaza, located in the heart of the Ville Rose, was still exceptional.
Paris, France: Having made numerous trips to Paris my feelings changed little: Paris is best left to Parisians. The four star Sheraton Airport Hotel was my domicile; however, I was still recovering from my Toulouse escapade and my impressions were jaded
Vienna, Austria: was inspired for historical reasons and I found it one of the more enjoyable places on this trip. Rapidly becoming a wind energy leader in Europe, Wien’s surrounding area is amazing. The four star Hotel Stefanie, located in the heart of the city, had me as a guest for 7 short days.
Pamporovo, Bulgaria: The further east I went the cheaper the prices: one day in Paris was worth nearly one week in Bulgaria. The five star Grand Monastery, was my lodging for 10 days. Located in the Rhodopes Mountains and 30 km from the Greek boarder, I had some of the best spring skiing in years. Side trips to Smolyan presented the classic European atmosphere one expects and a 1.5 hour drive landed me on Greece’s Aegean Sea.
Posted by
Frank W. Hardy
Frank W. Hardy
Human behavior all too often mimics the worst of animal conduct. Superior intellect doesn’t eliminate history’s knowledge - primal attributes excel in communal settings!
Over two decades ago I had the opportunity of a life-time; I went on a photo safari to the Serengeti plains of Africa. The wilder-beast wandered aimlessly around as the golden haired lionesses crouched through the tall yellow grasses. Seemly unaware of the dangers, the herd continually chewed the nutrients provided in their migratory path.
We photographed as the half dozen lionesses stalked the heard. When danger arose, the beasts scampered in a harmonic mass – terrified, yet intuitively gaining strength from the members around them. Within seconds a dull screech was heard around a cloud of dust and grass; a mind-numbing moan along with an unfathomable roar was confirmed by all around - the heard stopped.
Instinctively, the dinner meat that still survived returned to chewing their cud of cape grass. With that stupid look upon their face and drool from their still working mouths, they appeared to say – not me – not today!
Paraphrasing Pastor Martin Niemöller words about Nazi Germany.
We photographed as the half dozen lionesses stalked the heard. When danger arose, the beasts scampered in a harmonic mass – terrified, yet intuitively gaining strength from the members around them. Within seconds a dull screech was heard around a cloud of dust and grass; a mind-numbing moan along with an unfathomable roar was confirmed by all around - the heard stopped.
Instinctively, the dinner meat that still survived returned to chewing their cud of cape grass. With that stupid look upon their face and drool from their still working mouths, they appeared to say – not me – not today!
Paraphrasing Pastor Martin Niemöller words about Nazi Germany.
- First they came for the steel worker and I did not speak out because I was not a steel worker.
- Then they came for the textile workers and I did not speak out because I was not a textile worker.
- Then they came for the auto workers and I did not speak out because I was not an auto worker.
- Then they came for the dot coms and I did not speak out because I was not a dot com worker.
- Then they came for the pilots and I did not speak out because I was not a pilot.
- Then they came for the construction worker and I did not speak out because I was not a construction worker.
- Then they came for the hedge fund/real estate workers and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Posted by
Frank W. Hardy
Frank W. Hardy
A non-American view of world events
A few days ago I went to Peshawar Pakistan. In the Northwest corner of Pakistan near Warziristan (the Al Qaeda) headquarters. I landed at the airport, the day after it was reopened (following the riots after the Bhutto assassination) and proceeded to gather a newspaper for my Pakistani gardener. As I walked to the duty free shop I was stopped by a worker who saw me get off the plane. He confronted me and asked a poignant question.
“You are American,” he said.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Tell me, why did Bush [meaning American President George Bush] let Musharraf [Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf] kill Bhutto [Presidential candidate Benazir Bhutto]?”
My medulla oblongata took control and I responded (dim wittingly.)
“Why do you think Bush LET Musharraf kill anyone?”
He stopped me from proceeding and said:
“Bhutto wanted to [clean up] Warziristan and get them [Al Qaeda} out. She wanted to close the ‘Red Mosque’ and stop hate.”
I nodded my head but he continued without a breath.
“Then why did Bush do it?”
I tried to explain things I did not know but felt I had to defend as a citizen of the USA. It was going upon deft ears.
After my diatribe about separation of powers and executive orders he said.
“Bhutto would [have] help[ed] you. She was good.”
I nodded, but then he hit me with the reason for this post.
“If America wants to stop terrorism, like we do, then why do you give him billions of dollars? If you think he did not do it then don’t give him money and make him prove it.”
I could not argue and I felt dumbfounded!
“You want this paper” he said giving me a Kashmir paper knowing who I was and what I was looking for.
“Thank you, what is your name,” I asked.
“Ashed [my gardener] knows” was his answer.
“You are American,” he said.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Tell me, why did Bush [meaning American President George Bush] let Musharraf [Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf] kill Bhutto [Presidential candidate Benazir Bhutto]?”
My medulla oblongata took control and I responded (dim wittingly.)
“Why do you think Bush LET Musharraf kill anyone?”
He stopped me from proceeding and said:
“Bhutto wanted to [clean up] Warziristan and get them [Al Qaeda} out. She wanted to close the ‘Red Mosque’ and stop hate.”
I nodded my head but he continued without a breath.
“Then why did Bush do it?”
I tried to explain things I did not know but felt I had to defend as a citizen of the USA. It was going upon deft ears.
After my diatribe about separation of powers and executive orders he said.
“Bhutto would [have] help[ed] you. She was good.”
I nodded, but then he hit me with the reason for this post.
“If America wants to stop terrorism, like we do, then why do you give him billions of dollars? If you think he did not do it then don’t give him money and make him prove it.”
I could not argue and I felt dumbfounded!
“You want this paper” he said giving me a Kashmir paper knowing who I was and what I was looking for.
“Thank you, what is your name,” I asked.
“Ashed [my gardener] knows” was his answer.
Economics Change Political Agendas
Posted by
Frank W. Hardy
Frank W. Hardy
Presidential candidates who once demanded immediate withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East, have barely mentioned it in recent weeks. Is war now second to money?
Does it appear to you that the problems in the Middle East are being overshadowed by money problems in America? Recent events in the US economic situation have created considerable turmoil, not only in the USA but also in the world’s economies. Yet, I find it unique and disturbing that these events also remove the mayhem from the front pages.
Not to minimize the problems of millions of citizens but less than a year ago, when the USA presidential primary campaigning began, the war in Iraq was the central theme presented by most candidates. Today, events have caused “change” to revert to the themes of the 1990s – “It’s the economy stupid!”
Mega economic news like the recent Microsoft and Yahoo proposed merger have been over shadowed by dismal USA jobs reports, continued housing foreclosures, consumer and business credit problems and seemingly ineffective Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. But disheartening even more has been the minimal coverage of the war by the Western media.
62 American, 2 coalition forces and 554 Iraqis have been killed since December. 13 American and 10 coalition forces have been killed in Afghanistan in that same time. Yet joblessness and economic woes of all sorts has become the mainstay for the media. Unprecedented interest rate cuts and positive merger news has received subordinating bylines in the nightly news but the various wars obtain little national coverage.
As former Presidential Candidate Bill Clinton’s 1992 advisor, Jim Carvell, stated during that campaign – the economy is now paramount. To reverse E. Ralph Hostette’s question from the Conservative Voice; “When Is Bad News Good News?”
Take part in our news and war poll and add your voice to that question.
Not to minimize the problems of millions of citizens but less than a year ago, when the USA presidential primary campaigning began, the war in Iraq was the central theme presented by most candidates. Today, events have caused “change” to revert to the themes of the 1990s – “It’s the economy stupid!”
Mega economic news like the recent Microsoft and Yahoo proposed merger have been over shadowed by dismal USA jobs reports, continued housing foreclosures, consumer and business credit problems and seemingly ineffective Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. But disheartening even more has been the minimal coverage of the war by the Western media.
62 American, 2 coalition forces and 554 Iraqis have been killed since December. 13 American and 10 coalition forces have been killed in Afghanistan in that same time. Yet joblessness and economic woes of all sorts has become the mainstay for the media. Unprecedented interest rate cuts and positive merger news has received subordinating bylines in the nightly news but the various wars obtain little national coverage.
As former Presidential Candidate Bill Clinton’s 1992 advisor, Jim Carvell, stated during that campaign – the economy is now paramount. To reverse E. Ralph Hostette’s question from the Conservative Voice; “When Is Bad News Good News?”
Take part in our news and war poll and add your voice to that question.