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<P><STRONG>I don't think the point was obvious enough. If you REALLY re-read the response prior to mine, you will see why I had this overwhelming need to say it again. . .(it must be the mom in me)</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>I lived for five years overseas and I became very aware of attitudes toward the U.S. Happily, I never felt I had to deny where I was from, but I also was always aware that I was being judged. I only hope I was an ambassador of good will within my circle of friends. They touched my life and forever changed my way of thinking.</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>So, Matt. . . did you get to go to dinner at the Thai Restaurant? Just spice it up and pour peanut sauce on it and I'm a happy camper!</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>Ellen A. Roskovich</STRONG><BR><BR></P></DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>From: <I>"Matt Decker" <mattd2107@hotmail.com></I><BR>To: <I>gussie443@hotmail.com, privatejf32@hotmail.com, vision2020@moscow.com</I><BR>Subject: <I>Re: [Vision2020] This Isn't Hate Speech, Either</I><BR>Date: <I>Sun, 09 Jul 2006 21:54:22 -0700</I><BR>>Ellen,<BR>><BR>>I think the point is obvious. Sure there are different Americas, <BR>>usually when one refers to America most people know what that is or <BR>>what was intended. Im sure no harm is meant towards others by saying <BR>>this. I believe this not to be pompous or intentional harm towards <BR>>our neighbors. Really how many times have you been overseas talking <BR>>to someone else asking where they are from, them saying they are <BR>>from America and you thinking they meant Chile?<BR>><BR>>I don't recall in my travels including
Australia (which by the way <BR>>love us for saving their asses in WW2) people hating or not being <BR>>neighborlly to AMERICANS of united states decent. Just my travels <BR>>though.<BR>><BR>>Matt<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>>>From: "Ellen Roskovich" <gussie443@hotmail.com><BR>>>To: privatejf32@hotmail.com, vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] This Isn't Hate Speech, Either<BR>>>Date: Sun, 09 Jul 2006 21:28:18 -0700<BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>>I think some people aren't getting this point. . . the United <BR>>>States shares the continent of North America with Canada. <BR>>>Canadians will tell you they are "American" just as their neighbors <BR>>>to the south (USA) are "American". Then there's Central America <BR>>>and South America. . . and all
these inhabitants feel "American". <BR>>>And they ARE American. It really annoys people from other <BR>>>countries when we call ourselves "Americans" like we own the entire <BR>>>piece of real estate on both sides of the equator.<BR>>><BR>>>So don't ever tell a Canadian he's "Anti-American". . . he will set <BR>>>you straight and let you know he doesn't agree with some of the <BR>>>policies of the United States. . . and he is a fellow American.<BR>>><BR>>>Not that complicated. Look at a map.<BR>>><BR>>>Ellen A. Roskovich<BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>>From: "J Ford" <privatejf32@hotmail.com><BR>>>To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] This Isn't Hate Speech,
Either<BR>>>Date: Sun, 09 Jul 2006 20:29:01 -0700<BR>>> >When I was in the military and got shipped overseas to Germany, <BR>>>we<BR>>> >were told "don't go out to the towns with your uniform on and <BR>>>stick<BR>>> >to USA-held businesses as much as possible." We were also<BR>>> >admonished to go with the culture and traditions of the country, <BR>>>be<BR>>> >it Germany (if we were to stay there) or France, Italy, Britain,<BR>>> >Korea, Japan, one of the Africa nations, etc. BUT, we were never<BR>>> >told that it would be better to not admit to our nationality. <BR>>>Fact<BR>>> >is, people know from what country a person hales just by their<BR>>> >behavior, use<BR>>>of the language, dress, etc.<BR>>> ><BR>>>
>I am sorry you were told, in Australia (of all places,) not to <BR>>>admit<BR>>> >to your country-of-origin and I feel you were cheated out of a<BR>>> >really good opportunity to dis-prove Miss Texas by behaving in a<BR>>> >more appropriate manner. I would hope that if you travel again, <BR>>>you<BR>>> >can find it in yourself to be proud of your actions and that you <BR>>>are<BR>>> >from America and let the "Miss Texas'" speak for themselves.<BR>>> ><BR>>> >I know you are a good person and would never do anything that <BR>>>would<BR>>> >embarrass or make America wish you were from some other country.<BR>>> ><BR>>> >Besides, everyone knows that outside of Alaska, everything is <BR>>>bigger<BR>>> >in Texas, ESPECIALLY their bad behavior (for those
from Texas,<BR>>> >you'll appreciate the Alaska v. Texas rivalry this statement is <BR>>>born<BR>>><BR>>> >from.) :)<BR>>> ><BR>>> >J :]<BR>>> ><BR>>> ><BR>>> ><BR>>> ><BR>>> >>From: debismith@moscow.com<BR>>> >>To: Chasuk <chasuk@gmail.com>, vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>> >>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] This Isn't Hate Speech, Either<BR>>> >>Date: Sun, 09 Jul 2006 17:22:10 -0700<BR>>> >><BR>>> >><?xml version="1.0" ?><BR>>> >><html><BR>>> >><head><BR>>> >><title></title><BR>>> >></head><BR>>> >><body><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font
face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">Thanks for posting this, Chas. While<BR>>> >>I am still a big fan of the US, our cConstitution (on which<BR>>> >>others have been modeled), and all the *goodies* we have in the <BR>>>US,<BR>>> >>I am aware we are not the<BR>>> >>end-all-be-all in<BR>>>the world. Having traveled to other countries<BR>>> >>(apologizing all the while for<BR>>> >>George Bush), I am astounded that US citizens are so damn dense<BR>>> >>about the rest of the world.<BR>>> >>Yes, folks, there is a *rest of the World*, and some of it is<BR>>> >>better than us in some ways, some<BR>>> >>of it is worse in some ways, and all of it is different in many<BR>>> >>ways.
</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">Our current government seems to assume<BR>>> >>not only are we the best, but the only. They make<BR>>> >>assumptions based on US mores and behavior patterns, and insist <BR>>>the<BR>>> >>rest of the world just<BR>>> >>isn't as *civilized* as we are. The facts<BR>>>(based on real data, not<BR>>> >>emotional patriotic ferver) show<BR>>> >>us to be sadly lacking in many of the things we proclaim are<BR>>> >>superior here. If we don't<BR>>> >>recognize and address these things, we will regret it sooner <BR>>>rather<BR>>>
>>than later. We say we are a<BR>>> >>bastion of Liberty and Justice for All---the facts show we are <BR>>>not.<BR>>> >>We say we have the best<BR>>> >>human rights in the worls---the facts show we still <BR>>>disenfranchise<BR>>> >>whole groups of citizens. We<BR>>> >>say we are proponents of peace and human rights and that we help<BR>>> >>others around the world---<BR>>> >>well, that's just a damn lie to salve our conscience. The truth <BR>>>and<BR>>> >>the facts (again, based on<BR>>> >>real numbers) show that the US is iconoclastic, insular,<BR>>> >>complaisant, dumbed down, and<BR>>> >>losing<BR>>>monetary value around the world. </span></font></div><BR>>> >><div
align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">When I went to Australia (just after<BR>>> >>the September 11 terror attacks) with a large group of US<BR>>> >>citizens for a World Council of the YWCA, we were told as a <BR>>>group<BR>>> >>not to display overt<BR>>> >>*America* regalia. For those who just didn't get it, it was <BR>>>spelled<BR>>> >>out in capital letters:</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">*America is a continent, just like<BR>>> >>Africa is a
continent. It has lots of Nations on the<BR>>>Continent.<BR>>> >>The US is NOT America. It is the United States of America. There<BR>>> >>are other Nations on the<BR>>> >>Continent, so do not say you are American. Do not wear the US <BR>>>flag<BR>>> >>as a display--lots of folks<BR>>> >>do not like the US, and you might get spat upon, punched out, or<BR>>> >>shot. You will, at the very<BR>>> >>least, be confronted. Be polite. Do not tell everyone you meet <BR>>>that<BR>>> >>your country is better than<BR>>> >>their country. Do not compare your possessions to their<BR>>> >>possessions. Do not tell them how to<BR>>> >>improve their country. Do not refuse to eat the food unless it<BR>>> >>looks like something you ate
last<BR>>> >>week in your homwtown in the US. Do not tell people the food <BR>>>looks<BR>>> >>weird, tastes weird, or is<BR>>> >>better in the US. Ask questions, learn about the local<BR>>>people, try<BR>>> >>something new, and become<BR>>> >>a citizen of the world*.</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">In spite of all that, we still had<BR>>> >>a woman from Texas, with big hair and a white cowboy hat,<BR>>> >>wearing a rhinestone US flag the size of a telephon book, <BR>>>telling<BR>>> >>everyone from everywhere how<BR>>> >>to do everything. I was in an
antique store, talking with the<BR>>> >>owner, when she came in. Her<BR>>> >>initial comments were about how stupid it was to have the prices<BR>>> >>not in US dollars. Her next<BR>>> >>comments were about how her greatgrandsomethingorother fought at<BR>>> >>the Alamo and she had<BR>>> >>the antiques to prove it<BR>>>so who did this guy think he was<BR>>> >>displaying junk from Abbos and<BR>>> >>calling it Antique. From my earlier conversations with him, he <BR>>>knew<BR>>> >>I was there for the YWCA.<BR>>> >>He asked me if I knew the nasty woman from the US. I cheesed out<BR>>> >>and told him I was from<BR>>> >>Canada and had never seen her before in my life.<BR>>>
>>IIIICKKKK</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">The point is:</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span <BR>>>style="font-size:10pt">I<BR>>> >>am a delegate to the YWCA World<BR>>> >>Council in Kenya in 2007. I want to focus on building<BR>>> >>international bridges for<BR>>>women, human rights, and global<BR>>> >>understanding towards peace. </span></font><font<BR>>> >>face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10pt"><b> I<BR>>> >>don't want to lie and say I'm from Canada.
<BR>>></b></span></font><font<BR>>> >>face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10pt">I<BR>>> >>want to proudly proclaim the United States of<BR>>> >>America as my homeland. I do not want to apologize for the <BR>>>foreign<BR>>> >>policies of my government-<BR>>> >>--I want to applaud them and and have the rest of the world join <BR>>>in<BR>>> >>the applause. I want us to<BR>>> >>BE what our internal mythos claims we are. I love my country, <BR>>>fear<BR>>> >>my government, and<BR>>> >>criticize what needs to change. </span></font></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font
face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">We are an amazing and wonderful country,<BR>>> >>full of good people who believe in our country and<BR>>> >>our ideals. Unfortunately, this country has been hijacked by <BR>>>those<BR>>> >>who want us to stay stupid,<BR>>> >>unquestioning, relying on reaction rather than proactive<BR>>> >>relationships, insular, frightened of the<BR>>> >>world, and thus, able to ignorantly poclaim our superiority. I'm<BR>>> >>not willing to accept the<BR>>> >>Administration's *prevention* policies as a valid way of <BR>>>conducting<BR>>> >>International Affairs.</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div
align="left"><font<BR>>>face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10pt"><BR>>> >>I am not complying to the formula.<BR>>> >>The World is too big for George Bush and his handlers to<BR>>> >>wrap their pointy heads around. The World is too big for one<BR>>> >>Religion to suffice. The World is<BR>>> >>too big for that woman from Texas to Control. <BR>>></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">Most importantly, the World is too<BR>>> >>big for citizens of the US to ignore. We go on thinking our<BR>>> >>Wal-Marts, MacDonalds, Disney Worlds, Brittney Spears, and
<BR>>>George<BR>>> >>Bush will see us<BR>>> >>through any problems. This is just a SHIT SANDWICH. Indeed, the<BR>>> >>World notices the<BR>>>Shit<BR>>> >>Sandwich. They are smart enough in other places around the World <BR>>>to<BR>>> >>recognize it as shit,<BR>>> >>enjoy it or discard it or vilify the US with the shit as they <BR>>>see<BR>>> >>applicable. We are the only<BR>>> >>people on the planet who swallow the shit sandwich whole AND<BR>>> >>PROCLAIM IT GOOD. Those<BR>>> >>in the US who aren't willing to eat the Shit Sandwich are called<BR>>> >>unpatriotic and (gasp) liberals.<BR>>> >>If we look at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the Shit<BR>>> >>Sandwich Eaters are the true<BR>>>
>>enemies of the Country. Those of us who say *NO* are truly <BR>>>citizens<BR>>> >>of the World, Patriots of<BR>>> >>the US, and the ones who will move forward rather than retain a<BR>>> >>go-nowhere-status-quo.</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">Debi R-S</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Date
sent: Sun, 9 Jul 2006<BR>>> >>12:20:33 -0700</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>From: <BR>>> >></b></span></font><font<BR>>> >>face="Arial" color="#000080"><span style="font-size:10pt">Chasuk<BR>>> >>&lt;chasuk@gmail.com&gt;</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>To: <BR>>> >></b></span></font><font<BR>>> >>face="Arial" color="#000080"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt">Vision2020<BR>>><BR>>> >>&lt;vision2020@moscow.com&gt;</span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Subject: <BR>>> >></b></span></font><font face="Arial" color="#000080"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>[Vision2020] This Isn't Hate Speech,<BR>>> >>Either</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><u>[ Double-click this line for list<BR>>> >>subscription options ]</u><b><BR>>></b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Below is a slightly expurgated,<BR>>> >>admittedly controversial (yet
still</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>interesting) excerpt from<BR>>> >>Craigslist:</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>********************************************************************************</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>MYTH. The US doesn't
need improvement<BR>>> >>compared to other countries; it</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>is the greatest country in the<BR>>> >>world.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>TRUTH:</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Wrong again. I'll only cite the<BR>>> >>statistics
here.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Adult Literacy Scale:<BR>>> >>#9</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Sweden and #2 Norway)-<BR>>> >>OECD</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Healthcare Quality<BR>>>
>>Index: #37</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 France and #2 Italy)- World<BR>>> >>Health Organization 2003</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking of Student Reading<BR>>> >>Ability: #12</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Finland and #2 South Korea)-<BR>>> >>OECD PISA
2003</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking of Student Problem<BR>>> >>Solving Ability: #26</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 South Korea and #2 Finland)-<BR>>> >>OECD PISA 2003</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on
Student<BR>>>Mathematics<BR>>> >>Ability: # 24</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Hong Kong and #2 Finland)-<BR>>> >>OECD PISA 2003</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking of Student Science<BR>>> >>Ability: #19</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Finland and #2 Japan)- OECD<BR>>> >>PISA
2003</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Women's Rights Scale:<BR>>> >>#17</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Sweden and #2 Norway)- World<BR>>> >>Economic Forum Report</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Position on Timeline of
Gay<BR>>> >>Rights Progress: # 6 (1997)</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Sweden 1987 and #2 Norway 1993)-<BR>>> >>Vexen</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Life Expectancy:<BR>>> >>#29</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Japan and #2 Hong Kong)- UN<BR>>> >>Human Development Report
2005</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Journalistic<BR>>>Press<BR>>> >>Freedom Index: #32</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Finland, Iceland, Norway and<BR>>> >>the Netherlands tied)- Reporters</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Without Borders<BR>>>
>>2005</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Political Corruption<BR>>> >>Index: #17</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Iceland and #2 Finland)- <BR>>>Transparency<BR>>> >>International 2005</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Quality of Life<BR>>> >>Survey: #13</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Ireland and #2 Switzerland)-<BR>>> >>The Economist Magazine ...Wikipedia</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>&quot;Celtic Tiger&quot; if you<BR>>> >>still have your<BR>>>doubts.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Environmental<BR>>> >>Sustainability<BR>>> >>Index: #45</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Finland and #2 Norway)- Yale<BR>>> >>University ESI 2005</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Overall Currency<BR>>> >>Strength: #3 (US<BR>>>Dollar)</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 UK pound sterling and #2 European<BR>>> >>Union euro)- FTSE 2006....the</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>dollar is now a liability, so many<BR>>> >>banks worldwide have planned to</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>switch to euro</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Infant
Mortality<BR>>> >>Rate: #32</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Sweden and #2 Finland)- Save<BR>>> >>the Children Report 2006</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>USA Ranking on Human Development<BR>>> >>Index (GDP, education, etc.): #10</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>(#1 Norway and #2 Iceland)- UN<BR>>> >>Human
Development Report<BR>>>2005</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>So much for those <BR>>>&quot;socialist&quot;<BR>>> >>Europeans and those &quot;backward&quot; Asians,<BR>>> >>hm?</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>We can do better than<BR>>> >>this.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>>
>></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Miscellany:</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>*Only 18% of Americans own passports<BR>>> >>and bother to travel outside of the US.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>* 85% of US soldiers in Iraq believe<BR>>> >>that they are there to get</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>revenge for <BR>>>9/11.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>*<BR>>>New international student enrollment<BR>>> >>in US grad schools has</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>decreased by 6%, because of xenophobic<BR>>> >>post-9/11 US visa restrictions,</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>jacked-up tuition fees and better<BR>>> >>educational opportunities in the
EU</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>and Asia. So no, not everyone wants<BR>>> >>to come here anymore, because it's</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font<BR>>>face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>become a land of incredibly limited<BR>>> >>opportunity, and we've lowered our</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>educational<BR>>> >>standards.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>>
>></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>MYTH: The US government loves to<BR>>> >>help other countries.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font<BR>>>face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>TRUTH:</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>This is a myth. The US government<BR>>> >>tends to be motivated by
interests,</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>not humanitarian<BR>>> >>principles.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Denmark gives the most amount of<BR>>> >>its GDP (1.01%) to<BR>>>developing</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>countries; Norway gives 0.91%;<BR>>> >>the Netherlands give 0.79% and so
on</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>until the end of list, where the<BR>>> >>USA sits. Yes, America ranks DEAD</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>LAST in foreign aid at a pathetic<BR>>> >>0.1% of its GDP, compared to the</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>other 21 nations listed as developed<BR>>> >>nations. The idea that the US</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div
align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>government is a heroic bunch that<BR>>> >>runs around the world helping the</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>poor and the disempowered is not<BR>>> >>backed up by the evidence. We have</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>one of the stingiest governments<BR>>> >>on earth.</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div
align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>Most Americans believe the US spends<BR>>> >>24% of its budget on aid to poor</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>countries; the actual amount is<BR>>> >>well under a quarter of 1%. Our</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>country also ranks #5 on asylum-seeker<BR>>> >>acceptance rates (#1 is Denmark</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>and #2 is<BR>>> >>Canada).</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>********************************************************************************</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>-- </b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>http://emmagoldman.wordpress.com/</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>&quot;Aren't people absurd! They<BR>>> >>never use the freedoms they do have, but</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>demand those they don't have; they<BR>>> >>have freedom of thought, they</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b>demand freedom of speech.&quot;<BR>>> >>-- S&oslash;ren Kierkegaard</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><br/><BR>>> >></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>=====================================================</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b> List services made available by<BR>>> >>First Step Internet, </b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>>
>>style="font-size:10pt"><b> serving the communities of the<BR>>> >>Palouse since 1994. </b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>><BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b> http://www.fsr.net <BR>>> >> </b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b> <BR>>>
>>mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div align="left"><font face="Arial"><span<BR>>> >>style="font-size:10pt"><b>====================================================</b></span></font></div><BR>>> >><div<BR>>>align="left"></div><BR>>> >></body><BR>>> >></html><BR>>> >><BR>>> >>=====================================================<BR>>> >> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>>> >> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>>> >> http://www.fsr.net<BR>>>
>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>> >>====================================================<BR>>> ><BR>>> >_________________________________________________________________<BR>>> >Don’t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search!<BR>>> >http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/<BR>>> ><BR>>> >=====================================================<BR>>> >List services<BR>>>made available by First Step Internet, serving the<BR>>> >communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>>>
>http://www.fsr.net <BR>>> >mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>> >====================================================<BR>>><BR>>><BR>><BR>><BR>>>=====================================================<BR>>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>>> http://www.fsr.net<BR>>>
mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>>====================================================<BR>><BR>>_________________________________________________________________<BR>>Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's <BR>>FREE! <BR>>http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/<BR>><BR>>=====================================================<BR>>List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the <BR>>communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>>http://www.fsr.net <BR>>mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>====================================================<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></div></html>