The Legacy of George W. Bush

For generations to come, we, the American people will be proud of our 43th President. Now, billions of people, including readers and professors in psychology, psychiatry, and business management, will remember our dear President. No more half-full or half-empty glass of water.
The new motto: the egg. Yes, the egg. A broken egg for the pessimists; a cracked egg for the optimists. Our dear brilliant President, in response to Jim Leher, PBS, retorted to the fact that Iraq was a broken egg. "It is not broken, Iraq is simply a cracked egg".
So, my daughter Leila asked me: "What is the difference?"
Brilliant question. How can I give a brilliant answer? So, I thought the brilliant readers of New York Times might have some clues. I found them, at The Caucus, politics section. A few brilliant replies.
Texancan: "a cracked egg is not a broken egg...till you see the stuff comes out"
Howard: "the biggest cracked egg is the President himself"
Ralph: "He must have a scrambled brain"
Ronald: "good view of a fractured thinking"
Bobacorn: "a cracked pretzel would have been a better example"
Irene Tomkinson: "As a therapist, I can assure you that a 4 year old child will say both are the same".
My daughter Leila: "you see, I told you, there is no difference. What's wrong with you, adults? Are you telling me if the egg falls on the floor, it is broken, but if it falls on someone's head, it is only cracked?"
Brilliant reply. Is my daughter insinuating something?
- You got it, daughter. That's the power of the President. He shows the world how great we are.
He has the power to decide who is responsible for all of our problems. If we have nine left center governments, democratically elected in the last two years, in Latin America, it is the fault of Castro.
My daughter Leila: "Wait, wait a minute. How can the bad socialist Cuba be responsible for the election of left-leaning leaders in democratic elections?"

Brilliant question.
- Very simple: Castro is a non-elected dictator. Being more honest, and transparent, he has more influence than a dictator elected in a democratic society. Like him or not, the real world (excluding Miami) respect Castro, because he was a real Commander in Chief. He did risk his life for a Cuba Libre.
Leila: "Why are so many people having anti-American feelings?"
- Because we are having a disastrous foreign policy; we have nominated a series of non-diplomat Ambassadors; we are ignorant about the real world; we try to lecture everyone; we boycott everyone we do not like; we do not respect leaders democratically elected (if they do not agree with us); we have deposed Saddam without thinking about the negative consequences; we did not listen to our ex-friends (Canada, Old Europe); we are acting as an ostrich in the Palestine-Israel conflict; we have a President and Secretary of State who insult their hosts; and we still do not know how to count votes.
In 2000, the President has been chosen because the Florida Secretary of State did not do her job, under pressure by the Governor, who, by the way was the brother of the man finally selected by five judges.
Leila: "Are you telling me that seven people were more important that 100 million votes? How can we promote democracy with such a record?"
- Brilliant, my daughter, brilliant
Leila: "Does it mean if I want to travel later, I might not be safe? I thought we were safer?"
- Unfortunately, that will probably be the case, unless you marry a foreigner, and use his nationality.
Leila: "How about if I want to start a business. Can I get international contracts?"
- It will be more difficult. Now, we have shown our incompetence in managing a war, a disaster at home, a Congress with no spine, no courage, and how democratically dumb we are, by electing twice the same incompetent dictator.
Leila: "I do not think that we should use the egg, instead of the glass of water. It does not look too good for us"
- Too late now. With Internet, the whole world now has a choice: the old glass of water or the new fresh egg theory, invented by our brilliant President.
Leila: "How come my friends at school never mentioned that to me"
- Their parents must be watching Fox News. They only see the other side of the egg. Still, is better than 20% of the population who are not even aware that there is an egg. They surely are not watching PBS. "
Leila: "So, the way I see it, my future is not that great. Can we do something to improve our situation?"
- Well, perhaps, you and your friends at school, could convince your teachers to gather all the parents, neighbours, and other local associations, and force a meeting with each Congress Representative. If 300 of them in the House are responsible, have some spine, and courage, they can make a difference, for saving the future of our next generation.
Then, we could show the Real World how a real democracy works. No more taxpayers money for a low-class propaganda, and alienate more foreigners. Perhaps, the Real World might start to respect the American people, again. For the time being, only the disadvantaged have an illusion about the American Dream.
Leila: "Thanks dad, for giving me more homework to do."
- Yes, but it is for your future. You must work hard to succeed, And look, how proud, you, and your friends, will be later, showing the world, and living, the real American values. A future best seller, and a great movie: "How our children saved America".

The Facilitator

What are we boycotting, now?

We have boycotted Cuba for fifty years, to our own disadvantages (prestige, economy, foreign policy). We did so with Libya, Iran, North Korea, and so many more, including the sales of airplanes' parts to Venezuela.
Now, we are boycotting International Banks whose clients (from Iran, Iraq, Cuba, Sudan, North Korea, Myanmar) have accounts in US funds. Most of those accounts are used to send money to relatives in their country of origin.

A few years ago, U.S. authorities fined ABN Amro $80-million (U.S.), partly because the Dutch bank violated U.S. sanction laws.

In Canada, Royal Bank has recently closed a few thousand US accounts. It seems that their clearing system is located in United States, contrary to the other five major Canadian banks.

We are also boycotting international airlines for not giving us the name of their passengers when they fly over us, even if they do not land here.

In our previous article, we have seen how Sheraton Hotel in Mexico, and Hilton International Hotel in Norway, have boycotted two different Cuban delegations.

We can expect negative consequences from our hysterical behaviour. More companies, more financial institutions, more investors will simply be using the Euro dollar. Last year, for the first time, international bond markets have seen more issues in Euro than in US dollars. You should not be surprised by OPEC switching to the Euro.

The value of our dollar has declined more than 30% in the last two years, another incentive for the international financial community to use the Euro as a more secure and liable currency (without mentioning our alarming two deficits -budget and trade).

Last Summer, our non-diplomat Secretary of State was proud to mention that Iran was getting more and more isolated. The way we see it, Iran is getting more and more friends in Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Perhaps, we are the one who is getting more and more isolated. It is unfortunate that Ms Rice, while abroad, talks more to a certain American audience than to her hosts. Poor manners, poor diplomacy.

Is the New Congress doing anything to change the trend? Do the members of the 110th Congress know that New York is not anymore the financial market of the World?

Do they know that last year, Hong Kong and London Stock Exchanges have respectively issued $41 billion and $39 billion as Initial Public Offerings, versus $29 billion for New York Stock Exchange or $17 billion for NASDAQ? Wait, Shanghai, Moscow and Singapore will also be competing in a few years.

Oh! We forgot. We are busy in promoting democracy, and fighting to find words for not saying that we have lost in Iraq, the day we have invaded it.

It is more than time to stop boycotting everything, everyone. The stick approach does not work, and nobody is scared anymore, outside our borders. Who is listening to us, anyhow? We must learn again to compete for business, and create willing, lasting and beneficial relationships with strategic partners.

The Facilitator

American Hotel facing international boycott and racism

How can we be more stupid and immature? How much lower can we go? We have succeeded, in the last few years, in creating more enemies and developing more anti-American feelings.

Last week, in Oslo, Norway, Hilton Hotel Corp. via their Oslo operation (Scandic Edderkoppen Hotel), has refused to book rooms for a Cuban delegation, attending a travel fair, later this month.

The Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees (300,000 members) has announced that it was boycotting all Scandic Hotels in Norway, following a wave of protests, that might cover most European countries, and even Canada.

According to the union's representative, Anne Grethe Skaardal, it becomes unacceptable for the U.S. to dictate to the whole world.

Within a few days, the Norwegian Anti Racism Center has reported the Scandic Hotel chain to the police. They have filed a complaint based on the law which says that no one can be turned away, because of their citizenship or ethnicity.

According Henrik Lundle, director of Anti Racism Center, foreign companies establishing themselves in Norway, must follow Norwegian laws and rules.

In addition, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions has demanded that the Government shall no longer deal with the Scandic chain.

The only comment from Hilton Corp. has been a statement by a spokeswoman, Christina Karlegran, stating that Hilton is an American company and is bound by the Cuba embargo. "We have to follow the American law" she said.

The Foreign Ministry has a different view: "Companies operating in Norway have to obey Norwegian law, regardless of their home base.

Another representative of Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is going a step further by asking the Government to take steps to bar Hilton Hotel Corp. from doing business in Norway.

Furthermore, Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud, will decide whether to open a case against Scandic chain.

We do remember (or we should), that the Government of Mexico has ordered the Sheraton Maria Isable Hotel in Mexico City to pay a $112,000. US fine for expelling last year 16 Cubans.

It is strange that the Toronto Hilton had no issues taking money from IRA founders, last October. They must be good terrorists.

The readers of the largest Canadian newspaper have, in the last few days, suggested a complete worldwide boycott by Canadians to all International Hilton Hotels.

That's the way to create more enemies, more anti-American feelings. The world is laughing at us, and we continue to reach lower and lower level of sanity, and decency.

Let's hope that Congress 110, stops, in the very near immediate future, our nonsense and phobia about Cuba. If not, we should also fine our Fast Food Chains to sell hamburgers to Cubans, as well as Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola to sell a refreshment to any Cuban delegation. Why not? Let's stay the course.

By the way, did you read the said story in our so-called free press? Or, perhaps, the editors were too ashamed to publish it....

We forecast that more American companies will eventually be boycotted, which will seriously deteriorate our future export trades. The positive effect: we will solve our outsourcing problem.

Next time we are in Washington, we will register a lobbyist firm whose aims will be promoting the End of the Embargo. We are not working for the Cuban Authorities, but for the American people. We promise a box of cigars (Esplendido or Cohiba) to all Senators and Congress Members who will vote for the said resolution.

Contrary to meals, trips or free weekends, cigars are not on the list of the new rules. If we succeed, we will give to the White House staff a lower grade cigars (non-explosive) because they did not learn anything, and did not listen to "We, the people".

The Facilitator.

P.S. Our Government claims jurisdiction over foreign subsidiaries of American companies. The European Union, Canada and Mexico do not agree with our arrogance, and have issued their own decree, prohibiting any company or association to comply with the US Measures. The International Community recognizes the requirement for American companies to respect the rules and laws of the country in which they operate. Several US companies have, directly or indirectly, traded with Cuba, via their subsidiaries. So far, no US courts have made decisions to apply the ruling of our Government.

Another example of our success to alienate foreigners.