[urbanrealtor]

to Casca:
I am pleased that I got some interesting stuff out of you. Most of what you said in the last post is pretty well put. The exception (other than the hemorrhoid shit) is the teacher stuff. That approach was tried with the Ba’ath party in Iraq. It did not work well. Changes have to be incremental and well-planned to be successful or effective. I enjoyed getting at your opinions though its unfortunate that it takes the Socratic method on speed to get you to slow down on the pure hate and actually say something constructive.
With regard to Cuba, yes it is illegal for US citizens. Not for anybody else. There is a reason that no major cases of this type ever get far in the court system. It is of dubious constitutionality and the government tends to lose the paperwork for anyone who challenges it. Do you do everything your government tells you to do? Did you want to compare crimes?

to AFF:
I read that HRW thing and I read my post. I don’t think they really disagree. While I agree that public displays of dissent are dangerous and that bad things happen when you do them, I still think that the talking politics openly thing stands. Its something you talk about in general terms or with people you trust. I talked communism and politics openly and with interest everywhere I went there. It was pretty interesting. Now as far as an apples to apples comparison of the rest of the red world, you have a point. Or at least you might. I was 15 when the USSR fell down so I really don’t have a point of comparison with the old bloc. I really only have my own experience to draw upon. The experiences you describe are really pretty alien to me. Your stories are like something out of Richard Hammes’ lectures.

[urbanrealtor]

to Casca:
I am pleased that I got some interesting stuff out of you. Most of what you said in the last post is pretty well put. The exception (other than the hemorrhoid shit) is the teacher stuff. That approach was tried with the Ba’ath party in Iraq. It did not work well. Changes have to be incremental and well-planned to be successful or effective. I enjoyed getting at your opinions though its unfortunate that it takes the Socratic method on speed to get you to slow down on the pure hate and actually say something constructive.
With regard to Cuba, yes it is illegal for US citizens. Not for anybody else. There is a reason that no major cases of this type ever get far in the court system. It is of dubious constitutionality and the government tends to lose the paperwork for anyone who challenges it. Do you do everything your government tells you to do? Did you want to compare crimes?

to AFF:
I read that HRW thing and I read my post. I don’t think they really disagree. While I agree that public displays of dissent are dangerous and that bad things happen when you do them, I still think that the talking politics openly thing stands. Its something you talk about in general terms or with people you trust. I talked communism and politics openly and with interest everywhere I went there. It was pretty interesting. Now as far as an apples to apples comparison of the rest of the red world, you have a point. Or at least you might. I was 15 when the USSR fell down so I really don’t have a point of comparison with the old bloc. I really only have my own experience to draw upon. The experiences you describe are really pretty alien to me. Your stories are like something out of Richard Hammes’ lectures.

[urbanrealtor]

So the marketing adviser of this loan officer should be shot.

That is the most idiotic letter ever (with the possible exception of something I sent to an ex-girlfriend in college).

I mean really who sends letters shaming and scolding the clients?

I am not as negative on buying as most on this blog but I really think a letter like this is beyond the pale.

I really can’t speak to the “friend” part of the relationship but I would be suspect of the professional part.

The loan officer I use sometimes points out the direction of interest rates (that is part of his job) in his marketing pieces. However, if he sent out anything that deliberately alienated clients, he would not get my referrals ever again.

[urbanrealtor]

So the marketing adviser of this loan officer should be shot.

That is the most idiotic letter ever (with the possible exception of something I sent to an ex-girlfriend in college).

I mean really who sends letters shaming and scolding the clients?

I am not as negative on buying as most on this blog but I really think a letter like this is beyond the pale.

I really can’t speak to the “friend” part of the relationship but I would be suspect of the professional part.

The loan officer I use sometimes points out the direction of interest rates (that is part of his job) in his marketing pieces. However, if he sent out anything that deliberately alienated clients, he would not get my referrals ever again.

[urbanrealtor]

So the marketing adviser of this loan officer should be shot.

That is the most idiotic letter ever (with the possible exception of something I sent to an ex-girlfriend in college).

I mean really who sends letters shaming and scolding the clients?

I am not as negative on buying as most on this blog but I really think a letter like this is beyond the pale.

I really can’t speak to the “friend” part of the relationship but I would be suspect of the professional part.

The loan officer I use sometimes points out the direction of interest rates (that is part of his job) in his marketing pieces. However, if he sent out anything that deliberately alienated clients, he would not get my referrals ever again.

[urbanrealtor]

So the marketing adviser of this loan officer should be shot.

That is the most idiotic letter ever (with the possible exception of something I sent to an ex-girlfriend in college).

I mean really who sends letters shaming and scolding the clients?

I am not as negative on buying as most on this blog but I really think a letter like this is beyond the pale.

I really can’t speak to the “friend” part of the relationship but I would be suspect of the professional part.

The loan officer I use sometimes points out the direction of interest rates (that is part of his job) in his marketing pieces. However, if he sent out anything that deliberately alienated clients, he would not get my referrals ever again.

[urbanrealtor]

So the marketing adviser of this loan officer should be shot.

That is the most idiotic letter ever (with the possible exception of something I sent to an ex-girlfriend in college).

I mean really who sends letters shaming and scolding the clients?

I am not as negative on buying as most on this blog but I really think a letter like this is beyond the pale.

I really can’t speak to the “friend” part of the relationship but I would be suspect of the professional part.

The loan officer I use sometimes points out the direction of interest rates (that is part of his job) in his marketing pieces. However, if he sent out anything that deliberately alienated clients, he would not get my referrals ever again.

[urbanrealtor]

Honestly my understanding of Llosa is non-existent.
Marquez and Orwell are incredibly interesting but I have not read enough of them. The one I am working on is The Road to Wigan Pier which seems to spend a lot of time dealing with his frustrations of socialism in action (or inaction).

to digress somewhat:
I have been to Cuba and I think much of the American discourse really misses the point on many fronts. Castro is not of the same harsh breed of Russian or Eastern European reds (although similar in some respects). He is of a totally different type (like, qualitatively) than the junta in North Korea. Kim’s (both of them) approaches were widely shunned in the red world for promoting cult of personality and totalitarianism. While most of the practicing red world cares what you do and say (authoritarianism) few actually care what you think in your own head (totalitarianism).
The version of that Castro’s Cuba I think can be most closely compared to China prior to market reforms. There are almost zero images of Fidel anywhere. Camilo Cienfuegos and Jose Marti and Che Guevara are everywhere. There is a strong nationalist streak and lots of CDR (comite en defensa de la revolucion –more like a red rotary club) posters. Oppression is carried out subtly. Everybody fishes (which is illegal) and everybody carpools (which is sometimes illegal). If someone were to complain about the junta, the person he complained to might tell a CDR member (and get some sort of privilege as a result). The CDR would tell the cops and the normal everyday harmless malpractices would be followed like a hawk and potentially get the complainer fined. Small scale complaining is acceptable but it pays not to do it loudly.
So dissent is stifled but not (as a general rule) in a harsh manner and most government policies are framed in nationalist terms. Lots of signs about how they will never again be a Yankee colony. Ironically there was a grocery store there (outside the Russian (ex-soviet) embassy) that had billboards about Bush (dressed as Hitler) and slogans about Yankees and facism. It took only American dollars. Weird.

[urbanrealtor]

Honestly my understanding of Llosa is non-existent.
Marquez and Orwell are incredibly interesting but I have not read enough of them. The one I am working on is The Road to Wigan Pier which seems to spend a lot of time dealing with his frustrations of socialism in action (or inaction).

to digress somewhat:
I have been to Cuba and I think much of the American discourse really misses the point on many fronts. Castro is not of the same harsh breed of Russian or Eastern European reds (although similar in some respects). He is of a totally different type (like, qualitatively) than the junta in North Korea. Kim’s (both of them) approaches were widely shunned in the red world for promoting cult of personality and totalitarianism. While most of the practicing red world cares what you do and say (authoritarianism) few actually care what you think in your own head (totalitarianism).
The version of that Castro’s Cuba I think can be most closely compared to China prior to market reforms. There are almost zero images of Fidel anywhere. Camilo Cienfuegos and Jose Marti and Che Guevara are everywhere. There is a strong nationalist streak and lots of CDR (comite en defensa de la revolucion –more like a red rotary club) posters. Oppression is carried out subtly. Everybody fishes (which is illegal) and everybody carpools (which is sometimes illegal). If someone were to complain about the junta, the person he complained to might tell a CDR member (and get some sort of privilege as a result). The CDR would tell the cops and the normal everyday harmless malpractices would be followed like a hawk and potentially get the complainer fined. Small scale complaining is acceptable but it pays not to do it loudly.
So dissent is stifled but not (as a general rule) in a harsh manner and most government policies are framed in nationalist terms. Lots of signs about how they will never again be a Yankee colony. Ironically there was a grocery store there (outside the Russian (ex-soviet) embassy) that had billboards about Bush (dressed as Hitler) and slogans about Yankees and facism. It took only American dollars. Weird.

[urbanrealtor]

Honestly my understanding of Llosa is non-existent.
Marquez and Orwell are incredibly interesting but I have not read enough of them. The one I am working on is The Road to Wigan Pier which seems to spend a lot of time dealing with his frustrations of socialism in action (or inaction).

to digress somewhat:
I have been to Cuba and I think much of the American discourse really misses the point on many fronts. Castro is not of the same harsh breed of Russian or Eastern European reds (although similar in some respects). He is of a totally different type (like, qualitatively) than the junta in North Korea. Kim’s (both of them) approaches were widely shunned in the red world for promoting cult of personality and totalitarianism. While most of the practicing red world cares what you do and say (authoritarianism) few actually care what you think in your own head (totalitarianism).
The version of that Castro’s Cuba I think can be most closely compared to China prior to market reforms. There are almost zero images of Fidel anywhere. Camilo Cienfuegos and Jose Marti and Che Guevara are everywhere. There is a strong nationalist streak and lots of CDR (comite en defensa de la revolucion –more like a red rotary club) posters. Oppression is carried out subtly. Everybody fishes (which is illegal) and everybody carpools (which is sometimes illegal). If someone were to complain about the junta, the person he complained to might tell a CDR member (and get some sort of privilege as a result). The CDR would tell the cops and the normal everyday harmless malpractices would be followed like a hawk and potentially get the complainer fined. Small scale complaining is acceptable but it pays not to do it loudly.
So dissent is stifled but not (as a general rule) in a harsh manner and most government policies are framed in nationalist terms. Lots of signs about how they will never again be a Yankee colony. Ironically there was a grocery store there (outside the Russian (ex-soviet) embassy) that had billboards about Bush (dressed as Hitler) and slogans about Yankees and facism. It took only American dollars. Weird.

[urbanrealtor]

Honestly my understanding of Llosa is non-existent.
Marquez and Orwell are incredibly interesting but I have not read enough of them. The one I am working on is The Road to Wigan Pier which seems to spend a lot of time dealing with his frustrations of socialism in action (or inaction).

to digress somewhat:
I have been to Cuba and I think much of the American discourse really misses the point on many fronts. Castro is not of the same harsh breed of Russian or Eastern European reds (although similar in some respects). He is of a totally different type (like, qualitatively) than the junta in North Korea. Kim’s (both of them) approaches were widely shunned in the red world for promoting cult of personality and totalitarianism. While most of the practicing red world cares what you do and say (authoritarianism) few actually care what you think in your own head (totalitarianism).
The version of that Castro’s Cuba I think can be most closely compared to China prior to market reforms. There are almost zero images of Fidel anywhere. Camilo Cienfuegos and Jose Marti and Che Guevara are everywhere. There is a strong nationalist streak and lots of CDR (comite en defensa de la revolucion –more like a red rotary club) posters. Oppression is carried out subtly. Everybody fishes (which is illegal) and everybody carpools (which is sometimes illegal). If someone were to complain about the junta, the person he complained to might tell a CDR member (and get some sort of privilege as a result). The CDR would tell the cops and the normal everyday harmless malpractices would be followed like a hawk and potentially get the complainer fined. Small scale complaining is acceptable but it pays not to do it loudly.
So dissent is stifled but not (as a general rule) in a harsh manner and most government policies are framed in nationalist terms. Lots of signs about how they will never again be a Yankee colony. Ironically there was a grocery store there (outside the Russian (ex-soviet) embassy) that had billboards about Bush (dressed as Hitler) and slogans about Yankees and facism. It took only American dollars. Weird.

[urbanrealtor]

Honestly my understanding of Llosa is non-existent.
Marquez and Orwell are incredibly interesting but I have not read enough of them. The one I am working on is The Road to Wigan Pier which seems to spend a lot of time dealing with his frustrations of socialism in action (or inaction).

to digress somewhat:
I have been to Cuba and I think much of the American discourse really misses the point on many fronts. Castro is not of the same harsh breed of Russian or Eastern European reds (although similar in some respects). He is of a totally different type (like, qualitatively) than the junta in North Korea. Kim’s (both of them) approaches were widely shunned in the red world for promoting cult of personality and totalitarianism. While most of the practicing red world cares what you do and say (authoritarianism) few actually care what you think in your own head (totalitarianism).
The version of that Castro’s Cuba I think can be most closely compared to China prior to market reforms. There are almost zero images of Fidel anywhere. Camilo Cienfuegos and Jose Marti and Che Guevara are everywhere. There is a strong nationalist streak and lots of CDR (comite en defensa de la revolucion –more like a red rotary club) posters. Oppression is carried out subtly. Everybody fishes (which is illegal) and everybody carpools (which is sometimes illegal). If someone were to complain about the junta, the person he complained to might tell a CDR member (and get some sort of privilege as a result). The CDR would tell the cops and the normal everyday harmless malpractices would be followed like a hawk and potentially get the complainer fined. Small scale complaining is acceptable but it pays not to do it loudly.
So dissent is stifled but not (as a general rule) in a harsh manner and most government policies are framed in nationalist terms. Lots of signs about how they will never again be a Yankee colony. Ironically there was a grocery store there (outside the Russian (ex-soviet) embassy) that had billboards about Bush (dressed as Hitler) and slogans about Yankees and facism. It took only American dollars. Weird.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]Rus: I didn’t say to vote for Mitt, I said he looks like the corporate villain from any one of a number of films. Being bald, I think I mainly envy him for his hair.

Almodovar, huh? Interesting. Do you read any Marquez or Vargas Llosa?

We’re not going to go off on a MechA tear, are we?

Por la causa, por la raza, baby! Viva la revolucion![/quote]

Yours and Rus’s discussions of Revolution remind me of the whole Aureliano Buendia section of Cien Anos de Soledad.

Something about losing heart in the revolution but staying with it.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]Rus: I didn’t say to vote for Mitt, I said he looks like the corporate villain from any one of a number of films. Being bald, I think I mainly envy him for his hair.

Almodovar, huh? Interesting. Do you read any Marquez or Vargas Llosa?

We’re not going to go off on a MechA tear, are we?

Por la causa, por la raza, baby! Viva la revolucion![/quote]

Yours and Rus’s discussions of Revolution remind me of the whole Aureliano Buendia section of Cien Anos de Soledad.

Something about losing heart in the revolution but staying with it.

[urbanrealtor]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]Rus: I didn’t say to vote for Mitt, I said he looks like the corporate villain from any one of a number of films. Being bald, I think I mainly envy him for his hair.

Almodovar, huh? Interesting. Do you read any Marquez or Vargas Llosa?

We’re not going to go off on a MechA tear, are we?

Por la causa, por la raza, baby! Viva la revolucion![/quote]

Yours and Rus’s discussions of Revolution remind me of the whole Aureliano Buendia section of Cien Anos de Soledad.

Something about losing heart in the revolution but staying with it.

[Author]

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