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In Russia, ‘Yes, I can!’ is now, sadly, ‘No, I won’t!’ |
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John Freivalds
Local View
When Carlson Group was building the Radisson Daugava Hotel in Riga, Latvia, in the early 1990s — the first five-star hotel and biggest in the Baltics — the company had to figure out who would manage it. Chosen was Art Krieger, a hulking 6-foot-4 Canadian who also opened and managed Radisson hotels for the Carlson Group in Australia; Sochi, Russia; St. Paul; Beijing; and Baltimore.
| Putin: Make Russia Grate Again | |
By John Freivalds
Published-TBD
I really can’t believe the ongoing naiveté of past American leaders dealing with Vladimir Putin who just invaded yet another part of Ukraine. Former President Bush told us he could look into Putin’s eyes and see his soul, Hillary Clinton brought out a red button and said she would reset US -Russian relations, former President Obama lamented being against Russia is just rekindling the cold war while former President Trump called Putin to congratulate him on his last election victory. (Editor note: Putin had jailed his opponents and the controlled Russian media would’ report any negative news about him). And then a Fox news personality chimed in that the US should support Russia and not Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asserted that “Russia can’t afford to lose the information war” against the West. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have a major media personality broadcasting propaganda that benefits Moscow directly to millions of Americans.
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US in danger of becoming latest empire to implode, fall |
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John Freivalds
Published January 18th, 2022
Duluth News Tribune
The implosion of the U.S. has begun.
What a comment to start 2022. However, throughout history, great empires always — always — come and go, fall and fail: the Roman, the Ottoman, the Russian, the British, and now the U.S. in its present form among them. And no, sorry, we can’t be made great again by wearing red hats.
As that nameless, learned medieval English poet wrote: “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.”
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Local View: The US a model for the world — of intolerance |
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By John Freivalds
Published 12/14/21
Duluth News Tribune
We like to regard our country as a shining, welcoming light on the hill, beaming out “love between our brothers and our sisters,” as Peter, Paul and Mary sang in “If I Had a Hammer.” We like to point to the positive politicians we have had: Martin Sabo, Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, and, yes, Arne Carlson and Bob Dole.
| The USA is a Model for the World (of intolerance that is) |  |
As a Latvian who was forced out of his country by the of the Nazis I am alarmed at the recurrence of intolerance here. But intolerance is part of America’s culture but few recognize its dangers.
By John Freivalds
Minneapolis Star Tribune
As much as we like to regard our country as a shining welcoming light on the hill beaming out “love between our brothers and our sisters” as Peter, Paul and Mary sang in If I Had a Hammer, truth is that the USA always has had a dark underside from its very beginning. And every so often that dark underside appears, dredged up by the recurring demagogue of the times, and overwhelms our better angels.