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U.S. Encouraging Cuba To Shift Toward Democratic System Of Corruption News in Brief • Politics • World • government • politicians • world leaders • ISSUE 51•15 • Apr 13, 2015 WASHINGTON—As part of the White House’s effort to mend 50 years of acrimonious U.S.-Cuba relations, members of the Obama administration called on the island nation this week to adopt a more democratic form of corruption. “If Cuba is to thrive on the global stage, it must end its autocratic abuses of power, and hold free and fair elections to determine which officials will ultimately siphon off public resources for their own personal gain,” said Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, who called on Cuba’s communist regime to cede some political control and let opposition parties play a greater role in its shady backroom dealings and systems of graft. “We recognize that change will not happen overnight, but by allowing influence-peddling, kickbacks, and the misappropriation of funds to be controlled by elected representatives of the people, Cuba will earn the world’s trust and respect. It’s time for Cuba to embrace the same dishonest, nominally democratic form of government that all of its neighbors have.” Sherman went on to express the administration’s hopes for a future in which Cuba will regularly conduct transparent elections bought and paid for by powerful corporate interests. http://www.theonion.com/articles/us-encouraging-cuba-to-shift-toward-democratic-sys,38422/

Some might find "mindlessly following the instructions of BO" to be constructive but that's not an option your question allows for, RA1. Conventional wisdom has it that Clinton pushed for a more aggressive policy in Afganistan, Iraq, Syria (against both Assad and IS) and Russia/Ukraine. That aside, the ability of the State Department to act as a policy center independent of the White House depends on the Sec. of State being a political heavyweight in his own right or having the trust & backing of the president. My understanding is that on secondary issues that tend to escape the notice of the White House like the status of women and human rights, she did useful work. Sadly, I'm not sure how much her positions on the Mid East reflect her real views or were made with an eye to playing well in her 2nd campaign for the presidency. One never knows. Well, actually, being she's a pol, one does know but wishes otherwise.

And only 1-1/2 years to go with all this . I have been doing 30 days in Bangkok and 30 days in The U.S. I think I am going to start doing 60 days in Bangkok. They have a military dictatorship. The general in charge, makes long rambling speeches on tv each day. But there not in English. Just like our politicians , what they say today, they probably won't be saying the same thing in 1-1/2 years.

If she had actually said this to the public, I would be much more inclined to vote for her. Best regards, RA1

Hillary Clinton To Nation: ‘Do Not Fuck This Up For Me’ News in Brief • Politics • politicians • hillary clinton • ISSUE 51•14 • Apr 12, 2015 WASHINGTON—After several seconds spent sitting motionless and glaring directly into the camera, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reportedly began Sunday’s video announcing her 2016 presidential bid by warning the nation not to fuck this up for her. “Listen up, assholes, ’cause I’m only saying this once: I’ve worked way too goddamn hard to let you morons blow this thing for me,” said Clinton, repeatedly jabbing her index finger toward the viewers at home while adding that if they thought she was going to simply sit back and watch them dick her over like they did in 2008, they were out of their fucking minds. “Seriously, don’t you dare even think about it. If you shitheads can just get in line, we can breeze through this whole campaign in 19 months and be done with it. Or, if you really want, we can do this the hard way. Because make no mistake, I’m not fucking around. Got it?” Clinton then ended her announcement by vowing to fight for a better future for all working-class families like the one she grew up in. http://www.theonion.com/articles/hillary-clinton-to-nation-do-not-fuck-this-up-for,38416/

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report Borowitz Report April 14, 2015 Hillary Clinton Officially Begins Nineteen Months of Looking Concerned By Andy Borowitz LE CLAIRE, IOWA (The Borowitz Report) – With a stop in Iowa on Tuesday, the Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton officially embarked on a nineteen-month marathon of looking concerned. Sitting with patrons at Jones Street Java House, in Le Claire, the former Secretary of State listened intently, sipped from a cup of coffee, and nodded her head at appropriate junctures, flawlessly reënacting a brief scene from her first campaign video. After about twenty minutes of virtually nonstop displays of empathy, a Clinton aide said, “we decided to shut it down.” “Hillary is staring down nineteen months of sipping coffee and nodding her head,” the aide continued. “We want to make sure she paces herself.” After her Iowa visit, Clinton is scheduled to bring her looks of concern to New Hampshire, South Carolina, and other early primary states. It's day two and already she has sucked me in. Sucked as in figuratively, not literally.

...My point is that you can tell a lot about a man by what he thinks about Hillary, maybe even everything. She's not just another presidential candidate, she's a sophisticated diagnostic instrument for calibrating male anxiety, which is running high. Understandably, given that the whole male-female, who-runs-the-world question is pretty much up for grabs... http://talkingpointsmemo.com/theslice/men-who-hate-hillary-clinton

That's the thing-- they may be great but where do you hook up IN Bratislava? I read there was a m/m sauna-boy type place on the outskirts. It would be hit-or-miss. Hotels there are cheap downtown but I don't know if there's a cruise area. Romanians seem to be the common commodity everywhere in Europe now, not just Budapest.

When she has a long and in depth interview with a few in the media who are not looking to cover up or make apologies I will listen and evaluate my current position. Of course, ordering (not having) a burrito and talking to the "common folk" is 99.9% PR with little substance, if any. Remember, I feel much the same way about all pols, not just hilarious. Best regards, RA1

The Republican primary clown car continues to spill out its bounty.

Not really a joke at all.