Pluto_Rising

I love that movie. Not to divert into Russian cinema, but their version of 12 Angry Men, called simply "12" was brilliant.

I met a fellow in 1980 who emigrated to the U.S. from Leningrad in 1979. He called himself a 3-time loser in the U.S.S.R. since he was Jewish, had been divorced twice, and was denounced (not sure if that's the correct word) by his PhD advisor who had stolen his thesis.

He was only allowed to emigrate because he had a brother in the West who would sponsor him. He mentioned this as an aside that the U.S.S.R. actually cared that their people could leave with some assurance on the outside.

Some of the quirks I recall were- he said there were no maps available in Leningrad, or they were wrong because the government felt the people not having maps would not be able to foment any organized revolts or protest.

We went shopping to a local food store in our city of, say 70,000 at the time, which had maybe 8-10 supermarkets. He took pictures of the food aisles to send home to his mom. It was akin to a religious experience for him. He said Leningrad also had about that many supermarkets, but they were all empty.

He thought American women were airheads, frivolous, lol, but he met a good one and got married.

I used to take him for driving lessons in his new used, Pontiasha, first car ever- so he could get a license. The few times he saw a state trooper parked or in traffic, he got really scared, paranoid that they knew he was Russian and were keeping tabs on him. I laughed it off, told him he wasn't that important.

I am as big a critic of American culture and gov't as anyone, but this guy made me appreciate again and again the many things we take for granted in the U.S. every day. He was oblivious to anything but how great it was.

He thought then that the U.S.S.R. (think Brezhnev) would last 1000 years. He declared it vehemently, sadly. I told him not to hold his breath, lol, but I had no more idea than he that things would transpire as they did.

At this time with the World Cup less than 2 months away, the football players of the Iranian National Team could make a tremendous impact. Is anyone pursuing that avenue?

Also, a gesture by them and the sides they play prior to each match in the Round-robin could likewise garner world attention.

fueled by international community that wanted that region politically distressed.

By this, you mean Russia? Because in the U.S., it was the impression that Russia has always backed the Serbs as a Slavic racial and religious thing; which are historically in the top as 'reasons' to make war.

And there was a lot of resentment in the U.S. at the time that the rest of Europe cowardly turned a blind eye to the genocide that was going on both ways in their own back yard, which ironically was the spark point for World War 1.

There was a pediatric nurse in Houston and South Texas who had that same mental illness and did this in the 70's. To infants.

All by way of saying, NO ONE can know what other people suffer privately. And while abusive backgrounds almost certainly do some damage (usually a lot of damage), it is possible to become a "balanced and productive person." I certainly have.

That is very impressive and inspirational; I can sense your life mission in this, and applaud it unreservedly.