Robert > Recent Status Updates

The first three chapters have been amazing. They go between two periods of history and living under the intervention of outside countries...France, Japan and the USA. The writer’s language is descriptive, triggers the senses, and puts you in the scene. I started this book via audio, but soon learned that I needed to slow down to appreciate the nuance. I am reading and listening to recap.

I have learned a lot about the man that will hopefully be the next POTUS.

This book has filled in a lot of missing pieces from the early years for me. I feel the 1960-1970s stories are realistic of a family trying to act normal under very uncommon circumstances. Example: Aristotle Onassis’ attempt to give JFK JR a father role throughout his difficult marriage to Jackie Kennedy, terminating these attempts with the death of his own son the hopelessly incompatibility marriage to Jackie.

After the first chapter that deals with the day of JFK JR’s death, it goes back to the birth of JFK JR. This was insightful. It discusses how the children were told of their father’s assassination. Many memorable anecdotes: The children were taken to a park to play with some puppies the week after the assasination. The scolding park ranger approached them only to burst into tears upon recognizing them...

The unreadable book. Will I finish this year?

The Clinton Wars never really ended. Linking the Clinton Foundation to Hillary's campaign was initiated by a debunked book called Clinton Cash. The book is gone, but the innuendo remains. This was the plan. David Brock and Media Matters hits back by documenting the words from hate radio and tracing the steps of their slander.

David Brock (original member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy) describes how he chipped away at Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and other hate mongers by making transcripts of their speech via Media Matters.

Deng Xiaoping works at a Renault factory in France and continues to rise with the Chinese Communist youth parties in France. After they become too radical he is expelled from France with instructions never to return. With several others, he escapes to Moscow to attend Sun Yat-sen University where they are treated like celebrities.

Deng Xiaoping stops studying in France and must concentrate on working. He enters the Hutchinson Plant as a young patriot and leaves a career revolutionary and an advocate of communism.

The Opium Wars with China being pillaged by all the colonial powers...It explains a great deal about their lack of trust.

Demg Maomao visits her father's birthplace and contemplates his retirement

I have learned so much about diplomacy from this book. It is almost sad to be near the end. My favorite part since checking in 8/20/14, Hillary and Obama crashed a secret meeting between China, India and South Africa at a Global Warming Conference...

Egypt - Libya - I am learning a great deal from this book. It's a master class in diplomacy.

Chap 12 - Latin America. I loved it. I do not agree 100% with her view (she calls our intervention in Chile as one of our darkest chapters without mentioning there is a chapter for almost every country). Her view on a true partnership and applying blame equally for mutual problems is refreshing. For example, drugs (smuggled into the US), weapons (smuggled out of the US)I love her love for Colombia and Mexico.

I love this book! However, I can see how a person that does not follow international diplomacy might find it difficult to follow at times.

Political Junkie Heaven = Hard Choices

Left to the domain of China throughout the Bush administration, Hillary decides to take her first steps as Secretary of State in Asia.

As I finish this book and approach the tragic end, I am amazed at how Sal Mineo was always struggling to make ends meet. First, his mom managed his career with the idea that he should be "normal" and not arrogant. When he became independent, he struggled with his finances, lack of discipline and maintaining the illusion of wealth. The author reflects with precision Sal's outlooks of his varied stages of fame.