TRUTHSQUARE.com

Truth Squared: "Pendulum politics" of Moldova or is it truly important geopolitically?

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:30:41 -0600

After almost three years of a stalemate political tension in the Republic of Moldova is currently rising to a peak not only because the Parliament is trying again to elect a President, but also due to the fact that the Moldovan separatist region Transnistria has recently elected a new President. With that in mind, not only Moldovan politicians argue about the country's geopolitical importance, but also foreign nations are making their bets on future's Moldovan course, as it is really like a roulette: it's either "red" with communists still playing the card of "our future is with Russia and within the CIS customs/economic union, on one side, or "black", or in our case better say "blue" as is the flag of the European Union, integration with which is a trump card of the democratic parties.

On one side, most of the population has been for many years quite skeptic about integrating into the EU: for 200 years Moldova was in the orbit of huge Russian economic, political and religious influence, which has not disappeared up today...

Truth Squared: The people’s new world religion?

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:01:36 -0500

The importance of religions in the history of mankind is hard to overestimate. From ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman Gods, to paganism, to Islam and Buddhism, to Protestantism and Baptism, to Pantheism and Hinduism, to Christianity - so many forms and ramifications, which not simply permeated the history, but, in the end, it is History per se, as religions have affected everything around us, starting from moral values and education of an individual, to moral systems of nations. Religions have immensely impacted culture, architecture, music, sciences. Religions divided states and have made wars and, unfortunately, are continuing to fight for influence. And while different cultures currently are battling over whose God is better, unnoticeably but steadily a new kind of religion is slowly emerging. And it has all the potential to become a new world religion.

It is said that for an ideology to be considered a religion, three prerequisites are necessary: assuring salvation, believing in a precise theology, and converting the nonbelievers...

Truth Squared: Arab Spring 2011: a slightly different point of view

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:43:59 -0500

Comments and conclusions about the unprecedented wave of revolutions in the Arab world during the spring of 2011 are in abundance, though if we drain them down to essence, practically all of them will have petrol and growing islamism, in certain combinations, as a main reason. But is that true?

Yes and no.

Remember the 1975 Sydney Pollack movie “Three Days of the Condor” with Robert Redford as the main hero?

1975, two years after the first major world oil crisis, which has resulted in wave of petrol assets redistribution in the arab oil extracting countries, in a sharp multiple increase of international oil prices, and in a painful realization by the leading world powers of dependence of their future economic growth on stable deliveries of petrol from the main oil producing countries. Robert Redford under the code name “Condor” is a member of a group of CIA analysts, who quite accidentally unveil a CIA operational network of agents infiltrated into the Middle East and Arab world...

Truth Squared: Eurovision song contest voting: is it fair?

Sun, 15 May 2011 06:22:06 -0500

Another Eurovision song contest in Dusseldorf ended with a surprising victory of Azerbaijan. After the semi-finals not many comments in various mass media sources favored this country, and I guess talks about “unfair”, “rigged” voting system will emerge again.

Many contestants performed well and deserved to be a winner or next to number one. And Azerbaijan was also good, but why its “lullaby” song unexpectedly got so many votes? Was Hungary or Finland or Serbia worse? Lena from Germany, the last year winner, yet again performed extremely well, showing her exclusive vocals, charm and charisma. Georgia rocked the party as well. What about Moldova with an extremely original performance of “Zdob si Zdub”? After their last time participation at the Eurovision contest in Kiev with their famous “Bunica bate doba” there were some articles in the West stating that the voting system basically stole the victory from the Moldovan band. This year they not only managed to sing quite a dynamic and rhythmic rock song, but also originally combined it again with national colors...

Truth Squared: Vice President Joe Biden: God bless Moldova!?

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:19:42 -0500

On March 11th, the day when earthquake and tsunami have apocalyptically stricken Japan, Vice President of the United States visited a tiny country in Eastern Europe for half a day. Maybe because of this tragic happening in Japan, the news about Joe Biden’s short stopover in Moldova unfortunately remained unnoticed, but this fact doesn’t at all diminish the importance of the event for the country and the region.

Before the trip there were many questions about the scope and timing of such an unprecedented top level visit to Moldova. What was the sense of it, given the fact that for two years the country is bogged down in an endless power struggle and inability to elect a head of state? Young leaders of the ruling democratic alliance have gradually slipped from fighting communism into openly fighting each other for clan and oligarchs‘ interests. A former pimp, who also raided businesses during Voronin times with the help of the latter has been elected by the democrats onto one of the highest state positions, like in a banana country...

Truth Squared: WikiLeaks might be hot news, but not the Truth (a brief comment from the Editor)

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:51:48 -0600

They say WikiLeaks helped establish the Truth. But is it true? We doubt it.

While the published material about extrajudicial killings in Kenya and toxic waste dumping in Africa may have helped to uncover the truth a posteriori, the staged leaks in so many other cases may be considered as more harmful rather than promoting the truth.

First of all, leaking information from the system one is a part of, is not highly moral and its long term effects are quite questionable. If you sign in to work for a company or a state organization, you assume an immense responsibility for the integrity and sustainability of the structure, of its processes and operations. If you find out something you don’t like or don’t support, then get out or find other moral and decent ways to fight injustice. Stealing proprietary information and leaking it to masses is not always the most rewarding way to change the world for better.

Would you use a bank, which is leaking information about its customers? Would you entrust your private information to a company, in which there is a whistleblower? Would you deal with a politician or a state authority, behind which there is a leaking office? Will Assange himself like if someone from WikiLeaks would leak the channels through which they have received the secret US diplomatic correspondence?

Where will it all go, if whistle blowing and leaking becomes a socially accepted way of someone’s attempts to fulfill unrealized personal ambitions?

Secundo, whistle blowing and leaking may have its positive effects and moral acceptance only in non-transparent, non-democratic closed systems, in which suppression of any non-censored sources of information is one of the main means of sustaining the authoritarian system...

Truth Squared: Beware of malware tricks of low cost flights!

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:31:32 -0600

There is so much written about the low cost airlines, that one could hardly expect something else to appear. 600% markups on food and beverages, using airports that are so far from your destination, that it practically annuls the saving effects of flying budget airlines, charging for an extra luggage like there is no day tomorrow, seating is tighter than in a tin of sardines (and yet they seriously discuss now to add standing places in planes!), and so on.

Still, I guess I found something else: ticketing sales on the airlines’ web sites.

A while ago I had to buy an Austrian Airlines ticket for my son traveling on vacation, which is not exactly a budget airline, but still offers a so called “red ticket”, which is quite close to the price range of a budget airline.

When you start to buy something on internet, it is quite normal to be cautious, especially when you buy a low cost ticket, which is non-refundable (actually, this is another openly legalized piracy, which is an additional topic)...

Truth Squared: Ugly reality from pre-election Moldova: “Mafia” rules geopolitics

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:19:57 -0500

Something very ugly emerges beyond the gloss of the acclaimed success of one year rule of the democratic Alliance for European Integration in Moldova. It’s natural - the country plunges into parliamentary and presidential elections, which will determine not only the country’s inner and foreign policies for the next four years, but also may deeply shaken the state’s establishment. Hence, the question who gets the Presidency and who would control the Parliament and Government is turning into a kind of life-death dilemma. The main intrigue of the intensifying battle is the topic of “Mafia still governs Moldova”, publicly and loudly thrown in by Sergiu Mocanu, a longtime politician, a veteran of the military conflict with Transnistrian separatists awarded by the highest state Order of the Republic. With two months ahead of the elections, the campaign already gets signs of a bloodbath.

In one of his interviews earlier this year the former Prime Minister Ion Sturza has already pointed out that though the Government has changed and a democratic coalition has come to power, in fact the same business interests and doubtful personalities pull the strings and control the situation from behind...

Truth Squared: Killing fires in Russia that spark hopes for “cooling”

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:49:33 -0500

Russia doesn’t like to be criticized lately. Putin’s firm state policy, first as President, then as a Prime Minister, reborn the proud sentiments of a strong state. So much so, that Russia’s current President Medvedev has been consistently declaring that global warming is a Western plot aimed at stopping the rapid industrial development of Russia. Just a year ago Medvedev called the global warming debates a tricky campaign of some commercial structures to promote their own business projects.

And not only Medvedev had such a stand. Another state leader, who denies the effects of climate change and says it is a false myth and business trick, is Czech President Vaclav Klaus. The list may be continued.

It’s an exact example of vanity damaging one’s capacity of rational thinking.

Even without any scientific reports, one needs no additional proof to notice that something really nasty is happening.

Antarctic ice caps are shrinking. Glaciers are melting...

Truth Squared: TV in Moldova - another proof of a corrupted system

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:30:51 -0500

The new democratic alliance that came to power last year in this country, has proclaimed European integration to be its main political priority. That seems to be an enormous task, especially taking into account the depth of spiritual and cultural integration of Moldovans into the CIS orbit of influence. I personally even wouldn’t try to change that, because Moldova is in a way a special place, different from Romania, on one side, and different from Ukraine and Russia, on the other. Moldovans themselves, especially business people, are always stressing out that Moldova is ideally situated in between two continents and two cultures and it should become a perfect bridgehead for businesses going in two directions: from South East Europe to former Soviet Union and vice verso.

Right, Moldova is special and this is confirmed by many foreigners visiting this nice welcoming country with goodhearted people, excellent foods and wines, picturesque countryside.

It is also very special because being a small nation, due to various historical reasons, it has become a trade-off instrument in big geopolitical games and commercial interests...

True Statistics: Do you think the year of the Dragon 2012 will be:

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:56:07 -0600

Just another year.
The year of the end of the world, as predicted by some prophets.
The year of economic and political perturbations, worse than in 2011.
The year that will bring a major global reset and new beginnings.

True Statistics: Do you think the wave of revolutions in the arab world in spring of 2011 was:

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:45:43 -0500

Indirectly induced by the foreign powers interested to change the geopolitical balance in the region.
A result of a tactical cooperation between radical islamists and the Western democracies.
A spontaneous revolt of the people fed up by the corrupted autocracies and misery they lived in.
A rise in religious rebellion sponsored by radical islamists.

True Statistics: Do you think the Eurovision song contest is:

Sun, 15 May 2011 06:25:03 -0500

Unfair and rules need to be changed.
Easy to be rigged.
Impossible to be rigged.
Quite fair and rules don’t need changing.

True Statistics: Do you think leaking/selling out sensitive information from your place of work:

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:54:21 -0600

is a criminal act and should be severely punished
is an immoral act of betrayal
is a selfless act, helping establish justice
can be excused only and exclusively when required by official undercover investigations
is good, if they pay good money for it

True Statistics: Referring to ticket refunds for not flying the low cost fares for some private reasons, do you think that:

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:34:24 -0600

budget airlines should be obligated to always refund us, based on clear regulations safeguarding them from malpractice and abuses
budget airlines should be obliged by law to always refund us in the same electronic way regardless of the ticket fare, since we haven’t used their services
budget airlines should not be obligated to refund us regardless of the ticket fare, as they won’t survive the competition
budget airlines should refund us only if we pay for this special term, to help them cover the costs of refunding
budget airlines should not be obligated to refund us, because of some other reasons

True Statistics: Do you think that Vladimir Putin’s great charisma and popularity are a result of:

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:25:04 -0500

His KGB education and continued guidance from Russian special services
His good intuition and ability to assess well what Russian people would like to see in a state leader
His original natural quality
Good work of advisors and image-makers
Something else

True Statistics: Are you cheating on her/him, because:

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:39:24 -0500

you suddenly came across a better match that has overwhelmed you;
you just cannot withstand an urge of too much sex desire in you;
you got bored, the initial passion has faded away, whereas an affair on the side breaks the routine and sparks fire anew;
you realized that the relationship was a mistake and trying to look for a perfect match;
it was a result of curiosity, revenge, or other similar reasons.

True Statistics: Do you think that British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which after two months of intense leak has turned into a huge natural disaster:

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:54:45 -0500

Has to be addressed not only by BP, but by international community, which could bring financial and technical means to stop it
A problem of BP and USA
Is not a big problem at all
Still is an exclusive BP’s problem

True Statistics: Catholic church sex abuse scandal is caused by:

Sun, 23 May 2010 23:07:24 -0500

immorality and impunity of separate bad priests;
the crisis of the institution;
the crisis of the creed;
subversive actions of another creed.
hostile campaign by the media and abortion rights and pro-gay groups;

True Statistics: The Greek crisis and fall of Euro are both cause and effect of:

Wed, 05 May 2010 10:45:25 -0500

The serious crack in the common economic policy of the EU with unpredictable long term consequences
TheGovernment's mismanagement of a single country without long term implications
The conspiracy actions of international financial speculators to topple the Euro
The beginning of the end of the Euro, unable to be a unique currency for so many different economies
The first serious short term failure in the economic fundament of the European Union

Lie Detector

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:05:12 -0600

IMF chief Christine Lagarde warned that the world economy is under threat. “What we are saying to all developing economies is beware of what is happening in advanced economies at the moment. Beware of the clouds that are accumulating in European skies,” Lagarde said.

Lie Detector

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:03:50 -0500

Skoda cars are becoming better and better, but Skoda symbol is quite outdated and doesn't look modern at all. Some people don't buy the car because of an ugly symbol.

Lie Detector

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 16:34:45 -0500

VISS IPL - the innovative Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology to remove unwanted hair is scientifically-proven safe and effective, dermatologist recommended, compact, easy to use with minimal maintenance requirements – the answer to long-lasting hair removal.

Lie Detector

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:43:36 -0500

The Russian spy Ana Chapman would be the real next best James Bond girl!

Lie Detector

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:49:06 -0500

Famous Australian professor Frank Fenner: human species is on the course of irreversible self-destruction and will disappear in about a hundred years due to inability to withstand overpopulation and exaggerated consumption.

Lie Detector

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:48:19 -0500

Tanning beds are dangerous as their frequent use triple the risk of getting melanoma, a deadly skin cancer.

Lie Detector

Sun, 23 May 2010 22:56:00 -0500

Pope Benedict XVI: "The greatest persecution of the church does not come from enemies on the outside but it is born from the sins within the church."

Lie Detector

Sun, 23 May 2010 22:53:50 -0500

Catholic church sex abuse scandal is not the crisis of the creed, but it is crisis of the institution

Lie Detector

Sun, 23 May 2010 21:47:55 -0500

Recently retired Dem Senator Evan Bayh: American political system "dysfunctional", riddled with "brain-dead partisanship" and permanent campaigning

Lie Detector

Sun, 23 May 2010 21:34:42 -0500

Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Digg, and others are a serious risk to users' privacy!

Knight of Truth: Actress Edie Falco

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 16:26:58 -0500

Actress Edie Falco, a four-time Emmy Award winner, who so brilliantly played the role of mob matriarch Carmela Soprano in „The Sopranos” mafia drama, has recently made quite an explosive declaration, which bears a significant public revelation. I wouldn’t put it better, so I would just cite what has happened: „Who the hell is Kim Kardashian?” Edie answered when asked if she watches reality television, during an interview with New York Magazine’s Vulture blog. ”Who are these people and why are they famous and why are they advertising things and being asked their opinions about things? I just don’t understand what these people did to be in a position of having everyone ask their opinions about stuff. If there’s something about her personality or somethings that she’s accomplished or her philosophy on somethings – but beyond that I don’t understand what’s happening. It’s actually frightening.” That is absolutely right, and finally a woman had enough courage to loudly say, what is probably on the minds of lots of people, who cannot reach such an outstanding audience: what happened to people’s perceptions, if they so eagerly follow the news about persons better known for their porno performances, and listen to their "wise thoughts"? What kind of society we’ll have in the near future, if kids and teenagers better know Paris Hilton, rather than what is the capital of France, or know when Britney Spears didn’t wear underwear, but do not know when was the World War II?

Knight of Truth: Julian Assange, editor in chief of the WikiLeaks

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:56:20 -0600

An Australian publisher and journalist, quite unknown to the world until he founded and promoted the WikiLeaks web site, specialized on making public various sensitive confidential information obtained thru shadowy ways from governments and different organizations. Got the highest international attention after he published in 2010 the secret US diplomatic cables, many of them referring to such sensitive issues as Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, North Korea, and so on. (Before deciding if he could be voted Knight of Truth, please read first the truth squared by the Editor, “WikiLeaks might be hot news, but not the Truth”)

Knight of Truth: Sergiu Mocanu, leader of the Popular Action movement in Moldova.

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:21:22 -0500

Sergiu Mocanu has probably become one of the most talked about political personality in the Republic of Moldova nowadays. A fighter in the military conflict with Transnistrian separatists in 1992, during which his bravery was marked with the highest state distinction Order of the Republic, then an active politician in the Parliament’s democratic factions in the late 90-ies, then, strangely, turned a top Counsellor of the last communist President Voronin - however, always in the front and always in the loop. After a year of keeping a low-profile, Sergiu Mocanu has literally shaken the country with his outstanding declarations about Moldova being controlled by mafia. He has named some top names and published a scheme, which shows how the top positions in Moldova are controlled by business interests of a certain man Vlad Plahotniuc, who has rapidly amassed enormous fortune within the last years through racketeering and raiding cash rich businesses, having used in his own interests most of the state institutes and corrupted judicial system, which he has bought and controls...

Knight of Truth: Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 2010 World Cup match with England

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:17:06 -0500

Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda’s ruling out of England’s Frank Lampard’s goal against Germany in South Africa, is probably one of the most unfair and shameful referee mistakes in recent history of football World Cups. While all the world clearly saw the goal, it seems only the referees didn’t notice that the ball crossed the line for over a meter. While we can admit the referee’s view angle was the reason of this blunder, the foxy actions of Germany’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer were far from sports fair honest play. It was vivid, that for a split second he clearly saw the ball falling a meter over the gate line (which he later officially admitted), but after the ball unexpectedly bounced back, he grabbed the ball and rushed it back into the game pretending that nothing happened, and thus fooled the referee even more. I wonder, will the goalie himself be happy with such an action?

Knight of Truth: Kevin Costner, "Waterworld" actor and protector of waters?

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:12:50 -0500

While British Petroleum struggles to cap the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, which turns to be the worst ecological catastrophe in history, and while politicians are pointing at each other, the famous “Waterworld” actor has come with a new technology, in which he had invested about 20 million USD and spent about 15 years, able to clean the oil-contaminated water at a 99% efficiency rate. The up to 1% residual traces of oil remaining in the cleaned water has been for many years a hurdle for Kevin Costner’s attempts to market the centrifuge oil-cleaning technology in a tough industry, which has been focusing mainly on extraction of oil and not on spending cash on environment preservation machinery. Or was it an excuse not to acknowledge success of a stranger to the system? In any case, thanks to perseverance and dedication of such men as Kevin Costner, they have now technology to help clean the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico (and first 32 machines are ordered).

Knight of Truth: Dmitrii Ciubashenko, a daring journalist from Moldova

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:47:20 -0500

Dmitrii Ciubashenko is probably the best journalist in Moldova writing in Russian language. Always inquisitive, always investigative, always challenging, he has been consistently trying to expose the political events in Moldova from beyond the facade. Probably because of the qualities mentioned, he has been for many years persona non grata in the office of the communist President Voronin. The newspapers he had founded launched several journalist investigations that led to exposure of vastly spread corruption and mismanagement in the state sector of the country. Considered by many an uncomfortable writer, he ultimately proves to be devoted to his profession, through which he courageously tries to uncover the Truth.

Knight of Truth: Constantin Tanase, prominent Moldovan journalist

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 23:39:30 -0500

Constantin Tanase, not only just a prominent Moldovan journalist with firm principles of promoting freedom of speech and democratic principles in the society, but also a true professional of the written word, who has been consistently critical of all the evils of modern Moldova for the past 20 years, and has always promoted spirituality and high moral values, often in a way mixed with good popular sense of humor. During the communist regime Constantin Tanase’s publications in “Timpul” magazine were the only source of public information, which exposed the abuses of the regime, and he himself has become a vociferous supporter of the liberal opposition. In spite of the fact that liberals are now in power in Moldova, he continues to be the same sharp critical writer, which once again strongly reminds that any democracy risks to sink in complacency and degrade without a good free mass-media criticism.

Knight of Truth: Fidel Castro - Former President of Cuba

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:31:01 -0500

At least three quarters of Cubans consider him to be the true leader. For several decades the United States attempted to get rid of Fidel Castro, but he managed to outlast nine American presidents after taking power back in 1959. He is known for his long-lasting anti-American and anti-imperialism speeches. He opposed capitalism and said: "I find capitalism repugnant. It is filthy, it is gross, it is alienating... because it causes war, hypocrisy and competition." Despite the fact that a lot of people (mostly outside Cuba) had unsympathetic feelings towards him, Castro did succeed in registering considerable improvements in Cuba. He made medical care freely available for everyone, there's also 98 percent literacy (one of the highest in the world) and the infant mortality rates in the country is almost on the same level as in the Western countries. In addition, Castro, being friend with Hugo Chavez, managed to achieve advantageous agreements with the oil-rich Venezuela. His supporters say that Cuba has one of the most efficient healthcare systems and a stable government, while those who criticize him claim that Cuba constantly violates human rights, Castro is a dictator and that the country has a stagnant economy, remaining far behind modern living standards...

Knight of Truth: Sergey Dorenko - a controversial Russian anchorman

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:52:37 -0600

Sergey Dorenko is one of the most notorious anchormen in Russia, a cause for many political disputes and controversies. A TV presenter, who, on one side, definitely has a charisma and is well prepared and highly professional, and, on the other side, is often referred to as "killer presenter" for his excessive spite, wicked criticism, and unscrupulous language. Recently, after the first round of presidential elections in Ukraine, when asked to comment on the outcome, he said that Ukrainians hate Russians, hate Europeans, hate Americans and the only one thing Ukrainians like and care for is money, and that is why it doesn't matter who wins. Before that for many years he was considered a puppet in the hands of questionable Russian exiled oligarch Boris Berezovsky, whereas others say he is one of the most talented mouthpiece of Russian special services

Knight of Truth: Prime-Minister Vlad Filat: a Moldovan leader of a new generation?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:37:00 -0600

In a country for 8 years dominated by iron rule of communists Mr.Filat has displayed courage and artfulness in setting up a new party, into which he managed to attract a lot of young well educated people and lots of other people fed up by abuses of the communist administration. It was not easy, because communists tried to use prefabricated criminal accusations against Filat and engaged the whole state controlled propaganda machine into discrediting the man. Whereas in 2007, when Mr.Filat left the anemic Democratic Party of Moldova and took part in Mayoral elections in Chisinau, he had quite a pale image and modest results, already in two years his LDPM came second in the parliamentary elections in Moldova, with its Chairman having been appointed as Prime Minister. Vlad Filat was said to be another authoritarian politician, but the growing number of party members and supporters prove the opposite and shows his ability to learn, adapt and succeed in politics. Others say he has no charisma, but instead his actions show he has a backbone, follows party principles and keeps his word, all of which for a politician may be even more important...