A Wikileaks State Department cable from Brazil highlights a problem found from time to time at U.S. Embassies and Consulates. A terrorist from forty years ago has given up the violence and now has a position as a prominent member of society or the government. It happens. Then, of course, they want to tour the U.S. You know, see Disneyland and stuff. Seriously. They all want to do that for some reason.
Don't jump out of your chair just yet.
At the time of the event, in this case the kidnapping of the American Ambassador to Brazil, the country was being run by a military junta that was torturing and killing thousands of its own citizens. It was a dictatorship. And the United States government supported the Brazilian government, illegal as it was.
The terrorist tourist, Paulo de Tarso Venceslau, had a significant part in the kidnapping of the American Ambassador, Charles Elbrick. Ambassador Elbrick was exchanged successfully for fifteen political prisoners.
After getting caught and put in prison, Mr. Venceslau emerged in 1974 into Brazilian society. "Since leaving prison he has been a leader in the PT (Worker's Party), worked for the city of Sao Paulo, and secretary for the mayor's office of Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo, and Campinas. He is currently a businessman in the field of communications."
So basically, Mr. Venceslau went straight after he didn't have a dictatorship to fight anymore.
So? Should we let him in to take in Chicago's jazz scene? Read the cable and find out how this issue was analyzed and managed. If you wanted a quick answer without a lot of thinking, then stick to the sports pages. You don't belong in diplomacy. You probably shouldn't even be voting.
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
9.12.2009
Philadelphia Sex Slave Ring at Ramada
When hotels stop looking the other way on prostitution we all will be better off.
A Philadelphia Ramada Inn had six to eight of its rooms operating a sex slave and drug ring. The women were tied down, drugged and beaten while being prostituted.
It's one thing to patronize prostitutes. It's quite another to patronize prostitutes that are tied down, beaten up and drugged. Why aren't the clients being charged here?
A Philadelphia Ramada Inn had six to eight of its rooms operating a sex slave and drug ring. The women were tied down, drugged and beaten while being prostituted.
It's one thing to patronize prostitutes. It's quite another to patronize prostitutes that are tied down, beaten up and drugged. Why aren't the clients being charged here?
4.27.2009
The Newseum is a Tax-Evasion Fraud
The Newseum is a restaurant and location for catered events. The whole museum thing is a ruse to keep from paying taxes on the profits.
Very prime real estate is being used tax-free to make money. The apartments above the Newseum are not taxed at all. That is quite a bit of revenue that DC is missing out on because the official label of "non-profit museum" is attached to the function of the location.
The Newseum is not the only place running this scam. Half of these obscure museums are doing the same thing.
It's time that the Government wakes up and starts taxing these people!
DC, tourism, tourism industry, restaurants in DC, DC restaurants, museums, DC museums, tax cheats
Very prime real estate is being used tax-free to make money. The apartments above the Newseum are not taxed at all. That is quite a bit of revenue that DC is missing out on because the official label of "non-profit museum" is attached to the function of the location.
The Newseum is not the only place running this scam. Half of these obscure museums are doing the same thing.
It's time that the Government wakes up and starts taxing these people!
DC, tourism, tourism industry, restaurants in DC, DC restaurants, museums, DC museums, tax cheats
12.12.2008
The Inauguration: DUIs and Revelry
What are you doing for the Inauguration? The greedy little Washingtonian in me wanted to rent sleeping space at $150 a night. We have a big house and would do quite well by that.
But really, I don't want strangers all over the house. In fact, I didn't even want to leave the house for the festivities because of the mobs of people who will be coming to town. Just getting a pizza will be a struggle with those kinds of numbers.
And then, my little chickadees, the DC Government announced that bars will stay open Inaugural week until 5 a.m. That's when I decided not to leave my house for a week.
Now maybe I don't want to be an active part of the wild partying. Personally, I consider myself well past such things for many years now. I might even consider such a policy move as 24 hour drinking to be less than wise. However, when I heard members of Congress paternalistically yammering on about the evils of 24 hour drinking, I got annoyed. Who are those losers to tell the residents of the District of Columbia ANYTHING?
Maybe I don't want to party. Maybe I never do. Maybe a good time for my husband and I is discussing children's books from 1925. But, by God, don't let those interfering smarty pants in Congress tell me what's wise or not. Let's see Congress intervening on decisions in their local districts and watch how much they would scream and holler.
We don't care what you think, you stupid idiots. Shut up! Meanwhile, I'll be doing the funky chicken in the comfort of my living room.
But really, I don't want strangers all over the house. In fact, I didn't even want to leave the house for the festivities because of the mobs of people who will be coming to town. Just getting a pizza will be a struggle with those kinds of numbers.
And then, my little chickadees, the DC Government announced that bars will stay open Inaugural week until 5 a.m. That's when I decided not to leave my house for a week.
Now maybe I don't want to be an active part of the wild partying. Personally, I consider myself well past such things for many years now. I might even consider such a policy move as 24 hour drinking to be less than wise. However, when I heard members of Congress paternalistically yammering on about the evils of 24 hour drinking, I got annoyed. Who are those losers to tell the residents of the District of Columbia ANYTHING?
Maybe I don't want to party. Maybe I never do. Maybe a good time for my husband and I is discussing children's books from 1925. But, by God, don't let those interfering smarty pants in Congress tell me what's wise or not. Let's see Congress intervening on decisions in their local districts and watch how much they would scream and holler.
We don't care what you think, you stupid idiots. Shut up! Meanwhile, I'll be doing the funky chicken in the comfort of my living room.
3.10.2008
Russia Travel: An American in Moscow
Don't think being an American will protect you in Russia.
Paul Klebnikov, an American editor of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine, was shot to death outside of his offices. Forbes had been working on publishing a series of articles, including a list of the richest Russians. Klebnikov also had articles published exposing organized crime.
After he was shot, he was left to bleed to death in the lobby of the hospital. No one was ever arrested for the crime.
That's the New Russia for you.
Paul Klebnikov, an American editor of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine, was shot to death outside of his offices. Forbes had been working on publishing a series of articles, including a list of the richest Russians. Klebnikov also had articles published exposing organized crime.
After he was shot, he was left to bleed to death in the lobby of the hospital. No one was ever arrested for the crime.
That's the New Russia for you.
3.07.2008
Travel to Mother Russia!
So Russia is spending big bucks, according to the Washington Post, to improve its image abroad. And it might even work.
Forget Anna Politkovskaya, the journalist who was killed for reporting about the use of torture by the Russian government. Or the Russian editor of Fortune magazine who was gunned down in the lobby of his office building and then help was delayed until after he was dead. Forget the Russian expat who was murdered in London.
And that's what will happen. No one will remember or care that good, decent people who spoke out for basic human rights were killed by the Russian state. They won't think about the implications of that for their own lives, either.
Forget Anna Politkovskaya, the journalist who was killed for reporting about the use of torture by the Russian government. Or the Russian editor of Fortune magazine who was gunned down in the lobby of his office building and then help was delayed until after he was dead. Forget the Russian expat who was murdered in London.
And that's what will happen. No one will remember or care that good, decent people who spoke out for basic human rights were killed by the Russian state. They won't think about the implications of that for their own lives, either.
10.09.2006
Anna Politkovskaya
So who in their right mind will put their money in Russia now? Like it wasn't bad enough when the Russian editor of Forbes magazine was gunned down and left to bleed to death in an elevator.
Anna's death will not be in vain. Her personal sacrifice moved many people, including Econo-Girl.
What U.S. companies are invested in Russia now? Which have a financial interest in the success of the current regime? Let's find out. Then let's harass them. We shouldn't stay quiet on this topic. Big business flourishes in the U.S. because of people like us. We don't riot, for the most part, we pay taxes, we are stable. It our stability that big business stands on. They need it. All over the world, the U.S. dollar and equities are seen as safe havens for wealth. So let's use that. Let's make a vow to shake up Mother Russia.
Anna's death will not be in vain. Her personal sacrifice moved many people, including Econo-Girl.
What U.S. companies are invested in Russia now? Which have a financial interest in the success of the current regime? Let's find out. Then let's harass them. We shouldn't stay quiet on this topic. Big business flourishes in the U.S. because of people like us. We don't riot, for the most part, we pay taxes, we are stable. It our stability that big business stands on. They need it. All over the world, the U.S. dollar and equities are seen as safe havens for wealth. So let's use that. Let's make a vow to shake up Mother Russia.
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