Hawaii Five-O: Any Fans?

[T.Q.]

T.Q. you're Polish/Ukrainian?????????? Welcome to the club!! No wonder we get along so well.

I'm 100% Ukrainian!!! Born over there, immigrated here in 1991. Still speak and write in Ukrainian. And will teach my son the same!!

I know there's a huge Ukrainian population in Canada. I must have you over for some borscht!! Maybe Pahonu can join us too. He can regale us with architectural talk. No politics.

Sounds good.

We can talk about how we're responsible for everything bad in the world.

I make a mean borscht myself.

And pierogies and holupshi.

Don't speak a lick of Ukrainian (or Polish) though. Family immigrated to Canada 1900. I'm pure hockey and Maple Syrup in my blood.

[T.Q.]

A Short Walk on the Longshore

Pretty poor episode.

Although unrealistic, Honolulu was still small town, I liked McGarrett going undercover.

Liked seeing the airport (the way I remember as kid) and hotel street.

The building and strip club reminiscent of some Magnum episodes.

Seeing Hill Street Blue's Michael Conrad was cool.

The story wasn't great though.

MPI: Jim Demarest, Rodney Philip Aiu, Beau Vanden Ecker, Cliff Coleman, Reginold F.H. Ho, Jim Hutchison, Kathy Paulo, Al Waterson, Holy Mackerel

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

T.Q. you're Polish/Ukrainian?????????? Welcome to the club!! No wonder we get along so well.

I'm 100% Ukrainian!!! Born over there, immigrated here in 1991. Still speak and write in Ukrainian. And will teach my son the same!!

I know there's a huge Ukrainian population in Canada. I must have you over for some borscht!! Maybe Pahonu can join us too. He can regale us with architectural talk. No politics.

Sounds good.

We can talk about how we're responsible for everything bad in the world.

I make a mean borscht myself.

And pierogies and holupshi.

Don't speak a lick of Ukrainian (or Polish) though. Family immigrated to Canada 1900. I'm pure hockey and Maple Syrup in my blood.

Yum My wife makes excellent pierogies and borscht! And no one makes better holuptsi than my mom.

Flyers fan all the way myself! Unfortunately they suck this year. Nothing beats the Lindros, LeClair, Renberg era of my youth in the mid 90s.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

A Short Walk on the Longshore

Pretty poor episode.

Although unrealistic, Honolulu was still small town, I liked McGarrett going undercover.

Liked seeing the airport (the way I remember as kid) and hotel street.

The building and strip club reminiscent of some Magnum episodes.

Seeing Hill Street Blue's Michael Conrad was cool.

The story wasn't great though.

MPI: Jim Demarest, Rodney Philip Aiu, Beau Vanden Ecker, Cliff Coleman, Reginold F.H. Ho, Jim Hutchison, Kathy Paulo, Al Waterson, Holy Mackerel

Yeah, not much to say about this one. Never liked it. Crooked unions, etc. Not my thing. And McG undercover with his John Beck mustache! It's a far cry from his "cool" undercover roles that he had back in season 1, with "The Ways of Love" and "Six Kilos". There you believed he was undercover. He acted like a criminal, with his roguish charm and hip 60s lingo. Here he's just McG with a mustache. Yawn...

MPI: Jim Demarest, Rodney Philip Aiu, Beau Vanden Ecker, Cliff Coleman, Reginold F.H. Ho, Jim Hutchison, Kathy Paulo, Al Waterson, Holy Mackerel

Don't remember that guy.

[Pahonu]

It spread awareness of these past injustices and sought restitution. Whether someone feels guilty about the acts of past generations is a personal response.

Past generations of whom? Based on skin colour alone?

Should a Jamaican feel guilty for what the Hutus did to the Tutsis because they share the same skin colour?

Well, somehow I'm supposed to feel "gulity" for what the French and English did hundreds of years ago in Canada.

Heck, I'm even expected to feel "guilty" for what US slave owners did even though I'm a Canadian of Polish/Ukrainian descent.

Nonsensical.

Yes, everyone on the planet is aware of past injustices.

Progress has been made. I have sympathy for Native Hawaiians getting scr*wed (as an example) and like that there are attempts to right some past wrongs. I actually side with the Hawaiian people to a reasonable extent. Unfortunately, you can't just turn back the clock and hand them Waikiki and Ka'anapali.

The issue with Woke is it goes far beyond this. Everything has been turned into one giant white guilt and Identity Politics mess 24/7. They are now political weapons. Even a lot of classic liberals see this.

I was specifically talking about Native Americans in the excerpt you quoted and may no mention of skin color. You brought that to the conversation. Similar types of restitution have been made for the Jewish population regarding injustices during Nazi control in Germany. There could be monetary compensation for native Hawaiians, for example, such as one done to families of interned Japanese-Americans during WWII. I’m not asking you to feel guilty. I simply said that your statement that such things are history suggests there is nothing that be done about. That’s not true as explained above. Whether you or anyone wants to something about these things is a different question.

[Pahonu]

T.Q. you're Polish/Ukrainian?????????? Welcome to the club!! No wonder we get along so well.

I'm 100% Ukrainian!!! Born over there, immigrated here in 1991. Still speak and write in Ukrainian. And will teach my son the same!!

I know there's a huge Ukrainian population in Canada. I must have you over for some borscht!! Maybe Pahonu can join us too. He can regale us with architectural talk. No politics.

Hey Ivan,

I can tell you all I know about architecture , but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts about the current circumstances in Ukraine. I know that is political perhaps, but I’m interested in your take on it, particularly the seeming rise of Ukrainian nationalism in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was the time of your immigration it seems. I understand if you don’t want to get into it, but I very much enjoy hearing other’s perspectives. We don’t all have to agree about everything.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

T.Q. you're Polish/Ukrainian?????????? Welcome to the club!! No wonder we get along so well.

I'm 100% Ukrainian!!! Born over there, immigrated here in 1991. Still speak and write in Ukrainian. And will teach my son the same!!

I know there's a huge Ukrainian population in Canada. I must have you over for some borscht!! Maybe Pahonu can join us too. He can regale us with architectural talk. No politics.

Hey Ivan,

I can tell you all I know about architecture , but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts about the current circumstances in Ukraine. I know that is political perhaps, but I’m interested in your take on it, particularly the seeming rise of Ukrainian nationalism in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was the time of your immigration it seems. I understand if you don’t want to get into it, but I very much enjoy hearing other’s perspectives. We don’t all have to agree about everything.

Ukraine has always been very nationalistic, especially in the western part where I am from. I was born in Lviv, which is pretty much the heart of the Ukrainian language and culture. Kiev is kind of a melting pot. You'll hear the Russian language there a lot, even though the residents there are overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian. But Lviv is "home" for me where pretty much everyone speaks the Ukrainian language. We call it the REAL Ukraine. But the nationalistic spirit of many Ukrainians stems from the centuries of oppression under other nations and groups who tried (and in the case of Russia, still trying) to steal our valuable land and resources as well as erase our culture and identity. The Russification of our land during the last century under Soviet rule is a clear example. Just look at the eastern part of Ukraine. Or even the Russian language in the capital itself. Let's not forget the massive starvation ("Holodomor" holocaust) that Stalin orchestrated against Ukraine in the 1930s. Up to 10 million dead. Dead bodies littering the streets. And thanks to Stalin stooges like Walter Duranty of the New York Times (Stalin's #1 propagandist in the West) all this was glossed over and unreported, citing a bad crop year and that everyone was okay. There must be a special place in hell reserved for the likes of him. In any case, the Soviet years definitely left their mark. And before that it was pre-Soviet Russia, the Poles, the Turks and Tatars, Lithuania, and others who occupied our land. So yes the nationalistic spirit is something ingrained and passed down from generation to generation, lest we forget about ourselves as the Ukrainian people and our rich heritage.

As for what's going to happen now, who knows? No one can get inside Putin's head to figure out what that nut-job is up to. Just need to pray and see. The weakness of the current administration (especially after the debacle of the Afghan withdrawal) has given Putin more confidence. I think if he feels he needs to act, then now is the time. Because he knows Biden isn't sending any troops over. And he could care less about the sanctions. I think he's gotten used to them now.

[Pahonu]

T.Q. you're Polish/Ukrainian?????????? Welcome to the club!! No wonder we get along so well.

I'm 100% Ukrainian!!! Born over there, immigrated here in 1991. Still speak and write in Ukrainian. And will teach my son the same!!

I know there's a huge Ukrainian population in Canada. I must have you over for some borscht!! Maybe Pahonu can join us too. He can regale us with architectural talk. No politics.

Hey Ivan,

I can tell you all I know about architecture , but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts about the current circumstances in Ukraine. I know that is political perhaps, but I’m interested in your take on it, particularly the seeming rise of Ukrainian nationalism in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was the time of your immigration it seems. I understand if you don’t want to get into it, but I very much enjoy hearing other’s perspectives. We don’t all have to agree about everything.

Ukraine has always been very nationalistic, especially in the western part where I am from. I was born in Lviv, which is pretty much the heart of the Ukrainian language and culture. Kiev is kind of a melting pot. You'll hear the Russian language there a lot, even though the residents there are overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian. But Lviv is "home" for me where pretty much everyone speaks the Ukrainian language. We call it the REAL Ukraine. But the nationalistic spirit of many Ukrainians stems from the centuries of oppression under other nations and groups who tried (and in the case of Russia, still trying) to steal our valuable land and resources as well as erase our culture and identity. The Russification of our land during the last century under Soviet rule is a clear example. Just look at the eastern part of Ukraine. Or even the Russian language in the capital itself. Let's not forget the massive starvation ("Holodomor" holocaust) that Stalin orchestrated against Ukraine in the 1930s. Up to 10 million dead. Dead bodies littering the streets. And thanks to Stalin stooges like Walter Duranty of the New York Times (Stalin's #1 propagandist in the West) all this was glossed over and unreported, citing a bad crop year and that everyone was okay. There must be a special place in hell reserved for the likes of him. In any case, the Soviet years definitely left their mark. And before that it was pre-Soviet Russia, the Poles, the Turks and Tatars, Lithuania, and others who occupied our land. So yes the nationalistic spirit is something ingrained and passed down from generation to generation, lest we forget about ourselves as the Ukrainian people and our rich heritage.

As for what's going to happen now, who knows? No one can get inside Putin's head to figure out what that nut-job is up to. Just need to pray and see. The weakness of the current administration (especially after the debacle of the Afghan withdrawal) has given Putin more confidence. I think if he feels he needs to act, then now is the time. Because he knows Biden isn't sending any troops over. And he could care less about the sanctions. I think he's gotten used to them now.

Thank you for the detailed response! You may be pleased to hear that I teach about the Holodomar in my European history class. We read excerpts from the writings of surviving Kulaks as they described the “Red Trains” stealing their belongings and the resulting famine and staggering loss of life. Your description of the bodies in the streets is depicted vividly in the writings and photos.

Just last week I listened to a fascinating program on NPR called On Point. It wasn’t political, but sought to understand Ukrainian identity both today and in the last couple of centuries. The host interviewed a Ukrainian professor from Odessa, I believe, and also a Tatar professor from Crimea. It was excellent.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510053/on-point
Feb. 8

I’ve been encouraged by the relative cohesiveness of the NATO member nations in response to Putin’s aggression. I don’t think a unilateral response by the US would be effective, so I hope the multilateral cooperation continues. It seems as if Putin is trying to erase a Ukrainian identity with his claims to justify his aggression.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

T.Q. you're Polish/Ukrainian?????????? Welcome to the club!! No wonder we get along so well.

I'm 100% Ukrainian!!! Born over there, immigrated here in 1991. Still speak and write in Ukrainian. And will teach my son the same!!

I know there's a huge Ukrainian population in Canada. I must have you over for some borscht!! Maybe Pahonu can join us too. He can regale us with architectural talk. No politics.

Hey Ivan,

I can tell you all I know about architecture , but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts about the current circumstances in Ukraine. I know that is political perhaps, but I’m interested in your take on it, particularly the seeming rise of Ukrainian nationalism in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was the time of your immigration it seems. I understand if you don’t want to get into it, but I very much enjoy hearing other’s perspectives. We don’t all have to agree about everything.

Ukraine has always been very nationalistic, especially in the western part where I am from. I was born in Lviv, which is pretty much the heart of the Ukrainian language and culture. Kiev is kind of a melting pot. You'll hear the Russian language there a lot, even though the residents there are overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian. But Lviv is "home" for me where pretty much everyone speaks the Ukrainian language. We call it the REAL Ukraine. But the nationalistic spirit of many Ukrainians stems from the centuries of oppression under other nations and groups who tried (and in the case of Russia, still trying) to steal our valuable land and resources as well as erase our culture and identity. The Russification of our land during the last century under Soviet rule is a clear example. Just look at the eastern part of Ukraine. Or even the Russian language in the capital itself. Let's not forget the massive starvation ("Holodomor" holocaust) that Stalin orchestrated against Ukraine in the 1930s. Up to 10 million dead. Dead bodies littering the streets. And thanks to Stalin stooges like Walter Duranty of the New York Times (Stalin's #1 propagandist in the West) all this was glossed over and unreported, citing a bad crop year and that everyone was okay. There must be a special place in hell reserved for the likes of him. In any case, the Soviet years definitely left their mark. And before that it was pre-Soviet Russia, the Poles, the Turks and Tatars, Lithuania, and others who occupied our land. So yes the nationalistic spirit is something ingrained and passed down from generation to generation, lest we forget about ourselves as the Ukrainian people and our rich heritage.

As for what's going to happen now, who knows? No one can get inside Putin's head to figure out what that nut-job is up to. Just need to pray and see. The weakness of the current administration (especially after the debacle of the Afghan withdrawal) has given Putin more confidence. I think if he feels he needs to act, then now is the time. Because he knows Biden isn't sending any troops over. And he could care less about the sanctions. I think he's gotten used to them now.

Thank you for the detailed response! You may be pleased to hear that I teach about the Holodomar in my European history class. We read excerpts from the writings of surviving Kulaks as they described the “Red Trains” stealing their belongings and the resulting famine and staggering loss of life. Your description of the bodies in the streets is depicted vividly in the writings and photos.

Just last week I listened to a fascinating program on NPR called On Point. It wasn’t political, but sought to understand Ukrainian identity both today and in the last couple of centuries. The host interviewed a Ukrainian professor from Odessa, I believe, and also a Tatar professor from Crimea. It was excellent.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510053/on-point
Feb. 8

I’ve been encouraged by the relative cohesiveness of the NATO member nations in response to Putin’s aggression. I don’t think a unilateral response by the US would be effective, so I hope the multilateral cooperation continues. It seems as if Putin is trying to erase a Ukrainian identity with his claims to justify his aggression.

Yes, it's very important for people to learn and know about the Holodomor. Everyone knows about the Jewish Holocaust but so few know or hear about the Ukrainian one. Just as massive and horrific. Thank you for teaching about this.

Yep, those "Red Trains" took away all the people's belongings, took all of their grain away, leaving them to starve to death. They also took people away to the gulags. Whole families. My mother's entire family was almost taken away from their village. They were already on the train. My mom wasn't even born yet. But she had 9 other siblings who were already alive and whose lives would have forever been changed.

Putin is still pissed that Ukraine has renamed all of its Soviet-themed streets and names with those reflecting Ukrainian heritage, something that happened soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union and Ukrainian Independence in 1991. And every time a statue of Stepan Bandera goes up in Ukraine he can't help but boil with rage. I can't stand the arrogance of someone like this who thinks he can meddle in another country's affairs and dictate to us what statues we should or shouldn't erect. Unbelievable!! Bandera fought for Ukrainian independence and killed lots of Soviets. Good!

[Pahonu]

T.Q. you're Polish/Ukrainian?????????? Welcome to the club!! No wonder we get along so well.

I'm 100% Ukrainian!!! Born over there, immigrated here in 1991. Still speak and write in Ukrainian. And will teach my son the same!!

I know there's a huge Ukrainian population in Canada. I must have you over for some borscht!! Maybe Pahonu can join us too. He can regale us with architectural talk. No politics.

Hey Ivan,

I can tell you all I know about architecture , but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts about the current circumstances in Ukraine. I know that is political perhaps, but I’m interested in your take on it, particularly the seeming rise of Ukrainian nationalism in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was the time of your immigration it seems. I understand if you don’t want to get into it, but I very much enjoy hearing other’s perspectives. We don’t all have to agree about everything.

Ukraine has always been very nationalistic, especially in the western part where I am from. I was born in Lviv, which is pretty much the heart of the Ukrainian language and culture. Kiev is kind of a melting pot. You'll hear the Russian language there a lot, even though the residents there are overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian. But Lviv is "home" for me where pretty much everyone speaks the Ukrainian language. We call it the REAL Ukraine. But the nationalistic spirit of many Ukrainians stems from the centuries of oppression under other nations and groups who tried (and in the case of Russia, still trying) to steal our valuable land and resources as well as erase our culture and identity. The Russification of our land during the last century under Soviet rule is a clear example. Just look at the eastern part of Ukraine. Or even the Russian language in the capital itself. Let's not forget the massive starvation ("Holodomor" holocaust) that Stalin orchestrated against Ukraine in the 1930s. Up to 10 million dead. Dead bodies littering the streets. And thanks to Stalin stooges like Walter Duranty of the New York Times (Stalin's #1 propagandist in the West) all this was glossed over and unreported, citing a bad crop year and that everyone was okay. There must be a special place in hell reserved for the likes of him. In any case, the Soviet years definitely left their mark. And before that it was pre-Soviet Russia, the Poles, the Turks and Tatars, Lithuania, and others who occupied our land. So yes the nationalistic spirit is something ingrained and passed down from generation to generation, lest we forget about ourselves as the Ukrainian people and our rich heritage.

As for what's going to happen now, who knows? No one can get inside Putin's head to figure out what that nut-job is up to. Just need to pray and see. The weakness of the current administration (especially after the debacle of the Afghan withdrawal) has given Putin more confidence. I think if he feels he needs to act, then now is the time. Because he knows Biden isn't sending any troops over. And he could care less about the sanctions. I think he's gotten used to them now.

Thank you for the detailed response! You may be pleased to hear that I teach about the Holodomar in my European history class. We read excerpts from the writings of surviving Kulaks as they described the “Red Trains” stealing their belongings and the resulting famine and staggering loss of life. Your description of the bodies in the streets is depicted vividly in the writings and photos.

Just last week I listened to a fascinating program on NPR called On Point. It wasn’t political, but sought to understand Ukrainian identity both today and in the last couple of centuries. The host interviewed a Ukrainian professor from Odessa, I believe, and also a Tatar professor from Crimea. It was excellent.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510053/on-point
Feb. 8

I’ve been encouraged by the relative cohesiveness of the NATO member nations in response to Putin’s aggression. I don’t think a unilateral response by the US would be effective, so I hope the multilateral cooperation continues. It seems as if Putin is trying to erase a Ukrainian identity with his claims to justify his aggression.

Yes, it's very important for people to learn and know about the Holodomor. Everyone knows about the Jewish Holocaust but so few know or hear about the Ukrainian one. Just as massive and horrific. Thank you for teaching about this.

Yep, those "Red Trains" took away all the people's belongings, took all of their grain away, leaving them to starve to death. They also took people away to the gulags. Whole families. My mother's entire family was almost taken away from their village. They were already on the train. My mom wasn't even born yet. But she had 9 other siblings who were already alive and whose lives would have forever been changed.

Putin is still pissed that Ukraine has renamed all of its Soviet-themed streets and names with those reflecting Ukrainian heritage, something that happened soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union and Ukrainian Independence in 1991. And every time a statue of Stepan Bandera goes up in Ukraine he can't help but boil with rage. I can't stand the arrogance of someone like this who thinks he can meddle in another country's affairs and dictate to us what statues we should or shouldn't erect. Unbelievable!! Bandera fought for Ukrainian independence and killed lots of Soviets. Good!

Perhaps the biggest disagreement in all the recent negotiations has been Putins insistence on a promise that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO. It is his red line, excuse the unintended pun, and I agree, it is stunningly arrogant to force this issue. That is a decision to be made by the Ukrainian people and their leaders, and NATO member nations.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Hey Ivan,

I can tell you all I know about architecture , but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts about the current circumstances in Ukraine. I know that is political perhaps, but I’m interested in your take on it, particularly the seeming rise of Ukrainian nationalism in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was the time of your immigration it seems. I understand if you don’t want to get into it, but I very much enjoy hearing other’s perspectives. We don’t all have to agree about everything.

Ukraine has always been very nationalistic, especially in the western part where I am from. I was born in Lviv, which is pretty much the heart of the Ukrainian language and culture. Kiev is kind of a melting pot. You'll hear the Russian language there a lot, even though the residents there are overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian. But Lviv is "home" for me where pretty much everyone speaks the Ukrainian language. We call it the REAL Ukraine. But the nationalistic spirit of many Ukrainians stems from the centuries of oppression under other nations and groups who tried (and in the case of Russia, still trying) to steal our valuable land and resources as well as erase our culture and identity. The Russification of our land during the last century under Soviet rule is a clear example. Just look at the eastern part of Ukraine. Or even the Russian language in the capital itself. Let's not forget the massive starvation ("Holodomor" holocaust) that Stalin orchestrated against Ukraine in the 1930s. Up to 10 million dead. Dead bodies littering the streets. And thanks to Stalin stooges like Walter Duranty of the New York Times (Stalin's #1 propagandist in the West) all this was glossed over and unreported, citing a bad crop year and that everyone was okay. There must be a special place in hell reserved for the likes of him. In any case, the Soviet years definitely left their mark. And before that it was pre-Soviet Russia, the Poles, the Turks and Tatars, Lithuania, and others who occupied our land. So yes the nationalistic spirit is something ingrained and passed down from generation to generation, lest we forget about ourselves as the Ukrainian people and our rich heritage.

As for what's going to happen now, who knows? No one can get inside Putin's head to figure out what that nut-job is up to. Just need to pray and see. The weakness of the current administration (especially after the debacle of the Afghan withdrawal) has given Putin more confidence. I think if he feels he needs to act, then now is the time. Because he knows Biden isn't sending any troops over. And he could care less about the sanctions. I think he's gotten used to them now.

Thank you for the detailed response! You may be pleased to hear that I teach about the Holodomar in my European history class. We read excerpts from the writings of surviving Kulaks as they described the “Red Trains” stealing their belongings and the resulting famine and staggering loss of life. Your description of the bodies in the streets is depicted vividly in the writings and photos.

Just last week I listened to a fascinating program on NPR called On Point. It wasn’t political, but sought to understand Ukrainian identity both today and in the last couple of centuries. The host interviewed a Ukrainian professor from Odessa, I believe, and also a Tatar professor from Crimea. It was excellent.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510053/on-point
Feb. 8

I’ve been encouraged by the relative cohesiveness of the NATO member nations in response to Putin’s aggression. I don’t think a unilateral response by the US would be effective, so I hope the multilateral cooperation continues. It seems as if Putin is trying to erase a Ukrainian identity with his claims to justify his aggression.

Yes, it's very important for people to learn and know about the Holodomor. Everyone knows about the Jewish Holocaust but so few know or hear about the Ukrainian one. Just as massive and horrific. Thank you for teaching about this.

Yep, those "Red Trains" took away all the people's belongings, took all of their grain away, leaving them to starve to death. They also took people away to the gulags. Whole families. My mother's entire family was almost taken away from their village. They were already on the train. My mom wasn't even born yet. But she had 9 other siblings who were already alive and whose lives would have forever been changed.

Putin is still pissed that Ukraine has renamed all of its Soviet-themed streets and names with those reflecting Ukrainian heritage, something that happened soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union and Ukrainian Independence in 1991. And every time a statue of Stepan Bandera goes up in Ukraine he can't help but boil with rage. I can't stand the arrogance of someone like this who thinks he can meddle in another country's affairs and dictate to us what statues we should or shouldn't erect. Unbelievable!! Bandera fought for Ukrainian independence and killed lots of Soviets. Good!

Perhaps the biggest disagreement in all the recent negotiations has been Putins insistence on a promise that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO. It is his red line, excuse the unintended pun, and I agree, it is stunningly arrogant to force this issue. That is a decision to be made by the Ukrainian people and their leaders, and NATO member nations.

Absolutely! That's arrogance at its worst!!! So Ukraine, a sovereign nation, does not have a say in whether it wants to join NATO or not. Putin does. He speaks for the Ukrainian people. Of course if he annexes all of Ukraine (not just Crimea) to be a part of Mother Russia then that simplifies things for him, doesn't it? But then won't he still share a border with a NATO member? Poland. And Slovakia. So he'll still have NATO troops on his border. It's all just an excuse to reach into Ukraine and keep it under his grip. Out of all the former Soviet republics Ukraine was always the most important for Russia. Ukraine is so rich in resources. Russia is just one big barren and frozen landscape.

[Pahonu]

Ukraine has always been very nationalistic, especially in the western part where I am from. I was born in Lviv, which is pretty much the heart of the Ukrainian language and culture. Kiev is kind of a melting pot. You'll hear the Russian language there a lot, even though the residents there are overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian. But Lviv is "home" for me where pretty much everyone speaks the Ukrainian language. We call it the REAL Ukraine. But the nationalistic spirit of many Ukrainians stems from the centuries of oppression under other nations and groups who tried (and in the case of Russia, still trying) to steal our valuable land and resources as well as erase our culture and identity. The Russification of our land during the last century under Soviet rule is a clear example. Just look at the eastern part of Ukraine. Or even the Russian language in the capital itself. Let's not forget the massive starvation ("Holodomor" holocaust) that Stalin orchestrated against Ukraine in the 1930s. Up to 10 million dead. Dead bodies littering the streets. And thanks to Stalin stooges like Walter Duranty of the New York Times (Stalin's #1 propagandist in the West) all this was glossed over and unreported, citing a bad crop year and that everyone was okay. There must be a special place in hell reserved for the likes of him. In any case, the Soviet years definitely left their mark. And before that it was pre-Soviet Russia, the Poles, the Turks and Tatars, Lithuania, and others who occupied our land. So yes the nationalistic spirit is something ingrained and passed down from generation to generation, lest we forget about ourselves as the Ukrainian people and our rich heritage.

As for what's going to happen now, who knows? No one can get inside Putin's head to figure out what that nut-job is up to. Just need to pray and see. The weakness of the current administration (especially after the debacle of the Afghan withdrawal) has given Putin more confidence. I think if he feels he needs to act, then now is the time. Because he knows Biden isn't sending any troops over. And he could care less about the sanctions. I think he's gotten used to them now.

Thank you for the detailed response! You may be pleased to hear that I teach about the Holodomar in my European history class. We read excerpts from the writings of surviving Kulaks as they described the “Red Trains” stealing their belongings and the resulting famine and staggering loss of life. Your description of the bodies in the streets is depicted vividly in the writings and photos.

Just last week I listened to a fascinating program on NPR called On Point. It wasn’t political, but sought to understand Ukrainian identity both today and in the last couple of centuries. The host interviewed a Ukrainian professor from Odessa, I believe, and also a Tatar professor from Crimea. It was excellent.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510053/on-point
Feb. 8

I’ve been encouraged by the relative cohesiveness of the NATO member nations in response to Putin’s aggression. I don’t think a unilateral response by the US would be effective, so I hope the multilateral cooperation continues. It seems as if Putin is trying to erase a Ukrainian identity with his claims to justify his aggression.

Yes, it's very important for people to learn and know about the Holodomor. Everyone knows about the Jewish Holocaust but so few know or hear about the Ukrainian one. Just as massive and horrific. Thank you for teaching about this.

Yep, those "Red Trains" took away all the people's belongings, took all of their grain away, leaving them to starve to death. They also took people away to the gulags. Whole families. My mother's entire family was almost taken away from their village. They were already on the train. My mom wasn't even born yet. But she had 9 other siblings who were already alive and whose lives would have forever been changed.

Putin is still pissed that Ukraine has renamed all of its Soviet-themed streets and names with those reflecting Ukrainian heritage, something that happened soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union and Ukrainian Independence in 1991. And every time a statue of Stepan Bandera goes up in Ukraine he can't help but boil with rage. I can't stand the arrogance of someone like this who thinks he can meddle in another country's affairs and dictate to us what statues we should or shouldn't erect. Unbelievable!! Bandera fought for Ukrainian independence and killed lots of Soviets. Good!

Perhaps the biggest disagreement in all the recent negotiations has been Putins insistence on a promise that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO. It is his red line, excuse the unintended pun, and I agree, it is stunningly arrogant to force this issue. That is a decision to be made by the Ukrainian people and their leaders, and NATO member nations.

Absolutely! That's arrogance at its worst!!! So Ukraine, a sovereign nation, does not have a say in whether it wants to join NATO or not. Putin does. He speaks for the Ukrainian people. Of course if he annexes all of Ukraine (not just Crimea) to be a part of Mother Russia then that simplifies things for him, doesn't it? But then won't he still share a border with a NATO member? Poland. And Slovakia. So he'll still have NATO troops on his border. It's all just an excuse to reach into Ukraine and keep it under his grip. Out of all the former Soviet republics Ukraine was always the most important for Russia. Ukraine is so rich in resources. Russia is just one big barren and frozen landscape.

My understanding is that Ukraine has some of the best farmland in the whole region, perhaps all of Europe, plus significant mineral and petroleum deposits. I also think part of Putins goal is simply restoring the once large influence Moscow had before the collapse of the Soviet Union. This is about regional hegemony at a very basic level.

[T.Q.]

The Silk Trap

Better episode.

A good example of watching a show from 40-50 years ago meaning the story has been done a million times since (was probably very original at the time) but a good episode and probably original at the time.

Good scene when Congressman Carr denies David Chung was the bad guy in McGarrett's office because his wife was snatched.

Like seeing the War Memorial.

MPI: Soon-Tek Oh, Shannon Wilcox (Higgin's stripper Haha), Jo Pruden, Douglas Mossman, Benjamin C. Jaus

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Thank you for the detailed response! You may be pleased to hear that I teach about the Holodomar in my European history class. We read excerpts from the writings of surviving Kulaks as they described the “Red Trains” stealing their belongings and the resulting famine and staggering loss of life. Your description of the bodies in the streets is depicted vividly in the writings and photos.

Just last week I listened to a fascinating program on NPR called On Point. It wasn’t political, but sought to understand Ukrainian identity both today and in the last couple of centuries. The host interviewed a Ukrainian professor from Odessa, I believe, and also a Tatar professor from Crimea. It was excellent.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510053/on-point
Feb. 8

I’ve been encouraged by the relative cohesiveness of the NATO member nations in response to Putin’s aggression. I don’t think a unilateral response by the US would be effective, so I hope the multilateral cooperation continues. It seems as if Putin is trying to erase a Ukrainian identity with his claims to justify his aggression.

Yes, it's very important for people to learn and know about the Holodomor. Everyone knows about the Jewish Holocaust but so few know or hear about the Ukrainian one. Just as massive and horrific. Thank you for teaching about this.

Yep, those "Red Trains" took away all the people's belongings, took all of their grain away, leaving them to starve to death. They also took people away to the gulags. Whole families. My mother's entire family was almost taken away from their village. They were already on the train. My mom wasn't even born yet. But she had 9 other siblings who were already alive and whose lives would have forever been changed.

Putin is still pissed that Ukraine has renamed all of its Soviet-themed streets and names with those reflecting Ukrainian heritage, something that happened soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union and Ukrainian Independence in 1991. And every time a statue of Stepan Bandera goes up in Ukraine he can't help but boil with rage. I can't stand the arrogance of someone like this who thinks he can meddle in another country's affairs and dictate to us what statues we should or shouldn't erect. Unbelievable!! Bandera fought for Ukrainian independence and killed lots of Soviets. Good!

Perhaps the biggest disagreement in all the recent negotiations has been Putins insistence on a promise that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO. It is his red line, excuse the unintended pun, and I agree, it is stunningly arrogant to force this issue. That is a decision to be made by the Ukrainian people and their leaders, and NATO member nations.

Absolutely! That's arrogance at its worst!!! So Ukraine, a sovereign nation, does not have a say in whether it wants to join NATO or not. Putin does. He speaks for the Ukrainian people. Of course if he annexes all of Ukraine (not just Crimea) to be a part of Mother Russia then that simplifies things for him, doesn't it? But then won't he still share a border with a NATO member? Poland. And Slovakia. So he'll still have NATO troops on his border. It's all just an excuse to reach into Ukraine and keep it under his grip. Out of all the former Soviet republics Ukraine was always the most important for Russia. Ukraine is so rich in resources. Russia is just one big barren and frozen landscape.

My understanding is that Ukraine has some of the best farmland in the whole region, perhaps all of Europe, plus significant mineral and petroleum deposits. I also think part of Putins goal is simply restoring the once large influence Moscow had before the collapse of the Soviet Union. This is about regional hegemony at a very basic level.

This is true. Ukraine has very fertile soil, called "chornozem" (which means "black soil"). This is why Ukraine is often called the "bread basket of Europe". With an abundance of other resources. It's also pretty much the largest country land-wise in all of Europe. This is something that many for some reason don't realize. My neighbor asked me what does Putin want with a small country like Ukraine. I'm guessing he hasn't looked at the map recently. Maybe compared to Russia it's small (what country isn't?) but compared to other European countries it's the largest of the bunch, larger than France or Spain.

Yep it's all about Russian influence in the region. Putin wants it to be the Soviet Union again, even if it doesn't go by that same exact name.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

The Silk Trap

Better episode.

A good example of watching a show from 40-50 years ago meaning the story has been done a million times since (was probably very original at the time) but a good episode and probably original at the time.

Good scene when Congressman Carr denies David Chung was the bad guy in McGarrett's office because his wife was snatched.

Like seeing the War Memorial.

MPI: Soon-Tek Oh, Shannon Wilcox (Higgin's stripper Haha), Jo Pruden, Douglas Mossman, Benjamin C. Jaus

Yep, this is definitely a better episode than the previous "Longshore" one. Beauty pageants, politics, and blackmail. That's alright in my book. David Birney is well cast as the politician with an image to protect. He just looks like the Washington type. Shades of Kennedy there I think. Not much else to say about it. Nothing great but not bad either.

What aspect did you think was original at the time? The feminism of the Shannon Wilcox character?