| May 10, 2011 Hi, Eugene! I am so exited about your graduation from the university we used to attend together. Isn't it interesting how things are changing over time? No so long ago, I used to be taught by a system based on 70-80 years of experience of a superpower which finally failed both literally as a government structure and figuratively as a doctrine to bring a bright future to millions of people. Those people were also taught by the system of education which seemed to be ideal. But it only seemed so... I am very glad though that you were able to find work close related to your major. At the same time, while I am sitting now on Ocean beach, why does that star in the west seemed so bright and so warm to me? Maybe because of the free smell of the sea coming to the shore, it is so desirable and wanted. I know the answer! That star gives me Liberty! Freedom of choice and opportunity are the main tenets of higher education in the USA which makes this star brighter. There are, in my opinion, some differences between the American and Belarus systems of education. The first and very important difference between these two systems of the higher education is the materials of the lectures. In Belarus, professors in the universities don't review all the materials to choose the best of them. They prefer to dictate some old, very theoretical materials because those materials are based on the current economic system, which doesn't have enough progressive support for the system of higher education. For instance, in Logistics class, the professor gives information about Mechanical Scales which were produced twenty years ago or about the "Kursk" machine, which isn't even produced anymore. In contrast, the professors in American colleges give their students all the necessary knowledge; thus all theoretical materials in universities and colleges in the USA are based on practical experience. For example, in a Logistics class. an American professor gives information about a new computerized system of delivery optimization, called MIT. Second, the delivery of lectures is different. In Belarus, most of the professors just read their own books on lectures and push the students to take notes without any reasonable explanation according to the old tradition of higher education. For instance, professors were taught that dictating the materials leads to better memorization. On the other hand, In America the professors try to give information in a way which is very helpful. For example, an oceanography professor demonstrates the "eddies" by showing a movie about the process. US professors make lectures interesting for the students by giving them examples from the "real" life. For instance, a math professor explains derivatives by using a car as an example. Last, the course sequence and selection are very different. In Belarus colleges no one can choose a class or a professor. It is already given by the administration of the college, which is not convenient. Despite the fact that some students work in the morning, there are many classes in the morning, and the students have to go to these classes. In contrast, in the USA the students can create their own program of study taking step by step the classes they want and the professors who are good. For instance, the student can choose classes in the evening if he works in the morning. But I hope, my friend, that regardless of the place where we received our education, we will make this planet brighter just like that star. 
 May 10, 2011 Hi, Eugene! How is your reading going?  Have you already read the book which I recommended to you the last time we chatted on skype? In my opinion, that trip to the Moon described by Jules Verne reflects the never ending human desire to invent and explore. Those two things often come together in the shape of new technology. That in turn directly forms scientific progress, but the implementation of the new machines and methods of operation could be sufficient only if the society is ready for those changes which new technology aims to make. Either traditions or rational thinking could influence the wideness of the usage of new technology in each particular country. Never can the society that highly depends on its old traditions allow new technology to rise and grow even if the country possesses many talented and smart scientists who are able to enrich humanity by inventing new machines. Never will positive changes occur in the countries which prefer to burn coal instead of using green energy. Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that the stagnation in development due to the lack of appreciation of new technology still exists in some countries, other societies are progressing not only in technological development but also in the way people think about the positive changes that modern science could make for the planet.
The mind-set of humanity as a reflection of new technology is gradually changing to the benefit of the natural environment. For instance, people's attitude toward the possibility of sustainable sources of green energy becomes more positive as dozens of new alternative sources of energy become available. Built by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Solargenix Energy in 2007, Nevada Solar One power station is capable of generating 64MW of power. This solar plant, located in Boulder City, Nevada is the perfect example of the effectiveness of the generation of alternative energy. Another even more powerful plant will be built soon in Riverside, California. The Blythe Solar Power Plant which would be of parabolic design is supposed to generate 968 MW of alternative thermal energy. In addition, the number of schools and businesses which use photovoltaic solar panels, which transfer solar radiation directly into electrical energy, is increasing nowadays all over the world. Some companies actually offer to build small solar panels on the roofs of houses for a comparatively affordable price. This new type of product indicates very important changes in the social thinking about the future and the way it must look. Green energy is one of the popular issues in societies, especially well developed ones. People have even started believing that oil could be replaced by cheap sources of energy, and science is working order to make that belief actually happen. Recently, new car companies have emerged which propose to market new electro cars. Tesla Motors is one of the first. No longer will cars pollute the atmosphere! Moreover, over 30 new companies like Spark Electric Vehicles and Venturi are ready to offer the new electro cars for the green market which is tired of oil price changes. The future is on the way, and I personally believe that it will be GREEN!
 April 27, 2011 Hi, Eugene! I hope you succeed in making dinner for your girlfriend and her parents! :) I hope you used the recipe which I gave you last time for the correct way of cooking potatoes with chicken! :) Remembering to use only fresh ingredients is very important for that dish! Even though the freshness of vegetables and fruits is not an issue in Belarus, there are always concerns about pesticide usage in agriculture, especially while businesses are trying to maximize profits regardless of pollution and the land devastation. Emerging from the industrial era when new sources of fertilizer became available, the problem of pollution of the soil by pesticide usage became known as one of the major threats to the biological diversity of the ecosystems of the world. For instance, in America, the issue of harm caused by agricultural chemicals was put into public consideration. Though many farmers still use pesticides dangerous to the ecosystem, many of them, like DDT, were successfully banned. In spite of the fact that the economy gains from pesticide usage, some serious problems arise from the use of chemicals in agriculture. By utilizing pesticides in agriculture, people gain some economic benefit. First of all, the US economy distributes $50 billion worth of agricultural products, 40% of which are sold abroad as exports. Second, the implementation of pesticides during the last century helped to save millions of lives from such terrible diseases as malaria, yellow fever, sleeping sickness, bubonic plague and typhoid. Moreover, economists have calculated even the physiological effect of using of pesticides in agriculture. They suggest that those chemicals actually lowered the physiological damage from damaged fruit from 90 to 20 per cent. Finally, pesticides, as some scientists think, have reduced the populations of insects that harm forests like budworm and gypsy moth. However, neither large economic gains nor the eradication of dangerous insects can compensate the cons of pesticide usage. The main danger for humanity from pesticide use is the nonspecific character of those chemicals which affects large numbers of plants destroying ecosystems. Moreover, the use of pesticides is becoming more irrelevant since larger and larger numbers of plants and insects are becoming resistant to agriculture chemicals. Today, about 255 plants and 500 different types of insects are resistant to chemicals, which is 5 times more than 50 years ago. Finally, there is no guarantee that those various chemicals don't destroy our own bodies as they contain poisonous components. In order to be self-sufficient in the future, the agricultural industry should decide the way of development carefully considering the influence of chemicals on ecosystems and on human health.  April 12, 2011 Hi, Eugene! I am so exited that you are getting used to swimming:) Finally! Do you remember that weekend when we went to Pacifica beach and I taught you how to surf? Wasn't it crazy? I mean, putting a man who could hardly swim at all into the ocean and persuading him to surf and catch the waves was absolutely insane although you sometimes enjoy that:) That swimming in the cold ocean was an extremely important step for you, in my opinion, toward becoming a better swimmer. Do you remember what I said about the ocean? "Feel the Ocean." The ocean isn't only a place containing billions of gallons of water. It is a spiritual place where people reunite with the secret spots of their souls and understand the universal link between humans and the environment, and surfing is a tool for that process. Just imagine: an enormous wave coming towards you, and nothing in this life could possibly be scarier and more exciting at the same time. What is your feeling when you are in the ocean within this cascade of beautiful and dangerous mountains called waves? Does the reality which you were a part of just a quarter of mile away onshore seem ridiculously small? Does the wind and salt water make you feel that you are a part of something bigger, and huge waves shaking you like an insect make you feel that you are a really small part of the Universe? I like the ocean since it gives me an incredible opportunity to look at the world from a side which we human beings hardly ever see because of our inability to be brave and not to be afraid of being connected with our own inner sense. The ocean is pure, and neither problems nor happiness touch the mind of the surfer. He is free of routine and that life which he's left behind onshore. Sport? Not, it is not just a human competition. There isn't any competition at all. The ocean does not like competition, or perhaps it doesn't even consider the way people behave in its presence a competition. The only competition which is possible while surfing is the competition with yourself. While surfing, brave people become braver and stronger, and the others simply don't come back. It is a test whoever you are, a man with strong soul or just somebody who aims to spend life without any sense. The exciting part, though, in all this process is that you need to surf and to fight in order to feel the link between the ocean and you which becomes stronger and stronger after your soul attempts to reopen itself. Simply waiting and lying on the beach will not give people the same results. Surfing is a projection of your own identity in the mirror of an enormous power called the Ocean.  March 22, 2011 Hi, Eugene! I am so excited that you bought your first car. I hope you will enjoy driving that little red rocket on Minsk's freeways, and so will your girlfriend.:) Be careful at the red signs because there are many greedy police officers. They never sleep.:) I am wondering, though, how you got it from Poland due to those restrictions on imports. Belarus should learn a lot in terms of economic policy from the USA. For instance, the American government regulates the actions of some big corporations by antitrust laws and regulations giving a chance to small business to survive and positively affect social development. Although the power of mega corporations controls a lot of economic activities, America still a holds balance between monopolization of industries and the spread of small firms. America has always been famous for enormously large corporations which influence many aspects of life, not only economic but also social development. Some of those corporations, like JP Morgan which played a significant role in Woodrow Wilson's economic policy in terms of expansion abroad, even influenced other nations in some periods of their history. Big corporations still have a lot of power in the country and control a huge amount of economic activities. However, the influence of those corporations is controversial. Those corporations could possibly be very dangerous for local communities because they could destroy many businesses in local areas which are very important for people in terms of income. The consumption of those big corporations accelerates by the special policy of firms which use a predatory pricing strategy during the implementation of the business and keep prices relatively low in the future. At the very beginning the old small firms struggle to survive in price wars with those big corporations, and many of them eventually die. Even if small companies could survive during this economic expansion of mega-corporations, they would be forced by the market to increase the price of their products and suffer from the loss of profits which would result in a decrease in the overall wealth of the middle class who depend on their income from small business. In general, the whole society would be affected from the bad influence of big corporations' expansion. But!!! American society has an incredible power to change things to their benefit, and if the society suffers from something, it would eliminate that bad influence, or at least restricted it in democratic way, of course. For instance, if some corporations began influencing the economy in large amounts of output and forced other companies out of the market, the government would make restrictions on the company in terms of monopoly regulations, so that the small companies would be able to continue their commercial activity. In spite of the fact that Americans often criticize their government, the society can still could regulate a relatively large part of the economic activity through the government. In my opinion, Americans could just keep the balance in the economy so that the harmony in the country will remain alive.:)  March 15, 2011 Hi, Eugene! I am happy to tell you that I have received your message in which you told me about the marketing company. I am very glad that they accepted your application and that you will work for the company of your dreams! :) Holding hope in the hands till the end gives people sometimes even more wonderful results in life than they could possibly imagine. For instance, even though the first Europeans who established their communities in the American West were struggling sometimes very hard, eventually their hope brought them the new life they were looking for. The Myth of American West inspired generations of Americans to explore the new land and to start a good future. Just as rain can vitalize or destroy, the Myth of West gave hope and opportunity to some and took the lives of others. From the early beginning, the Myth of American West became very popular among many people who were hoping to start a new life here. Hundreds of farmers were moving to the West hoping to find rich, fertile land, and they often found it. Thousands of immigrants moved to the West in order to become rich by mining gold, and some of them actually did :) It is very sad that the Myth killed many dreams and lives of people who were hoping to be rich, but that hope might have been the only remaining possibility for them to move away from the lives that constricted their souls. Moving towards the miracle of new land or new life, those people were already living in hope, and hope, as we know, is the first step in the regeneration of the soul. The American Myth of the West had some bad consequences as well, but they would become in the future the basis for the great rethinking of the place of people in the world and their responsibility for future generations. For instance, in the beginning, newcomers were using new fertile lands very aggressively. Hence, those lands eventually became deserts which brought clouds of black dust over the country. However, the future generations understood the bad consequences of human actions against nature and began preserving the environment. Second, many gangsters moved to the West. They killed a lot of innocent people, including Native Americans. Native Americans suffered the most in this West expansion. Newcomers destroyed their communities and took away their land, but, hopefully future generations will make conclusions and learn how to live in harmony with different nations under the same roof. In spite of the fact that American Myth of the West had many bad consequences, it gave many people the hope to start new better future because even hurricane eventually becomes light rain:)  March 8, 2011 Hi, Eugene! It was a long time ago when I last saw you. I am glad that you are doing ok with your diploma project. It is kind of sad that you will finish your university soon, but, at the same time, I hope to see you this summer in California. We will have a great time!!! I plan to take a road trip with the friends you remember from last summer. Joining us on that trip will be the greatest journey in your entire life! In Northern California there are many splendid places we should all visit during our road trip. Did you know that Americans are crazy about road trips, and I have become so too? The US has such a great infrastructure of roads that traveling though the country has become as easy as is humanly possible. The culture of cars has provided an opportunity to express the significant idea of American culture - freedom. Freedom in every sense of its meaning (except illegal, of course ) influences every aspect of the life in the USA, and the road trip culture is a sign on Highway 1 - "Liberty." While reflecting the idea of American freedom, the system of roads has led to the homogenization of the US and exploration of unique distinct differences in regions by its citizens.
First of all, road trips play a significant role in exploring of the country by tourists and average Americans. The USA is so big that inevitably different regions are starkly different not only in terms of climate, but also in cultural point of view. Quirky roads can provide a great view of the different sides of America. Mountains and deserts, lakes and grasslands are all the examples of how wonderful a journey though the country could be and how diverse this fabulous land is! Not only landscapes, but also the people themselves are different in different states. Nebraska and California have a little bit different approach in terms of how their residents look at the world and their place in it. Exploring various characters of people during the road trip might influence the minds of travelers. Finally, in spite of the fact that road culture makes America more homogeneous, it does influence the critical thinking of people persuading them to think more gently and be more tolerant after looking at different aspects of life while on road trips.
Moreover, road trips are a stark expression of the American idea of freedom in terms of the liberty of moving into a new life and starting over again. Americans like the idea of an opportunity to begin a new chapter in life. The chance to be more free and more independent are reflected in the car culture, which found its outlet in road trips. Road trips give Americans a feeling that they have a chance to change the world, to explore new horizons. In my opinion, it is just perfect that the constitutional right to be free in different ways works in real life, and road trips are an example which support this idea! The road itself gives you sense of connection with something bigger than you and me. The road has its own destiny of providing the link between your life goals and desires… And remember - the destination itself is not so important, so roll it!!!  February 22, 2011 Hi, Eugene! I am so happy that you had a wonderful vocation in Egypt! :) I hope you got me a little stone from the pyramids . Remember the river Nile?! The ancient people used its water to irrigate the land in order to make a good harvest. They built thousands of kilometers of channels to support their community with a source of living and growing their future. I feel the same way while thinking about the immigrants in America. Just as the Nile brought valuable minerals and land which were the base of agriculture, the immigrants nowadays bring the knowledge and power of progress to the USA.
First of all, being highly work-oriented, immigrants create the base of the American economic system. The large scale of foreign workers coming to the US every year creates the opportunity for the domestic enterprise holders to choose the best among them all so that they can compete in the challenging market with other distributors of commodities. It makes immigrants the main part of the economic machine even though the immigrants themselves very often sacrifice their time and power in order to get a better future while working at odd, menial jobs. In spite of the fact that the first generation of immigrants has to work very hard to maintain a stable economic level of living for their families, their children, the second generation of immigrants, born in the USA, has more opportunities and fewer prtoblems related with understanding the values and traditions than the first generation did. In addition, the second generation makes a positive influence on the economy while accumulating both the best part of their parents' native tradition and innovating the market with great new ideas for progressive business growth. For instance, those people can influence business by being able to generate creative ideas while trying to bring all positive parts of the foreign tradition to the US industry and marketing. Joseph Pulitzer was one of the most successful publishers in America. He provided the idea of building the pedestal for statue of Liberty, so that it could be shipped from France to the USA. Because of his open mind, America has its greatest monument of independence now. Moreover, in addition to the being the greatest economic influence on America, immigrants are building the values and the principles of the modern country by providing various new positive changes in the overall culture of the USA. Immigrants not only create their own communities, but also build close communication with the other nations. Hence, the whole nation itself becomes more diverse and, at the same time, and gets more wealthy in terms of positive democratic changes in the social structure and in peoples' minds first of all. Germans, for instance, taught the Americans how to celebrate Christmas with the Christmas tree. Some other nations also influence the way Americans think about the world and diversify the nation itself. We can say that immigrants are the Americans because of the simple fact that the North American continent was more or less open for a continuously new influx of immigrants who have changed this land throughout the centuries and have created the splendid path of progress and appreciation of human values. Whoever lives in the US makes the country! And those people are all immigrants in different generations form different countries. They build an amazing country on the base of their knowledge and traditions. They create an incredibly beautiful building for liberty, stone by stone, like the ancient Egyptians were building the pyramids for the pharaohs. Sincerely, your friend, Alexander  February 15, 2011 Hi, Eugene! I am glad that your vacation trip is wonderful! Egypt is a beautiful country with an interesting and charming history. Could you send me a piece of a pyramid by mail? :) It would be the most extraordinary gift I have ever received! :) In my turn, I would like to tell you that California nature is just a miracle. Ancient tectonic activity made of this place a variety of terrains and a concentration of different species of animals and plants. Every trip my friends and I take becomes a journey into an uncharted delightful country where every one of us can find a unique expression of unity and harmony with the planet. Since Americans take care of their nature, people are able to enjoy the beauty of it and preserve wild lands for future generations. The American government preserves nature by creating many reserves of pristine and unspoiled oases of wildlife. Sierra Nevada, Yosemite Valley and Muir Woods are some examples that characterize the ability and desire of the US nation to save the environment for maintaining a base of a new clean world and sending a message for future generations about the necessity of high responsibility for the home we all live in. This responsibility, whatever the initial reason for it was, should, in my opinion, bring great power to the nation itself showing its ability to save the heritage while being one of the greatest economies in the world. The world itself finds an expression in the variety of different reservations. Isn't it gorgeous to take pleasure in a nice view of Lake Tahoe or Muir Woods? My friend, it is impossible to explain to you the way my feelings overwhelmed my troubled mind when the greatness of ancient pillars of trees came upon me! Unforgettable Muir Woods is only one example of the way Americans take care of their nature heritage. There are a number of other national parks: Sequoia, Mount Rainer, Petrified Forest, and the most splendid among all of them, the Grant Canyon. In addition, there are dozens of public organizations in the USA working to save the beauty of the wild world. I wonder how many supporters and defenders of the environment those organizations include! This shows that the idea of preserving wonderful places on our planet still lives in the minds of enthusiasts and causes great actions against those companies which spoil the environment. Thus, the world community becomes more confident in their understanding of the importance of preserving nature. There are thousands of examples supporting the positive changes in people's attitude about the use of natural products and influence of this process on the Earth. For instance, the largest pro-environmental public organization counts in its ranks more than 2.86 million supporters and that number is continuing to increase! I want to be a member of that organization soon. Yes, Eugene! Yes, it is possible to save our planet and preserve nature for future generations! I hope you will be more than considerate on your tourist trip toward the "Wild World" which surrounds us, and have great vacation, my friend! Sincerely yours, Aliaksandr  February 8, 2011 Hi, Eugene!You couldn't even imagine how full of opportunities the world is, how amazing it is in the expression of different paths your life might suddenly open for you, how wonderful the way you feel about the future could be, and how splendid the future itself could be! While living in the USA for about three years, I realized, my friend, that the world reacts to any action you take over time and that the more goal-oriented and optimistic your actions are, the more exiting the changes in future could be. My belief in the power of humans to create their own path is getting stronger and stronger over time. Fortunately, I have almost forgotten the way Belarus people care about their inner world and their own future. Because the sadness about the future and life orientation style in my native country have never satisfied me, I agree with the American expression of future orientation as a particular way of organizing one's present life and achieving goals. My friend, the American cultural value of future orientation, on my opinion, is just as incredible as an ice-cream on a hot summer day. It takes away all my doubt and leads to a better understanding of humanity and my place in it. I began realizing why the USA has achieved such enormous progress in the world. First of all, I think, although the rest of the world thinks that Americans are very materialistic in their actions, I know that these people are the best dreamers in the entire world. The thing I like about Americans is their lack of fear to create goals from dreams. "Dream aloud!" said the main designer of Chrysler. These people build their own future based on their dreams and goals!!! In addition, while making such big shots for the future, they work as hard as it is humanly possible to make difference and achieve their goals. They understand that the success of their actions depends on how good their short-term plans are. Consequently, they use their organizational skills to build those short-term plans while being very careful with finances. People in Belarus confuse this fact with some sort of negative concept of being concerned only with money. Oh, Come on! Americans are also human, in the end! Finally, in contrast to people in Belarus, people in the USA actually believe in the positive results of actions and do everything for one purpose - to achieve the goal they dream about. Even happy Americans are not afraid to speak about the future which will bring them even a better life. Isn't that fascinating? While being future oriented just like Americans, I believe that our paths in life will cross soon somewhere in Hawaii :) Do not be afraid of dreaming, my friend! See you soon! Give my best regards to Belarus, and move to the US! :)  |