Hi Boethius,
You did not hit a nerve with me. Why do you think that? I lived in the USA in the 1980's, Lived in Poland after the 1980's, lived in China, lived in Brazil, and lived in Ukraine.
The problem I have is I know personally people in Milwaukee who did things to get into the USA in the 1980's that you said is impossible. Because these people are here why would the lie? There are many of them. There is no reason for them to lie on this.
I have been to dinner at the former mayor of Kiev's house twice and have done business with many men from the FSU who made their fortunes in the 1980's. I have a hard time believing you based I people I know and talked to about leaving the country and money was exchanged (I do not buy into all the power stuff as certain things were done to sell outside FSU like military weapons, power was important but do not fool youself that many individuals were not stock piling money outside the FSU in the 1980's). But power helped them get the money in the first place. But power can mean different things to people.
My past businesses dealt with many shady people who know how to cut corners. To me you seem like the many people in FSU times who followed the book and did not take advantage of the system. That is not my background at all. I cut corners all the time and have learned a lot from people from the FSU. I made a point to have good connections with politicans and police in Ukraine and China. Best way is to support politicans by donating money to attend personal dinners with them in Ukraine.
I also said all countries of the FSU not just Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
Regarding your personal story sounds interesting. Does not sound that bad to me (except for your other family members going to the Gulag). I lived through worse in the 1980's you can read my past posts if interested. I come from famous family on father side as well with last name Booth. My mother has the nobility on her side but that goes back into what is now the former FSU. But you never said where you were born and were you currently live now?
