Nonfiction Series #1- #60
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Nights of a Young Woman
Or, What Is Life?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 1 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Life propelled a young woman into a cascade of unpredictable and stressful events. This is a story of hard life, bad luck, broken dreams, high expectations, abandonment, life agony, and contemplated suicide.
Then an unexpected breakthrough. Abruptly a revelation descended upon her-regardless of what happened to her – the life is going on as if nothing happened.
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What Is Quality of Life? Or, a Conversation Between an Eagle and a Snake.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 2 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
The conversation between an eagle and a snake based on Ancient Greek mythology. When Greeks, to teach people common sense, logic, wisdom, new skills, and creativity have, used conversations between Gods, or between animals.
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A Fool and a Common Sense
Or, 5 Donuts and 1 Bagel.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 3 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
On Sunday, a country boy, in his earlier 30s, arrived into a new town and started having difficulties to solve his small problems in unfamiliar environment. His difficulties were, he does not have enough information in his brain storage to solve his big and small problem.
To solve every problem, whether big, small, personal, business, national, or local, requires this major skill. Common sense or logic could be retrieved from a person's brain folder, provided that a person has enough information, knowledge, and experience stored in his brain database.
What skills an average person should have to make right decisions? Where to get these skills? The story has some answers.
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There Is no Royal Road to Knowledge
Or, a Lesson from Alexander the Great.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 4 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
This story is applicable to everyone. It teaches how to became sophisticated and intelligent from a historic example. Alexander the Great was a prince and a king. But, regardless of his status he worked much harder than his commoners did. He studied seriously, developed great desire for knowledge, was avid reader, loved philosophy, science, art, and debates. During his short life (he died at age 32) he never lost a battle and concurred the world. How and why people in Ancient civilizations were so sophisticated and brilliant? Please read the story.
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Everyone Has the Same Amount of Energy; it All Depends Where You Put or Channel it.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 5 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
A story on how and where a young child, teenager, young adult, or middle age person could and should channel his or her energy to became sophisticated and knowledgeable. These skills and knowledge one need to survive and succeed in this difficult and unstable world.
Why children, young adults, or middle aged people, when being the same age, have different numbers of achievements? Some achieved very little, if any, others a lot. This story has an answer.
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Our Mind Is a Tape Recorder.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 6 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
A theory is our mind is a tape recorder. It records everything that it hears, sees, and reads into brain. It stored indiscriminately all information into everyone's brain database.
The bigger storage of real knowledge and information a person has in brain database-the better he or she is equipped to solve everyday big and small problems and to help navigate everyday life and survival.
Information from texting and social media is not the real knowledge that a person needs to have in his or her brain storage. Then, what type of knowledge and information one should get to make life around uncomplicated and simple? This story has an answer.
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What Were the Happiest Years of Your Life? Or, What Is Happiness?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 7 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Life is full of surprises, both big and small unexpected stressful events. They are occurring many times a day and every day. These events challenge people's knowledge, creativity, and skills and test their endurance, resilience, and ability to survive.
Experiencing a problem? Having difficulties? Overwhelmed or stressed out from life?
"C'est la vie!" That's life. What else do you expect? (This for the French is a typical answer.)
That is why from the beginning of civilization to the present time, humans propensity and quest were to find happiness-that is, to find those rare moments to sprinkle life's difficult events with happiness.
So, what is true happiness that lasts month, or even years? How can one design this kind of happiness? After reading this story you will find the answer on how to live a purposeful life, and start on your journey to pursue your true happiness that will change your life.
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Africa: An Interrupted Dream
Or, Wonderful Life Discoveries in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzani
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 8 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
This short story describes a real life example of an innovation. Here the author on her real life example guides readers on how to design innovations- starting from the idea- to the prototype and then- to implementation of the final product/service.
What are innovations? A simple definition is that innovations are just solutions to problems. How to design innovations? Innovations require 3 types of creative endeavors: ideas, innovations, and prototypes, as below:
Ideas: Create idea, that is, find a solution to a problem
Innovations: Design innovation by transforming the idea/solution into an engineering blue print.
Prototypes: Build prototype from the engineering blue print to see how this innovation looks in physical form and test it to see how it works in real life environment.
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Passion. Believe in Yourself and Achieve Your Dreams. An Unexplained Phenomenon.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 9 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
The author, in this short story, describes her real life innovation. That is: how she created her greatest innovation — from conception to completion. This innovation sparked entirely new industry. Thousands of new jobs were created and brought billions of dollars in new revenues every year to many companies.
To create new innovations, every field require the same set of skills: creativity, common sense, skills, and intelligence. Intelligence and skills are learned and acquired only by exercising a mind the hard way — from schools and classes you attended, books you read, plays and intelligent movies you watched, people you met and learned from, places you visited, mentors you observed, and friends you learned from.
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Why do Africans Have Less Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer? And no Depression, Osteoporosis,
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 10 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Why do Africans have less heart disease, diabetes, and cancer? And, no depression, osteoporosis, arthritis, or asthma? This observation the author made soon she arrived in Rwanda, Central Africa. To find the answer she asked her then husband, a physician. But, he did not know either. Later, she moved to the USA and for many years, this question was staying dormant in her brain database. Then one day, when she started experiencing her personal osteoporosis problem, she retrieved a segment of her life when she was working in Africa. And, voila! The answer popped out. She described this answer in this story.
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Honey Is a Medicine.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 11 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
When growing up in the former Soviet Union (now Russia) the Author was, exposed to natural medicine. That time the Russians pharmacies' glass shelves and cabinets were full of such natural potions. Russian physicians, instead of drugs, very often prescribed "herbal compound" to patients. These were old good times. Today, physicians prescribed only expensive medications.
When working in post-colonial Africa, the author observed how the local population was, using many types of flowers, grasses, and leaves from some trees-all to cure some illnesses. In the USA there are many stores were they are selling, only herbs for different illnesses. Such store are popular with the American public.
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Africa. Past, Present, and Future
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 12 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
After African continent throughout colonial power, thousands of engineers, technicians from all over the world, and the Peace Corp volunteers from the United States, went to work in Africa to help them to build their countries independence.
During that time there were a lot of excitement and dreams were in the air. The author, a young and idealistic, went to Africa to design their superstructures. That time the population of Africa was 250 million. Today it is 1.2 billion, or almost 5 times increase. How Africa today is coping with its problems? How much in economic aids other countries are giving to Africa today? What is future for Africa? How to solve African's present and future problems? For the answer please read this story.
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What Was World War II? Who Won World War II? What Was the Great Patriotic War?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 13 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany in 1930s, was a threat to the 20th-century civilization.
In 1930s, to pull Germany from a deep depression and mass unemployment, Hitler started drumming up his doctrine. That the Germans are an exceptional Arian nation and are in problems all because of Jews. The Hitler's power amplified and in 1939, he occupied the whole, Europe in just 3 month. Then, on June 22, 1941, he invaded the Soviet Union and the World War II started.
Why and how the World War II, 1941-1945, started? Who started the war? War battles of Moscow, Stalingrad, and Berlin. Total number of death in World War II were, 26.6 million Russians, 405,399 Americans military death, and 382,700 British death. Why Russians lost 26.6 million people, during the World War II? What Was the Great Patriotic War?
Who were the winners and losers after the World War II? Please read the story.
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Cowards. Or, Blood Is Thicker than Water.
Cowards. Or, Blood Is Thicker than Water.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 14 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Some people do sensational acts to attract mass, or world attention to themselves. Why some cowards even defected to their country's enemy? This story is, described and examined, this kind of people, 2 defectors from the Soviet Union, who defected to the United States. These defectors lived privileged lives in the Soviet Union (they were not poor). One was-Svetlana Alliluyeva (daughter of the President of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin). And, another was, Victor Belenco (an elite Soviet Pilot) who stole the most advanced Soviet military jet, MIG-25, and flew it to Japan. What driving force was behind their actions? Did they find satisfaction and happiness from their extreme acts? The story depicts the end-results.
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No Money, No Funny.
Or, from Renters to Homeowners
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 15 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
What an experience it was! When an author went from renting an apartment to buying a house and living in it for 20 years. All money that was saved when renting, soon went in smock, engulfed by a house. Many factors are involved when considering buying. Beside money, one should consider some other factors that make people happy or unhappy when becoming a homeowner. It is easy to make a decision when analyzing all factors introduced in this story that are based on a real life example.
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Question. Who Are You?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 16 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Try to answer this question: who are you? You probably have one, or several answers. None is correct. The correct answer you can find only in this story. Once you gain a knowledge of the correct answer and started taking it seriously, then … many of you would and could change your attitudes and directions in many aspects of your life and in score of things you do.
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Who Is More Intelligent? A Person or a Computer?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 17 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
It is a common knowledge that computers improved the quality of people’s life. Computers are one type of technology that contributed to total technological progress in the 2nd part of the 20th century. Technological progress even increased the people’s life expectancy.
At the beginning of the 20th century, for example in the USA, the life expectancy was 45 years. The majority of people were farmers performing hard manual jobs on their farms. Then later, a technological progress began that increased the peoples' life expectancy to 75-85 years. Computers liberated people from performing tedious and monotones tasks. That is probably why today the majority of people think that a computer is much more intelligent than a person is. This is absolutely, wrong. So, who is more intelligent? A person or a compute? Please find a correct answer in this story.
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My 2-year-Old Grandson Paris' World
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 18 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
It is astonishing to see how 2-year old children are intelligent. They even designed specially their natty behavior to test grandparents' patience. How much they could push grandparents and get away with it.
What a blessing to be a grandparent, provided one has access to grandchildren. Grandchildren have introduced grandparents into their innocent and precious world. That is why from all the surrounding world of noise and activities, children always popped up on grandparents radar. Why grandparents and grandchildren can get alone very well and understand each other? Please find an answer in this story.
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What Is a Life Span? Why Man-Made Things Depreciate and not Appreciate?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 19 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
It is a common knowledge that everything, including people, have a life span. Except the nature and the earth, they have eternity, or endless life. That is: people have a life expectancy, man-made things around us have a life span. Than why this law does not applies to a real estate housing industry? Please find this answer in this story.
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Only One Thing in Life Is Constant-Change
Or, Rise, Fall, and Disappearance of Empires and Power
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 20 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Everything is changing constantly. Only one thing in life is constant-change. What was true and applicable just recently is could be absolute today.
The history has witnessed the rise, fall, and disappearance of many civilizations. Recent examples: suddenly, without any warnings or predictions, the British Empire disintegrated after World War II, in 1947. What about the Oil Embargo of 1973-1974 and the rise of OPEC countries? Who ever thought that the 700-years old Russian (Soviet Union) Empire, that concurred 1/3 of Europe and 1/2 of Asia, will break-up in 1991?
How to be prepare and survive under such dramatic changes are, cited in this story.
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American Women Are Products of Time, Place, and Circumstances.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 21 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
How American women, after the passage of the Civil Act of 1964, took a risk and an opportunity, to fail or succeed on their own terms? Millions entered the labor force to compete with men in hostile, working environment.
How and why such victory wonder happened for the women? How American women in such short time overcame all difficulties and jumped all barriers? How they caught up with American men and left them, behind in a rear view mirror? There were several factors responsible for this triumph, the reader find in this story.
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Everything Happens for the Best
Or, Embrace Events and Challenges
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 22 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
The author received a devastated news. After 4th semester, she was, expelled from her civil engineering university. The reason was, she did not passed a calculus exam. When the truth was: the math professors had a crush on her, on a timid and a shy teenager. His crush was so obvious that a class of 400 students noticed it and constantly were joking about it and sometimes in front of this professor.
To save his reputation, the professor decided to punish the victim. To get rid of her, easily he failed her, as a calculus exam was oral, and there was no record of her answer. Never mind that the author was an honor student, but very little, she can do. The time was 1960s and a sexual harassment was not yet, coined into dictionary. How she was, reinstated back into university? How life for all her sufferings and wounds remunerated her, please read this story.
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Self-Esteem and Maslow's Theory
Or, an Elephant and a Poodle.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 23 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
When the author was a student, she and her friends loved the Maslow's theory that they learned in one of their economics classes. The theory has 5 steps of the "Hierarchy of Needs." or "A Theory of Human Motivation."
The 1st step, or the lowest is, the most fundamental, basic physical needs: food, water, shelter, and clothing. The 5th step is-the most advanced, it is, where a person grows into noble traits of character; having dignity, honor, and morality; high creativity, problems solving abilities; treating everyone equally, doing great things for others.
On this self-actualization step, a person has, reached such a level of personal and intellectual development that he is, looking how to help others and society. It becomes a higher calling for her or him.
The author's friends and her, started claiming that they already had reached the "self-actualization" step.
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Risk: To Take or Not to Take?
Or, Once You Take a Risk, Your Probability of Success Goes from 0% to 50%
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 24 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
That was beginning of the 1970s when the author started her engineering career. Surprisingly, she was hired, but she was the 1st woman structural engineer in a company. Men engineers revolted, they thought that now their engineering career is going down-a woman is going to design a bridge.
The first 3-4 days the author was reading volumes of federal and state codes, requirements, and regulations. Then, a chief engineer called her to his office and, in front of 3-4 other chiefs of departments, has unrolled a field drawing. And, announced: "Alla, you are going to design this 3-span bridge, over a ramp A, alone, one person." Then, he took a red marker pen and drew a line in the middle of a drawing. There he added a letter A-indicating the beginning of a bridge. And, a letter B-the end of a bridge.
That was it. No examples, no instructions, nothing. The silence fall, indicating that the rendezvous was over. As the author took this field drawing and start walking towards her office -the panic and dizziness come down. "How in the world I am going to design this bridge? Only if some miracles could happened," she though.
She never designed a bridge before. And, in engineering school she took only courses: math, physics, statics, kinematic, dynamics, strength of materials, reinforced concrete, and many other subjects. There was no one on how to design a bridge, or a building, or a highway. Only after the school, on the job, engineers are learning how to design such structures.
In the end she designed this bridge by inventing from a scratch all calculations and drawings. The company was so impressed that they started looking for another woman engineer. How she took a risk, and how "miracle" happened-please read this story. Once you finish reading-you will learn new skills. And, from now on the readers became knowledgeable and fearless in solving any problem, or taking any risk.
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Everything Has a Limit
Or, How Much Stress Can Our Brains and Bodies Take?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 25 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
There are several example in this story when the author was faced with huge job problems and must find solutions and then solve it-otherwise her career would be over.
One such problem was: how to design 3.5 miles "a spiral" for the Baltimore Subway, in Baltimore, Maryland. A company won a contract, or a bid — to design the Baltimore Subway. The problem was, they have no engineers who know how to design a subway's aerial structure- "a spiral." The company advertised for such engineers in engineering journals across the country. They received no answer. No one ever designed it (not many new subways were built in the USA), and no one wants to risk their profession in trying to design it. So, the company gave to design "a spiral" to-this author-from a scratch.
In the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., there were 2 books in French about the design of Paris' subway, in France. The company got these books for the author (she knew French). The author read these books. But, the books were about the philosophy and problems during the design. And not about how to design "a spiral." In the end a miracle happened-the author found the solution, and then designed 3.5 miles of the Baltimore subway aerial structure.
How she did it is also applicable to many other problems. Her approach, thinking, methods, and how she learned new skills-the reader could find inside of this story.
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The Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 26 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
The 1964 was a historic year for American women and minority. The Civil Right Act of 1964 was created in the USA. It was the 1st time in American history when women and minority were given an equal opportunity to enter colleges, and workplaces. To enforce the Civil Right Act of 1964-Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC, was created in 1965.
But discrimination, prejudice, and abuse of the law persisted for the next 2 or more decades. Even today, women continue earning only 77 cents for every dollar when compared to men....
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Today, 60% of American Women Are Graduating with College Degrees versus 40% of American Men.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 27 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Even the Civil Right Act of 1964 gave an equal opportunity to women and minorities, discrimination and prejudice continue even today. Brilliant and pioneering women in these generations sacrificed, endured, and overcome monumental problems. They took a risk-millions entered the labor force and colleges to compete in hostile, male working environment.
Astonishingly, besides all that, in less than 2 generations American women succeeded-they overtook American men in their accomplishments. Today, 60% of American women are
graduating with college degrees versus 40% of American men.
Women atonement did not happen by an accident. There were 7 reasons responsible for women spectacular success that reader can find in this story.
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The Great 20th-Century Event that Changed the World
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and the Russian Revolution of November 6-7 1917
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 28 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
The greatest event of the 20th-century was the Russian revolution of November 6-7, 1917.
The architect of the Russian Revolution was Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, he changed the world into 2 systems: capitalism and socialism.
Lenin's socialism and the Russian Revolution's many decrees reverberated across the world and changed the lives of every person on this planet as we know it today: equal opportunity for all; women were equal to men in voting, in education, and in work; 4-month maternity leaves and free child care for women, as well as the rights to have abortions; free health care; free education for all citizens; labor laws (8-hour workday), and minimum wages; prohibition of child labor; no dangerous working conditions; sick leaves; 2—4 weeks of vacation time; Medicare, pensions and benefits; and many more.
Who was Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, whose pseudonym was Lenin? Why do the Russians worship him, and why does the world admire his genius? How and why he changed the world? Answers are located in this story.
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The Technological Invention That Shocked the World in the 20th Century: Or, the Russians Launched th
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 29 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
On October 4, 1957, history was, made. The Soviet Union Lunched Sputnik. Sputnik's impact on the world and the USA was colossal, impressive, and unprecedented.
And, the space programs and arms races between, the Soviet Union and the United States began. Find in this story how space programs and arms races produced the greatest inventions and innovations in human history. How thousands of them spilled into civilian industries. Long distance telecommunications, artificial intelligence, robotics, digital cameras, LED chips, microwave ovens, insulin pumps, cardiac pacemakers, smoke detectors, water filters, and thousands of other technological advances mushroomed and improved the quality of life for every person
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Why Was the Soviet Union Fighting in Afghanistan Before the USA?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 30 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
After the Russian Revolution of November 6-7, 1917-the Equal Employment Opportunity Decree was, issued and the Russian women and all minorities (Russia had 70-100 million minorities) became equal.
This historic event had impact on Afghanistan. In the 1920s, veils and polygamy were, abolished and the education of Afghan's girls was, installed. Then again, in 1950s the Soviet Union through huge amount of aid to Afghanistan was to promoting emancipation of Afghan women.
Later, the USA stepped in with its allies-Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Western European, and Saudi Arabia-pouring billions of dollars to organize, train, and supply weapons to encouraged Afghan tribal chiefs and mullahs to fight the emancipation of Afghan women.
The Soviet Union, sensing the Afghans' weakness, deployed the 40th Army into Afghanistan in December 1979, etc... Please read the rest of the story. And, the present and future status of the Afghanistan and Afghan's women.
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The Greatest Catastrophe of the 20th Century
Or, How the Soviet Union Disintegrated in 1991.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 31 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
The Soviet Union disintegration in 1991 was a curse and not a blessing for the USA and the Western Europe. Their economies eventually spiraled down, due to rampant laws of a fee-market economy, categorized by "expansion in all directions without any restrictions."
The USA is sinking from $20 trillion debts, and $17 trillion personal debts; middle class disappeared; 1 in 2 Americans live in poverty or under poverty line; and jobs are, shipped to China, India, and another, countries, where the labor is cheap and plenty. European countries teeter along as zombie states that have no oil and no raw resources and must live under austerity, leading to joblessness and despair. Eastern countries are rising, and western countries are in decline.
Oil and natural resources are disappearing. Further, the demands of overpopulation on Earth has created ecological disaster, climate change, and pollution. The planet is in peril from overpopulation and from the impending ecological holocaust. When were, peoples' lives better? Before 1991? Or, today? How today global capitalism survive economic, environmental, and overpopulation catastrophe? Is there a future for the planet under current single global capitalism? Please read answers in this story.
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It Is Easy to Despair, but the Best Traits of the Human Character Are Not to Give Up, but Instead
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 32 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
One day I had a dream-to get my doctoral, or PhD degree. By that time I had a record of achievements and had no difficulties to be accepted to any university of my choice. The problem was, I was a woman, a structural engineer, and in 1980s not many women had PhDs.
With great anticipations I started my doctoral program. Only to learned that, before me there was another woman who was attempting to get her PhD. She had no chance, they failed her. The same objective the chairman of my major department set up for me.
There were 3 attempts to fail me. The 1st attempt was-during an oral exam. You see, when my time come to take a final exam, before starting on my dissertation research, the university change the rules. Now, instead of a usual 3-days written exam, the final exam (the 1st time in the university history) was-oral. That way, in an oral exam, there would be no record of my answers. So, how could I prove that my answer were correct?
How I kept finding solutions, at once, taking risks and fighting back, I share it here, in this story. Encouraging you to do the same and save yourself.
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A Fly in a Bottle
Or, if Only I Knew it Before.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 33 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
I undertook a major change in my life-and filed for a divorce. Shortly I was, swamped with numerous, difficulties and faced, many types of people that some I never, dealt before. Lawyers, courts, judges, contractors and subcontractors (I start remodeling our 20-years old house to put it for sale), real estate agents, accountants, financial advisors, experts, etc. It seems that everyone took advantage of my vulnerability and dependence on them. They assumed that I am stupid and commanded unreasonable amount of money for their not so good services.
That is, soon I found as if I was swimming in a river, full of crocodiles. What did I do? How did I reached the shore alive and in a good spirit? Please learned my skills and strategies in this story.
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Return of the Sound
Or, Shocking News.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 34 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
That was the1st time in my life when I found myself with no responsibility. I was free. My children graduated from college, and I filed for a divorce. I was looking forward to start my new and easy life. But, a fate has a different plan for me. A routine monogram test found something in my breast. How I, reacted to this news, and what did I do next, to save myself please find in this story.
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Ability Is Nothing Without Opportunity.
SHORT STORY # 35. Nonfiction series #1 - # 60.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 35 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Sometimes I hear some disappointments, especially from younger people, that they have very few achievements, if any, in their lives. Often, they blame it on themselves, thinking that they are not smart enough, or took this particular job, or choose this profession, instead of a different one.
I always reason with them – otherwise. Do not put total blame on yourself. To reinforce my challenge I cite to them this particular story-Ability Is Nothing Without Opportunity. That you can read now yourself.
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Why Is Engineering the Most Prestigious Profession Everywhere in the World, Except in the USA
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 36 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
What is engineering? Everything around us that are man-made and not by nature is- engineering. Engineers create national wealth and contribute to the development of civilization.
Their examples are starting from ancient engineering marvels: the pyramids of Egypt, the Acropolis and Parthenon in Greece, the Roman aqueducts and Coliseum, Mach Picchu, the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China, etc.
More recent great engineering projects are: the Suez Canal, Aswan Dam in Egypt; Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia, Moscow Subway; Golden gate bridge in San Francisco, Empire State Building in New York City, Hoover Dam in Arizona, USA; Eiffel Tower in Paris , and many more. Engineering technologies transformed many countries in the world into powerful and prosperous.
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What Is National Wealth? How Is National Wealth Created? Who Creates National Wealth?
SHORT STORY # 37. Nonfiction series #1 - # 60.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 37 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
The history is full of examples how some nations became great and contributed to the development of civilization-all because they built national wealth. In the last 20 years no national wealth was built in the USA. Why is the creation of national wealth so important? Some examples. Egyptians: pyramids; Greeks: the Acropolis and Parthenon; the Romans: aqueducts and Coliseum; Machu Picchu; Taj Mahal in India; the Great Wall of China; the Suez Canal in Egypt; the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia, Moscow subway; the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Empire State Building in New York City, the Hoover Dam in Arizona; High Dam in Aswan, Egypt; Eiffel Tower in Paris; telephone in 1876, computers,
first atomic weapon, Manhattan project, first satellite, Sputnik in 1957, the first moon landing in 1969, and many, many more.
This story is examines this particular topic, gave visual examples how to see and understand what actually national wealth is, who creates national wealth, and how building national wealth solves many national and world's problems.
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How Many Millionaires Are in the USA? What Types?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 38 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
From the beginning, the new America become an inspiration and attraction for all emigrants from the Old World. To become a millionaire was everyone's dream-the American dream. A new concept of the American millionaire has developed, where everyone can become a millionaire in the USA in a traditional way "from rags to riches" i.e., through thrift, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, hard work, frugality, self-sacrifice, dignity, and honor. Millionaires created national wealth, new industries, built the nation and created new jobs for the population.
Today, the above concept no longer exists in the USA. New American millionaires do not work hard, make no sacrifices, create no national wealth, no, they have any dignity or honor.
Who they are? Why and how they became millionaires almost overnight? This story has the answer.
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What Is Amok?
Or, Housing Amok
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 39 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
From time to time a real estate housing is running amok. Home prices kept going 3-5-10 times sharply up, then spiraled down. Intoxicated buyers are keeping snapping houses and condos, regardless of price, as if only a sky is a limit. Then suddenly, without any warnings all buyers simultaneously stopped their buying sprees. The result is: real estate dropped into a dead zone. Prices plumed to the original level, or even lower (before the housing amok) and — bankruptcies and foreclosures are rampant.
In the last 20 years, there were 3-4 such housing amok. What is an impetus for these housing amok? Why buyers are not using common sense, or never research states rules and regulations about buying real estate? This story answered these questions.
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Why do Immigrants in the USA Speak with Foreign Accents?
SHORT STORY # 40. Nonfiction series # 1 - # 60.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 40 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Many people sometimes are asking me: "Why do you speak with accent?" Indeed, why do I ? My children, who come with me, do not speak with accent. No one ever thought that they are not Americans. Why even British, who lived in the USA for a long time, still speak with their British accent? Why they could not change their British accent for the American one? I have the answer that I share with you in this story.
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Skills Are Transferable from One Industry to Another
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 41 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
One Friday was my graduation day, I received my doctoral degree, or PhD. The next day, on Saturday, my then husband, Chrys, a physician, asked me to come to his office and see that is going on there. I was surprise, but went.
He confessed that he is running out of business. All his physicians’ friends already closed their offices. His accounts receivable had over $700,000 uncollectable debt. He already took a loan and hired 2 consultants to turn his office from red into black. But, for the last 3 month they produced no solutions, except stating that: "President's Reagan Administration drastically cut reimbursement to physicians and that is why physicians are running out of business."
That policy was a common knowledge; one does not need to be a consultant to know about it. In 15 minutes, I found 3 major problems. Chrys jumped the ceiling; "Who do you think you are? A super-woman? I have here 2 men consultant. For the last 3 month they could find nothing, and you in just 15 minute found major problems?"
Seeing how desperate he was I did not challenged him. Here, on a spot I made a decision. I must put my career on hold and come, to his office and turn it around. I reasoned: our children are attending very expensive schools; I am a woman, flexible, and can work in many jobs. On another side, he is not flexible, he cannot, work nowhere else, or learn and adjust quickly. The end result was: I turned his office around, and double his revenue.
And then... I decided that I should not go back to my engineering. Instead, I should go to work in health care industry that is trillions dollars industry, and need my creativity. So, I start working in a big HMO where I created many innovations. My greatest innovation was "Reimbursement from Medicare" that sparked a new industry called "Medicare Advantage." This industry has hundreds of thousands employees and is receiving from Medicare $120-$140 billion per year. That was my noble innovation. I received for it zero money, nil.
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Learn New Skills Here. How to Solve External and Internal Problems
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 44 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
In my others stories on problem solving and how, to create innovations I introduced many, skills to readers. Here are another set of skills-how to solve external and internal problems. That is, the 1st, I classify a problem by asking: what type of problem is it? There are 2 types of problems: external and internal.
External problems (outside problems) are beyond my control.
Internal problems (inside problems) are under my control.
To visualize how and when to use this set of skills, in my story, as usually, I gave some real life examples of problems that readers are familiar and could relate to such problems.
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How to Calculate Interest Earned on Money? Or, Does Money Grow on Trees?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 45 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
How to Calculate Interest Earned on Money-is an essential tool, or skill, to use every day in order to be money wise and be a powerful person. This story is teaches this tool, actually it gave a simple formula. The story is using real examples how to calculate earned interest in money accounts, in CDs, or how much a person pays interest in credit cards, or in home mortgages. Easily, readers can master this simple formula.
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How to Cure Headaches, Migraines, Peripheral Neuropathy, and Fibromyalgia.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 46 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
What is a natural cure for her headaches, migraines, peripheral neuropathy, and fibromyalgia? Earlier civilizations developed knowledge and information by observing natural world around them.
Even today, less developing countries are relying for all their health cures on herbal natural medicine. Today across the USA, there are many herbal stores that are selling only herbs for different illnesses. Such stores are growing in popularity with the American public.
This story is describing how the author, from her personal experience, found a simple natural cure for her headaches, migraines, peripheral neuropathy, and fibromyalgia.
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Nothing Happens by Accident
There Is Always a Reason for It.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 47 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Nothing happens by accident. There is always a reason for it. That is, do not accept things what happened to you for granted. Instead, analyze and find reasons for it- and save yourself. To illustrate that nothing happens by an accident this story gave several examples of this author's health problems. How she analyzed her sudden health problems and saved herself.
One night, I woke up in the middle of the night in a fright-something terrible was happening to me. My heart was bursting with pain. "Am I having a heart attack?" I thought. The nausea, sweat, and dizziness were overwhelming. I reached for the phone to call 911. I was fainting. "How will an ambulance reach me? By breaking down the doors?" the next thoughts zipped across my mind, as I was living in a big apartment complex. I went into survival mode....
To make a story short, my blood pressure, only at night suddenly spikes up to 240-250/110-90 mm Hg. Many times, I was in hospitals, no one knows why my blood pressure suddenly skyrocketed. I prepared for my cremations. Than, I started using a common sense and started analyzing why my blood pressure shut up at night to a life-threatening level. And, went through inventory of my other illnesses. Medicine is an art, it is not an engineering, which has formulas. Just go to 5 different physicians and get 5 different diagnosis. I learned a lot how to analyze an event, in this case my sudden illness. These discoveries I share in this story.
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Look at the Messenger. Who Is He? Whose Interest Is He Pursuing?
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 48 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Look at the messenger: who is he? Whose interest is he pursuing? This statement, or life skills, my wise grandmother taught me when I was disappointed about other people: their behavior, intentions, actions, and attitudes.
In this story, I am applying the above axiom, or statement, as a starting point for my health problems that I started encountering as I started getting older.
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Everyone Wants You to Be Stupid. Why? So They Can Make Money from You.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 49 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Everyone wants you to be stupid. Why?
So they can make money from you-is another axiom, or a statement, that wise and smart people are using when they are facing problems and needed to make decisions to protect their personal interest.
The story about the author's some health problem that she started encountering as she started getting older. Medicine is not an engineering that relays on formulas. Medicine is an art. Just go to 3-4 physicians and you could get 3-4 different diagnosis. How she was using the above axiom as a starting point to analyze her health problems and what decision she make to benefit her, and not some messengers she described in this story.
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Comediante or Tragediante? Laugh or Cry?
SHORT STORY # 50. Nonfiction series #1 - # 60.
by Alla P. Gakuba, BSCE, MAS, Ph. D.
Part 50 of the Nonfiction Series #1- #60 series
Comediante or Tragediante? Laugh or Cry? -in the 19th century a new form of literature and plays was born, comedy-tragedy in English. The play combines 2 great human emotions, comedy and tragedy, into one. To laugh or to cry, or do both at the same time, laughing through tears.
In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte became the First Emperor of France. His ambition was to conquer many countries in Europe, so Europe would be united under his empire and function under the ideas of the French Revolution. Napoleon's Empire was growing, and pressure was mounting on him to have an heir. He decided to divorce Josephine who could not produce him a heir.
Later, to divorce Josephine, Napoleon asked Pius VII to annul their marriage. Pope Pius VII was short
and firm; he combined his refusal into one word: "Comediante!" Napoleon threw a temper tantrum and slapped the Pope in his face. For that punch, Pius VII yielded: "Tragediante!"
An example of "Tragediente or Comediente" very much is applicable today to our government.
To American citizens' astonishment and sometimes amusement, the USA Congressmen and the Senators know only one thing-how to throw money at problems. Instead of the 1st to find a real solution to a problem.