It’s bitter cold in Washington, D.C. today — about 20 degrees below normal. As of this writing, the plan is for Donald Trump to fake . . . er, take . . . the oath of office as President of the United States indoors, in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

Compare: January 20, 1961. It had snowed . . . and snowed . . . and snowed the day before. One of the worst blizzards in D.C. memory. Cars were buried; the plows couldn’t keep up with the deluge; Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol had to be scraped to the pavement for the inaugural parade; the city was teeming with the political and social elite from out of town who had been invited to attend the festivities; and it took me until 10:00 p.m. to get home from work — a distance of less than five miles.

But did Jack Kennedy move his inaugural ceremony indoors? Hell, no, he didn’t. A native Bostonian, he braved the elements and took his oath outdoors, in front of God and country, with wife Jackie by his side in a beautiful wool — not fur — coat and signature pillbox hat. They were a hardy young couple who were about to set a new standard for the country.

And their like has not been seen since.

But enough reminiscing; those days are gone, and no amount of wishing is going to bring them back. So, while I studiously avoid watching today’s events, I’ve thought of a few things I can do to pass the time on this national holiday.

Right! You almost forgot, didn’t you? It’s also Martin Luther King Day, so a lot of people are enjoying a long weekend. Well, here’s my plan for the extra day of leisure:

Do My Taxes: Both of my 1099 forms arrived in Saturday’s mail, so I can now sit down, tap the numbers into my computer, and let H&R Block do the rest. I know the IRS won’t start accepting returns for another week, but I figure if I get mine into the system early, perhaps I’ll be near the head of the line to get my refund early as well.

Have a Mani-Pedi: No, not a visit to a salon; I do my own. But the toenails definitely are due for a clipping, and while it’s not an exciting or glamorous way to pay homage to MLK Jr., it is at least productive.

Attack Those Closets: I have two that desperately need cleaning out: clothes I haven’t worn in a couple of years that could go to some people who have lost everything to fire, flood, or whatever; and stuff on the top shelves that I can’t even identify any longer. (Anyone need a bunch of yarn that never got made into a sweater?)

Clear Out the Refrigerator: I have no idea what leaked into the vegetable drawer, but it definitely needs to be scrubbed. Yuck!

Scrub the Bathroom: No, forget it. Enough cleaning for one day. It is supposed to be a holiday, after all. Maybe tomorrow.

Take the Cookie Cure: Bake, inhale the fragrance, then chow down. Preferably chocolate chip, followed by a tall glass of ice-cold milk. If that doesn’t make me happy, nothing will.

Work On To-Do List: Not just for today or this week, but a sort of bucket list for the next four years . . . to keep busy while trying not to focus on what’s happening in the world around us. Hallucinogens might be helpful here.

Take A Nice Long Nap: On the assumption that none of the above will actually get done — remember the “road to hell” and “good intentions” syndrome? — there’s always the option to block the whole day out of your mind, grab a fuzzy blanket, settle into a favorite chair or sofa, and snooze the hours away.

We do, after all, have a lot to block out these days.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/20/25

Checking in with our favorite Canadian/Russian farm family this week, I found Arend, a couple of the boys, and some non-family members out in the cold and snow, working on the framework for what will be a large barn for the cattle, dairy cows and chickens they plan to add to the farm, both as food for their own table and for sale as part of their farming business.

There has been a change — a delightful one, really — to their YouTube program introduction, featuring all of the members of the family, from Dad Arend and Mom Anneesa right down to the adorable toddler, Maddie.

The day started with Anneesa in the kitchen, where I assume she must spend most of her time producing meals for her large crew. Various children were already busy — one studying, another sewing a new skirt from the fabric of an old dress, and a third helping a younger child with a project or game.

After breakfast, Arend headed outdoors for some construction work, and an explanation of the family’s future expansion plans . . . which, to my complete surprise, now included some cabins for paying guests.

That’s right — we’re talking about a possible Feenstra Gostinitsa.

It has become obvious over the past year that the Feenstras are very competent, very hard-working, and very determined. Arend, in addition to being a successful farmer, also has a talent for construction work. But are they now to become innkeepers as well? As though they don’t have enough to do . . .

But as he continued talking about the joys of farming and country life, and being able to spend his days with his family rather than at some unfulfilling job in the city, it all began to make sense. Because he said that he would like to be able to rent the cabins to people coming to Russia to see what life is like there, the opportunities that exist for them to live the good life, and perhaps to consider emigrating as he and his family did.

Not only is all of this in line with Putin’s ”family values” drive; it also supports the Feenstras’ obvious agenda of proselytizing on behalf of the government’s program to increase the country’s population, which has been in decline for a number of years.

And they’re doing it so well.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/19/25

Following in the footsteps of Mother Russia, Aleksandr Lukashenko (Belarusian: Alyaksandr Lukashenka) — presumptive president of Belarus — has been waging war on journalists, accusing them of “extremism.” And he seems to be particularly fixated on journalists from RadioFreeEurope/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

He has gone so far as to air a series on the state’s TV station ONT . . . ironically titled Svaboda Slova (“Freedom of Speech”), but in fact, a blatant burlesque of bullshit propaganda about RFE/RL journalists accused by his regime of trying to “set Belarus on fire.” [RFE/RL, January 17, 2025.]

Hostages Andrey Kuznechyk and Ihar Losik have previously had the “honor” of joining our list of political prisoners being held in Russian, Belarusian, Crimean and Azerbaijani prisons.

The 20-minute presentation on January 16th — No. 3 in the series — featured former RFE/RL Belarusian Service journalist Ihar Karney, who has been detained since 2023 and was finally tried in March of 2024, when he was sentenced to a prison term of three years on that very charge. [Id.]

Karney appeared in the video “thin, stooping, and obviously exhausted, being led to an interview in handcuffs, which were taken off as he was pressed against a wall. He was filmed in the courtyard of a KGB detention facility wearing a black prison jacket and knitted cap, his breath visible in the freezing air.” [Id.]

It is not known what, if anything, Karney said during the filming, as RFE/RL’s policy precludes quoting of statements made by imprisoned people under duress. And there is no question — none whatsoever — that Ihar Karney has been subjected to severe mistreatment during his incarceration.

*. *. *

No sooner had I finished reading about episode No. 3 of Lukashenko’s horror series than along came No. 4: Yuras Zyankovich, a dual U.S.-Belarusian citizen and lawyer, currently serving a sentence of eleven years in a maximum-security penal colony. [RFE/RL, January 17, 2025.]

Zyankovich’s presentation was staged differently from the others. He was shown dressed in a suit and pressed shirt, seated in a comfortable room with coffee on a table and traffic moving outside a nearby window.

His legal status was not explained. But he was introduced as an “American lawyer, political scientist, and expert,” in an interview conducted by notorious propagandist Andrey Alyaksandrau (a.k.a. Kozel) — well-known for accompanying security forces during arrests of political dissidents. [Id.]

*. *. *

This parade of prisoners comes to us with the compliments of Belarusian dictator Lukashenko on the eve of the presidential election scheduled for January 26th. His legitimacy as “president” is not universally recognized due to the, shall we say, irregularities in the last previous election; and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the upcoming election also cannot be considered free or fair because of the “repressive environment” in Belarus . . . a true masterpiece of understatement. [Id.]

Even Vladimir Putin — the poster child for oppressive, tyrannical, totalitarian rule — hasn’t stooped to parading his prisoners in front of the camera to demonstrate his authority and strike fear into the hearts of others who may consider speaking out against him. It takes a lot to outdo Putin’s vicious nature; but Lukashenko has done it.

*. *. *

And with that, we once again pay our weekly tribute to the hostages living in unimaginable horror, praying for release. With our two new additions, they are:

David Barnes
Gordon Black
Marc Fogle
Robert Gilman
Stephen James Hubbard
Ksenia Karelina
Ihar Karney (in Belarus)
Vadim Kobzev
Andrey Kuznechyk (in Belarus)
Michael Travis Leake
Aleksei Liptser
Ihar Losik (in Belarus)
Daniel Martindale
Farid Mehralizada (in Azerbaijan)
Igor Sergunin
Robert Shonov
Eugene Spector
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland
Vladislav Yesypenko (in Crimea)
Yuras Zyankovich (in Belarus)

We must not forget them — not until the last one is returned safely home.

Godspeed.

Brendochka
1/19/25

And what a lovely night it was, featuring both classical and jazz guitarists, and an outstanding new conductor.

Even the expected rain held off. Couldn’t ask for more.

And so, good night.

Brendochka

We’re off to the Savannah Philharmonic tonight, in historic Lucas Theatre.

So many memories of great evenings in the theaters of D.C. — the Kennedy Center, the National, the wonderful Signature repertory theater in suburban Arlington, Virginia, and summer evenings under the stars at idyllic Wolf Trap Farm Park.

These days, a theater night is a rare treat. And I can’t wait.

Details to follow.

‘Bye for now . . .

Brendochka
1/18/25

They’re still out there, you know — those mysterious drones, flying over the U.S. eastern seaboard, the U.K., and now Germany. We in the U.S. and U.K. are still waiting for some official word as to what they are — or at least an indication that some action is being taken to identify and eliminate them.

Germany, on the other hand, isn’t messing around; the German Cabinet has authorized the army to shoot down suspicious drones seen near military sites or other critical infrastructure.

A statement was issued by German Interior Minister Nancy Faesar, saying that “. . . especially since [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we have seen that drones are being used more and more frequently, which poses an increasing challenge for the police and their current technology.” [Paulin Kola, BBC News, January 14, 2025.]

Way to go, Germany! No hesitation, no secretiveness, no pussy-footing around. Bring those trespassers down and find out just what is going on in your air space. Because this is not just one random event; it’s a major security issue. And it’s no longer limited to drones.

*. *. *

Two days ago, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a news conference in Warsaw:

“I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland but against airlines around the world.” [Mike Eckel, RFE/RL, January 15, 2025.]

He was referring, among other things, to a series of incidents that took place last July in three different parts of Europe, all involving cargo carriers or storage facilities:

— In the eastern German town of Leipzig, a package shipped from Lithuania suddenly ignited at a DHL storage facility. The fire was quickly extinguished, and damage was minimal.

— Around the same time, a similar incendiary device ignited — again at a DHL warehouse — this time in Birmingham, England. It had arrived on a DHL plane.

— And, still within the same time frame, a device exploded and caught fire at a transport company facility in Jablonow, near Warsaw, Poland. That one took firefighters two hours to put out. [Id.]

*. *. *

Throughout Europe, there is a growing fear of a “shadow war” being conducted against the West by Russia. Taken together, there have been too many recent incidents to be considered coincidental.

In early 2024, an assassination plot was uncovered and averted. The target was Armin Papperger, CEO of Germany’s Rheinmetall — one of the world’s largest producers of artillery and tank shells, which had been producing shells for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022.

There have also been a number of maritime incidents, mainly on the Baltic Sea, in which undersea power or telecommunications cables have been broken or damaged. In December, the EAGLE S, a Russian-operated oil tanker — though flying a “flag of convenience” from another country — was detained by Finnish authorities en route from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Port Said, Egypt. It was determined to have dragged its anchor and damaged a cable in the Gulf of Finland. [Id.]

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, speaking before a meeting of NATO ministers, said last month that “This year [in 2024] there were 500 suspicious incidents in Europe. Up to 100 of them can be attributed to Russian hybrid attacks, espionage, influence operations.” [Id.]

Intelligence reports from the United States, the U.K., Germany, Poland and others all indicate a Russian connection. U.S. intelligence agencies have obtained intercepts of conversations of Russia’s GRU — its military intelligence agency — describing how the ignited packages were actually a test run for further activities. [Id.]

*. *. *

There is little doubt among Western officials that Europe and North America are the targets of a Russian “shadow” campaign — including sabotage, espionage and disinformation — to destabilize the West and undermine its support for Ukraine.

Russia, of course, vehemently denies any and all such suggestions. Our old friend, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, called the accusations of an airline sabotage plot a “vague fabrication.” Well, of course he did.

In the meantime, Europe is increasingly on the alert for whatever may be coming next from its eastern neighbor. North Korea drops garbage-filled balloons on South Korea. Russia, it seems, has a far more fertile imagination, greater technological capabilities . . . and a willingness to go the extra distance.

And that is frightening.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/18/25

It is often said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And that certainly proved to be the case when, on this date in 1920, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect, and the era of Prohibition came roaring in. America was officially “dry.”

There was a reason they called it the Roaring Twenties. It wasn’t just the jazz, and the short skirts, and the women’s right to vote (19th Amendment, same year). It was also the speakeasies, the bootleg liquor, and the gang wars that arose as a result of that well-intended 18th Amendment.

And wow! Did that ever backfire!

Originally aimed at reducing “crimes, corruption, social issues, prison and poorhouse taxes, and to improve health and hygiene in the United States” [calendarr.com, January 17, 2025], what it actually did was create a whole new set of the same problems, along with an additional one — a sharp decrease in government revenues that had once been received by way of taxes from the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages.

It took 13 years and a Great Depression, but in 1933 Congress finally woke up and passed the 21st Amendment; the bootleggers were put out of business; and people were once again able to buy beer, wine and liquor that they could be pretty certain wouldn’t kill them — consumed in moderation, of course.

*. *. *

Other than that, not much else seems to be worth commemorating on January 17th. But looking ahead, I can suggest some excuses for planning a party or two during the second half of January, such as:

January 20th – U.S. Inauguration Day. You may or may not be inclined to celebrate this one; it’s entirely up to you. But if you are one of those who won’t be making merry on this day, take heart . . . because the very next day is:

January 21st – National Hugging Day. And there’s nothing more comforting than a big, sympathetic hug from a like-minded individual. So find a soulmate, lean in, and hug away. It’s only for four years.

January 22nd – National Blonde Brownie Day. In case the hugs didn’t do the trick, a sugar rush might help.

January 27th – National Chocolate Cake Day and National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. A double catharsis for those still in mourning from the 20th.

January 31st – National Hot Chocolate Day. To wash down the chocolate cake, of course. And just because it’s more chocolate.

*. *. *

I haven’t looked any farther ahead on the calendar, but I’m hoping there will be something in February on the order of:

National Snap Out Of It and Get Back To Eating Healthy Day. Because by the end of this month, we’ll all have ten pounds of sugar-induced bloat to get rid of.

But what a way to go!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/17/25

As I read yesterday’s “This Day In History” column, I focused on an item that brought back a vivid personal memory:

“January 16, 1991: The Persian Gulf War begins.”

It was the memory of a death, a quick round-trip visit to New York, a memorial service, a surprise message from the Kremlin . . . and the start of a war in the Middle East. It was quite a day.

And immediately I was transported back to a time when our law firm had just lost one of its senior, and most distinguished, partners: David A. Morse: former U.S. Undersecretary of Labor; for 22 years Director-General of the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO); old-world gentleman; and one of those people you could honestly say you were privileged to know.

Although he spent a great deal of time in our Washington office, New York was his home town, and that is where his memorial service was to be held. A group of us from the D.C. office arranged to travel to New York that morning for the service, and I offered to go along with Mr. Morse’s assistant, Diana Minghi, who was also my good friend and in need of a bit of moral support. Leaving my car at Washington’s Union Station, we took an early express train, arriving at Penn Station in plenty of time for the service at the prestigious Temple Emanu-El on upper Fifth Avenue.

We had expected a good turnout; but we were not prepared for what awaited us upon entering the synagogue. There was a security detail that would have sufficed for a president or a monarch — metal detectors, bag searches, and a complement of guards positioned every few feet around the sanctuary. What was going on?

We had part of the answer to that question once we were seated and looked at the program for the service. Among the speakers — in addition to former Maryland Senator Charles McC. Mathias, who had joined our firm following his retirement from politics — was then Secretary-General of the United Nations Javier Perez de Cuellar, who was there to honor the former head of the ILO.

So the big, scary-looking men lining the walls of the sanctuary were United Nations security. That made sense . . . but it still seemed a bit excessive for a private event.

And then the service began. It was — as are most funerals — sad, inspiring, and infused with memories both sorrowful and funny. When it ended, our group from Washington gathered together, hailed a couple of taxis, and headed for the New York office where a luncheon had been organized for us.

*. *. *

Even the worst of days can have its moments of levity; and the day of David Morse’s memorial service was no exception. I was standing with a group of our New York people in the office when Senator Mathias walked by. Spotting me, he stopped and walked toward us. He had flown in from Paris that morning on the Concorde, following a business trip to Moscow, in order to speak at the service, and was looking a bit jet-lagged.

“Sir Senator,” as I used to call him, had a droll sense of humor, and could drag a story out endlessly while still keeping your attention. As he began speaking, no one could have imagined what was coming. He started out slowly:

“Yesterday morning . . .” (looking at his wristwatch) “. . . at about this time . . . I was in Moscow. In fact, I was in the Kremlin. In the Great Hall of the Kremlin. At a reception for President Gorbachev. I was talking to some people, when suddenly I heard a booming voice call out to me from across the room: ‘Senator Mathias! Say hello to Brenda Lipson for me!’”

At which point, Sir Senator stopped talking and just stared at me, a slight smile showing itself in his eyes. And all I could do was stare back, open-mouthed . . . as did every other person in the room. And after a few seconds it hit me: I knew who he was talking about.

“Dmitri?” [Not his real name.]

The Senator nodded.

“Oh, he didn’t!” I exclaimed in disbelief.

He nodded again, and went on:

“Oh yes, he did. No ‘Hello, Senator.’ No ‘How are you, Senator?’ No ‘Good to see you, Senator.’ Just, ‘Say hello to Brenda Lipson for me.’”

And we both laughed, leaving the bystanders wondering who in hell I knew in the Kremlin, and why he would think to send me such a vocal greeting.

I never did enlighten them, but my anonymous “admirer” in Russia was someone I had met, through our firm’s commercial dealings on behalf of clients, when he had been stationed at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, and who was now back in Moscow on President Gorbachev’s staff. I just grinned and left them in the dark, probably imagining that I was leading some sort of intriguing double life. I figured a little mystery never hurts anyone’s reputation.

And it did break up an otherwise depressing day.

*. *. *

But by now, you’re no doubt wondering what any of this has to do with Desert Storm. Actually . . . everything.

Because after we had left the New York office, and Diana and I had arrived back at Union Station, I still had to drive her home. It was my long-standing habit to immediately turn on the car radio to my favorite music station, and as I did, we heard — instead of soothing music — a special news bulletin.

At midnight (Iraq time), U.S. and British forces had begun bombing Iraq in retaliation for its five-month occupation of Kuwait. The deadline for Iraq’s withdrawal of troops had expired; they had been warned; they had ignored the warnings; and we followed through.

President Bush had announced the start of Operation “Desert Storm” while we were attending a funeral, eating lunch, and riding a train from New York back to D.C. There were no cell phones in those days, and no internet; we had to wait until we could turn on a TV or radio to find out what was going on in the world.

We sat in that garage for a full ten minutes, listening to the broadcast, before I could begin the drive home. It was the perfect dismal end to an already dismal day . . . and it finally explained the extent of the security for Perez de Cuellar, who had been giving his eloquent eulogy while knowing that yet another war was about to be launched in the Middle East.

And it was the day I received a hilarious message from a friend in Moscow by way of a retired U.S. Senator following a funeral at a Fifth Avenue synagogue in New York some 250 miles from my home. It was a day I wouldn’t be likely ever to forget.

Life is endlessly surprising . . . as it should be.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/17/25

In his farewell speech to the nation yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his concern that our country is descending into oligarchy. And this, of course, immediately brought to mind the existing oligarchy in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

In the 1990s — the “Yeltsin years” — Russia’s economy was in free-fall. The Soviet Union had ceased to exist as of Christmas Day 1991; and in the absence of a solid structure to replace it, most of its assets were up for grabs by those shrewd enough to know what to grab, when to grab it, and for how much (usually pennies on the dollar).

And thus was born a whole new category of Russian big shots who became known, rather derisively, as the oligarchs. Suddenly, a handful of billionaires found themselves wielding previously unheard-of personal power; and Boris Yeltsin seemed quite content to let it happen as he watched his country’s economy growing with the creation of new industries and services.

But in December of 1999, Yeltsin suddenly resigned the presidency, passing the torch to his then Prime Minister — a considerably younger, previously unknown former KGB officer and career opportunist from St. Petersburg named Vladimir Putin — to complete his term of office. And in March of 2000, Putin ran in his first election and won. Today, 25 years later, he’s still in power . . . and shows no signs of letting go. Ever.

He has kept his position as absolute ruler of Russia — some liken it to being self-appointed “Tsar for Life” — by various heavy-handed, even ruthless means, including pushing through constitutional amendments to extend the number of years for each term of office, and the number of times he can be reelected.

And by reeling in the oligarchs.

One of his early acts upon first being elected was to call a closed-door meeting in the Kremlin during the summer of 2000, summoning 21 of the wealthiest men in Russia to hear what the future had in store for them. These men were not what one would call pillars of society; they had gained their wealth and power through shady deals, corruption, and sometimes even murder. But there was a new kid in town, and the rules were about to change.

What Putin told them that day shook them — and the foundation upon which they stood — to their very core:

“I want to draw your attention to the fact that you built this state yourself, to a great degree, through the political or semi-political structures under your control. So there is no point in blaming the reflection in the mirror. So let us get down to the point and be open and do what is necessary to do to make our relationship in this field civilized and transparent.” [Greg Rosalsky, NPR News, March 29, 2022.]

The deal he offered them was this: bend to his authority, stay out of his way, and they could keep their mansions, super-yachts, private jets, and multibillion-dollar corporations. [Id.]

And most of them did just that. But some didn’t; and they didn’t fare well. Some — like Vladimir Gusinsky and Mikhail Khodorkovsky — ended up in prison, were forced into exile, or both. Others — such as Boris Berezovsky — died in suspicious circumstances.

Bottom line: Vladimir Putin no longer has an oligarch problem. Easy.

*. *. *

And today I ask myself if this is the future that President Biden foresees for America under the incoming administration, with its innately autocratic leadership and its “Billionaires’ Club”?

I pray not.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/16/25

Okay, bad pun. But in this January of sub-zero temperatures in half the world, blistering heat in the other half, continuing wars in various and sundry places, and TikTok fans in the U.S. facing serious withdrawals, I thought a smile might be a welcome way to start the day.

And so I present to you “the world’s happiest animal” — the quokka.

An Australian marsupial, he is one of the smallest wallabies, about the size of an average house cat, and lives in family units, hiding from predators in swampy places with heavy vegetation. He loves a diet of shrubs, berries, seeds and succulents, and can store fat in his tail for those times when food may be scarce.

Look at him. (I’m just guessing it’s a male because I don’t see a pouch.) Look at his perpetual smile and those big brown eyes that radiate love and trust. Those stand-up ears, the freckles, and the adorable little arms and fingers.

I have dubbed this little fellow Quincy, and I want to bring him home with me, though it would undoubtedly be illegal. Still, I can look at his picture, imagine how sweet it would be to have a little cuddle, and I feel happier somehow. Don’t you?

Live long and prosper, Quincy.

With love and hugs,
Brendochka
1/16/25