In case you missed yesterday’s headlines, Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, has been indicted in France on charges of “complicity inn the distribution of child sex abuse images, aiding organized crime, and refusing lawful orders to give information to law enforcement.” [Joseph Menn, Washington Post, August 28, 2024.]

After four days of questioning — four days! — he has also been ordered to post a 5 million euro ($5.6 million) bond, and is barred from leaving France. With his multi-billion-dollar fortune, the bond should be no problem; but he’s not going to like being tied down in one place for any length of time.

And his 950 million users are not going to be happy at the prospect of possibly losing the protections of Telegram’s services, which include optional encryption of one-on-one conversations, and absolute privacy of all of their data . . . a good bit of which, it seems, is of a criminal nature. There are probably a lot of very nervous terrorists, kiddie porn distributors, and money launderers out there today — not to mention governmental and other users in Russia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Oops!

But the principal questions remain: As the CEO of Telegram, is Pavel Durov liable for his clients’ actions? Or, alternatively, by refusing to turn over their information, is he complicit in their crimes?

As one who has nothing to hide, I find this fascinating, and particularly from a legal standpoint. I’m a firm believer in privacy and free speech. But I also despise seeing the scariest and smarmiest of criminals (and governments) getting away with their nefarious activities under the umbrella of freedom of speech.

Quite frankly, I would not want to be one of the judges in this case.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/29/24

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has been silent this past week, hopefully away on a well-deserved vacation from what has to be an exhausting job. I can’t imagine having to keep up with the workings of Vladimir Putin’s mind day after day after endless day!

And in his absence, we’ve been hearing from various members of the Kremlin inner circle — a different one each time. Although the topics have varied, the message has been pretty much the same: The United States is to blame for everything bad that happens anywhere in the world. Right.

For example, on Monday Vyacheslav Volodin — Chairman of the State Duma (the equivalent of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives) — accused the U.S. government, with no evidence whatsoever, of being behind the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France in order to be able to take control of his controversial messaging platform, saying:

“Telegram is one of the few and, at the same time, the largest internet platforms over which the United States has no influence. On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, it is important for President Joe Biden to take Telegram under control.” [Billal Rahman, Newsweek, August 27, 2024.]

Yeah, right . . . as though France is going to go through all of this just because we (or anyone) said “pretty please.” Are you nuts?

*. *. *

Also on Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said unequivocally that U.S. involvement in Ukraine’s counter-offensive (he used the word “incursion”) in Russia’s Kursk region was no longer an accusation, but was now “an obvious fact”:

“Washington’s escalatory path is becoming more and more challenging. The impression is that [U.S.] colleagues have thrown away the remnants of common sense and believe that everything is permissible for them. Similar approaches are followed by their clientele in Kyiv.” [Lucy Papachristou and Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters, August 27, 2024.]

First of all, the U.S. doesn’t have “clientele.” He must be thinking of Russia’s own “clients” — in Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe . . .

And second, speaking of “[believing] that everything is permissible for them . . .” Again, are we looking into a mirror, seeing our own reflection, and confusing the left side with the right? Must be.

*. *. *

And then they brought out the big gun: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who declared that the West is escalating the Ukraine war and “asking for trouble” by so much as considering Ukraine’s requests to ease restrictions on the use of foreign (i.e., U.S.) -supplied weapons. In his customary subtle manner, he continued:

“We are now confirming once again that playing with fire — and they are like small children playing with matches — is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country,” he told reporters. “Americans unequivocally associate conversations about Third World War as something that, God forbid, if it happens, will affect Europe exclusively.”

He added that Russia was “clarifying” its nuclear doctrine. [Guy Faulconbridge and Vladimir Soldatkin, Reuters, August 27, 2024.]

Excuse me, Mister Minister. But have you conveniently forgotten about all those weapons and related technology you’ve been receiving from China, from Iran, and from God-knows-where-else? If there are any restrictions placed on the use of those weapons — say, for instance, in Ukraine — the world hasn’t seen any evidence of it during the past 30 months.

Not too hypocritical, are we?

*. *. *

And while all of these Kremlin officials were busily playing the blame game, what was the Russian military doing? Why, they were having a field day launching their most massive air attack across Ukraine since the start of the war, aiming their Chinese and Iranian missiles and drones at energy infrastructure, killing at least seven people, and causing power outages in several cities. [Svitlana Vlasova, Ivana Kottasova, Daria Tarasova and Christian Edwards, CNN, August 27, 2024.]

And then they moved in on the civilian residential areas — those very areas they claim not to target — in scores of regions, killing no fewer than another six people. In the city of Kryvyi Rih alone, three people were killed, another five injured, and one person — Serhiy Lysak, Governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region in which Kryvyi Rih is located — was still missing. And three more people were killed in drone attacks in Zaporizhzhia, an already hard-hit city in southeastern Ukraine. [Valentyn Ogirenko, Gleb Garanich and Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Reuters, August 27, 2024.]

*. *. *

You know, what really gets my goat is not the posturing, not the cover-ups, not the false accusations, the veiled threats, or even the outright bald-faced lies. What I can’t understand is how you — all of you Kremlin mouthpieces — can think that we in the West are stupid enough to buy your bullshit . . . or weak enough to cave in to it.

Because — surprise! — we’re not.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/28/24

It’s probably happened to you. You take your four-year-old into the Christmas Shoppe to buy some new ornaments for this year’s tree; you let him out of your sight for a nanosecond; and . . . smash! . . . you hear the sound, and somehow you just know who caused it. The sales clerk you couldn’t find to help you two minutes ago suddenly materializes; you explain and apologize, and you pay for the broken piece and thank your lucky stars it wasn’t an entire display.

Then you gently scold your little one, explaining that this is why he shouldn’t touch things that don’t belong to him, knowing perfectly well he doesn’t understand and this won’t be the last time something like this happens. And you feel guilty when the tears begin to well up in his eyes, so you buy him an ice cream cone on the way home and all is forgiven and forgotten.

Simple, huh? After all, it’s not the end of the world.

But what if that ornament is a 3,500-year-old Bronze Age artefact, previously in perfect condition, on display in a museum in Israel, and it’s your four-year-old son whose curiosity gets the better of him?

Holy crap!

Well, if you’re very, very, very lucky, you will be in the Hecht Museum in Haifa, which has to be run by absolutely the nicest, kindest, most understanding people in the entire universe . . . because they didn’t turn the little boy, Alex, and his father over to the police, or set the kid on fire, or anything else. In effect, they simply said they’d have the jar restored. [Jack Burgess, BBC News, August 27, 2024.]

Seriously, that is how it was resolved. Little Alex was upset at first, because he had pulled at the jar slightly to try to see if there was anything inside, and he was startled when it fell over. He probably also was expecting to be yelled at, at the very least. (Although I should think Dad was also feeling a little guilty for not having tied Alex’s hands behind his back before entering the museum.)

Instead, the museum folks invited Alex and his family back for an organized tour. A museum representative, Lihi Laszlo, said:

“There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police. In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.” [Id.]

Now, that’s what I call civilized.

*. *. *

But what about the artefact itself? Why were it and its mates on display without any protection, obviously vulnerable to the vicissitudes of life . . . like the presence of four-year-old kids? The museum’s answer: because they believe there is a “special charm” in showing archaeological finds “without obstructions.” And they have every intention of continuing the tradition, despite little Alex’s mishap.

And it’s not as though these things are replaceable. Most likely used to carry supplies such as wine or olive oil, the jar dates back to a time between 2200 and 1500 B.C. It predates the era of the Biblical King David and King Solomon, and is characteristic of the Canaan region on the eastern Mediterranean coast. When discovered, it was considered an “impressive find” because of its intact condition. [Id.]

Just think about it. It survived more than three millennia without damage. And it took a four-year-old kid named Alex two seconds to destroy it.

Never, ever underestimate the power of children.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/28/24

To all of our beloved fur babies who have crossed over that beautiful Rainbow Bridge, we will never forget or stop loving you. You made our lives infinitely better, and asked so little in return. We wish you endless belly rubs, games of fetch, long walks, and all the people food you can eat.

Love and hugs and kisses from your forever families.

Just as we in the U.S. are facing a contentious election in November, our immediate neighbors to the south have recently been through one, with the inauguration of their new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, scheduled for October 1st.

But Mexico’s outgoing president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is still in charge for another month, and he doesn’t seem inclined to rest on his laurels during that time. He has been busily working on a package of constitutional changes that he hopes to push through the Congress, some of which — specifically major changes to the judiciary and some regulatory agencies — have both the U.S. and Canada concerned.

And President Lopez Obrador has not taken kindly to the criticisms lodged by the ambassadors from his northern neighbors. But rather than sitting down for a friendly chat, he has chosen to halt diplomatic relations with the U.S. and Canadian embassies.

“Sorry . . . what was that again?“

You read me correctly. At his daily press conference on Monday, he said the “pause” is with the embassies, and not the countries, and that relations would be reestablished once the U.S. and Canadian ambassadors are “respectful of the independence of Mexico, of the sovereignty of our country.” [Abel Alvarado, CNN, August 27, 2024.]

Now, ordinarily this would have seemed like just another little diplomatic kerfuffle that would no doubt be straightened out in a matter of days. But in light of President-Elect Sheinbaum’s inclusion of Vladimir Putin on her inaugural invitation list, and the fact that Mexico has not severed ties with Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine, the last thing we need is for our historically friendly neighbor . . .

Oh-oh . . .

Wait just a moment here. Those words — “historically friendly” — brought something back to my mind. They reminded me of Putin’s statement, when he congratulated Sheinbaum on her election, to the effect that Mexico is Russia’s “historically friendly partner in Latin America.” [See my post on 8/8/24: “What’s Going On In Mexico?”]

Now, in a perfect world, it is possible to have more than one friend at a time. But when you’re talking about Russia and the U.S. — or Russia and just about any Western country — that’s not necessarily the case.

And the very last thing the world needs at present is a diplomatic tug-of-war. We’re juggling enough explosive issues right now, thank you. So could we all — Mexico, Canada and the U.S. — please just sit down and talk this over like grownups, somebody apologize, somebody else accept the apology, and let’s get back to the business of keeping the world from imploding.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/28/24

Or may I address you as Dima? I’ve written so much about you in recent months, I feel we are old friends.

Of course, not everything I’ve written has been complimentary, inasmuch as it has all been in the context of your position as Press Secretary for Vladimir Putin — who, it is safe to say, is not one of my favorite people. But you are not Putin. You have always appeared so much more agreeable, so approachable, so . . . well . . . cute, actually. As spokesman, you of course have something to say about nearly everything; and you deliver your comments with such ease and such sincerity, that I have often wondered whether you actually believe the bullshit that . . .

Oh, sorry — I didn’t mean to let that slip. But it’s out there, so let it lie.

In any event, I recently became curious as to how you came to hold the position of Kremlin spokesman. So I did the obvious thing: I Googled you. And I learned quite a bit!

I didn’t realize how long you have worked at Putin’s side — since he first became President of Russia, if not longer. And I’m afraid that in all those years, some of his less admirable traits may have rubbed off on you: lying with a straight face, for example.

What’s that? You say you don’t lie? Oh, Dima . . . that in itself is not exactly true. What about the very beginning of the “special military operation” in Ukraine? Even before it actually started — in January of 2022, to be specific — when you accused the United States of “fomenting tensions” concerning Ukraine, while it was your country’s troops amassing on the border . . . not ours. And on March 1st — less than a week after . . . oh, let’s be honest and call it what it is . . . after the invasion, you told reporters you didn’t want to comment on Russian military casualties, but insisted that “the Russian troops don’t conduct any strikes against civilian infrastructure and residential areas.”

Not wanting to comment is one thing; but that last part . . . if you don’t call that a lie, I can show you pictures of Mariupol, and Bakhmut, and Bucha. Like these:

Okay, that’s enough.

*. *. *

And during the 2011-2013 protests in Russia, when riot police were clubbing protestors, you were quoted as saying that “protesters who hurt riot police should have their livers smeared on the asphalt.” Really, Dima? Is that true? People who defend themselves against big scary guys in black riot gear, armed with clubs and Kalashnikovs, should be mashed into sidewalk pate? That actually sounds like something Medvedev would say, but surely not you!

*. *. *

Well, I suppose that’s all in the nature of your job — and a lucrative one it is, according to all reports. Not just your salary, but from other sources. They do say it’s all about whom you know . . . and you definitely know the right people. You’ve earned your place in the Kremlin hierarchy; you’ve obviously said and done all the right things along the way: sucked up when appropriate, and shut up when necessary. Well done.

So I thought I’d offer you this little tribute to let you know that someone out here in the West is paying attention when you speak. And on that subject, I’d really like to know . . .

When the hell are you coming back to work? I miss being able to quote you in my articles. By my count, it’s taken no fewer than four people to do your job for just one week.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/27/24

National Peach Day: Yum.

National Pots de Crème Day: Yum yum.

And best of all, it’s . . .

National Just Because Day. Now, there’s one I can get behind. No rhyme, no reason, no explanation required. Just because.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/27/24

Or is it “Elons Musk”? You know — like attorneys general.

Either way, the thought of pluralizing someone who is already bigger than life is overwhelming. Yet, it seems already to have happened.

In case you haven’t been following this week’s news closely enough, I’d like you to meet . . .

Pavel Durov, referred to by one source as “A Russian Elon Musk.” [Joshua Berlinger and Anna Chernova, CNN, August 26, 2024.]

Holy crap! Another Musk isn’t enough . . . he has to be Russian to boot??!!!

A brief bio: At age 39, he is the multi-billionaire CEO of Telegram — the controversial, ultra-secure, encrypted messaging service so popular with today’s terrorists, criminal gangs, governments, and others with the deepest and darkest of secrets to be kept. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, he is a mathematical and programming genius who first developed VKontakte, Russia’s answer to Facebook; then went on to create Telegram. Like so many others, he ran afoul of the Putin regime when he refused to cooperate after they “requested” he disclose the very information his program was designed to protect . . . and then he left Russia.

Durov now holds both French and Emerati (UAE) citizenship, plus one or two others. He lives in Dubai, and spends much of his time jetting around the world. When he landed in France earlier this week, he was arrested by French authorities for much the same reason that he left Russia: his firm belief in people’s absolute right to privacy.

And suddenly his name has become a household word: “Have you heard what happened to Pavel Durov?” “Oh, my God, they’ve arrested Durov!” “How can they possibly charge Pavel for protecting his clients?” “Who the hell is Pavel Durov?”

Okay, I snuck that last one in because there are probably a few people out there who still don’t know who he is. But they will.

Of course, celebrity inevitably brings with it a loss of your own privacy. People want to know more about you — everything, in fact. And this man has made a practice of being, if not secretive, at least enigmatic. But bits and pieces are becoming known, such as . . .

. . . his claim to have fathered at least 100 children.

Ordinarily, that would have sent the real Elon Musk into a frenzy of jealousy and formulating a plan to catch up — a Herculean task, since he “only” has 12 of his own, leaving 88 to go. But Durov cheated; he admits to having provided sperm donations over some 15 years, which in itself is . . . no, never mind . . . whereas Musk . . . uh, forget it. Just thinking about those two. . . you know . . . is exhausting — and more than a little embarrassing.

It has been said that Durov “cuts the figure of a mysterious, globe-trotting tech bro with Mark Zuckerberg’s prodigiousness, Jack Dorsey’s bizarre lifestyle habits and Elon Musk’s libertarian streak.” [Id.] He is also sometimes found shirtless . . .

. . . which oddly reminds me of his old nemesis, this guy:

Sorry, Vlad . . . no contest. Although there is the age difference to consider.

Now, these three men, and a few others of their ilk, share a number of characteristics: intelligence, drive, focus, ruthless ambition . . . and ego. Because to be so sure that you have that “it” factor that will lead you to success, you have to have an over-abundance of self-confidence, a conceit that will not allow you to fail.

And there you have what I think is the perfect brief description of the not-so-mysterious Pavel Durov: an ego on legs . . . with killer abs.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/27/24

And from all accounts, she’s just as rambunctious as ever.

Her surfboard-stealing rampage in Monterey Bay during the summer of 2023, which caused her to be hunted down (but never caught) with the intention of re-homing her, was finally discovered to have been caused by — of all things — pregnancy hormones.

Well, she had her pup, and then apparently went off to winter somewhere else, as has been her habit. But this summer, she’s back at the Santa Cruz (California) surfing site known as Steamer Lane. And she seems to be up to her old tricks.

One observer — who couldn’t see her blue ID tag but was quite sure it was Laverna, as he had photographed her earlier — at one point viewed her “calmly cleaning herself atop a board she’d hijacked, which she shared peacefully with a gobsmacked surfer.” [Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2024.]

I’ll just bet that surfer was gobsmacked; I would be too. But I’d be glad to share my board with Laverna — I fell in love with her last year, and I’m thrilled to know that she made it through the winter and still wanted to return to her summer home.

Have a good rest-of-the-summer, ‘Verna, and come back any time. You may be pesky, but I’m sure that Santa Cruz still loves you.

And for all those surfer friends of yours, here’s a thought: How about taking up a collection and buying her a board of her own? I can imagine her excitement . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/27/24

* [From History.com, This Day In History, August 26, 2024, with the exception of the first item.]

1912: The world’s oldest living man was born on this date in Liverpool, England. He turns 112 today . . . and he has no idea how he’s lived this long.

He says he has no “special secrets,” no special diet — “no idea at all” how he’s made it this far. [Gemma Sherlock & PA Media, BBC News, August 26, 2024.]

And maybe that’s the secret: not trying. Just living your life, enjoying whatever comes your way, and taking things in stride. He was “quite active as a youngster” and did “a lot of walking,” but that’s about it. He added this bit of wisdom: “You either live long or you live short and you can’t do much about it.” [Id.]

In other words, life’s a crapshoot. But we already knew that.

Anyway, happy birthday, John . . . and as many more as you would wish for.

* . * . *

1920: 19th Amendment adopted. Congratulations, women of America: you now have the right to vote — if you can get out of the kitchen long enough to cast your ballot.

*. *. *

1939: The first televised Major League baseball game was broadcast from Brooklyn, New York, announced by Red Barber over Station W2XBS (later WNBC-TV). The game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds ended in a 6-1 win for the “Bums” (as the Dodgers were fondly called). Unfortunately, not many people other than the fans in the stadium got to see it happen; few homes had TV sets, and there was no regular programming in any event.

*. . *. *

1957: The Soviet Union announces successful test of ICBM.

Oh, crap!

*. . *. *

1968: Democratic convention besieged by protesters.

I remember that one, and it took a nasty turn when thousands of anti-Vietnam-War protesters took to the Chicago streets to voice their anger at Democratic presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey’s support of the war. Police and National Guardsmen clashed with the protesters, both outside and inside the convention hall. Delegates and members of the press, including Mike Wallace, were roughed up. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was later blamed by a federal investigative committee for inciting his police to riot.

Wait . . . this is beginning to sound strangely familiar. January 6th . . .

*. *. *

1346: Battle of Crecy.

Hundred Years War . . . British invasion at Normandy, France . . . very complicated, as are the reasons for all wars. So if you’re interested in 14th Century history, you know where to find the answers. Just thought I’d mention it in closing because I rather like the name (pronounced “Cressy,” if I’m not mistaken).

And it wasn’t the only famous battle fought at Normandy. There was the Battle of Hastings (England again) in 1066. And let us not forget D-Day: the allied landings at Normandy Beach, code-named “Operation Overlord,” on June 6, 1944, that turned the tide of World War II.

I’m imagining lots of ghosts still searching for their souls (and possibly their heads) at that strategic spot.

TTFN,
Brendochka
8/26/24