Having a wonderful time reminiscing about all my past travel (and other) adventures. Hope you’ll share them with me in my blog, “All Roads Led to Russia.”
He died in February in a Siberian prison camp, under unexplained circumstances. Vladimir Putin thought that with the death of Alexei Navalny, he had heard the last of his most worrisome opponent; but he was wrong. He hadn’t counted on the force of martyrdom, or of the will of Navalny’s people.
And he certainly hadn’t counted on the publication of what has been termed Navalny’s “final letter to the world.” It is the story of his life; but more than that, it is a diary of the last years of that life — years spent in the most brutal circumstances imaginable. The book, titled “Patriot,” was started while he was recuperating in Germany after having been poisoned with the Russian nerve agent Novichok. And it was finished during those last years in prison. When they couldn’t kill him with poison, they simply finished him off by means of slow torture.
Alexei Navalny was the reason I began following the stories of the people I call Putin’s Hostages — Americans and other non-Russians who have been arrested in Russia on purely imaginary charges, to be held in prison as collateral for some future exchange.
His beloved wife Yulia has written:
“This book is a testament not only to Alexei’s life, but to his unwavering commitment to the fight against dictatorship — a fight he gave everything for, including his life. . . . Sharing his story will not only honor his memory but also inspire others to stand up for what is right and to never lose sight of the values that truly matter.”
As my old-world Ukrainian grandmother used to say: “From your mouth to God’s ears.”
Unfortunately, that in-between place really exists . . . if you’re a Russian who has been accused of a crime.
The “rock” is a guaranteed conviction (whether you are guilty or innocent) and consignment to the hell of a Russian prison; the “hard place” is a trip to Ukraine to fight in a war for which you have not been trained, and which you may even oppose. Either way, you can kiss your life — or life as you know it — goodbye.
And that in-between place is where former Olympian Andrey Perlov has found himself.
Perlov, now 62, was living quietly in Siberia’s Novosibirsk, working as managing director of the local football club, when police showed up at his home in the early morning hours of March 28th. He was taken into custody, accused of stealing some three million rubles ($32,000) from the club, which he and his family have vehemently denied. He has been detained ever since.
But he has been offered a deal . . . of sorts. Although not a young man, he has been told that he has the option of agreeing to join the Russian military fighting in Ukraine, in return for which the embezzlement charges against him would be “frozen” and potentially dropped when the war ends — if he survives, of course.
It’s that one word — “potentially” — that bothers me. The Russian government is not best known for keeping its promises.
Aside from that, though, is this new Kremlin tactic for rounding up live bodies to throw into their war as fodder for the Ukrainian defensive troops. It goes beyond the recruiting of convicted criminals. Under new legislation, passed in March of this year, both prosecution and defense attorneys are legally obligated to inform people charged with most crimes of their option to go to war instead of to trial and prison. [Olga Ivshina, BBC, October 22, 2024.]
The individuals do — technically, at least — have the right to refuse to go and to take their chances with the courts instead. But they are being pressured to choose the military option, even seeing their families approached and urged to convince them. And if the accused does sign, then the criminal case is suspended within a few days and he leaves almost immediately for the front lines. [Id.]
A rock and a hard place . . .
*. *. *
. . . As a much younger man, Yaroslav Lipavsky, and his family soon learned. At the tender age of 17, he was accused of intentionally inflicting “serious harm to health by a group of persons by prior agreement.” In order to avoid prosecution, he chose the option of signing up with the military as soon as he reached his 18th birthday.
He was sent to Ukraine, and was dead just a week later. [Id.]
Yaroslav Lipavsky– Dead at 18
*. *. *
But what of those who choose prison over war, as in Andrey Perlov’s case. His daughter Alina told their family’s story:
“He refused and we made quite a big noise in the local media so he was sent to the strict punishment cell, where they brought him the contract again.” [Id.]
She said that when he refused a second time, he was prohibited from seeing or calling his family. When the family did finally see him in court in July, he had lost a lot of weight.
“He tries to keep himself cheerful, but if this goes on, they will break him,” Alina said. [Id.]
When BBC journalists asked Russian authorities about Perlov’s case, and about the pressuring of detainees to join the army, they received no response. [Id.]
Typical.
*. *. *
So — using the old Soviet methods of “convincing” the people to submit to the government’s will — the Putin regime has found a new way of replacing lost troops without depleting the size of its military force: by sacrificing what they consider to be the dregs of society.
Or, as Ebenezer Scrooge so charmingly put it: “If they would rather die, they had better do it and decrease the surplus population.” [Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843.]
On the second day of the sixteenth annual summit of BRICS being held at Kazan Russia, President Putin opened the session with the following comments:
“The BRICS strategy in the global arena conforms with the strivings of the main part of the global community, the so-called global majority. This approach is especially relevant in the current conditions when truly radical changes are underway across the globe, including the shaping of a multipolar world.” [Associated Press, October 23, 2024.]
Vladimir Putin at BRICS Summit – October 23, 2024
Characterizing BRICS as a counterbalance to the Western-dominated global order, Putin proclaimed the summit as “the largest foreign policy event ever held” by Russia. Some 36 countries were represented — far beyond the ten actual member nations — many by their leaders.
Putin has focused specifically on the creation of a new payment system that would allow Moscow to circumvent the global SWIFT network, thus dodging Western sanctions. At the summit, he accused the U.S. of “weaponizing” the dollar, and said it was a “big mistake.”
“It’s not us who refuse to use the dollar,” he claimed. “But if they don’t let us work, what can we do? We are forced to search for alternatives.” [Id.]
Yes, we get it: that was a not-so-veiled threat.
Referring to the sanctions that have been imposed on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he totally ignored — as always — the reason for the sanctions, and described them as illegal. Just more Kremlin double-speak.
He also discussed the creation of a BRICS investment platform that could “become a powerful tool for supporting our economies, and would also provide financial resources to countries of the Global South and East.”[Id.] — thus encompassing Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.
None of this was in the least surprising — it’s pretty much what Putin has been touting as BRICS’ goal all along, and directly in line with his and China’s President Xi Jinping’s proposed “new world order.”
The Kremlin’s website, however, carried a brief mention of the summit, which reads like the minutes of a board of directors meeting. It contained two items that did catch my attention, though.
The first was a “restricted-format meeting” limited to nine of the ten BRICS member countries (Saudi Arabia did not send a representative to the summit). It offered nothing about the purpose of that session, but said that the meeting then “continued in an expanded format.” [President of Russia News, October 23, 2024.]
Most interesting was word of the signing of a joint declaration, labeled the Kazan Declaration, a .pdf copy of which was attached — all 33 pages, encompassing 134 items. I will be trying to digest that today . . . if I can stay awake long enough to get through it all.
Screen Shot of Kazan Declaration – 23 October 2024
*. *. *
And so, barring any startling revelations in the Kazan Declaration, day two of the 16th BRICS summit ended without any headline-worthy news, which is probably a good thing.
Tonight at sundown I lit the annual memorial candle for Merna — my only sister and best friend, who dared to leave me seven years ago tomorrow.
It’s a reminder, not only of the huge hole that losing someone close to you leaves in your soul, but also of the good times you shared for so many years: the youthful fights; the parties in young adulthood; the private jokes and whispered secrets; the travels and shopping trips and countless dinner-and-theater evenings of later years.
You know they’ll never come again . . . but you’re glad to have had them for as long as you did.
In the category of “Who do you think you’re fooling?” we once again hear from Viktor Orban. (I know that should be “whom,” but it sounded stuffy, so I took a little literary license.)
Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary
But I digress.
I’m truly concerned that Hungary’s Prime Minister is losing his marbles. Because today — in a speech marking the anniversary of the failed 1956 uprising against Soviet repression — he warned the people of Hungary that they must “resist” the European Union (EU), which he said is “trying to topple” his government. [RFE/RL, October 23, 2024.]
“But isn’t Hungary a member of the EU?” . . . I hear you ask.
Well, yes, they are. Which is what is so disturbing. Because Orban — without providing a shred of evidence to back up his allegations — said the EU wants to install a “puppet government” in Hungary because “independent Hungarian politics are unacceptable to Brussels.” He added that the lessons of 1956 “tell us that we can only fight for one thing: Hungary and Hungarian freedom.” [Id.]
He spoke of the “entire European economy . . . [being] drawn into” the war in Ukraine, and of European leaders “indulging in the illusion of winning.” [Id.]
And further — and this is where he really goes off the rails: “We know they want to force us intothe war, that they want to impose their migrants upon us . . . and hand over our children to gender activists.” [Id.]
Gender activists? What the hell . . . ??!!!
But he wasn’t through yet. He claimed that there is a plan that, once “victory is achieved on the eastern front,” Ukraine’s reinforced military will enable it to replace the Americans to guarantee the safety of Europe. And apparently that would be a fate worse than death, because, according to Orban,
“It means that we, Hungarians, could wake up one morning and see Slavic [i.e., Ukrainian] soldiers once again coming from the east and being deployed in Hungary. We don’t want that.” [Id.]
*. *. *
None of this is terribly surprising — except for that “gender activists” comment, which seems to have come from some deep, dark corner of his mind — inasmuch as Orban has been playing both sides of the field for years, openly wooing Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping while maintaining his country’s membership in both the EU and NATO. Even the fact that Hungary is the current holder of the rotating presidency of the EU Council has not served to soften his pro-Putin rhetoric.
Later on the same day, at a separate commemoration of the 1956 uprising, opposition politician Peter Magyar addressed Orban’s comments, saying that Hungary had been “tricked and deceived” by the Prime Minister’s Fidesz party. He said that Orban had “no authority to betray the heritage of 1956, has no authority to serve Russian interests.”[Id.]
And yet he continues to do so. It is a harsh reality for a country that has fought so hard for so long against oppression.
Poor Rudy Giuliani . . . literally. Not only did he lose a defamation case brought against him by two Georgia election workers; but now he has to part with his most prized possessions in order to satisfy that judgment.
A Very Unhappy Rudy Giuliani
How far have the mighty fallen. Once New York City’s hero of 9-11, he made the fatal mistake of taking on legal representation of Donald Trump, and then actually becoming part of the web of lies and deceit created by his client — something an experienced attorney should know better than to do. Representation is one thing; participation is quite another.
But never mind that; it’s ancient history. Let’s talk about the lifestyle the former New York City Mayor was able to create for himself — though certainly not just on his salary as Mayor, or as Associate U.S. Attorney General, or U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. His valuables include — undoubtedly among numerous other items — a Manhattan penthouse apartment; a condominium in Palm Beach, Florida; a watch given to him by European presidents after the 9-11 attacks; four New York Yankees World Series rings; a signed Joe DiMaggio jersey and other sports memorabilia; and a 1980 Mercedes automobile once owned by actress Lauren Bacall. [Katelyn Polantz, CNN, October 22, 2024.]
New York Yankees World Series Ring
And now a Manhattan federal judge has ordered these items, plus a couple of million dollars allegedly still owed Giuliani by the Trump campaign, if he’s ever able to collect it — but excluding the Palm Beach condo and the World Series rings, which are still under consideration — to be turned over to the two women to whom he owes the whopping sum of $150 million. Interestingly, the order also included a TV, furniture, and other jewelry.
Those are some classy luxuries, for sure. And liquidating them should go a long way toward satisfying that rather . . . well . . . exceptional judgment.
One hundred and fifty million dollars??!!! Even in today’s inflated economy, that is one hell of a lot of defamation.
I do not question the court’s verdict in favor of the two plaintiffs. Nor do I question the plaintiffs’ claims of permanent damage done to their reputations and psyches by Mr. Giuliani’s actions. But I have to wonder how the court came up with that $150 million figure? I mean . . . even if neither of the women can hold a job for the rest of their natural lives, how much do they need to make them comfortable and happy for those years?
And frankly, that much money in my possession would just make my life more stressful . . . not less. It’s too much responsibility.
Never To Sleep Again
Now, while liquidating assets to pay off a judgment is not an uncommon practice, I have a couple of questions about the items listed. First, the New York penthouse. Is that his only New York residence? If so, shouldn’t he be able to hold onto enough of the proceeds to secure another, more modest apartment for himself? Are they kicking him out onto the street? Or is he sentenced to move in with the Trumps as part of his punishment? To me, that would be far worse than losing Lauren Bacall’s Mercedes.
Why am I thinking of the Addams Family? (L-R) Morticia, Lurch, and Uncle Fester
And that TV. Come on now! The man’s not going to have much else to do other than watch an endless string of Hallmark Christmas movies and the election results. Plus, of course, Trump’s declaration of victory, whether he wins or not. Give the guy a little something to live for, can’t you?
It’s not opening night at the Met, but it will have to do
And the furniture. Are we talking about all of it? Maybe he has valuable antique pieces, but at least leave the guy a bed where he can cry himself to sleep at night, and a chair to flop onto to watch . . . oh, wait. He won’t have a TV. Never mind the chair.
“Brother, can you spare a dime?”
Seriously, I’m sure there is some sort of reasoning behind the court’s ruling. I just wonder if, in meting out justice, this one might have simply forgotten where to stop.
BRICS: the Putin-inspired alliance originally comprised of five founding nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. And now — doubled in membership in its 16 years of existence — engaged in its annual summit, this year in Kazan, Russia.
Also participating are the leaders of new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as leaders of other countries interested in joining, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. [Al Jazeera, October 22, 2024.]
It’s quite an impressive lineup.
Presidents Xi Jinping (China), Vladimir Putin (Russia), and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (India) – Socializing at BRICS Summit
The nations represented are said to account for 45% of the world’s population and 35% of the global economy. [Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters, October 22, 2024.]
Its purpose: to override the economic and political “monopoly” — their word — of the West. And from Putin’s and Xi’s point of view, at least, to create a “new world order,” with Russia and China at the forefront.
To do that, the focus at present is on the establishment of an economic structure independent of the U.S. dollar, in order to protect against present and future sanctions such as those under which Russia is now struggling.
The Almighty Dollar
I cannot stress strongly enough the potential impact of BRICS on the future of our world if Putin, Xi and the others are able to carry their plans to their ultimate intended conclusion: world dominance. It would be, quite simply, the realization of an Orwellian nightmare.
The summit has only begun its three-day program today, and I’ll be following its progress closely. Please stay tuned.
I never thought I’d find myself saying this, but I seem to have a ridiculous number of topics to write about today, and I can’t decide where to begin. I just keep bouncing from one to another to another, unable to settle anywhere.
I even tried “eeny-meeny,” but didn’t care for the way it turned out and ignored it. I don’t like letting chance make my choices for me.
So I’m going to sleep on it; and considering that I’ve been running on four hours of sleep last night and a one-hour nap this afternoon, that’s got to be my best hope. Then perhaps I’ll be able to think straight and settle on something later in the day.
And talking about not being able to function without sleep has me thinking back to the days of yore — way, way back in yore — when I could get four or five hours of sleep, work at full speed all day, go out partying with friends after work, get home in time for another quick four or five hours of sleep, and do it all again the next day.
And I never had those telltale bags under my eyes. Because I was young. And foolish.
I know you know what I’m talking about. All the things we did that we knew weren’t good for us, but we did them anyway because we thought we’d live forever and had plenty of years to start making healthy choices when we were older?
Yeah, well . . . I’m still waiting to start. How about you?
Remember those years of dieting by loading up on red meat and no carbs? Do you want to talk about your kidneys now?
Lunch
And the smoking? I never did — it just tasted horrible — but most of my friends were smokers. And I must have inhaled a ton of second-hand smoke over the years. Didn’t you?
An Inescapable Reality
And driving after having “just a couple” of drinks? Or always driving like an Indy 500 reject, drunk or sober. Lucked out on that one — especially since there were no seat belts in those old cars.
PHOTO
Well, not quite that fast!
What I especially shudder at remembering is the number of horrific blind dates that my friends thought would be perfect for me. Thinking back, I’m sure at least a couple of them were axe murderers or sexual deviants. Why was I never murdered? And come to think of it, were those people really my friends?
Dream Date
Or simply spending the day at the beach without benefit of SPF-800 sunscreen. And I was a redhead!
Been There, Done That
And so on. The wonder of it all is that I did survive, and made it to the ripe old age of [deleted as a matter of principle — you never ask a woman her age or her weight].
But having accomplished the impossible task of survival thus far, I now need to get my eight to ten hours. I’m not 20-something anymore. So if you’ll excuse me . . .
I voted today — took advantage of early voting here in the State of Georgia, and very glad that I did. There were no lines, the volunteers were plentiful and helpful, and the machines worked with nary a hitch nor a glitch. I scanned my ID, then after I had entered my choices, I personally placed my printed ballot into the sealed box. No one else ever touched it.
There was no apparent way anyone could claim voter fraud — not at that location, in any event.
I had but one disappointment: Elon Musk wasn’t there beforehand to offer me a $1,000,000 check to sign his “pro-U.S. Constitution petition.” Damn! I could have used that money.
But then again, I’ve always been fussy about how I earn my income; I rather prefer it to be unquestionably legal, and those million-dollar gifts from Musk are . . . well . . . questionable, at the very least. So, as difficult as it would have been, I’d have had to say “no thank you” to Elon for his largesse.
In fact, after learning of this latest of his genius ideas in support of Donald Trump, I don’t believe I’d take the time of day from him.
Sorry, Elon; but it’s a matter of principle. You do understand what that means, don’t you? In this case, it means you can’t buy my vote. Because however you try to disguise it, that’s what you and your America PAC are doing. And it appears to be blatantly illegal, both for you and for the happy “winners.”
Actually, there was a sign over each voting machine that clearly reminded the voters of the law stating that anyone who “pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting” is subject to a possible fine of $10,000, or a five-year prison sentence. So nope . . . not for a million bucks.
Oh, it’s been established as some sort of lottery, with one winner per day to be drawn from those who sign a petition pledging to support free speech and gun rights. That doesn’t sound terrible, until you consider that only registered voters in seven swing states — Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina — are eligible to enter. And they must provide personal contact information, subjecting them to possible later contact by America PAC regarding their vote.
So it appears that the uber-bright, newly uber-right, and always uber-surprising Elon Musk and I are not destined to become BFFs. And I’ll never have a million dollars.
But what the hell . . . I’ve lived this long without either of them. I’m sure I’ll manage the rest of my life as well.
Heading out to vote today. I thought I’d take advantage of early voting — not so much to avoid the last-minute crowds, as to get it over with before I decide to exercise my right not to vote at all for the first time in my adult life. And I really don’t want to do that.
Jimmy Carter hung on, less to celebrate his 100th birthday than to make it to the start of early voting in Georgia. That says something to me about old-fashioned patriotism, love of country, sense of duty, or whatever you choose to call it.
So my daughter-in-law and I are off — not to see the Wizard — but to the polling place, about a 12-minute drive from here, to earn our “I Voted” stickers.
I only wish Harry Truman were still on the ballot.
The Blog About Everything … and Sometimes Nothing 