We’re just about halfway through August, and it occurred to me yesterday that autumn is only a month away. And this year, that is cause for me to celebrate.

You see, for the past six years, I’ve been living down in the southeastern corner of the United States, in the State of Georgia. For my overseas readers, that’s just above Florida. And it’s hot there. It’s even mild in January and February, which — to us northern hemisphere folks, at least — is just not normal. (Sorry, my Aussie and Kiwi friends.)

In case you haven’t been following my recent movements, I am now back in the great Commonwealth of Virginia (yes, it’s a state, but it’s called a commonwealth; I don’t know why, it’s a history thing, so we just accept it). Now, Virginia is not exactly “north” — it’s not Canada, after all —but it’s far enough north of Georgia to make a big difference in climate.

Yes, it’s still bloody hot here in the summer; but it’s been that way everywhere this year. It’s the other three seasons that are noticeably different, and autumn (or fall, if you prefer) has always been my favorite. I haven’t seen a real fall in six years, and I am hopping-up-and-down excited for this one.

That’s when the humidity drops, the air begins to smell crisp and clean, and even the sky seems to be a brighter shade of blue. The leaves on the trees turn the most incredible shades of orange, red, yellow and purple; people (myself included) decorate their homes inside and out with chrysanthemums and pumpkins; we pull out the extra blankets and the cozy woolen clothes; and we start making soups and stews and drinking hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick and a slice of orange and thinking about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holidays . . .

You see what I mean?

Andy Williams used to sing “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” about Christmas. But to me, it’s the approach to the winter season that gets my blood circulating, and sends me outdoors for long walks after hibernating in air-conditioned comfort all summer.

And while the weather may not turn chilly precisely on the official date of the autumnal equinox, I know it’s right around the corner. And I am beyond thrilled to be far enough north to experience it again.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/14/26

This is a lengthy quote from an article that I read on social media, which so unexpectedly touched me with its candor and absolute accuracy that I feel compelled to share it.

The writer of the article, one Robert Fisher writing under the header “Sir David Attenborough Fans,” quotes Clint Eastwood, aged 96, as commenting on the physical ravages of age:

“The light hurts your eyes, and even breathing can feel like hard work. Your body just doesn’t cooperate the way it used to, and every step requires a strategy.”

Fisher then says that Eastwood also pointed out that the structural decline of the skeleton and muscles is merely the surface of the issue:

“The real weight of extreme old age is emotional and psychological. Once you cross into your nineties, your social landscape undergoes a profound and often painful transformation. You look around and realize that the majority of the people who knew you when you were young, who shared your history, your inside jokes, and your life struggles, have vanished. The circle of familiar faces shrinks down to almost nothing, the phone stops ringing, and te pace of the days slows down to a crawl. The bitterest pill to swallow isn’t the physical pain; it is the sudden absence of someone who genuinely wants to listen to you.

“When the present moment becomes quiet and isolated, the human mind naturally seeks refuge in the past. Eastwood explained that navigating through old memories isn’t a sign of mental weakness, but a vital search for continuity. This is why older people frequently repeat the same anecdotes, adding minor details and revisiting old grounds over and over again. They aren’t trying to boast or dominate the conversation. They do it to anchor themselves to a reality where they were active, loved, and relevant.

“‘You find yourself repeating stories, adding details, not to convince anyone, but just to feel like you’re still connected to something,’ Eastwood admitted. ‘You try to pass things down to the younger generation, even when you can see the boredom in their eyes.’

“We live in a culture that treats longevity like a trophy, congratulating people simply for surviving, while totally ignoring the crushing loneliness that accompanies that survival. We praise the shiny, the fast, and the hyper-connected, leaving absolutely no space for the slow, repetitive rhythm of the very old. Clint Eastwood may be a cinematic giant, but his words speak for every anonymous 90-year-old living down the street or sitting at our family dinner tables.

“They are the living libraries of our history, carrying stories that shaped the world we walk inn today. When we choose to slow down, put away our distractions, and truly listen to them, something magical happens. We bridge the gap between generations.

“Ultimately, the wrinkles on their faces aren’t just signs of aging — they are a beautiful roadmap of a life fully lived, and it is a privilege to sit by their side and listen to the journey.”

– Robert Fisher, “The harsh truth about growing old and aging,” Facebook, August 13, 2026.

I would add only one thing to Mr. Fisher’s comments: that this doesn’t just happen when one reaches the age of 90 or above. Depending upon individual circumstances, it can begin much sooner.

And it is every bit as difficult as he and Clint Eastwood described.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/14/26

In the midst of the turmoil that is life in the 21st century, I find myself increasingly wondering what it will all mean 100 or 1,000 years from now, and how long it will take for all traces of our current civilization to fade from existence and from memory.

So I’m bypassing politics and other world events today in favor of a look at some millennia-old marvels that have survived beyond all reason . . . and that, in fact, should have been impossible for humans of their times to have created in the first place.

Let’s start with one that is “only” about 2,200 years old: Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, more commonly known today as the Terra Cotta Army at Xi’an, China.

Unearthed accidentally in March of 1974 during the digging of a well, it consists of over 8,000 life-sized pottery soldiers, horses and chariots believed to have been built over the course of 38 years (from 246 to 208 B.C.), under the orders of the Emperor, to guard his tomb in the afterlife.

I was privileged to see an exhibit of a number of the soldiers and horses when it was brought from China to the United States many years ago, and I was astonished at the detail in the carvings; the fact that no two are identical in facial or other features; and the anatomical accuracy at a time when man’s scientific knowledge of anatomy was limited.

The fact that they have survived more than 2,000 years underground is nothing short of miraculous.

*. *. *

Moving ahead — or rather, back — to about 3100 B.C., we come to perhaps the most famous of all of the world’s mysterious stone structures: Stonehenge. Located on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, the most familiar circle of stones is estimated to have been placed between 2600 and 2400 B.C.

Its exact purpose is unknown, though some think it may have been a burial ground. An air of mystery surrounds the site, with many believing that it might have been an early celestial observatory due to the alignment of the stones with the sunset of the winter solstice and the sunrise of the summer solstice. The two events continue to draw crowds of observers each year in what can best be described as a pilgrimage. And year-round, visitors are drawn simply to marvel at the placement of the enormous stones that were somehow dragged great distances, without benefit of machinery, and arranged just so — for whatever purpose.

*. *. *

Similarly “impossible” are the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, dating back some 4,500 years. We know that they are the burial places of the pharaohs; but again, how men were able to construct the perfect shapes, using only brute strength, remains a mystery.

The largest of the pyramids — the Great Pyramid of Khufu — is the last surviving Ancient Wonder of the World. The other six, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Colossus of Rhodes, were lost to fire, earthquakes, or the ravages of time. But the Pyramids live on.

*. *. *

What started me on this bit of time travel was an article I recently ran across on an ancient structure I had not previously heard of: the Carnac Stones, or the Alignements of Carnac, in Brittany, France.

Erected between 4500 and 2000 B.C., these consist of more than 3,000 local granite menhirs (standing stones, or monoliths), stretching across four kilometers and arranged in precise parallel rows. They were built by pre-Celtic Neolithic farming communities over more than two millennia; and though their precise purpose remains unknown, some theories suggest they may have been sacred gathering paths, astronomical observatories, or ancestor memorials.

Whatever their purpose, they are yet another example of early man’s ingenuity, determination, and perseverance.

*. *. *

And again, I find myself contemplating whether anything built in the last 100 years or so, using modern technology, materials and equipment, will be around even a couple of centuries from now.

Imagine, if you can, our descendants’ sense of wonder as they gaze at this:

. . . or this:

. . . or even this:

We, at least, are able to leave written and recorded histories for later generations. But will the structures themselves still be here, or will this be the last remaining evidence of our era:

If that turns out to be the case, I can only say that I’m glad I won’t be around to have to explain it!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/14/26

When the Soviet Union (USSR) imploded in 1991, each of its 15 republics became independent nations. In an effort to maintain solidarity in matters of economic, political and military affairs, three of the former republics — Russia, Ukraine, and Belorussia (renamed Belarus) — formed the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), to be joined by nine others, excluding only the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Subsequently, Ukraine and Georgia both withdrew from the CIS, leaving the current membership of ten former Soviet republics: Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The world has seen many changes in the 35 years since the dissolution of the USSR. Not surprisingly, those changes have given birth to a number of new alliances and a whole new set of acronyms for us to memorize.

Remembering the names is actually the easy part; what is becoming difficult is distinguishing among them, as they sometimes include some of the same members and offer the same or similar mission statements . . . leading one to question whether they may actually be operating at cross-purposes.

For example, there is BRICS — so named for its founding members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It was the brainchild of Vladimir Putin, founded in 2006 as BRIC (becoming BRICS with the later addition of South Africa), and since having added Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as full members. In addition, there are numerous “partner” members, as well as pending applicants for membership. It has held an annual summit each year since 2009.

BRICS is, thus far, the most formidable of the new groups, bluntly stating that its principal purpose is to surpass and replace the Western alliances as the dominant political and economic forces of the 21st century.

*. *. *

On August 10th, I reported on a new alliance, known as the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye. Although it hasn’t officially adopted an acronym, I think of it as “SPAT,” since “MJDA” is unpronounceable in most languages (though admittedly I do not speak Arabic, Urdu, or Turkish).

SPAT may never expand to an organization the size of BRICS. But it is of particular interest because of the presence of NATO member Türkiye, and its NATO-like declaration that “any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.” [David Khattak, RFE/RL, August 7, 2026.]

In the midst of an increasingly precarious situation in the Middle East, it is understandable that surrounding regions are finding it necessary to increase their defensive capabilities. But conditions can change in an instant, so we shall have to see where this one goes.

*. *. *

But wait . . . there’s more. Yesterday’s news brought word of a growing cooperative effort among the world’s four dominant autocracies — China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea — that is already being unofficially referred to as “CRINK.”

While not yet a formal alliance, they have responded to increasing Western pressure and sanctions by “drawing on one another’s resources, military capabilities, and geopolitical leverage to withstand Western pressure.” [Alex Raufoglu, RFE/RL, August 12, 2026.]

In this instance, it is the inclusion of isolationist North Korea — which has increasingly been involving itself in Russia’s war against Ukraine — that is of particular interest. And in Washington and elsewhere, there is concern over the extent to which such a formidable alliance might shift the existing international balance of power.

*. *. *

Of course, on the other side of the political fence, there is the “Coalition of the Willing” — the bloc of 35 European nations, being led by France and the UK, that has been so instrumental in aiding Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression since the invasion of February 24, 2022. I hesitate to assign it an acronym, as it would almost certainly have to be “COW” — which, while inoffensive enough, sounds a bit playful for such a serious undertaking. (The alternative — naming it after the two lead countries of France and the UK — is tempting, though probably not a good idea in the context of international diplomacy.)

But the Coalition is certainly a welcome counterpoint to the growing number of back-room alliances being created in an increasingly anxiety-ridden world. Together with the UN, NATO, the EU, and others, they bring us hope for the survival of a freer and more peaceful planet.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/13/26

Let’s see if I have this straight.

> On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin sent his armed forces into Ukraine, expecting to seize the sovereign nation in a matter of days, or a few weeks at most.

> For four and a half years, he has pummeled Ukraine — including massive swaths of its civilian population and infrastructure — with missiles, drones and ground troops, killing more than 16,000 civilians and injuring an estimated 48,000 more; decimating their homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, churches, and historic sites; kidnapping thousands of their children; and fire-bombing their crops.

> U.S. and European allies have rallied to Ukraine’s defense, enabling the once-vulnerable country to build both its defensive and offensive military capabilities and to make highly successful retaliatory strikes against Russian military-related targets.

> Punishing sanctions have also been levied by the West against Russia as a result of the continuing war crimes. These include targeting a shadow fleet of ships being used by Putin to circumvent sanctions against Russia’s deportation of oil to its few remaining customers.

> And now, when the European leaders are discussing additional measures against the Russian ships in order to prevent Putin from using the oil profits to finance his war, Putin — during drills by Russia’s Pacific Fleet — offered his view of the situation:

“This is nothing less than piracy and robbery. If this begins to be put into practice, we shall be forced to respond in kind.”

– Vladimir Putin, August 12, 2026

Am I missing something here? Such as, who started this whole mess back in February 2022? Who are the aggressors and who are the defenders?

Doesn’t he have it all ass-backwards?

Well, of course he does . . . and not because he doesn’t know better. It’s the classic Kremlin tactic of “deny, deny, deny,” in hopes that people will buy into it if he repeats it often enough.

And it’s also a symptom of desperation. The shoe is suddenly on the other foot, and it’s really beginning to pinch. Vladimir Putin is a man who started a war he thought would be a walk in the park, but that turned out to be one he hasn’t been able to win and can’t find a way to end without losing face. So he raves and rants and threatens, while his people grow increasingly weary of a war they never wanted, and that now has been turned back against them.

Wait a second . . .

Please excuse me if I sound like a broken record, but — once again — doesn’t this look more than a little familiar?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/13/26

As promised, here is the first leg of my nostalgic stroll down Memory Lane, focusing on my decade as personal assistant, keeper of the keys, guardian of the secrets, protocol officer, comic foil, and sometimes battering ram for a man named Walter Sterling Surrey.

I’ve made a list of recollections I consider interesting enough to share, and thus far I’m up to No. 42. (In fact, I’ve already written about a few of them in the early days of this blog, but I think they may bear repeating.) So here we go . . .

It was the hardest job I ever had — and the best. Imagine trying to keep up with someone who held degrees from Yale University and University of Virginia Law School; had served in the OSS (precursor to the CIA) in Sweden during World War II; then joined the Justice Department, later moving to the State Department where — still in his early 30s — he became the chief legal draftsman of both the Marshall Plan and the NATO Treaty before settling into the private practice of international transactional law.

And he had, on top of all of his accomplishments, the world’s most wicked, irreverent, irresistible sense of humor.

Every day was a new adventure — leaving me, when it was finally over around 6:30 or 7:00 p.m., somehow both exhausted and exhilarated.

Aside from keeping Walter’s professional life running smoothly, I had other responsibilities: I interacted with his banker, investment broker, insurance agent, doctors, dentist, barber, ex-wives (2), third and final wife, and countless others.

At some point between marriages, he had gotten into the habit of keeping his financial records in the office. I hadn’t been working with him for long when one day I noticed that his checking account balance was running low. I asked him which other account he wanted to draw from to replenish it, and I happened to joke, “Jeez, my mother has more money in the bank than you do.” Without hesitating, he said, “Really? What’s her phone number?” Wrongly assuming he was bluffing, I gave him her office number, then watched in horror as he picked up the phone and began punching buttons. When she answered, he said — to this woman he had never met — “Hello, Moneybags? This is Walter.”

Mother (somewhat annoyed at being disturbed at work by some lunatic): “Walter who?”

Walter: “Walter Surrey. Your daughter tells me you have more money than I do. Want to go to Vegas?”

Well, little did he know that he had hit her soft spot — she loved gambling, and she loved Vegas! To my great surprise, she never missed a beat, but jumped right in and replied, “Is tomorrow too soon?” And thus was born “Moneybags.”

I’m not sure he ever remembered her real name, because “Moneybags” was all he ever called her. Walter and Moneybags became fast friends, despite the fact that the Las Vegas trip never materialized.

And I had learned one of the most important rules of dealing with Walter Surrey: Never assume you know what he’ll say or do next. Because, as you will see from future installments, he was, among his many exceptional attributes, wonderfully unpredictable.

Until next time, then, I am

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/13/26

The latest Trump administration casualty: the newly-returned-from-the-world’s-shortest-maternity-leave White House Press Secretary herself: Karoline Leavitt.

In an uncharacteristically brief statement, Donald Trump posted on social media today that Leavitt will be leaving her $195,000/year job at the end of the month “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family.” [ABC News, August 12, 2026, 3:48 p.m.]

Translation: She has been rendered, as our friends in the U.K. would say, “redundant.” (In Americanese, that’s “superfluous,” “expendable,” or “a total embarrassment.”)

Until someone on the inside leaks the juicy details, we don’t know any more than that; but I’m sure there will be much speculation taking place in the coming days and weeks — both as to the real reason for her departure and the identity of her unlucky replacement.

In the meantime, let’s try not to miss her too much.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/12/26

In my opinion, this is a subject on which the less said, the better. And apparently, Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, agreed with me, for he summed it up with this brief comment:

“Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”

– Mark Twain, “The Czar’s Soliloquy” (1905)

Sometimes, less really is more.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/12/26

First, you should be born in Russia. You needn’t be from a well-to-do family, but you must be shrewd, ambitious, and entirely without scruples.

Second, you work your way up through the government hierarchy by making yourself — through any means available — indispensable to someone in charge.

Third, you build an image of yourself as a tough guy.

Fourth, when you finally reach the pinnacle of power, you arrest or otherwise eliminate any opposing politicians who seem to be gaining in popularity.

And finally, you outlaw any and all political parties that may pose a threat to your absolute rule.

The first four steps have taken years to accomplish, and are already well known to the world at large. But that last step — simply declaring opposing political parties ineligible to run for Parliamentary representation — has just been established as precedent by Russia’s Supreme Court.

The party in question is known as Yabloko. It was formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 to assist in Russia’s hoped-for transition to a more Western-style economy and democratic society. One of its founders, economist Grigory Yavlinsky, led the party, and later served in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s Parliament.

Yabloko still exists, but has lost influence under Putin’s reign. However, with popular sentiment against the war in Ukraine growing rapidly, the party’s increasing popularity has become worrisome to Putin. So he did what he always does: he eliminated it . . . in this instance, by engineering the filing of a lawsuit last week by the nationalist Rodina party, alleging a number of violations by Yabloko that included accepting funding from foreign interests, copyright infringements, and extremism (which can mean practically anything).

At the hearing on August 10th, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Rodina, barring Yabloko — the only party calling for an end to the war against Ukraine — from a place on the ballot in next month’s parliamentary elections.

Following the court’s decision, Yavlinsky wrote on X:

“Removing Yabloko from the elections exposes the true nature of the political system. The public demand for peace and freedom has turned out to be significantly stronger than the authorities anticipated.

“Yabloko represents probably the broadest coalition of opponents to the Putin regime seen in a long time.

“For a long time, both Russians remaining in the country and those forced into emigration were deprived of any opportunity to exert influence. Now, they are ready to support absolutely anyone — even the devil himself. First, to gain at least the illusion of having some influence, and second, to speak out against the war.” [RFE/RL’s Russia Service and Current Time, August 10, 2026.]

Yabloko’s current chairman, Nikolai Rybakov, has said that the party will do everything possible to make Russia “a thriving democratic state,” including appealing the Supreme Court’s ruling. [Id.]

But I think we can pretty well guess how that will turn out . . . leaving Putin with a rubber-stamp Parliament and a continuation of absolute authority.

Sound like anyone else you know?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/12/26

Robert Gilman is on his way home!

This is huge news, and I didn’t feel it could wait for my regular Sunday post on the hostage situation.

Gilman — who was working in Russia as a teacher of English — was arrested in 2022 for allegedly hitting a Russian police officer. He was reportedly ill at the time, and most likely struck the officer accidentally when thrashing around. But he was tried and sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison, with a later extension of the sentence to ten years.

During his imprisonment in Voronezh, some 340 miles south of Moscow, Gilman’s health has declined steadily due to constant physical and mental abuse. Nearly two months ago, he was transferred from the prison to a psychiatric hospital in what was described as a catatonic-like state of dissociative stupor. In the hospital, he was being fed via a tube inserted through his nose. [Steve Holland and Jonathan Landay, Reuters, August 11, 2026.]

Recent reports that he appeared to be near death finally led to an agreement by Russian President Vladimir Putin to release Gilman on humanitarian grounds, so that he could receive treatment in the United States. And as of this writing, he is aboard a U.S. State Department plane along with his mother and four doctors, en route to Washington, where he will be greeted by special envoy Steve Witkoff and deputy national security adviser Sebastian Gorka, who are said to have been instrumental in obtaining his release, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others.

Despite his recent physical and mental deterioration, a U.S. official who spoke to him following his release said that he was walking and talking, and that, “All things considered he seems to be in good shape.” [Id.] It is expected that he will be receiving medical treatment at a rehabilitation center in San Antonio, Texas.

So, welcome home, Robert Gilman, at long last. We wish you a speedy recovery, and a long and happy future.

*. *. *

That, of course, is the good news. What is unacceptable, in addition to the fact that he and so many others were falsely imprisoned in the first place, is the treatment of these political prisoners at the hands of Putin’s prison officials. There are still an estimated eight to ten Americans being wrongfully held in Russia; and they are the reason I continue my weekly vigil.

But what is particularly worrisome is a statement by Yuri Ushakov, former Russian Ambassador to the United States and now senior foreign policy adviser to Putin, who informed Trump administration officials last week that Putin had agreed to sign a decree pardoning Gilman “for humanitarian purposes, given Putin’s friendship with the president [Trump].” [Id.] [Bold emphasis is mine.]

Therein lies the problem: Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are not supposed to be friends. But Trump prefers leaders he sees as being “strong men” — tyrants like Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, and Mohammed bin Salman — over America’s real allies, whom he dismisses as weak and ineffective.

And that, to put it mildly, is terrifying.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/11/26