In January of this year, just four days before Inauguration Day in the U.S., I posted an article on the oligarchy of Russia, and how Vladimir Putin had managed to rein in his billionaire friends and keep them under control.

I began by mentioning outgoing American President Joe Biden’s expressed concern that the U.S. itself might be heading toward oligarchy under the incoming second Trump administration; and I closed with a little prayer that he was wrong.

Tragically, President Biden hit the proverbial nail on its big fat head in that farewell speech to the nation. And so I’d like to acknowledge . . . no, I’d like to honor . . . his wisdom and his foresight by re-posting that earlier article of mine, as a reminder to us all:

*. *. *

1/16/25: How To Control Your Oligarchs, In One Easy Lesson

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

*. *. *

Joe Biden was not a perfect president; none of them were. But he is a compassionate man, and has always had the best interests of his country at heart . . . which is far more than we can say about some.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/29/25

It was just over two years ago, on September 1, 2023, that I first wrote — in a post titled “Hungary: Another Wild Card?” — about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his growing tendency to cozy up to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

At that time, I quoted a report by Bloomberg that said:

“The West should make a ‘deal’ with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine’s new security architecture, which shouldn’t include the return of Crimea nor membership in the NATO military alliance, according to Hungarian prime Minister Viktor Orban.”

And in an interview shortly thereafter with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, and as published on X, Orban reiterated:

“We should make a deal with the Russians on the new security architecture to provide security and sovereignty for Ukraine but not membership in NATO. . . . the best chance for peace was for former US President Donald Trump to return to power and for him to end military support to Ukraine.”

I further reported at the time that Orban had already cut deals with Russia for the purchase of Russian energy despite existing sanctions, and despite Hungary’s membership in both NATO and the EU; and — again citing a Bloomberg article — that he had referred to Putin as a “model on which . . . [to build] an ‘illiberal democracy’ that opposes the EU’s multi-cultural values.”

*. *. *

Now fast-forward two years. As we are all too well aware, one of Orban’s wishes came true when Donald Trump bulldozed his way back into the White House and began behaving more like his buddy Vladimir Putin than the head of the U.S. government.

One of the biggest problems Trump inherited was, of course, the war against Ukraine, which he still insists would never have happened if he, instead of his nemesis Joe Biden, had been in office for the past four years. But, that bit of fantasy aside, he did have a mess to deal with; and in the eight months since he resumed office, he has only made it more complicated by vacillating between total support and near-total abandonment of Ukraine . . . seemingly depending upon the last person with whom he had a conversation on the subject.

Trump has been trying to convince the leaders of Europe’s NATO and EU countries to stop purchasing oil and natural gas from Russia in order to hit hard at Putin’s wartime economy. And most of those countries have indeed found other sources of energy and weaned themselves from Russia’s spigots.

But not Hungary. Despite Trump’s and Orban’s declarations of mutual admiration, and Hungary’s obligations to NATO and the EU, Orban said on Friday that dropping Russian energy would be a “disaster” for his country’s economy. In comments on state radio on September 26th, Orban said:

“I told the U.S. president . . . that if Hungary is cut off from Russian oil and natural gas, immediately, within a minute, Hungarian economic performance will drop by 4%. It means the Hungarian economy would be on its knees.” [Justin Spike, AP, September 26, 2025.]

Hungarian officials have attributed their alleged energy difficulties to geographical and infrastructural issues. But other countries in the region have managed to break away from Russian oil — with the notable other exception of Slovakia, whose Prime Minister, Robert Fico, is similarly Russia-friendly.

Orban added on Friday that where energy sources are concerned, “It is clear what is in Hungary’s interest and we will act accordingly. . . . [Hungary and the United States] are sovereign countries. There is no need for either of us to accept the arguments of the other. America has its arguments and interests, and Hungary does too.” [Id.]

In other words — in typically Putinesque jargon — he has made it crystal clear where he stands, and has always stood: with his feet firmly planted in NATO and EU territory, and his self-interest in Moscow.

Somehow, I can’t help thinking about the fox in the henhouse.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/29/25

Well, that didn’t take long: Peskov denied; Lavrov threatened; and now Putin has delivered.

Following up on Kremlin spokesman Peskov’s denials of any Russian military incursions into NATO airspace, and Foreign Minister Lavrov’s not-so-veiled threats of recriminations if any Russian aircraft were shot down — you know, the aircraft they deny are up there — Vladimir Putin hit Ukraine last night with the third-largest air attack in the history of his war of attrition against the sovereign nation he continues to claim as his own.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that some 500 drones and 40 missiles were fired at several regions. Their targets included what were clearly civilian buildings: an industrial bakery, a tire factory, a medical facility, a kindergarten, private houses, and apartment buildings. In Kyiv, four people were killed, including a 12-year-old girl, with dozens of others injured. [RFE/RL, September 28, 2025.]

(Note: A later report stated that nearly 600 drones were detected. – BBC, September 28, 2025.)

In the southern city of Zaporizhzhya, dozens of people, including children, were injured when 41 apartment buildings, 22 houses, and several other structures were damaged by the attacks, according to the area’s regional Governor, Ivan Fedorov. [RFE/RL, op.cit.]

The Russian Ministry of Defense has, of course, claimed the attacks were aimed against Ukrainian military infrastructure, and that they do not target civilians.

*. *. *

Earlier today, I posited that the recent fly-overs of Russian drones and warplanes in NATO airspace might be intended as an incitement for a Western response that would in turn give Moscow an excuse to escalate a conflict with one or more NATO countries, thereby allowing Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine and quietly wind down operations there.

But today’s new development leads me to think I was initially on the right track but may have taken a wrong detour.

As President Zelensky said following last night’s attacks:

“This vile attack took place practically as the UN General Assembly week was concluding, and this is exactly how Russia declares its real position.” [Victoria Butenko, et al., CNN, September 28, 2025.] [Bold emphasis is mine.]

Perhaps, conversely, the invasions of Polish, Romanian, Estonian and Danish airspace are a red herring to draw Western defenses away from Ukraine, while Putin increases his efforts there toward a final victory.

Or it could be something entirely different — something so diabolical it might never occur to me.

As I indicated this morning, attempting to plumb the depths of Putin’s psyche is like trying to swim through mud — the harder you struggle, the more deeply you become mired in the muck.

And if the experts can’t do it, why do I even try?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/28/25

At the session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 23rd, Donald Trump let loose with nearly an hour of invective against . . . well, against nearly everyone he could think of.

Surprisingly, that included — in a stunning 180-degree turn from his usual soft-pedaling concerning Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine — a statement that he now believes that country “is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” and calling Russia a “paper tiger.”

It took two days, but when Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov finally acknowledged the slur, it was merely to say that “Russia is more compared with a bear. There are no paper bears.” [Zeeshan Aleem, MSNBC Daily, September 25, 2025.]

Another two days had passed when, on September 27th, Bloomberg issued a report that European diplomats from the UK, France and Germany had privately warned Moscow that NATO forces were prepared to shoot down any Russian aircraft violating European airspace. This, of course, took place in the wake of numerous recent incursions by Russian drones and warplanes into Polish, Romanian, Danish and Estonian airspace, which have been seen by some as a test of NATO’s willingness and readiness to respond to a real invasion.

Asked how Russia would react if NATO were to shoot down a Russian plane, Peskov said:

“You know, I don’t even want to talk about this; it’s a very irresponsible statement.” [Dmitry Antonov, Mark Trevelyan and Lucy Papachristou, Reuters, September 26, 2025.]

But then he did have a bit more to add:

“It’s very irresponsible because accusations against Russia that its military aircraft violated someone’s airspace and intruded into someone’s skies are groundless. No convincing evidence has been presented.”

No surprise there — just your standard Kremlin denial.

But yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov took the floor at the U.N. and offered this:

“Threats of force against Russia, accused of practically planning an attack on the North Atlantic Alliance [NATO] and the European Union [EU], are becoming increasingly common. President Putin has repeatedly debunked such provocations.

“Russia has never had and does not have such intentions, but any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response.” [Kathryn Armstrong, BBC, September 27, 2025.]

Well, now, where do I begin?

First of all, Putin and Peskov seem to have conflated “debunking” with “denying.” Maybe it’s a linguistic problem . . . but I doubt it. They’re just dissembling.

And further, they have now progressed from mere denial to the more aggressive Kremlin tactic of “DDD”: Deny, Deflect, Denounce. Twist the truth so far out of shape that you can then accuse your opponent of the very act of which you yourself are guilty. And in so doing, you are positioned to assume the role of victim, striking back in “self-defense.”

After all, isn’t that exactly what they have been trying to make the world believe about their “special military operation” in Ukraine?

The question next arises: Why now? They haven’t finished with Ukraine yet. And Kyiv’s recent successful attacks on Russian oil and gas production and distribution facilities are having a devastating effect on Moscow’s economy, to the point of having to cut exports and ration domestic consumption. Why open a new Pandora’s box when things are already going so badly?

But perhaps that’s the point. By manufacturing the “need” to defend themselves against alleged NATO aggression, they would have given themselves the perfect face-saving excuse for backing out of Ukraine and blaming the whole ugly mess on the West.

Or maybe I’ve just read one too many byzantine John le Carre novels; it may all turn out to be much ado about nothing. Whatever the truth is, at this point only Putin knows for sure. And trying to second-guess him has thus far eluded even the most seasoned Russia experts.

So, as always, we wait for whatever tomorrow may bring.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/28/25

They are the engine that keeps our government running: the hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country — those who survived DOGE’s slash-and-burn rampage earlier in the year — who show up every day to do the jobs the rest of us are largely unaware of, but on whose efforts we depend to shore up this country’s economic and physical infrastructure . . . and who, in turn, depend upon those jobs to support themselves and their families.

And they are once again — in what has become a regular annual ritual — being held hostage to the passage of a federal budget for 2026 that will make just one man in the Oval Office happy. If Congress cannot pass that budget bill by midnight on September 30th, the U.S. government — with the exception of essential services — will shut down on October 1st, and perhaps as many as half of those workers (based on the numbers from Donald Trump’s first-term record) could be placed on involuntary unpaid leave for an indeterminate length of time.

Members of Congress, of course, will continue to receive their full salaries and perks, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution.

And while Congress argues and threatens and nitpicks, those hundreds of thousands of loyal government employees, while not in a literal prison, are in limbo, scrambling to figure out how they will pay the rent and put food on the table if the shutdown does become a reality.

They are the innocent hostages of their own government, imprisoned without bars by the avarice of the leaders for whom some (but certainly not all) of them voted.

If the words of French philosopher Joseph de Maistre are true — if indeed “Every country has the government it deserves” — we must at some time have done something really terrible to deserve what we are being dragged through now.

*. *. *

But in this, our own Time of Troubles, let us not forget the literal hostages in prisons and penal colonies throughout Russia, Belarus and elsewhere, praying for a breakthrough in the negotiations that will set them free at last.

Once again, here is the list of the ones I know of:

Immigrant Detainees in Russia:

Migrants from the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Prisoners of War:

The 19,500 Kidnapped Ukrainian Children
The People of Ukraine
The Azov 12

Endangered Exiles:

Mikita Losik
Yulia Navalnaya
Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents

Political Prisoners:

In Azerbaijan:

The “Azerbaijan 7”:
— Farid Mehralizada
— Ulvi Hasanli
— Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifqiai)
— Mahammad Kekalov
— Hafiz Babali
— Nargiz Absalamova
— Elnara Gasimova

In Belarus:

Ales Bialiatski
Andrei Chapiuk
Marya Kalesnikava
Uladzimir Labkovich
Marfa Rabkova
Valiantsin Stafanovic
Yuras Zyankovich

In China:

Chenyue Mao (American)

In Russia:

David Barnes (American)
Gordon Black (American)
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman (American)
Stephen James Hubbard (American)
Sergey Karelin
Timur Kishukov
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Michael Travis Leake (American)
Aleksei Liptser
Grigory Melkonyants
Nika Novak
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Sofiane Sehili (French)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Grigory Skvortsov
Eugene Spector (American)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland (American)

You are not forgotten.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/28/25

When did the United States become a nation of heartless, sadistic, stone-cold killers?

Apparently, on January 20th.

It started with immigrants. Some of them were here illegally, and some may have committed crimes; so they said let’s just send them all to third-world countries, or to our own private hellhole, Alligator Alcatraz.

*. *. *

But why stop there? Let’s clean up our city streets, beginning with the homeless. They’re mostly harmless folks, down on their luck. But can they prove that? No? Well, then, let’s just label them a danger to society, drag them out of their tents, and move them to . . .

Wait a minute. Where were they taken? Are they all right? We haven’t heard anything about that, have we?

Come to think of it, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade did comment on Fox & Friends that those who didn’t accept the services offered to them (whatever “services” he’s talking about) should be jailed . . .

“Or involuntary lethal injection, or something. Just kill ‘em.” [CBS News, September 15, 2025.]

He did later apologize . . . but how can you expect people to forget a statement taken right out of Adolph Hitler’s playbook?

*. *. *

Then Attorney General Pam Bondi happily echoed Donald Trump’s “suggestion” that the death penalty be reinstated in Washington, D.C. She even upped the ante by announcing that her Justice Department would be seeking capital punishment across the country . . . ignoring, as usual, any and all legal impediments to such a move, as well as verified statistics proving that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime.

And in order not to overlook any other potential targets of their sadistic spree, Bondi further stated that prison inmates who had been moved off of death row by former President Joe Biden were now being relocated into maximum security facilities:

“We’re moving them to Supermax facilities where they will be treated like they’re on death row for the rest of their lives.” [Alayna Treene, CNN, September 25, 2025.]

Nice one, Cruella. You get to watch the inmates suffer, while at the same time giving your boss the thrill of reversing another of Biden’s humanitarian acts.

*. *. *

So where does the killing enter the picture? In the Caribbean, of course, with the point-blank murders of at least 17 alleged drug runners from Venezuela, in missile or drone strikes on three (or more) separate boats on separate days, in international waters.

Trump had this to say during his rambling presentation to the United Nations on September 23rd:

“To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned that we will blow you out of existence.” [Reuters, September 23, 2025.]

That’s telling ‘em, mister!

There are also unverified indications (from anonymous sources familiar with the situation) that Trump is attempting to reach agreement with Venezuelan authorities whereby he could target drug traffickers inside their country. [Courtney Kube, Gabe Gutierrez and Katherine Doyle, NBC News, September 26, 2025.]

And he still thinks he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize.

*. *. *

And last, but far from least, is this from the Department of Defense, where Secretary Pete Hegseth has called hundreds of generals and admirals to an urgent meeting in Virginia next week, without providing any details.

However, according to several people with knowledge of the plan, Hegseth’s purpose is to describe the Trump administration’s “reinvention” of the DOD as the “Department of War,” and to outline new standards for military personnel. A White House official has said:

“It’s meant to be a show of force of what the new military now looks like under the president.” [Natasha Bertrand and Alayna Treene, CNN, September 26, 2025.]

Portrayed as a sort of “pep rally” designed to emphasize the importance of a “warrior ethos,” the event is intended to instruct the captive audience as to new readiness, fitness and grooming standards that the officers are expected to adhere to and enforce.

One defense official had this to say:

“It’s about getting the horses into the stable and whipping them into shape. And the guys with the stars on their shoulders make for a better audience from an optics standpoint. This is a showcase for Hegseth to tell them: get on board, or potentially have your career shortened.” [Id.]

Are we preparing to go to war? Because this is what Herr Hegseth’s showcase calls to my mind:

It’s all about the optics: scare the masses, and they will submit.

*. *. *

Had enough? If not, I’m fairly certain we won’t have long to wait for the next installment of Murder, Inc. Just give me a few minutes to digest today’s news.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/27/25

The following warning has been issued by the Polish Embassy in Minsk to its citizens in Belarus:

From the text: “The Embassy reiterates that due to the escalating tensions, the ongoing war in the region, and the repeated arbitrary arrests of Polish citizens, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all travel to the Republic of Belarus. In the event of a drastic deterioration in the security situation, border closures, or other unforeseen circumstances, evacuation may prove significantly more difficult or even impossible. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeals to Polish citizens remaining in the Republic of Belarus to immediately leave its territory using available commercial and private means.” [Source: Aid Ukraine UK, September 26, 2025]

***

Following on the heels of Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, this may or may not be simply a precautionary measure. Let’s hope it’s nothing more.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka

9/27/25

I never got past gin rummy, which I learned to play as a kid because my whole family was into it, and I must have absorbed it through some sort of mental osmosis. In general, though, card games just don’t hold any interest for me.

My mother, on the other hand, was an avid bridge player, and belonged to a bridge club that met once a week to play, not for money, but because they really loved it. I still remember hearing them — when it was my mother’s turn to host the game at our house — calling out their bids. I always wondered what a “trick” was, and what “three-no-trump” meant; but I honestly didn’t care enough to find out.

What brought on this little surge of nostalgia was the day’s surfeit of news about you-know-who, which in some circuitous manner reminded me of those long-ago bridge games. So I looked it up, and this is what Google gave me as a definition for the term “trump” as it relates to the card game:

“In Bridge, a trump refers to any card from a designated trump suit, which has special powers that allow it to win tricks over any card of a non-trump (plain) suit.”

And suddenly it all became blindingly clear . . . the key to Donald Trump’s psyche:

“ . . . trump . . . has special powers that allow it to win tricks . . .”

He sees life as a f**king card game, with unlimited stakes and himself holding all the winning tricks!

It’s so unbelievably simple. Now all we have to do is figure out how to trump Trump’s trump card. Where is Charles Goren when we really need him? (Sadly, dead.)

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/27/25

There have been several times, throughout the more than two years since I began writing this blog, when I’ve thought of quitting for one reason or another — a couple of times because I felt I was becoming stale and uninspired, and other times because of a scarcity of unique news items to inspire me.

I never thought it would happen as the result of too much material. But it has.

As I sat with my hands poised on the keyboard today, looking through the headlines I’d saved as possible subject matter, these are what I saw:

> Comey indictment shows how Trump has taken a radical turn – even by his own standards. [CNN Politics]

> Live updates: Netanyahu calls Palestinian recognition ‘disgraceful,’ as dozens walk out of UN speech – live updates. [BBC]

> As Trump seeks death penalty in DC, Bondi says administration also wants it across the country. [CNN Politics]

> Fox News host Brian Kilmeade apologizes for saying mentally ill homeless people should be executed. [CBS News]

> Fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian warplanes near Alaska. [The Hill]

> Drone attacks leave Denmark exposed — and searching for response. [BBC]

> Exclusive: Moldova’s Most Notorious Oligarch Has Been In the U.S. Despite Sanctions, Officials Say. [RFE/RL)

> White House budget office threatens mass firings if government shuts down. [CNN Politics.]

> Colombia’s president calls US attacks on alleged drug boats ‘act of tyranny.’ [BBC]

*. *. *

And it was then that I realized the meltdown I had written about earlier today was not caused by any physical malfunction, nor was it a symptom of a psychological disorder.

It was, in simplest terms, a case of what I now call Anguish Overload.

The world, as we are all aware, is rapidly going to hell in a proverbial handbasket. And as an admitted news junkie, that’s the bulk of what I’ve been reading — and writing — about for months on end. It has been one interminable shitstorm of death and destruction, lies and corruption, hate and vengeance. And there is no discernible light at the end of what appears to be a long, long tunnel.

I’ve had enough. To quote Danny Glover’s character in the “Lethal Weapon” movie series: “I’m too old for this shit!”

I can’t say that I will give up reading or commenting on the daily news reports; I know myself better than that. But I need to find a new focus, at least for a while.

Anyone have any ideas . . . anything that doesn’t include the word “trump”?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/26/25

The first signs appeared a couple of weeks ago.

I have this dear friend of some 35 years’ standing for whom I write a satirical birthday poem each year. We’re both political animals, so the theme usually centers around world events of the previous year, focused mainly on the inane and ridiculous.

Since I began trying to conjure up this year’s masterwork, I have gone through an entire notebook of lined paper (sometimes I still prefer to write the old-fashioned way), dried out two ballpoint pens, and had to empty my shredder when it began spitting little bits of paper back at me.

At first I thought it was writer’s block. But no . . . I was still cranking out my daily blog posts without any obvious problem. And then it hit me: it’s those daily dispatches themselves that are driving me around the bend.

Or rather, it’s the news articles on which they’re based.

I’ve lived a long, long time. I’ve seen and survived wars, pandemics, recessions, acts of terrorism, urban riots, natural disasters, the Kardashians, and colossal failures like the Edsel and New Coke. I made it through the Cold War, McCarthyism, the hippie era, the British invasion of the Beatles and the Stones, both Bush administrations, and Reaganomics.

Hell, I even survived living in Moscow — the one in Russia, not Idaho — at the height of the so-called “Great Mafia Wars” of 1993.

And through all of that, and more, I always felt that life was a grand adventure, filled with endless possibilities, and that any problems could eventually be solved . . . because I was an American. I was one of the lucky ones for whom all doors were open because I lived in the greatest, most prosperous, most respected country in the world: the land where the great experiment known as Democracy had taken hold.

We Americans are not perfect. One of our worst faults, as it turns out, is our tendency to become complacent — even arrogant — about our privileged lives. We have been so accustomed to having so much, that we never saw the avalanche coming.

It hit with its full force on January 20, 2025: Inauguration Day. It had been building since the previous November’s election, and suddenly we found ourselves being buried in executive orders and news reports of attacks on the very principles on which our government has rested for nearly 250 years. And those attacks were not coming from our traditional adversaries, but from within. From the White House itself.

For eight months, it has gotten steadily worse, until it seems the world can’t bear much more. There is hardly a country anywhere that isn’t at loggerheads with some other country. The threat of nuclear war hangs over us like the Sword of Damocles. The natural environment is on the precipice of unimaginable disaster because of our decades of neglect and denial. Soviet-style autocracy is creeping back in nations that only 30 years ago fought so bravely to escape its shackles.

And the one country that has been relied upon to lead the way to peace, freedom and sanity — the United States of America — is itself giving in to the most dangerous, sociopathic autocrat of them all.

Is it any wonder, then, that I have found it impossible to make my usual jokes about . . . well, about anything, really?

I can’t not read the news; I can’t not know what’s going on in the world I inhabit. But — unlike those wonderful late-night comedians who themselves are under fire for exercising their constitutional right to free speech — I find myself unable to make light of it. I’m worn out.

So, there will be no birthday poem for my friend this year . . . just a prosaic, though heartfelt, “Happy Birthday” greeting. And, since his day also happens to coincide with the Jewish New Year, I will offer my fervent wishes for a better year to come.

As my beloved Ukrainian grandmother used to say, and as I have quoted and paraphrased many times before . . .

“From [my] mouth to God’s ears.”

And now I will call it a night, and perhaps dream of a better world.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/26/25