The news coming out of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, today is hopeful. Following meetings between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a high-level Ukrainian delegation, the two countries seem to be back on the same track . . . the track that hopefully will lead to an end of Russia’s three-year war of attrition against Ukraine.

And all it took was some disgraceful bullying by Donald Trump, and an “apology” from Volodymyr Zelensky . . . though it’s uncertain what he had to apologize for. Not wearing a suit and tie to the White House, perhaps?

In any event, Ukraine has now agreed to accept the U.S. offer “to enter into a ceasefire and enter into negotiations to end this conflict in a way that is enduring and sustainable,” according to Rubio. [Paul Adams, BBC, March 11, 2025.]

And Donald Trump added that “Hopefully President Putin will agrees to that also.” [Id.]

Following the nine-hour session, a joint U.S.-Ukraine statement was issued, which included the following:

“Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day cease-fire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation. . . . The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.” [Reid Standish, RFE/RL, March 11, 2025.]

*. *. *

But “Ay,” as Shakespeare wrote, “there’s the rub.” Will Russia agree to anything “enduring and sustainable”? Or will Putin continue to demand concessions from Ukraine that would be unacceptable to any sovereign nation: concessions such as ceding large swaths of territory that have belonged to it since time immemorial, and sacrificing all guarantees of security in the future?

As Secretary Rubio said following today’s meeting, “The ball is now in Russia’s court.” And, while Trump has consistently exerted maximum pressure on Zelensky, his discussions with Putin have remained secret but are likely to have been more conciliatory, considering their increasingly friendly relationship.

And even if Putin were to accede to some reasonable compromise, where is the guarantee that his word will mean anything a year, six months, or two days later? He has twice — in 2014 and 2022 — invaded Ukraine without cause. And most of Europe, knowing just how little his promises mean, is arming itself against the possibility of similar incursions.

Quite simply, Vladimir Putin’s word isn’t worth a single kopek.

*. *. *

So yes, we can celebrate today’s victory. But let’s wait a bit before we pop too many champagne corks . . . at least until actual discussions are held between the U.S. and Russia.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/11/25

This is somewhat weird, and a little aggravating.

I’ve noticed in the past two days, when I’ve posted my first diatribe of the day shortly after midnight (EDT), that the first views are being credited to the day before. I thought at first that there was something wrong with my iPad . . . but it was the same on my iPhone. “Not possible,” thought I.

And then it hit me. Those first views always arrived in the midnight-to-one-a.m. hour from two of my regular readers (thank you very much, whoever you are). And we’ve just switched to Daylight Saving Time (for which, by the way, no one asked my permission).

So this is a test. It is now after 1:00 a.m. here on the U.S. east coast, and we’ll see what happens with this post.

Wish me luck.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/11/25

P.S. It worked! So, WordPress.com, you might want to adjust your clocks. Thanks 😊

News flash! There’s a new documentary about to be released, telling us the truth about UAPs (those spaceships formerly known as UFOs). And this one is for real!

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that before. But, being a fairly open-minded individual, I decided to check it out.

First, in case you hadn’t received the updated memo on Washington acronyms, UAP stands for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena — much more official-sounding than just some random flying object. And this newest film has been put together over the course of three years by legitimate documentary and sci-fi film producer Dan Farah — films such as 2018’s “Ready Player One,” when Earth is on the brink of collapse in the year 2045, but finds salvation in an expansive virtual reality universe; and the 2016 drama series “The Shannara Chronicles,” a fantasy about three heroes in someplace called the Four Lands on a quest to stop an evil Demon army from destroying the universe.

Perhaps Farah has been watching too many of his own productions. But devoting three years of his life to research and interviews is a strong indication that he must believe in his latest project. And he does have the most beautiful eyes and smile . . . so let’s give him a fair hearing.

This newest documentary — streaming in the U.S. and U.K. on TBC, and soon to be available on either Netflix or Amazon Prime (it’s not yet clear which) — is titled “The Age of Disclosure,” and is based on interviews with a number of “involved sources” in an “attempt to make the most definitive, credible film on what can be legally disclosed.” [Selome Hailu, Variety, March 9, 2025.]

Those sources include Jay Stratton, former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) official and director of the U.S. government’s UAP Task Force (which I didn’t even know existed!); and Lue Elizondo, a former Defense Department (DOD) official and member of the government’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).

According to Farah, both Stratton and Elizondo have spent nearly two decades “navigating highly secret avenues of government to figure out as much as possible about UAPs and disseminate everything that isn’t classified.” [Id.]

And they’re allegedly saying that, in addition to the information they’ve uncovered, there is actual evidence of non-human beings among us, along with their advanced technology. And that there has been a massive cover-up dating back nearly 80 years.

Which brings up an interesting question: How have all of the people who must have been involved in this alleged cover-up managed to keep their mouths shut for the past three generations? Anyone have an answer to that? No?

*. *. *

Anyway, Farah included in his film interviews with or comments by some 34 people with direct knowledge of the subject, and says he met with about ten others who agreed to talk with him but declined to be filmed. He says that:

“Some high level politicians were afraid of how it might taint their reputation or impact them politically. And some intelligence officials legitimately believed that their lives would be in danger if they participated in the film. After long conversations with their significant others, they decided it just wasn’t worth it. That was eye-opening for me. The more you go down the rabbit hole, it becomes clear really fast that this 80-year cover-up of the truth has been enforced with threats.” [Id.]

Yeah . . . I can see how they’d be concerned about their reputations. It’s a good thing they checked with their significant others about this highly classified matter.

Farah’s documentary has at least one skeptical reviewer: Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter, who wrote that “Almost nothing in The Age of Disclosure is ‘new,’ per se.” What sets it apart, in his opinion, is that it looks more legitimate:

“Over 109 minutes — and it feels much longer — The Age of Disclosure tackles its topic with utmost certainty and sincerity, its interview subjects treating everything they say like it’s established fact, not requiring corroboration or confirmation.” [Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, March 9, 2025.]

I’m quite sure that diehard UFOlogists (UAPogists?) would insist otherwise.

*. *. *

As for myself, I maintain what I consider to be a healthy level of skepticism, until such time as I see solid proof. But I keep an open mind to the possibility that — out of all of the solar systems in our Universe, and the infinite number of universes out there — ours may not be the only inhabited planet in existence.

And do I believe that the U.S. government — or any other government on Earth — might know something they’re not telling us?

Well, let’s face it — that’s what governments do best . . . isn’t it?

I just hope that, if these other-worldly visitors do walk among us, they’re here — not to destroy us — but to use their greater powers to save us from ourselves. Because we really need saving.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/11/25

She died early on a Wednesday, September 18th, of congestive heart failure. She had been in the hospital in Arlington, Virginia, for about a week — the second time since my return from overseas just a month earlier. My sister Merna got the call from the hospital, and immediately called me just as I was getting ready to leave for work. We had been mentally preparing for the inevitable — Mother was 84 years old with a long-term heart condition, after all. So we dropped everything and got busy.

By the way, did I mention that September 18th was my sister’s birthday?

Well, yes . . . it was. Mother died on her daughter’s birthday. And that’s just the beginning. It got better from there.

Let me explain that we’re Jewish. This is significant because we are required to bury our dead . . . well, technically, anyway . . . within 24 hours, unless that day falls on a Saturday (the Sabbath), or if . . .

Anyway, it’s complicated. But in modern times, because families don’t necessarily stay together in the same village for their entire lives and often have to travel substantial distances for the funeral, the 24-hour rule becomes a practical impossibility, and “as soon as possible” takes its place. And since we had already purchased a burial plot for her near her parents’ graves in her home town of Woonsocket, Rhode Island — some 500 miles away — we had a couple of days’ leeway.

So we made a list of people to be notified, divided it between us, and started making those dreaded calls. Our aunt Ethel — our mother’s younger (and only remaining) sister — lived in Rhode Island, as did her daughter Beryl, son-in-law and granddaughter. Poor Beryl got the call, along with the task of telling her own mother that she had just lost her sister. And — being a take-charge sort of person — she also volunteered to handle the funeral arrangements at her end. Thank Heaven for great cousins!

Calling my daughter Randi was a little more difficult. Super-bright, super-capable, and super-empathetic, she also tends to be super-emotional. And, as she is quick to tell you, she was born under the sign of Leo . . . meaning, she is super-dramatic as well.

Now, Randi and my mother were not always the best of friends, primarily because Randi was a bit too independent to suit her grandmother, who was . . . how to put it diplomatically? . . . a control freak. So, after listening to a few minutes of truly awe-inspiring histrionics — brought about, no doubt, by some unnecessary pangs of guilt — I told her to pack a bag and drive up (she lived about 100 miles away), so that we could fly to Rhode Island together the following day.

She arrived that evening . . . having packed, for what was to be a three-day trip, seven pairs of socks and no toothbrush. But at least she remembered to bring deodorant.

*. *. *

In the meantime, Merna and I headed for the nearest funeral parlor, where they had taken custody of our mother from the hospital . . . and where, in typical undertaker fashion, the resident ghoul tried to sell us the most luxurious, expensive casket in the place — despite the fact that we had told him that, being Jewish, we would require a plain box. (Another one of those interesting little rules.)

My sister, whose nerves were understandably a bit on edge, finally decided she’d been nice enough for long enough, and said to him — not loudly, but in an ominously quiet voice — “Listen: we’re in mourning; we’re not stupid.” And so the $5,000 casket remained where it was, and the pine box found a new occupant.

*. *. *

So off we went on Thursday morning — three strong, independent women — to bury the family matriarch: my sister, my daughter, seven pairs of socks, one newly-purchased toothbrush, and me.

Oh . . . did I mention that our mother was also with us on our flight — in her plain wooden box, in the baggage compartment? A little detail that Merna and I had agreed not to reveal to Randi until much, much later. We didn’t need her going all hysterical on the plane!

*. *. *

We arrived safely and were met at the airport in Providence by our cousin, who took us directly to our aunt’s apartment. Presumably, Mother went wherever the newly deceased go whenever they arrive from out of town.

Let me interject here that Ethel was my favorite aunt: kind, loving, giving, thoughtful, fun to be with . . . and a fabulous cook. Knowing how much I loved them, she had set aside her grief and prepared my favorite blintzes . . . which are a hell of a lot of work. But that’s the kind of person she was. (We lost her about 19 years later.) When her own husband passed away, she was found — around 3:00 a.m. — in the kitchen, on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor to within an inch of its life.

*. *. *

Later, after blintzes, came the traditional visit from the rabbi.

Have you ever seen the movie version of “Fiddler On the Roof”? If not, you must. Jewish or otherwise, you will love it. Anyway, there is one character in it — called Mottel the Tailor ** — who ultimately marries Tzeitel, the eldest daughter of the lead character. And Mottel is a sweet, honest, hard-working nebbish — tall and gangly, shy, timid, unsure of himself, but madly in love with Tzeitel since childhood.

** In the story, his name is spelled “Motel.” But I didn’t want you thinking it was pronounced like an overnight rest stop.

So, there we were — a family gathered for a funeral, full of blintzes, talking about old times, and preparing for the following day’s proceedings — when there was a knock on the door. It was the rabbi, come to pay his respects. He was greeted by my aunt and ushered into the living room, where Merna and I — seated side-by-side — took one look at him, immediately turned to each other and, in perfect unison, whispered: “It’s Mottel.”

That poor rabbi did not know what to think when we two suddenly burst into uncontained laughter. And we could hardly enlighten the poor guy . . . but he was the image of the character from one of our favorite movies. And, to top it off, he was new to the congregation and not familiar with the family; so he was at a total loss.

Choking back laughter, I finally told him we had been reminiscing about some funny incidents from our childhood, which he had no choice but to accept. But the expression on his face told me he was terrified that he had walked into a lunatic asylum. We were, after all, supposed to be weeping in each other’s arms . . . not whooping it up.

Yes, I lied to a rabbi . . . which probably explains why I have arthritis today. We’re also a superstitious lot.

*. *. *

The day of the funeral dawned as you would expect: dark and pouring down rain. Classic. And we had opted for a graveside service rather than a more formal one in the synagogue, as our mother hadn’t lived in Rhode Island for many years and no longer knew many people there, so we weren’t expecting a large gathering. But it’s a small-ish town, with an even smaller Jewish community, so word had spread quickly.

Armed with umbrellas, we arrived at the cemetery and were walking from our cars to the grave site, when suddenly — also in true Hollywood movie fashion — the clouds parted and the sun burst forth. To this day, I swear that my mother had something to do with that.

And as Merna, Randi and I stood waiting for the service to begin, I happened to look toward the cemetery entrance just as a handsome gentleman walked in. They had no idea who he was, but I did — and I walked toward him, he threw his arms around me, and we hugged for a full minute . . . while my daughter and my sister wondered who on earth I had been fooling around with unbeknownst to them.

I’ve always believed there’s nothing like a little mystery and a bit of gossip to enhance one’s reputation. But I wasn’t able to keep the secret for long, because the gentleman in question was Larry, one of my cousin’s closest friends, whom I knew fairly well but for some reason Merna and Randi had never met.

In any event, the sudden appearance of the sun and the handsome stranger lightened the atmosphere a bit, and we got through the funeral at last . . . though with the rabbi still convinced we were a family of maniacs.

Then it was back to my cousin’s house, where the traditional post-funeral meet-greet-and-eat took place. It turned out that, while our mother hadn’t many friends left in Woonsocket, our aunt had more than her share . . . and they all knew how to cook.

*. *. *

There’s an old joke that says the history of the Jews can be summed up in three sentences:

“They tried to kill us.”
”They failed.”
”Let’s eat.”

And in that tradition, on the return flight, Merna and I drew up a guest list for the party we planned to throw for the Washington-area friends who were unable to attend the funeral. And a hell of a sendoff it was.

Even our mother would have been pleased.

*. *. *

Having written all of this — and I’m still not sure what triggered it — it occurs to me that I have more amusing memories of my mother’s death than her life. But there are a few of those as well, and perhaps I’ll be inspired to dig them out of the depths of my memory to share with you one day.

For now, however, it’s time to eat . . . again. I only wish I had some of Aunt Ethel’s blintzes!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/10/25

No, I’m not talking about any of Putin’s own people:

And not this guy, either:

We know where they stand. I was thinking about this one:

Because it’s impossible to discern from his words and actions what the hell he’s thinking . . . ever. Despite all of his tough talk about sanctions and hitting Russia’s oil and banking industries, he continues to turn the screws on Ukraine by siding with Vladimir Putin on nearly every issue . . . frequently even using the same phraseology.

You want examples? Okay . . . try these on for size:

He accused Ukraine of starting the war; he even called Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator.

He fails to exhibit any sign of dismay at Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine’s civilian population.

He agrees with Putin that NATO membership for Ukraine should never happen.

He has “paused” — indefinitely — all arms shipments to Ukraine, potentially rendering them defenseless against Russia’s ever-increasing barrages.

He has — to Putin’s undisguised delight — undermined America’s 80-year partnership with Europe, leaving all of those countries vulnerable to Russia’s rapacious appetite for territory.

And, in one brutal, disgusting, below-the-belt attack, he and his sidekick, JD Vance, ganged up on Zelensky in the White House to humiliate him before the entire world, leaving him to seek the help his country so desperately needs from the very same European nations that are also being screwed by Team Trump.

Want more? Well, yesterday — in an interview with the only news agency he considers to be reliable (Fox, of course), Trump was asked whether he was concerned that reduced support for Ukraine might endanger its survival. He replied:

“Well, it may not survive anyway.” [RFE/RL, March 10, 2025.]

That’s the sort of thing you say when you stomp on an ant — not an entire nation of 37 million people!

*. *. *

And, as though we needed further verification of Trump’s stance on Russia . . .

Today, in Moscow, that darling of duplicitous double-talk — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov — issued his daily news briefing, telling the press that Russia and the United States are “at an initial stage of restoring our bilateral relations.” [Vitaliy Shevchenko, BBC Monitoring, March 10, 2025.]

He went on to say: “It’s going to be a long and difficult path, but at least the two presidents have expressed political will to move in this direction.” [Id.]

And, adding that Trump and Putin had only spoken once since Trump’s return to the White House, he said that the conversation was “constructive enough to stay in touch and solve problems.” [Id.]

Right. Isn’t that what you do when you’ve had an argument with a sibling or a best friend? You hug it out and go on as though it never happened.

*. *. *

Had enough? I don’t blame you. But if not, just stick around for the next chapter of the never-ending soap opera, “As the World Spins Out of Control.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/10/25

While math was not my best subject in school, I did master basic arithmetic — addition, subtraction, multiplication and long division — very early in life, along with reading, writing, and rational thinking. And it’s that last one — rational thinking — that’s causing me a bit of trouble lately because of some figures I’ve seen this week that just don’t seem to make sense.

According to the most recent jobs report, the U.S. economy supposedly added 151,000 jobs in February of this year, against an earlier forecast of 160,000. The unemployment rate is said to have held at around 4%. [Alicia Wallace, Elisabeth Buchwald, Bryan Mena and John Towfighi, CNN, March 7, 2025.]

Taken by itself, that sounds pretty good. But . . .

It’s no secret that, since Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20th — and the invasion of Washington by Madman Musk and his Merry Marauders — more than 200,000 federal workers at more than a dozen agencies have had their roles eliminated. In addition, another 75,000 accepted buyouts to leave their jobs. [Julia Reinstein, ABC News, February 24, 2025.]

So, what does that mean? Were 151,000 of those former government workers able to find new employment so quickly, leaving “only” 124,000 of their colleagues still searching? Or were the two factors completely unrelated, meaning that — while 151,000 formerly-unemployed folks across the country were able to find jobs — about 275,000 other, formerly-employed civil servants have been newly added to the unemployment ranks . . . thus rendering that 4% unemployment rate figure a total lie?

Simply put:

Jobs out: 275,000
Jobs in: 151,000
Net loss: (124,000)

It’s not rocket science, folks; it’s simple arithmetic. Just like the 2.6% we were supposed to accept as the rate of last year’s cost-of-living increase, it’s all fiction. Just check the price of eggs, rent, cars, toilet paper, gas, or pretty much anything else. It’s another lie.

The books are being cooked, in much the same way that the American oligarchs manage not to pay their fair share of taxes each year. It’s called Creative Accounting . . . and we’re expected to buy it.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/10/25

Presidents and other leaders have always had advisors by their sides — generally learned individuals in their specific fields of endeavor, chosen to augment the leader’s own expertise and . . . here’s the key word . . . to advise on matters of importance.

Not to walk in and take charge; not to form cadres of mercenaries to storm the government agencies and decimate them regardless of the stupidity, the illegality, or the unconstitutionality of their actions; not to dictate foreign policy; and not to upstage the leader at a press conference while dressed in a logo tee shirt and baseball cap and carrying a four-year-old child on their back.

Not like this guy:

The entire population of the United States — in fact, the entire world — is agog at the audacity of Elon Musk’s actions since Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20th of this year. He may be the world’s richest individual; but no one elected him President. In fact, they couldn’t . . . because he was not born in the USA.

Yes, he is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and as such can hold public office. But he cannot be President or Vice President; nor has he been elected or appointed/confirmed to any legitimate office. Yet he has usurped powers that rightfully belong to those who have.

Perhaps if his actions were the least bit beneficial to the welfare of the country, they might be tolerable. But he has already created chaos in vital government agencies that are relied upon for the health, safety and welfare of our country and its people. With his symbolic chainsaw, he has placed at risk the livelihoods, and even the lives, of countless thousands — perhaps millions — of individuals and families.

As crazy as it may sound, he seems to be intent on wiping out the entire population of the United States who are not in his tax bracket. (Except that we pay our fair share of taxes, while he . . . well . . . doesn’t.)

But are we now seeing the first crack in the foundation of his political adventure? Has his unprecedented $280,000,000 investment in Trump’s campaign run out? One can only hope.

Because on Thursday, Trump called an impromptu meeting of his cabinet secretaries to discuss Musk’s slashing of government spending and personnel. And that meeting is reported to have been anything but pleasant. Musk accused Secretary of State Marco Rubio of “failing to cut enough staff at the State Department,” and then had a set-to with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over “whether Musk’s . . . [DOGE] task force had tried to lay off air traffic controllers who were already in short supply in the Federal Aviation Administration.” [Anthony Zurcher, BBC, March 8, 2025.]

And when the dust settled and Trump finally spoke up, he said that — while he still supported DOGE — hereafter the cabinet secretaries would be in charge of their respective departments, with Musk’s team to advise.

There’s that word again . . . the one that Musk doesn’t take kindly to. In his mind, he is No. 1 — not just an advisor. But following the meeting, Trump said in the Oval Office that cabinet members should decide whom to cut, but that if they didn’t, then Musk would do the job:

“I had a meeting, and I said I want the cabinet members to go first. And if they can cut it’s better, if they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting.” [Id.]

Okay, so it’s a half-assed decision; but it’s a step — albeit a small one — in the right direction. And it’s the first time we’ve heard Trump make any statement that wasn’t 100% behind Musk. So I guess we’ll take what we can get for now, and hope that the next temblor turns out to be the big one that dismantles DOGE completely and sends Elon Musk back to the Land of X, where he can return to playing with his rockets and counting his money.

And the people of the United States — the ones who actually make this country work — can get on with their lives.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/9/25

Sadly, there is a new name added to our list this week, although her story began more than a year ago.

Nika Novak is a Russian journalist who was sentenced last year to four years in prison for alleged “confidential cooperation with a foreign state, international or foreign organization.” [RFE/RL, March 4, 2025.]

Like so many others, she was arrested for doing her job as editor-in-chief of the Zab.ru website for ChitaMedia and contributing to programs by RFE/RL’s Siberia.Realties. [Id.]

In December of 2023, FSB (Federal Security Service) agents raided the apartment she shared with her mother in the Siberian city of Chita while they slept, detained Novak, and charged her under Article 275.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which had been adopted in 2022 — shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — to augment the existing number and definitions of acts considered to constitute treason or espionage. She is the first journalist to be sentenced under that specific article, which Human Rights Watch has called “reminiscent of the Soviet-era ban on contacts with foreigners.” [Id.]

Following her arrest, Novak was flown to Moscow to be placed in pretrial detention. According to relatives, she has been moved to other facilities, the most recent being in Irkutsk. But last week she was transferred to a prison in Novosibirsk, which they described as worse than any of the other facilities she has been held in to date.

Since the latest transfer, she has been sharing a noisy and chaotic cell with ten other inmates facing a variety of criminal charges, and has stopped eating as a result of stress and fear . . . despite having been recognized by Russian human rights group Memorial as a political prisoner.

Her arrest has also been condemned by the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Coalition for Women in Journalism. And the International Press Institute has said that her sentencing was “made possible by Russia’s continued instrumentalization of its own legislation with the aim of repressing independent journalists and other critical voices.” [RFE/RL Advocacy.]

I don’t think there’s much doubt of that.

*. *. *

Novak’s lawyers have filed a motion to have her moved to a different cell, on the basis of provisions of Russian law stating that prisoners like Novak should be kept separate from others accused of serious, non-political, often violent crimes including murder.

The appeal of her sentence is scheduled to be heard in Novosibirsk on March 24th. In the meantime, she shares a cell with hardened criminals pending a decision on her attorneys’ motion.

*. *. *

Thus, our roll call of political hostages has grown by one this week:

David Barnes
Ales Bialiatski (in Belarus)
Gordon Black
Andrei Chapiuk (in Belarus)
Robert Gilman
Stephen James Hubbard
Ksenia Karelina
Ihar Karney (in Belarus)
Vadim Kobzev
Uladzimir Labkovich (in Belarus)
Michael Travis Leake
Aleksei Liptser
Ihar Losik (in Belarus)
Daniel Martindale
Farid Mehralizada (in Azerbaijan)
Nika Novak
Marfa Rabkova (in Belarus)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Eugene Spector
Valiantsin Stafanovic (in Belarus)
Siarhei Tsikhanouski (in Belarus)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland
Vladislav Yesypenko (in Crimea)
Yuras Zyankovich (in Belarus)

*. *. *

And — like a broken record — I again offer this plea to Donald Trump in the White House . . . though I realize it will likely fall on deaf ears:

“Amidst all of the hubbub of your new administration, it is imperative that these innocent men and women not be forgotten. Negotiations for their safe release have been underway for some time. President Joe Biden succeeded in bringing home 16 innocent people on August 1st of last year, and you have added two others to that list. But you should be trying to do even more. Whatever else you do, this should be high on your list of priorities. The people you promised to represent are counting on you.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/9/25

. . . especially when it’s addressed to a total narcissist.

What’s that? A Russian Foreign Minister complimenting a President of the United States? That can’t be true . . . can it?

In this world of “anything goes,” we shouldn’t be surprised to hear absurdities coming from anyone’s lips. But to hear Sergei Lavrov speak the words he recently uttered about Donald Trump is . . . well, just see for yourselves:

Last week — despite Trump’s back-and-forth on his revived friendship with Vladimir Putin — Lavrov had nothing but praise for the U.S. Destroyer-in-Chief, saying that Trump showed “common sense” in his aim to end the war in Ukraine, and accusing the European powers — which have steadfastly remained in Ukraine’s camp — of trying to prolong the conflict.

While conceding that Washington and Moscow would never see eye-to-eye on everything, Lavrov said they should build a relationship like that of the United States and China, working toward doing “mutually beneficial things” without allowing disagreements to devolve into war.

“Donald Trump is a pragmatist,” Lavrov said in an interview with the Russian military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (“Red Star”). “His slogan is common sense. It means, as everyone can see, a shift to a different way of doing things.” [Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters, March 2, 2025.]

Oh, it’s a different way of doing things, all right. Different, dishonorable, destructive, dangerous, and despicable.

But wait . . . there’s more. Lavrov added:

“But the goal is still MAGA (Make America Great Again). This gives a lively, human character to politics. That’s why it’s interesting to work with him.” [Id.]

“Lively” . . . “human” . . . “interesting.” Not the most exuberant of compliments; but coming from Sergei Lavrov — or any Russian official — a clear indication that Trump isn’t the only pragmatist in this scenario. There is a mutual admiration society being built here, and it is not just sickening; it’s ominous. . . . and all the more so when China is added to the mix. That’s a menage a trois that bodes ill for the entire world.

And while we’re talking about “a different way of doing things,” do not lose sight of BRICS, and their forthcoming summit in July. Are you ready for a whole new world order?

They are.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/8/25

Though apparently Donald Trump thinks he is. Or at least he hopes that’s the case.

Because Trump keeps yanking Putin’s chain. First they’re best buddies, ready to sit down — without Ukraine’s President Zelensky — and negotiate an end to the disastrous war that Russia started.

Then — in what Putin obviously considers the spirit of negotiation — Russia once more hits Ukraine with everything in its arsenal of 21st century weapons . . . just days after the U.S. “paused” aid to Ukraine.

So Trump comes back with a threat of more serious sanctions against Russia, including against its banking and oil sectors.

But in the next breath, Trump says that “Russia holds all the cards.” [Leinz Vales, Shania Shelton Elise Hammond and Aditi Sangal, CNN, March 7, 2025.]

So what should we expect next . . . a threat to bomb the Kremlin? Or an invitation to Putin to come to dinner at the White House?

But wait . . . there’s breaking news! On Friday, Trump said he is finding it “more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine” than with Russia in attempting to negotiate a peace deal between them. He told reporters in the Oval Office that the U.S. is “doing very well with Russia, [and] it may be easier dealing with” Moscow than Kyiv. [Ian Aikman, BBC News, and Tom Bateman, State Department correspondent, March 7, 2025.]

So at the moment, it sounds more like diner a deux. But that could change momentarily.

Can the man who is supposed to be President of the United States not make up his mind? Does he not understand the need for a firm foreign policy? Does he even know what foreign policy means? Can he spell it?

In short, will he ever stop reacting with his gut, and begin thinking and acting like the “stable genius” he professes to be?

Never mind the math. Read your history, you poor gullible patsy, and stop sucking up to Vlad! The history of Russia, both ancient and recent, will tell you all you need to know about the reliability of Russian government promises. And read about Vladimir Putin himself — the thug from St. Petersburg who lied, cheated, stole, bullied, and murdered his way into the Kremlin — and the number of bodies he has had to step over in order to stay there for 25 years (and counting).

Then tell the world why you have chosen to deal with him rather than with our European allies, and why you think handing over any part of Ukraine to him will make the world safer for democracy.

Because the world, myself included, would really like to know what you could conceivably be thinking.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/8/25