Tonight at sundown I lit the annual memorial candle for Merna — my only sister and best friend, who dared to leave me seven years ago tomorrow.

It’s a reminder, not only of the huge hole that losing someone close to you leaves in your soul, but also of the good times you shared for so many years: the youthful fights; the parties in young adulthood; the private jokes and whispered secrets; the travels and shopping trips and countless dinner-and-theater evenings of later years.

You know they’ll never come again . . . but you’re glad to have had them for as long as you did.

Rest well, big sister. I miss you.

Love,
Brendy
xoxo

In the category of “Who do you think you’re fooling?” we once again hear from Viktor Orban. (I know that should be “whom,” but it sounded stuffy, so I took a little literary license.)

But I digress.

I’m truly concerned that Hungary’s Prime Minister is losing his marbles. Because today — in a speech marking the anniversary of the failed 1956 uprising against Soviet repression — he warned the people of Hungary that they must “resist” the European Union (EU), which he said is “trying to topple” his government. [RFE/RL, October 23, 2024.]

“But isn’t Hungary a member of the EU?” . . . I hear you ask.

Well, yes, they are. Which is what is so disturbing. Because Orban — without providing a shred of evidence to back up his allegations — said the EU wants to install a “puppet government” in Hungary because “independent Hungarian politics are unacceptable to Brussels.” He added that the lessons of 1956 “tell us that we can only fight for one thing: Hungary and Hungarian freedom.” [Id.]

He spoke of the “entire European economy . . . [being] drawn into” the war in Ukraine, and of European leaders “indulging in the illusion of winning.” [Id.]

And further — and this is where he really goes off the rails: “We know they want to force us into the war, that they want to impose their migrants upon us . . . and hand over our children to gender activists.” [Id.]

Gender activists? What the hell . . . ??!!!

But he wasn’t through yet. He claimed that there is a plan that, once “victory is achieved on the eastern front,” Ukraine’s reinforced military will enable it to replace the Americans to guarantee the safety of Europe. And apparently that would be a fate worse than death, because, according to Orban,

“It means that we, Hungarians, could wake up one morning and see Slavic [i.e., Ukrainian] soldiers once again coming from the east and being deployed in Hungary. We don’t want that.” [Id.]

*. *. *

None of this is terribly surprising — except for that “gender activists” comment, which seems to have come from some deep, dark corner of his mind — inasmuch as Orban has been playing both sides of the field for years, openly wooing Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping while maintaining his country’s membership in both the EU and NATO. Even the fact that Hungary is the current holder of the rotating presidency of the EU Council has not served to soften his pro-Putin rhetoric.

Later on the same day, at a separate commemoration of the 1956 uprising, opposition politician Peter Magyar addressed Orban’s comments, saying that Hungary had been “tricked and deceived” by the Prime Minister’s Fidesz party. He said that Orban had “no authority to betray the heritage of 1956, has no authority to serve Russian interests.” [Id.]

And yet he continues to do so. It is a harsh reality for a country that has fought so hard for so long against oppression.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/23/24

Poor Rudy Giuliani . . . literally. Not only did he lose a defamation case brought against him by two Georgia election workers; but now he has to part with his most prized possessions in order to satisfy that judgment.

How far have the mighty fallen. Once New York City’s hero of 9-11, he made the fatal mistake of taking on legal representation of Donald Trump, and then actually becoming part of the web of lies and deceit created by his client — something an experienced attorney should know better than to do. Representation is one thing; participation is quite another.

But never mind that; it’s ancient history. Let’s talk about the lifestyle the former New York City Mayor was able to create for himself — though certainly not just on his salary as Mayor, or as Associate U.S. Attorney General, or U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. His valuables include — undoubtedly among numerous other items — a Manhattan penthouse apartment; a condominium in Palm Beach, Florida; a watch given to him by European presidents after the 9-11 attacks; four New York Yankees World Series rings; a signed Joe DiMaggio jersey and other sports memorabilia; and a 1980 Mercedes automobile once owned by actress Lauren Bacall. [Katelyn Polantz, CNN, October 22, 2024.]

And now a Manhattan federal judge has ordered these items, plus a couple of million dollars allegedly still owed Giuliani by the Trump campaign, if he’s ever able to collect it — but excluding the Palm Beach condo and the World Series rings, which are still under consideration — to be turned over to the two women to whom he owes the whopping sum of $150 million. Interestingly, the order also included a TV, furniture, and other jewelry.

Those are some classy luxuries, for sure. And liquidating them should go a long way toward satisfying that rather . . . well . . . exceptional judgment.

One hundred and fifty million dollars??!!! Even in today’s inflated economy, that is one hell of a lot of defamation.

I do not question the court’s verdict in favor of the two plaintiffs. Nor do I question the plaintiffs’ claims of permanent damage done to their reputations and psyches by Mr. Giuliani’s actions. But I have to wonder how the court came up with that $150 million figure? I mean . . . even if neither of the women can hold a job for the rest of their natural lives, how much do they need to make them comfortable and happy for those years?

And frankly, that much money in my possession would just make my life more stressful . . . not less. It’s too much responsibility.

Now, while liquidating assets to pay off a judgment is not an uncommon practice, I have a couple of questions about the items listed. First, the New York penthouse. Is that his only New York residence? If so, shouldn’t he be able to hold onto enough of the proceeds to secure another, more modest apartment for himself? Are they kicking him out onto the street? Or is he sentenced to move in with the Trumps as part of his punishment? To me, that would be far worse than losing Lauren Bacall’s Mercedes.

And that TV. Come on now! The man’s not going to have much else to do other than watch an endless string of Hallmark Christmas movies and the election results. Plus, of course, Trump’s declaration of victory, whether he wins or not. Give the guy a little something to live for, can’t you?

And the furniture. Are we talking about all of it? Maybe he has valuable antique pieces, but at least leave the guy a bed where he can cry himself to sleep at night, and a chair to flop onto to watch . . . oh, wait. He won’t have a TV. Never mind the chair.

Seriously, I’m sure there is some sort of reasoning behind the court’s ruling. I just wonder if, in meting out justice, this one might have simply forgotten where to stop.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/23/24

No, not bricks!

BRICS: the Putin-inspired alliance originally comprised of five founding nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. And now — doubled in membership in its 16 years of existence — engaged in its annual summit, this year in Kazan, Russia.

Also participating are the leaders of new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as leaders of other countries interested in joining, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. [Al Jazeera, October 22, 2024.]

It’s quite an impressive lineup.

The nations represented are said to account for 45% of the world’s population and 35% of the global economy. [Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters, October 22, 2024.]

Its purpose: to override the economic and political “monopoly” — their word — of the West. And from Putin’s and Xi’s point of view, at least, to create a “new world order,” with Russia and China at the forefront.

To do that, the focus at present is on the establishment of an economic structure independent of the U.S. dollar, in order to protect against present and future sanctions such as those under which Russia is now struggling.

I cannot stress strongly enough the potential impact of BRICS on the future of our world if Putin, Xi and the others are able to carry their plans to their ultimate intended conclusion: world dominance. It would be, quite simply, the realization of an Orwellian nightmare.

The summit has only begun its three-day program today, and I’ll be following its progress closely. Please stay tuned.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/22/24

I never thought I’d find myself saying this, but I seem to have a ridiculous number of topics to write about today, and I can’t decide where to begin. I just keep bouncing from one to another to another, unable to settle anywhere.

I even tried “eeny-meeny,” but didn’t care for the way it turned out and ignored it. I don’t like letting chance make my choices for me.

So I’m going to sleep on it; and considering that I’ve been running on four hours of sleep last night and a one-hour nap this afternoon, that’s got to be my best hope. Then perhaps I’ll be able to think straight and settle on something later in the day.

And talking about not being able to function without sleep has me thinking back to the days of yore — way, way back in yore — when I could get four or five hours of sleep, work at full speed all day, go out partying with friends after work, get home in time for another quick four or five hours of sleep, and do it all again the next day.

And I never had those telltale bags under my eyes. Because I was young. And foolish.

I know you know what I’m talking about. All the things we did that we knew weren’t good for us, but we did them anyway because we thought we’d live forever and had plenty of years to start making healthy choices when we were older?

Yeah, well . . . I’m still waiting to start. How about you?

Remember those years of dieting by loading up on red meat and no carbs? Do you want to talk about your kidneys now?

And the smoking? I never did — it just tasted horrible — but most of my friends were smokers. And I must have inhaled a ton of second-hand smoke over the years. Didn’t you?

And driving after having “just a couple” of drinks? Or always driving like an Indy 500 reject, drunk or sober. Lucked out on that one — especially since there were no seat belts in those old cars.

PHOTO

What I especially shudder at remembering is the number of horrific blind dates that my friends thought would be perfect for me. Thinking back, I’m sure at least a couple of them were axe murderers or sexual deviants. Why was I never murdered? And come to think of it, were those people really my friends?

Or simply spending the day at the beach without benefit of SPF-800 sunscreen. And I was a redhead!

And so on. The wonder of it all is that I did survive, and made it to the ripe old age of [deleted as a matter of principle — you never ask a woman her age or her weight].

But having accomplished the impossible task of survival thus far, I now need to get my eight to ten hours. I’m not 20-something anymore. So if you’ll excuse me . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/22/24

I voted today — took advantage of early voting here in the State of Georgia, and very glad that I did. There were no lines, the volunteers were plentiful and helpful, and the machines worked with nary a hitch nor a glitch. I scanned my ID, then after I had entered my choices, I personally placed my printed ballot into the sealed box. No one else ever touched it.

There was no apparent way anyone could claim voter fraud — not at that location, in any event.

I had but one disappointment: Elon Musk wasn’t there beforehand to offer me a $1,000,000 check to sign his “pro-U.S. Constitution petition.” Damn! I could have used that money.

But then again, I’ve always been fussy about how I earn my income; I rather prefer it to be unquestionably legal, and those million-dollar gifts from Musk are . . . well . . . questionable, at the very least. So, as difficult as it would have been, I’d have had to say “no thank you” to Elon for his largesse.

In fact, after learning of this latest of his genius ideas in support of Donald Trump, I don’t believe I’d take the time of day from him.

Sorry, Elon; but it’s a matter of principle. You do understand what that means, don’t you? In this case, it means you can’t buy my vote. Because however you try to disguise it, that’s what you and your America PAC are doing. And it appears to be blatantly illegal, both for you and for the happy “winners.”

Actually, there was a sign over each voting machine that clearly reminded the voters of the law stating that anyone who “pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting” is subject to a possible fine of $10,000, or a five-year prison sentence. So nope . . . not for a million bucks.

Oh, it’s been established as some sort of lottery, with one winner per day to be drawn from those who sign a petition pledging to support free speech and gun rights. That doesn’t sound terrible, until you consider that only registered voters in seven swing states — Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina — are eligible to enter. And they must provide personal contact information, subjecting them to possible later contact by America PAC regarding their vote.

So it appears that the uber-bright, newly uber-right, and always uber-surprising Elon Musk and I are not destined to become BFFs. And I’ll never have a million dollars.

But what the hell . . . I’ve lived this long without either of them. I’m sure I’ll manage the rest of my life as well.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/21/24

Heading out to vote today. I thought I’d take advantage of early voting — not so much to avoid the last-minute crowds, as to get it over with before I decide to exercise my right not to vote at all for the first time in my adult life. And I really don’t want to do that.

Jimmy Carter hung on, less to celebrate his 100th birthday than to make it to the start of early voting in Georgia. That says something to me about old-fashioned patriotism, love of country, sense of duty, or whatever you choose to call it.

So my daughter-in-law and I are off — not to see the Wizard — but to the polling place, about a 12-minute drive from here, to earn our “I Voted” stickers.

I only wish Harry Truman were still on the ballot.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/21/24

If you subscribe to The Gospel According To Donald Trump, it is. You see, he has said that, if he were to return to the White House, China would not dare to provoke him because Xi Jinping knows he — Trump — is “crazy.” [Kayla Epstein, BBC News, October 19, 2024.]

But it’s important to know — and unfortunately he didn’t specify — whether he meant “crazy” as in “strip-naked-in-Times-Square-at-high-noon” crazy, or simply “say-or-do-whatever-comes-to-mind-regardless-of-the-consequences” type of crazy. Or perhaps both.

He definitely has proven his expertise in the second category. I’m just not sure it’s a desirable qualification for the president of any country.

What he said to the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board was that he would not have to use military force to prevent a blockade of Taiwan, because President Xi “respects me and he knows I’m [expletive] crazy.” [Id.]

He went on to say: “I had a very strong relationship with him. He was actually a really good, I don’t want to say friend — I don’t want to act foolish, ‘he was my friend’ — but I got along with him great. He’s a very fierce person.” [Id.]

And this particular self-described crazy person does admire “fierce” leaders. He went on to characterize his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin thus: “I got along with him great” — but admittedly not without a few hiccups.

He supposedly has told Putin:

“‘I’m going to hit you right in the middle of fricking Moscow. We’re friends. I don’t want to do it, but I have no choice.’ He goes, ‘No way.’ I said, ‘Way.’

”I said, ‘You’re going to be hit so hard, and I’m going to take those [expletive] domes right off your head.’ Because, you know, he lives under the domes.” [Id.]

Yes, those domes. We know.

*. *. *

I’m not here to pass judgment on anyone’s level of craziness; I barely understand my own. And this is not a political statement. I just felt it was interesting enough to share.

I mean . . . I don’t talk that way to my friends. And they’re not world leaders.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/21/24

Sound familiar? It should . . . because we were all subjected to that form of parenting early in our lives. They could have wine or bourbon, but we couldn’t. They could smoke, but it wasn’t good for us. They could use “cuss words” that were inappropriate for a child.

They could stay up late, see movies that we couldn’t, wear makeup, light matches, talk to strangers — all those exciting things that would magically become available to us when we were older.

It just wasn’t fair. But when the time came, and we were finally “old enough,” we realized that they were right — all of that stuff was bad for kids. And so we did the same to our children. In effect, we were telling them to do as we said, not as we did.

And that’s fine . . . for parents and children. But for countries? Well, not so much.

The problem is, no one has ever made that clear to Vladimir Putin.

How often have we heard from Putin and his minions that threat — sometimes subtle, sometimes more direct — of Russia’s ability and readiness to use their substantial supply of nuclear weapons to “defend” their country’s sovereignty against enemy attack (real or imagined)? He has even gone so far as to amend the nation’s protocol as to when such weapons might be used, including against non-nuclear nations if they are supported by nuclear nations.

But one word from Ukraine’s President Zelensky on the same subject, and Putin is . . . not to be funny . . . up in arms.

Referring to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom — in order to win Ukraine’s agreement to return the nuclear arsenal it had “inherited” from Russia at the time of the breakup of the Soviet Union and to accede to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons — pledged to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the inviolability of its borders, and to refrain from the use or threat of military force.

Well, it took Russia only 20 years to blow off its commitments when it invaded and annexed Ukraine’s Crimean territory in 2014. And let us not overlook the invasion of February 2022 — the so-called “special military operation” that continues to this day and has created, according to one estimate, as many as one million total casualties, dead and wounded combined, on both sides. [Bojan Pancevski, Wall Street Journal, September 17, 2024.]

Did Vladimir Putin not think that the Ukrainian people would defend themselves and their country? Did he truly believe they would simply shrink back and allow Russia to stake its claim to their sovereign territory once again? Actually, yes — that is what he said would happen: that the people of Eastern Ukraine would cheer the arrival of his troops and the reinstatement of his Soviet-style rule.

And when they didn’t — when they fought back, and Ukraine’s allied Western countries eagerly gave their support — Putin labeled that as aggression by the West. And when the battle dragged on into its third year, he began to play the nuclear card more forcefully.

And the West wasn’t supposed to consider that as aggression, because he said it was to “protect the sovereignty” of Russia.

A classic example of “Do as I say, not as I do.”

So we have two countries standing toe-to-toe on a massive red line, and neither will give in to the other’s demands. Russia thinks it should be allowed to keep the territory it has stolen and forcefully occupied up to this time, including Crimea; whereas Ukraine, for some reason Putin just can’t seem to fathom, says it has a right to retain its sovereign lands. Ukraine has also made a bid to join NATO for its future protection; but Putin — who seems to suffer from acute paranoia with regard to the number of NATO countries on or near his borders — says that is unacceptable.

So on Thursday, speaking at the EU’s European Council summit in Brussels, President Zelensky suggested that if Ukraine were unable to join NATO, it would instead seek nuclear weapons. Referencing the 30-year-old Budapest Memorandum — which, remember, Russia has already breached — Zelensky said:

“Who gave up nuclear weapons? All of them? No. Ukraine. Who is fighting today? Ukraine. Either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons and that will be our protection or we should have some sort of alliance. Apart from NATO, today we do not know any effective alliances.” [Rebecca Rommen, Insider, October 19, 2024.]

Putin’s response on Friday was short and to the point:

“Any step in this direction will meet an adequate response. Under no circumstances will Russia allow this to happen.” [Id.]

Spoken like a true dictator.

Later, in a joint press conference with NATO chief Mark Rutte, Zelensky attempted to clarify that his statement was not intended as a threat:

“We never spoke about that we are preparing to create nuclear weapon or something like this. We don’t do nuclear weapon. Please, don’t move these messages.” [Id.]

Zelensky is not Putin — he does not toss empty threats around in order to intimidate. Reading his words, I sense his frustration, exhaustion, fear for his country, desperation for a solution, even righteous anger — but not a Putin-style “Piss me off and I’ll nuke you” threat. But that is how Putin chooses to interpret it, because he can then turn it to his advantage by labeling it as aggression calling for a nuclear response.

“Do as I say, not as I do.“

But a conscienceless, narcissistic despot wouldn’t know how to behave otherwise.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/20/24

Imagine it is the year 1812. You are Napoleon Bonaparte, and for numerous complex geopolitical reasons, you and 600,000 or so French soldiers have invaded Russia. And things aren’t going so well.

Mile after endless mile, you march across the vast expanse in the summer heat, fighting a separate battle against insect-driven diseases, only to find the villagers and farmers have fled . . . and worse, they’ve burned their buildings and crops behind them. There is no food, no source of supply for your army. And you keep advancing, through Smolensk, and on to Borodino where you win a somewhat indecisive and very costly victory against General Kutuzov’s army; then onward for the last 70 miles to Moscow, where food, shelter and supplies will surely be plentiful.

But they’re not, because the Muscovites have also fled, burning their beloved city on the way out. It’s now September, and in Russia, that means winter is not far away.

So — having lost about 250,000 troops at Smolensk and Borodino, and without sustenance for your remaining men — you do the only thing you can do: you retreat. And on the long march back to France, it begins to snow.

That winter is recorded as one of the earliest and most brutal in Russia’s history. Men and horses died by the thousands, of exposure and starvation. Eventually, the great Napoleon Bonaparte left his last 100,000 soldiers in someone else’s charge in order to make a mad dash for home and save his own skin. The surviving troops were left to make it back as best they could.

Not a pretty story, particularly from Napoleon’s point of view. The Russians do love it, though. *

* [NOTE: Precise, detailed historical accuracy in the foregoing narrative is not guaranteed, as it is written from memory; but I believe I came close — though maybe not close enough for my long-ago Russian History professor, who was a stickler for detail.]

*. *. *

Now, let’s play “What If.”

What if the Russian people hadn’t been resourceful enough to lay waste to their own homes and land, leaving the French troops without sustenance?

What if the winter hadn’t come on so hard and fast that year?

What if Bonaparte hadn’t been so fucking stupid?

Well, for one thing, Vladimir Putin would not now be sitting in the Kremlin, waging war on Ukraine, plotting his “New World Order,” arresting anyone and everyone who dares to oppose or criticize him.

Tchaikovsky would never have composed his 1812 Overture, thus depriving the Washington National Symphony of a rousing climax to its annual Fourth of July concert.

And there would most likely be no Russian “mafia” or oligarchs, because everyone would be too busy drinking fine French wines and eating escargots in little French bistros; watching the can-can dancers at the Moscow branch of Le Moulin Rouge; and making love in the morning, the afternoon, and all through the night.

And everyone would be speaking French, instead of having to pronounce words with eight consecutive consonants and figure out which prefix to use with which verb of motion. (Please don’t ask; you really don’t want to know.)

And life in today’s Russia would be tres bon.

If only . . .

*. *. *

David A. Bell, Princeton University professor of history and author of The First Total War: Napoleon’s Europe and the Birth of Warfare as We Know It, has said:

“Charles XII tried it, Napoleon tried it, Hitler tried it. It never seems to work out invading Russia.”

With another winter approaching, that makes me worry even more about present-day Ukraine’s retaliatory foray into Russian territory. Perhaps after three strikes, the fourth time won’t result in another disastrous failure. One can only hope.

Just sayin‘ . . .

Brendochka
10/20/24