It started years ago, this business of reaching — not for the stars — but in the opposite direction: for the lowest common denominator. Of making it easier for those who perhaps didn’t catch on as quickly as the rest, instead of giving them the extra help they needed to catch up, to realize they could do better, to give them a chance to do more with their lives. No; instead we consigned the rest — those of average or greater intellect — to a life of boredom and underachievement by “dumbing down” the curriculum for everyone.

And we began grading on the curve. Now, whose brilliant idea was that? Don’t give that kid in the third row the A+ he deserves, because then you’d have to give the unfortunate kid two rows behind him the failing grade he earned by not asking for help, or for being too lazy to do his homework. And never mind the slippage in the grades of all the students in the middle. So what if someone got a C instead of a well-deserved B-minus . . . right?

Wrong! Because you’ve just killed that B-minus student’s incentive to do better. Why work harder if you’re just going to be dragged down by someone else’s inability to keep up? If you’re just going to be “dumbed down”?

And why are sports any different? I’ve never been athletic, and just made it through Phys. Ed. with a respectable C because I tried. I really tried . . . and I invariably made a fool of myself. But I earned that C. Needless to say, I never joined a team, in or outside of school because I’m seriously not crazy about looking foolish, and because I didn’t want to hold a team back. But that’s not a problem today, because . . . let’s hear it . . . everybody’s a winner! Yay! Yes, you’re a little klutz. So what? So you trip over your own feet. So you can’t hit the damn softball. So you dribbled the basketball all the way to the wrong end of the court. So f**kin’ what? You’re a good kid, and you’ll make the team because everybody makes the team. And you’ll get the same trophy as the kid who scored 20 points for our side, even though we still lost because of your . . . uh . . . unfortunate tendency to screw up. Because everybody gets a trophy. Here’s yours, kid. You did great! (God forbid the little schmuck should experience the reality of disappointment in life.)

Well, dammit — no, you didn’t do great! You’re not an athlete. You shouldn’t be on the team. That’s life. It’s okay. Find something you are good at. Music, art, mechanics, spelling . . . anything that suits you. Just get off my stinkin’ team!

*. *. *

And then we began carrying it over into the rest of our lives. Having been introduced to the concept of being rewarded for doing nothing, or not doing it well, imagine the shock of finally graduating and entering the real world, only to find that not everybody makes the team, or gets hired for the plum job. What do you mean, her qualifications are better suited to the position than mine? Doesn’t everybody get a trophy? Or a great job? Or a big bonus and a raise every year?

Well, about that . . . Once you do land a decent job, you find that — once again — that old “let’s be fair to everyone” mentality has kicked in and you can actually get farther by sucking up to the boss or the personnel manager or whoever seems to carry the most weight in terms of promotions and rewards. And because so many of your fellow non-producers have whined often enough and loudly enough over the years, office policy has been changed. Now, instead of merit raises each year, everyone gets the same percentage increase. And bonuses are based on length of service. So what if that tall woman in the next cubicle works her ass off every day and saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars last year by catching someone else’s mistake? It isn’t in her job description to do all that. Why should she get more than you do? It’s your right to leave exactly at 5:30 every afternoon, to do exactly as you’re instructed and no more. And if you can get away with playing computer games on company time now and then, where’s the harm? You’ll get your percentage at Christmas, just like Ms. Overachiever. Because she’s been dumbed down to your level.

*. *. *

I’m pretty old, and I remember the good old days of merit raises and bonuses, rewards for excellence . . . and quality entertainment. Where are those shows from early TV like Kraft Theater, Actors’ Studio, Alcoa Hour, Producers’ Showcase — shows that presented a variety of dramas, classics, comedies, and musicals? Yes, there’s Public Television in some areas, but they’re engaged in a constant struggle just to stay afloat. And what’s happened to the slightly silly, but suitable-for-the-whole-family sitcoms and Westerns that everyone could watch together? Today, if it doesn’t feature sex, violence, horror, and language that would make a longshoreman blush . . . well, then, it doesn’t fly. Because crap is what people want to see these days, in the movies, on TV, and even on the stage. And guess what? We’ve gotten what we asked for. We’ve been dumbed down again.

*. *. *

So just as I was asking myself “What’s next?” along came my answer in the form of an online ad for a new board game. Now, I love board games. My two favorites have long been Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble. (I even play online Scrabble — “Words With Friends” — with four different people, three of whom I have never met.) But what’s this I see? Someone has come up with a new version of Scrabble — one that is designed to be “less intimidating,” by being “collaborative” and “accessible.”

Excuse me??!!!

According to a statement from Mattel released earlier this month, Scrabble Together adds “a second side to the board that is collaborative and faster-paced to make gameplay more accessible for anyone who finds word games intimidating.” Instead of competing — which, silly me, I had always thought was the purpose of the game — players collaborate to complete “goal cards.” There are even “helper cards” if help is needed. [Jack Guy, CNN, April 9, 2024.]

Ray Adler, Global Head of Games (great title, by the way) at Mattel, said in the statement:

“Scrabble has truly stood the test of time as one of the most popular board games in history, and we want to ensure the game continues to be inclusive for all players. For anyone who’s ever thought, ‘word games aren’t for me,’ or felt a little intimidated by the Classic game, Scrabble Together Mode is an ideal option.” [Id.]

Well, I’ll be damned! . . . I’ve been wrong all these years. I’ve always thought that learning was a good thing; that improving one’s vocabulary was a form of learning; that life’s challenges led to greater achievements; and that friendly competition was healthy. That there were wins and losses throughout life, and if you lost one, you tried harder for the win next time. Where did I go wrong? Apparently, I was just born too soon.

Because according to Mattel’s research among British board-gamers, it seems that “competitiveness is perceived as declining in younger generations. Of the 2,000 people surveyed, 35% believed baby boomers are the most competitive, followed by millennials on 31% and Gen-Z on 29%.” According to Brett Smitheram, the current UK #1 Scrabble player and 2016 World Scrabble Champion, “The game speaks to a trend in younger people who want to avoid competitive games, instead favouring teamwork and collaboration working towards a fun goal together.” [Id.]

Mr. Smitheram did not favor us with his opinion on the dumbing down of his game. But I’ll bet I can guess.

And I can’t wait to see what they try to do to the noble game of chess.

*. *. *

So there you have it: a world gone apathetic . . . ignorant . . . indifferent . . . just plain blah. No ambition, no desire or incentive to excel, no concern about the future of a world in which everything is done and decided by committee. No Einsteins, no Mme. Curies, no Mozarts, no Edisons. Everyone the same, reaching for that lowest common denominator.

A world gone dead.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/20/24

Here’s one I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of before now: Robert Woodland Romanov, facing drug charges in Moscow.

Unlike Brittney Griner, the American basketball star who was arrested upon arrival in Moscow last year with a minuscule amount of cannabis oil in her luggage, U.S. citizen Robert Woodland (a.k.a Robert Romanov, or any combination thereof) has been charged with “trafficking large amounts of illegal drugs,” allegedly as part of an organized group — a crime that carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Needless to say, his situation is dire. Drug trafficking charges are not a laughing matter anywhere; but in Russia, especially for a foreign citizen (and an American, at that), his case presents a golden opportunity for the government to gain a new hostage for their perennial swap fest.

Mr. Romanov was taken into custody in January, with a trial beginning in late March in the Ostankino District Court. A new court hearing is scheduled some time “next week.”

According to Russian media, Romanov’s name “matches that of a U.S. citizen interviewed by the popular daily Komsomolskaya Pravda in 2020.” [Associated Press, April 15, 2024.] The AP report continued:

“In the interview, the man said that he was born in the Perm region in the Ural Mountains in 1991 and was adopted by an American couple when he was 2. He said that he traveled to Russia to find his Russian mother and eventually met her on a TV show in Moscow.

“The man told Komsomolskaya Pravda that he liked living in Russia and decided to move there. The newspaper reported that he settled in the town of Dolgoprudny just outside Moscow and was working as an English teacher at a local school.”

The Facebook page for one Robert Woodland indicates as his alternate name “Roman Askhatovich Romanov,” and the picture clearly resembles the man currently on trial in Moscow.

There didn’t seem to be any doubt in the minds of Russian authorities as to the identity of Woodland-Romanov when he was arrested in January of this year. According to The Moscow Times report of January 9, 2024, he was taken into custody on January 6th and placed in detention for a period of two months, until March 5th. He stands accused of the “illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, manufacture, processing” of drugs, for which he could face 10-20 years in prison. He was reportedly caught “purchasing 4.5 grams of an unidentified drug with the intent of selling it later.” The substance in question was said to be a synthetic narcotic known as mephedrone. [The Moscow Times, Jan. 9, 2024.]

*. *. *

The U.S. State Department has said that it was aware of reports of the detention of a U.S. citizen, and that it “has no greater priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas.” But they chose to make no further comment, citing “privacy considerations.” [Associated Press, April 15, 2024.]

And so, as a dual U.S.-Russian citizen, Robert Woodland Romanov finds his place on my list of hostages being held in Russian prisons. In his case — unlike the obviously political arrests of anti-Putin dissidents — the charges against him appear to be purely of a criminal nature. Whether he was guilty or — not impossibly — set up, we may never know. But it is likely that he will become a pawn in the Russian human trade wars.

*. *. *

In the 2020 Komsomolskaya Pravda interview, Woodland-Romanov said: “I always understood that I was Russian, but I didn’t do much to learn the history of my homeland. Now I’m here. I’ve decided to stay in my home country forever.”

I wonder what he thinks about that decision now.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/19/24

How about, simply: “Where’s Russell?”

Honestly, sometimes people’s lives get so screwed up, it‘s beyond the comprehension of even the most imaginative fiction writer. Think of John le Carre, then multiply his protagonists in Smiley’s People or The Spy Who Came In From the Cold by a weirdness factor of ten, and you’ve got this guy shown below.

Yes, the very self-satisfied-looking gentleman in the photo is an American — a Texan, in fact — who somehow wound up “reinvent[ing] himself as a renegade war hero in a fake Russian republic” some ten years ago, and then this week “was allegedly abducted by Russian troops — after apparently being accused of being a CIA spy.” [Allison Quinn, Daily Beast, April 17, 2024.]

Is it any wonder that this story caught my eye in yesterday’s news? Here is a good old boy from Dallas, Texas, Russell Bentley, who was having a hard time keeping his life together with a conviction on drug charges on his record. So in 2014, he decides to become a war hero by fighting on the Russian side in the first invasion of eastern Ukraine. After a few years he declares himself a “combat veteran,” which he next uses as a qualification to work as a “journalist” for the Kremlin-controlled media, spreading propaganda about the alleged Nazi regime in Ukraine. On the basis of his six-year record in Russia, he obtains Russian citizenship in 2020. He has been living until now among Russian troops in the illegally Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk, from which he allegedly disappeared earlier this month.

Perhaps Bentley’s story didn’t receive a great deal of publicity in 2014, but I still can’t understand how I missed it. At the time, though, it would probably have been treated as just a case of one misguided individual changing his allegiance from the U.S. to Russia — a sad story, but not yet bizarre enough to attract a whole lot of attention.

Apparently, even his recent disappearance wasn’t widely noticed until about a week later, when his wife, Lyudmila, decided to make a fuss. She claimed he had been “brutally detained” and taken hostage by Russian troops on April 8th, accused of having been embedded as a CIA mole for the past ten years.

Oh-oh! That can’t be good.

Now, I know I shouldn’t judge people on the basis of appearances, and especially when I haven’t actually met them. But looking at Russell Bentley’s picture (the real one, not the cartoon), he looks about as much like a CIA spy as someone’s pet hound dog. To my mind he appears . . . well . . . simple.

But think about it. Wouldn’t that be the perfect cover for a spy? Isn’t that the sort of person you would least suspect of being able to carry off that level of subterfuge? His wife and friends proclaim his innocence, as one would expect. But isn’t it possible that they too have been led astray all these years? But on the other hand, perhaps he has just been trying to reinvent himself yet again . . . this time as James Bond . . . and gone a little too far.

His current troubles allegedly began when he was seen photographing sites of shelling or mortar damage — photos that would be considered inappropriate by the Russian government under the laws prohibiting “insulting” of the Russian military. Even if that is indeed the only thing he is suspected of having done, he might still be facing a possible 15-year prison sentence. But if he is accused of spying for an unfriendly government — in this case, the “main enemy,” i.e., the United States — well, that’s a whole new ball game: Treason. And that’s life in prison. Or death.

*. *. *

Now, as we await further word on the whereabouts and ultimate fate of Russell Bentley, I must hold off on adding him to my list of political hostages currently imprisoned in Russia. That will obviously depend on many factors — where he has been, if he has indeed been taken by Russian forces, what (if anything) he has been charged with . . . and if he is even found alive. So stay tuned as I keep eyes and ears open for developments. And hope for the best outcome for the absent, and very puzzling, Mr. Bentley.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/18/24

Warts and all, they really love their toads in Russia. And here is a little story about that.

On the shores of the Gulf of Finland, at the edge of the majestic City of St. Petersburg, Russia, lies the Sestroretsk Swamp.

And within this protected wetlands reserve is a nearly three-mile-long eco path that is said to be a popular walking trail with the local folks. But the area is heavily populated by gray toads. And since it is now early spring in St. Petersburg, the gray toads are doing what gray toads do in the spring: they’re getting ready to migrate.

“But the problem now is
That to reach that swamp,
There’s a busy highway
That the toad must tromp.”

Aw, jeez . . . Forgive me, but this story just cries out to become a folk song; and the tune of “Gonna Build A Mountain” keeps running through my tortured mind.

Anyway, it seems the toads must cross this busy road for some reason . . . most likely to get to the other side where the girl toads presumably live . . . thus endangering their lives. (If you’ve ever seen the drivers in Russia, you’ll understand this.) So the good people at the Sestroretsk Swamp Reserve are seeking volunteers, as they do each year, to undertake rigorous training in order to be able to escort the toads safely to their spawning grounds.

Okay, I’m sorry, but the mental image of this whole thing is just too funny. Supposedly normal people are volunteering their time to stop traffic so that these . . . let’s be honest now . . . seriously unattractive little critters can reach their destination and . . . well, you know. And I’m finding it really difficult to concentrate, because that tune is still invading my twisted brain.

“And when he gets there,
What’s he gonna do?
He’s gonna jump his little girlfriend,
Giving her a royal . . .”

Yeah, I’m really sorry now. But how irresistible is this story?!!

*. *. *

In any event, the point of this sordid song of the swamp — regardless of whatever you may think of me by now — is not to examine the sex lives of Russia’s gray toads, but rather to point out a peculiarity common to most Russian government officials. And that is, that they seem to value their animals far more than they do their people. People, after all, can turn against their leaders, and thus are dangerous and expendable; animals, on the other hand, are loyal and vital to the natural environment, and must be preserved.

So if the toads need crossing guards, then crossing guards they shall have, even if it means mobilizing every 60-year-old in the greater St. Petersburg area. Remember: In Russia, “Mobilizations Я Us.”

*. *. *

But what if, in some unforeseen, terrifyingly science-fiction way, those pampered (not to mention hormonal) amphibians — having become accustomed to being around their human helpers — began to take on human characteristics and were heard to croak out negative opinions about, say, the war in Ukraine, or the elimination of the liberal media? How would the government apparatchiks deal with these precious souls then?

Ooh, no-o-o-o-o-o!!! Froggy prison! No crossing the road for you, big fella. No little girl toad waiting anxiously for her lover boy to show up in that boggy bordello by the boulevard. And no conjugal visits in this prison colony either. If only you’d taken my advice and kept your big mouth shut, you could be a proud papa by now. And so, I can’t resist saying it:

“I toad you so!”

THE END

*. *. *

And yes, dear reader, there is a moral to this “Grimm” fairy tale . . . and you already know what it is. We are, after all, talking about Russia.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/17/24

In the early 1980s, there was a story circulating around the business world about the rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola and their race to be the first to enter the newly opened market in China. Coke had won the race in 1979, and they thought they had an exclusive sewn up in their joint venture agreement. But they hadn’t counted on the provision in the agreement that, in any dispute between the parties, the Chinese-language version of the agreement would prevail. No big deal . . . until Coke’s translator fell asleep at the wheel.

Because at some point, Pepsi learned of an overlooked little glitch in that Chinese-language document, wherein the word “exclusive” was, upon further close examination, definitely missing. Absent. Not there at all.

“Holy shit!” said the people at Coca-Cola. “Yippee!” said the folks at Pepsi. And in 1981 the people of China, for the first time ever, had their choice of Western cola beverages.

To this day, I can’t swear that that story is completely accurate, but it was told to me back in the ‘80s by someone in a position to know. And it became part of the folk lore of Chinese-American trade relations.

True or not, it remains a lesson for the present day: the Chinese people are very smart; they plan far into the future; and in the world of politics, they are not above playing dirty . . . as evidenced by their present relationship with Russia. Which is what I’ve been leading up to all along . . . in case you hadn’t guessed.

*. *. *

You see, back in the ‘80s, China and the Soviet Union were not the best of friends. But, as happens frequently throughout the course of history, relationships ebb and flow; and today, the two despots at the helms of their respective countries appear to have kissed and made up. To paraphrase the ever-so-quotable Will Shakespeare, political necessity certainly does “acquaint a man with strange bedfellows.”

In fact, at a summit meeting in Beijing just six months ago, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping declared each other “old and dear friends.” And this week, on April 9th, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was also hosted by President Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. And you know that these were not social calls.

No, indeed they were not. Because this “friendship” is all about business. China’s sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics, and other technology have vastly increased of late — items that, while not weaponry in and of themselves — are being used to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and the like, for use in Russia’s war against Ukraine. In addition to the provision of tools and technology, “Chinese and Russian entities have also been working to jointly produce unmanned aerial vehicles inside Russia, and Chinese companies are likely providing Russia with nitrocellulose used in the manufacture of ammunition . . . China-based companies . . . are providing optical components for use in Russian tanks and armored vehicles.” Further, “Beijing is also working with Russia to improve its satellite and other space-based capabilities for use in Ukraine, a development the officials say could in the longer term increase the threat Russia poses across Europe.” [Aamer Madhani, Associated Press, April 12, 2024, citing unnamed Biden administration sources.]

Then there’s the matter of China’s ignoring the international sanctions against trade with Russia — not to mention the arrest warrant issued, and still outstanding, against Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court, for the illegal deportation of minors from Ukraine.

*. *. *

And here is where we run into that sticky verbiage issue. Because China continues to insist that it is not providing Russia with arms or military assistance. Well, maybe not directly . . . but . . . well, uh . . . I don’t know . . . what do you think?

Semantics? Or, perhaps, out-and-out bullshit. Why don’t we ask Coke and Pepsi.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/16/24

Eastern Europe is definitely feeling it: that fear, deep in the gut, that Ukraine may lose this war, now in its third torturous year. And if it does, and Russia is able to crow a loud “I told you so,” then we shall finally have the answer to the question that has been on everyone’s mind for two years: “Who’s next?”

Ukraine’s beleaguered President Zelensky continues to plead for the help so desperately needed from Western allies in order to continue the fight against Russia’s onslaught. Last week, during a video meeting of Ukrainian fund-raising group UNITED24, he warned again that “if the [U.S.] Congress doesn’t help Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war.” And he topped off the warning with a frightening forecast: “If Ukraine loses this war, other countries will be attacked. This is a fact.” [Christian Edwards and Maria Kostenko, CNN, April 8, 2024.]

“So what’s new about that?” . . . you may ask. Well, absolutely nothing. We’ve known this for what seems like forever, and tragically, we are in danger of forgetting it, or simply becoming weary and turning our attention to other world problems, of which there are far too many. But the people of Eastern European countries can’t forget or ignore it; it’s too close to home for them. And as evidence, those who can afford to do so are buying second homes in farther, safer locales. A good example: the nouveau riche folks from Poland. And one of their favored destinations: sunny southern Spain.

Remember the old Polish jokes of decades ago . . . the politically incorrect (and really mean) ones that insulted and denigrated the intelligence and capabilities of Polish people? (Example: “What’s the shortest book in the world?” “Polish War Victories.”)

Well, it turns out they were dead wrong, which we should have realized all along. After the breakup of the Soviet Bloc and the collapse of communism in their country, many of the good people of Poland started businesses in the early 1990s and have reaped the rewards in the three decades since. And with the advent of remote work, they are now able to work from anywhere and have begun buying second homes, in warmer climates.

And it’s not just savvy investment or better weather that are attracting them; it is also the war in Ukraine, and the fear that the conflict could spread if Russia is not stopped. They take President Zelensky’s warnings very seriously.

But that’s not the only cause of their nightmares. There was also Donald Trump’s insane declaration in February that if he were to be elected to the U.S. presidency this year, he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any member of NATO that did not pay its proper share of dues. And their own Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, warned last month that Europe is in a “pre-war era.” [CNN, id.]

One realtor in Spain told CNN’s Christian Edwards: “After Trump’s statement and after Tusk’s interview, we got calls — I don’t even know how many — with people asking if they can come within three days and buy the property, and how long the whole procedure takes to get the keys.” [Id.] They’re not wasting any time; they’re scared.

So Poland — or a sizable number of its people — seems to be headed west. They’re not actually leaving yet; but they are preparing for the eventuality. Smart people after all, the Poles.

And they’re not the only ones.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/15/24

Another Sunday. And this week we have three new names to add — not as HOSTAGES yet, but now labelled by the Putin government as “Foreign Agents” . . . a designation just as frightening as it sounds. Because it is frequently the final move toward actual charges being filed for some bogus infraction of a newly made-up, ambiguous, one-size-fits-all law. Wisely, the first two, both prominent Russian journalists, have left the country for the relative safety of nearby Baltic nations, but continue to wonder when — if ever — they will be able to return home.

Ilya Barabanov is a BBC Russian correspondent who has written extensively about Russia’s war in Ukraine, and about the Wagner mercenary group formerly headed by now deceased Yevgeny Prigozhin. Barabanov has been accused by the Russian Ministry of Justice (an oxymoron if ever there was one) of “‘spreading false information’ about Russian government decisions and policies, and of opposing the war in Ukraine.” The BBC has, of course, strongly objected to the action against its correspondent, and has reported:

“The term ‘foreign agent’ recalls the Soviet-era campaign against ‘enemies of the people.’ ‘Foreign agents’ have to identify themselves as such on social media and in other publications, and face burdensome financial reporting requirements.” [Quotes from Laurence Peter, BBC News, April 12, 2024.]

Asya Kazantseva, a science reporter, “signed an open letter from Russian scientists and science journalists demanding that Russian troops withdraw from Ukraine.” [Id.] She reported being harassed by pro-war figures, and having her lectures and book presentations cancelled. Wisely, she left Russia in January.

Openly stating their opinions on matters of general knowledge — opinions that happen to disagree with official policy — is their only crime. And for that, they have to flee for their lives. This is Vladimir Putin’s Russia — the model for the world he intends one day to rule.

*. *. *

Boris Akunin is the pen name of one of Russia’s most popular novelists of historical and detective fiction — Grigori Shalvovich Chkhartishvili — who was placed on the list of “Foreign Agents” in January of this year and currently resides in the U.K. Born in the then Soviet Republic of Georgia in 1956, his family moved to Moscow in 1958. Educated at Moscow State University’s Institute of Asian and African Countries, he enjoyed a distinguished career as Chairman of the Board of a large Pushkin Library, and acted as editor-in-chief of the 20-volume Anthology of Japanese Literature. In addition to his other writings, he has contributed literary criticism and translations from Japanese, American, and English literature.

It seems that Grigori Chkhartishvili, or Boris Akunin, also has a somewhat mischievous sense of humor, since “Akunin” — his chosen surname — is a Japanese word that translates to “great bad man.” In one of his novels, The Diamond Chariot, he “redefines an ‘akunin’ as a great evil man who creates his own rules.” [Wikipedia biography, as of April 13, 2024.]

And he has not hesitated to live up to his pen name. According to the same Wikipedia biography:

“Akunin has been critical of Vladimir Putin’s domestic and foreign policies since the invasion of Georgia and the annexation of Crimea.

”Akunin participated in a fundraiser in 2022 to benefit Russians accused of ‘discrediting’ the Russian army under the Russian 2022 war censorship laws.

“. . . One of the few booksellers that continued to distribute Akunin’s books, Zakharov Books, came under investigation by the Investigative Committee of Russia. Russian politician Andrey Gurulyov called Akunin an ‘enemy’ that ‘must be destroyed.’

Akunin was then added by Rosfinmonitoring* to its list of terrorists and extremists, with Akunin specifically believed to be complicit in terrorist activity by the Russian Government. The government also opened a criminal case against Akunin, with allegations of discreditation of the Russian army. In response, Akunin wrote on Facebook: ‘Terrorists declared me a terrorist.’ In an article on his website, Akunin has warned Russians abroad to not return to Russia.” [Wikipedia biography.]

Not incidentally, he has also been an outspoken supporter of the late Alexei Navalny. Little wonder that he has had to make a run for it.

* Rosfinmonitoring is the acronym for the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of the Russian Federation, created by Vladimir Putin in 2001 for the purpose of “collect[ing] and analyz[ing] information about financial transactions, [allegedly] in order to combat domestic and international money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes. [Not surprisingly], [it] also provides lists of people accused of terrorist or ‘extremist’ activities and books.” [Quoted from Wikipedia; bracketed words are mine.]

*. *. *

The list of those designated as “Foreign Agents” is a long one, and compiling a comprehensive roster of their names and biographies would be a full-time job. But I am inspired by the stories of these three to report occasional new additions to my personal list as they come to my attention. They are not HOSTAGES . . . yet . . . but they live under constant threat of “advancing” to that level (or worse) if they let their guard down.

So please . . . look at their faces again. Do not forget them. They are the victims of an oppressive regime that is carrying Russia back to Stalinist times: a regime that must be stopped.

*. *. *

The rest of my growing list of HOSTAGES remains unchanged since last week, with no known movement as to the release of any, or new information on any possible exchanges. On the bright side, if there is one, there have been no reported deaths either . . . though I have to wonder if they all still consider that to be the bright side . . .

And here they are, once again:

Brendochka
4/14/24

Remember the Feenstra family? They’re the Canadian couple who sold their farm, packed up their worldly belongings and eight of their nine children, and in February of this year moved to Russia because of their fear that LGBTQ rights and other liberal tendencies in their country might negatively impact their kids. I haven’t seen any information about the ninth offspring, or why that one was left behind; but I’m assuming he or she is an adult and opted to stay at home. That would be the smart Feenstra.

*. *. *

And now we have one Wilmer Puello-Mota, a U.S. Air Force veteran and former elected official from Holyoke, Massachusetts, who has reportedly also fled to Russia . . . in his case, to escape prosecution, an 18-month prison sentence, and registration as a sex offender in his home state. Given his options, he apparently decided life in Vladimir Putin’s Russia would be the better choice.

So how’s that working out for you, Wilmer?

Puello-Mota had been charged with possession of sexually explicit images of a minor (17-year-old female), and was scheduled to appear in court in Rhode Island in January, where he was expected to enter a negotiated guilty plea. However, according to his attorney, he failed to show up and instead boarded a flight from Washington, D.C. to Istanbul, Turkey, and somehow traveled from there into Russia. He allegedly told his attorney that he was joining the Russian army to fight in Ukraine. [Steve LeBlanc and Nick Perry, Associated Press, April 10, 2024.]

This is a young man who served with the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan in 2015, and later with the Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing as a security forces airman. But in 2020, when he called to report a stolen gun, police, during the course of their investigation, discovered the pornographic material featuring the minor on his cell phone. He was also subsequently charged with “trying to deceive prosecutors and his commanders about the case,” as well as obstruction of justice and of forgery and counterfeiting for forging his military supervisor’s signature on a fraudulent memo to Rhode Island prosecutors. And so forth. [James Pentland, Daily Hampshire Gazette, April 11, 2024.]

The details of this adventure are convoluted and fuzzy, at best. Videos and pictures submitted to substantiate his claims of being in Russia and enlisting in the Russian army appear to show him in those places, but are not currently verifiable. The question remains whether he truly has fled the U.S. and chosen life under a totalitarian regime in preference to a plea-bargained 18 months in a U.S. prison, or gone to a great deal of trouble to fake it. As stated by Rhode Island prosecutors:

“While the state cannot verify the authenticity of the videos and photographs, if they are accurate the defendant is well beyond the jurisdiction of this court and, if false, the defendant is engaged in an elaborate ruse to conceal his whereabouts.” [Id.]

Either way, this loser has totally screwed up his life, and — as far as I’m concerned — the Russians can have him. They deserve each other.

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As for the Feenstras, I’m unable to find any updates on how the clan is getting along in their new home after a somewhat rocky start, and I have to wonder whether their social media accounts have been shut down. That couple — two seemingly normal farmers from Canada — will both literally and figuratively reap what they have sown. But I worry about the eight children who had no choice in the matter.

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Of course, the Kremlin loves the propaganda value to be gained from occasions such as these. What they conveniently fail to mention are the roughly one million — that’s 1,000,000 — Russian citizens who have fled the country since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 . . . most to avoid military conscription, but also a few hundred thousand tech specialists, journalists, teachers, and other Russian professionals and members of the intelligentsia who have found themselves to be at grave risk under the Putin regime.

The scales don’t quite balance, do they?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/13/24

Easter was early this year, finishing off March instead of waiting for April. And Passover is still ten days away. But since both of those holidays are for specific groups of people, I thought I’d fill in a couple of lovely spring days in April that we can all enjoy. Ready? I’m actually writing this on Thursday the 11th, so let’s start with that, and we can celebrate it a day late:

— National Alcohol Screening Day. I have no idea what this is supposed to celebrate or commemorate, but my first thought is that it is also for a very specific group: people with a drinking problem. Or perhaps it’s just for those who are crazy enough to drink-and-drive, and we should all just expect to be randomly pulled over by an extra cadre of traffic cops with Breathalyzers in hand. Now, I ask you: What kind of a holiday is it when you can’t even offer a proper toast?

PHOTO

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— National Submarine Day. I suppose this is to honor those brave men and women who fight off their claustrophobic tendencies to live in a sardine can 20,000 leagues under the sea. But wouldn’t it be more fun if we all really did live in a yellow submarine? [Cue Beatles music.]

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And here’s one I can really get behind:

— National Pet Day. Whether you’re a dog person or a cat person, or you prefer a ferret, a horse, a tweety bird, or a tank full of fish, is not the important thing. If you don’t love animals at all (people with serious allergies excepted), you are a highly suspect human being.

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That’s all I could come up with for Thursday, so let’s check on Friday’s big events, starting with:

— National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. Now, show me anyone, of any age or demographic, who doesn’t like this one. With so many varieties of cheeses, breads, and add-ons to choose from (bacon comes immediately to mind), it’s always a winner — and especially in the winter, with a steaming bowl of cream of tomato soup. Right?

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— American Civil War. It doesn’t seem to call itself a “day,” but it is the anniversary of the date that the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter — April 12, 1861 — and started that four-year mess also known as the War Between the States. This one is not really to be celebrated, but should be remembered so as not to be repeated. Not ever.

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— National Licorice Day. Uh . . . okay, whatever.

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— Cosmonautics Day. I’m not sure why there’s a celebration of the science of cosmonautics, rather than the cosmonauts themselves — those brave men and women who fight off their claustrophobic tendencies to live in a different sardine can, this time 200,000 miles out in space. But someone decided it needed to be done, so there it is. And as it turns out, there’s even a Museum of Cosmonautics, at the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, Russia. So that’s whose bright idea it was . . . The name should have given it away.

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And my particular favorite on this or any other day:

— Day of Silence. Take the hint.

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— And as I left the page, my eye happened to fall on an April 14th event, oddly called “Ambedkar Jayanti.” Clearly not an American holiday, I Googled it and found that it celebrates the birthday — what would have been his 134th this year — of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution and the first Law Minister of Independent India. So, happy birthday, Dr. Ambedkar, wherever you are. Good job.

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With that, I bid a happy April to us all.

TTFN,
Brendochka
4/12/24

Well, the roster just keeps growing. Today’s subject is new to my list of hostages, but evidently not to the Kremlin’s shit list. His name is Aleksandr Skobov, age 66, and according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) (April 10, 2024):

“[He] has been a thorn in the side of authoritarian governments for more than four decades, from the Soviet era to President Vladimir Putin’s long rule. And now, in pretrial detention in St. Petersburg and facing prison, he is in no mood for compromise.”

On March 22, 2024, he was designated by the Russian government as a “foreign agent” — a favorite appellation for anyone who does not toe the Putin line. “On principle I refuse to comply with fascist laws,” he told RFE/RL. “I don’t intend to get into debates with the government. I will not try to prove my innocence. I will not label my writings, and I will not write any financial reports for them. A criminal case could be launched at any moment.”

Prophetic words. On April 3rd, he was arrested and charged with “justifying terrorism.” His actual crime: posting on social media information about the Ukrainian attacks on the Crimea Bridge — attacks that Russia has labelled “an act of terrorism” (see my April 5 post, “The Russian Comedy Club,” for more of Putin’s reaction).

The gutsy Mr. Skobov has freely accepted responsibility for what he calls “a whole bouquet of possible charges” resulting from his YouTube videos: “Discrediting the army. Inciting hatred and enmity. Justifying terrorism. The rehabilitation of Nazism. I directly equate the actions of the Stalin regime with those of Hitler’s during World War II.” [RFE/RL, April 10, 2024.]

He also openly admits his participation in a group known as the Free Russia Forum, which has been declared “undesirable” in Russia. If charged with that “crime,” his conviction could result in a sentence of up to six years in prison. [Id.]

Mr. Skobov is not a stranger to the Russian prison system. As a young man in 1978, he was arrested for publishing an anti-government magazine, and spent about six months in a KGB prison, followed by forced psychiatric treatment, for a total of three years. Psychiatric treatment — a common form of incarceration in Soviet times — was again the punishment, this time for five years, for his later publication of a samizdat (clandestinely self-published) article criticizing Chile’s dictator General Pinochet. The article was deemed to be anti-Soviet propaganda. [Id.]

Thus, Aleksandr Skobov has more than earned a place on my list of Russian political prisoners being held hostage for the mere act of voicing opinions contrary to those of you-know-who. A sad honor, indeed.

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And equally disturbing are three recent updates to the circumstances in which other political hostages have already found themselves: Lilia Chanysheva, Ilya Yashin, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Ms. Chanysheva was already serving a 7-1/2-year prison term on charges of “extremism,” for having acted as head of the late Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption team in the Bashkortostan region of Russia. But someone recently determined that 7-1/2 years weren’t enough, and at a closed hearing, the Bashkortostan Supreme Court extended her sentence by two years. Period. End of discussion. No justification required.

Russian justice at its most efficient.

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In another case, our good friend Ilya Yashin has been serving 8-1/2 years since his conviction in 2022 for reporting on his YouTube channel about the Russian army’s destruction of the town of Bucha, Ukraine. Yashin was also an ally of Alexei Navalny, which, in and of itself, makes him a likely target for “special treatment” by the Russian penal system. His latest so-called infraction: taking off his jacket at breakfast in the prison cafeteria. Instead of a lengthening of his sentence, he was simply thrown into solitary confinement for ten days.

Under the Russian penal code, you never have to worry about actually being guilty of anything. If they can’t find something to charge you with, they’ll just make it up.

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And last, but far from least, is Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is serving a brutal 25-year sentence in Siberian Penal Colony IK-7, for “spreading false information about the Russian army” by speaking out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He is just 42 years old, but is not in the best of health; he suffers from a condition that requires regular medication and exercise; yet he has been kept in solitary confinement for months, and in January was moved into a small “punishment cell,” where he would receive no medical care. Since the suspicious death of Alexei Navalny in February, Kara-Murza’s family and friends have become increasingly frightened for his life . . . and not without good reason. But negotiations between the U.K. and U.S. governments (he holds joint Russian/U.K. citizenship) and the Russian side seem to be stalled.

The old Soviet style of getting rid of a prisoner was merely putting a bullet into the back of his head. Today’s method: simply letting him die of “natural causes.” It has the advantage of plausible deniability . . . and it’s so much cleaner.

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Such is our unfortunate update on the hostage situation for now. I’m not sure how or why I began this personal crusade in the first place, but it is a cause to which I am now firmly committed. I may be just a lone voice shouting in the wilderness, but I keep hoping that every voice — like every vote — really does count. So I keep shouting, praying that someone will hear me.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/11/24