Following Moscow’s Victory Day Parade on Saturday, Vladimir Putin commented to reporters concerning the war in Ukraine:

“I think that the matter is coming to an end.” [Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and Reuters, May 10, 2026.]

And I joined the world’s leaders, the media, and every other Russia-watcher in speculating what he meant by that. Was he actually ready to compromise; was it just another stall; or did he have something new up his sleeve?

Based on other indicators, I said that I thought it would most likely turn out to be option #2 or #3 — but not capitulation. And then, as though someone had heard me, I saw this headline:

“Putin says Russia test launches ‘most powerful missile in the world.’” [CBS/AP, May 12, 2026.]

The report went on to say that on Tuesday Russia had test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which was being touted by Putin just days after his enigmatic statement about ending the conflict. In his announcement, Putin said that the nuclear-armed missile, known as Sarmat, would be ready to enter combat service at the end of this year, replacing the older Soviet-era Voyevoda. Claiming that the combined power of the Sarmat’s individually-targeted warheads is more than four times higher than that of any Western counterpart, Putin boasted:

“This is the most powerful missile in the world.” [Id.]

He also said that the Sarmat, along with other new weapons, would render any prospective U.S. missile defenses useless. It is said to be capable of suborbital flight, giving it a range of more than 21,700 miles and the ability to penetrate any such missile defenses. [Id.]

*. *. *

And there it is: first the hint at something coming, and then the unveiling of his newest nuclear threat. Could this be what he meant? Did he expect Ukraine to surrender, cowering in fear?

But conversely, there were other reports of his having told his own inner circle:

“We cannot continue. This is leading us to catastrophe.” [World News Europe, May 11, 2026.]

And there has been talk of discussions about withdrawing troops from Ukraine, and seeking diplomatic channels for the start of negotiations.

But where is the confirmation of any of this? How do we ever know which conflicting statements coming from Moscow are true . . . or, for that matter, if any of them are?

At the end of the day, the mystery continues, as it has for centuries. As Winston Churchill famously said way back in 1939: Russia is “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.”

I doubt that Churchill would be surprised to see that it hasn’t changed a bit in the last 87 years.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/14/26

We might be tempted to think (or hope) that — amidst all of the hullabaloo surrounding Iran, Ukraine, China, the Vatican, the economy, the upcoming midterm elections, and that accursed ballroom — Donald Trump would have forgotten all about his mad desire to lay claim to Greenland. After all, he hasn’t mentioned it in a while.

But we would be wrong.

As it happens, officials with knowledge of the matter say that the U.S. has been involved in regular negotiations with Denmark to expand U.S. military presence in Greenland, with the talks progressing in recent months. American representatives are said to be seeking to open three new bases in the southern part of the island, while simultaneously attempting to resolve the diplomatic damage done by Trump when he threatened to take the territory by force. [Daniel Bush, BBC, May 12, 2026.]

The talks, described as “delicate,” have been clothed in secrecy, and are said to involve a small working group on each side. A White House official told the BBC that the administration is very optimistic that the talks are “headed in the right direction.” And Denmark’s Foreign Ministry would say only that “There is an ongoing diplomatic track with the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not go into further detail at this time.” [Id.]

While there has been no indication of a formal agreement as yet, word from one official is that the U.S. has suggested an arrangement whereby the new military bases “would be formally designated as US sovereign territory.” [Id.]

“What did he say??!!!”

And that is when I really sat up and paid attention. Because the parallel is inescapable. It is exactly what Russia — having gained a military foothold in the Donbas, Crimea, and other regions of Ukraine — continues to demand as its right: a designation of those regions as Russian sovereign territory. And once that happens (if it does), there will be no stopping a future advance.

Could the same possibly take place in Greenland?

I hope someone can prove to me that I am overthinking the situation. But unless and until I’m proven wrong, I have this word of caution for the Danish officials:

“Be sure to read the fine print!”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/13/26

NO! Not that light!

Right … that’s the one.

Believe it or not, I’m talking to this guy:

Because on Monday he apparently — after more than four years — did see the light. And he seems to have admitted, albeit somewhat obliquely, that his “special military operation” in Ukraine is not going to end the way he hoped and expected it would.

What he reportedly said, in a closed-door meeting, was this:

“We cannot continue. This is leading us to catastrophe.” [World News Europe, May 11, 2026.]

Say WHAT??!!!

According to the same report, the Kremlin has allegedly begun the following urgent preparations for ending the war:

> The General Staff has reportedly been instructed to start developing a mechanism for withdrawing troops from Ukraine.

> Diplomatic channels (through Turkey, China, and intermediaries) have already been activated to launch a negotiation process.

> Witnesses claim Putin looked pale, nervous, and for the first time in many months appeared genuinely broken. [Id.]

Following Saturday’s Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Putin told reporters:

“I think that the matter is coming to an end.” [Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and Reuters, May 10, 2026.]

He also said that he was ready to hold direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Moscow or in a neutral country.

Has Putin finally seen the folly of his attempt to steal an entire country? After more than four years of his originally-planned two-week war, perhaps he has at last acknowledged that he has only succeeded in racking up more than a million Russian casualties; that he’s running out of replacements for those troops lost or injured on the battlefield; and that his aggression, rather than beating Ukraine into submission as expected, actually inspired them to become a world-class fighting force and a drone superpower, having already decimated a number of Russia’s oil refineries and shown their capability of reaching as far as Moscow itself. Not to mention positioning Russia as a pariah in most of the rest of the world, and severely devastating his own economy.

It would be nice if this did turn out to be a sudden awakening on his part. But let’s not get carried away just yet.

“There’s more?”

Yes, there is more. Because Putin’s comments must be taken in the context of his other statements. For example, before telling the press that he thinks the war may be coming to an end, he also spoke of Russia’s “just cause [against] an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc. Victory has always been and will be ours.” [Id.]

Only then did he add that the end of the war might be near . . . without explaining precisely what sort of conclusion he envisions.

He also qualified his offer to meet with Zelensky, saying:

“A meeting in a third country is also possible, but only after a peace treaty aimed at a long-term historic perspective is finalised. This should be a final deal, not the negotiations.” [Id.]

That’s just a repeat of what he’s been saying all along. And when asked whether he would be willing to engage in talks with European leaders, he responded:

“For me personally, the former chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Mr. [Gerhard] Schroder, is preferable.” [Id.]

Well, of course he would be . . . though it wasn’t clear whether he was suggesting that Schroder act as negotiator on behalf of the EU nations, or that he would prefer to have Schroder represent Russia in talks with the others. And perversely, either one is conceivable.

Because Schroder — who served as German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005 between the administrations of Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel — has long shared interests with Putin’s Russia. He has served as Chairman of the Border at Nord Stream AG — a joint Russian-German pipeline undertaking — as well as Russian oil giant Rosneft, where he remains a member of the Board. There had been consideration of his joining the Board of Russian state-run gas company Gazprom, though that apparently has not materialized.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Schroder was widely criticized for his pro-Russia stance, his work for Russian state-owned companies, and his lobbying on behalf of Russia. In 2022, as a result of those associations, proceedings were instituted by the Public Prosecutor General, accusing Schroder of complicity in Russia’s crimes against humanity.

So yes, it would certainly suit Putin to deal with Schroder. Other than Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who could possibly be better suited to his purposes?

If I sound skeptical — even cynical — it’s because I am. Vladimir Putin may be getting old and tired; but he has not shed his innate character, or his ambition to remain “Tsar for Life.” He is, always has been, and always will be diabolically clever.

My instincts tell me that he may indeed have seen a light . . . but it is most likely to have been a bright idea for ending the war on his chosen terms, with a minimum of compromise on his part. Or it’s simply another stalling tactic. Either way, I wouldn’t advise the Ukrainian military to pack up the ammo just yet.

But that’s only my humble opinion.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/13/26

This quote is from one of my favorite author/humorist/empaths, Erma Bombeck. And I chose it today as the result of a Haagen-Dazs crisis at my local supermarket, in which I momentarily contemplated going cold turkey and giving it up entirely for the sake of my waistline. Thankfully, the problem was solved, and my sanity has been restored. I have ice cream in the freezer, and I’ll just have to avoid looking at the bathroom scale for a while longer.

Anyway, Erma always understood what we women go through on a daily basis, and managed to find just the right words of encouragement . . . or at least rationalization . . . to get us through our problems du jour.

In this case, the original quotation is somewhat longer; but I have chosen my favorite bits to share today:

“Someone asked me the other day if I had my life to live over would I change anything.

My answer was no, but then I thought about it and changed my mind.

If I had my life to live over again I would have waxed less and listened more.

. . .

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried less about the dirt when you lit the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have burnt the pink candle that was sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored.

I would have sat cross-legged on the lawn with my children and never worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television . . . and more while watching real life.

I would have eaten less cottage cheese and more ice cream.

. . .

There would have been more I love yous . . . more I’m sorrys . . . more I’m listenings . . . but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it . . . look at it and really see it . . . try it on . . . live it . . . exhaust it . . . and never give that minute back until there was nothing left of it.”

– Erma Bombeck, “Eat Less Cottage Cheese and More Ice Cream: Thoughts On Life From Erma Bombeck”

*. *. *

Haagen-Dazs crisis: AVERTED. Thank you, Erma.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/12/26

Don’t ask me to pronounce it. I only know that it used to be called Barrow, and was renamed in 2016 to its traditional Inupiaq (Alaskan Inuit) name; and that, according to the sign in the picture below, it is just 250 miles from the North Pole . . . so probably first on Santa’s delivery route.

With a population of slightly under 5,000, Utqiagvik is the largest Inupiaq settlement in Alaska. It is also the northernmost city in the United States, situated some 320 miles north of the Arctic Circle. So the winters tend to be a bit on the chilly side, averaging from a low of -7 F. to a high of -19 F. in February.

But it is now summertime — or what passes for summer — in . . . oh, let’s just call it Barrow, simply because it’s easier for me to spell. However, there probably won’t be a lot of sunbathing or gardening happening, with average low and high temperatures in mid-July hovering around +35 F. to +47 F. Luckily, their main industries are fishing and whaling, and not pineapple-growing or tourism.

And summer also means that as of today, the residents can look forward to 84 consecutive days — and nights — of daylight, or Midnight Sun. So close to the North Pole, it will never be completely dark until August 2nd. And that has to be totally disorienting.

I have never been quite that far north. But I did spend a few days in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the summer of 1993, in the midst of the White Nights, when the sun didn’t “set” until around 10:00 p.m., and “dark” was what we normally refer to as dusk. And it was decidedly strange.

Each day, my body would begin to tell me it was time to sleep while my mind kept saying, “But it’s still light outside! Let’s go shopping.” On the plus side, you could have a long business meeting and a late dinner and still get home before dark, because “dark” was weeks away. And blackout curtains helped.

So if you have difficulty adjusting between Standard and Daylight Saving Times twice a year, just imagine what the White Nights, or the Midnight Sun, must do to your body clock. It is a unique experience for those of us who have always lived far below the Arctic Circle.

*. *. *

And then, by September or October in Utqiagvik-Barrow, it’s back to this:

And from mid-November to late January, there is — you probably guessed it — Polar Night, when the sun doesn’t make an appearance at all. I can’t even imagine what that must be like, nor do I want to.

I will say this for the good people of far northern Alaska: they are surely the hardiest of souls — not merely surviving, but building their lives in some of Mother Nature’s harshest conditions. I’m not sure whether, even in my best years, I could have done it.

But I did find out that, even there — 250 miles from the North Pole — Amazon delivers. It just takes a little longer. So, on second thought, I might be able to make it after all.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/12/26

Today I mailed yet another birthday card to one of my oldest friends, who has been in my life since 10th grade . . . and that is a very long time indeed. And I marveled, not for the first time, at the longevity of my relationships with just a handful of people, and how lucky I feel that we found each other.

People come and go throughout our lives, and it’s hard to pinpoint what makes some so special that they never leave, even when life carries us in different directions. Some of my favorite people are those with whom I seemed at first to have nothing in common; yet when we met, something just clicked, filling a void that I didn’t even know existed. And I am forever grateful that it did.

I like this explanation of the phenomenon we call “friendship,” written by novelist, screenwriter, editor and columnist Jay McInerney:

“The capacity for friendship is God’s way of apologizing for our families.”

– Jay McInerney, “The Last of the Savages”

I can relate to that.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/11/26

Last night was one of those stare-at-the-ceiling-until-dawn nights, when my mind went wandering in 100 different directions and I dozed fitfully until the sun came up and I was finally able to sleep soundly for a few hours.

Yes, I know . . . I’m probably part bat. Or maybe just a little batty. But tell it to my body clock.

In any event, one of the weird thoughts that cycled through my so-called brain — or perhaps it was a dream during one of the brief periods of sleep — had to do with Jeffrey Epstein’s Island, known as Little Saint James, and what has happened to it since his death.

It is described as a 70- to 78-acre private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands southeast of St. Thomas. It is said to feature a main compound, multiple villas, a private dock, a helipad, a library, and some sort of “striped temple-like structure,” according to Google’s AI Overview. And it seems to be sitting there, waiting to be brought back to life . . . hopefully as something lovely and legal, and not a reincarnation of its former self.

In fact, Epstein’s compound consisted of two islands. And in May of 2023, billionaire investor Stephen Deckoff purchased both of them for a total of about $60 million for the announced purpose of developing them as a 25-room “world-class destination” luxury resort.

But, as of a few months ago, it was reported that permitting delays have stalled development. So I had an idea.

What if Donald Trump, who will be out of work in about 32 months at the outside (but who’s counting?), were to make Deckoff an offer he couldn’t refuse — say, $240 million, or a nice 300% profit — for the properties to be turned into . . .

HIS OWN COUNTRY!

Picture it: He could name it Trumplandia, or whatever he wanted to. It would have its own flag, emblazoned with the Trump Family crest; its own currency, with his face on it; its own laws; the biggest, most beautiful palace with the biggest, most beautiful ballroom in the whole world; and all of the tacky golden statues he could find space for.

His word would be law. There would be no bothersome constitution, no legislature, no courts, and no “fake news” media. He could declare polygamy legal, and immigration verboten.

He could populate Trumplandia exclusively with White, Christian, conservative billionaires . . . except, of course, for the servants, who would live in dormitories on the second island, receive minimum wage, and be required to shop in the overpriced Trump-Lutnick Market and pay for their own medical care at the Trump-Kennedy Walk-In Clinic and Mortuary.

And he could have himself crowned King for Life, and awarded the First Annual Trump Peace Prize.

Truly a malignant narcissist’s wet dream come true.

Then, when Trumplandia had been recognized by the world as a sovereign nation, all of the other nations would join together, declare war on it, and form the world’s biggest, most beautiful blockade around the islands, rendering them inaccessible by air or sea . . . along with a total communications blackout. Only humanitarian aid — essential food, water and medicines dropped from helicopters — would be allowed in; and any attempts at escape would be treated as suspected drug runners and blown out of the water.

And Donald Trump, and all of his minions — just like all of the ogres in all of the fairy tales ever written — would never be heard from again.

And the rest of the world would live happily ever after.

THE END

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/11/26

Vladimir Putin’s somewhat diminished Victory Day Parade went off without a hitch yesterday . . . though the promised ceasefire may not have been a complete success.

Ukraine’s military reported that Russian forces had launched a missile and dozens of drones overnight; and Moscow claimed that Kyiv had broken the agreement, though without any reports of incidents affecting the parade. We’ll see if the three-day ceasefire proposed by Putin continues to hold.

In the meantime, Putin had his opportunity to tout the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II — forgetting, as always, to mention the contributions and sacrifices of Western Europe and the United States. And, in what appeared to be another memory lapse, he attempted to tie that defensive war to the current Russian offensive in Ukraine, which he himself started in 2022, offering this paean to Russian valor:

“The great feat of the generation of victors inspires the soldiers carrying out the goals of the special military operation today. They are confronting an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc. And despite this, our heroes move forward . . . I firmly believe that our cause is just.” [RFE/RL, May 9, 2026.]

When you’re out of excuses for failure, it seems most convenient just to blame your victim. Delusional . . . but convenient.

Putin also spoke with reporters concerning the Ukraine conflict, unexpectedly saying, “I think that the matter is coming to an end.” Yet he stressed that he would not meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky until a final peace deal has been agreed. [Id.]

He added that, while he believes that the United States is “sincere” in its efforts to stop the war in Ukraine, it is “above all, a matter for Russia and Ukraine.” [Id.]

That statement followed remarks earlier in the day by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said on state television:

“It is understandable that the American side is in a hurry. But the issue of a Ukrainian settlement is far too complex, and reaching a peace agreement is a very long way with complex details.” [Id.]

So much for Donald Trump’s repeated assurances that Putin really, honestly wants peace. Perhaps if he had enlisted serious, experienced negotiators instead of playing into Putin’s hands by sending his son-in-law and that other real estate guy . . .

Or maybe that was the whole point.

At any rate, with no indication on Putin’s part of a willingness to compromise, his refusal to meet directly with Zelensky, and an indication that U.S. intervention is less than helpful, it looks as though Ukraine is facing another long, hot summer of fighting, suffering, and deaths in a conflict that already has lasted longer than the Soviet Union’s involvement in World War II.

What a waste!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/10/26

On Friday I read a Facebook post by Vladimir Kara-Murza — a noted Russian-British journalist, author, political activist, and himself a former political prisoner in one of Vladimir Putin’s penal colonies — concerning a letter he received from a current Putin hostage, one Lev Schlossberg.

I had not heard of Schlossberg previously; perhaps his case was not as widely publicized as some of the others. He is a Russian opposition politician, journalist, historian, and human-rights activist who has been targeted by the Putin regime for his outspokenness, earning him the official moniker of “foreign agent” — a serious crime in today’s Russia that bears overtones of the Cold War era.

Already having been sentenced to a lenient 420 hours of community service on the original “foreign agent” charge, he then was further charged and tried in late 2025 on an additional accusation of “discrediting” the Russian military, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. And then a third count was added, accusing him of spreading “false information” about the Russian military. [The Moscow Times, December 5, 2025.]

I have found no updated information on Schlossberg’s current legal status. But Kara-Murza reports that he is incarcerated in the Pskov Castle Prison, close to the border of Estonia, where he continues to exhibit “an amazing inner light and unchanging human dignity.” [Vladimir Kara-Murza, Facebook, May 8, 2026.]

As cited by Mr. Kara-Murza, Mr Schlossberg’s letter includes the following:

“Yes, the stakes are as high as ever, I can see and understand that. Yes, I in particular and we in general are opposed by people who have atrophic reflex of humanity. They have no frames, no limits, for them there is absolutely nothing impossible, nothing unacceptable. They are capable of anything. But that doesn’t mean that we should just leave our spot. I can see it so.” [Id.] *

* Mr. Schlossberg’s letter was apparently translated into English from the original Russian, which I haven’t seen. But I believe that what is meant by “leave our spot” is to desert one’s place or position — in this case, their political stance. If I am mistaken in my interpretation, my apologies to Messrs. Schlossberg and Kara-Murza.

*. *. *

Today Lev Schlossberg’s name is added to our roster of hostages, along with the thousands of other political prisoners incarcerated in Russia and elsewhere, still awaiting our help.

And once again, here is the list of those known, which is still only a fraction of the total:

Prisoners of War:

The 20,000+ Kidnapped Ukrainian Children
The People of Ukraine

Immigrant Detainees in Russia:

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

Endangered Exiles:

Pavel “Pasha” Talankin
Mikita Losik
Yulia Navalnaya
Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents

Political Prisoners:

In Afghanistan:

Mahmoud Habibi (Afghan-American)
Paul Overby (American, missing since 2018)

In Azerbaijan:

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

In Belarus:

Andrei Chapiuk
Uladzimir Labkovich
Andrzej Poczobut
Marfa Rabkova
Valiantsin Stafanovic
Yuras Zyankovich

In Georgia:

Mzia Amaglobeli

In Russia:

The “Crimea 8”:
— Oleg Antipov
— Artyom Azatyan
— Georgy Azatyan
— Aleksandr Bylin
— Roman Solomko
— Artur Terchanyan
— Dmitry Tyazhelykh
— Vladimir Zloba

James Scott Rhys Anderson (British)
Aleksandr Andreyev
David Barnes (American)
Gordon Black (American)
Hayden Davies (British)
Anastasia Dyudyaeva
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman (American)
Stephen James Hubbard (American)
Sergey Karelin
Timur Kishukov
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Michael Travis Leake (American)
Aleksei Liptser
Grigory Melkonyants
Nika Novak
Leonid Pshenychnov (in Russian-occupied Crimea)
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Lev Schlossberg
Sofiane Sehili (French)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Grigory Skvortsov
Eugene Spector (American)
Joseph Tater (American, disappeared)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland (American)

You have not been, and will not be, forgotten.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/10/26

In case you hadn’t noticed, we are living in hard and dangerous times.

There have always been dishonest people, and people driven to dishonesty by desperation. But today’s cyber world has opened endless new doors for those looking for an easy dollar . . . or more.

Twice in my lifetime, I was nearly victimized by purse snatchers — once in Washington, D.C., and once in St. Petersburg, Russia. And twice I was able to foil their attempts.

But this week was my first experience with cyber crime.

Yesterday, I received a text notice from my bank that there had been a suspicious transaction on my credit card: a $1,000 charge by META. It was definitely not legitimate, and I responded accordingly. Then I went online to my account and saw a number of attempted charges, allegedly by META and Facebook, for tiny amounts — $3.50, 39 cents, etc. But my bank was on top of it, so I simply kept an eye on my accounts throughout the day.

This morning I received yet another notice of suspicious activity, and a statement that my card was being blocked for my protection. I called the number given, spoke to a very helpful gentleman at the bank who verified all of my information, and was told that a new card would be sent to me on Monday via Federal Express.

Done and done . . . more or less. I still have to deal with changing my credit card information with several online vendors once my new card arrives; but that is nothing compared to the hell that some people have experienced when their private information has been hacked.

I was lucky. My bank — which I will not name for security reasons, but to whom I am very grateful — was on the ball. Their security caught the anomaly and took appropriate measures. But why do we, the law-abiding public, have to deal with this crap? Aren’t our lives complicated enough?

Clearly, those attempted charges were not instigated by META or Facebook, but by some clever little hacker sitting at a laptop in a basement, using their considerable skills for nefarious purposes. Such is the world we live in.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the conveniences of modern technology; being able to conduct my personal business from the comfort of my home, having research at my fingertips, keeping in touch with my friends . . . all of these are especially important at my age. But there is clearly a downside to having our personal information accessible to anyone with a computer and a diabolical mind.

And don’t even get me started on the evils of Artificial Intelligence!

*. *. *

So, that was how my week ended. I wanted to share it with the world as a cautionary tale, and also in case the anonymous perpetrator — who will probably never be identified — is reading this. If you are, I have just two things to say to you:

First, you should probably scratch me from your list of potential victims — I don’t have enough money to be of much use to you; and

Second, there are a lot of good jobs out there for people with your tech skills. You should try it; it’s really satisfying to know, at the end of the day, that you’ve done something worthwhile with your time, and actually earned your money. Also, working with others might improve your social skills.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/9/26