Well, that didn’t take long.

Two days ago, on March 11th, delegations from the United States and Ukraine met in Jeddah to discuss possible means of ending Russia’s brutal war against its neighbor. Following the meeting, it was announced that Ukraine had agreed “to enter into a ceasefire and enter into negotiations to end this conflict in a way that is enduring and sustainable.” [Paul Adams, BBC, March 11, 2025.]

Donald Trump added that, “Hopefully President Putin will agrees to that also.” And from Secretary of State Marco Rubio we heard: “The ball is now in Russia’s court.” [Id.]

A U.S. negotiating team — headed by White House envoy to the Middle East (and apparent Russia expert-come-lately), billionaire real estate developer and investor Steve Witkoff — was immediately scheduled to leave for Moscow.

A key provision of that agreement in Jeddah was a 30-day ceasefire to allow time for negotiations to begin between the U.S. and Russia. But today, barely two days after the Jeddah talks and while the U.S. delegation was en route to Moscow, the world heard from Yuri Ushakov — Vladimir Putin’s advisor on foreign policy issues and former Russian Ambassador to the United States — that Putin has rejected any temporary ceasefire on the grounds that it would only serve to allow Ukraine time to recover militarily:

“I have stated our position that this is nothing other than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more. It seems to me that no one needs any steps that [merely] imitate peaceful actions in this situation.” [RFE/RL, March 13, 2025.]

And today, Putin himself held a news conference in which he said he has “reservations” about any such short-term ceasefire. While he described the U.S. proposal as “great and correct,” he went on — not unexpectedly — to say:

“We agree with the proposal to cease hostilities but we have to bear in mind that this ceasefire must be aimed at a long-lasting peace and it must look at the root causes of the crisis.” [Lauren Kent, Anna Chernova, Daria Tarasova-Markina, Ivana Kottasova, Katharina Krebs and Matthew Chance, CNN, March 13, 2025.]

Obviously, he continues to identify Ukraine as the “root cause” of his “special military operation,” as well as the earlier 2014 invasion and continuing occupation of the Crimea Peninsula — a territory both geographically attached to Ukraine and ceded to it by then-Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1954.

*. *. *

Putin expressed particular concern about the effect of any ceasefire on the Russian region of Kursk, a small part of which has been occupied by Ukrainian forces since August of 2024, and which Russia has been fiercely — and with some success — attempting to reclaim. He asked:

“What will we do with this area in the Kursk region — if we stop military actions for 30 days, does this mean that everyone who is there will leave without a fight? Should we release them from there after they have committed a lot of crimes against civilians?” [Id.]

Notably missing from his comments was any mention of the atrocities committed by Russian forces against Ukrainian civilians over the past three years. But . . . oh, well . . .

And he continued:

“[Kursk] is completely under our control and the group that invaded our territory was completely isolated. . . . How will other issues be resolved along the entire contact line, which is almost 2,000 kilometers [1,240 miles]?” [Id.]

And then — never to be sidelined for long — in rushed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov with a clarification, assuring the world that Ushakov’s remarks about a ceasefire should not be seen as Russia’s rejection of the U.S. proposal, but that Moscow is awaiting further, direct information on the proposal before coming to any decision.

Don’t these people talk to each other before going public?!!

*. *. *

Of course, the subject of NATO is also still on the front burner, with Moscow continuing to insist that the presence of troops from NATO countries in Ukrainian territory — whether under their individual countries’ flags or the flag of NATO — would be an impossibility. In the words of Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova:

“For us, it is absolutely unacceptable to deploy units of the armed forces of other states in Ukraine under any flag, whether it be a foreign contingent, military bases, or some peacekeeping operations . . . [and Russia would respond] with all available means.” [Id.]

And in an equally enigmatic tone, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, when asked on Wednesday about the possibility of European troops acting as peacekeepers in Ukraine, responded:

“There’s different ways to construct a deterrent on the ground.”

*. *. *

So, in a nutshell, it’s politics as usual. As for the negotiations . . .

“Let the games begin.“

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/13/25

No, not this Pie (unfortunately):

This Pi:

I thought I’d spend part of today trying to figure out why 3.14 is so important, other than its use in calculating the circumference of a circle — which doesn’t seem all that crucial to me unless you need to know how many inflated balloons will fit into your minivan. But then, I’m not a mathematician, so I really don’t care.

However, there are a few interesting facts about Pi that came up during my very brief research today, such as:

It is universal. Pi is the same everywhere in the universe. And I’m sure that all of the people on Alpha Centauri are relieved to know that.

It is irrational. Yeah, well . . . so am I. But Pi is an irrational number, meaning — according to my Google source — that it has an infinite number of digits that never repeat.

Wait . . . what? There are only, to my knowledge, ten digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. So how can there be an endless stream of them without ever repeating? I’m going to need clarification on that one.

It is transcendental. That does not mean that it meditates — for those who are old enough to remember the 1950s transcendental meditation craze introduced by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. What it does mean is that it’s not algebraic. Whatever.

It is ubiquitous. Well, so is Elon Musk. But Pi — unlike Elon, who is useless except as a creator of chaos — is used in many areas of math and science, including trigonometry, calculus and geometry.

And finally — and, to my mind, most significantly — Pi is . . .

A pop culture icon. In addition to appearing in documentaries and books, it once made a debut in the Star Trek episode, “The Wolf in the Fold.” Now, that’s important.

*. *. *

If the foregoing has you wondering why I’ve wasted an hour of my life writing about Pi, you’re not alone . . . I’ve been asking myself the same thing. Well, the answer is simple: I couldn’t find another news item I felt like discussing today. It was all, as usual, just too depressing.

And, as it turns out, this little detour into the realm of nothingness did bring back to mind one other fact about the number 3.14 — and that is, that minus the decimal point, it was the number of my apartment in Virginia for some 33 years.

I wonder: Does that make me universal, transcendent, ubiquitous, and iconic? Or simply irrational?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/13/25

I don’t actually remember them, because they took place between 1933 and 1944. But I’ve heard about them — those “fireside chats” delivered over the radio wires by then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. They carried the country through the Great Depression and World War II — some of America’s toughest years. And they began on this date in 1933, just eight days after Roosevelt began his first term in office.

He walked into the world’s most difficult job that month, inheriting from Herbert Hoover the leadership of a country in an economic crisis unlike anything ever before experienced. And he set about uniting the country — not dividing it — by delivering facts, not lies; offering hope, not despair; and thinking first, last and always about the average American people, and not just the wealthy.

His first radio address to the nation began simply:

“I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking.” There had been a run on the banks, and to prevent a total collapse of the banking system, he explained to the people that the banks would be closed — just for a one-day “bank holiday” — to put a stop to it and safeguard their money. He called on the American people to have “confidence and courage,” and concluded with these words:

“Let us unite in banishing fear. Together we cannot fail.” [“This Day In History,” history.com, March 12, 2025.]

Inspirational words . . . not excuses, not anger, and not hate-mongering.

*. *. *

An educated man from an aristocratic family, FDR nonetheless spoke to the people in terms that everyone could understand, using anecdotes and analogies to explain the complex issues of the day.

Over the next years, he created the New Deal, putting people back to work; and he used his fireside chats to explain the details to them . . . despite opposition from — not in collusion with — big business. And when the bombing of Pearl Harbor forced the United States into World War II on December 7, 1941, Roosevelt took to the airwaves the following day to deliver the immortal “Day of Infamy Speech,” beginning:

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

FDR delivered straight talk to the people. And — through grit, determination, and honest communication — he brought the nation safely through those critical years and into the unprecedented prosperity of the post-war era.

He spoke of unity, not division; of courage, not fear; of patriotism, not hate.

Now, that’s what I call a President.

Sadly, they don’t seem to make ‘em like that anymore.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/12/25

It’s well known that when Vladimir Putin staged his “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he expected it to be the shortest military event in history — a few days, maybe a couple of weeks at the most. He saw himself as the savior of the Ukrainian people, who needed to be rescued from their “nazi” regime and thus would welcome him with open arms.

Instead, he found a nation of people who have been very happy with their freedom and independence; who love and are proud of their country; and who are willing to fight to keep it out of the clutches of Putin’s totalitarian rule.

So it has dragged on for three years — not a “special” operation at all, but a war of attrition that has resulted, not only in the death and destruction of large portions of Ukraine, but in the loss of hundreds of thousands of Putin’s own military troops . . . not to mention incalculable damage to Russia’s economy and its world standing.

And now — in a total reversal of fortune, though not for the first time in its history — war has come to Moscow.

As long as Ukraine’s incursion into the bordering Kursk region of Russia remained localized, Putin was able to downplay its effect and its strategic importance. But when drones started striking apartment and other buildings in the Moscow Oblast itself . . . well, it became a bit more difficult for the state-controlled media to explain away.

People are being killed and injured — just a few so far. But that’s a few too many, of course . . . especially in the minds of the Russian people, for whom the war is suddenly real, and the fear palpable.

In one area near Domodedovo Airport , three men working at a distribution center were killed when their building was hit by drone debris. Dozens of vehicles in the car park were destroyed, and a nearby supermarket was badly damaged. [Jaroslav Lukiv & Rachel Hagan, BBC News, March 11, 2025.]

In another suburban Moscow area, a drone smashed into the upper floors of a high-rise apartment building, damaging seven apartments. And in a third neighborhood, a block of apartments was hit. [Andrey Borodulin, AFP, March 11, 2025.]

Compared to the devastation wrought in Ukraine over the past three years, the damage in Russia thus far has been minimal. But it is real; and it is bound to play havoc with Putin’s credibility.

Just as he never considered the likelihood of the Western nations pulling together in defense of Ukraine as they have done, so does he seem to have overlooked the possibility of his own territory being affected by any sort of counter-insurgency.

But it has happened. And maybe it will prove to be an incentive for him to drop some of his more outrageous demands, and come to the negotiating table in a more reasonable state of mind.

And hopefully before things escalate any further.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/12/25

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

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/11/25

This is somewhat weird, and a little aggravating.

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

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

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

Wish me luck.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/11/25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

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

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

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/11/25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

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

Even our mother would have been pleased.

*. *. *

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

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

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/10/25

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

And not this guy, either:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

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

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

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

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

*. *. *

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

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/10/25

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

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

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

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

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

Simply put:

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

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

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

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/10/25