I generally spend the evening hours preparing my thoughts on the day’s events, to be posted shortly after midnight. And more often than not, there’s a surfeit of subject matters to choose from (or “from which to choose,” for those of us who still refuse to let go of that preposition rule).
Tonight, however, I find myself sleepy, achy, and unmotivated. So bear with me, please, while I try to get some restorative sleep in the hope of waking up refreshed and raring to go in the morning.
Quite illogically — considering the daily headlines — I keep thinking that one day I’ll open my eyes to find a better, brighter world. I guess that’s what comes of having lived through those magical years of the ‘60s. The old anti-war, peace-love-hope songs of the minstrels of that era still resonate with me. I wonder how many of you remember this one:
“Last night I had the strangest dream I ever dreamed before. I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war.
“I dreamed I saw a mighty room And the room was filled with men, And the papers they were signing said They’d never fight again.
“And when the papers all were signed And a million copies made, They all joined hands and bowed their heads, And grateful prayers were prayed.
“And the people in the streets below Were dancing ‘round and ‘round, And guns, and swords, and uniforms Were scattered on the ground.
“Last night I had the strangest dream I ever dreamed before. I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war.”
— Ed McCurdy, 1950
Though written by McCurdy, it was recorded at various times by Pete Seeger, The Weavers, Joan Baez, and possibly others — but most popularly by Simon and Garfunkel in 1964.
A Very Young Paul Simon (R) and Art Garfunkel
Simpler times? You bet! And oh! how I miss them.
And there’s still just enough of the youth of the ‘60s left in me to want to believe.
From England, to Tajikistan, and now to New Jersey . . . they just keep showing up in the oddest places, and mostly near military installations. But we keep hearing that, while they’re as yet “unidentified,” they don’t pose any threat to the public.
Oh, come on now, you guys! Does every single person in the world have “STUPID” written across their foreheads? Really??!!!
At the risk of repeating myself too often, I will say it once more: Either someone in authority knows what they are and where they’re from, or they do pose at least a potential risk of some sort.
Now, I am not saying I’m in agreement with U.S. Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), who claims he has heard from “high sources” that the recent objects buzzing his state were from an Iranian “mothership” in the Atlantic:
“That mothership … is off the East Coast of the United States of America. They’ve launched drones into everything that we can see or hear. These are from high sources. I don’t say this lightly.” He added that they should be “shot down.” [Bernd Debusmann Jr., BBC News, December 12, 2024.]
Congressman Jeff Van Drew
Well, at least he didn’t blame the Russians for this one . . . which is too bad, in a way, because we do always love hearing from the inimitable Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. Oh, well . . . sorry, Dima. Maybe next time.
But getting back to the “Iranian mothership,” Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said flatly on Wednesday:
“There is no truth to that. There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States . . . these are not drones coming from a foreign entity or adversary.” [Id.]
Iranian Warship in the Red Sea
And White House national security spokesman John Kirby added today that there is “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” [Id.]
In fact, Kirby added, many of the sightings are manned aircraft being operated lawfully, and none have thus far been reported in restricted airspace.
Excuse me . . . did he say “manned”??!!!
But then he also said:
“While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap. So we urge Congress to pass important legislation that will extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities so that we are better prepared to identify and mitigate any potential threats to airports or other critical infrastructure.” [Id.]
How very reassuring. That should only take Congress . . . what? . . . five or ten years.
There have been dozens of sightings since November 18th — as many as 49 reported on Sunday alone — some over a sensitive military research facility, and others near Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course. But New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said they don’t appear to pose a public safety concern. [Id.]
Aha! Over Trump’s golf course, eh? Maybe we can just blame the Democrats!
Assistant Director Robert Wheeler, Jr. of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group said at a congressional hearing on Tuesday:
“I don’t have an answer of who’s responsible. But we’re actively investigating.”[Id.]
More comforting news.
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On the other hand, however, New Jersey Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who was briefed by Homeland Security yesterday, stated that the Pentagon’s assertion that there is no known or credible threat is “incredibly misleading.” She said the drones appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, travel with lights turned off, and “operate in a co-ordinated manner.” [Id.]
“They’re ba-a-a-ack!”
*. *. *
So let me get this straight. Is there, or isn’t there, anything concerning about these UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena)? If we’re not “all that well-prepared to identify and mitigate any potential threats,” then how do we know there aren’t any threats? And if “many” of them have allegedly been identified, what about the rest that haven’t?
Now, I most certainly do not subscribe to the UFOlogists’ School of Paranoid Delusions, wherein everything floating above ground level is presumed to be from another dimension. The odds are strongly in favor of these drones being man-made. But again . . . by whom, and for what purpose? If they’re “friendly,” most likely experimental, why not just say so, without revealing any details we wouldn’t want our enemies to know? Or why not simply test them far from sensitive or populated areas, where there would be no one to see them but a few bears and coyotes?
Unless, of course, those “bears” are really extraterrestrials in big fur coats . . .
And now he can rightfully brag that he shares Time’s spotlight with such eminences as Sir Winston Churchill (1940) and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (the only three-time recipient, who received the honor in 1932, 1934 and 1941).
Sir Winston Churchill (L) and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
But before we begin showering him in rose petals, we should all keep in mind the basis for Time’s choice of Person of the Year, which is:
“ . . . who they believed had a stronger influence on history and who represented either the year or the century the most.”
Their words: “stronger,” and “most.” Not necessarily the “best” or “most beneficial.”
And this year’s recipient should also remember that he shares this award with two other world leaders from the past:
Josef Stalin (1939 and 1942)Adolf Hitler (1938)
Finally — before exaggerating this “honor” too far out of proportion, he should look back at his previous vilification of Time for all of those honors they bestowed in the years he was not chosen . . . even saying that the magazine had “lost all credibility” for failing to name him among its 100 most influential people of the year.
So, in his place, I might think twice about adding this to my c.v. — unless, of course, I were one of those people who believe that allpublicity is good publicity.
Wow! Listen to me, sounding just like my dear, sweet, Ukrainian grandmother. But to tell the truth, there are days — like today — when I feel the way she must have felt . . . only she never complained, except for the occasional muttered “Oy!” and a little grunt when she stood up. But I was just a kid then, so what did I know? Nothing. I knew nothing.
Even as an adult — when I was living in Prague that wonderful summer of 1991 — I remember walking to work one morning and seeing an older lady walking ahead of me, having obvious difficulty making it up the hill. I could see that her legs were bowed and gnarled, and I remember thinking how grateful I was for my good health and mobility. But I was a much younger woman then, so what did I know? Nothing. I still knew nothing.
So do you want to hear about my back or not? All right, you’ll listen and I’ll tell you.
Sometime during the night last night, someone obviously sneaked into my bedroom and lit me on fire with a torch, then ran over me with a steamroller, because when I got up this morning I could barely move.
I figure it’s either a pinched nerve or just more of the old degenerative disc disease I’ve been dealing with for years. I don’t care which it is . . . I’m not having any more surgery.
Anyway, the burning extends from just above the coccyx (that’s your tailbone, so don’t bother looking it up), around to the left hip, and up the left side to above the waist.
That’s where it runs into the pain from the vise on my left shoulder and neck, obviously placed there by the same evil night-crawling visitor that torched my back. This happens periodically — though not usually at the same time as the back thing, and I can’t figure out whether it runs from the neck to the shoulder or vice-versa. Again, it doesn’t matter; it just hurts like hell. It’s probably from all the hours of sitting here in one position, typing away on this blog like someone possessed because I think that what I have to say to the world really matters.
Delusional, possibly. But not a hypochondriac . . . the pain is real.
Next: my right thumb. Actually, there’s a not-unexpected touch of arthritis in both hands . . . I am at that age, you know. But sometimes that thumb — just the right one because, of course, I’m right-handed so it would be that one in order to inflict maximum inconvenience — hurts like a mother****er, and I find myself envying all of those so-called “lesser” animals who don’t have opposable thumbs and still manage to function very nicely without them. For us humans, though, it’s damned annoying.
As for the other two extremities — the feet — well, they were destroyed years ago by those beautiful four-inch Ferragamo heels I wore back in the days of panty hose and dressing for success. So no need to go into detail there.
And heading north, all the way to the top, we run into those four mysterious things called the sinus cavities. They’re a mystery simply because . . . well . . . they don’t really exist, do they? I mean, they’re cavities. Holes. Spaces. Not things at all. So how in hell do they have the power to make your face feel as though you’d volunteered your head for duty as Muhammad Ali’s punching bag? They used to act up just during the spring and fall pollen seasons, but now they make their presence felt pretty much year-round. Blame it on climate change.
And so we wind up our tour of Brendochka’s battered body somewhere in the middle. Do we really want to go into detail about my digestive system? I didn’t think so. Suffice it to say, then, that it’s shot. Ruined. Useless. Between the GERD and the hiatal hernia, it can’t digest anything any longer.
So while I was tossing and turning last night, trying to ease my back into some sort of almost-comfortable position, I found myself swearing at my mid-section because it was reacting to that dish of ice cream I’d had after dinner. Ice cream, for heaven’s sake! We’re not talking about pizza, or five-alarm chili, or a hot Polish sausage with onions and peppers like I used to eat with great gusto. Just plain, bland, freakin’ ice cream.
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And do you want to know what bothered me most during those torturous hours between 2:00 and 8:00 a.m.? It was that, while I was talking to my stomach, I swear I heard it answer.
On this date in 1936, a man made a decision that not only changed the course of his own life and his family’s, but altered the history of his country — and, indeed, the world — for the next 88 years, and beyond.
That man was King Edward VIII of Great Britain; the decision he announced that day was his abdication of the throne in favor of the love of his life, American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson.
Mrs. Simpson
When the people of Great Britain, the British government, and the Church of England all condemned his decision to marry the woman they considered unsuitable to sit on the throne next to their monarch, Edward — who had been carrying on a very public affair with the notorious Mrs. Simpson for some time — chose love over duty, and became the first British monarch to voluntarily relinquish the Crown.
On December 10, 1936, after only eleven months on the throne and not yet having celebrated his coronation, Edward VIII signed the two-page document that memorialized his decision. And the next evening, December 11th, he made the following radio announcement to the people of his nation:
“I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties of king, as I would wish to do, without the help and support of the woman I love.” [HISTORY.com, December 11, 2024.]
Wedding of Edward and Wallis – 1937
And in so doing, he left his indelible mark on history.
Edward VIII had never been married, and left no children. According to the British order of succession, the next heir to the throne was Edward’s younger brother, the Duke of York. Known to family and friends as Bertie, he was shy, spoke with a pronounced stutter, and was totally unprepared for the burden that would fall upon his shoulders. But on December 12, 1936, just two days before his 41st birthday, he was proclaimed King George VI of the United Kingdom.
Coronation Day 1937, with young Princesses Elizabeth (L) and Margaret
George VI served his country well, guiding Britain through the dark days of World War II. He and his wife, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, had two daughters: Elizabeth (nicknamed Lilibet) and Margaret.
A heavy smoker, George died at the age of 56 on February 6, 1952, of lung cancer.
And on that day — while in Africa with her husband Philip — 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth received word that she had become Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
And she sat firmly on that throne for the next 70 years.
All because of the love of a king for a foreign, divorced commoner. One decision, made for his sake and his sake alone. And if he had chosen differently, the world might never have known . . .
. . . or . . .
. . . or . . .
So, for those of you who say you don’t give a rat’s ass about the personal lives of the British monarchy, give it a thought. And then — even more importantly — think very carefully before making any life-altering decisions of your own.
Most of us will never inherit a throne. But we’re all connected; and somewhere down the line — perhaps many generations from now — what we do today will affect others.
Meet Arseny Turbin, a 16-year-old from the Oryol region of Russia, some 300 miles south of Moscow. But instead of attending school each day, he has spent the last six months in pre-trial detention near Moscow, following conviction in June of “terror offenses.” He is soon to be moved to a juvenile correctional colony, where he will serve out a five-year sentence. [Anna Chernova, Madalena Araujo and Alex Marquardt, CNN, December 5, 2024.]
Arseny Turbin, Age 16
Arseny is one of at least 35 minors who have been the victims of politically-motivated criminal charges since 2009, of which 23 cases have arisen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. His “crime”: allegedly joining the Freedom of Russia Legion, a paramilitary unit of Russian volunteers fighting for Ukraine. He admits having contacted the group at some point, but says he never joined. His appeal of the five-year sentence was, of course, denied. [Id.]
His mother, Irina Turbina, describes Arseny as “. . . just a kid, he has been different since early childhood.” She says he has “a love for books and studying . . . [and likes to] delve into everything.” [Id.]
Never afraid to speak his mind, in April of 2023 he called in to a live show on TV Rain — an independent network operating outside of Russia — and voiced his disappointment in President Vladimir Putin, saying that “Human rights are being violated.”
His mother said that on June 12, 2023, he staged a solo protest, handing out leaflets reading “I am against Putin” and “freedom for political prisoners.” When she tried to discourage him, he told her not to worry as he was not violating any laws.
But on August 29, 2023, they were visited by officers of the FSB, who searched the apartment and confiscated a tablet, a laptop, and cell phones. In September he was placed under house arrest, but was allowed to attend school. And in the fall of 2023, he was designated as a “terrorist and extremist” on the rolls of the Russian financial monitoring agency . . . thus sealing his fate.
This year — on June 20, 2024, he was officially sentenced. [Id.]
Since being held in detention, he informs his mother that he has lost 33 pounds because he cannot eat. He was moved to a different cell after becoming the victim of violence from fellow inmates. He describes the situation to his mother as “very difficult, critical” [id.], and writes the following:
Irina Turbina tells CNN that when she received this letter, “I cried because I understand that I am already doing the best I can. But I know it’s not enough, and that I can’t change the system.” [Id.]
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This is how Russia treats its dissidents, regardless of age, intent, or any consideration of the possibility of innocence. This boy — who was just 14 years old when he made the statements that brought him to the attention of the authorities — has not killed or injured anyone, stolen anything, or even damaged property. He has done nothing but voice an opinion. But he has spoken out against Vladimir Putin’s war of attrition against Ukraine.
And in today’s Russia — Putin’s Russia — that is a cardinal sin.
Well, it’s been a quiet day today, so I decided to drop in on the Feenstras again . . . via YouTube, of course . . . and found them having a sort of pre-Christmas gift-opening, complete with a plate of Anneesa’s homemade cookies, in their work-in-progress new house.
Anneesa Feenstra and two of the younger children
Arend Feenstra, the dad, had had a busy day. He had been to the doctor for his four-week post-surgical checkup, and began the video by waxing poetic about health care in Russia: how caring everyone is, and particularly the excellent follow-up care, which included an ultrasound to be sure he was healing properly where his gall bladder had once resided. He also repeated a former claim that health care in Canada . . . well, frankly . . . sucks. (My word, not his, but definitely his meaning.)
He said he also had been having shoulder pain, which was first thought to be a fracture, and is now said to be referred pain from a pinched nerve in his neck. They’re treating that conservatively, hoping to avoid the necessity of further surgery that would put him out of commission for an unknown length of time.
He also had a meeting with more potential immigrants, which he says they do “from time to time,” happily offering advice and assistance as needed. In fact, he invited any viewers considering making the move to email him.
This most recent lunch meeting included a man who had been born in Russia, left for Canada 30 years ago, and is now back . . . as, Arend says, are more and more people who left in the ‘90s.
Reverse Migration?
I’m sorry, but I just find that one hard to believe. Don’t those people follow the news??!!!
Anyway, he had stopped to pick up another large package from the post office, which contained yet more gifts from viewers who have obviously become very fond of this pioneering family. Though they never indicate where the packages originate, this one clearly arrived in a box with Russian printing on the sides (see top photo, in which I can make out “Armenia” and “Kazakhstan,” though the rest of the words are incomplete or covered by tape). And the contents themselves, as well as the wrappings, appear to have been made in or near Russia — definitely not Western-style at all.
As with everything the Feenstras do, this was a family affair. And I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed observing the obvious closeness of the parents with the children, and the children with each other . . . right down to the baby, who is now walking and talking. Seeing her growing so quickly, it occurred to me that they’ve been in Russia for nearly a year.
This receipt of gifts appears to be a fairly regular occurrence for them, and they say they share the windfalls with others. There were warm socks, slippers, mittens, boots, and — rather oddly, I thought — a good deal of candy.
And I’m sure it is all appreciated, as Arend Feenstra has made reference in the past to the fact that they do not yet have a source of income and are continuing to live off of the money they brought with them from that evil place known as Canada.
So evil, the money they were able to accumulate there is still supporting them.
*. *. *
Sorry, but — while I do like the Feenstras as people — I still fault them for having made the worst possible decision for their children’s futures. And, as time passes, I’m seeing less and less enthusiasm in these videos, and a bit more of what appears to be a sort of weary acceptance. Could I be imagining it? Sure. Or perhaps I just tuned in on a bad day.
But one thing is not imaginary: the fact that life in Russia for ordinary working people is not easy; it never has been. Was it worth it, simply to escape the relatively small percentage of ultra-liberal people in today’s Canada? Only the Feenstras themselves can decide that, and it’s not likely to happen overnight.
Meanwhile, I still wish them the best of luck. Being foolish doesn’t make you unworthy.
In the Bible, young David slew the mighty Philistine giant, Goliath, with a slingshot and stones.
Perhaps it’s a dim, distant memory of that parable that strikes fear in the heart of today’s Goliath — Russia’s Vladimir Putin — at the thought of the much smaller nations surrounding his country . . . most of whom are members of NATO and/or the European Union (EU) . . . adding yet another adjoining country to their alliances.
Why else would he continue to insist that, in addition to his proposed land grab, Ukraine must give up the idea of ever becoming a member of NATO or the EU if it wishes this war to end, and must also agree to a limitation of its military forces?
As recently as Sunday, Kremlin celebrity spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated the often-heard mantra that peace negotiations must be based on an agreement he says was reached in Istanbul in April of 2022 — an “agreement” that remains a subject of significant debate — and on what he called “current battlefield realities.” Once again placing the blame on Ukraine, he stated:
“Our position on Ukraine is well known; the conditions for an immediate stop of hostilities were set out by President Putin in his speech to the Russian Foreign Ministry in June of this year. It is important to recall that it was Ukraine that refused and continues to refuse negotiations.” [Dmitry Antonov, Reuters, December 8, 2024.]
Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Peskov
Yet it is Putin who dogmatically refuses to give an inch . . . and, in fact, who has added still another condition: that Russia be awarded Ukrainian land to which it claims a right, and not only the territory it currently occupies.
But to return to this Russian fear of NATO — which, as they consistently overlook mentioning, is strictly a defensive alliance — what is the reason for it? Putin will tell you it is a security issue, necessary to prevent Russia’s being invaded by one or more NATO countries.
Sorry . . . I had to get that out of my system.
Now let me ask: When was the last time anyone invaded Russia or its predecessor, the Soviet Union, and who was foolish enough to do that? And the answer is:
1941; Nazi Germany. It was called World War II, and we all know how that ended.
Putin will, of course, tell you that Ukraine invaded the Russian territory of Kursk this year, conveniently ignoring the fact that it was Ukraine’s first counterinsurgency after nearly three years of being decimated by Russia’s troops and advanced weaponry. Can’t really call that an invasion, now . . . can you?
On the other hand, Russia’s record is not so clean. Just since the end of World War II, they have — to some extent, at least, and for various reasons — stuck their noses . . . and their military . . . into other nations’ business. For example: **
That’s positively exhausting: 24 invasions begun over the course of 72 years, many of them lasting for multiple years of warfare and subsequent occupation. One might more easily ask when they haven’t been at war.
And they’re afraid of . . . what? Or whom? A peaceable boy with a pocketful of pebbles?
It’s been a hell of a week and weekend for news. Briefly:
South Korea: President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law, orders the arrest of his own party’s leader . . . and backs off when the entire country goes batshit crazy. As of this writing, Yoon is still in office, but . . .
President YoonSuk Yeol
France: The government collapses following a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister. President Macron, like President Yoon, also remains in office; but that’s two U.S.-allied countries whose leaders are facing uncertain futures.
President Emmanuel Macron
Romania: Another NATO ally in turmoil when a Russia-friendly, ultra-nationalist candidate, Calin Georgescu, shockingly wins the first round of the presidential election, and the country’s constitutional court immediately annuls that round upon a finding of “aggressive hybrid Russian attacks.” The whole election process now remains in limbo, while the current president promises to stay put until the whole mess is settled.
Calin Georgescu
Syria: The Russian-backed, barbaric regime of Bashar al-Assad is finally toppled by Syrian rebels. Assad and his immediate family wind up in Moscow, where they have been granted asylum by Vladimir Putin. (Ed. Note: Don’t they make a lovely couple?) All of Syria is celebrating . . . until they wake up tomorrow, realize that the happy occasion has left a serious vacuum in place of the Assad regime, and begin asking what’s next.
Celebrations in Damascus
Russia: Putin is presumed to be hunkered down with Assad while both lick their wounds and begin trying to propagandize their way out of an embarrassing — to say the least — situation.
Putin and Assad: Hugging It Out
Turkey: President Erdogan is seen drooling and licking his chops over the developments in Syria.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Israel: Momentarily turning aside from Hamas in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu orders the Israeli military to seize the Syria-Israel buffer zone. Boy, that was quick!
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Ukraine: President Zelensky, in Paris for the re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral, meets with French President Macron and not-yet-U.S.-President Donald Trump. We don’t know what was discussed, and can only hope that Trump remembers our U.S. Constitution provides for only one President at a time . . . and he’s not it. Not for another 42 days (but who’s counting?).
A Meeting of the Minds in Paris
United States: On the home front, the weather has been unseasonably cold here in the southeastern U.S.; there was a 7.0 earthquake off a sparsely-populated area of the northern coast of California yesterday, followed by a tsunami warning that (happily) never materialized; and . . . as seems to happen every year around this time, despite anything else that may be going on . . . it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.
So I recommend doing what I’m trying to do: push the bad stuff to the back of your mind, have another hot toddy, and concentrate on the joys of the season. Ho! Ho! Ho!
The Blog About Everything … and Sometimes Nothing 