Hooray! It turns out, they weren’t lost after all. If only I’d thought to check their YouTube program, Countryside Acres, sooner, I could have saved myself a lot of worrying about those eight children and their well-meaning but misinformed parents.

In the time that I’ve been looking for word of them, they have not been idle. I don’t know how they’ve done it, but they have managed to obtain a nice plot of land — how large, and under what terms of ownership, I have yet to learn. And there are vegetables already growing there, so obviously the land is fertile, and the family know their farming. They have cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, pumpkins, tons of beans, beets (of course — can’t make borshch without beets) and more, so they surely won’t starve.

And although it’s not livable yet, they’re building a house on that land: a large, two-story house, big enough for all ten of them. I watched as a local company delivered and began installing the windows and glass doors — an amazing accomplishment in itself, in a land not known for its concept of service in past years. There was an issue with some of the windows not precisely fitting the assigned cut-outs, but the installers quickly went to work with some sort of filler. I know nothing about construction, so maybe that’s normal. In any event, they seemed to have it all under control.

There was another video of the family spending some rare leisure time in Nizhny Novgorod, where there was a military flyby scheduled. And from this one, I found that the Feenstras are learning to speak and read Russian. That’s a relief, because it would otherwise be nearly impossible to continue living there. I’m sure it will be easier for the children, but dad Arend seemed to be catching on as well.

So, as the sun sets on beautiful Сельские Акры — sorry . . . Countryside Acres . . .

Let’s just bid a fond farewell to the Feenstras, for now at least, and wish them well in their new life. Though I have to say, I still think they’re nuts.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/19/24

As parents, we spend our lives trying to protect our children; it’s our duty, and it’s an inherent instinct. When they’re little, we keep them from falling, or swallowing drain cleaner, or sticking their little fingers into light sockets. Later we buckle them into car seats, make sure they take their vitamins, and keep them away from the next-door family that’s been quarantined with Covid. And when they’re grown . . . well, we hope all our good advice over the years has stuck, and we pray a lot.

But where does that stop? One of the hardest things about being a parent is knowing when to let go . . . when the advice becomes nagging, and when the protecting becomes over-protecting. And if we don’t figure it out for ourselves, at some point the kids will let us know — hopefully, not too harshly.

But in today’s society, “protection” is not just about families. With all of the conflict in the world — the wars, the political animosity, the anger, the pure hatred — we have to protect ourselves from the possible adverse effects of all of those things. And with the advent of social media, which spreads thoughts and feelings at what feels like the speed of light, the people responsible for those sites also have a responsibility to protect their users from potentially harmful material.

And that’s where the question becomes: When does protection become censorship?

That’s a debate that’s been ongoing for some time, and now I’d really like to know the answer. Because I’m gearing up for a battle with Facebook over their recent removals — three times — of my posts.

The first two were on the grounds that I was seeking “likes” and “shares.” And I’d like to know, first of all, WHO THE HELL DOESN’T DO THAT?? Don’t we all post our thoughts on FB in the hope that people will see them and enjoy them? Don’t we get a good feeling when we see a few “likes” pop up? We’re not writing just to have our words go flying out into an endless void. We want to be seen. So I asked for a review of those unexplained decisions, but have never heard back.

The third one happened yesterday, and it’s really got me both puzzled and pissed, because it makes absolutely no sense. But here’s what happened:

I write a lot about world events, focused mainly on Russia and Eastern Europe. So yesterday I posted my thoughts on a news item that came out of Belarus, which I titled “Hey, Belarus — Are You Trying To Start Trouble?” I had included three pictures: one of the Belarusian Defense Minister, one of President Aleksandr Lukashenko, and a cartoon shot of two little boys fighting — in that order. When I shared the blog post on Facebook, the picture that showed up in the “squib” was not the first one as usual, but the one of Lukashenko. Okay, no big deal.

And then came the notice that it had been removed because I was seeking likes, shares, etc., “in a misleading manner.”

Sorry . . . What?? What was misleading about that? So I thought maybe someone didn’t like my title, and I changed it to “What Is Belarus Up To?” and re-posted it . . . with exactly the same response: removed, for the same “reason.” (And with the same strange featuring of the second picture.)

Well, I was annoyed, because it made no sense, and there was no logical explanation given. So first I wrote another blog article blasting Facebook, posted it, shared it on FB — and changed my mind because anger never has gotten me (or anyone else) anywhere. So I deleted it, and re-did the original article one more time. This time I removed the picture of Lukashenko entirely, leaving only the first photo of the Defense Minister and the final one of the two little boys. I changed the title to: “‘White Russia’: Playing Games,” with a note that “White Russia” is the English translation of Belarus’ original name, Belorussia. And I did not change a single word of the text.

This time it was posted with the cute little cartoon picture of the two boys, and it was “permitted” to remain online.

And this is what I don’t get: What was wrong with the first two postings? I’ve written about Belarus and Lukashenko before, and used his picture, with no problem. I don’t write inflammatory articles; they’re not always complimentary, but I’m definitely not looking to start a war, incite a riot, or even invite an argument.

I would like to know who makes these decisions, and how those people are chosen for the job. And here’s a really terrifying thought: Are they even real people; or are they a bunch of those creepy AI characters — the human impersonators — that keep popping up on my screen in ads and supposed news items about the British royal family? Are we being judged by robots?

It’s certainly not an easy task — deciding where to draw the line between appropriate and offensive — and it has to be done in a consistent and fair manner. What are their parameters? Why was I singled out, when I read some really nasty stuff on FB every day?

And finally . . . how do I get an answer to these questions? I want to know why someone (or something) thinks I broke a rule — and what that rule is — so that I don’t do it again, and so that I can explain my original motivation. This is, after all, the United States . . . the land of free speech. Isn’t it?

I just want to be heard. But first I need someone to listen.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/19/24

That’s not the sort of thing I would want to hear as I was being prepped for surgery to replace a portion of bone flap that had been removed — supposedly temporarily — during an earlier procedure. For me, having already undergone surgery to repair an intracerebral hemorrhage — more commonly known as a brain bleed — would have been quite enough trauma, thank you.

But this is precisely what happened to Fernando Cluster beginning in September of 2022, when he was admitted to Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia. To relieve the pressure on Mr. Cluster’s brain, the surgeon removed a portion of his skull — measuring around 4.7 inches by 5.9 inches — and had it set aside for replacement once the patient had healed.

Apparently the surgery and Mr. Cluster’s recovery went well, because in November of that year, he was scheduled for the cranioplasty (fancy name for reimplantation of the bone flap). But when the hospital personnel went to retrieve the piece of skull from wherever it is they store such things, they found that “there were several bone flaps with incomplete or missing patient identification,” and that therefore, they “could not be certain which if any of these belonged to Mr. Cluster.” [Ashley R. Williams, CNN, August 17, 2024.]

And therein lies the basis of what I can only assume is a whopping big lawsuit. Mr. Cluster and his wife Melinda have now sued the hospital and unnamed staff members for negligence, claiming “extensive damages, including ongoing physical and emotional pain and suffering, and unnecessary medical bills.” [Id.]

Needless to say, the surgery had to be postponed while arrangements were made to have a synthetic implant flap created. This was inserted in late November . . . and Mr. Cluster was billed for the cost of the synthetic flap and for the extra time he had to stay in the hospital.

Holy crap! They actually billed him for it . . . ??!!!

But wait . . . there’s more. Mr. Cluster subsequently suffered an infection in the synthetic flap, necessitating yet another surgical procedure. According to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mr. Cluster’s medical expenses totaled more than $146,800, of which more than $19,000 was attributable to the synthetic flap implant. [Id.]

The complaint further states that Mr. Cluster has been unable to work as a result of having “suffered permanent injuries.” All I can say is that I’d never make it onto that jury, because my mind is already made up.

And one other thing I’m sure Emory Hospital — and their attorneys — have already had to deal with: those “several [other] bone flaps with incomplete or missing patient identification.” I wonder what happened to the owners of “dem bones.” *

[* From the spiritual song by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson, 1928.]

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/19/24

I love this site. It’s from The History Channel, and it’s called — oddly enough — “This Day In History.” It’s full of fascinating historical tidbits, and I thought it might be fun to share some with those of you who don’t subscribe to the site. So off we go into August 18th . . .

1227: Genghis Khan dies. Yes, The History Channel sometimes does go back 800 years (or more). The Great Khan, as he was sometimes called, was a Mongol leader who inherited his title when his father died. By his teens, he had “grown into a feared warrior and charismatic figure who began gathering followers and forging alliances with other Mongol leaders . . . Using an extensive network of spies and scouts, Khan detected a weakness in his enemies’ defenses and then attacked the point . . .” [The History Channel, “This Day In History, August 18, 2024.]

So, he was a latter-day Alexander the Great, and an early version of The Terminator, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, and Yevgeny Prigozhin, all rolled into one. Awesome!

*. *. *

1590: Roanoke Colony found deserted. Imagine leaving home for three years, then coming back and finding everyone — every last person — gone. Without a trace. That’s what happened to Governor John White of Roanoke Island (in present-day North Carolina), the first English settlement in the New World. Despite various theories, no clue was ever found as to where they had gone, other than the word “Croatoan” inscribed on a wall; and no remains were ever found. Personally, I’m thinking E.T. may have come to visit and taken them home with him. But I can’t prove that, either.

*. *. *

1920: 19th Amendment ratified thanks to one vote. And about time! This was the amendment that gave women the right to vote — and even then it passed the House of Representatives by the skin of its teeth. Had I lived in those times, I know I would have been out there, marching with those suffragettes. Let the men stay home with the kids for a few hours, and see how they like it!

*. *. *

1988: A Seattle judge involved in a sex scandal dies by suicide. Ironically referred to as “The Honorable Gary M. Little” (the proper title for a judge), this guy was anything but honorable. Evidence pointed to his having sexually exploited juvenile defendants who appeared before him, and — in his earlier life as a teacher — some of his teenage students as well. Who needs details? Not I. Suffice it to say, he did himself in on August 18th, the night before the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was to release a revelatory article detailing his alleged crimes.

Interesting footnote: Judge Little was found lying in a pool of blood outside his chambers, just three floors below the jail cell where his father, Sterling Little, had hanged himself in August of 1947 after being arrested in connection with a burglary investigation. Clearly, a family that never understood that actions have consequences.

*. *. *

1991. Soviet hard-liners launch coup against Gorbachev. This was a man who literally changed the face of history, as well as the map of his own country. He brought his nation — then the Soviet Union — from the horrors of Communism to the hope of Democracy; but he didn’t quite get the details right. Some of his own people (Boris Yeltsin first among them) felt he wasn’t moving quickly enough; others (hard-liners led by Gennady Yanayev) were determined to maintain the status quo. On this date in 1991, Yanayev’s people staged a coup, placing Gorbachev under house arrest at his summer home in Crimea, and attempting to take over the “White House” — the seat of the Russian Parliament in Moscow. But Yeltsin stepped in — or, more accurately, stepped up onto a tank — and saved the day. The coup ended after three days, and some of its instigators were arrested; others committed suicide.

But Gorbachev’s reign had been weakened, and he resigned on Christmas day, handing the reins of office to reformer Boris Yeltsin, who carried on (largely in a rather jolly drunken stupor) for the remainder of the 20th Century, when he was succeeded by . . .

Heaven help us . . . it’s Vladimir Putin!

Proving once more that not all stories have happy endings.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/24

* Note: “Belarus” — formerly Belorussia — translates to “White Russia” in English.

On Friday, August 16th, it was reported that Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin had said there was “a high probability of an armed provocation from neighboring Ukraine and that the situation at their shared border ‘remains tense,’ [according to] the state-run Belta news agency . . .” [Lucy Papachristou, Reuters, August 16, 2024.]

He further stated, “. . . given the presence of Ukrainian armed formations in the border areas, there is a high probability of preparing and carrying out armed provocations on our territory, as well as high-profile actions, including with the involvement of Belarusian nationalist formations.” [Reuters, id.]

Belarusian President Lukashenko had said on the previous day that Ukraine could attack Belarus and widen the war. This comment came a little more than a week after Ukraine’s surprise counterattack across Russia’s border into the Kursk region.

Do they really have evidence that Ukraine might be planning to spread its troops that thin? Is Lukashenko — one of Vladimir Putin’s most ardent henchmen — simply looking for an excuse to jump with both feet into his idol’s war? Or is it just another propaganda ploy engineered by Putin himself for some as-yet-unknown reason?

For Lukashenko, any of these theories would be within the realm of possibility. I know nothing about Defense Minister Khrenin, but I presume he just follows orders like a good little sycophant.

In any event, thus far Ukraine doesn’t seem to have given any indication of an intention to go anywhere near Belarus’ territory. So perhaps Lukashenko and Khrenin should stop looking for a fight like bullies on a playground, and try to de-escalate, for once.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/24

But there are still eight Americans — and hundreds of Russian dissidents — who remain locked up in Russia. So we continue to remember them each week, and will do so until each and every one has been returned home.

Ksenia Karelina, dual U.S.-Russian citizen, recently convicted of espionage and sentenced to 12 years in prison for contributing $51.80 to an American charity providing aid to Ukraine.

*. *. *

Marc Fogel, a schoolteacher from Pennsylvania, was arrested in August of 2021 for possession of 0.6 ounce of legally-prescribed (in the U.S.) medical marijuana. In June of 2022 he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

*. *. *

Robert Romanov Woodland, a dual US-Russian citizen, was teaching English in Russia when he was arrested in January of 2024 for allegedly attempting to sell drugs. In July, he was sentenced to 12-1/2 years in a maximum security prison.

*. *. *

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Gordon Black was stationed in South Korea when he fell into a Russian “honey trap.” He was on his way back to his home in Texas, on two weeks’ leave, when he was lured to Vladivostok by the Russian girlfriend he had met in Korea. He was arrested in May of 2024 on charges of alleged larceny and murder threat, and sentenced the following month to a prison term of three years and nine months.

*. *. *

Robert Gilman, already in jail in Russia serving a 4-1/2-year sentence (later reduced to 3-1/2 years on appeal) for kicking a police officer in 2022, found himself facing added charges in 2023 of punching prison staff in the head, and later also attacking a criminal investigator and another prison guard.

*. *. *

David Barnes, an American citizen and resident of Texas, was arrested in January of 2022 while visiting his children, who had been taken to Russia from Texas by his Russian wife. He was charged and sentenced in the fall of that year to 21 years in prison for child abuse (allegedly occurring while in Texas), on his wife’s accusation. I really wish I knew more of this story!

*. *. *

Eugene Spector, a dual US-Russian citizen already serving a four-year sentence handed down in June of 2021 on a bribery conviction, received additional charges of suspicion of espionage in August of 2023. No other details have been found, as the evidence is labelled “classified.”

*. *. *

Michael Travis Leake, a rock musician and former paratrooper, was sentenced in July of this year to 13 years in prison on drug charges — specifically, suspicion of selling mephedrone, and organizing a drug trafficking business “involving young people.”

*. *. *

Are any of these prisoners actually guilty of the charges leveled against them? I don’t know. But I do know that the recent timing of a number of the arrests, and the speed with which they were brought to trial, is a clear indication of Russia’s intentional roundup of American citizens to be used as (what I call) Putin’s Pawns.

What they are, quite simply, are HOSTAGES. And they will not — MUST not — be forgotten. Let’s shorten this list to zero.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/24

No, not the U.S.-Mexico border. And not the Israel-Gaza border. Not even the DMZ between North and South Korea.

This is the Kursk region, where western Russia meets eastern Ukraine.

And for the last 2-1/2 years, Russia has been using it — and similar areas along the Russia-Ukraine border — as launching pads for its massive attack on Ukraine’s military, infrastructure, and civilian population. You know, the “special military operation” that was supposed to be a simple “march-in-and-take-over” campaign, meant to last no more than a few days, or a couple of weeks at most.

Well, that didn’t happen, because the Ukrainian people refused to give away their country, their children, or themselves to Vladimir Putin’s maniacal plan to take over the world, one country at a time. And because the West came together and defended Ukraine in an unprecedented show of support for a country that isn’t yet a member of NATO.

We all know what a battering Ukraine has been taking ever since, despite their heroic defense and the continuing support of the West. And earlier this month, the decision was made to take Russia’s war onto its own territory, to finally let them know that paybacks can, indeed, be hell.

But Vladimir Putin was not prepared for that — nor, obviously, were his people. Because they had no idea what was really happening across the border; they knew only what Putin allowed them to hear. And it was mostly lies.

So now the people of Kursk are experiencing — on a much, much smaller scale — the horrors of war with which the people of Ukraine have been living for some 30 months. And, as always, it is the innocent civilians who suffer the most. The children who can’t understand what has happened to their homes; the old folks who can barely move, and who don’t want to leave their lifelong homes; and the women left to take care of the others because their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers are fighting to defend them and their homes against . . . what?

Most of them don’t even know, really, what the fight is about; and if they did, they wouldn’t want any part of it. Many of them have Ukrainian relatives and friends; they are ethnically one and the same people. Why are they killing each other, destroying one another’s homes and lives?

Because Putin wants Ukraine, and he doesn’t care how many lives have to be destroyed in the process.

And we may sit at home, smugly cheering Ukraine’s counteroffensive and the damage being done to Putin. From a tactical point of view, that’s great. But the ones who started the whole thing and are keeping it going are far from the front, plotting the number of additional recruits they will need to replace the thousands who have died, and are continuing to die.

And the innocent — the good, generous, loving, everyday Russian people — are suffering alongside their Ukrainian counterparts.

For war does not respect borders.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/24

On Friday, August 16th, it was reported that Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin had said there was “a high probability of an armed provocation from neighboring Ukraine and that the situation at their shared border ‘remains tense,’ [according to] the state-run Belta news agency . . .” [Lucy Papachristou, Reuters, August 16, 2024.]

He further stated, “. . . given the presence of Ukrainian armed formations in the border areas, there is a high probability of preparing and carrying out armed provocations on our territory, as well as high-profile actions, including with the involvement of Belarusian nationalist formations.” [Reuters, id.]

Belarusian President Lukashenko had said on the previous day that Ukraine could attack Belarus and widen the war. This comment came a little more than a week after Ukraine’s surprise counterattack across Russia’s border into the Kursk region.

Do they really have evidence that Ukraine might be planning to spread its troops that thin? Is Lukashenko — one of Vladimir Putin’s most ardent henchmen — simply looking for an excuse to jump with both feet into his idol’s war? Or is it just another propaganda ploy engineered by Putin himself for some as-yet-unknown reason?

For Lukashenko, any of these theories would be within the realm of possibility. I know nothing about Defense Minister Khrenin, but I presume he just follows orders like a good little sycophant.

In any event, thus far Ukraine doesn’t seem to have given any indication of an intention to go anywhere near Belarus’ territory. So perhaps Lukashenko and Khrenin should stop looking for a fight like bullies on a playground, and try to de-escalate, for once.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/24

For the third time, they have removed a post of mine — most of which are based strictly on news items of the day — on the grounds that they believe I have “tried to get likes, follows, shares, or video views in a misleading way.”

The first two times, I requested a review, but never heard back.

With all of the crap that appears on FB every day (amongst all of the legitimate, interesting posts), I am frustrated beyond belief at these arbitrary decisions, and my inability to do anything about them. What can possibly be “misleading” about a commentary on the news?

Therefore, I should appreciate the person or persons at Facebook reading my posts and making these judgments contacting me with a logical explanation. Otherwise, I quit.

I will continue to write my blog, even though most of my readership has been following me through FB. You will still be able to find me here, at http://www.brendochka.com.

Now I’m going to post this on Facebook and wait for a response.

Thanks for reading,

Brendochka
8/18/24

On Friday, August 16th, it was reported that Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin had said there was “a high probability of an armed provocation from neighboring Ukraine and that the situation at their shared border ‘remains tense,’ [according to] the state-run Belta news agency . . .” [Lucy Papachristou, Reuters, August 16, 2024.]

He further stated, “. . . given the presence of Ukrainian armed formations in the border areas, there is a high probability of preparing and carrying out armed provocations on our territory, as well as high-profile actions, including with the involvement of Belarusian nationalist formations.” [Reuters, id.]

Belarusian President Lukashenko had said on the previous day that Ukraine could attack Belarus and widen the war. This comment came a little more than a week after Ukraine’s surprise counterattack across Russia’s border into the Kursk region.

Do they really have evidence that Ukraine might be planning to spread its troops that thin? Is Lukashenko — one of Vladimir Putin’s most ardent henchmen — simply looking for an excuse to jump with both feet into his idol’s war? Or is it just another propaganda ploy engineered by Putin himself for some as-yet-unknown reason?

For Lukashenko, any of these theories would be within the realm of possibility. I know nothing about Defense Minister Khrenin, but I presume he just follows orders like a good little sycophant.

In any event, thus far Ukraine doesn’t seem to have given any indication of an intention to go anywhere near Belarus’ territory. So perhaps Lukashenko and Khrenin should stop looking for a fight like bullies on a playground, and try to de-escalate, for once.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/24