A very long time ago, in a land far away, God gave Moses ten simple rules for His people to live by.
Those Ten Commandments began:
“I am the LORD your God . . .
“You shall have no other gods before me.”
-Exodus 20:2-3, NIV
Moses Delivers the Tablets
Much more recently, shortly before James McCrery resigned as principal architect of Donald Trump’s controversial new White House ballroom, he told Trump of his concerns over safety code violations in the proposed plans.
But the all-knowing , almighty Trump dismissed the expert architect’s advice and overruled him, saying simply:
“I am the code.”
– Washington Post, September 23, 2026
Well, that fits this self-image rather nicely, don’t you think?
Why does Donald Trump keep trying to convince us that, if the Republicans manage to retain control of both houses of Congress after the November 3rd midterm elections, the war in Iran will instantly be brought to a screeching halt? Does he really believe that the Iranians will only deal with him and his Republican-majority Congress?
Or does he think we haven’t already asked the hard questions, such as:
> What happened to all those times he said it was already over?
> If a solution is so predictable, why hasn’t it already been accomplished?
> How can he be sure the Iranian government will be more amenable to a settlement on November 4th than they have been so far?
> Or — worst-case scenario — is he seriously planning to obliterate an entire country?
And so on.
Of course, we’ve asked them, and more. So have the members of the media — the ones who are still allowed in his rarefied presence, that is. And the answer is obvious: Because he’s dangling this — and a $5,000-per-person bonus that will never materialize — under our noses as a “carrot-on-a-stick” incentive to vote Republican . . . hoping we will somehow magically forget all of his past unfulfilled promises about lower food and fuel prices, more affordable health care, zero inflation, lower taxes, higher wages, and an end to government corruption.
Personally, I would find it insulting to think that anyone had such a low opinion of my intelligence. But then I consider the source . . .
And those are just the strongest matches. I actually prefer — in describing today’s comments from the Kremlin — some of the “weaker” matches:
“cockeyed,” “incongruous,” “nutty,” “off the wall,” “screwy,” and “wacky” . . . among others.
What led me on this rather silly semantic search was a statement made to reporters today by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in advance of the planned meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York:
“For now, there are no prerequisites for moving onto a peaceful negotiating track, although we, as the Russian side, remain open to peace talks.” [Dmitry Antonov, Reuters, September 23, 2026.]
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov
I beg your pardon?
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had reiterated his readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a trilateral meeting to include U.S. President Donald Trump. But Peskov — while acknowledging that Putin remains ready to meet one-on-one with Trump “if both leaders deemed such a meeting necessary” — said that Putin’s stance on an in-person meeting with Zelensky has not changed: Zelensky would have to come to Moscow. [Id.]
Yeah . . . right. Zelensky is not stupid. He has continued to insist that any meeting with Putin should take place on neutral territory. In his place, that is what any sane person would do.
But, venue aside, it’s a moot point for the time being, considering Peskov’s additional statement:
“Generally speaking, in any other circumstances, it would be inappropriate to hold a summit meeting before the groundwork has been laid at expert level, as this would be a waste of time.” [Id.]
Well, that was much more definitive, thank you. But I wonder what he means by “expert” level. Certainly not this:
U.S. Envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff
So you tell me: Who is really preventing this war from ending? Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump would have us believe it is Volodymyr Zelensky — Trump having gone so far as to plead with Zelensky to cease his attacks on strategic Russian facilities.
But what about the four and a half years of attacks on Ukraine’s civilian population and infrastructure? Where is his plea to Putin — who consistently ignores the fact that it was he who started the war on February 24, 2022 — to put away the missiles and drones?
It has been pointed out that, if Russia were to cease its attacks on Ukraine, the war would end immediately. But if Ukraine ended its counterattacks, it would be left totally vulnerable to the loss of its sovereignty, its history, and its very existence to the rapacious Putin regime.
On second thought, Peskov’s seemingly contradictory statement isn’t cockeyed or wacky after all; it is, in fact, a perfect example of Kremlin double-speak, honed to perfection over centuries of autocratic rule and intended to confuse, deflect, and provide deniability.
How this war will ultimately end, I wouldn’t dream of trying to predict. But at the rate it’s going — and with the Russian Parliamentary elections having just handed Putin’s party a resounding victory — it’s looking, at the very least, like another grim winter ahead for Ukraine.
Over the past weekend, Donald Trump issued the following statement:
“BREAKING NEWS: I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has entered into an Agreement with The Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland, that gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns. There will be NO COST to the United States!”
Signing the Agreement – September 22, 2026
But wait. Before you add Greenland to the list of U.S. territories, check out what the agreement that was signed yesterday actually says.
It does allow the U.S. to establish new military defense installations in Greenland. It also grants the U.S. permanent basing, overflight, and structural access rights with no expiration — even if Greenland were to achieve independence from Denmark in the future.
But guess what? Under the 1951 Defense of Greenland Agreement, those rights already exist.
One of Trump’s stated goals in seeking hegemony over Greenland has been to protect it against any potential incursions by Russia and/or China. But, as also set out in the 1951 Agreement, non-NATO countries are already banned from establishing military installations or conducting sensitive investments in Greenland that might threaten U.S. security. [Reddit, September 22, 2026.] So, again, a non-issue.
And, most importantly, the 2026 Agreement dashes any hope Trump had of actually exercising “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland.” Conversely, it explicitly recognizes Danish sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Greenland’s right to self-determination. [Wall Street Journal, September 22, 2026.]
Sorry, old boy. You lose again.
As for his claim that our “new” relationship with Greenland will be at “NO COST to the United States,” one has to wonder who he thinks is going to pay for all of those new military installations. Greenland? The way Mexico paid for his border wall, I suppose.
By the way, it also seems to have escaped his attention that the exclusion of non-NATO nations under the Agreement also makes it impossible for him to withdraw the U.S. from NATO membership, as he has frequently threatened to do, without sacrificing our own contractual rights in Greenland.
Checkmate.
In short, once again the hype has turned out to be just that. No doubt he will tout the agreement as a great victory, when in fact he has been outsmarted yet again by a much smaller country with much smarter leaders.
You would think he’d have learned something from a lifetime of mistakes and failures. But that would require two attributes he simply does not possess: intelligence and humility. And as long as he remains in office, that is our cross to bear.
You would have been 31 today: beautiful, brilliant, and determined to save the world, or at least make it a better place.
You weren’t able to save the entire world — no one could — but you did indeed make it a far better place simply by being in it.
A Very Young Emily, with Nana (Me)
Your brilliance, your humor, your compassion shone like the brightest star in the firmament for a too-brief 26 years. When that star was extinguished, a huge piece of my heart darkened with it.
But the memories will never fade. I miss you every day, and often think about the years of watching you grow and learn, as you fought through the pain with unimaginable courage and perseverance. And each victory — the “ordinary” things like learning to eat and to walk, and the extraordinary things, like the flood of college acceptances and scholarship offers and awards — joys that you shared with me . . . those are moments I cherish to this day.
Rest well, my angel. No, you could not save the world; but you gave it your best shot.
Donald Trump must live in a wonderful world, where everyone loves him, his days are filled with wondrous feats of derring-do, and his fairy godmother grants his every wish with a touch of her magic wand. At least, that is what one would be tempted to believe from his reports.
A few examples:
Over the weekend, Trump posted on social media:
“BREAKING NEWS: I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has entered into an Agreement with The Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland, that gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns. There will be NO COST to the United States!”
But what really happened? Well . . .
“Denmark and Greenland have rejected Donald Trump’s claim that a new U.S. security deal would give Washington ‘permanent control’ over Greenland. The proposed agreement would expand U.S. military access while restricting Russian and Chinese military or sensitive economic activity, but Copenhagen and Nuuk say it will respect Greenland’s sovereignty and existing status. The deal follows months of tensions over U.S. interest in greater control of the strategically important Arctic territory.” [The Modern Press, September 19, 2026.]
Prime Ministers of Greenland (L) and Denmark
*. *. *
Then there’s the potash caper. When Canada refused to cave under the weight of Trump’s new tariffs, he decided that the potash normally sourced from our good neighbors to the north could be obtained more cheaply from the corrupt, Putin-backed government of Belarus — apparently as a quid pro quo for their agreement to release a few more political prisoners.
Unfortunately, Trump seems to have forgotten to check with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko before making his announcement. Because on Monday, Lukashenko said:
“Even if we wanted to supply [potash] to other, Western markets, we simply do not have those volumes — everything is contracted.” [The Hill, September 21, 2026.]
Aleksandr Lukashenko
Oops! That’s not going to make all of those American farmers who rely on potash for fertilizer very happy . . . not to mention the rest of us, when our food prices continue to rise.
*. *. *
Of course, there are also the numerous times Trump has claimed victory over Iran, alleging that their military capability has been totally destroyed . . . only to have them launch yet another attack with their supposedly non-existent missiles. And his claims that he has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, which turns out to be shut tighter than a medieval virgin’s chastity belt.
The man lives in a dream world — one in which his life is an endless series of glorious victories. He longs to be a superhero, when in reality he is the 21st century’s Walter Mitty.
I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with during this week’s U.N. General Assembly.
Aleksandr Mikhailovich Ovechkin — often referred to by his American nickname “Ovi” — is a citizen and full-time resident of Russia. But he spends each hockey season living in Washington, D.C., under a valid P-1A athlete work visa, where he is famous as the standout star of the Washington Capitals hockey team.
Alex “Ovi” Ovechkin
First drafted by the Capitals in 2004, Ovi has spent the past 22 years enjoying the hospitality of the U.S. government and the perks of living in the United States where professional sports pay very well. In fact, he just signed a one-year extension on his contract in the amount of $4,250,000; his current net worth is estimated at $80 million. Not too shabby for a kid from a “crumbling neighborhood” in Moscow. [Source: Wikipedia biography.]
That’s all well and good. At 41, he is still inarguably an incredible athlete; he is in the country legally; and as far as I know, he hasn’t committed any crimes. But . . .
Ovi is not a stupid man. He is undoubtedly well aware that his native country — Russia — and his part-time adopted country — the United States — are at odds over Russia’s war in Ukraine. He must also know that his president, Vladimir Putin, is under sanctions from the U.S. and other countries, as well as being the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
One would think that this would place him in a difficult position, torn between two loyalties. Yet he didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable when he stood behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a political campaign video last week, where the participants gathered to show their support of Putin’s United Russia party — the party that then went on to sweep the Parliamentary elections.
Ovechkin (highlighted) with Lavrov (center)
When asked for a comment, Ovechkin told reporters in Arlington, Virginia, on Thursday:
“The thing about video, I’m Russian. As soon as I’m done playing hockey, I’m probably going to stay there. I’m going to live there. My kids going live there [sic]. Family. So I’m for peace and love and I hope everything’s going to be OK. My home is Russia. D.C. is my second home.” [David K. Li, NBC News, September 16, 2026.]
I get it: he loves his native country. That’s natural. And he has tried to keep sports separate from politics, which is also fine.
But how does he justify accepting the benefits of life in an adversarial country for 22 years, only to suddenly break the “no politics” rule by openly backing the party of a president who has carried on a brutal war of attrition against a sovereign nation for nearly five years . . . the same man who arrests, imprisons, tortures, and sometimes kills anyone who openly speaks against him; who carries on a hybrid war against NATO-member countries; and who kidnaps children for “re-education” in Russia?
And more importantly, how does the United States allow him to continue living and working here, raking in millions of U.S. dollars, while clearly supporting Putin’s totalitarian regime?
In the meantime, the Trump administration deports thousands of decent, honest, hard-working immigrants with ordinary jobs and no criminal records, tearing them from their families — knowing that they haven’t the means to fight the system.
If Trump and his ICE goons are looking for someone who has overstayed their welcome, why don’t they look at people like Alex Ovechkin, who clearly aren’t here permanently to build a better life for themselves and their families, and whose only attachment to this country is the opportunity for fame and fortune?
Ovi is far from the only one who fits into this category; but he stood out this week because of his appearance with Sergey Lavrov. If U.S. immigration officials are looking for people to deport, perhaps they’re not looking in the right places.
Today is Yom Kippur — the highest of the Jewish High Holidays. It is a day of atonement for our own transgressions; but it is also a day of forgiveness, which was the focus of the service I attended last evening. And as I contemplate the Rabbi’s words today, my thoughts turn to the most unforgiving — and unforgivable — person I could ever imagine: Donald Trump.
Right now, I should probably be asking for forgiveness for the uncharitable thoughts running through my mind at the very mention of his name. But his spitefulness, vengefulness, and cruel acts of retribution are well known. And, far from ever considering anything resembling repentance, he firmly believes that these are signs of his overall strength.
But he is wrong. And you needn’t take my word for it; rather, consider this from no less a personage than Mahatma Gandhi:
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)
Perhaps that explains Trump a little more clearly: his inability to forgive others, to the extent of carrying a grudge for decades, may be a simple weakness, rather than true evil.
Maybe.
But I can never forgive him for what he has done to this country. His basic lack of empathy, his overwhelming greed, dishonesty, corruption, and cruelty, are far deeper and more despicable character flaws than mere weakness, and they have caused him to do irreparable harm to millions of good people.
I suppose this is an indication of my own weakness of character, but I can’t help it. With apologies to Gandhi, I believe — regretfully — that there are some people who simply do not deserve our compassion.
I’ll try to work on that . . . but don’t expect a miracle.
As I write this on Sunday night, September 20th (EDT), the three-day Parliamentary elections in Russia have ended. With some 58 percent of the precincts counted, according to Russia’s Central Election Commission, well over half of the votes for the 225 party-aligned seats have gone to . . . drumroll, please . . . Putin’s United Russia party.
The remaining 225 deputies will be chosen in single-seat races, and . . .
Oh, let’s just skip the drumroll this time. We know what’s going to happen to those votes as well.
“I win . . . as usual.”
Reports are that the turnout was a little under 57% of the 111 million eligible voters. [Associated Press, September 20, 2026.] And the “eligible” list this year included people from the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine — a controversial move, at best.
Also working in favor of United Russia was the earlier disqualification of the liberal Yabloko party — the only serious opposition — by Russia’s Supreme Court.
No one is ever surprised at the outcome of elections in Russia; this is the way they’ve always been run, with the possible exception of a few years following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Things operate differently here in the United States — much to the chagrin of Donald Trump and his radical right-wing followers. Their attempts at fixing the vote in their favor in the upcoming midterms have been hampered by the courts; so it appears that they’ll have to resort instead to a replay of 2020’s post-election shenanigans to try to have the results reversed if Democrats succeed in winning a majority in the House of Representatives and/or the Senate.
And have no doubt — they will try every dirty trick they can think of.
Trump fervently wishes he could be a strongman — a dictator — like Putin. Unfortunately — for him — he can only play one on social media.
First it was the alleged need for a bunker beneath his new White House ballroom . . . despite the fact that one already existed before he demolished the East Wing. At this rate, it’s not likely to be finished while he’s still in residence.
Amputation of an Historic Edifice
Now he says we need a scary sniper’s nest and ammo dump at his proposed triumphal arch, presumably positioned to protect you as you cross the Memorial Bridge on your daily commute between D.C. and Northern Virginia.
Another Erotic Dream
I’m surprised he hasn’t yet conjured up a “security” excuse for the takeover of the Kennedy Center. Perhaps a missile silo to protect the wealthy residents of the adjoining Watergate complex? Safe houses for his Cabinet members where the Democrats won’t be able to reach them after the November elections? Storage for all of the gold doodads he’ll be removing as he exits the White House?
It’s his usual m.o.: If you can’t sell it as what it is — a flat-out ego trip — just label it “essential for national security,” and hope nobody figures it out.
