Some days are better than others . . . that’s just a fact of life.

The last couple of days haven’t been among my better ones. It’s nothing specific; just kind of weary, out of sorts, a bit achy from the heat and the low barometric pressure . . . as though there isn’t quite enough of me left to make it through the day.

And I happened to find the perfect description of what I’ve been experiencing in a quote from one of the all-time great fantasy characters, old Bilbo Baggins himself:

“I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”

– J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Lord of the Rings #1: The Fellowship of the Ring”

That’s me today, summed up in one brief sentence. But with luck, a little Haagen-Dazs, and a good night’s sleep, tomorrow will be better.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/26

Every now and then, it all gets to be too much.

On the one hand, there is so much going on in the world, it seems impossible to cover everything. But on the flip side, it sometimes begins to feel repetitious, and I fear that my writing has become . . . Heaven forbid! . . . tiresome.

So today I decided to do a quick review of the headlines to make sure I haven’t missed anything new and important, and then to offer just a brief recap of the top ten highlights (or, more accurately, the lowlights) to save you the trouble. And away we go . . .

First: Sadly, that little Russian “special military operation” in Ukraine continues through its fifth year. Vladimir Putin still stubbornly refuses to negotiate any sort of ceasefire; but with Ukraine’s counter-offensive growing more damaging by the day, how much longer will he be able to hold out?

Second: Tragically, Benjamin Netanyahu’s mad assault on Gaza’s civilian population hasn’t abated either. It’s obvious that he never learned the meaning of a “proportional response.”

Third: Another day, another war: Iran. Donald Trump started this one, ostensibly to denuclearize a country that had already been denuclearized by Barack Obama three presidential terms ago. But was it entirely Trump’s idea, or did his friend “Bibi” Netanyahu give him a not-so-gentle nudge in that direction?

Fourth: All of the world’s leading autocrats seem to be holding onto their jobs: Putin, Xi, Kim, Lukashenko, bin Salman, et al.

Fifth: The U.K. has another new Prime Minister, following Keir Starmer’s resignation. His name is Andy Burnham, and he hasn’t been at No. 10 Downing Street long enough to have made an impression as yet. Good luck to him.

Sixth: Mitch McConnell’s status remains a mystery. Though supposedly continuing rehab at home, he still hasn’t been seen or heard from, even by the governor of his own state. Is anyone taking bets on how, and when, this is going to end?

Seventh: The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a couple of rulings against Trump. I don’t want to build up anyone’s hopes unnecessarily — including my own — but could this be a good sign?

Eighth: There’s another attractive young blonde woman in Donald Trump’s life: 35-year-old former TV presenter Natalie Harp, whose job seems to entail following her boss everywhere while carrying around a portable printer to supply him with flattering articles and social media posts, leave little love notes in various nooks and crannies throughout the White House, and generally stroke his ego whenever he’s feeling unloved. She is either the most stupid bimbo in the civilized world . . . or the smartest. One thing is for sure: she has to have a strong stomach to be able to digest that much bullsh*t.

Ninth: “Melania: The Docuseries” is said to be in production, again financed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, who obviously has nothing better to do with his billions than buy even more favor with POTUS and FLOTUS. Yecchhh!

And finally . . .

Tenth: This week’s prize for the most unusual weather event goes to Hawaii, where Mother Nature last week brought tropical storm Lala to dump feet of rain . . . along with snow atop volcano Mauna Kea. All at the same time. Wow!

I was going to go for an even dozen, possibly adding a mention of the prices of gas and groceries, and maybe a comment on that mysterious bulge under the rear flap of Trump’s jacket. But again, it’s just more of the same old same old.

So enough for now. I’m sure something interesting will happen before tomorrow’s column.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/18/26

. . . it’s a real picture, not AI fantasy. And it’s harmless, though somewhat pathetic, macho exhibitionism — not terrifying, delusional mental decline.

When Donald Trump goes off on one of his daily social media rampages, he can’t very well offer us genuine photographs of bare-chested athleticism. Instead, he fantasizes about himself in AI-created heroic situations: as a hairy-chested Elvis, as Jesus healing the sick and injured, and now . . .

. . . as a compatriot of George Washington, showing off a ballroom that the first President of the United States would, in fact, never have envisioned for his country — a nation that was formed expressly to escape the excesses and inequities of monarchy.

In all fairness, it’s easy to understand how a man in Trump’s position might seek distractions from the pressures of a failing war, a sinking economy, a rock-bottom approval rating, and an untold number of health problems. Golf, for example.

But when he repeatedly retreats into a fantasy world, and shares those fantasies with the entire planet . . . well, think about what you would do if this were a member of your family. If he refused to seek help voluntarily, you’d probably stage an intervention, wouldn’t you?

And now ask yourself why no one has stepped up to help this poor, sick, doddering, deranged old man. Because that is what he has become, and it can no longer be shrugged off as Uncle Donald’s harmless eccentricity — not while he still has control of the nuclear codes.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/17/26

In fact, the fighting in Korea ended with a ceasefire on July 27, 1953; the final, tear-jerking episode of M*A*S*H didn’t air until some 30 years later, on February 28, 1983. But you should ignore both of those dates, because technically the two countries — North and South Korea — are still at war. An armistice was agreed to, but no formal peace treaty was ever signed. Instead, a 2.5-mile-wide Demilitarized Zone, known as the DMZ, was established and remains in place today; and the agreement to call a truce has held for 73 years . . . though sometimes tenuously.

Since that time, the United States has continued to support South Korea against possible aggression from its hard-line authoritarian neighbor to the north, maintaining a substantial military presence there, and conducting regular joint military exercises.

Until now, that is, when Donald Trump has begun calling into question U.S. commitment to its long-time ally. In May, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hinted at a lessening of support during a meeting at the Pentagon, when he praised South Korea for its “commitment to increase defense spending [and its] leadership in assuming primary responsibility for the security of the Korean Peninsula. It demonstrates alliance burden-sharing that all of America’s partners would do well to follow.” [Konstantin Toropin and Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press, August 16, 2026.] [Bold emphasis is mine.]

In other words, you had all better be able to take care of yourselves, because you can no longer depend on help from America.

This is in complete alignment with Trump’s record of turning against our proven allies throughout the world, and his obsession with “strong men” like Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and now even North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. So it’s hardly surprising that yesterday he ordered the Pentagon to scale back this week’s scheduled joint military exercises, citing South Korea’s refusal to support his war against Iran, and mentioning his “good relationship” with Kim Jong Un.

What Trump posted on social media is so unimaginable, I had to fact-check it before quoting it here:

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea. These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country [North Korea] that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful. Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises! While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!’ Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Right . . . we mustn’t be hostile to one of the world’s most tyrannical leaders. Let’s put the screws to our friends instead.

Is this the prelude to yet another war on the Korean Peninsula? Is it the opportunity Kim Jong Un has been waiting for so he can stop merely rattling his sabers and go directly to a full-blown invasion? And in such an event, what would China and Russia do?

Obviously, it’s too soon to tell how this will play out. But what is clear is that, once again, a rash decision affecting the security of multiple nations has been made on the basis of nothing more than a childish temper tantrum. South Korea has legitimately refused to embroil itself in Trump’s debacle in Iran; and we all know what happens when someone dares to say “no” to a bully.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/17/26

We’ve all heard of the “seven deadly sins” according to Christian doctrine: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.

But how many have heard of the Seven Social Sins?

I hadn’t either, until I read about a British Anglican priest named Frederick Lewis Donaldson, who rose through the Church’s hierarchy to become Archdeacon of Westminster.

On April 1, 1925 — and this was not an April fool’s joke — in an address at Westminster Abbey, he spoke of what he considered to be the “seven social evils”:

> Politics without principle.
> Wealth without work.
> Pleasure without conscience.
> Knowledge without character.
> Commerce and industry without morality.
> Science without humanity.
> Worship without sacrifice.

I doubt that Archdeacon Donaldson had the slightest inkling that he had just described every single member of an American presidential administration 100 years in the future . . . and if he had, he would most certainly have been horrified at the prospect.

But it’s eerily prescient, and more than a little disturbing . . . isn’t it?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/16/26

Oleh Kotov, a Ukrainian civilian from Kharkiv Oblast, was not on my list of Putin’s hostages; I had not heard of him until it was too late.

Today I have added him to the list, only to delete his name after learning of his death.

A retired police officer, Kotov was taken into custody by Russian military forces on April 23, 2022, just two months after the start of Putin’s war in Ukraine. When Russian security forces discovered that his son was an active police officer in Ukraine, they began torturing him by means of beatings, electric shock, mock executions, psychological pressure, and complete isolation from his family.

He was moved to several different locations in Russia over the ensuing four years, until he was finally released as part of a prisoner exchange. During his incarceration, he had become ill and was told he had “persistent pneumonia,” though he was not given any medical care.

When Kotov finally returned home to Ukraine on June 5, 2026, he was diagnosed with cancer, and died in a hospital in Kyiv in late July — just seven days after his last interview. [Censor.net, August 7, 2026.]

*. *. *

On August 11th, I reported on the release of American hostage Robert Gilman, who was also sent home in what was described as near-death physical condition.

I don’t know how many more of these cases have already occurred; but it is clear that the treatment of prisoners of war and political prisoners under the Putin regime are being treated horrifically, and in clear violation of international law.

As Oleh Kotov himself said in one of his last interviews after returning to Ukraine:

“This evil must be defeated.” [Id.]

That is obviously a monumental understatement.

*. *. *

This being Sunday, here again is the list of those political prisoners known to me:

Prisoners of War:

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

Immigrant Detainees in Russia:

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

Endangered Exiles:

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

Political Prisoners:

In Afghanistan:

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

In Azerbaijan:

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

In Belarus:

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

In Georgia:

Mzia Amaglobeli

In Russia:

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

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

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

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/16/26

Richard Nixon was hardly the perfect president. But he had a grasp of international relations that is sorely missing today, and his statement on the Cold War is eerily prescient of our world in 2026:

“The Cold War isn’t thawing; it is burning with a deadly heat. Communism isn’t sleeping; it is, as always, plotting, scheming, working, fighting.”

Each day, Vladimir Putin’s Russia more closely resembles the Soviet Union of Nixon’s time. And while the Russian government no longer calls itself a communist regime, the distinction is barely perceptible.

Today’s European leaders are fully aware of the continuing danger. But what about the man sitting in Nixon’s seat today?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/15/26

He may not have used those exact words, but that is the clear message that Putin has been sending to his opponents outside of Russia — even those living in the supposed safety of NATO countries.

It’s nothing new, of course. One need only think back to the agonizing death of Aleksandr Litvinenko from polonium poisoning in London in 2006; the attempted killing of Sergei Skripal with the military-grade Novichok in Salisbury, England, in 2018; and the brutal attack on Leonid Volkov — a former colleague of the late dissident Alexei Navalny — outside his home in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2024.

And those are just a few of the incidents that have made the headlines.

Lately, however, Putin has stepped up his campaign against his enemies, and particularly those who actively support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s war of attrition. It appears to be part of his broader “hybrid war” in Europe, which has included drone incursions into NATO air space, sabotage, disinformation campaigns, and cyberattacks.

And now, Polish authorities have thwarted a brazen attempt to kill a Ukrainian-American citizen in Warsaw who, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, “was uncomfortable for the Putin regime.” [Claudia Ciobanu and Emma Burrows, Associated Press, August 13, 2026.]

Tusk said on Thursday: “We must assume that the Putin regime will try to eliminate people who are inconvenient for various reasons, in various places around the world,” and added that Poland and others must be prepared to counter such actions. [Id.]

In fact, Western officials have recently disrupted several such plots in various European locations. And while Russia has a long history of tracking down its enemies outside its borders, intelligence officials have said that the targets now also include Russian activists, foreign supporters of Ukraine, and military defectors. [Id.]

For those of us who lived through the 40-plus years of the Cold War, these incidents are all too familiar. Unfortunately, anyone who still believes that the Cold War ended when the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991 is living in a dream world.

And that sort of wishful thinking is a luxury that the West simply cannot afford.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/15/26

We’re just about halfway through August, and it occurred to me yesterday that autumn is only a month away. And this year, that is cause for me to celebrate.

You see, for the past six years, I’ve been living down in the southeastern corner of the United States, in the State of Georgia. For my overseas readers, that’s just above Florida. And it’s hot there. It’s even mild in January and February, which — to us northern hemisphere folks, at least — is just not normal. (Sorry, my Aussie and Kiwi friends.)

In case you haven’t been following my recent movements, I am now back in the great Commonwealth of Virginia (yes, it’s a state, but it’s called a commonwealth; I don’t know why, it’s a history thing, so we just accept it). Now, Virginia is not exactly “north” — it’s not Canada, after all —but it’s far enough north of Georgia to make a big difference in climate.

Yes, it’s still bloody hot here in the summer; but it’s been that way everywhere this year. It’s the other three seasons that are noticeably different, and autumn (or fall, if you prefer) has always been my favorite. I haven’t seen a real fall in six years, and I am hopping-up-and-down excited for this one.

That’s when the humidity drops, the air begins to smell crisp and clean, and even the sky seems to be a brighter shade of blue. The leaves on the trees turn the most incredible shades of orange, red, yellow and purple; people (myself included) decorate their homes inside and out with chrysanthemums and pumpkins; we pull out the extra blankets and the cozy woolen clothes; and we start making soups and stews and drinking hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick and a slice of orange and thinking about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holidays . . .

You see what I mean?

Andy Williams used to sing “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” about Christmas. But to me, it’s the approach to the winter season that gets my blood circulating, and sends me outdoors for long walks after hibernating in air-conditioned comfort all summer.

And while the weather may not turn chilly precisely on the official date of the autumnal equinox, I know it’s right around the corner. And I am beyond thrilled to be far enough north to experience it again.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/14/26

This is a lengthy quote from an article that I read on social media, which so unexpectedly touched me with its candor and absolute accuracy that I feel compelled to share it.

The writer of the article, one Robert Fisher writing under the header “Sir David Attenborough Fans,” quotes Clint Eastwood, aged 96, as commenting on the physical ravages of age:

“The light hurts your eyes, and even breathing can feel like hard work. Your body just doesn’t cooperate the way it used to, and every step requires a strategy.”

Fisher then says that Eastwood also pointed out that the structural decline of the skeleton and muscles is merely the surface of the issue:

“The real weight of extreme old age is emotional and psychological. Once you cross into your nineties, your social landscape undergoes a profound and often painful transformation. You look around and realize that the majority of the people who knew you when you were young, who shared your history, your inside jokes, and your life struggles, have vanished. The circle of familiar faces shrinks down to almost nothing, the phone stops ringing, and te pace of the days slows down to a crawl. The bitterest pill to swallow isn’t the physical pain; it is the sudden absence of someone who genuinely wants to listen to you.

“When the present moment becomes quiet and isolated, the human mind naturally seeks refuge in the past. Eastwood explained that navigating through old memories isn’t a sign of mental weakness, but a vital search for continuity. This is why older people frequently repeat the same anecdotes, adding minor details and revisiting old grounds over and over again. They aren’t trying to boast or dominate the conversation. They do it to anchor themselves to a reality where they were active, loved, and relevant.

“‘You find yourself repeating stories, adding details, not to convince anyone, but just to feel like you’re still connected to something,’ Eastwood admitted. ‘You try to pass things down to the younger generation, even when you can see the boredom in their eyes.’

“We live in a culture that treats longevity like a trophy, congratulating people simply for surviving, while totally ignoring the crushing loneliness that accompanies that survival. We praise the shiny, the fast, and the hyper-connected, leaving absolutely no space for the slow, repetitive rhythm of the very old. Clint Eastwood may be a cinematic giant, but his words speak for every anonymous 90-year-old living down the street or sitting at our family dinner tables.

“They are the living libraries of our history, carrying stories that shaped the world we walk inn today. When we choose to slow down, put away our distractions, and truly listen to them, something magical happens. We bridge the gap between generations.

“Ultimately, the wrinkles on their faces aren’t just signs of aging — they are a beautiful roadmap of a life fully lived, and it is a privilege to sit by their side and listen to the journey.”

– Robert Fisher, “The harsh truth about growing old and aging,” Facebook, August 13, 2026.

I would add only one thing to Mr. Fisher’s comments: that this doesn’t just happen when one reaches the age of 90 or above. Depending upon individual circumstances, it can begin much sooner.

And it is every bit as difficult as he and Clint Eastwood described.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/14/26