Are they emboldened by the talk of reduced assistance to Ukraine from the United States, U.K., Poland, and other NATO nations? Or are they simply savage, murderous barbarians, intent on taking as many innocent lives as possible in their mad lust for land and power? And should we even be talking about “they” . . . or just “he”?

While our Congress spends its time arguing like children over which former Speaker gets to sit in what office, funding for Ukraine assistance sits on a back burner . . . and people die. While Slovakia votes for a party whose leader is openly and proudly pro-Putin . . . people die. And while Turkey’s President Erdogan unashamedly cozies up to the killer in the Kremlin . . . people die.

We, the United States of America, are supposed to be the world’s leader, not only economically, but morally as well. Just saying we stand behind Ukraine isn’t nearly enough; we need to back up our words with actions. Congress needs to get off its collective ass and get back to the real work for which it was elected. And President Biden — I don’t presume to tell you how to do your job, sir — but perhaps a bit less Mr. Nice Guy and a lot more action . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/5/23

Let’s see now — so many choices from last week’s news. Which one to pick as my subject du jour? The government nearly shutting down? It’s happened before. New York City flooding? Bad, but it needed a thorough washing. Trump suing Christopher Steele over allegations in his infamous dossier? Interesting, but there’s not much really new about another Trump lawsuit. I know — Cardi B. loves Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt! Really? I should write about that? I admire the Roosevelts too, but nobody’s interviewing me about it. So . . . pass. There’s more about the destruction of Nagorno-Karabakh, the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein, and of course the never-ending war in Ukraine . . .

But wait a second — let’s go back to that Cardi B. thing. I’m curious as to what this . . . er, uh . . . unique individual might have to say about one of American history’s most accomplished and admired couples. So let’s take a look, just for fun.

First, these comments were made during an appearance on something called “First We Feast,” while she apparently munched on hot wings. Charming. Between bites, some of her views on today’s hottest topics were:

1) Extraterrestrials: She doesn’t believe in aliens. (Well, that’s too bad, because I understand they’re really hot for her.)

2) Her wigs: she ranks them, such as “cute” or “scammer.” (What the hell is a “scammer” wig? Is that the one she wears while she’s trying to convince the public that she’s a real entertainer?)

3) Clean versions of her songs: She doesn’t like them — says they’re “so annoying.” (I can’t even.)

4) Then there was a question about the time she took David Letterman out for a cheese sandwich. Seriously. I didn’t really understand that one, because she responded: “That wasn’t even like my favorite part . . . I don’t even care about that part. What stays in my mind for a long time is that I went to FDR’s house.” Sorry about that, Letterman. I hope you, like, at least enjoyed the cheese sandwich.

From this, the interviewer leapt to the conclusion that Ms. B. is “into history,” including the lives of the former president and first lady. Her affirmation: “If anybody loves me, knows me, knows that I love FDR. And I love Eleanor Roosevelt.” Yes, we love you, too, Cardi — We do! We do! And we know all about, like, how you love FDR and Eleanor! (In case you hadn’t noticed, I have a “thing” about the misuse of “like.” It’s beyond annoying.)

But then she went on to amaze her audience with her extensive knowledge of the history of the Roosevelt era: the fact that FDR was the only U.S. president to be elected four times; and how he steered the country through the Great Depression “while he’s in a wheelchair.” She also got a kick out of visiting the house in which Eleanor Roosevelt lived apart from her husband because, according to Cardi the Historian, “FDR’s mama, she was always around and [Eleanor] ain’t really like that. Eleanor wanted her space. Just like me, I want my space all the time.” And she added that she is “obsessed” with World War II and wants to learn everything about it. Everything!

Wow! That is truly newsworthy — so much so that even the History Channel took notice and posted on X (formerly known as, like, Twitter), “Looks like you may have a history career in your future @iamcardib.” And never one to allow the other guy to have the last word, she shared that with her followers, with a stuttering comment: “OMGGG.”

*. *. *

Enough said. Believe it or not, the purpose of this discussion is not to ridicule Ms. B’s interests, her intellect, or her command of the English language (although she really does provide plenty of ammunition, doesn’t she?). No, what I really want to point out is the level to which our — the public’s — interests have sunk. Stop the average person on the street and ask about Afghanistan (the country), or the purpose of the Electoral College (not a university), or the Polar ice caps (not a hockey team); and chances are you’ll get a blank stare that will last so long you’ll begin wondering whether you’re talking to a real-life zombie. But bring up the latest Hollywood divorce, or the attendance at the recent Taylor Swift concert, or who Mick Jagger is leaving his fortune to, and you’ll be rewarded with more information than you ever could have hoped for.

Because that’s how disconnected from the real world we’ve become. Once again, I remind you that I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist. But it seems to me that this mass retreat from the more serious side of life could well be attributable, at least in part, to the overwhelming volume of horrific news with which we are bombarded every day, day after day after day, such as the few examples I gave at the beginning of this sermon. And there has to be a saturation point — different for each individual — at which we simply turn it off, tune it out, and shut ourselves down. Then we turn for relief to the simple, the mindless, the foolish side of life — and if it’s someone else’s life, so much the better.

Or maybe . . . just maybe . . . there’s a little bit of the voyeur in all of us. Could it be that simple?

There’s nothing wrong with a little mindless fun, of course. But it’s not the be-all-and-end-all of life. So what’s the solution? How do we face the everyday realities of our world — the wars, the mass killings, the natural disasters — and still leave room in our minds and hearts for the good stuff? Because there is good stuff. Although we don’t see it in the daily news reports, since — as I’ve said many times before — if it’s good, it’s apparently not news.

Oddly enough, however, I do find a large measure of goodness on, of all things, Facebook.

For years, I avoided all social media as being pretty much a waste of time, as well as a source of too much information going out to too many people. But I finally added my profile to the Facebook family when I started this blog last year, as a means of promoting it. And it worked. I also reconnected with some very dear friends from years past whom I am thrilled to have back in my life. And I’ve found a world of friendship, and goodness, and humor, and warmth in the everyday postings about cute animals, babies, memories, and travelogs — all things that reassure me that there are many, many good people out there, doing good things for each other, and generally enjoying life.

But life, like silliness, is also about more than social media. It’s about connecting, and learning, and experiencing, and growing. For me, it’s been about years of traveling and soaking up the sights and sounds and tastes of foreign lands. And now that I can’t travel any longer, it’s about keeping in touch with those old friends; and reading — everything I can get my. hands on; and writing, writing, writing. In the simplest of terms, it’s about balance.

And that all makes it just a little easier to bear the load of bad stuff we can’t control . . . even the simple, mindless, foolish stuff. Even Cardi B.

And life goes on.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/5/23

When I was in Prague, it was still the capital of a country called Czechoslovakia. And it was a fantasy world, caught up in celebration of the departure of the last of the occupying Soviet troops. There were people partying everywhere; Paul Simon visited and gave a concert, attended by the new President Vaclav Havel, at the Prague football (soccer) stadium; puppeteers gave free shows on the Charles Bridge; and the Pilsner beer flowed like . . . well, like beer, I guess.

I arrived in May of 1991, assigned to work in the new Prague office of an American law firm that had been hired by the Czechoslovak government to aid in the formulation of its new constitution and judicial structure. I made wonderful new friends; tried delicious new foods and beverages; had my own two-room apartment; walked endlessly through the twisted, cobblestoned lanes of the city; and savored every magical moment. It was easily the best three months of my life.

I returned home in mid-August, and before I’d had time to readjust to the different time zone, I was thrown for a loop by the first of three major events that were to occur between then and the end of that year. Just a few days after my return, on August 19th to be exact, shocking news came out of Moscow of an attempted coup against the Gorbachev regime. After three days the coup failed when Boris Yeltsin so famously stood on a tank to calm the angry crowds of demonstrators. But things were noticeably different.

Then, on September 18th, my mother passed away. Not an event of worldwide significance, but one that led to a major redirection in the course of my life.

And finally, on December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as President of Russia and was replaced by the bombastic Mr. Yeltsin. Merry Christmas.

After that last event, the entire world order changed. It had started two years earlier, when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down in late 1989. But by 1991, events had begun to move faster and faster, until no remnants of the former Soviet Bloc were discernible, except perhaps in Russia itself. In place of a single USSR with 15 Soviet Republics, there were 15 internationally-recognized new nations. Russia had shrunk.

And then there were two more new countries on the world map, though outside the borders of the former Soviet Union. In the wake of all of the other changes, on the last day of 1992, Czechoslovakia was split in two, and Slovakia and the Czech Republic (a.k.a. Czechia) officially became two separate, sovereign nations. And they did well for a while, each becoming a member of both NATO and the European Union.

But today, Slovakia seems to be losing its way.

Last Saturday, September 30, 2023, Slovakia’s parliamentary election was won by a party known as “SMER” (or “Social Democracy”) headed by the Moscow-friendly Robert Fico (pronounced “Feetso”). His party received 22.9% — the largest single share — of the total vote among the seven qualifying parties. Although this is not enough of a majority to allow Fico to reclaim his former position as Prime Minister, it does give him the opportunity to form a coalition government and retake the Prime Minister’s office. He has 14 days to accomplish this; and with several other, smaller parties to woo, his odds are considered to be good.

In addition, the current President of Slovakia, the very popular Zuzana Caputova, has announced her decision not to run for reelection at the expiration of her present term in 2024. Under her progressive leadership, Slovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine during its fight against Russia’s onslaught. But, much the same as in Britain’s constitutional monarchy, her role is largely representative and advisory, with only limited authority.

*. *. *

So what happens if Robert Fico once again becomes Prime Minister of Slovakia? First and foremost, he has stated unequivocally that there will be an immediate end to Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine. He also vowed to block Ukraine’s admittance to NATO. In other words . . . screw Ukraine. He has campaigned on a promise to work toward a negotiated settlement of the Russia-Ukraine war, knowing full well that it would have little hope of success in light of the demands of Russia that Ukraine cede some of its territory — a total non-starter in Ukraine’s view.

The leader of liberal party “PS” (Progressive Slovakia), Michal Simecka, has said the election result was “bad news” for Slovakia. At a news conference on Sunday, October 1st, Mr. Simecka is quoted as saying:

“The fact of the matter is that SMER is the winner. And we of course respect that although we think it’s bad news for the country. And it will be even worse news if Mr. Fico forms the government.”

Stating that his party would do everything possible to prevent Fico from governing, he continued:

“I will be in touch with other political leaders of parties that were elected to parliament — on an informal basis — to discuss ways of preventing that. We think it will be really bad news for the country, for our democracy, for our rule of law, and for our international standing and for our finances and for our economy if Mr. Fico forms the government.” [CNN, October 2, 2023.]

*. *. *

Fico has also blamed “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” for provoking Vladimir Putin into launching his invasion of Ukraine — perfectly mimicking Putin’s own ludicrous claims.

In addition, he has become a close ally of Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban, himself a worrisome Moscow-friendly influence seated on the border of Ukraine. Orban, in congratulating Fico on Saturday’s win, has said, “Always good to work together with a patriot. Looking forward to it!” [CNN, citing X (formerly Twitter), October 2, 2023.]

*. *. *

Then there is Poland, whose government has strayed so far from the heady days of Lech Walesa as to be virtually unrecognizable. Despite its full support of Ukraine until now, its governing Law and Justice party openly opposes “liberal democracy,” and is leaning more toward the current Hungarian model. What the future holds for Poland is anyone’s guess.

So it’s not just Slovakia that is in peril of falling once more under the sway — and perhaps the tank treads — of authoritarian Russia. But it is the country in this week’s headlines. And, together with Hungary and Poland, they occupy the western border of Ukraine. With Russia’s puppet Belarus to the north and Russia to the east, that leaves only Romania and Moldova to the south. Is it any wonder Ukraine is seriously feeling the pinch?

What I cannot understand is how three countries — Slovakia, Hungary and Poland — who barely three decades ago threw off the shackles of Soviet hegemony — can have such short memories.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/4/23

I’m sure you’ve experienced it too: the near impossibility of finding good, efficient service these days . . . anywhere. The concept barely even seems to exist any longer.

What brought this to mind recently was an issue I’ve been having lately with muffins. Well, actually the issue is with the market. No, that’s not quite true either; it’s with Instacart, the service that’s supposed to do your shopping for you. Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it falls short. And that’s because it’s all done by people. And people are fallible. And so often, they just don’t seem to try.

Let me give you a little background. I have mobility issues that make it very difficult for me to do a lot of walking, or to reach things on high shelves. So grocery shopping is not a good option for me. But by placing my weekly order online, my market — which contracts with Instacart to do the actual selection of the items — has my groceries selected, bagged, and ready for pickup at the predetermined time. Great, right? Well . . . mostly.

Now, I love corn muffins. I eat smaller meals — snacks, really — during the day, and one of those snacks is usually a corn muffin and some fruit. My market’s bakery muffins are really good, so I order two packages each week (four muffins per pack). But lately, for reasons I cannot fathom, the people at Instacart seem unable to understand that I really want eight muffins at a time, and I’ve only been getting four. And it only happens with the damned muffins! I can order multiples of other things, and it’s no problem. It’s just the freakin’ muffins!!!!!

Now, they’ve only charged me for the one pack, but that’s not the point. The point is, they’re short-changing me on my blasted muffins. So when I get their follow-up email asking me how they did this week, I tell them I’m missing a pack of muffins. But there’s no online option to explain that they didn’t over-charge me, so I get a reply that they have credited my account for the price of a pack of friggin’ muffins. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!! You don’t owe me any money. It’s a service issue. Your employees can’t follow instructions. I just want my stinkin’ muffins, please!

Anyway, you get my point about the muffins. But it’s not just that — it’s everywhere. Have you tried to find a full-service gas station lately? You know, the kind that used to check under the hood, add air to your tires, and wash your windshield? They may be around, but if so, they’re few and far between.

And the last time I went shopping in a department store, it took me ten minutes to locate a sales clerk to take my money; they all seemed to have gone on a break at the same time. I suppose if I’d tried to shoplift something, they’d have come out of the woodwork, but I thought better of that.

And what about telephone customer service reps? I won’t even go into the frustration of trying to work through the voice mail to reach an actual human being. But if you’re lucky enough to finally hear a non-mechanical voice, that’s when the real fun begins. Because this person — for some reason, usually a male — is obviously speaking to you from a faraway land, where English is a second or third language, and where this outsourced customer service rep has no idea of the needs or expectations of the average American customer. And he’s reading from a script, with strict instructions that any unscripted questions are to be answered in one way, and one way only: “Yes, I’m very sorry about that.” Sometimes they’ll ad lib and say, “Yes, I do apologize for that.” I always wonder if that’s a firing offense.

These folks from the other side of the globe do have one advantage over many of our American service reps, however: they’re much more polite. Probably because, although they’re working for minimum wage, they’re just happy to have jobs. So be nice. If you think you’re frustrated, imagine how they feel when they look at their paychecks at the end of a week during which their only human contact has been with some self-entitled American screaming at them, “But that’s not what I asked you!”

*. *. *

So how do we light a fire under the thousands of people working in what are supposed to be service industries? Maybe by paying them a living wage? Offering other incentives, more pleasant surroundings, and — here’s a novel idea — a little respect? It might at least be a start in the right direction. It could work in the U.S. as well.

And I, for one, would love to hear them be able to give me actual answers to my questions . . . answers other than “I do apologize for that.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/3/23

He just can’t stop himself, can he? I no sooner label him a “False Dmitry” this morning than I read about more of his histrionic threats . . . this time against Germany and the U.K.

Apparently, the Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council was “dismayed” that Germany had the audacity to give long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, and to express the opinion — through the chair of the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag — that “Ukraine has the right to attack targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.” So Medvedev’s immediate response on Telegram was: “In this case, attacks on German plants where these missiles are made will be entirely within the norms of international law. These imbeciles really are pushing us towards the Third World [War] . . .” [Ukrainska Pravda, October 1, 2023.]

Okay, I get it now; it’s really simple. Russia has the right to attack, invade, and decimate any country it chooses . . . but no one is allowed to fight back. Wow! Talk about your bully in the schoolyard, increased exponentially by a factor of a million!

What has Dmitry Medvedev been smoking?!!

Seriously, the man has lost it. Because next he goes on to threaten the UK’s military instructors in Ukraine with direct attack, referring to the UK Defence Minister‘s statement that his country would “expand its training programme for Ukrainian soldiers and transfer training and production of military equipment to Ukraine.” [Ukrainska Pravda, October 1, 2023.]

Well, at least he didn’t threaten to bomb London, so I guess we’re supposed to be grateful. Then why aren’t I feeling it?

As far as I know, Medvedev is not the guy with his finger on the Russian nuclear button. But he is one of the few people seated at Putin’s table, still apparently enjoying the boss’ trust. And I worry that, thus far, Putin has done nothing to shut him up when he rants about World War III. So, is Medvedev in fact speaking for Putin?

That’s a thought that will keep me staring at the ceiling tonight.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/2/23 (Part 2)

History has a bad habit of repeating itself, and that seems to be especially true in Russia. Just check out the several “False Dmitry” claimants to the Russian throne of the 16th and 17th Centuries — but only if you have several hours to spare.

Today, we have the 21st Century’s variants of Dmitry I (Dmitry Medvedev – Deputy head of the Russian Security Council) and Dmitry II (Dmitry Peskov – official Kremlin Spokesman), who seem to be the classic case of the left hand not knowing what’s going to come out of the right hand’s mouth at any given time.

Sorry about the mixed-up metaphor, but you know what I mean.

So here’s what happened, going back a year to September 30, 2022. On that date, Vladimir Putin signed something known as the “agreement on the accession to Russia” of the Russian-occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts [regions] of Ukraine, gratuitously declaring the residents of those territories to be citizens of the Russian Federation. Not that those Ukrainian citizens (with the exception of a minority of misguided militant miscreants) had actually requested Russian citizenship . . . but that didn’t seem to matter to Putin. It never does.

Oh, and about that “agreement.” I was always under the impression that, in order to have an agreement about anything, you need at least two parties. Otherwise, you’d just be agreeing with yourself, which seems rather pointless. But this “agreement” was signed by the Russian President, approved by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, and later ratified by the Russian State Duma and the Russian Federation Council. What seems to be missing is a signature of anyone from Ukraine. So, isn’t it in fact an ukaz (decree), and not an agreement? Hmm . . .

Well, regardless of that one tiny question of legality, on September 28, 2023, Mr. Putin signed a law establishing September 30th as the “Day of Reunification” of those four Ukrainian regions. Done and done! Let’s party.

*. *. *

Now, back on August 6, 2023, the aforementioned False Dmitry II — that’s Dmitry Peskov, official loudmouth of the Kremlin — had stated unequivocally that “Russia does not want more Ukrainian territory” . . . and that “those four oblasts, plus Crimea, are enough.” [Ukrainska Pravda, September 30, 2023.] Note that he carefully omitted any mention of the fact that they had illegally been included in the Russian Constitution in the first place. But again . . . details, details, details.

But False Dmitry I — Medvedev — couldn’t leave well enough alone. Because on September 30, 2023 — the first official recognition of the newly memorialized “Day of Reunification” — he was quoted on Telegram as saying:

”The special military operations [known to the rest of the world as the war against Ukraine] will continue until Kyiv’s Nazi regime is annihilated and historically Russian territories are liberated from the enemy. The victory will be ours. More new territories will become part of Russia” [Ukrainska Pravda, September 30, 2023] . . . thus also effectively annihilating False Dmitry II’s credibility — whatever that might have been worth to begin with.

There really isn’t time to dissect that brief paragraph for its multitude of inaccuracies and outright lies. And frankly, it isn’t worth dignifying with a response. It’s just so Stalinesque.

And there you have them: the two newest additions to the Russian version of “Send In the Clowns” — Dmitry Medvedev and Dmitry Peskov — supposedly working their act in unison, but instead tripping over each other’s tongues. “Isn’t it rich . . . ?”

*. *. *

But wait . . . there’s more. In Russia, there’s always more.

Without warning, the very next day — yesterday, October 1, 2023 — up popped our late friend Yevgeny Prigozhin (not literally, I’m happy to note — that would have been too creepy, even for Russia). In an interesting confluence of events, “dozens of mourners,” including his mother and his son Pavel, showed up and laid flowers at Yevgeny’s grave in St. Petersburg, where he was hailed as a “‘patriot’ who defended Russian interests abroad.” [Alexander Butler and Tara Cobham, Independent, October 1, 2023.] Some supporters were carrying the black flags of the Wagner Group.

And a Wagner recruitment member posted on Telegram: “He can be criticized for certain events, but he was a patriot who defended the motherland’s interests on different continents.” [Independent, October 1, 2023.]

“Prigozhin is dead. Long live Prigozhin!”

I wonder: Exactly how long is that going to be?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
October 2, 2023

Before the untimely death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in that suspicious, still unexplained airplane crash in August of this year, I wrote six blog chapters entitled “Where’s Yevgeny?” I had to stop, of course, when we were told that his body parts had been identified in a wreckage on a field somewhere northwest of Moscow. We now know exactly where he is buried . . . or, at least, we have the Kremlin’s word for it.

But Yevgeny’s legacy is one of continuing mystery. What will be the ultimate fate of his Wagner Group? Will a substantial number of its members stay together, or will they — like the old Soviet Union — be broken into discrete parts? What will their purpose be? Will they remain an independent mercenary organization, or will they be absorbed by the Russian military? And . . . the big question . . . who will lead them in their next incarnation?

For the most part, those questions remain unanswered. But one name — Dimitry Sytii — has already popped up in the Central African Republic (CAR), where he is apparently at work endeavoring to preserve the Wagner Group’s multi-billion-dollar African operations.

That’s not a small undertaking for anyone, let alone a 34-year-old relative unknown. But he is not unknown within the Wagner Group or to its African clients. Born in Belarus, and a multi-lingual graduate of a French business school with a master’s degree in marketing and business, he worked first for Prigozhin’s Internet Research Agency (you know — the bunch who were so busy interfering in our elections). He has spent the past half-decade managing Wagner’s corporate and propaganda ventures in Africa. He doesn’t look the part of a Wagnerite: unlike their typical beefy, tough-looking military types, his slight build, dark beard and long hair have been described as giving him “an almost saintly look . . . reminiscent of a revolutionary Che Guevara.” [Benoit Faucon and Gabriele Steinhauser, The Wall Street Journal, September 21, 2023.] I’m not sure about the “saintly look,” but he certainly does stand out among his fellow Wagner Group members.

But he doesn’t claim to be a fighter; he’s a manager, a facilitator, the guy who handles the finances and makes the deals that keep the group operating. According to people “familiar with Wagner’s business operations,” he is said to oversee “a network of front companies that the group has used to export gold, diamonds, lumber and other raw materials from his base in the Central African Republic. Sytii also directs Wagner-funded media outlets and social-media campaigns that share anti-Western propaganda designed to prop up Moscow-friendly leaders . . .” [Faucon and Steinhauser, The Wall Street Journal, September 21, 2023.]

Not a bad resume for such a young man. But he is not without competition, specifically from other mercenary companies managed by oligarchs closely associated with Vladimir Putin. So, as with everything else in Russia, it all tracks back to the catbird seat in the Kremlin . . . and what its occupant will decide remains to be seen.

Young Mr. Sytii has one or two other serious hurdles to overcome in the battle for dominance. Despite his invaluable experience and knowledge of the workings of the Wagner Group’s activities in Africa, he was, after all, Prigozhin’s man. And this must necessarily have Putin questioning where Sytii’s loyalties lie — other than to Sytii himself, of course. He also lacks Prigozhin’s history of connections with Putin and the people closest to him: connections that facilitated Prigozhin’s journey to fame and fortune — and to that last, catastrophic fall to earth. Mr. Sytii would do well to keep that in mind.

*. *. *.

It will be interesting to follow the continuing saga of the Wagner Group’s direction post-Prigozhin, and the future of Dmitry Sytii and others as they attempt to navigate the murky waters of Kremlin intrigue. Stay tuned for updates.

Brendochka
10/1/23

Hello again, blog buddies. It’s still me, Brendochka, just checking in to let you know I’ve updated the name of my blog to conform to its current format. It started out as a history of my journey into all things Russian. But eventually I reached the end of that trip, and began regaling you with my perspectives on all sorts of life’s oddities, anomalies, and even a few tragedies, but still with a world view. So it will henceforth be known as “The Blog About Everything.” Hopefully this will make more sense to new followers as well as my loyal readers.

So stay with me — we’ve only just begun.

Brendochka
9/30/23

Another mouth from Moscow. That’s one thing they seem to have in abundance these days — unlike ammo, natural gas, and friends. So, let’s see what the Foreign Minister has to say for himself this time.

Well, that must have been quite an interesting U.N. General Assembly meeting at New York last week, between Turkish President Erdogan’s declaration of fealty to Vladimir Putin, and now Sergei Lavrov’s hard-line pronouncement of Russia’s intentions toward Ukraine, and his all-too-familiar, Soviet-style diatribe against “the West.” As cited by two Kremlin-friendly media sources, TASS and RIA Novosti, following is the gist of his statements:

– Russia is allegedly ready for negotiations with regard to Ukraine, “but will not consider any proposals for a cease-fire because it has allegedly already been deceived once.”

– “. . . nobody in the West wants to show enough understanding of the war in Ukraine seriously, and ‘since they want to solve the issue on the battlefield, it means that it will be [done] on the battlefield.’”

– “. . . the ‘peace formula’ of the President of Ukraine . . . is allegedly absolutely impossible to implement, and everyone knows it.”

– “In his speech, Lavrov called the West an ‘empire of lies’ because Western countries allegedly assume obligations and do not fulfil [sic] them.”

– “He also claims that ‘rejection of the principle of equality and total inability to negotiate became a kind of calling card of the collective West long ago.’” [All as reported by Ukrainska Pravda, September 23, 2023; Lavrov’s actual words in single quotes.]

Gee, Mr. Minister . . . don’t mince words. Tell us what you really think.

*. *. *

Actually, everything he reportedly said is typical Orwellian doublespeak, so familiar from the old Soviet days: you just turn everything around so that the blame points to the other guy, then act indignant. It’s the same bullshit Hitler used to screech at the German masses, and Lenin fed to the Russian proletariat. It’s just toned down a bit, and spoken by a grandfatherly-looking man incongruously clothed in an expensive-looking Western suit and tie.

But where are the specific examples of the West’s alleged deception, lack of understanding of the war, and failure to fulfill its obligations? Not surprisingly, they’re conspicuously absent. I would like to challenge Mr. Lavrov to back up his accusations with detailed, provable facts; but unfortunately, he doesn’t read my blog.

In fact, no one from Russia has ever read my blog, which is shared worldwide on Facebook. I have had readers from 26 different countries in addition to the United States, including China, India, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Nigeria. But not one single reader from Russia. Could it be because communications there are once more under government control? Is it not resoundingly clear what is happening again to a people who, just 30 years ago, were celebrating their freedom and sharing a hope for a bright future?

Of course, it’s clear . . . to most of us. But there are those who still take Vladimir Putin and his minions at their word. People who, like Turkish President Erdogan, still say, “I have no reason not to trust them.” And America’s own Donald Trump, following a face-to-face meeting with Putin at Helsinki in 2018, when he famously answered a question from the press concerning the issue of Russian meddling in our elections: “President Putin . . . just said it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be.” And who to this day continues to express his delight when Putin praises him. These are people who should know better, and whose followers . . . well . . . follow them.

And that scares me to death.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/30/23

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you know from my comments yesterday what I’m talking about today: the deluge of interesting news items confronting me when I woke up and checked yesterday morning’s news reports. I could probably make an individual article out of each of them, but that might be overkill. So I’ll try to sum it all up in one long spiel. Ready? Let’s start with . . .

U.S. Army Private Travis King. Now, there’s a young man carrying a big load of grief. Two months ago, he was supposed to be on his way home from South Korea to face the consequences of an alleged assault with which he had been charged. Instead, he somehow joined a public tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea, and managed to cross the line into the North, where he either requested asylum or was taken into custody, or both. The word from North Korean authorities was that Private King said he was fed up with the mistreatment he had received in the Army, and with the U.S. as a whole.

Did he actually say that? We don’t know. But now, after two months during which the North Koreans have had ample opportunity to question, debrief, and possibly brainwash him, they’ve decided they don’t want him hanging around any longer and have sent him home. We (the U.S.) acknowledge only that there were negotiations (through Sweden as the “protecting power,” since we have no diplomatic relations with North Korea), and that “no concessions were made to North Korea in the transfer, ‘full stop.’”

Wait a minute! North Korea gave back an American captive without demanding anything in return? I don’t know about Private King, but I’d be pretty damned upset if anyone wanted that badly to get rid of me. That’s just insulting. Is there something we’re not being told? Come to think of it, if that is the case, I don’t want to know. What happens in North Korea, probably should stay in North Korea.

Private King, of course, still faces possible military disciplinary action, once he’s been found to be in good health. But what on earth would have caused his extreme behavior in the first place? Fear of discharge from the Army? Possible incarceration? Those are bad enough, but are they really worse than life in North Korea? I’d like to hear his answer to that, now that he’s had a taste of it. But in any event, welcome home, Private King.

*. *. *

Slovakia. In 1991, I was fortunate to be able to spend a summer living and working in Prague, then the capital of Czechoslovakia. Two years earlier, the fall of the Berlin wall had ended Russia’s hold on a number of Eastern European countries; and when I arrived in Prague, the Czechoslovak people were celebrating the departure that very week of the last of the Russian military occupiers. What an amazing time that was!

But in 1992, a year after I returned home, the eastern half of Czechoslovakia declared itself a separate and independent nation by the name of Slovakia, leaving the western half to find a new name for itself. They settled on The Czech Republic, or Czechia for short.

Both The Czech Republic and Slovakia are members of NATO and have fully supported Ukraine in its war with Russia. Slovakia even shares a border with Ukraine, and has taken in large numbers of refugees, in addition to providing military hardware to its embattled neighbor. But that may be coming to an end. The people of Slovakia are getting ready — tomorrow! — to elect their fifth Prime Minister in four years, and the man leading in the polls is Robert Fico, a Kremlin sympathizer who has blamed “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” for provoking Russia into its invasion of Ukraine, and promises that if he is elected, Slovakia will “not send another round of ammunition” to Ukraine.

It’s useful to note that, in addition to Ukraine and Czechia, Slovakia also shares borders with Poland, Hungary, and Austria. If it should indeed become another of Russia’s puppet states (like Belarus), that makes its location strategically all the more significant, should Russia proceed with its westward expansion.

Be assured that I will be following the results of the election, though I don’t know how long it will take to receive the final tally. But stay tuned — this one’s important.

*. *. *

Nagorno-Karabakh. Oy! This little enclave has a long, bloody history; but as briefly as possible, I can tell you that it’s an area geographically located inside the borders of Azerbaijan with an estimated 95% ethnic Armenian population. There has been back-and-forth killing of Armenians and Azerbaijanis for decades, and in the latest battle, Azerbaijan won. Every single Armenian in Nagorno-Karabakh is now being ousted with only what they can carry, sent in an endless convoy to Armenia, where they have been informed they are welcome. And then, says the government at Baku (capital of Azerbaijan), Nagorno-Karabakh will simply cease to exist. Poof! Gone. Never happened. A tragic end to a very long, convoluted story. For you history buffs out there, it’s worth a read to get the full background.

*. *. *

The Case of the Missing Admiral. I mentioned him on Wednesday, but here’s a quick recap. Last week, Ukrainian missiles took out the Russian Naval Headquarters in Sevastopol, Crimea, reportedly killing 34 or 35 people, including the commanding officer, Admiral Viktor Sokolov. But the Kremlin insists he is still alive, and have posted a picture of him seated at a meeting . . . though looking oddly stiff, and with a pillow propped behind his head. Other photos purport to show him in perfect health; but there is no way to know when or where those pictures were taken. So, is he alive? If so, why isn’t he speaking? Or if he’s dead, where is his body? Have we got ourselves another Yevgeny Prigozhin? “He’s in Sevastopol.” “No, he’s in Moscow.” “He’s alive and well.” “The hell, you say — we got him with one of our missiles.” Good grief! I’ll be following up on this one, too.

*. *. *

Farewell, Professor Dumbledore. Sadly, pneumonia has taken the life of Michael Gambon, aged 82, who was best known to the millions of Harry Potter fans as Professor Dumbledore. R.I.P. Michael . . . or Professor . . . whichever you prefer. You will be missed.

*. *. *

The End of the World. All sorts of people have made all sorts of dire predictions about this for as long as I can remember, and long before. But according to Nature Geoscience, a study now shows that all the land on Earth will form a volcanic supercontinent known as Pangea Ultima, which will somehow wipe out all the mammals on Earth. (There is no mention of cockroaches, though, so I assume they will once again beat the odds and survive.) But before you panic, don’t make a run for Elon Musk’s Mars shuttle just yet — this isn’t going to happen for another 250 million years. Although I have a bad feeling that we humans will be wiping ourselves out a few million years before that, if we don’t change our ways. Either way, it’s a pretty gloomy prospect for our long-range descendants, don’t you think?

*. *. *

And . . .

Did I hear someone say, “You mean there’s more?” Well, yes . . . there’s China’s missing Defense Minister (another missing person?!!); mysterious “fairy circles” being studied all over the world (as if UFOs weren’t enough); the denial of Alexei Navalny’s appeal of his prison sentence by a Russian “court” (big surprise!); and — if you’re really desperate for dinner table conversation — there’s always Kim Kardashian’s fake haircut. (I don’t know about you, but I hope and pray I will never be that desperate for something to talk about.)

*. *. *

And now . . .

That’s enough for one writing session. I may expand on some of these topics another day, but right now, I need to stretch my legs, my back, my neck . . . just about every body part. See you tomorrow.

TTFN,
Brendochka
9/29/23