In the belief that pictures really do speak louder than words, I offer the following evidence of the progress of my moving preparations:
As you can see, I’m feeling somewhat boxed in. And that’s only part of it.
Just another week until the movers arrive to pick it all up. Meanwhile, I also have to remember to send change-of-address notices to my bank, credit card companies, Social Security Administration, insurance company, doctors, dentist, pharmacy . . .
I know, I know . . . I’m supposed to be taking a break from the news while I pack for my move. But when my favorite Kremlin spokesman speaks, I find it hard to turn a deaf ear — even when he’s not saying anything we haven’t heard a thousand times before.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov
The only difference is that this time he was addressing the leaders of Europe instead of Donald Trump, most likely because he and his boss have come to the realization that a united Europe is indeed a force to be reckoned with, whereas Trump is . . . well, most likely . . .
. . . hard at work?
Recently — with Trump focused (when he is able to focus) on ending or not ending his war with Iran, invading or not invading Cuba, finding someone to blame for the Reflecting Pool fiasco, and insulting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — the members of the EU have begun considering how best to deal directly with Vladimir Putin. The office of European Council President Antonio Costa said they have made “brief contacts at diplomatic level to open communication channels” with the Kremlin; and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker has suggested that the EU should push ahead with efforts to reopen negotiations with Putin. [Dmitry Antonov, Reuters, June 19, 2026.]
The response from the Kremlin was predictably cool. While acknowledging that common sense would dictate the need for such discussions, Dmitry Peskov offered this caveat when speaking with reporters on Friday:
“The Europeans have a very serious misconception: They assume that negotiations with Russia must be conducted from a position of strength and based on Russia’s weakness. This is the biggest mistake . . . Such talk will lead nowhere. Does this stem from European incompetence, misinformation, or stupidity? We don’t know for sure, but it’s a fact.” [Id.]
He added that Russia would be willing to talk if there was openness on Europe’s part to engage in real dialogue, “not to engage in moralising or, especially, to issue ultimatums.” [Id.]
Getting His Instructions From the Boss
That’s tough talk from a country that has lost over a million troops, gained no ground in its push through Ukraine for months, and now sees its main source of funding for the war — its oil industry — being decimated by Ukrainian drone attacks on its refineries, some just a few miles from the Kremlin itself.
But Vladimir Putin is not one to surrender willingly; and in his mind, compromise is the same as capitulation. So he continues to spew his particular brand of braggadocio, hint at the nuclear option, maintain his ludicrous demands for one-sided concessions from Ukraine, and . . . what then? Hope that his bluffs will work?
Meanwhile, the whole of Europe has been strengthening its military defenses as well as its offensive capabilities, and stands united under NATO’s Article 5 guaranteeing collective defense.
Methinks it’s time for the Kremlin’s spokesman to work on a new script, because the old one isn’t really cutting it any longer.
As Election Day in the U.S. approaches — now less than five months away — I can’t help thinking about the words of Thomas Jefferson:
“The government you elect is the government you deserve.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826)
I don’t know what we Americans have done that was bad enough to deserve what has happened to us in the past year and a half; but I hope and pray that we don’t make the same mistake again.
Even though these are “only” mid-terms, and not a presidential election, they are our chance to begin restoring honor and integrity to our governing bodies, and sanity to our lives.
Finland — the beautiful land of Jan Sibelius, the Northern Lights, a top-flight educational system, great seafood, and the official home of Santa Claus — has just announced the lifting of its decades-long ban on nuclear weapons.
And the world is a little bit sadder today.
Helsinki, Finland
It is sad because the nation voted the happiest country in the world was forced to make this decision by its neighbor, Russia — with whom it shares an 833-mile border — invading its air space; establishing some 130 military installations capable of housing 2,000 troops in Kamenka, about 35 miles from the border; and now constructing a new military base, also just miles from the border, with a capacity for up to 6,000 military personnel. [Anthony Blair, New York Post, June 17, 2026.]
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen has announced that the Parliament voted 125-to-61 on Wednesday to facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory, reversing its 1987 ban that prohibited the import, manufacture, possession and detonation of any such explosives within its borders. Hakkanen wrote on X that:
“This historic reform strengthens the security of Finland and of NATO as a whole.” [Id.]
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen
Earlier this year, he had argued that the existing nuclear restrictions no longer reflected the geopolitical realities of the country, which became a member of NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [Id.]
But such is the world we live in . . . a world in which a handful of tyrants call the shots for eight billion people who only want to live in peace and relative comfort. And thus it has always been.
It seems that one mystery — their trip to Crimea — isn’t enough for Vladimir Putin’s favorite emigre family; they’ve now hit us with a second one, before offering any insight into the first.
No sooner did I post this morning’s thoughts on the unusual lack of videos from their recent visit to the land of sun, sea and Ukrainian drone strikes, when a “short” appeared on Facebook showing Arend and Anneesa Feenstra attending an “awards ceremony” in Moscow.
You heard me. Their most recent teaser — like their other videos, undated — shows the couple in Moscow, dressed in their Sunday finest, at an undisclosed location for an unspecified awards ceremony. Presumably, though not specifically stated, they are to be recipients of an honorific . . . coincidentally (?) immediately following their return from a four-month trip to Canada and the U.S., and a one-week boondoggle to Crimea.
At the Ceremony
And just to remind you — when they first announced the upcoming Crimean trip for the entire family, they said they were to be accompanied by “friends,” though those individuals are yet to be identified. Then there was silence, followed by an apology from Arend for the delay in keeping their followers posted.
So I repeat . . . What the hell?!!
Seriously, what kind of an “award” are we talking about, for a simple farming family who are still years away from qualifying for Russian citizenship? And why all the intrigue surrounding their activities?
Which leads me to the biggest question of all: Who are the Feenstras, really?
Here’s a little Thursday frivolity, just for the heck of it. Sing along with me, if you like:
Oh, where, oh where have the Epstein files gone? Oh, where, oh where can they be? They’re not in Iran, Nor in Greenland, for sure. Oh, where, oh where can they be?
Are they buried somewhere way down in Fort Knox? Or at the home of JD? In an FBI vault? The “Department of War”? Oh, where, oh where can they be?
Like everyone else, I haven’t a clue As to where those damned files might be. But I do know for sure That each time they’re revived, A distraction there shortly will be.
An incursion here, a threatened war there, Or a dust-up with Russia we’ll see; Anything to distract In the hopes we’ll forget To ask “where, oh where can they be?”
Five days ago, Arend Feenstra posted a short video from a train on the way to their mysterious visit to Crimea. (See my post of 6/13/26: “We Interrupt This Sabbatical . . .”) He offered no explanation as to the purpose of the trip, other than a quick mention of checking out some farming-related matters; no apparent concerns about leaving the homestead in Nizhny Novgorod at the busiest season of the year; and, as usual, no indication of the actual date on which the video was being made.
On the Way to Crimea
Two days after that, there was a second quick communique, this time from Crimea, saying how excited they were to be there, looking forward to visiting some “agricultural places.” That’s all.
In Crimea
And the following day, Arend shows up again, now back in Nizhny Novgorod, apologizing for the delay in posting videos of the Crimea trip — delays that he attributed to “technical difficulties . . . out of our control.” He said there were unexpected problems with the videos, which needed “some more stuff to be done” to them, and thanked their viewers for their patience while “we wait for these unforeseen things to pass.”
Back in Nizhny Novgorod
Now, that could mean any number of things, and he was clearly having difficulty finding the right words to explain the problem without actually explaining it. But considering where they are — and what has been going on in Russia since the war against Ukraine has come home to bite the Putin regime in their big Russian yagoditsiy (buttocks) — my best guess is that there are two things going on: first, the well-known interruptions and shutdowns of social media and other communications by the Kremlin; and second — though this is purely speculative — the need for some official editing of the videos before their release can be authorized.
Consider:
Vladimir Putin invaded Crimea in 2014, and has illegally occupied the entire peninsula ever since. From the time of his second invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the usually peaceful Crimean Peninsula has been dragged into the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russian-Built Kerch Bridge in Crimea
Perhaps the Feenstras were witness to some of the effects the war has had on the Ukrainian residents, observed the heavy-handed behavior of the Russian occupiers, and even expeienced some of the retaliatory attacks by Ukraine’s forces. If so, I can think of a number of reasons why their videos have been delayed, and why Arend Feenstra appears hesitant to say more.
And I have to wonder whether the Feenstra family, who left Canada because it was too “woke,” may be starting to realize that the choice of Russia as their new home could turn out to be the biggest mistake of their lives.
In any event, I will keep an eye out for further word from them. So stay tuned, friends. Because I think there is a lot more to this story.
We’ve all heard this one, but some may not be familiar with the source:
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
– Lord Acton
Lord Acton (1834 – 1902)
John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, 13th Marquess of Groppoli (whew!), better known simply as Lord Acton, was an English historian, politician and writer. He is best remembered for the above-cited comment on the dangers of unchecked, concentrated authority, which he believed posed the greatest threat to human freedom.
Clearly, a man of — and before — his time. Wherever he is now, I can easily imagine him thinking, “I told you so!”
Even in the midst of chaos (packing to move), I find myself incapable of completely ignoring the daily news. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough spare hours to go into depth on any one subject today, so here’s a very brief commentary on what I gleaned from the headlines:
G-7 Meeting in France: There seems to be unanimity as to the continuation of support for Ukraine — great news indeed! As for the guy who should have been the standout member of the group . . . well, he did stand out, but not in the way one would have hoped:
Clearly Not “Mr. Cordiality”
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Russia: Getting blasted by Ukraine’s superior drones, with emphasis on oil production and storage facilities. The war has come home to Moscow, temporarily shutting down all four airports yesterday.
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Iran: Laughing all the way to the bank.
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Washington, D.C.: The White House — including the actual building and grounds — is a total mess; the newly “repaired” Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial is swarming with algae; and the government . . . well, let’s just skip that one for now, okay?
The White House – Before and After Trump 47
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The Good News: Only 875 days remaining until November 7, 2028.
