In Ukraine, Russian troops escalated their bombing of cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Mariupol, in what Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky called a campaign of terror to break the will of the Ukrainians.
I am not brave today. Whistling in the dark only gets you so far. The Russian attacks have slowed on the ground but continue slowly. Aerial attacks continue unabated. Fighting for Kharkov, Khetson, Mikolaiev, Mariupol is firece. None have fallen yet. Kyiv is being pounded and people are building barricades. Trains of refugees are filled. Our granddaughter in Poland is ill from her time waiting at the border. She is crying. We are crying.
The dog needs feeding. The cats are sleeping. Life goes on for us but the people in the cities under attack, life is interrupted and will never be normal again.
Stay safe! I am concerned that now that this has not gone the way Putin planned, with the unexpected resistance and being isolated by so many countries, he must be feeling desperate and will be taking out his wrath on his own people as well as redoubling his efforts to crush Ukraine. I (and I'm sure millions of others) am thinking of the Ukrainians, and hoping for the best outcome.
Feeling a bit helpless but donating to help refugees, to the World Central Kitchen and the International Rescue Committee.
Thank you for posting this link. Fascinating article, and towards the end this important nugget:
"If Western companies, their pension plans or mutual funds, are invested in Russia they should pull out. Any people who are sitting on the boards of major Russian companies should resign immediately. Not every Russian company is tied to the Kremlin, but many major Russian companies absolutely are, and everyone knows it. " Glad to see BP and Exxon pull out.
Yes, I posted this link yesterday and wondered (hoped) HCR maybe saw it somewhere. I also saw some remarks yesterday by Alexander Vindman that were pretty much in line with Hill's thoughts. How I love to see the two of them on some sort of interview panel like the WBUR one with Hill and HCR. These two people know the "enemy" as well or better than anyone and we should be listening to them. Hill's assertion that we in the West should bite the bullet and totally stop doing business with Russia is a sound one, though I cannot imagine it being very popular. Europe's economies are more involved with Russia than ours and their economies would suffer much more. It would stop Russia dead in its tracks, but come at a cost. I have to mention that even here in the banana republic known as Georgia, our legislature voted to sever all investment ties with Russia that involved pensions and the like. Yay us!
Thank you, Barb. Also Fiona Hill and Heather were brilliant together and since then I’ve read much more about/by Fiona. TFG fired her because her true genius truly frightened him.
Given her background and as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, she is most likely a resource. IMO, Biden should have her, Rachel Maddow, and Heather on speed dial!!
Thank you for sharing this article, Barbara. It is long but so informative. Fiona Hill is an amazing smart woman! I believe she will be remembered in history!
David Talbot, a writer, suggested that we give a Putin a chance to retain a little dignity. His suggestion was to take nukes out of Poland in exchange for him leaving Ukraine. It might not be a bad idea.
BE CAREFUL!!!! I opened this link, and there's something terribly wrong. It locked up my computer. Not sure what happened, but there is something going on. Others haven't had problems, but there's an infection somewhere. I HAVE NOTIFIED SUBSTACK. ALSO RECEIVED TWO MESSAGES SUPPOSEDLY FROM HEATHER, REQUESTING THAT I SIGN IN TO SUBSTACK TO VERIFY MY INFORMATION. DIDN'T OPEN EITHER OF THEM.
RIGHT-click on the link, and select "Inspect" (or some variant) from the drop-down menu. You can do this safely on ANY link, even if it is a toxic link. I get:
First, "<a href='link'>" is where the link actually goes. The text between "<a ...>" and "</a>" is where the link SAYS it will go, and could say anything at all. It's how you get a link that SAYS "Pay Here" that links to a payment page.
First, "https://" indicates this is accessed by a secure protocol that ensures the domain (the next part) is what it says it is. It's secure enough for banking transactions.
Second, the website link. "www.politico.com" is a legitimate news site.
This link is as safe as it gets on the internet.
I'm reluctant to say it's impossible to spoof the value that shows up in a comment in Substack that looks good in the comment, but actually points to a bad address. I've had to work to get this post to be halfway readable, because Substack creates the text for the link, not me. I'd have to exploit a bug in Substack comments to get a phishing link into a comment, which would require that I know a lot of details about the Substack server code.
However, IF it were done, then inspecting the comment as I described above would reveal the spoof, because the href would not match the displayed text. Something like that would be brought to the Substack admins post-haste.
Also, I've checked out the link (nothing like a real test), and it's fine.
Joseph, thanks so much. I was okay initially, but then encountered a ribbon that said "Continue," and when I clicked on it, the trouble began, saying my computer had been taken over, etc. I shut down, which got rid of the bug, but when I rebooted, there were two emails from HCR/Substack asking me to sign in and confirm my identity. I didn't open either, so not sure whether they were safe, although the address, etc. looked legit. I'll save your instructions in case I encounter anything suspicious in the future. Now, I understand that the "Continue" ribbon was the problem, but it's disturbing that it was included in the otherwise-legitimate text. Another contributor said she'd had a similar experience. I did find the original article on Politico, so that was good.
Can anyone explain why we cannot go in or send soldiers to the International Legion Lezensky created to help the Ukrainians? Did we learn nothing from our hesitancy in responding to WWII? Is there nothing but weaponry and money? I feel so angry and helpless that we are watching this happen to the people of a good democracy and leader as they are being pummeled by a fricking bully madman. I may be naive. But there must be more than shoving money-- they need massive support from all nations to stop this invasion and destroy the weaponry Putin is bringing in. Could we not make a request to the Russian soldiers that if they all defect we will protect them? Sorry, I cannot cry anymore, I am angry. And I am angry watching our own homegrown terrorists sitting there listening to President Biden last night without consequences for their sedition and the fraud they commit trying to steal our right to vote. These are our own little putin-lovers sitting in our government. I am furious right now. This little, fire-breathing, 66 year-old Nana would love to join the International Legion of Soldiers and do damage to several truckloads of thermobaric weapons, then go to Moscow and make some spicy tea for the madman...for dessert. My pent-up feelings after almost 6 years of madness is getting to me today. I better go throw some snowballs. Then pet Mr. Higgins. Rant over.
Because if we send in troops then Putin can claim that NATO is attacking him and he is justified to use nuclear weapons. That will not help anyone, least of all Ukraine. In fact, if we are involved in our own wars, we will not have the resources or energy to help Ukraine. Good policies are often the hardest to carry out. Wars are not like video games where if you lose you can just play again. Putin is likely to nuke European countries that are members of NATO since he does not need nukes to take over Ukraine. That will force us to have to go into full scale war. I have relatives stationed over there. I am as angry as you are, and so grateful that we have a President that can use a cool head even though he has been belittled and provoked for by Republicans for months. They are posturing for a new spin on things. I think we all need to be writing letters everywhere pointing out that they are threatening our national security because they are.
As for the Russian soldiers defecting. Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian people seem to be doing that on their own. Every brilliant thing they can do with what they have is being done. Also, I don't think that Putin is thinking about what it will be doing to his success to have millions of Ukrainian women and children in EU countries where they have plenty of time to let their hatred for him fester and even if he succeeds in taking over Ukraine temporarily, will they let go getting revenge for their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons and children who he is so comfortable slaughtering? Probably not! He will have created a situation where they will want to avenge these needless deaths. You can support the Ukraine directly with military or humanitarian aid. This link goes to their bank.
Here's a link that shows townspeople taunting Russian soldiers holding hand grenades. The soldiers got back in their vehicles and left, without launching their grenades.
Thanks for your kind answer. What about the International Legion of Soldiers Zelensky created to avoid countries sending in their troops directly, but it is supported from the world?
The International Brigade is a volunteer-based entity. Individuals with military experience from many countries, including Americans, have been and are going to join the Ukrainian resistance.
Thank you, Judith. I want to support that effort. And I think it is very important that the Ukrainian people speak with the Russian soldiers and ask them to defect and join them. This person to person connection, face to face with people who have not done anything to deserve this violent invasion...
I love it--66 & 81 yrs, old--the beginning of a brigade!
Interesting practice battle just now: 4:00am. Awakened to a slight oily smell. Oil furnace, I think in a groggy state. Opened door to let fresh air in. Go make tea and decide it will be another early morning and need to check in to the news of our world. Hear squealing outside on terrace. Two skunks in battle. I watch for a moment and the banged on the window to scare the. The large, aggressive skunk has young one pinned down and was really going at it. (interesting as they were apparently fighting about SUNFLOWER SEEDS from my bird feeder). The large one was way too agressive biting. I ran back to the bedroom to shut my outside door to the 26 degree air. Back to the fight. I opened the window near them and screamed for them to stop and the big one was biting the poor little one terribly. Its' screams....ah! I ran to my sand bucket in the mudroom, opened the front door quickly, through a plastic container of sand out at them and shut door quickly. Did not budge the big guy. He seemed like he wanted to kill. I yelled and banged more on the window. Nothing stopped him. The little one was screaming and losing energy. Nana was ticked now. I looked in the mudroom for something more powerful, found my long, red, garden water wand! Opened the front door ran out an tapped the big one and ran away. He didn't even notice me and continued biting the little guy. My anger rose at how unfair this is and I drew up energy and went out there and finally hit that mean guy pretty hard on his back and ran back inside. As I entered the door I turned to see if his tail was up and it was a bit fragrant out there. He was running away! The little one sat there breathing hard, looking terribly disheveled. We just looked at one another and I told him it would be alright now. He then toddled off into the dark.
So, I went back inside, blew on my red garden hose wand as I put it back into my holster (okay, the ceramic pot) and realized, heck I am one mean fighting machine! Am now back with my tea writing this, noticing the faint smell of the strange perfume of the battle! I think I am ready, Rusty!
What is also eery about this waking dream is that yesterday, Another friend and I asked our group of well-known artists if we could all paint sunflowers to auction off to raise funds for Ukraine. We worked on that yesterday and it is turning into a global adventure with artists we are connected to around the world! One of our artists, Tatiana, is Ukrainian and her cousin is providing us with information on the ground. They need food. Best place she said to donate is:
World Central Kitchen https://wck.org Easy to donate and they have videos of their support of food and food trucks and kitchens in Ukraine and for those refugees fleeing to Poland. They do this all over the world but you can direct your funds to helping the people of Ukraine.
Flowers, beauty and food to win an unjust fight. Fighting here in Vermont with garden wands and paintbrushes.
You are in Vermont and I moved to WA state from Maine where I was raised. We New England folks are used to cold weather but nothing like the Ukrainians are experiencing. I will spread the word re: World Central Kitchen on my Facebook and Twitter pages. As to those skunks - we had a family of them living under our camp at one time when I was a child. They automatically had the 'right of way'. Hope the little one heals. Hoping there might be some place you can place a stash of sunflower seeds just for it. Hope your furnace and you have an easier day. Watching the news of Ukraine today I fear the world is going to need to be even more involved with the fighters to save Ukraine unless some kind of SEAL Team Six can make a very personal call on Putin. This all feels much too much like 1939 and the world needs to have learned lessons from Chamberlain.
Hi Rusty! You are across the continent-- I grew up in CA! I have very friendly stories of skunks here, but this one, after thinking how mean he was might be feeling off. He looked really healthy and plump but acted almost rabid on that little one. The oily smell that woke me up was the faint skunk perfume. My furnace is fine, thanks!
I am with you on the International Seal Teams. They could solve a lot of tyrannical problems.
Yes, when trump was "installed" in 2016, I really felt we were in danger as he used the same tactics of lies, fear, division, propaganda, and tons of repetition. This is so hard. They are so brave and at least we are allowed to see what a young leader can do-- because we need new ways and new ideas of managing conflict. Zelensky is a leader for these times.
It is good to hear your voice, Allen. I also hear your angst. Please know we care about you and your family and wish you continued safety. Russian soldiers are abandoning their posts and governments within Russia are telling Putin to stop. Perhaps it will all be over soon. We have hope. My very best to you.
'And should be buried as soon as possible'. I haven't been able to find this that you posted to me. After some miserable faces of mine, which I'm sure followed reading these words of yours, I remembered your singing on the fantastic concert you posted for us. Now, your singing -- is that another fault you forgot to list or is it part of you the 'buried' treasure you were referring to? Ok, Allen, I do request an answer. Please come back to me again. Your answer may be happily via song. I'll be waiting, Allen. Sing on!
Two girls are sitting on the bank of a river. A guy in a canoe goes by and says, "I didn't know there were pirates here in the past. You two are sitting on a fortune."
As I acclimated to this safe discussion “room”, I was like, “Who IS this TCinLA???” Now, I’m like, “Where is TCinLA’s hot take on this, today???” (Not to worry, I’m already following his Substack ;)
I started a reply along the same lines about two hours ago, and then a long phone call interrupted me and it's vanished. Basically, Allen, I said that your pain is part of your courage. Nothing brave about not feeling pain or distress or fear. Resisting is what's important, and continuing to be real to your granddaughter. Your posts are important to you as well as to all of us. Fed that dog yet?
Thank you for these links, Ellie. I believe art is an essential part of the human experience. When we express ourselves through the creation of art it helps us to contextualize experiences and connect us to others through an expression of shared identity. Creating and experiencing art can improve the well-being of individuals and make our communities stronger. Exactly what we need these days!
Ellie, You graced the forum's parade for Allen, his family and pets and all of the Ukrainian people with the colors of Ukraine, the colors of art and the feelings we have for them all in our hearts. Thank you.
Allen, it is always a relief to find a post from you here. I can't imagine what you and your family and your country are experiencing. My husband and I send you our fervent wishes for your courage and safety. We have donated to relief organizations and written to President Biden asking him to do whatever he can to stop Putin's rampage as quickly as possible. I weep for the senseless loss of life and the awful wreckage shown on the news. We are with you in spirit. Please stay safe!
ThankYou. I am very glad to hear from you. And to know what you are seeing and thinking. It is good of you to keep in touch. Each of your emails is both both heartening and horrifying. In their details, contrasts and implications. From your spot on the globe, which your words bring to life for us here. As there the full military force of a most heavily armed and heartless dictator is being brought to bear on a nation whose ideas and the very idea of its existence, he opposes
I recall on 9/11, walking from Capitol Hill, where the smoke from the Pentagon was visible, looking away to where the beautiful sky was clear and thinking 'This is what it must be like to be on a hillside in Bosnia. It is a beautiful day and not far from here, all Hell is breaking loose.'
Our thoughts and hopes are with you. Hopes for your safety. Hopes that our Javelins and Stingers arrive in time. You all in Ukraine personify bravery. Each of you in your own way. And I wish for your days to have more of the ordinarily unremarkable round of hours.
Allen, this is the epitome of bravery: you keep on living. You care about and for your family (including the four-legged members). My eyes filled with tears reading your post. And my frustration (because I cannot go up to Putin the Mad Emperor and just slap him silly) has no outlet except tears. Someone needs to do this for me. Someone. For you as well as for me. Slap him silly.
Linda, you have expressed well my own frustration about Putin, and my own amazement at the courage of the Ukrainian people, and Allen. Of course, they all are afraid, but they are using the energy created by that fear to stand tall.
I can only begin to imagine your pain and fear. I don’t have family in Eastern Europe to fear for. But, PLEASE, don’t think you are a coward because they are in Poland and you are not! Circumstances create difficult situations that are beyond our control to stop from happening. Now, the challenge for you is to help your granddaughter now that she is in Poland. Use your creative mind and don’t forget to pray. Good luck to a brave family!
Allen, not all of us are blessed with innate bravery, but courage… ah, this is what you show us how to embrace… your courage in the face of this terror is something we could all hope to possess. You’re not alone. Things ARE looking bad for Putin. His own citizens are turning against him. We should all be wary and know our days of being courageous are ahead of us. He’s far too prideful to not lash out at all of us …
A lot of us are really afraid Allen. But not scared. I am praying for your granddaughter. The images of what people have endured to leave the country and what people endure to stay is testimony to the sanctity of protecting the family and pets during crisis.
Our lives have changed and we must make that work and count for freedom.
Please do everything to be safe. I thank you so much for staying in touch. Ellie Kona sent some beautiful images along in her post. We are United!
Anybody on here know of a way to help Allen’s granddaughter? We have some pretty far reaching friends on here. An organization to get her help? If we could help in any way at all?
Watching from a far, hoping your nightmare ends quickly! A Russian soldier texted his mother that it wasn’t a rescue mission, he wasn’t trained, and has since been learned he was killed in battle. They are rising up against Putin.
There are some very nice, caring people in Latvia. I just learned that a region in Latvia is donating a firetruck to Ukraine, filled with food, blankets and other supplies. I think Latvians feel this viscerally - - they went through this when Russia (USSR) took over Latvia decades ago. No one has forgotten. My family also fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs. This is very traumatic for my mother, especially. She was a child fleeing Soviets.
You reflect the experiences, Diana, that many of our families have experienced at the hands of evil. Our feelings, which were close to surface are now flooding our minds.
We admire the unity and determination of the Ukrainians on behalf of Ukrainian democracy. You tell us the truth. The truth persists through the pain of this war. Throughout President Biden's State of the Union address last night, I thought of you. I thought of the need for our country to be united and united behind Ukraine. You and your family, including Lucky and the cats, are in our hearts, Allen.
I reread this evening’s letter. One of the items that stood out to me were the “Bobblehead Twins” behaving like grammar school troublemakers. Behavior like theirs would not be tolerated IN a grammar school assembly. They would have been removed from the room, their parents called to either pick up the child or understand the child was being kept late for detention.
These two “grown” women who continue to behave like disorderly second graders need to be treated like the naughty children they behave! I’m quite tired of MY TAX DOLLARS that help pay their salaries and benefits being squandered and frittered away by them when they not only are not making any discernible contribution to the working of our Congress, but are actually impeding the work others who are trying to accomplish something good for our country.
Those children would not have been allowed to grow up behaving badly were they mine! My kids could express their (non-violent) antisocial feelings and then talk to their dad and me. But they also knew they had to show respect and courtesy to everyone and if there was a problem, deal with it privately and quietly. That is what they did then, and now they are adults (chronologically and emotionally) older than those miscreant woman and have the respect of their peers and loyalty and affection of friends. Green and Boebert are an embarrassment to the country they claim to represent!
Yes, for me, a now 62 year old who absorbed the cautious and mostly kind methods of using language in rural East Texas from the old folks there, watching adults now behave like poorly behaved bullies in our government is difficult.
But, that behavior, bullying, does acquire attention and for some folks in any classroom, workplace or group, attracts others. Everyone always knows who the bullies are in middle school right? They are among the most visible people in schools. The teachers even treat them different. In the workplace, the manager bully is promoted most rapidly.
So, being a bully DOES have benefits and those in Congress behaving that way thoroughly understand what they are doing and who they will attract.
Unfortunately, American culture has, apparently, descended to such a state that now a MAJORITY of Americans are ATTRACTED by bully behavior.
Because, Trump was the ultimate bully and he is beloved (and not in jail).
True Mike, my granddaughter in middle school is bullied for mask wearing, by students, and the administration. When I worked at middle school, The admin was not part of the bully network. Texas at it’s most insane.
Texas is a puzzle to me. I grew up there but left in 1992 at the bottom of an economic bust where every other house was for sale and there were just no jobs of any kind, including for me.
Moved up to NY for a job and stayed. Honestly, lots about Texas I liked better than where I am. Texas is far less segregated than NY. Texas is far more diverse in most places than NY. Don't get me wrong, NY has a lot of diversity, however, NY is profoundly segregated in that diversity.
At least when I lived in Texas, it seemed like people were less likely to judge.
But, something changed and I cannot say what it was exactly. My first look at it was when Ted Cruz got elected. That clown would not have obtained one vote when I lived there.
... commodification and corporatization of human soul ... thank you for reminding us of real people on the ground in Texas who know and deserve better ... the likes of Molly Ivans and Jim Hightower ....
My son, his wife and my only grandchild and my dil family lives in the Austin area.
My son has lived there for over 16 years.
He always tells me that most of the people are cray cray, but he said that because Republicans hold so much power via gerrymandering, it's hard to get any true change down there.
I'm concerned about moving there.
Especially when the government is basically saying, "go ahead and rat on your neighbors for anything you don't like, and if we agree and there's not a law making it illegal, we will enact one".
It saddens me so much to have any doubts at all about moving there. But after living in CA and now Vegas, I find it hard to think about moving to a state that will be taking away some of the freedoms that I have now.
Using and growing pot products is just one example.
I can't get behind a state that lets anyone carry a gun without any training, much less a license.
When I moved from Texas (born there) to Washington State, I thought I had finally made it to America because I could get a job for ten dollars an hour. In 1984, I was divorced at age 40ish. My banker told me when I tried to get my car loan in my name instead of joint ownership (I bought and paid for it by myself with NO help from my ex) the banker told me I would have to get a brother or my father to co-sign for me. That’s Texas.
I moved here since 1961 with NASA. Houston was and is an incredible city. The fall came in 1994 when Karl Rove foisted W on the state. Such propaganda and non-stop lies, even before Fox went on the air, when the evil ramped up to the stratosphere, led us to where we are today. At least from where I sat during the past decades…
"You do not have to wear those masks,” DeSantis said in video captured by WFLA News Channel 8, Tampa’s NBC station. “Please take them off. Honestly, it's not doing anything. We've gotta stop with this Covid theater. So if you wanna wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous."
Absolutely. Time for America to elect and employ qualified, educated, moral adults who want to improve our democracy for All the People. Not entitled, corporate, fascist brats stuck in their self-absorbed adolescent phase. I work with adolescents and I see many of them who are more mature than those monkeys to whom we have to pay salaries and benefits to in our own government.
Thank you, Betsy. I posted my distain for them above. Whatever they feel about Biden, it was disrespectful to our veterans and all the military! Oh would I have loved the generals present last night to stand up, walk up to them and just STARE them down and have it all witnessed in real time on all those television channels!!
I agree Betsy - such models of 'self control' - complaining that democrats and progressives don't know how to control themselves ... meaning, exactly ... what ...? Hmmm ...
I think that a certain gene mutates in most Republicans when they register as Republicans. It gets really virulent when a Republican is elected to office. I causes them to see everything backwards. If a Republican does something wrong, YOU did it. If a Democrat does something marvelous, the Republican claims it! I hope that as these Republicans start to die off, scientists will examine their brains to find the mutation and see if there is any medicine that can keep the mutation from happening in the first place. We live in hope!
MoneyMoneyMoney ... in epidemic proportions ... people get swept up in dependency on a dynamic they cannot control - lose touch with true ground - become slaves to the dominating party line - live in a ballooning cycle of fear and desperation ... is this what it means to "sell your soul to the devil" ...?
Betsy B., Your assessment of Green and Boebert, aka the “Bobblehead Twins”, is spot on. They are indeed an embarrassment to the country. Imagine, however, how that embarrassment would be magnified if you lived in the Congressional District of one of those representatives. My wife and I live in the district of that barely literate and destructive reactionary representative, Lauren Boebert! Hopefully, enough voters who supported her in the last election will reflect on her antics and manifest unfitness for her office and toss her out in the 2022 midterm elections.
Better yet, hopefully the J6 Committee will soon release her involvement in the attack on our Capitol and she'll be kicked out of her comfy seat and never allowed to run for office again!
That said, if putin’s greed and avarice take him down, then HALLELUJAH!!! The world needs a new world order. And, and…I love that China is pulling back from the feast of-the-really-bad-actor’s table.
THAT SAID, I grieve for the Ukrainian people as well as ordinary russian folk who want nothing but peace. Who didn’t ask for a madman’s war.
If war is good for nothing, so are the republicans who just can’t seem to remember cozying-up-to-putin either in person (all by themselves) or by hanging on to trump’s tails/TALL tales. What in the sam hell was the republican retort to our Present’s SOTU?
I found myself literally collapsing my lower jaw when it went slack with disbelief.
Thank you, Professor for another beautiful Letter. I hope you publish these LETTERS in a hard bound set of volumes - every one of them in their entirety including the footnotes citing your research. Mark me down for a full set, first edition, first print run.
They're behaving like spoiled brats because that's what their constituents want from them. Indeed, it's the ONLY thing they want from them. They think this rubbish is "owning the libs" instead of making themselves look like pathetic cases of arrested development. Like all badly-behaved children, they will continue to act out until/unless the are punished for it. In this case, by being removed from office.
Here’s the phone number for McCarthy’s office. Please do call and tell the aide who answers exactly what you’ve expressed so well here. McCarthy needs to know we’re done with them and he has a responsibility to keep his members in line.
YES! They and many other pro trumpees who have been approved by the WORST president in history indeed are a disgrace and a danger to America. There is a great divide in USA and they are representatives.
As I read his speech this morning, I kept thinking something like this. There are just too many Americans who deliberately choose the Dark Side and those who would enslave them with their propaganda (The Washington Examiner which many read and swallow whole.) I am so proud of President Biden and all who simply work selflessly for, not just our country, but the world at this moment.
Well said, Galilee. So much potential for a world that embraces the light of democracy and rejects the darkness of autocracy. This our fight … it is an eternal one. Prayers for the valiant Ukrainian people and for the brave Russians who are throwing down their weapons instead of killing Ukrainian civilians. Putin’s time is ending; he will not survive his murderous war. President Biden’s speech was stirring and inspiring. Democracy is on the rise again everywhere around the world.
Pubs are now the Party of Putin (POP) instead of the GOP (Grand Old Party, which, to me, now sounds like some refernce to the southern Grand old Plantations, both are GOP).
Couldn’t agree more, they have chosen to follow Benedict Trump instead of our flawed but heroic founding fathers. May Rupert and the propaganda brigade spontaneously combust and be no more. We need to soar, not be tied to Pandora’s box of evils
That comment is why you all continue to hate each other. Just stop! Putting everyone in one basket is dangerous and childish. Let’s all grow the hell up for a change.
Your words together with those of President Biden, give me hope, Heather. I thought we may not hear your voice tonight since you were on the road, but faithful as always, you came through to echo stability and good old common sense.
"'Tonight, we meet as Democrats, Republicans and Independents. But most importantly as Americans. With a duty to one another, to the American people, to the Constitution. And with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny.' [Biden] urged people to 'stop seeing each other as enemies, and start seeing each other for who we really are: Fellow Americans.'”
IMHO Those words need to be repeated repeated and over by 3veryone of us. A center message. Repeated often enough and in so many circles and conversations that ... WE start to act as though they were truth. Let them be OUR mime.
Crossing into the 21st Century, we thought we would leave behind the horrific legacy of the previous five centuries where Europeans slaughtered each other for religious reasons, for empire building, and for genocide. Now, ADOLPH PUTIN is dragging humanity back into this sordid past. The west must do everything, in every sphere possible, to tightly corset the Great Russian Bear, to make them repay the suffering they have inflicted on the courageous Ukrainians. I don't think we can ever welcome them back into the community of the G7.
I have been to countries where the people are loving, welcoming and generally cheerful and the government stinks. It is not the country of Russia that is awful it is the Putin regime. With the incomprehensible behavior Putin has been exhibiting, even with his legendary anger and penchant for cold retribution, he has to sleep with one eye open for fear of a Palace Coup; the anger of the citizens and the growing and increasingly vocal complaints of the lower governmental officials, do not bode well for anyone’s future - particularly Putin’s.
It is Putin and oligarchs who must pay, not the Russian people. May they, and all of us, rise up against those working to topple democracies in our countries. We say, No More to all of them!
Paul Krugman’s epistle on the negative consequences of conquest in the modern era is spot on. It will bite Putin’s arse, but not before much suffering.
Thank you…again for steering the ship. We heard Biden speak with emotion and with strength. He touted everything he has been able to accomplish in one year and I was very glad about that. People are working. Unemployment is down. Many have health coverage and actually a lot of people signed up for “Obamacare”. He spoke about Covid and then got a dig in about how yhe previous administration didn’t accomplish anything. Boos from the Republican peanut gallery were heard. Made me laugh out loud. I thought the United Agenda was brilliant and the fact that he said “let’s not treat one another as the enemy” was also. Forgot about Marjorie Three Names and that little girl, Boebert.. They are the worst of the worst. Let’s pray for peace in Ukraine and for the end of autocracy.
Thank you- I so appreciate the clarity and hopefulness of this report. Among Putin's prime victims are the Russian people themselves. Meanwhile, NATO is stronger than ever thanks in large part to Biden's resolve- so reassuring to learn of the high approval rating of his State of the Union address.
As I read your comment about NATO stronger than ever, I thought of my father's philosophy: Don't throw that away, you might use it sometime. Wish I'd kept track of how many times that has worked in my favor over many years, it would be a large number. [Of course, I do have a lot of 'stuff' that I still haven't discovered a reuse for]
Thank you for an absolutely encouraging summary of Biden's speech. I have sent your letter to my son, who is now two years out of school as young Mechanical Engineer.
He was just hired by an engineering firm outside NY City who will participate in Biden's upcoming infrastructure efforts.
So, I want to give Biden credit for my son's current employment, which appears to be a good opportunity for him. I have worried for years if my kids would get a chance in America.
My son appears to have been given a chance as far as I can tell.
So, Biden has my vote AND now my loyalty (before the my son's news he just had my vote).
Biden is actually the first President since Jimmy Carter to actually care about AMERICA instead of HIMSELF. Even old man Bush I only cared about himself although he put out a good show for caring about America.
Biden is a sea change in America. But, sea change is not easy and Biden will find it hard to be that change. Tucker Carlson remains on the payroll of the Kremlin and today will start his drumbeat again in favor of Putin.
American leadership in government is also addicted to illegal money coming from all kinds of places including Russian Oligarchs. And, Citizens United made all that money basically legal.
American leadership, both in government and business, will FIGHT Biden's efforts to get Intel's (and anyone else') manufacturing in place in America because somebody will be paying them off to move it to China.
So, I am greatly heartened by Biden's performance and his speech and your letter Dr. Richardson.
But, America and American culture has changed from Jimmy Carter's days.
Gone are the mostly decent folks in Congress. Gone is the culture that values laws and honesty. Gone is the America that existed built on rural ethos of hard work and honesty. Yep, all those deplorables back then were mostly honest, helpful people.
Now? Everyone is a huckster in Congress (OK, not everyone but a large number).
Everyone is a charlatan. (OK, right, not everyone but so many that it matters).
Dr. Richardson, I am with Biden, he has me now as a loyal follower.
But, America itself remains in grave danger of a sea change OPPOSITE of what Biden is pushing.
And, I am positive that you know it and that your fight against it are these optimistic letters.
I am with you too, now. But, I can see. What I see "ain't pretty".
👎🏻 You don’t have a clue about GHWB, he served this nation honorably starting in WWII where he flew the same plane that my father did, he was shot down and went into the pacific and luckily was rescued to fight another day. Like all of us he had his flaw’s but the one he didn’t have was cowardice, he served our country honorably throughout his adult life and if you watched his funeral at our national cathedral you would realize just how many came to honor him. They didn’t show up just to be seen, but rather to honor the man’s passing, a man many of them knew well.
I try to avoid sweeping generalizations, about myself or other people. The way I see things today may change with a change of circumstances or additional information. The same with other people. Just a word for the wise, Mike.
Another inspiring letter! Thank you, Heather. I haven’t taken the time to fact check what appears to be a fairly comprehensive list of President Biden’s first-year-in-office accomplishments, yet I have a sense it’s a worthwhile resource for all of us to become acquainted with to continue to magnify the work the Biden administration has been able to accomplish in spite of the obstructionist senate. https://whatbidenhasdone.wordpress.com/2022/01/20/year-one-what-biden-has-done-mega-thread/
Russians love autocrats, and have no experience of the idea of a Republic. Lenin, Stalin, Kruschev, Breshnev, Kosygin, all autocrats until Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Now, the Russian people are seeing the dangers of their preferred type of government. After the trauma of Afghanistan, one might have expected some kind of change. Now, we have the strangest type of conflict with Slavs firing upon their fellow Slavs. The poor young Russian soldier must weep at what is expected of him.
I believe you are mistaken when you say, "Russians love autocrats". After the dissolution of the Soviet Union what forms of government were they offered when they cast their ballots? What choices, during centuries of czarist rule, were Russians given?
It's time for US Americans to do some serious soul searching and stop slinging mud at people who don't conform to our very jaded ideas of what's right and wrong. It's easy to judge a people based on appearances and uninformed opinions. You must realize that a healthy number of US Americans have never and will never support a democracy. The proof is in the pudding – there has NEVER been liberty and justice for all in the US despite our claiming to be a republic. But, does that mean ALL Americans want an authoritarian government? We constantly fail to look inward and take inventory of our severely damaged system of government. Today we are paying for our inattention. .
Thank you, Daria. I keep writing about this. I often feel as if I am shouting into the wind of self-righteousness, and have all but given up on this forum, as it keeps returning to the same clichés and platitudes. I know I am not alone in feeling this way, and it is immensely validating to see you add your thoughts. Until listening to President Biden last night, I was feeling deeply sad. Still sad, but also have a sense of hope. But what he told us and asked of us will happen only if those who resist acknowledging our past will open their eyes will we be able to start moving toward the future he described.
Thank you, Annie. It's reassuring to know I am not alone in feeling the way I do. Here's hoping something wholesome and positive comes this administration's leadership and all of our efforts.
Mike, one of the reasons I comment infrequently these days is because doing so is pointless. My opinions are irrelevant in the scheme of things. Beyond that, it's frustrating to rehash the same issues day after day after day only to realize that despite all of our efforts to implement change we tread water, even backslide. Those who support the right wing constructs and ideas of government will not change their minds. The wealthy, who profit from the/their right wing dogma don't want to kill their cash cows, they will not stop spreading their bullshit, now or ever. The base are simply unthinking and gullible enough to be pulled along by the current. Both camps are killing us.
HCR gives us the benefit of her knowledge of history and analysis of current affairs. She encourages people to do their own digging when their curiosity is piqued. For these things, I am grateful.
Sadly what you say is true, however I find it psychologically helpful to vent my thoughts and hear thoughts of others. Unfortunately during the last five years it’s become a compulsion to write and share my opinions. I recall back in the late 60s when this country was in a similar state of unrest we used to end conversations by saying “Keep the faith”. So Keep the faith.
Listening to the radio yesterday, I heard some surprising things. On CSpan I heard a range of callers, self identified as from across the political spectrum and seemingly from across every other demographic, defend Putin and condemn NATO, Europe, and the United States. I think I heard; old Stalinist apologists, middle aged Black separatists, newly minted magas; men claiming military and diplomatic experience and insider knowledge; academics and autodidacts; concerned mothers and grandmothers; Each weaving the official Russian party line into their own preoccupations. The name Max Blumenthal came up, a leftish contrarian journalist who has beat the drum for Putin before, dismissing his opponents as nationalists.
This word 'nationalist' as a pejorative seems to me to have a very old time Communist ring. It seems to me that in his isolation and possibly madness, or perhaps in the maundering and nostalgia of old age, Putin has returned to his early years. He is reenacting Stalin's rape of Ukraine. For exactly the same reasons. For being a stiff necked people who will keep allegiance with their own faith and who refuse to bow to
a new authority.
Another thing I heard, on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross interviewing Anne Applebaum. All those ethnic Russians in the separatist areas, whom Putin is using as an excuse to destroy Ukraine? Stalin moved them there to replace the millions of Ukrainians he had starved to death for their opposition to collectivization. And many came on their own to take advantage of new opportunities.
Stalin's apparatchiks who went door to door taking the Ukrainian farmers' food, to starve them, but claiming they were doing it to feed starving Ukrainians in the cities. Bloody minded authoritarians depend not just on their militaries, but on ordinary citizens spreading their misinformation and just doing their jobs.
Yesterday, I also heard a congresswoman from Indiana, an Ukrainian born and raised, only recently nationalized American, plead for her country at a Republican news conference. In her passion, between her tears, choking on her sorrow and rage, she would pull back and recall that she had been put on stage to rail against Pres. Biden. It was as though every so often a bell rang and she started to froth at the mouth the GOP party line.
Even now. Republicans. And unless we get out the Democratic vote, in 2022, they will take over our government.
putin wants to make russia great again in the MAGA way, by going back in time. but i digress. for ages people who wanted to overthrow the czars or at least institute land reform tried to organize the peasants. but these Socialist Revolutionaries and Narodniks never got anywhere. the peasants could not read or write and seldom gathered anywhere. they were scattered over tens of thousands of small villages. then along came the factory workers, who lived and worked in cities. they could read and write. they published newsletters. they gathered at work and in town. they could be organized. it didn't take long to turn the juvenile nicholas and alexandra out of power, ending the 300 year old romanov dynasty. but the bolsheviks had a new problem. having taught the proletariat how to overthrow the czars, they had also shown them how to overthrow the bolsheviks. the city people had to be kept happy and well fed. thus the confiscation of all food from the farmers. the farmers were divided into two groups, good farmers and bad. the bad farmers turned in everything they grew, thinking that they would get more back, that is the surplus grown by the better farmers, known as kulaks. but the kulaks hid their surplus. so the bad farmers, who were often indebted to the kulaks, turned them in. eventually the kulaks were all sent east of the ural mountains, where the soil was not so good. now you had good farmers working bad land and bad farmers working good land. what a mess. this happened all over russia and ukraine. this is the backdrop for all of the failed five-year plans. meanwhile, stalin couldn't have cared less about ukrainians, or even russians. he was from georgia, a deeply paranoid. god forbid you had a typical russian name, like petrov, and god forbid you were educated. you were a threat and on your way to the gulag. stalin once sent his agents into the streets with instructions to arrest everyone wearing glasses. russia has often been in the grip of outsiders like stalin and beria, and maybe you could throw in marx and engels. russians themselves were often indolent, unable to help themselves. they were like characters out of chekhov's cherry orchard. the english parallel would be lord grantham from downton abbey. except for the first romanov czar, all the czars married foreigners, mostly germans and danes. for some czars russian was their third language. the last romanov czar, nicholas II, was 1/128th russian. his son, the hemophiliac, 1/256th russian. what a country! OK, i'm done. time for my nap.
Re your comment on C-SPAN, I can't help wondering how many of those anti-NATO, Europe, U.S. callers were organized by some unnamed entity. I wonder how many Americans holding those beliefs actually watch C-SPAN and call in.
Biden's "Freedom will always triumph over tyranny" was quite possibly meant for a broader audience than Ukraine. When he uttered those words and during his whole section on Democracy I felt it was a battle cry for the United States as well.
I thought President Biden did well last night. I read the text of the speech ( Thank you for sharing the link). It made my eyes leak😊 again. The part about Ukraine was powerful. The rest of it has me hoping that the part of the country supporting the “Orange Menace” and RINOS will realize they don’t have the American people interest at heart.
I am not brave today. Whistling in the dark only gets you so far. The Russian attacks have slowed on the ground but continue slowly. Aerial attacks continue unabated. Fighting for Kharkov, Khetson, Mikolaiev, Mariupol is firece. None have fallen yet. Kyiv is being pounded and people are building barricades. Trains of refugees are filled. Our granddaughter in Poland is ill from her time waiting at the border. She is crying. We are crying.
The dog needs feeding. The cats are sleeping. Life goes on for us but the people in the cities under attack, life is interrupted and will never be normal again.
Stay safe! I am concerned that now that this has not gone the way Putin planned, with the unexpected resistance and being isolated by so many countries, he must be feeling desperate and will be taking out his wrath on his own people as well as redoubling his efforts to crush Ukraine. I (and I'm sure millions of others) am thinking of the Ukrainians, and hoping for the best outcome.
Feeling a bit helpless but donating to help refugees, to the World Central Kitchen and the International Rescue Committee.
Take care!💜
Yes, I think a cornered/failed Putin is a very dangerous and unpredictable animal!
Have you read Fiona Hill's article about Putin's plans? Here it is(very scary): https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/28/world-war-iii-already-there-00012340
Thank you for posting this link. Fascinating article, and towards the end this important nugget:
"If Western companies, their pension plans or mutual funds, are invested in Russia they should pull out. Any people who are sitting on the boards of major Russian companies should resign immediately. Not every Russian company is tied to the Kremlin, but many major Russian companies absolutely are, and everyone knows it. " Glad to see BP and Exxon pull out.
Yes, I posted this link yesterday and wondered (hoped) HCR maybe saw it somewhere. I also saw some remarks yesterday by Alexander Vindman that were pretty much in line with Hill's thoughts. How I love to see the two of them on some sort of interview panel like the WBUR one with Hill and HCR. These two people know the "enemy" as well or better than anyone and we should be listening to them. Hill's assertion that we in the West should bite the bullet and totally stop doing business with Russia is a sound one, though I cannot imagine it being very popular. Europe's economies are more involved with Russia than ours and their economies would suffer much more. It would stop Russia dead in its tracks, but come at a cost. I have to mention that even here in the banana republic known as Georgia, our legislature voted to sever all investment ties with Russia that involved pensions and the like. Yay us!
Thank you, Barb. Also Fiona Hill and Heather were brilliant together and since then I’ve read much more about/by Fiona. TFG fired her because her true genius truly frightened him.
Smart, educated women likely always frightened him!! Typical misogynist!
For sure!
Yes, and I saw and actually spoke with her on Feb. 2nd when she was with Heather for a WBUR event in Boston.
I don't understand why Biden didn't include her on staff from day one. She knows Putin from A-Z.
Given her background and as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, she is most likely a resource. IMO, Biden should have her, Rachel Maddow, and Heather on speed dial!!
He probably knew she was exhausted from her time with Trump!
Sharon, no doubt, but she is on top of her game like Heather is.
Barbara, I read it yesterday, and agree...it is VERY scary.
An unhinged Putin…
Thank you for sharing this article, Barbara. It is long but so informative. Fiona Hill is an amazing smart woman! I believe she will be remembered in history!
David Talbot, a writer, suggested that we give a Putin a chance to retain a little dignity. His suggestion was to take nukes out of Poland in exchange for him leaving Ukraine. It might not be a bad idea.
Thank you for this link. I just read it, and wow and yes; Fiona Hill gives you so much information and context.
BE CAREFUL!!!! I opened this link, and there's something terribly wrong. It locked up my computer. Not sure what happened, but there is something going on. Others haven't had problems, but there's an infection somewhere. I HAVE NOTIFIED SUBSTACK. ALSO RECEIVED TWO MESSAGES SUPPOSEDLY FROM HEATHER, REQUESTING THAT I SIGN IN TO SUBSTACK TO VERIFY MY INFORMATION. DIDN'T OPEN EITHER OF THEM.
Link is fine. Teaching moment:
RIGHT-click on the link, and select "Inspect" (or some variant) from the drop-down menu. You can do this safely on ANY link, even if it is a toxic link. I get:
"<a href='https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/28/world-war-iii-already-there-00012340' class='linkified' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener'>https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/28/world-war-iii-already-there-00012340</a>'https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/28/world-war-iii-already-there-00012340'</a>"
How to read this:
First, "<a href='link'>" is where the link actually goes. The text between "<a ...>" and "</a>" is where the link SAYS it will go, and could say anything at all. It's how you get a link that SAYS "Pay Here" that links to a payment page.
The important part of the link is this:
"https://www.politico.com/"
First, "https://" indicates this is accessed by a secure protocol that ensures the domain (the next part) is what it says it is. It's secure enough for banking transactions.
Second, the website link. "www.politico.com" is a legitimate news site.
This link is as safe as it gets on the internet.
I'm reluctant to say it's impossible to spoof the value that shows up in a comment in Substack that looks good in the comment, but actually points to a bad address. I've had to work to get this post to be halfway readable, because Substack creates the text for the link, not me. I'd have to exploit a bug in Substack comments to get a phishing link into a comment, which would require that I know a lot of details about the Substack server code.
However, IF it were done, then inspecting the comment as I described above would reveal the spoof, because the href would not match the displayed text. Something like that would be brought to the Substack admins post-haste.
Also, I've checked out the link (nothing like a real test), and it's fine.
Joseph, thanks so much. I was okay initially, but then encountered a ribbon that said "Continue," and when I clicked on it, the trouble began, saying my computer had been taken over, etc. I shut down, which got rid of the bug, but when I rebooted, there were two emails from HCR/Substack asking me to sign in and confirm my identity. I didn't open either, so not sure whether they were safe, although the address, etc. looked legit. I'll save your instructions in case I encounter anything suspicious in the future. Now, I understand that the "Continue" ribbon was the problem, but it's disturbing that it was included in the otherwise-legitimate text. Another contributor said she'd had a similar experience. I did find the original article on Politico, so that was good.
Yes, it gave me a page supposedly from Google that want my info for a contest.
Strange, but knowing I wasn't the only one is disquieting. Vlad must know that he has no sympathizers here.
The Politico link? Worked fine for me.
Yes. I see that others used it with no problem.
Thank you. Excellent article. Scary.
Fascinating and terrifying article. I may have some nightmares tonight.
Things have changed for the better even since this article was published two days ago.
She would know, and I believe her expertise. Going to read it later, and yikes in advance.
Just finished reading it - not comforting...
Can anyone explain why we cannot go in or send soldiers to the International Legion Lezensky created to help the Ukrainians? Did we learn nothing from our hesitancy in responding to WWII? Is there nothing but weaponry and money? I feel so angry and helpless that we are watching this happen to the people of a good democracy and leader as they are being pummeled by a fricking bully madman. I may be naive. But there must be more than shoving money-- they need massive support from all nations to stop this invasion and destroy the weaponry Putin is bringing in. Could we not make a request to the Russian soldiers that if they all defect we will protect them? Sorry, I cannot cry anymore, I am angry. And I am angry watching our own homegrown terrorists sitting there listening to President Biden last night without consequences for their sedition and the fraud they commit trying to steal our right to vote. These are our own little putin-lovers sitting in our government. I am furious right now. This little, fire-breathing, 66 year-old Nana would love to join the International Legion of Soldiers and do damage to several truckloads of thermobaric weapons, then go to Moscow and make some spicy tea for the madman...for dessert. My pent-up feelings after almost 6 years of madness is getting to me today. I better go throw some snowballs. Then pet Mr. Higgins. Rant over.
Because if we send in troops then Putin can claim that NATO is attacking him and he is justified to use nuclear weapons. That will not help anyone, least of all Ukraine. In fact, if we are involved in our own wars, we will not have the resources or energy to help Ukraine. Good policies are often the hardest to carry out. Wars are not like video games where if you lose you can just play again. Putin is likely to nuke European countries that are members of NATO since he does not need nukes to take over Ukraine. That will force us to have to go into full scale war. I have relatives stationed over there. I am as angry as you are, and so grateful that we have a President that can use a cool head even though he has been belittled and provoked for by Republicans for months. They are posturing for a new spin on things. I think we all need to be writing letters everywhere pointing out that they are threatening our national security because they are.
As for the Russian soldiers defecting. Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian people seem to be doing that on their own. Every brilliant thing they can do with what they have is being done. Also, I don't think that Putin is thinking about what it will be doing to his success to have millions of Ukrainian women and children in EU countries where they have plenty of time to let their hatred for him fester and even if he succeeds in taking over Ukraine temporarily, will they let go getting revenge for their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons and children who he is so comfortable slaughtering? Probably not! He will have created a situation where they will want to avenge these needless deaths. You can support the Ukraine directly with military or humanitarian aid. This link goes to their bank.
https://helpukrainetogether.com/
Here's a link that shows townspeople taunting Russian soldiers holding hand grenades. The soldiers got back in their vehicles and left, without launching their grenades.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/02/world/ukraine-russia-war/mayor-in-ukraine-asks-his-citys-residents-whether-they-wish-to-fight-or-surrender
Ukranian people/soldiers are amazing. This is a link to a tweet from a Ukranian (followed by CNN corespondent and others) showing them helping a Russian soldier.If you click on the tweet, it gives you a way to translate the tweet.https://twitter.com/ArmedForcesUkr/status/1499033625785946118?s=20&t=2Sr7aKZTDK79ekCD8meXzQ
Thanks for your kind answer. What about the International Legion of Soldiers Zelensky created to avoid countries sending in their troops directly, but it is supported from the world?
Please listen to President Zelensky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q9y0pnysWA
The International Brigade is a volunteer-based entity. Individuals with military experience from many countries, including Americans, have been and are going to join the Ukrainian resistance.
Thank you, Judith. I want to support that effort. And I think it is very important that the Ukrainian people speak with the Russian soldiers and ask them to defect and join them. This person to person connection, face to face with people who have not done anything to deserve this violent invasion...
I have been reading about people joining the fight from around Europe at least. Mostly Ukrainians returning home from wherever they are living.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/mar/01/this-platform-for-kyiv-the-polish-train-station-with-arrivals-and-departures-of-war
Slava, Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine.
Heart.
<3 <3 <3 This 81 year old Nana is standing right next to you.
I love it--66 & 81 yrs, old--the beginning of a brigade!
Interesting practice battle just now: 4:00am. Awakened to a slight oily smell. Oil furnace, I think in a groggy state. Opened door to let fresh air in. Go make tea and decide it will be another early morning and need to check in to the news of our world. Hear squealing outside on terrace. Two skunks in battle. I watch for a moment and the banged on the window to scare the. The large, aggressive skunk has young one pinned down and was really going at it. (interesting as they were apparently fighting about SUNFLOWER SEEDS from my bird feeder). The large one was way too agressive biting. I ran back to the bedroom to shut my outside door to the 26 degree air. Back to the fight. I opened the window near them and screamed for them to stop and the big one was biting the poor little one terribly. Its' screams....ah! I ran to my sand bucket in the mudroom, opened the front door quickly, through a plastic container of sand out at them and shut door quickly. Did not budge the big guy. He seemed like he wanted to kill. I yelled and banged more on the window. Nothing stopped him. The little one was screaming and losing energy. Nana was ticked now. I looked in the mudroom for something more powerful, found my long, red, garden water wand! Opened the front door ran out an tapped the big one and ran away. He didn't even notice me and continued biting the little guy. My anger rose at how unfair this is and I drew up energy and went out there and finally hit that mean guy pretty hard on his back and ran back inside. As I entered the door I turned to see if his tail was up and it was a bit fragrant out there. He was running away! The little one sat there breathing hard, looking terribly disheveled. We just looked at one another and I told him it would be alright now. He then toddled off into the dark.
So, I went back inside, blew on my red garden hose wand as I put it back into my holster (okay, the ceramic pot) and realized, heck I am one mean fighting machine! Am now back with my tea writing this, noticing the faint smell of the strange perfume of the battle! I think I am ready, Rusty!
What is also eery about this waking dream is that yesterday, Another friend and I asked our group of well-known artists if we could all paint sunflowers to auction off to raise funds for Ukraine. We worked on that yesterday and it is turning into a global adventure with artists we are connected to around the world! One of our artists, Tatiana, is Ukrainian and her cousin is providing us with information on the ground. They need food. Best place she said to donate is:
World Central Kitchen https://wck.org Easy to donate and they have videos of their support of food and food trucks and kitchens in Ukraine and for those refugees fleeing to Poland. They do this all over the world but you can direct your funds to helping the people of Ukraine.
Flowers, beauty and food to win an unjust fight. Fighting here in Vermont with garden wands and paintbrushes.
You are in Vermont and I moved to WA state from Maine where I was raised. We New England folks are used to cold weather but nothing like the Ukrainians are experiencing. I will spread the word re: World Central Kitchen on my Facebook and Twitter pages. As to those skunks - we had a family of them living under our camp at one time when I was a child. They automatically had the 'right of way'. Hope the little one heals. Hoping there might be some place you can place a stash of sunflower seeds just for it. Hope your furnace and you have an easier day. Watching the news of Ukraine today I fear the world is going to need to be even more involved with the fighters to save Ukraine unless some kind of SEAL Team Six can make a very personal call on Putin. This all feels much too much like 1939 and the world needs to have learned lessons from Chamberlain.
Hi Rusty! You are across the continent-- I grew up in CA! I have very friendly stories of skunks here, but this one, after thinking how mean he was might be feeling off. He looked really healthy and plump but acted almost rabid on that little one. The oily smell that woke me up was the faint skunk perfume. My furnace is fine, thanks!
I am with you on the International Seal Teams. They could solve a lot of tyrannical problems.
Yes, when trump was "installed" in 2016, I really felt we were in danger as he used the same tactics of lies, fear, division, propaganda, and tons of repetition. This is so hard. They are so brave and at least we are allowed to see what a young leader can do-- because we need new ways and new ideas of managing conflict. Zelensky is a leader for these times.
Ah! The beginning of the International Nana Brigade! Welcome!
And GlobalGiving.org.
It is good to hear your voice, Allen. I also hear your angst. Please know we care about you and your family and wish you continued safety. Russian soldiers are abandoning their posts and governments within Russia are telling Putin to stop. Perhaps it will all be over soon. We have hope. My very best to you.
Вітаю! Vitayu! Greetings, Allen!
A morning note to us from you is as welcome as a LFAA!
Бажаємо негайного миру. Ми закликаємо всіх російських солдатів скласти зброю і святкувати демократію і свободу від безчинства.
Bazhayemo nehaynoho myru. My zaklykayemo vsikh rosiysʹkykh soldativ sklasty zbroyu i svyatkuvaty demokratiyu i svobodu vid bezchynstva.
(We wish for immediate peace. We plea for all Russian soldiers to lay down their weapons and celebrate democracy and freedom from tryranny.)
Америка посилає любов до українського народу!
Ameryka posylaye lyubov do ukrayinsʹkoho narodu!
(America sends love and sunflowers to the Ukrainan people!)
І нехай хоробрий російський народ повалить режим Путіна!
I nekhay khorobryy rosiysʹkyy narod povalytʹ rezhym Putina!
(And may the Russian people topple Putin's regime!)
І наші серця з ними. I nashi sertsya z nymy. (Our hearts are with them too.)
Am working on it, Allen! We are all so grateful to hear from you! 💙🌻💛
Translated the Russian to English at Google: The translation of the above posted Russian in google engilish is below.
"We call upon all Russian soldiers to lay down their armor and sanctify democracy and freedom from atrocities.
(We wish for immediate peace. We plea for all Russian soldiers to lay down their weapons and celebrate democracy and freedom from tryranny.)
America sends love to the Ukrainian people!
(America sends love and sunflowers to the Ukrainian people!)
Let the good Russian people overthrow Putin's regime!"
Wow. You are doing awesome. Better than me even after 25 years
Allen. It is in no way "me".
I simply used Google's ever more powerful translation capability to read what was written in Russian, then, thought maybe I would post it for others.
That is exactly how I do it. After 15 years.
'And should be buried as soon as possible'. I haven't been able to find this that you posted to me. After some miserable faces of mine, which I'm sure followed reading these words of yours, I remembered your singing on the fantastic concert you posted for us. Now, your singing -- is that another fault you forgot to list or is it part of you the 'buried' treasure you were referring to? Ok, Allen, I do request an answer. Please come back to me again. Your answer may be happily via song. I'll be waiting, Allen. Sing on!
Two girls are sitting on the bank of a river. A guy in a canoe goes by and says, "I didn't know there were pirates here in the past. You two are sitting on a fortune."
Sorry, Allen, since Mike confessed, I also cheated this morning! ;-) hee see!
💛💙
To "run ragged": I feel your name...
Yes, I kept it polite and left out Putin huilo. It did hurt a bit to squelch my inner TCinLA this morning.
"squelch my inner TC"!!
Love it!
As I acclimated to this safe discussion “room”, I was like, “Who IS this TCinLA???” Now, I’m like, “Where is TCinLA’s hot take on this, today???” (Not to worry, I’m already following his Substack ;)
A wonderful sight to see this morning. Thank you Pensa & Mike S. Allen and you both have brought our hearts to Ukraine.
Hi Fern. I hope all is well.
Mike S, you have been digging deep and revealed the human toil, courage and generosity of spirit we live for. LOVE and thank you
Beautiful!
We think you exhibit bravery by writing notes to us, Allen. We care about you and your family and pray for your safety.
I started a reply along the same lines about two hours ago, and then a long phone call interrupted me and it's vanished. Basically, Allen, I said that your pain is part of your courage. Nothing brave about not feeling pain or distress or fear. Resisting is what's important, and continuing to be real to your granddaughter. Your posts are important to you as well as to all of us. Fed that dog yet?
Glad to hear from you, Allen, and grateful you have power. Here are some nice images:
https://twitter.com/GailCarmichael9/status/1498889574793334785?s=20&t=1V166bpxO2V1wHgCBTqyEw
https://twitter.com/MaryWeglarz/status/1498893071605456896?s=20&t=1V166bpxO2V1wHgCBTqyEw
https://twitter.com/lamore/status/1498893456621674502?s=20&t=1V166bpxO2V1wHgCBTqyEw
https://twitter.com/JohnetteDHardy1/status/1498908425228537858?s=20&t=1V166bpxO2V1wHgCBTqyEw
https://twitter.com/reneecomunique/status/1498904574958133248?s=20&t=1V166bpxO2V1wHgCBTqyEw
Thank you Ellie. You possess such a light, meaningful, influential touch.
Salud!
Thank you for these links, Ellie. I believe art is an essential part of the human experience. When we express ourselves through the creation of art it helps us to contextualize experiences and connect us to others through an expression of shared identity. Creating and experiencing art can improve the well-being of individuals and make our communities stronger. Exactly what we need these days!
Ellie, You graced the forum's parade for Allen, his family and pets and all of the Ukrainian people with the colors of Ukraine, the colors of art and the feelings we have for them all in our hearts. Thank you.
Beautifully said, Fern🇺🇦!
... more art for the moment ...:
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/lense.html
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/moment-of-truth.html
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/clayface.html
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/germination.html
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/phoenix.html
Can’t tell you how good it was to open these this morning. Will be tweeting these out later. Thank you!
Thank you, Ellie. These images were just what we all needed this morning.
Beautiful, Elly! Thank You!
Allen, it is always a relief to find a post from you here. I can't imagine what you and your family and your country are experiencing. My husband and I send you our fervent wishes for your courage and safety. We have donated to relief organizations and written to President Biden asking him to do whatever he can to stop Putin's rampage as quickly as possible. I weep for the senseless loss of life and the awful wreckage shown on the news. We are with you in spirit. Please stay safe!
ThankYou. I am very glad to hear from you. And to know what you are seeing and thinking. It is good of you to keep in touch. Each of your emails is both both heartening and horrifying. In their details, contrasts and implications. From your spot on the globe, which your words bring to life for us here. As there the full military force of a most heavily armed and heartless dictator is being brought to bear on a nation whose ideas and the very idea of its existence, he opposes
I recall on 9/11, walking from Capitol Hill, where the smoke from the Pentagon was visible, looking away to where the beautiful sky was clear and thinking 'This is what it must be like to be on a hillside in Bosnia. It is a beautiful day and not far from here, all Hell is breaking loose.'
Our thoughts and hopes are with you. Hopes for your safety. Hopes that our Javelins and Stingers arrive in time. You all in Ukraine personify bravery. Each of you in your own way. And I wish for your days to have more of the ordinarily unremarkable round of hours.
Allen, this is the epitome of bravery: you keep on living. You care about and for your family (including the four-legged members). My eyes filled with tears reading your post. And my frustration (because I cannot go up to Putin the Mad Emperor and just slap him silly) has no outlet except tears. Someone needs to do this for me. Someone. For you as well as for me. Slap him silly.
Linda, you have expressed well my own frustration about Putin, and my own amazement at the courage of the Ukrainian people, and Allen. Of course, they all are afraid, but they are using the energy created by that fear to stand tall.
They love their country and they are willing to fight for it this time! It is admirable beyond belief.
I can only begin to imagine your pain and fear. I don’t have family in Eastern Europe to fear for. But, PLEASE, don’t think you are a coward because they are in Poland and you are not! Circumstances create difficult situations that are beyond our control to stop from happening. Now, the challenge for you is to help your granddaughter now that she is in Poland. Use your creative mind and don’t forget to pray. Good luck to a brave family!
Holding you and your family in my heart.
Allen, not all of us are blessed with innate bravery, but courage… ah, this is what you show us how to embrace… your courage in the face of this terror is something we could all hope to possess. You’re not alone. Things ARE looking bad for Putin. His own citizens are turning against him. We should all be wary and know our days of being courageous are ahead of us. He’s far too prideful to not lash out at all of us …
A lot of us are really afraid Allen. But not scared. I am praying for your granddaughter. The images of what people have endured to leave the country and what people endure to stay is testimony to the sanctity of protecting the family and pets during crisis.
Our lives have changed and we must make that work and count for freedom.
Please do everything to be safe. I thank you so much for staying in touch. Ellie Kona sent some beautiful images along in her post. We are United!
Our hearts are crying for you and your family, Allen. Be strong. Be safe and be well.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Anybody on here know of a way to help Allen’s granddaughter? We have some pretty far reaching friends on here. An organization to get her help? If we could help in any way at all?
Watching from a far, hoping your nightmare ends quickly! A Russian soldier texted his mother that it wasn’t a rescue mission, he wasn’t trained, and has since been learned he was killed in battle. They are rising up against Putin.
Hope for you! Tears for you!
💛 💙
Masha is OK. She has friends in Poland to look after her.
So good to hear that! Hope she is feeling better! I know she misses home.
Allen, let me know if you granddaughter needs help. I bet I can arrange to have someone from Latvia pick her up and provide food and shelter for her.
Your offer, Diana, covers a great distance and caring hearts.
There are some very nice, caring people in Latvia. I just learned that a region in Latvia is donating a firetruck to Ukraine, filled with food, blankets and other supplies. I think Latvians feel this viscerally - - they went through this when Russia (USSR) took over Latvia decades ago. No one has forgotten. My family also fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs. This is very traumatic for my mother, especially. She was a child fleeing Soviets.
You reflect the experiences, Diana, that many of our families have experienced at the hands of evil. Our feelings, which were close to surface are now flooding our minds.
Yes. That's very true.
Bless you, Diana!❤️❤️
Thank you. She is with friends in Poland so she is looked after
That's good to hear. I just wanted to make sure.
Once again, good to hear from you, Allen! I am very relieved she is with friends. And you and Tanya and Lucky? You are still managing to stay safe?
All good thanks
❤️🌿❤️
We admire the unity and determination of the Ukrainians on behalf of Ukrainian democracy. You tell us the truth. The truth persists through the pain of this war. Throughout President Biden's State of the Union address last night, I thought of you. I thought of the need for our country to be united and united behind Ukraine. You and your family, including Lucky and the cats, are in our hearts, Allen.
Yes yes YES!
I reread this evening’s letter. One of the items that stood out to me were the “Bobblehead Twins” behaving like grammar school troublemakers. Behavior like theirs would not be tolerated IN a grammar school assembly. They would have been removed from the room, their parents called to either pick up the child or understand the child was being kept late for detention.
These two “grown” women who continue to behave like disorderly second graders need to be treated like the naughty children they behave! I’m quite tired of MY TAX DOLLARS that help pay their salaries and benefits being squandered and frittered away by them when they not only are not making any discernible contribution to the working of our Congress, but are actually impeding the work others who are trying to accomplish something good for our country.
Those children would not have been allowed to grow up behaving badly were they mine! My kids could express their (non-violent) antisocial feelings and then talk to their dad and me. But they also knew they had to show respect and courtesy to everyone and if there was a problem, deal with it privately and quietly. That is what they did then, and now they are adults (chronologically and emotionally) older than those miscreant woman and have the respect of their peers and loyalty and affection of friends. Green and Boebert are an embarrassment to the country they claim to represent!
Betsy,
Yes, for me, a now 62 year old who absorbed the cautious and mostly kind methods of using language in rural East Texas from the old folks there, watching adults now behave like poorly behaved bullies in our government is difficult.
But, that behavior, bullying, does acquire attention and for some folks in any classroom, workplace or group, attracts others. Everyone always knows who the bullies are in middle school right? They are among the most visible people in schools. The teachers even treat them different. In the workplace, the manager bully is promoted most rapidly.
So, being a bully DOES have benefits and those in Congress behaving that way thoroughly understand what they are doing and who they will attract.
Unfortunately, American culture has, apparently, descended to such a state that now a MAJORITY of Americans are ATTRACTED by bully behavior.
Because, Trump was the ultimate bully and he is beloved (and not in jail).
True Mike, my granddaughter in middle school is bullied for mask wearing, by students, and the administration. When I worked at middle school, The admin was not part of the bully network. Texas at it’s most insane.
Jeri,
Texas is a puzzle to me. I grew up there but left in 1992 at the bottom of an economic bust where every other house was for sale and there were just no jobs of any kind, including for me.
Moved up to NY for a job and stayed. Honestly, lots about Texas I liked better than where I am. Texas is far less segregated than NY. Texas is far more diverse in most places than NY. Don't get me wrong, NY has a lot of diversity, however, NY is profoundly segregated in that diversity.
At least when I lived in Texas, it seemed like people were less likely to judge.
But, something changed and I cannot say what it was exactly. My first look at it was when Ted Cruz got elected. That clown would not have obtained one vote when I lived there.
So, like the movie Idiocracy: Not Sure.
... commodification and corporatization of human soul ... thank you for reminding us of real people on the ground in Texas who know and deserve better ... the likes of Molly Ivans and Jim Hightower ....
And boy, do I miss Molly Ivans.
Ann Richards also a hero, I grieved for her and Molly
My son, his wife and my only grandchild and my dil family lives in the Austin area.
My son has lived there for over 16 years.
He always tells me that most of the people are cray cray, but he said that because Republicans hold so much power via gerrymandering, it's hard to get any true change down there.
I'm concerned about moving there.
Especially when the government is basically saying, "go ahead and rat on your neighbors for anything you don't like, and if we agree and there's not a law making it illegal, we will enact one".
It saddens me so much to have any doubts at all about moving there. But after living in CA and now Vegas, I find it hard to think about moving to a state that will be taking away some of the freedoms that I have now.
Using and growing pot products is just one example.
I can't get behind a state that lets anyone carry a gun without any training, much less a license.
I'm so sad.
When I moved from Texas (born there) to Washington State, I thought I had finally made it to America because I could get a job for ten dollars an hour. In 1984, I was divorced at age 40ish. My banker told me when I tried to get my car loan in my name instead of joint ownership (I bought and paid for it by myself with NO help from my ex) the banker told me I would have to get a brother or my father to co-sign for me. That’s Texas.
More than sad, authoritarian bull Schitt non stop. The system is rigged. Voting rights legislation will save us, or the evil will rule.
Left Texas in 1991 — Larry McMurtry “ Texas is a great place TO BE FROM!”
I moved here since 1961 with NASA. Houston was and is an incredible city. The fall came in 1994 when Karl Rove foisted W on the state. Such propaganda and non-stop lies, even before Fox went on the air, when the evil ramped up to the stratosphere, led us to where we are today. At least from where I sat during the past decades…
Jeri❤️🩹
And, there is always DeSantis: Jimminy Cricket!
"You do not have to wear those masks,” DeSantis said in video captured by WFLA News Channel 8, Tampa’s NBC station. “Please take them off. Honestly, it's not doing anything. We've gotta stop with this Covid theater. So if you wanna wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous."
https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/02/russia-ukraine-invasion-florida-ron-desantis-blames-joe-biden-vladimir-putin/9343832002/
Trump is an idiot. Do you know who listens to idiots? Idiots.
Absolutely. Time for America to elect and employ qualified, educated, moral adults who want to improve our democracy for All the People. Not entitled, corporate, fascist brats stuck in their self-absorbed adolescent phase. I work with adolescents and I see many of them who are more mature than those monkeys to whom we have to pay salaries and benefits to in our own government.
I forgot "seditious" describing these brats.
Quite right! I suppose that went without saying which is why we didn’t say it in the first place!
Here, here
Thank you, Betsy. I posted my distain for them above. Whatever they feel about Biden, it was disrespectful to our veterans and all the military! Oh would I have loved the generals present last night to stand up, walk up to them and just STARE them down and have it all witnessed in real time on all those television channels!!
They were baiting people to respond and invoke a confrontation - more soundbyte material for the faux narrative ... I hope they were duly ignored.
I agree Betsy - such models of 'self control' - complaining that democrats and progressives don't know how to control themselves ... meaning, exactly ... what ...? Hmmm ...
I think that a certain gene mutates in most Republicans when they register as Republicans. It gets really virulent when a Republican is elected to office. I causes them to see everything backwards. If a Republican does something wrong, YOU did it. If a Democrat does something marvelous, the Republican claims it! I hope that as these Republicans start to die off, scientists will examine their brains to find the mutation and see if there is any medicine that can keep the mutation from happening in the first place. We live in hope!
MoneyMoneyMoney ... in epidemic proportions ... people get swept up in dependency on a dynamic they cannot control - lose touch with true ground - become slaves to the dominating party line - live in a ballooning cycle of fear and desperation ... is this what it means to "sell your soul to the devil" ...?
Yes, yes, the Red-Tailed Party of Mephistopheles!
Propaganda works, favorite Goebbels strategy
Repetition of propaganda and fear works. Strategy of all dictators.
Your comment reminds me of H. C. Andersen’s story, “The Snow Queen”.
Betsy B., Your assessment of Green and Boebert, aka the “Bobblehead Twins”, is spot on. They are indeed an embarrassment to the country. Imagine, however, how that embarrassment would be magnified if you lived in the Congressional District of one of those representatives. My wife and I live in the district of that barely literate and destructive reactionary representative, Lauren Boebert! Hopefully, enough voters who supported her in the last election will reflect on her antics and manifest unfitness for her office and toss her out in the 2022 midterm elections.
Better yet, hopefully the J6 Committee will soon release her involvement in the attack on our Capitol and she'll be kicked out of her comfy seat and never allowed to run for office again!
War!!! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!!!
That said, if putin’s greed and avarice take him down, then HALLELUJAH!!! The world needs a new world order. And, and…I love that China is pulling back from the feast of-the-really-bad-actor’s table.
THAT SAID, I grieve for the Ukrainian people as well as ordinary russian folk who want nothing but peace. Who didn’t ask for a madman’s war.
If war is good for nothing, so are the republicans who just can’t seem to remember cozying-up-to-putin either in person (all by themselves) or by hanging on to trump’s tails/TALL tales. What in the sam hell was the republican retort to our Present’s SOTU?
I found myself literally collapsing my lower jaw when it went slack with disbelief.
Thank you, Professor for another beautiful Letter. I hope you publish these LETTERS in a hard bound set of volumes - every one of them in their entirety including the footnotes citing your research. Mark me down for a full set, first edition, first print run.
🙏
They're behaving like spoiled brats because that's what their constituents want from them. Indeed, it's the ONLY thing they want from them. They think this rubbish is "owning the libs" instead of making themselves look like pathetic cases of arrested development. Like all badly-behaved children, they will continue to act out until/unless the are punished for it. In this case, by being removed from office.
Yup.
Here’s the phone number for McCarthy’s office. Please do call and tell the aide who answers exactly what you’ve expressed so well here. McCarthy needs to know we’re done with them and he has a responsibility to keep his members in line.
(202) 225-2915
They should be sent packing and sent home. Permanently. I tweeted Speaker Pelosi my thoughts on the matter. These two do not belong in Congress.
And they are not the only ones....
YES! They and many other pro trumpees who have been approved by the WORST president in history indeed are a disgrace and a danger to America. There is a great divide in USA and they are representatives.
“stop seeing each other as enemies, and start seeing each other for who we really are: Fellow Americans.”
Obviously, the members of the Confederate White People's Treason Party didn't get that memo.
Republicans are the Enemies of America.
As I read his speech this morning, I kept thinking something like this. There are just too many Americans who deliberately choose the Dark Side and those who would enslave them with their propaganda (The Washington Examiner which many read and swallow whole.) I am so proud of President Biden and all who simply work selflessly for, not just our country, but the world at this moment.
He sure proves to them he is the mature grown up in the room.
The Washington Examiner is a conservative rag owned by a “conservative Christian”, an oxymoron in my opinion.
Well said, Galilee. So much potential for a world that embraces the light of democracy and rejects the darkness of autocracy. This our fight … it is an eternal one. Prayers for the valiant Ukrainian people and for the brave Russians who are throwing down their weapons instead of killing Ukrainian civilians. Putin’s time is ending; he will not survive his murderous war. President Biden’s speech was stirring and inspiring. Democracy is on the rise again everywhere around the world.
Confederate White People's Treason Party... CWPTP...Cow Poop?
Priceless, although cow poop can have a positive use. Not so, the CWPTP
TCinLa,
Pubs are now the Party of Putin (POP) instead of the GOP (Grand Old Party, which, to me, now sounds like some refernce to the southern Grand old Plantations, both are GOP).
Those are all good. :-)
BTW - I'm TCinLA (Los Angeles), not Louisiana. Just for the record. :-)
Well, they've got the memo today. The parallel is so clear that even they will be able to see it.
I wish
Not from what I'm seeing on my feed.
Russian warship commandeered by American traitors….Go f*ck yourself.
Couldn’t agree more, they have chosen to follow Benedict Trump instead of our flawed but heroic founding fathers. May Rupert and the propaganda brigade spontaneously combust and be no more. We need to soar, not be tied to Pandora’s box of evils
That comment is why you all continue to hate each other. Just stop! Putting everyone in one basket is dangerous and childish. Let’s all grow the hell up for a change.
Sorry. Go read the news. They are all in one basket.
Yes. Exactly.
GOP = GRU, essentially.
Your words together with those of President Biden, give me hope, Heather. I thought we may not hear your voice tonight since you were on the road, but faithful as always, you came through to echo stability and good old common sense.
"'Tonight, we meet as Democrats, Republicans and Independents. But most importantly as Americans. With a duty to one another, to the American people, to the Constitution. And with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny.' [Biden] urged people to 'stop seeing each other as enemies, and start seeing each other for who we really are: Fellow Americans.'”
Thank you!
IMHO Those words need to be repeated repeated and over by 3veryone of us. A center message. Repeated often enough and in so many circles and conversations that ... WE start to act as though they were truth. Let them be OUR mime.
Crossing into the 21st Century, we thought we would leave behind the horrific legacy of the previous five centuries where Europeans slaughtered each other for religious reasons, for empire building, and for genocide. Now, ADOLPH PUTIN is dragging humanity back into this sordid past. The west must do everything, in every sphere possible, to tightly corset the Great Russian Bear, to make them repay the suffering they have inflicted on the courageous Ukrainians. I don't think we can ever welcome them back into the community of the G7.
I have been to countries where the people are loving, welcoming and generally cheerful and the government stinks. It is not the country of Russia that is awful it is the Putin regime. With the incomprehensible behavior Putin has been exhibiting, even with his legendary anger and penchant for cold retribution, he has to sleep with one eye open for fear of a Palace Coup; the anger of the citizens and the growing and increasingly vocal complaints of the lower governmental officials, do not bode well for anyone’s future - particularly Putin’s.
It is Putin and oligarchs who must pay, not the Russian people. May they, and all of us, rise up against those working to topple democracies in our countries. We say, No More to all of them!
Paul Krugman’s epistle on the negative consequences of conquest in the modern era is spot on. It will bite Putin’s arse, but not before much suffering.
[Gift Link]
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/opinion/ukraine-russia-war-economy.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DODm4biOMNAo6B_EGKeKl5bto10nGBWcRaMbZqW_Voi-JUOEpqThjuooeBnN5NBRQJnr-JfzF82YPRD_d_-CX2b2K9JaAhn-bi4U_YbX3rDPbYzXFwJFt6qZIxJ0WqjnADxfjEF7Ik3tVuzLx2UMABMDQDYyKLv_bpAwwve4nVK0GBtXRlHr1RSjrRntWD6rgfcQ40CVjOTXl34mdU-8oLcZpMf_65d0h8DZK41bYBCWVoL5OrAokzR-XXlbZos73NoH-c2VlDqkOCUPFZiYbyPhzJP3w&smid=url-share
🕊️🌻🌿❤️ Thank you, Ron.
Thank you
Thank you. That was a short but informative article.
We can. Remember the siege of Leningrad, or look it up and read about it.
Incredible
He definitely is doing so, and according to Fiona Hill, is planning on more devastation. Please read: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/28/world-war-iii-already-there-00012340
Thank you…again for steering the ship. We heard Biden speak with emotion and with strength. He touted everything he has been able to accomplish in one year and I was very glad about that. People are working. Unemployment is down. Many have health coverage and actually a lot of people signed up for “Obamacare”. He spoke about Covid and then got a dig in about how yhe previous administration didn’t accomplish anything. Boos from the Republican peanut gallery were heard. Made me laugh out loud. I thought the United Agenda was brilliant and the fact that he said “let’s not treat one another as the enemy” was also. Forgot about Marjorie Three Names and that little girl, Boebert.. They are the worst of the worst. Let’s pray for peace in Ukraine and for the end of autocracy.
Thank you- I so appreciate the clarity and hopefulness of this report. Among Putin's prime victims are the Russian people themselves. Meanwhile, NATO is stronger than ever thanks in large part to Biden's resolve- so reassuring to learn of the high approval rating of his State of the Union address.
As I read your comment about NATO stronger than ever, I thought of my father's philosophy: Don't throw that away, you might use it sometime. Wish I'd kept track of how many times that has worked in my favor over many years, it would be a large number. [Of course, I do have a lot of 'stuff' that I still haven't discovered a reuse for]
Gratitude,Dear One, for all the blessings you bring. Clarity of thought, purpose, and action. You rock the world with your honesty.
Thank you, again, for your clear, dispassionate presentation of the day’s events.
Dr. Richardson, first, thank you.
Thank you for an absolutely encouraging summary of Biden's speech. I have sent your letter to my son, who is now two years out of school as young Mechanical Engineer.
He was just hired by an engineering firm outside NY City who will participate in Biden's upcoming infrastructure efforts.
So, I want to give Biden credit for my son's current employment, which appears to be a good opportunity for him. I have worried for years if my kids would get a chance in America.
My son appears to have been given a chance as far as I can tell.
So, Biden has my vote AND now my loyalty (before the my son's news he just had my vote).
Biden is actually the first President since Jimmy Carter to actually care about AMERICA instead of HIMSELF. Even old man Bush I only cared about himself although he put out a good show for caring about America.
Biden is a sea change in America. But, sea change is not easy and Biden will find it hard to be that change. Tucker Carlson remains on the payroll of the Kremlin and today will start his drumbeat again in favor of Putin.
American leadership in government is also addicted to illegal money coming from all kinds of places including Russian Oligarchs. And, Citizens United made all that money basically legal.
American leadership, both in government and business, will FIGHT Biden's efforts to get Intel's (and anyone else') manufacturing in place in America because somebody will be paying them off to move it to China.
So, I am greatly heartened by Biden's performance and his speech and your letter Dr. Richardson.
But, America and American culture has changed from Jimmy Carter's days.
Gone are the mostly decent folks in Congress. Gone is the culture that values laws and honesty. Gone is the America that existed built on rural ethos of hard work and honesty. Yep, all those deplorables back then were mostly honest, helpful people.
Now? Everyone is a huckster in Congress (OK, not everyone but a large number).
Everyone is a charlatan. (OK, right, not everyone but so many that it matters).
Dr. Richardson, I am with Biden, he has me now as a loyal follower.
But, America itself remains in grave danger of a sea change OPPOSITE of what Biden is pushing.
And, I am positive that you know it and that your fight against it are these optimistic letters.
I am with you too, now. But, I can see. What I see "ain't pretty".
Did anyone notice Ted Cruz last night, shifty-eye canvassing responses? That man becomes more and more noxious each time I encounter his face.
An almost human version of a NY City rat.
Master of sneer.
Bravo, Mike.
👍😳👌😳👍
👎🏻 You don’t have a clue about GHWB, he served this nation honorably starting in WWII where he flew the same plane that my father did, he was shot down and went into the pacific and luckily was rescued to fight another day. Like all of us he had his flaw’s but the one he didn’t have was cowardice, he served our country honorably throughout his adult life and if you watched his funeral at our national cathedral you would realize just how many came to honor him. They didn’t show up just to be seen, but rather to honor the man’s passing, a man many of them knew well.
As I say about many of my coworkers - They are very nice people but horrible employees.
Dick,
Thanks for outlining the positives about Bush I. Indeed, he did not dodge the draft like his son, Bush II, and for that I do give him credit.
I am posting this link of Bush II's key legislative accomplishments which, quite honestly, were significant and mostly positive.
Maybe my vote for Bush II was not a complete waste after all like my vote for Reagan.
https://millercenter.org/president/george-h-w-bush/key-events
I try to avoid sweeping generalizations, about myself or other people. The way I see things today may change with a change of circumstances or additional information. The same with other people. Just a word for the wise, Mike.
Another inspiring letter! Thank you, Heather. I haven’t taken the time to fact check what appears to be a fairly comprehensive list of President Biden’s first-year-in-office accomplishments, yet I have a sense it’s a worthwhile resource for all of us to become acquainted with to continue to magnify the work the Biden administration has been able to accomplish in spite of the obstructionist senate. https://whatbidenhasdone.wordpress.com/2022/01/20/year-one-what-biden-has-done-mega-thread/
Russians love autocrats, and have no experience of the idea of a Republic. Lenin, Stalin, Kruschev, Breshnev, Kosygin, all autocrats until Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Now, the Russian people are seeing the dangers of their preferred type of government. After the trauma of Afghanistan, one might have expected some kind of change. Now, we have the strangest type of conflict with Slavs firing upon their fellow Slavs. The poor young Russian soldier must weep at what is expected of him.
I believe you are mistaken when you say, "Russians love autocrats". After the dissolution of the Soviet Union what forms of government were they offered when they cast their ballots? What choices, during centuries of czarist rule, were Russians given?
It's time for US Americans to do some serious soul searching and stop slinging mud at people who don't conform to our very jaded ideas of what's right and wrong. It's easy to judge a people based on appearances and uninformed opinions. You must realize that a healthy number of US Americans have never and will never support a democracy. The proof is in the pudding – there has NEVER been liberty and justice for all in the US despite our claiming to be a republic. But, does that mean ALL Americans want an authoritarian government? We constantly fail to look inward and take inventory of our severely damaged system of government. Today we are paying for our inattention. .
Thank you, Daria. I keep writing about this. I often feel as if I am shouting into the wind of self-righteousness, and have all but given up on this forum, as it keeps returning to the same clichés and platitudes. I know I am not alone in feeling this way, and it is immensely validating to see you add your thoughts. Until listening to President Biden last night, I was feeling deeply sad. Still sad, but also have a sense of hope. But what he told us and asked of us will happen only if those who resist acknowledging our past will open their eyes will we be able to start moving toward the future he described.
Thank you, Annie. It's reassuring to know I am not alone in feeling the way I do. Here's hoping something wholesome and positive comes this administration's leadership and all of our efforts.
Daria,
"It's time for US Americans to do some serious soul searching"
Yes, way beyond time. Half of our own population is in love with Putin right now as I right.
Tucker Carlson is probably sucking up to Putin right now of Fox News.
Mike, one of the reasons I comment infrequently these days is because doing so is pointless. My opinions are irrelevant in the scheme of things. Beyond that, it's frustrating to rehash the same issues day after day after day only to realize that despite all of our efforts to implement change we tread water, even backslide. Those who support the right wing constructs and ideas of government will not change their minds. The wealthy, who profit from the/their right wing dogma don't want to kill their cash cows, they will not stop spreading their bullshit, now or ever. The base are simply unthinking and gullible enough to be pulled along by the current. Both camps are killing us.
HCR gives us the benefit of her knowledge of history and analysis of current affairs. She encourages people to do their own digging when their curiosity is piqued. For these things, I am grateful.
I share these sentiments, dear Daria.
Thanks, Ashley. 🌷🌷
Sadly what you say is true, however I find it psychologically helpful to vent my thoughts and hear thoughts of others. Unfortunately during the last five years it’s become a compulsion to write and share my opinions. I recall back in the late 60s when this country was in a similar state of unrest we used to end conversations by saying “Keep the faith”. So Keep the faith.
Robert Boody (Ct)🤪
You are exactly right, Daria! Thank you for speaking up.
Yes,
In Afghanistan it was easier for American troops to shoot innocent Afgans. They looked different and talked different.
Not so in Ukraine.
Listening to the radio yesterday, I heard some surprising things. On CSpan I heard a range of callers, self identified as from across the political spectrum and seemingly from across every other demographic, defend Putin and condemn NATO, Europe, and the United States. I think I heard; old Stalinist apologists, middle aged Black separatists, newly minted magas; men claiming military and diplomatic experience and insider knowledge; academics and autodidacts; concerned mothers and grandmothers; Each weaving the official Russian party line into their own preoccupations. The name Max Blumenthal came up, a leftish contrarian journalist who has beat the drum for Putin before, dismissing his opponents as nationalists.
This word 'nationalist' as a pejorative seems to me to have a very old time Communist ring. It seems to me that in his isolation and possibly madness, or perhaps in the maundering and nostalgia of old age, Putin has returned to his early years. He is reenacting Stalin's rape of Ukraine. For exactly the same reasons. For being a stiff necked people who will keep allegiance with their own faith and who refuse to bow to
a new authority.
Another thing I heard, on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross interviewing Anne Applebaum. All those ethnic Russians in the separatist areas, whom Putin is using as an excuse to destroy Ukraine? Stalin moved them there to replace the millions of Ukrainians he had starved to death for their opposition to collectivization. And many came on their own to take advantage of new opportunities.
Stalin's apparatchiks who went door to door taking the Ukrainian farmers' food, to starve them, but claiming they were doing it to feed starving Ukrainians in the cities. Bloody minded authoritarians depend not just on their militaries, but on ordinary citizens spreading their misinformation and just doing their jobs.
Yesterday, I also heard a congresswoman from Indiana, an Ukrainian born and raised, only recently nationalized American, plead for her country at a Republican news conference. In her passion, between her tears, choking on her sorrow and rage, she would pull back and recall that she had been put on stage to rail against Pres. Biden. It was as though every so often a bell rang and she started to froth at the mouth the GOP party line.
Even now. Republicans. And unless we get out the Democratic vote, in 2022, they will take over our government.
lin.
Yes, today Tucker Carlson, a paid member of Putin's government, will take up his anti-American rants again against our government.
All legal. All the time.
A large number of entities are making an effort to turn the USA away from democracy and toward Putin.
And, they do, to me, appear to be winning on many days.
If I did not read these letters, I would actually believe they had already won.
... let's keep reading and writing, Mike - we are forging a pathway through the be-wilderness ..
Thank you, as always lin, for relevant information, insight and incentive to persist and persevere ....
ThankYou. It seems so hopeless to bear witness, although it is important that we are.
There is stuff we can do here. And I am glad so many of us see that we need to do both.
Yes.
putin wants to make russia great again in the MAGA way, by going back in time. but i digress. for ages people who wanted to overthrow the czars or at least institute land reform tried to organize the peasants. but these Socialist Revolutionaries and Narodniks never got anywhere. the peasants could not read or write and seldom gathered anywhere. they were scattered over tens of thousands of small villages. then along came the factory workers, who lived and worked in cities. they could read and write. they published newsletters. they gathered at work and in town. they could be organized. it didn't take long to turn the juvenile nicholas and alexandra out of power, ending the 300 year old romanov dynasty. but the bolsheviks had a new problem. having taught the proletariat how to overthrow the czars, they had also shown them how to overthrow the bolsheviks. the city people had to be kept happy and well fed. thus the confiscation of all food from the farmers. the farmers were divided into two groups, good farmers and bad. the bad farmers turned in everything they grew, thinking that they would get more back, that is the surplus grown by the better farmers, known as kulaks. but the kulaks hid their surplus. so the bad farmers, who were often indebted to the kulaks, turned them in. eventually the kulaks were all sent east of the ural mountains, where the soil was not so good. now you had good farmers working bad land and bad farmers working good land. what a mess. this happened all over russia and ukraine. this is the backdrop for all of the failed five-year plans. meanwhile, stalin couldn't have cared less about ukrainians, or even russians. he was from georgia, a deeply paranoid. god forbid you had a typical russian name, like petrov, and god forbid you were educated. you were a threat and on your way to the gulag. stalin once sent his agents into the streets with instructions to arrest everyone wearing glasses. russia has often been in the grip of outsiders like stalin and beria, and maybe you could throw in marx and engels. russians themselves were often indolent, unable to help themselves. they were like characters out of chekhov's cherry orchard. the english parallel would be lord grantham from downton abbey. except for the first romanov czar, all the czars married foreigners, mostly germans and danes. for some czars russian was their third language. the last romanov czar, nicholas II, was 1/128th russian. his son, the hemophiliac, 1/256th russian. what a country! OK, i'm done. time for my nap.
Re your comment on C-SPAN, I can't help wondering how many of those anti-NATO, Europe, U.S. callers were organized by some unnamed entity. I wonder how many Americans holding those beliefs actually watch C-SPAN and call in.
The Applebaum interview and her writings in The Atlantic are excellent
Yes, they are!
Biden's "Freedom will always triumph over tyranny" was quite possibly meant for a broader audience than Ukraine. When he uttered those words and during his whole section on Democracy I felt it was a battle cry for the United States as well.
God Bless Ukraine
Thank you for your newsletter today! And every day!
I thought President Biden did well last night. I read the text of the speech ( Thank you for sharing the link). It made my eyes leak😊 again. The part about Ukraine was powerful. The rest of it has me hoping that the part of the country supporting the “Orange Menace” and RINOS will realize they don’t have the American people interest at heart.
Oh, those leaky eyes! And I scared my cat with my hollering, clapping, whistling, and leaping up! Here's hoping your hoping is 100% right, Sharon!
Try to keep the noise down. Could hear you here in Wisconsin. 😅 (no idea what possesses me 5o post sometime.)
🤣😅