Bits & Pieces

Putin Isolated? Ill? – No, Putin is not ill. He is not in isolation because of that but may be withdrawn to think and sort out options, strategies and tactics. He entered the war with Ukraine fully prepared to win. He thought out his game plan meticulously. Ukraine is not the end game. It is a steppingstone in his chess game with the global village. He has spent recent years rebuilding his military and refocusing on targets. Do not underestimate this man. He is very dangerous and has been all along.

Trump only emboldened Putin. Trump was manipulated better than he thought he was conning Putin. The losers are not the USA. The losers are free societies everywhere on the planet. Do not doubt Putin’s objective. He will not go quietly in the night. We must oppose his every move.

We are talking about our future. Yous and mine. And our kids and grandkids. Consider the options very carefully.

Russian Response to West’s Sanctions – Bravado is often an automatic response to sanctions and punishment. In Russia’s case, however, they may have a stockpile of old nuclear weapons and the goal of sharing that with like-minded terrorists, but they do not grow enough food in-nation to feed their people. They do not have the ability to succeed with their global objectives without help from outside their borders. They will get some aid from China. But wait, China does not grow enough food within her borders to feed their own people. No, both giant nations rely on trade with other nations to fill their grocery stores.

Let’s see; they have ample artistic talent, scientific research capabilities, educational strength and a population willing to sacrifice to please their government. That will get them through several months, maybe a few years of strife. At some point, however, Russians will awake to the reality that their leader is gambling their lives and futures for his own gain. When that happens, Pow! Putin’s regime will be over.

Meanwhile, we have work to do minding our own society and allies. Do not relax. Russian responses to our sanctions are puny. The global village seeks to isolate Russia. It won’t be total isolation, but it will be enough to hurt a lot.

Face Mask Options – Living with masks has been a bother and uncomfortable. However, masks have been successful for our household and family. We will continue to use face masks well into the future when interacting with large crowds. This action will guard my health from colds, flu and pneumonia. It will also hide my newest wrinkles.

March 2, 2022