Thursday, April 24, 2025
D+169/94
1916 The Easter Rising of Irish republicans against British occupation began in Dublin
1961 JFK accepted "sole responsibility" following the Bay of Pigs
1967 General William Westmoreland said in a news conference that the enemy has "gained support in the United States that gives him hope that he can win politically that which he cannot win militarily."
1980 US military operation to rescue 52 hostages in Iran failed, and 8 died
In bed at 9:30, awake about 4, and up at 4:20.
Prednisone, day 345 (corrected); 2 mg., day 7/21; Kevzara, day 10/14; CGM, day 9/15; Trulicity, day 7/7. Prednisone at 5 a.m. Other meds at 9:15 a.m.
Putin's puppet: Trump's Truth Social post yesterday:
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, “Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.” This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion. Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired? The area also houses, for many years before “the Obama handover,” major Russian submarine bases. It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever. The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the “killing field,” and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with “no cards to play” should now, finally, GET IT DONE. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!
With a friend like Donald Trump, Ukraine and Zelenskyy don't need enemies. Trump cloaks himself with the mantle of a great humanitarian, concerned only with "wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever." A regular Florence Nightingale, heartsick over the carnage of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers. No mention, however, of civilians, who are and have always been a principal target of Putin's drones, missiles, and artillery. Plus, "Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion." "Under the auspices" means 'with the help and support of." Obama and the rest of the world condemned Russia's seizure and annexation of Crimea. Here's the position of the first Trump administration on Russia and Crimea:
PRESS STATEMENT, MICHAEL R. POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE, WASHINGTON, DC, JULY 25, 2018
Russia, through its 2014 invasion of Ukraine and its attempted annexation of Crimea, sought to undermine a bedrock international principle shared by democratic states: that no country can change the borders of another by force. The states of the world, including Russia, agreed to this principle in the United Nations Charter, pledging to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. This fundamental principle - which was reaffirmed in the Helsinki Final Act - constitutes one of the foundations upon which our shared security and safety rests. As we did in theWelles Declarationin 1940, the United States reaffirms as policy its refusal to recogniz the Kremlin's claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law. In concert with all its partners, and the international community, the United States rejects Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine's territorial integrity is restored. The United States calls on Russia to respect the principles to which it has long claimed to adhere and to end its occupation of Crimea. As democratic states seek to build a free, just, and prosperous world, we must uphold our commitment to the international principle of sovereign equality and respect the territorial integrity of other states. Through its actions, Russia has acted in a manner unworthy of a great nation and has chosen to isolate itself from the international community.
In Syria, he betrayed our allies, the Kurds, to the Turkish dictator Erdogan. Now he betrays our allies, the Ukrainians, to the Russian dictator Putin. And he pretends to be a neutral intermediary: "I have nothing to do with Russia."
What will it take for the 77 million Americans who voted for this bastard to realize he is Putin's puppet? He has divided the country as it hasn't been divided since the bitter 1960s. Dayenu. He has taken a sledgehammer to the nation's and world's financial markets. Dayenu. He has acted so capriciously and perfidiously that no nation can count on America's word anymore. Dayenu. He has appointed grossly incompetent persons to lead the nation's defense, intelligence, and justice departments. Dayenu. He has granted pardons to insurrectionists and cop beaters, Dayenu. He has defiled the office of the United States presidency by his words and by his deeds. Dayenu. He has treated as enemies long-term friends of the United States, including Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and NATO. Dayenu. He had reversed or undermined years of progress in addressing the dire dangers of climate change. Dayenu. He has denigrated the nation's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, calling them "sucker" and "losers." Dayenu. He has turned loose on federal agencies created to aid Americans, the world's wealthiest man, for a slash-and-burn campaign to destroy or weaken them. Dayenu. He has defied our courts and treated the nation's Constitution as empty words. Dayenu. He has substituted for the ideals of truth, justice, and the American way, traits of narcissism, self-interest, callousness, hatred, vindictiveness, and opportunism.
I was born when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president. I grew up during the presidencies of Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy. I will probably die while Donald J. Trump is president. What can our children and grandchildren look forward to after this? How low can we go?
Thankful thoughts for the Andersons. I texted Larry this morning:
Charles Clausen:
Good morning, buddy. First, I appreciate that you called me to check in on watashi-wa and Geri and to share your adventures on your European cruise. Second, I also appreciate the help from Jan in befriending her and you on Facebook. The older I get, the less capable I am with computers and anything digital. My thanks to Jan. Third, I very much appreciate reading Jan’s notes and enjoying her photos and videos about your voyage, both because of her terrific narrative writing ability and because much of what she wrote about triggers memories of my own time travelling in Europe, especially in Bell’Italia. I’ve been reading about your visit to Crotone and to the Ceraudo farm, restaurant, and winery. I’ve been to Italy three times, once for a week in Rome with Mike Hogan, who is a former Jesuit which got us a pass into the Papal Gardens behind St. Peter’s, and into the catacombs beneath the basilica where Peter is said to have been buried after his martyrdom, and twice with Geri, including a two week visit during which we rented a farmhouse in Marche, on the Adriatic side of the Apennines. As I enjoyed the photos of the Catholic churches, I wondered what thoughts went through your head as a guy born in the bosom of the Wisconsin Synod Luthaeranism with its mighty dim view of Catholicism and its idolatry and anti-Christ. BTW, Jan and I seem to be cut from similar cloth when I comes to note-taking on trips. I went to Paris in 1998 from Holy Thursday to Easter Monday, attending services at every church I managed to get to, including the Easter Vigil at Notre Dame. I filled 88 pages of a pocket notebook I kept with me. When Geri and I spent the two weeks in Italy, she got a little irritated with me for spending so much time writing notes about our time there. I’m thankful I still have the notes to revisit now and then and thankful to you and Jan for sharing your trip. If I start texting or emailing you too much, feel free to ignore my blather. As you probably know, I tend to ‘run off at the keyboard.’ Also, you should know that, although I write every day on Blogspot/Blogger, the stuff I put into it is basically just a personal journal or notebook that I’ve been maintaining for close to three years. I use Blogspot because my handwriting would be illegible and Blogspot lets me both type and insert photos, but no one ‘follows’ me or reads it, except you whenever you may do so. I put all sorts of stuff in it, poems, song lyrics, my paintings and drawings, memories and personal reflections, including my FB posts and communications with family and friends, including you. If you prefer me not to mention you for any reason, let me know and I’ll removeany references to you. As I’ve told you before, my circle of friends is diminishing and I count it a great blessing to have had your friendship for so many years. s/f
Larry Anderson:
Well, stand by, she still has about 5 episodes to go, including Venice and Lake Como. S/F
I spent more time on her FB page this afternoon, reading about and seeing the photos and videos of Sicily and Pompeii. Great photos, great videos, and great descriptive and reflective narratives by Jan. I was struck by the way she concluded her words about their visit to Pompeii:
I found touring the ruins to be a somber experience. In 79 AD, the people here were going about their everyday life when everything just stopped in a sudden violent two day rain of ash and searing heat. As you enter Pompeii - and as you leave her ruins - Mt Vesuvius towers nearby.
Pompeii is fascinating. And tragic. What are the lessons it has to teach us?? Carpe diem. Seize the day! Rejoice in the richness and beauty of this moment. Life is so fragile that we must not ever take it for granted. It is a gift.
Her thoughts reflecting on the sudden death in Pompeii triggered my thoughts of Tom St. John and of my Mom. My mother, at age 51, was tending her little garden in the back yard of her home when an aneurysm in her brain burst, putting her in a coma and leading to her death 9 days later. One minute she was caring for her flowers, the next minute she was lying on the ground unconscious and on her way to her death. Tom St. John, at age 79, was in the American Virgin Islands, snorkeling with his wife Micaela and their son Saul. Micaela and Saul were in the boat resting and noticed that Tom had not moved in the water for some time. Saul swam over to check on him and found he was dead from what turned out to be cardiac arrest. My Dad, living with my sister at the time, was feeling fine and had a piece of cake after his lunch. An hour later, he wasn't feeling well and was taken to the hospital, where he was brain-dead that evening. My little sister died a long, slow death at age 77 from COPD. My mother, father, sister, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and a cousin are all gone. Friends and colleagues from my law firm have also gone: Bob Friebert, David Branch, Bill Guis, Bill Raush, and Tom St. John, all younger than me. I think of all of these people who were big parts of my life, all dead younger than I am, except for my Dad. I think too of my two friends who were pilots who "bought the farm" during Vietnam, Marine Bill Mullen in Laos, and Navy pilot and Marquette classmate J. Forrest Trembley in China. How do I feel about outliving so many friends and family? Sometimes I have something like survivor's guilt, especially with respect to my little sister, but even with respect to my mother. Why should I have lived longer than they did, they who were much more deserving of a long life than I am? But I am mindful of what Jan wrote, that " Life is so fragile that we must not ever take it for granted. It is a gift." When I'm in the dumps and starting to throw a pity party for myself, I remind myself of what my mother went through to bring me into this world, and to protect and nourish me, how she wanted me to live a good life, not like "Micky the Mope." I remind myself of how much my sister loved me and supported me in hard times, and how she too wanted me to live a good life. Even though they are gone, their love lives on in me, a gift that keeps on giving. I need to stop writing now. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, which is why we call it 'the present.'
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