So we finally got our tree. And it’s a mimosa! Here is how it looks right now:

OK, this is obviously not much to look at but do you want to know what these trees look like when they are in bloom? Here it is:

Not too shabby, eh?

Kotkin on Russia ‘ s proto – fascist movement (called the Union of the Russian people) of the early XXTH century:

The Union’s members and leaders… we’re antiliberal,  anti capitalist, and anti – semitic. They emphasized the uniqueness of Russia ‘ s historical trajectory, rejected Europe as a model,  preached the need for Orthodox primacy… and demanded restoration of Russia ‘ s traditions. .. Union members held that the autocrat alone must rule (99).

Remind you of anyone?

You could post endless lists on how being you is impossibly hard.

Or you could go to a psychologist.

As I keep saying, I am yet to meet a single male chauvinist pig who’d manage to insult me as much as these damsels in perennial distress.

Just received a question as to whether I believe that it would have been better for Ukraine if John McCain had been elected back in 2008.

The only answer I can give is that it would have made zero difference. What Putin is doing is not reactive but proactive. I have no idea why it’s so hard for people to understand that all of his bluster about him doing this or that because Americans did that or this is a lie. He’s not doing anything because of Americans. He’s doing stuff because he has his own reasons. Tactics might change but the strategy remains.

Putin is smart and he knows that if he feeds Americans this bunch of silly stories about how they caused his actions, they will be only too happy to believe him.