Pebbles and friend in best of times.

First, glory to Ukraine for destroying three enormous Russian ammunition dumps on Russian soil, 30,000 tons of ammo. Largest, most successful attack of the war, with drones. Also, Russia botched a test of its largest, most deadly strategic ICBM, RS-28 Sarmat (Satan); it blew-up in the hole so powerfully that seismologists in Norway and other remote parts of the world, registered the event as a 2.4 earthquake. Understandably, Russia also nicknames its most powerful attack helicopter “Satan’s chariot”.

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A response to Kelly Scoles’ letter:

Hi Kelly,

You say, “to accuse Trump of representing a ‘threat to democracy’ is not an incendiary lie.” Of course, I recognize this statement as absurd. If only from the extraordinary business success he has enjoyed, most people would conclude he recognizes that democracy facilitated that success. You are obsessed with the alleged threat of Project 2025. Has it been offered as a bill as yet, or just an idea whose time has come? I’m not going to read those hundreds of pages until and unless they are formally presented as attempted legislation. What little I have read of it I agree with. Do you think it might be prudent to debate these ideas in Congress, or do you prefer the infamous method of Speaker Nancy Pelosi who suggested, “You can read the bill AFTER [it] passes”? This is the same kind of obtuseness adopted by Kamala when she suggests her policies will be revealed after she is elected.

You fret about MAGA dealing with “dark promises of WWIII, retribution.” You’re bothered when Trump recommends Catholics and Jews “should have their heads examined” if they don’t vote for him. What if such an examination proves that Jews and Catholics who vote for Trump turn out to be brilliant realists, and if Democrats undergoing the same examination are exposed as naïve loons? As for those “dark promises of WWIII” as a Traditional Catholic myself, I see those “promises” witnessed both in the daily news and looming Marion apparitions warning of imminent global war.

Let’s avoid the colorful political metaphors and concentrate on things connected with truth. Using truth as our guide, what conceivable purpose can quotes from the infected brain of wannabe assassin Ryan Westley Routh serve in this discussion? And your characterization of JD Vance’s statements as “bubonic” seems a tad sensational. The story of some immigrants killing and eating “pets” like ducks, geese, dogs and cats is factual if not widespread. Since Democrats have sabotaged American sovereignty by destroying border security, people from impoverished cultures like Haiti, and others, do eat dogs and cats. Illegal immigrants have come here from hunter-gatherer cultures, with some known to continue their hunting and gathering exploits upon arrival, especially if poor. Ignorant liberals quickly characterize anyone mentioning this fact as “racist.”
I feel it necessary to clarify my opinion on Trump’s attitude towards the Russian-Ukrainian war. As I’ve said before, Russia is a criminal country absolutely owned and operated by a Hitleresque killer, Vladamir Putin. Ukraine is completely innocent of any responsibility for the war. Russia’s war plan is to kill as many civilians as possible and utterly destroy the infrastructure, the dams, power plants, hospitals, schools, orphanages, food markets, shopping malls, etc. and occupy the entire nation. At its heart, Russia’s Federation today exudes the satanic stench of Lenin’s and Stalin’s-communist Soviet Union, a veritable slave state.

Both Trump and Vance are vilifying Ukraine and its valiant leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. To me, this is shockingly mistaken. If a win by Kamala Harris did not present such an obvious and immediate disaster for the nation’s security, and a sane alternative to Kamala were running, I would avoid Trump on the Ukraine war issue alone. I am frankly stunned by the ignorant anti-Ukraine tirade coming from too many Republicans. Putin is the enemy writ large in blood red letters! I must vote for Trump to keep the nation alive, but I can never agree with his foolish deferential treatment of Putin, which can also backfire. This forces me onto the horns of a dilemma.

It’s late and I’m tired – next week.

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Final wistful note: I’m very sad to report that “Pebbles the wonder dog” had to be put away this week. She was a very happy, quick, smart, and faithful Miniature Pinscher friend for nearly 20 years. She was an answer to prayer in a time of need. Thank you, Lord.