The insurrection

 The more we dig into this insurrection and what led up to it, the more frightened we should all be.  Those are people who are white, bigoted, racist and have been dipping their toes in the water of insurrection and outright treason, well, since the end of WW2.  And Trump gave them the boldness to actually do it.  Add to that the republicans in congress are on board with destruction of our democracy for the sole purpose of staying in power and we have a perfect storm.  And that storm is raging.  If Trump and his henchmen get away with this, then there won't be any stopping them.  Hopefully, the congressional committee can dig deep enough to make sure it never happens again, but if the republicans can get hold of the government again, I am afraid we are doomed.  It may be time to look at immigrating to another country.  From what I am reading, Canada is already making plans to deal with a dictator in this country.  Those founding fathers and that WW2 generation must be rolling in their graves.  This is what they tried so hard to prevent. 

Border

 I have been reading reports from the southern US border.  Those reports are trashing the US for allowing in Ukrainian refugees but blocking all others.  Well, those others aren't coming from a country that is fighting for it's very existance.  Those from Haiti are economic refugees looking for an easier time of it rather than fix their own country.  Same with those from other countries.  Ukraine if desperately trying to save their country.  They are fighting for survival.  There is a big difference there.  If the Ukrainians stay, they face sure death.  They face slaughter.  Those others looking for an easier life are not facing slaughter.  There is the difference.  The rest need to stay and fix their own country.  We can't be the catchall for the world.  We help who needs it most and right now it is the Ukrainians.  And, no, I don't think we should allow in Russians.  They have had time to fix their country and they allowed this regime to control the country.  They need to stay and fight to fix their own country.  My thoughts. 

Ukraine

 I'm sitting here scared to death of a possible tornado while the people of Ukraine are scared to death of bombs.  Sure puts things in perspective.  At least we don't have bombs exploding over our heads.  At least not yet.  Those people are to be admired and their president has shown the world what a true leader is.  I hope they win and can kick Russia out.  I so hope they survive. 

Russians showing up at the US border

 Russians are flying to South America, renting cars and driving to our border to demand asylum.  Why would we give the asylum?  They are from the agressor  country.  Their country is killing Ukrainians.  They are screaming unfair and discriminatory for us letting in the Ukrainians.  So are the Mexicans, Colombians, those from Central America.  Difference is that none of those are fleeing a war of attrition.  And especially the Russians.  Why would we let them in?  If they won't fight against the nuts in Russia and fight for a liveable country, why would we want them here?  Where will they run when Russia attacks us?  And would they fight against the United States? Ukrainians it is understandable.  The Russians are destroying everything in their country.  Like the Jews in WW2, the world has to protect them.  But there is no reason for the Russians to run here except they are the middle class and want to hold on to their money.  Same with the big exit from Cuba back in the 1950's.  It was the middle class and the rich running to save their money.  Same with Syria.  The middle class and rich ran to hide in the west.  It is time this stopped.  If you want a country, stand up and fight for it.  The Ukrainians are definitely standing and fighting.  They women and children are the ones leaving and not all the women. Many are staying and fighting.  They are trying to keep their country.  I have great respect for them.  I have no respect for the Russians running.  They are only concerned about their money.  And if war comes to the US, they will just run somewhere else.  I would also suspect a lot of them will be plants by their government as sleeper cells.  We don't need that.  So no, we don't need to allow them in. 

More on Ukraine

I am very proud of Biden.  He is doing everything he can to support Ukraine without getting us into WW3. Hopefully Putin's inner circle will kill him.  I saw where now they are going to demand the return of Alaska, the Antiartcic.  Yeah, I see that happening.  Not.  10million people have been displace in Ukraine and now there is fear of concentration camps and I don't doubt that that nut will do just that.  This is what Trump aspires to.  Trump wants desperately to be Putin.  And I am scared to death that the fools in this country will vote him back in in 2024.  That is one scary thought.  I see in my own extended family them blaming Biden for the high gas prices because he won't let the companies drill.  He isn't stopping them.  There are 9000 drilling permits already issued and not being used.  The president has nothing to do with oil prices.  Nothing.  Unless they want him to release our reserves.  And that would be really bad.  Back to Putin, we will see a Stalin-like purge and many, many Russians will be murdered. I am seeing where he is rounding up Ukranians and sending them to Russia.  That say Hitlerisk concentration camps.  Russia did not improve when the USSR cratered.  It is still the same ole bunch of thugs.  Nothing more.  You know when even the Taliban trashes them, they are bad.  

Controlling wome

The new thing with the republicans is total control of women's bodies.  We have a mean old white man now in Texas trying to make it capital murder if a woman has an abortion.  It is already to the point that a doctor cannot abort a dead fetus, cannot do an abortion to save a mother's life.  Missouri is trying to make it illegal for a woman to go out of state to have an abortion.  I guess they will be stopping women at the border and making her prove she is not pregnant. I expect they will be using the police for this instead of, you know, stopping real crime.  And a state rep in Missouri questioned a trans gender 14 year old about her genitals.  If this had been done to this rep's straight son or daughter, she would have been beside herself.   When called out on how inappropriate this was, she said she was just curious. Had I been that a 14 year old, I would have stood up and reached for my waistband and said, "Well lady, I'll show you mine if you show me yours."  This is the religious right and they have total control of the state governments all across the south and most of the midwest.  They are moving us back to the dark ages.  And if they can control women, then the next move is total control of the government. 

continued to adult 101

Choosing what mask to wear in adulthood is sometimes difficult to decided on.  You need to make sure you are confident in who you are.  If you lack that self confidence, they there are those that will prey on you.  If you are entering into a relationship and your significant other  displays signs of manipulation, or control, run. Let's say that he/she always criticizes your friends.  Red flag.  He/she tries to isolate you from your friends and family, red flag.  He/she tries to make you feel guilty for going out with your friends, or buying something with your money, or at any time spending you money as you see fit, red flag.  If he/she makes fun of you in front of others, calling you stupid or dumb, red flag.  Never, ever tolerate a slam on your character.  And if he or she ever hits you, book it out that door and don't look back.  Nobody, nobody has a right to hit you ever.  If you have a good relationship with your family and they are uneasy about the person you are dating, listen to them.  Others will see things you miss.  So always listen.  Evaluate.  And decide if they are right.  Do not ever turn a blind eye to red flags.  They will only get worse.  I just read a story about how a husband changed the name of their first born on the birth certificate to make his parents happy.  Big, huge red flag.  Your significant other, if it is a healthy relationship, will always put you first.  He/she will never let their parents come before you.  They will be able to tell their parents to butt out.  If they can't, then you don't need them.  Be strong and self confident in who you are.  You will thank yourself down the road. 

Our own stupid

We have a contingent in this country, about 40% of the citizens, who are stupid and proud of it.  We have several in congress who think and act like they are in high school and being disruptive.  They have no concept of why they are in the legislature of the United States. 
And  a hellava lot of governors fall into this catagory as well.  DeSantis of Florida comes to mind.  This POS should be stripped of this citizenship and shipped back to Cuba along with Ted Cruz.  And let's not forget my own good governor, Greg Abbott.  Yep, Mr my-nose-can't-crawl-further-up-Trump's-ass Abbott.  A bigger piece of shit never existed,  Well I can't really say that because Dan Patrick is a bigger piece of shit than Abbott and he is a damned carpetbagger, failed used car salseman too boot.  When you think Texas can't sink any lower, they up and fool ya.  But damn, if we go any lower, we will be rubbing elbows with Satin.  But hey, that seems to be what the politicians want, to see how low they can go.  That 40% makes me ashamed of my country.  That WW2 generation would not have stood for this.  I miss them.   

Kicked off Facebook

When the invasion of Ukraine started, I was posting on a facebook feed.  Russian bots were also flooding the site.  So I strongly called out Facebook for lying and saying they were blocking Russian bots and that they were still allowing it because they valued money more than morality.  I was kicked off.  So I will just voice my opinions here instead.  I have very strong opinions.  Some may be wrong, but that is the beauty of being a US citizen, at least for now, I can voice my opinion.  If the republicans have their way, that will change.  From what I am seeing, the only opinions the republicans want us to have is their opinions.  Well, there are very few republicans that I have any respect for and only a few more democrats.  I have to admit, I have developed admiration for Liz Cheney.  I absolutely abhor the woman's politics, but, damn she has balls in bucking the crazy in her party and that party is overflowing with crazy.  Another republican I have absolute respect for is John Huntsman.  I really respect that man.  So on to the democrats.  I really respect Biden.  He is sharp.  He is a statesman.  He has integrity.  He cares about the country.  And I respect his wife.  Hillary, no, just no.  The woman is arrogant and entitled.  She felt like she was entitled to the White House.  With the 2016 election,it was damned if you do and damned if you don't.  On to Biden's choice for VP.  Just no.  The woman is not grounded.  She is off the wall on a lot of stuff.  She should not be in politics and if the dems run her ever, she will lose it for them.  And she would make only a  slightly better president than Palin and that would be a disaster.  Elizabeth Warren. absolute respect.  She is a good legislator and would have been a good president.  Pete Buttigieg,  with experience he would make a good president.  He is sharp, can think on his feet.  He is grounded.  Nancy Pelosi, yep spot on.  But Nancy is also too old for the legislature.  The squad.  Nope, Nope.  Ocasio-Cortez no experience and I don't think she is learning anything in the way of critical thinking. Ilhan Omar, she does not understand the concept of what the United States is.  And she will never back Israel.  Unless we back Israel, there will still be wholesale slaughter of the Jews.  And she does not get that.  Also, she has no respect for our citizenship.  She wants to abolish ICE.  She wants open borders.  We can't have that.  We have laws and those laws have to be enforced or we cease to be a nation.  So nope on her.  There are others I have respect for, but on both sides of the isle, there are more idiots than smart, sensible ones.   

Back to adulting

 Once you get yourself into the adult world and learn to maneuver it, get decent income and health insurance, then it is time to find a kick ass therapist.  A good therapist so you can ditch all the damage done to you by your family.  No matter how well meaning and how great your parents are, they did damage.  Get a good therapist and ditch the childhood baggage because you do have baggage and to live your best life, you have to let it go.  This does not mean cutting off your family unless they are toxic.  But it means affirming your place in the adult world. Affirming that you are your own person, not an extention of anyone else.  Remember, this is not a dress rehearsal.  This is the real deal.  There are no do-overs in life.  You are living it.  So make it the best life you can.  And if you aren't satisfied with the first therapist you try, change.  Don't stick with a therapist who is not helping you.  Don't walk out of that office, RUN. This is about you and your life.  Make it about you and your life.  

Relationships.  Remember, you don't need to be with someone to be happy.  Create your own happiness.  Never rely on anyone else to make you happy.  A partner should enhance your happiness, but is not responsible for it.  As to that happiness, ditch that idea.  You are searching for contentment.  Happiness is fleeting.  Contentment with your life is not fleeting.  And take it from someone who has lived in the eye of the storm, you want calm in your life, not chaos.  You can only ride that high for so long then you crash.  And sometimes that crash takes you lower than you can successfully crawl back from. So  strive for contentment.  And that other person in the relationship needs to be your cheerleader, your safe place, your partner.  If he/she is not all this, ditch them.  Life is too short to allow anyone to drag you down.  Ditch them and walk away.  It is better to be alone than to be with the wrong person.  

Children:  If you want them, have them.  If you don't, do not let anyone pressure you into having them.  And be selective who you breed with.  Make sure that person will be a good father/mother.  A child is a huge responsibility.  They are not your property.  They are for you to mold into the best citizen society could wish for.  It is your responsibility to raise that child to be caring, compassionate, shrewd, competent.  That child must be taught critical thinking so they can make good choices.  And never, ever think that getting pregnant for the sake of trapping a man is a good idea.  It isn't.  Wait until you are emotionally and financially prepared for a child.  And if you don't want a partner, that's ok too.  But be sure you are up to the responsibility of raising that child.  

Putin's regime

Putin is a product of the old USSR and he is out to rebuild that empire.  He has been enabled in this by Bush Jr, Obama, and Trump.  Bush pretty much patted Putin on the back for invading Georgia.  Obama practically ignored Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea.  And Trump, if Trump could have, he would have crawled into bed with Putin. So Putin felt that the US would just look the other way while he invaded Ukraine.  But Biden is not Bush, nor Obama, nor Trump.  Biden is a seasoned statesman.  Will we wind up in a nuclear war?  Very likely.  Can we avoid it?  We could, for a short time.  We have to willing to appease Putin just as Europe tried to appease Hitler.  It only worked for a short time.  And so it will with Putin.  Stripping him of any and all funds will help, but remember Putin is a mad man.  He is a Russian Trump and is only interested in power.  He does not give a tinkers damn about the Russian people.  It is all power.  And as long as his inner circle continue to live the good life and have that power, he will keep up the bullying tactics.  Will we avoid a nuclear war?  Not likely.  Will humanity survive?  Maybe.  But if we just leave it alone, it won't be the end of the power grab.  Once Russia consolidates it's power, there is China and down the road we will have to contend with a power struggle between China and Russia.  So provided we avoid a nuclear war now by appeasment, it will only delay the inevitable.  I would say prepare for that war.  And also prepare for a good section of our own population backing Russia in such a war.  A huge portion of the republicans would back Russis, are already backing Russia.  We are facing more than a nuclear threat.  We are facing a life and death struggle for the existence of our own democracy.  And we may lost that war.   

Attack from Russia

 Every leader, when elected, should be required to watch the Nuremberg trials, watch military footage from Japan, watch the footage from the concentration camps.  And above all read the book by Nevil Shute titled "On the Beach" and if those things don't scare the ever lovin hell out of each one of them, then they don't need to be in leadership.  I would say these need to be shown and read by every school student, but the parents would never allow that.  You can find that book very cheap.  Buy it and read it.  Also the movie based on the same book, if you don't want to read.  Educate yourselves about the world around you because we are all connected.  What is done to a populace in one country affects the rest of the world.  There is no place to hide.  It is one planet and you are on it with the rest of humanity.  At least for now.  If Russia starts a nuclear war, humanity will be destroyed.  The planet will heal itself, but humanity will not return.  Are you ready to see humanity become extinct?  Because we will.  

Russia and Ukraine

 I watch what is happening in Ukraine and I feel so, so sorry for the people of this country.  They are being killed by a Russian Trump and if you think Trump is not cheering Putin on, then you are part of the problem.  Also when we have our news media trashing our elected president and patting Putin on the head, that is part of the problem.  The citizenry  in this country could stop this, but they won't.  They live in their little rabid bubble and it is more important to them to get and keep total control of our government than it is to defend our very democracy.  To them, they have a right to control every citizen's thought, speech and action in the name of "protecting freedoms" while all the while destroying those same freedoms.  It is Germany leading up to Nazi era all over again and throw in the mix that Russia is and we have a recipe for worldwide disaster.  There is a hellava lot of the citizens in this country that would back Russia if it tried to invade.  Think on that for awhile.  Around 40% of our citizenry would back a dictator over a duly elected government.  Why?  Because they are so focused on their butt hurt attitude and so focused on their own little bubble and being right that they can't and won't see what is happening in their very own country.  They will not be happy until they control every little aspect of the country, until they beat down and force every citizen in this country to fall lock step in with the vision they have for the country and that vision is very scary.  Our education system has failed and it has failed because of organized religion whipping people into a frenzy over trivial things so that there is no teaching.  There is no learning going on.  The schools have become a dumping ground for delinquents who are allowed to beat up teachers and that is the goal of the organized religious Nazis among us.  Don't think so?  Look around you.  Teachers cannot teach.  Teachers cannot discipline.  There is no cirriculum in the schools.  And anytime any school system attempts to actually teach students, you have those idiots whipped into a frenzy over lies.  Teachers are threatened on a daily basis.  Teachers are attacked on a daily basis.  Better wake up before it is too  last.  And if we descend into a civil war, it will be so much different this time.  All the bullies in the world will see their chance to create havoc all around the world.  We will be bombed.  We will probably face an invasion.  Canada is already making plans to deal with a dictatorship in the United States.  Let that sink in.  The Bastion of democracy is sliding into dictatorship and a huge part of the populace is all for it.  If that doesn't scare the shit out of you, then you are stupid beyond redemption.  

Adulting continued

 So steps to take:

Learn how to set up a checking and savings account.  

Learn how to keep that checking account balanced and know what you have in that account at all time.  Never overdraw that account.  It hurts your financial record.  

If you get a credit card, pay it off every month.  If you can't pay cash for it, don't charge it.  

Practice setting up a budget.  Practice until you are comfortable with this.  

Pay yourself first.  When that paycheck comes,  treat savings as a bill you have to pay.  Try to save 10% of what you bring home.  That may be difficult at first depending on where you live.  Some areas have such low minimum wage, it makes it very difficult to save. Once that money is in savings, try your level best to not touch it except for emergency.  

Pay your bills on time.  Always.  

If you can't afford a car and you need it to get to work, factor in Uber or ride the bus.  

Be your own cheerleader.  You are your own corporation.  You are loyal to you.  Sure that employer gave you a job, but you made him a good employee so if something better comes along, go for it.  You don't owe that employer anything but a two week notice.  And always be looking for a better job, a better deal.  If you start saving as soon as you get your first job, you will be fine in life. 

Adulting continued

It is an absolute horrible time to become an adult and have to step out into the world, but every young person has the ability to nail it.  Being an adult means choosing a mask, slapping on that mask every day and presenting yourself to the world.  And never be afraid to change that mask.  You can be whomever you want to be.  The possibilities are unlimited.  Nobody really knows how to be an adult and there is no right way to do it.  First up, find your safe place.  The place where you can always be you.  You can relax.  Maybe a grandmother or your parents', or an aunt.  Whomever it is with, make sure the person is non judgemental.  And does not push you.  You will make mistakes.  We all do.  Treat them as learning experiences.  If you learn from them, then they aren't mistakes.  Always, always take care of you.  Put yourself first.  I don't mean be cruel nor mean, but taking care of your mental and physical health is for you.  No one else, just you.  Want to look glamorous, do it for you.  Never ever let anyone else dictate what you should wear, how you should look, how you should talk, where you should work.  Those are your decisions and yours alone.  On relationships, if you are in a relationship or considering a relationship, make sure that person is your partner.  You want someone who will build a life with you, who will always support you and be your biggest cheerleader.  And you return the favor.  Never, ever cheat.  If the relationship is not working, walk away.  Life is too short to stay in a relationship that is not working and cheating hurts your partner and it is something they never really get over.  Never stay in a toxic relationship.  Never.  Don't walk away, run away.  Watch for the red flags.  If he or she tries to cut you off from your friends or family, red flag.  If someone laughs at your problems, red flag.  If someone lies to you, red flag.  Hone you skills in seeing those people.  If you are confident in yourself, it will be harder for someone to fool you.  It can still happen, but not as easily.  And never, ever fall for charm.  Charm is fine, but if that is all a person has, you don't need them.  Don't ever support a freeloader.  If he/she can't pull their weight, you don't need them.  March to your own drummer.  Never care what people think of you.  That is none of your business.  What is important is what you think of yourself.  

Build your character.  Examples Joe Biden and Jill Biden.  Both are caring.  Both look outside  themselves.  Both try to do the most good they can.  Who not to be: Trump, Putin, Lauren Bobert, Marjorie Taylor Green. These are extreme examples, but there are others that are not extreme.  What I am trying to tell you is build a character that you will be proud of, a character that when you are old, you can look back and say that you were the best person you could be.  You will get hurt.  It will feel like you are dying.  You won't. You will pick yourself up and jump back into the game a little wiser and a little more cautious.  But you will get up and move forward.  Don't be the people you are seeing in politics today.  Many, many of them are empty vessels, totally selfish, no compassion, no empathy.  Don't be like those people.  And don't gossip.  Gossip hurts and is mean and serves no purpose.  So just don't do it.   

On becoming an adult

My granddaughter told me she doesn't know how to adult and this started me thinking.  We don't teach our children how to be responsible, contributing adults in society.  We get them to 18 and then they are on their own.  And this is a failure of parents, schools and society as a whole.  So I am going to put this out there and any young person who reads it, I hope it helps a little.  

Find someone to teach you to maintain a checking and savings account.  This includes how to pay your bills, how to balance that checkbook and how to always know what you have available.  

Learn to set a budget. To do this you set up a monthly income and expense statement

Total after taxes income

Expenses:

Rent

Utilities

Groceries

Household items (toilet paper, cleaning supplies, shampoo, dish soap, etc)

Renters insurance (Usually around $30/month but really good to have.  

Auto payment, auto insurance, auto upkeep, gas.   

In Trouble

WE are in a world of trouble and it is the Republicans that have put us in that world of trouble along with the help of democrats.  The republicans have since the 1990 been slowly destroying the country.  Their mantra is "yeah we're bad, but look at the democrats."  Unions.  Unions are a tool of the democrats to keep you from working, ergo the right to work laws.  Those give businesses the right to fire you with no warning, no severence pay, nothing.  And by framing it as right to work, they have sold the people on this.  Public health insurance.  If we have single payer insurance, you won't be able to see a doctor for months.  You will be allowed to die.  Well we are the only developed country that has third world health care.  Abortion.  Abortion is a way to take away your freedoms.  Look at the laws passed under the guise of protecting the unborn.  Texas has basically banned any abortion, but put no measures in place to take care of those children when born.  The citizens this will impact is the poor.  And that is the way they want it.  Control the poor and make the rich happy and they won't even notice when they have no rights left.  And we are on our way to that place.  Missouri is trying to pass a law making it illegal for a woman to leave Missouri and go to another state to get an abortion.  That will mean that any female leaving the state will be subjected to interrogation.  Maybe even forced medical exams.  Do you see what is happening here?  The first leg of control.  After they gain control of women, then the working men will be next.  We are on a dangerous path and half the country will not wake up and see this.  

And the other half is the far left demanding free college, free rent.  They are demanding a socialist government.  Socialism never works.  Never.  It always collapses into dictatorship.  We need, desperately need, middle of the road politicians.  We won't get them because both the far right and far left have such a toe hold on the country.  I am pinning my hope on the young generation coming up now.  My generation, the boomers, have royally screwed up the country and their children, my children's generation made it much worse.  It is time to kick both generations to the curb and fix our country.  We need the WW2 generation and they are gone.   

Divided We Fall

Had a conversation with a close relative this morning and she is blaming President Biden for the high gas prices in this country.  The way the prices work is that Opec sets those prices.  Not the president.  And we do produce our own oil and we are one of the top producers in the world, but a hellava lot of that oil is exported and we in turn import replacement oil.  So now she is saying, as are many, many others that the President needs to stop the export of our oil  If Biden issued an Executive order to stop all export of oil a few things would happen. 1). Oil companies would just stop production and cap the wells.  You can't force a company to produce goods. 2) As soon as the oil companies curtailed production, that half of the country would be bitchin because Biden let them stop production.  And that contingent is now pushing the agenda that none of this would have happened if Trump were president.  That Trump stopped imports.  That Trump was forcing companies to return jobs to the US.  All Trump did was levy tarraffs against some companies' products.  Oil was exempt under Trump.  And those products that he levied tarraffs against were not vital to the country. But the retaliation from the countries we levied tarraffs against did hurt the US greatly.  Government aid to farmers accounted for up to 1/3 of all farm income because the farmers could not sell their crops overseas because of the tarraffs levied against those crops in retaliation for what we did.  And he levied no tarraffs against Russia.  None.  So what I am seeing and hearing is that at least half of the citizens in this country never bother to do any research and just believe the lies told to them by politicians and far right new stations.  Trump did his level best to become Putin and they won't see this.  They refuse to see that if Trump had succeeded in overturning the election, we would now have a dictator and it would not hit home until their"fredoms" were visably taken away from them.  Our education system is a mess and failing horribly.  We are just one candidate away from becoming Russia.   

The world is going to hell in a handbasket and Ukraine is paying the price for being the gatekeeper

 I can't say I was really surprised at the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.  We set the stage for that invasion all the way back to Obama.  Obama and congress sit on their welfare asses and just allowed Russia to take Crimea.  No sanction.  Back to business as usual.  So did the rest of the world.  Then along came Trump.  He has had his nose up Putin's ass since before he got into the White House.  He has the hots for Putin.  And Putin used him like a dust rag to get what he wanted.  And Trump is too damn stupid and egotistical to even realize this.  So now we have a country fighting for it's life and most of the world sitting back and allowing it to happen.  Even those in this country want to appease him because "we get oil from Russia."  And now Saudi and the rest of the Opec countries in the Middle East are siding with Russia.  Siding with Russia while using us for their protection.  Maybe it is time to cut them lose and allow them to defend themselves when Russia comes calling for them.  Time we dished out that plate of crow.  If the world is not careful, we will have a new cabal of countries forming their own alliance against the West.  All the former USSR satellite countries are stepping up support for Ukraine because they know they are next on Putin's hit list.  And if we have a cabal of Eastern European countries hostile to the West and hostile to Russia at the same time, that is a recipe for disaster.  We are probably going to wind up in a nuclear war.  That is a given.  Putin does not give a damn that he will destroy the world.  All I can say is we are in a real mess.  Putin has taken this right out of Hitler's playbook and any appeasement of Putin will only make him worse.  And the Russian people would rather be told what to do and when to crap than stand up to their so-called leader.  We haven't been in this shape worldwide since 1939.  And we may never be in this shape again if Putin starts a nuclear war.  He won't destroy the world, but he will destroy mankind and once we are gone, we won't be again.  The world will recover.  It will rebuild itself.  We won't.