Thanks to the angel for calling 911 on the lady in her car at the Walmart parking lot Jan. 11. You saved her life. Thank you, sweet person.

Barbara Kraft

La Grande

Let’s take stock of Russia in January 2025.

Negatives:

• They have the Dutch disease.

• They have lost about 800,000 troops in a war they have already lost.

• They are running out of people to sustain their nation.

• They are running out of people to fight.

• They are running out of military hardware to continue this conflict.

• Russia’s economy is imploding.

• Russia has experienced one of the biggest brain drains in history.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin is becoming less well liked.

• Russia’s civilian infrastructure is Soviet era and mostly failing.

• Russia’s rainy-day (national welfare) fund is running dry.

• Russia is the target of the greatest sanctions regimen in history.

• Russia is an international pariah.

Positives:

• Putin has strengthened NATO.

• Putin has united NATO with the Pacific Rim.

Pretty bad. Slava Ukraini.

Fair winds and following seas,

Bill Laffen

Umatilla

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