It was October 2023. I was struggling to put out this monthly newsletter.
Writing it isn’t usually the hardest part. What’s hard Is the technology. I use Mailchimp for email distribution, WordPress for posting each edition online, and various other software apps.
See those links at the bottom of this article? One says, “Forward it to a friend HERE.” Another says, “Post it on X HERE.” The link to X (formerly Twitter) always gives me trouble; it requires a little custom coding.
It is not PhD level computer science, but to me, it used to be a challenge. So I went to Fiverr.com. Which is a great resource for hiring freelancers of all kinds: writers, editors, developers, coders. Just everything.
I described my issue and quickly got connected to Dima—a brilliant young woman with expertise in “php, javascript, and jquery,” according to her profile. She was way over-qualified.
Dima
Dima solved my problem in minutes, steering me to a site where I could complete the coding at no cost. She charged me nothing.
I noticed her profile included a designation of “UA” for her location. I said, “What is UA?” Then, stupidly, “USA?”
She said, “Ukraine.”
I said, “Oh wow.” Then, stupidly, “Be strong!”
Now we were chatting away about the Ukraine war and U.S. involvement.
She said, “Ukrainians are grateful for the help. We just got corrupted traitors in the government and russian barbarians who want to kill us.”
I said, “Are there many russian barbarians or only one?”
She said, “I don’t know for sure there was poll, nearly 50% want to kill us, and other 40% are ok with it!” She was referring to Russian citizens.
She went on. “In 2019 our nation chose traitors and corruption, a comedy man. The consequences of a weakening army, demining (sic) borders and stealing lots of money by the traitor comedian. When it all ends up, you will all be shocked. Look it up, it’s worth it.”
She was referring to Volodymyr Zelensky, the former comedian who became Ukraine’s president in 2019.
Our chat ended. But I refer back to the transcript regularly, whenever I need to create a new link to the X platform. Every time. I am reminded of Dima.
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Last week I tried to get back in touch with her. It was shortly after the Trump-Zelensky dust-up in the White House. On Fiverr.com, I added this message (shortened here) to our old existing thread:
“Are you still in Ukraine? How has your life been? Do you support Zelensky now? Are you optimistic about ending the war? What do you think of Trump? I hope you are safe and I wish you well.”
A week has gone by. I haven’t heard back from Dima, even after a few nudges. Her profile says she’s been online and active. But her silence is no surprise. Responding to me would have no upside, I figure, and the wrong words might land her in a Russian gulag.
Recently I followed her advice to investigate the traitor comedian. In the U.S., Zelensky has been revered as a freedom fighter, right? His friction with Trump has boosted his hero status.
But the following claims (not necessarily facts) came up in regard to Zalensky.
This post outlines his ties with the corrupt billionaires who bankrolled him, first in his show biz endeavors and then in politics. The support was a quid pro quo. Bizarrely, they produced a show in which a former actor became president of Ukraine. Then the fiction became reality.
Zelensky and his billionaire buddies continue to benefit enormously, financially, by continuation of the war, thanks to support from the U.S. and Europe. So says the commentator, an Irish journalist based in Moscow.
This post by a Columbia University professor disputes the notion that Russia invaded Ukraine unprovoked. He traces the 2022 invasion back to events beginning in 1990. Russia agreed to support a unified Germany on the condition that NATO would never move eastward from that country. Instead, NATO encroached toward Russia eight or nine times.
That claim is reiterated by this post characterizing the Zalensky regime as a brutal dictatorship. Men are snatched off the street and forced to fight on the front lines. Religion has been banned and the local press has been silenced, as Zalenksy and his partners continue to pilfer millions of U.S. dollars.
I don’t know what to make of it all. It seems like the allegations of my Fiverr connection had some merit. If you’re out there, Dima, please get back to me. I’d love to hear more of your unfiltered take on the war.
(Finally, readers should heed the links just below. All clicks are appreciated. But especially on the second one, given its cost in terms of human effort, blood, toil, and sacrifice.)
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