Nuclear Winter, Updated: Ukraine

TO THE CHINESE SAYING MAY YOU LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES:
I say, No!
I'd rather live in truly calm times.
 
Well, except for ribaldry, wild laughter, running through piney woods, warm hugs, love, loping barefoot in the sand, galloping on a fine steed, reading an exquisitely written book, dancing, hearing great music, seeing live theater and transformative films, traveling to foreign lands, meeting more new people, hearing new hopes, dreams and tales, seeing acts of loving kindness to animals, the planet and our fellow humans.
 
Except for those things, and to enable those things, I'd rather have calm times.
 
Not "calm before the storm" times.

Written Sunday, October 8, 2017
For the record, before what looks like an inevitable nuclear war descends upon us.

UPDATE MARCH 15, 2022S
OMG. UKRAINE. PUTIN, AND TOO MANY AMERICANS BACKING THE INSANITY
For once, I wish I weren't fairly good at seeing the future. My heart is broken every single day as more and more atrocities are being levied against innocent, talented, brave, beautiful people. While I am heartened by the folks on the front lines coming to the aid of such a genuine, brave, charismatic leader, President Zelenskyy,  the world needs to do more. I hope that happens in time.

Many of us here in the US feel hopeless, and helpless. But if we cannot go there, we can contribute to any one or more of a number of organizations bringing help in the form of food, clothing, housing. And please do not forget that pets are always in the crosshairs as well. In fact the story of a Russian soldier killing a Ukrainian man's dog after shooting the man in the leg, I was so outraged. In fact, I've been alternately outraged and in tears since this started.

As  have so many around the world.

The only good thing to come of this heinous campaign being waged by a very nasty man is this: democracies are coming together in a way no one thought possible., after 20 years of deliberate attacks by Putin, campaigns of disinformation aimed to cause us to come to violence within our borders, rising racism, antisemitism, anti-intellectualism,  hatred of the "other," it is a hopeful sign that more people around the globe are uniting to fight against this totalitarian road, and defending democracy. "

#SlavaUkraini!  #Ukraine  #SaveOurDemocracies  #PeaceNotBombs
The Ukrainian national anthem sung at The Metropolitan Opera House, NYC
Charities that are doing important work to help refugees - at this date 3 million in just 2 weeks of this slaughter -  and those in Ukraine.
A number of other excellent charities doing a variety of wonderful types of work for the Ukrainian nation, its people and animals:

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Save The Children

Doctors Without Borders

World Central Kitchen

International Fund For Animal Welfare