I’m not super-good at remembering this, but it’s still good and worth trying for.

For the record, I’ll be ok with paying $6, $7, or more for gas if it’s as a result of sanctions against Russia while they’re in Ukraine. I’ll also be happy with extra taxes to subsidize the gas expenses for people who can’t afford a hike like that and still need to get to work bagging groceries and cleaning toilets.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/05/world/russia-ukraine#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20current%20leadership%20needs%20to%20understand%20that%20if%20they%20continue%20doing%20what%20they%20are%20doing%2C%20they%20risk%20the%20future%20of%20Ukrainian%20statehood%2C%E2%80%9D%20Mr.%20Putin%20said.

I’m not the only one who hears this as the language of the abuser, am I?

““The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood,” Mr. Putin said. ”

Russia splits Ukraine in half? Western half joins NATO with understanding that claims to eastern half & Crimea will be pressed later, if ever? Eastern half maintains resistance to Russian rule, and Russia withdraws after death/retirement of Putin? Crimea returns to Ukraine with agreement to a 100-year lease of naval base to Russia??? (Prolly too much to hope for.)

So… just to say… I’m enjoying watching the Ukrainians give the Russians a hard time from the comfort of my couch as much as any other American, and i do hope the U.S. and the West continue to send munitions, but the racism at the Ukrainian borders (on both sides) and the fact that Turkey uses Bayraktar drones to kill Kurds just kinda gives the whole thing a bit of an off flavor.

Oh, and civilians displaced or killed and 18-year-olds killed in combat, whether they signed up for it or not (Russia has a draft).

eduardo (@celquie) Tweeted: Sharing my wife’s words https://t.co/LZNTvCQjqd https://twitter.com/celquie/status/1496727920081051651?s=20&t=2OKEI_QbFcAX0OM8HGLQ3Q

https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww/status/1499028990698438656?s=20&t=TVZ5xMV3rIrA78mvlbAiEg

Ag Twitter meets Ukraine Twitter, as it should.

Dr Sarah Taber (@SarahTaber_bww) Tweeted: This is the legendary chornozem soil at work. Dark grassland soils with so much organic matter, they suck up water all winter long & stay pretty moist even during summer dry spells. they are a BITCH on heavy artillery in cold, sloppy spring weather though lmaooooooo https://t.co/Wus0EimLDz

https://twitter.com/BettyBowers/status/1499938605019586565?s=20&t=TVZ5xMV3rIrA78mvlbAiEg

I am impressed at this speed.

Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) Tweeted: “The United States has delivered nearly 70 percent of the $350 million package [of Javelin antitank missiles, rocket launchers, guns, & ammunition that President Biden approved this week] to Ukraine’s military,” a senior Pentagon official said on Friday. https://t.co/7Hitamhuh3

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/04/us/politics/russia-ukraine-weapons.html

I remember two years ago standing in my office, discussing the crazy epidemic Wuhan, China was experiencing with my officemates, wondering how they were going to cope with it.

Never once imagining what was coming, including, for me, a layoff.

Now, we’re discussing crazy events in another far-off city, Kiev, Ukraine, wondering how they’ll deal with it.

Suddenly, it occurs to me that maybe I should be wondering what’s coming for me here.

Nice. If they’re mixing styrofoam in, that’s a bit more napalm-y than a straight Molotov cocktail.

https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/from-molotov-cocktails-to-blocking-stree-idUSRTS5Z24K/1593095825 via @Reuters