March 5, 2022

People around the world are booking Airbnbs in Ukraine. They don't plan to check in

(CNN) Volodymyr Bondarenko spends most of his day holed up in his apartment in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Between listening for air-raid sirens and frantically messaging family for updates, he trades messages with a flurry of Airbnb guests booking his one-bedroom rental in the heart of Ukraine's capital. Sometimes, he sends a crying emoji. Other times, the praying hands emoji. It's his way of thanking those who are booking his apartment -- even though they have no intention of ever showing up at his door.

Airbnb hosts in Ukraine are being flooded with bookings from people all over the world who have no plans to visit. It's part of a creative social media campaign to funnel money to besieged Ukrainians who need financial assistance as Russian forces bombard their country and cut off services.

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People are leaving messages of support for their Ukrainian hosts. The call for guests to book Airbnbs in Ukraine started online, where supporters urged people to book rooms as close to a check-in date as possible to ensure hosts receive fees quickly. Airbnb typically issues a payout about 24 hours after a guest checks in.

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In her booking, Daniel included a message for the host:
"I hope that you, and your lovely apartment, are safe and that this horrible war is over ... and Ukraine is safe," it said. "I will come and see you one day, please count on it, and will stay with you when we visit. God bless you and God be with you, your city, your country."
Her host, Olga Zviryanskaya, soon responded.
"We will be glad to see you in the peaceful city of Kyiv and hug," she said.

Read More: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ukraine-airbnb-donations-cec/index.html

March 3, 2022

Roosevelt's "The Man in the Arena"

This has been on my mind a lot lately, thought I would share....

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

March 3, 2022

$1 million bounty on Putin offered by Russian businessman

(The Jerusalem Post / MSN) A $1,000,000 bounty for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin was offered to military officers by Russian entrepreneur Alex Konanykhin in a post he published on social media this week, as Russia continued its invasion of Ukraine.

"I promise to pay $1,000,000 to the officer(s) who, complying with their constitutional duty, arrest(s) Putin as a war criminal under Russian and international laws," wrote Konanykhin on LinkedIn. "Putin is not the Russian president as he came to power as the result of a special operation of blowing up apartment buildings in Russia, then violated the Constitution by eliminating free elections and murdering his opponents."

"As an ethnic Russian and a Russian citizen, I see it as my moral duty to facilitate the denazification of Russia. I will continue my assistance to Ukraine in its heroic efforts to withstand the onslaught of Putin's Orda," added the businessman. Orda is the Russian word for "horde," a predatory, plundering gang.

The post was accompanied by an image with a photo of Putin and the words "Wanted: Dead or alive. Vladimir Putin for mass murder."

Read More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/1-million-bounty-on-putin-offered-by-russian-businessman/ar-AAUvfnL?li=BBorjTa

March 2, 2022

Here is how South Floridians can help Ukrainians

(Local10News) MIAMI – The nonprofit sector is asking for donations to help support Ukrainians. Volunteers report there is a need for medical supplies, food, and blankets.


- The Greater Miami Jewish Federation has a fund to assist the Ukrainian Jewish community and is accepting donations via credit card.

- The International Committee of the Red Cross is asking the public to contribute to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in Ukraine via PayPal or credit card.

- Support Hospitals of Ukraine is raising funds to send 20 40-foot containers to Ukrainian hospitals in Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and other cities.

- Ukrainian LGBT Military, created with the support of the NGO Point of Support and the Canadian CFLI Foundation, is accepting donations on PayPal (@ICLOUD with +14152799995) or transfers.

And many more:

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/02/28/here-is-how-south-floridians-can-help-ukrainians/

February 27, 2022

A little Hamilton music for you today.

&ab_channel=Lin-ManuelMiranda-Topic

February 24, 2022

Horrifying Photos Show Immediate Effects Of Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

*My heart just breaks for our brothers and sisters suffering in Ukraine....

(Huffington Post) Early photos of smoke, fire, bodies and bloodshed have emerged following the start of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military incursion into Ukraine, offering a small but powerful glimpse into the wide-ranging attack that’s left the country’s cities and military bases battling a barrage of deadly air and missile strikes.

The photos, taken mere hours after Russia launched its first assaults in the early hours of Thursday morning, come as Russia carries out a long-anticipated invasion of the former Soviet republic. The attacks first started from the air, and Ukrainian authorities later reported ground assaults as well.

Russian troops crossed Ukraine’s borders from the north, east and south, and explosions were reported in regions throughout the country, including in the capital of Kyiv. There, photos appear to show Russian military helicopters flying on the outskirts of the city and a Ukrainian military aircraft smoldering in a field after it was shot down.

Other photos, taken outside of the capital, show blasted apartment complexes, wounded and dead civilians, and others attempting to flee.

Here is a selection of those photos. NOTE: Some may be disturbing.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ukraine-russia-bombings-photos_n_6217953de4b0f800ce1d42e7

February 17, 2022

Florida wildlife officials are distributing 3,000 pounds of lettuce a day to save starving manatees

(CNN) Florida's manatees -- which are dying at an alarming rate, largely from starvation -- are being treated to tons of lettuce a week as part of a new feeding program that state wildlife officials say is showing signs of success.

An average of 350 manatees a day are now coming to eat the greens being distributed at a temporary field response station in Cape Canaveral, along Florida's east coast, officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said Wednesday.

The program was launched earlier this year as officials work to address the unusual manatee mortality event along the state's Atlantic coast. Last year, more than 1,000 manatees in the state died, according to the commission -- the highest recorded number of manatee deaths in decades.

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"At this point in time, we have been successful. Manatees are eating the romaine," said Mezich. "We are exposing large amount of animals to this food source and we are making a difference."

Read More: https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/16/us/florida-starving-manatee-feeding-program-trnd-scn/index.html

February 9, 2022

Thank you so much for the extra hearts!

So appreciated - really!

February 9, 2022

Body of 70-year-old Italian woman found sitting in chair, two years after her death

(CNN) The body of a 70-year-old woman has been found in her house in northern Italy, two years after her death.

Marinella Beretta lived alone near Lake Como in Lombardy. Her decomposed body was discovered on Friday by the Como fire brigade following complaints that a tree had fallen in her gardenas a result of overgrown vegetation, Como City Hall press officer Francesca Manfredi confirmed to CNN on Wednesday. Beretta's body was found sitting in a chair in the living room, CNN affiliate SkyTg24 reported on Monday.

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Como mayor Mario Landriscina has invited the town's residents to attend Beretta's funeral. He told Italian press on Tuesday that the local government would take care of the funeral arrangements. "I will try to be there and I invite the city to be present," Landriscina said, adding: "This is the moment to be together, and even if this woman had no relatives, we could become her relatives."

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"What happened to Marinella Beretta in Como, the forgotten loneliness, hurts our consciences," she said. "Remembering her life is the duty of a community that wants to remain united." Bonetti added: "Taking care of each other is the experience of families, institutions, of our being citizens. No one should be alone."

Read More: https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/09/europe/italian-woman-two-years-dead-intl-scli/index.html

February 8, 2022

Thank you so much for the valentine heart!

I haven't been able to go on DU as much as I used to, what a wonderful and warm welcome back!