I am on my way to bed and I don’t have anything in particular to get you all started, but I have one idea.
It’s been a few days since the Ukraine update from Adam. How about if we crowd source information about Ukraine and supply any good Ukraine links that you have?
Or even just talk about what you’ve been thinking and how you feel about what’s happening.
I loved this photo that Subaru Diane sent me.
But if crowd-sourcing Ukraine info doesn’t grab you, that’s okay.
Totally open thread. Talk about whatever you want.
On a similar note, I’m also very much feeling the lack of Tony Jay’s updates on Flobalob’s latest. With his (unlike Adam’s) absence comes a real hope someone nearby has done a wellness check though.
Sort of funny, but Florida man intrudes — https://triviahappy.com/articles/the-tasteless-history-of-the-peeing-calvin-decal#:~:text=Reporter%20Tom%20Zucco%20described%20%E2%80%9Ca,newspaper%20mentions%20across%20the%20South.
IT’S ALIVE!
That kid echos the feelings of a lot of humans on this planet.
Nobody wants my updates, trust me.
@ scav
Did I misunderstand your comment?
Tony Jay commented here on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and today.
@Gin & Tonic
Why not?
heartbreaking: https://twitter.com/bbclysedoucet/status/1528340550943969281
ICYMI Shocking stats: “9 out of 10 Ukrainians will fall into poverty if this war continues until end of year..a shocking number especially that it comes from a 2.5% poverty rate, just before the war started.”
@Manalfouani
@UNDPUkraine
told
@BBCWorld
#UkraineRussiaWar #Ukraine
@Chetan Murthy
That’s a good reminder for me to try to dig out the thermometer for the 5 Ukraine charities. I must have that in an email somewhere.
If you don’t see it up by the end of Tuesday, maybe remind me?
I’d love it if Adam could post his updates/analyses here. There’s so much information out in the wild, and impossible to determine how reliable it is.
This is a test comment but true. I am so glad for this new space, I avoided this space when Balloon Juice was gone, but so glad you are back. During the hiatus I had to research PA candidate Kathy (NOT Kathryn) Barnette (Trump would have picked me if he really knew me) all on my own!. She lost, so no further updates.
Given the seriousness of this topic and the amount of bad and misleading information out there–not to mention fog of war and all that–i think it’s better left to subject matter experts.
I helped an adorable Ukrainian lady today.
Fuck Putin.
And God bless the Ukrainians for treating the captured invaders with kindness.
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Judith Nunn @Judith54Nunn
I’m starting to really feel the Labor win. I just started crying watching Anthony Albanese being sworn in as Australia’s 31st Prime Minister.
#LaborWins #AlboIsPM
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As Ukrainians have dispersed throughout Europe and other parts of the world, volunteers and agencies are working hard to help them survive and thrive. One such person is Tanja Maier, an American who lives in Austria and is fluent in Russian. She has been volunteering at the Vienna train station since early March, translating, helping people with food, tickets, housing, etc. She began giving out 50-Euro grocery cards when she realized many of the displaced families did not have enough money to shop for food.
She writes on twitter: https://twitter.com/tanjamaier17
and has a substack (free) https://tanjamaier.substack.com/about
There is now an app if you would like to donate money to help her card distribution project
https://cards-for-ukraine.at/donateto her card
Michael Weiss, news editor at New Lines Mag, has a pretty informative Twitter feed covering many angles of Russia’s invasion. @michaeldweiss
@mrmoshpotato
Are you referring to something in particular?
@beautifulPlumage
Thanks for that.
@Water Girl
Oh Good! I must have just missed Tony Jay or just not discovered here yet. Still, the latest Party Harty Photos are making the rounds just now. I’m off to read the back catalog while anticipating captions for the latest.
@David Koch etc
Glad you found our little temporary home!
@Sandia Blanca
Thanks for sharing that.
I posted this in the dead thread downstairs:
Reddit thread from someone who claims to be on the inside:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/urybn4/365_data_centers_ransomware_attack/i9rg0f8/
I have no idea if it’s legit. Caveat emptor.
FWIW.
Cheers,
Scott.
Pretty sure I’ve found this blog’s dog.
https://twitter.com/jessi_asli/status/1528843601303715842
Excellent Moscow Times reporting on Russian depleted armed forces scrambling to recruit replacements: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/05/23/russia-scrambles-for-soldiers-amid-ukraine-war-manpower-shortage-a77750
Has Viva BrisVegas chimed in anytime recently?
@Watergirl
Fuck Putin in general.
And UATVEnglish on YouTube has videos of captured Russian troops.
@NotMax
I vaguely remember seeing a comment since the temporary site was put up.
Basically, I’m holding on for the Aussies – it’s not over whether Labour will have its own majority or not. There’s one seat in Brisbane, iirc, and 5 others. Anyway it’s ok. If they need a coalition, they can has one.
One of the things about transferable preferential ballots is that the counting isn’t necessarily fast. But worth waiting for.
Tony Jay? I think he’s respecting the limits of our BJ current environment.
He’s welcome to rant any time
When I announced that I have Covid, I think that was on Friday, someone asked if I could get Paxlovid. I don’t remember who that was, but today my doctor sent me an email offering it to me. Tomorrow I have a virtual office visit with her, and then she can prescribe it for me.
I’m doing pretty well but still not up to snuff yet. Kind of like a really nasty cold, and just when you think you’re getting better you start having coughing fits. That’s about where I am right now.
I’m still quarantining in the guest room, but mr opiejeanne is starting to come down with something that seems a lot like the way this started.
@opiejeanne: Youse get back up to snuff.
Holla if ya need snuff, I know a guy.
@HumboldtBlue: Thanks. You’re da best.
I thought everyone might be interested in seeing this from the Reddit post noted upthread.
The news is VERY BAD for getting Balloon Juice back anytime soon – like not before summer, or maybe not ever.
Here is the exchange:
First, a 365 anonymous employee guy posts: “Hey, I’m an employee, feel free to ask whatever you want and I’ll answer to the best of my ability”
So then a Redditer asks him these questions:
“1.) What is going on? Is it ransomware?
2.) If yes to 1, have they or are they going to pay.
3.) When are we going to have our data back?
4.) Why do they have a twitter and fb account when they do not use it?
5.) Why do they refuse to communicate in any meaningful way with customers?
6.) Are you working on your resume?”
In reply, the 365 anon employee posts these answers:
“- yes
– idk they don’t tell me that
– expect it’ll be a long time. Like weeks to months realistically. It could be sooner but knowing the people involved on our side I’m not hopeful.
– lol great question. It’s like one dude who does marketing, he’s not really qualified to handle this sort of thing.
– that’s coming from the CEO. I think it’s a legal liability thing. The messaging is being controlled very tightly.
– my job’s not at risk 😉 but yeah it’s not an enjoyable place to work.”
@Cathie from Canada. That does not sound good.
I miss Adam’s updates and appreciate his work more than ever. Scary to think about ransomware.
Beyond Adam, my main source for deep context on the war has been Kamil Galeev. Highly recommend all his twitter threads since Feb 24th: https://mobile.twitter.com/kamilkazani
Everybody in my life seems to have covid (but not me). I hope Pfizer and BioNTech will rescue us again.
A fellow that we know is an author, but y’know, celebrates when he sells a single volume, so he doesn’t make a whole lot of money from it. He recently sent me something tracing all of the world’s ills back to various women. I had to stop him when he blamed the fall of the Roman Empire on Cleopatra. I’m like, wait a sec! I’ve known the whole Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Marc Antony story since high school (Had a poster with Claudette Colbert s her back in college), so I’m familiar with the story. She played a role in the fall of the Roman Republic and its transition to an empire, but essentially, she gets added to the story because hey, adding a pretty woman to a story jazzes things up. She’s an interesting historical figure, but clearly the fellow has a problem with blaming woman for his troubles.
Opiejeanne, take care youse guys! Hope the paxlovid helps.
In light of 365 insider tips seems like establishing a deadline for Plan B might be useful?
In the meantime, I would settle for numbered posts and a slightly bolder font. 🙂
From my Former WordPress days, I recall this being something as simple as just picking another template and everything instantly changes. Am I misremembering?
@NotMax
Viva BrisVegas commented on 5/20 and 5/21.
@BellyCat:
We have this. It’s nowhere near as comfy as what we had before, but for now it will do. I confess, I’m a bit wary of any alterations to our new (and let’s hope, temporary) digs that are not strictly necessary.
@BellyCat
You can change themes for sure. I spent hours going through themes to find one that with a setup that would look at all familiar and do the things we needed it to do.
If that supposed employee thinks their job is not at risk, then they are stupider than you can imagine. It’s held by private equity. They’ll shut it down and throw everyone out without blinking.
BellyCat May 24, 2022 at 7:31 AM
…,I would settle for numbered posts and a slightly bolder font.
Me too! This light font is hard on my old eyes. And I also miss the numbers. With those two things restored. I’d learn to live without an edit function.
If everything the Reddit poster says is true, I feel for Cole. The record of his most important life’s work, gone in a POOF! I hope the fact that it continues despite it all, is a comfort to him.
@Gin & Tonic
My experience with various VC shuffles is they were straight about stopping Fucked Company from bleeding anymore cash, but that didn’t stop daydream believing employees spinning fairytales about a turnaround.
@BellyCat
I think you mean numbered comments and not numbered posts?
@Ohio Mom
That font was hard on my eyes, too.
I have changed us to the font that we use on Balloon Juice. It’s better, but still light at the moment.
Rich2506: “I had to stop him when he blamed the fall of the Roman Empire on Cleopatra.”
Yeah. Isn’t the Roman Empire usually considered to start with Augustus, the first emperor? That happened about 20 years after Julius died.
Julius Caesar is responsible for the end of the Republic.
@opiejeanne – hope you and mr. opiejeanne feel better soon.
jinchi, yes. Cleopatra was active and involved during that period from Caesar to Augustus. She just wasn’t responsible for any of that happening.