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"The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time", British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey remarked to a friend on the eve of the United Kingdom's entry into the First World War.

Woke up this morning at 6:30 to find out the world has gone to hell. Of course we were expecting it but still hard to grasp. Ukraine will now experience what the people of Donbas have endured for 8 years, thanks to Putin.

We are organizing to hunker down but have packed go-bags just in case. Even Lucky knows something is wrong as he wouldn't eat, just ran around his yard barking at everything. He'll eat tonight.

Gas stations are closed here to conserve fuel in case of evacuation. We are safe so far but who knows how fast the front will move west or north.

Do not believe unconfirmed videos or tweets as Russia is spreading a great deal of misinformation to panic people. For example there is no confirmed amphibious landing in Odessa. Some of the videos of explosions are faked.

Tell Biden to keep on keeping on!

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Thanks so much for keeping us informed. You're performing a valuable service by letting us know what's happening at ground level. I hope you stay safe. What's happening in Ukraine is what all my friends are talking about- you are not forgotten.

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Thank you for this information, Allen, for taking the time to touch base, even as you sit amidst the growing conflict. You and everyone in Ukraine are all I have thought about this week, and I think that is true for the majority of Americans. I have been following Ukrainian journalists and others, who I hope are reliable, on the news and Twitter all night, and remaining cautious about accepting anything at face value, but it certainly seems ominous and terrifying. Stay safe.🙏🏻

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Thank you. It gives me something to do besides worry

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How big is Lucky? Deerhound, or cat-chaser you can have fun with in the yard?

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40 kg German Shepherd 2.5 years old. 5 second attention span. Ears pick up signals from the cosmos.

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My brother has a slightly younger cousin of Lucky running around his back yard in Pennsylvania. Serious ball obsession, and the same radar ears. I'll have all of you in my heart as we watch developments from across the ocean. Thank you for continuing to inform us of what is happening and know that you have a world wide audience of support during this horrible time.

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Kiri, my 32kg mountain cur/pit bull/ German Shepard mix and I send greetings. Thank you for checking in. Be safe!!!

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We think Lucky is purebred but we don't know. He showed up at our door as a maybe 6 week old pup nearly starved to death. We nursed him for weeks before he recovered. Our granddaughter named him Lucky

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5 second attention span … 😁😁

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Pay attention to them ears, lol

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Love this!

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Thank you for the report and reminder. Wishing you safety.

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Our hearts and minds are with you, Allen. Courage, mon ami. Sending you strength and hope that this madness will subside, and that peace will reign.

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As it did. It wasn't a dangerous place before. Whatever's crawled into that man's head, I hope it can be dislodged by something that appeases him. He kept agreeing to talk with people - he had all the leaders of Europe on the phone being nice to him - what's addled him? USSR fixation? No, Novorossiya. I'm thinking now of the civil airliner full of Australian and Dutch families, accidentally shot out of the sky in 2014 by a Russian Buk missile (but not of course by a Russian) into a field of Ukrainian sunflowers. "On 9 June 2016, a Russian businessman claimed that the shooting down of the airliner put an end to the possibility of a creation of a pro-Russian Novorossiya confederation and prolonged the War in Donbass." Bucket list? He's nearly 70, and looking puffy.

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I’m thinking, on some level, that this was mulled over by chump and his handler at Helsinki or the July 2017 meeting with Putin. In fact, Vox reported in Jan 2019 that “the administration apparently has no notes of any of the many Trump-Putin interactions over a two year period.” Wonder why that would be???

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How can we get the translator at that meeting to "cough up" the notes, or at least verbally tell us what went on? At this stage, she is complicit in enabling Putin and Trump's adventures.

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She has a toilet too

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The translator was probably Natasha...I mean Melania. And, I believe that Putin speaks perfect English and needs no translator.

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Should be what our free press is for

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❤️ this. It is eery..but what comes out about tfg will also come out about putin. They are masters of distraction, obstruction and revenge.

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That distraction could be very costly if we take our collective eye and action away from voting rights, et al.

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☹️

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"They" are "masters" of nichego.., and 'jacks' of nichego. Their delusions of grandeur is fed by selfishness & ignorance of rich and poor alike. And..., there is plenty of it.

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Nichego????

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Yes, it seems more than coincidence that the installation of TFG and his insane connections with Putin and Russia are leading to this moment in history.

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A well-laid plan, I think. It could very well be the reason why chump allowed no notes regarding his meetings with Putty

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Totally agree…imagine what might happen with 4 more years of him 🤯🤬

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Yes, we don’t need much of an imagination. Just since this War began, TFG has praised Putin and supported his warmongering. The World at War. Wonder when TFG will be invited for a visit to the Kremlin.

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Jeri,

I apologize for my conspiracy tilted comments…but…that said and in light of tRump’s endorsement of Putin’s actions. Could this (Putin’s invasion plans) been in the works back during tRump’s presidency? Remember the meetings; no notes or extensive records! Perhaps they…tRump and Putin thought they might put together a mighty world wide, unstoppable conquering force. All the while never expecting a tRump 2020 defeat after the 2016 election win amidst alleged Russian tampering rumors(?)…this could also explain tRump’s desperate attempts to overturn President Biden’s victory. Further, think back during tRump’s four year debacle…recall what shaky ground the US was on with the rest of the World and thanks to tRump, how in ineffective NATO was perceived. Now Putin…committed to their plot and perhaps an unalterable timetable and has moved ahead…hoping against hope that tRump’s traitorous actions might still be able to come into play, considering his obvious re-election attempts. In addition…is it possible that all tRump’s “switch hitting” stooges are a part of it? There has to be some reason for their strange, erratic actions.

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It’s the only thing that makes sense to me. The courting of Russia even before day one, the trashing of Allie’s and NATO, the attempt to have his own “army” of sorts to divide and destroy (successful I might add), the no record of their communication, the back channels. It goes on and on. I think chump and Putin, along with oligarchs of choice and Republican cult nuts planned to rule. It’s not beyond the delusions of the most maglignant narcissists our our age.

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If DJT were still in power, all that military and humanitarian aid would have gone to Russia and the US would have aligned with no one. And his republican cronies would have enabled it.

How many of the 124000 that Biden got out of Afghanistan do you think would have gotten out in a DJT regime. Pick a number between 0 and, well, 0. DJT wanted to pull the troops and "leave the country a smoking ruin" and considering his lack of knowledge about nukes, guess how he would have done it. If you said - with Putins help, spot on!!

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I think they are just what they seem: strange erratic actions. If they have a purpose, it's just to distract us. But both T & P are blunt-force instruments. Not sure that sublety rises to a conscious level.

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Agree. Chump probably passed some classified information to Putin and that was the impetus behind this attack. Why else would Putin attack now?

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Why do you think there were top security documents at mar - a - lie - go . I bet putin paid good money for those before Biden closed that account.

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I would bet there is a view from 10,000 feet of a tapestry that is really ugly and has been woven for a very long time.

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Already flushed down the white house toilet. I guess a paper shredder was beyond tRUMPs technical ability. 🙄

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Interesting you too noted that Putin is looking puffy and bloated. He looked awful in his pictures with Ji at the Olympics. As a retired nurse I wondered if he were ill, maybe congestive heart failure in the early stages. I don't think he's well and perhaps this is manifesting in his poor judgment regarding Ukraine. Too bad he's dragging the rest of the world into his crazy thinking.

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If he's ill, and knows it, this looks more like nihilism than poor judgment.

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Just a thought that crawled into my head this morning.

Putin doubtless has to negotiate with other powers in Russia, and the world, and we know that he and Trump were in bed together in some kind of "arrangement." When Trump fell, and Biden rose, it had to change the calculus for Vlad by quite a lot, and I suspect he is facing a lot of pressure at home. I don't know enough to speculate what pressure, or from whom. But the descriptions of him are of a man who is being forced, backward, into something he really doesn't want to do. Not because of humanitarian instincts, but because he's likely screwed either way, and this is now the best (for him) of the unpalatable options available.

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Allen…Let us know when Lucky eats his bowl of food. That means safe place. We have you in every thought of safety and resolve. The people have been brave hearts all. Be assured that the majority of Americans support President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine and will not tolerate misinformation regarding this crisis. Salud, Allen.

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OK, I'll let you know when Lucky eats his food. I wish I could send you a video I have of him eating. For 65 seconds he look around, licks himself, and lays down beside his dish. He is so spoiled.

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Allen, you are an inspiration. You are all so courageous. It's true, we are all watching and with you in spirit.

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Bull. I'm scared spotless. I whistle in the dark

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Of course you are scared, you would not be human if you were not! To me, courage is being scared but getting through it. In fact, the dictionaries define it as "the ability to do something that frightens one" or " the choice and willingness to confront agony". I'll be thinking of you and Lucky all day and know our leaders will do the utmost. You are not alone, keep whistling!

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No big deal. There are 45 million Ukrainians doing the same thing and many are fighting and dying

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How come 28 people got to "heart" this and I couldn't, but could heart one above? I'm confused, but then confusion is probably a natural condition of being human. At any rate, what Sally said, and 28 people before me agreed with. Keep whistling in the dark, Allen. It gives us all hope.

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"I never knew how brave he was, until I saw how scared he was"

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Our hearts are breaking for you.

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Keep a record of what's happening. It might help. Thoughts are with you.

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🐶 Dogs are the most loyal of creatures. So glad he is there with you.

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Tanya went out at 4 pm and he ate everything. He is an outdoor dog. Tanya feeds and plays with him in the morning and I feed and play with him in the evening. Today we messed up his schedule. He is so like a toddler.

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Hahahahahahaha. Was with my BabyGrand 4 yr old yesterday. Was just thinking how she romps about like a puppy but somehow I can’t get one darn thing past her. Hahahaha

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So true: they are much the same. I just adopted a dalmation (mix, maybe, but I don't think so) a bit over a month ago. She's got me wrapped around her doggie thumb. Morning: I get up, get dressed right away because guess what? Beatrice is a morning person (I am not). She likes her morning constitutional and is getting to know the neighborhood without all the distractions of traffic (or light, as she is albanistic like me, with light-sensitive eyes). Then making sure her food is in place, though she doesn't eat it until noonish. The she goes to the woodstove and looks at me until I get the fire going. Furnace isn't enough for her. And of course I do all these things and spend the rest of my morning trying to catch up with myself. Love that doggie.

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Prayers for the people of Ukraine.

Be safe.

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We are all Ukrainians, Allen.

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Glad to hear from you, Allen. From US media, it's looking like an initial multipronged attack of missiles ahead of ground forces. Assuming you speak Ukrainian, do you also speak Russian? Wishing you safety.

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I have lit a candle in my house, far away, in Maine, for the Ukrainian people.

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Pam, thank you. I will do the same.

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Lighting a candle...is this an observance shared or just something you yourself are doing?

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I did it myself, but would love to know others are doing it, too. The flame is small, the hope it conveys is large.

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If this is just starting...could we promote an observance that is not flammable? I'd like to keeping it 24/7 but won't do that with a candle...how about something like "tie a ribbon 'round the ol' oak tree"...and maybe Blue for democracy? (other ideas welcome)

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Another thought is an electric candle you could put in a window (perhaps with a blue bulb?)

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Actually, I just turned on a low watt light, instead.

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I am also in Maine and I will follow your example.

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Doing the same. A small candle flame light always reminds me of the Light.

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Me too!

Edit: your later comment was a low watt light instead, but I am still lighting a candle here because it's safe for me to do so.

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I’m speechless Allen. Thank you for reaching out with your experience of this horror. Holding you all in prayer for a safe end to this nightmare. ❤️

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Be safe, take care and may your safety and those of other Ukranians somehow be delivered as your country undergoes a completely unprovoked attack by another short, insecure man with a large set of guns (like George "W" Bush for example).

I bet you guys all thought I meant Hitler. :-)

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Please stay safe.

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Thanks for this, Allen! Today I was up at 230a for a work meeting which was to include colleagues from Lutsk. Of course they were not present. Most of our meeting was silence, as we were lost in concern for them and all the people of Ukraine.

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Yes, the Lutsk airport was bombed

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Tears for all of Ukraine.

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A very sad day. Our hearts are heavy for you and your neighbors and all of Ukraine.

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Allen, thank you for your reports from "inside." The news of the "invasion" has made us sick here. Praying for the safety of you and all Ukrainians.

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Please be safe, Allen and family. Praying for Ukraine.

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A friend in Latvia just posted on FB - if you have a friend or family in Ukraine who needs a place to stay or needs help, call this number: +371 25728044!

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people in the NW of Ukraine may need that. Our route out is Romania if we are forced to leave.

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I know a prospective shelter family in the Czech Republic if you need it..

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The Carpathians look like a good shield. But it would be nicer to go there for a holiday... We're hanging on your every post.

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"Trump and his supporters praise Putin and dismiss Biden as crisis unfolds

By Meryl Kornfield

February 23 at 7:45 PM EST

As the United States seeks to rally its allies and impose tough penalties for Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine, a vocal group of Republicans and right-leaning commentators is expressing praise and admiration for the president’s strength and shrewdness. President Vladimir Putin, that is."

We should not underestimate the aod, comfort and encouragement that former President Donald Trump and his supporters have given Putin to undertake this assault o. Ukraine both when Trump was in office and up through today. Not only has Trump incited an attack on our Capitol that threatened US Congress men and women, which led to the deaths of Capitol police. But Trump is now responsible for giving Putin the expectation that he can get away with the deaths and destruction of Ukainian citizens and their country.

Right wing US media, probably with Russian support, has concocted all kinds of fake history and reasons why Russia is justified. Such as, Ukraine has always been part of Russia. Or that "Nazis" and "fascists" took over Ukraine, oppressing the people of Ukraine. Stalin and Russia attacked independent Ukraine in 1917, taking possession of this independent nation, starting the formation of what would become the Soviet Union. Russia has dominated, oppressed and imposed itself on Ukraine for 100 years. Russia starved Ukrainians for a period as it destroyed Ukraine's farming culture, to force development of state owned farms while sending people off to work in state factories. Ukraine's economy crumbled along with Russia's. After WWII, Stalin persecuted, rounded up and sent off to the gulags everyone in Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, who were not loyal to Stalin. Thus included both those labeled "Nazis", people who might have attachments to Germany and Europe, and national communist party members loyal to their country. These were countries ravaged by Nazi Germany and then by Russia as WWII was conducted back and forth.

Ukrainians deserve to live in peace in their own nation. This is why they on good terms with Russia after the dissolving of the Soviet Union, gave up their nuclear weapons, with promises by Russia to protect them. Now every smaller nation in the world from Morth Korea to Iran and Isreal will not give up their existing pr potential nuclear weapons. What Putin with support from Trumo and other right wing extremists around the world has done is make our world that much more dangerous. The dangers are both potential for severe wars and total distraction of attention and resources needed to address all of our domestic and international challenges like sustanable economic development and climate change. Our own Republicans have been selling us out, to covid19, to rewriting our elections for o e party control, and now to the expansion of Russia and other authoritarian nations. In the end, Americans may well kill ourselves with misinformation, supporting the spread of pandemics, oppressive authoritarianism and destruction of our climate and planet.

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This (invasion of Ukraine) is what happens when we leave guys like Donald Trump free to go about saying and doing as they please after an attempted coup.

Now? Trump leads his merry fellow travellers of authoritarian rule on a quest for not just US Domination but world domination.

This is why rapid arrest and jail for a criminal is important. Timing matters.

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Timing is everything, FDR knew that, we had better

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... then again, it may be of value to let them run their course, thinking they have free rein - then corral them in their own game and have done with it, once and for all ...? Lock them up and let it fester under the surface - maybe even gather steam - would be like suppressing the symptom rather than curing the disease ...?

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Certainly, letting the disease run its course does leave one with immunity that might not otherwise have developed.

Agree.

But, the disease might also kill you. In which case, you are dead.

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True. And that is the frontier of healing arts we are exploring today ... the way I see it Mike, we are going to die, one way or another - it's part of the life process. For myself, I expected to die a long time ago - learned to let go, live and die with every breath and let the river flow ... guess what - I'm still going ...

In the context of what to do with political players who are hell bent on undermining governmental infrastructure - given that much of that construct needs to change - how do we curtail corrupt, destructive influences and invite change that serves the best interest of all concerned?

People want to be free. Many feel that government involvement impairs freedom - while others recognize the value and importance of government to serve and support freedom - whether for a select few, or the larger population.

So, how do we serve the health of the whole body, while supporting the strength and integrity of every cell?

I know very little about social structures, and dynamics of law and penal systems. I do have a sense that networks of communication and interaction are woven into fabrics of influence that operate beyond prison walls - within and without system parameters. So, just putting someone in prison may not solve the problem - in fact, might just enhance their capacities to do more damage.

It might help to examine what powers represent true authority in the global equation - keeping in mind that when one contingent overcomes another, the submissive element may be viewed as criminal in relation to the newly imposed body of law - and as the wheel turns again, the extant dominant force may likewise have to submit to the next governing body.

Just offhand, I have a feeling that the Kremlin holds in it's depths, a power beyond what we can imagine - it is just possible that the 'free world' of today with it's excessive ambitions and appetites dependent on pollutive, volatile energy systems violating core ecological and cultural values needs to be curtailed.

So even as we view ourselves as defenders of freedom and just governance, we need to take a deep inventory of what exactly we are defending ... the 'enemy' may not be so easily defined as one nation or another - or one system over another ... maybe we all need to examine more closely what exactly we are fighting for ... who needs to change what to work for a healthier world for one and all ....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PivWY9wn5ps

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👍🏼

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And yet he (and his cohorts) still runs free…no words to describe my frustration. 🤬😡🤯😠

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There are words but not for “normal political discourse.” Hahahaha, unless I turn repub

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We must pay attention. “Our own Republicans have been selling us out, to covid19, to rewriting our elections for o e party control, and now to the expansion of Russia and other authoritarian nations. In the end, Americans may well kill ourselves with misinformation, supporting the spread of pandemics, oppressive authoritarianism and destruction of our climate and planet.“ By Meryl Kornfield

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No R who has voted for that travesty and any of his minions can claim to be a patriot, a Christian, or a decent person. As an aside, I had a massage yesterday and my LMT is a vet who served on an aircraft carrier and he told me that every time a war like this happens, his post traumatic stress syndrome kicks up. I also see lots of prayers and thoughts for Ukraine on other threads. I am sending reiki energy to the people of Ukraine. When I see that monster Putin, I always think how a relatively few egos are ruining the world.

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Michele, I will add another universal prayer, sending universal Qi, energy, I have shared before. In Qigong and with a push-pull movement or anytime in thought or movement:

May all beings be free from suffering

May we ( or name or country)

be free from suffering

May all beings know joy

May …. know joy

May all beings know Peace

May … know Peace

Sending Hope and Love to the Ukrainian people and all victims of this War and Madness.

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This is beautiful. Thank you. I feel these various energies are actually very similar. We need to get the universal energy flowing to Ukraine and any who are affected by it. Joining you at this moment in your universal prayer.

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Feel free to share the positive Qi, the healing energy. We hope to connect to people in so many ways.

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American GOP “patriots” rail against losing their freedoms because of covid rules, while at the same time encourage the “genius” Putin for his authoritarian strategic aggression against the free people of Ukraine as the actually blame President Biden for “weakness”

Its surreal

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I can hardly watch a nanosecond of the insanity. Fox on steroids all around. it saps our hope slowly and continuously, and encourages the insurrectionists who are chomping at the bit while praising the evil

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What gets me is that one of the first things authoritarian do is take over the "news" media. Murdoch, Bannon & the like will be under the thumb of the ruler. How can they not know that? If that's winning.....

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What’s disturbing is the public media, PBS news continues to blame Biden and members of cabinet and administration for all the ills of this country and the world. Sometimes subtle sometimes not. Like collective amnesia or blindness to Truth. Even with positive stories the negative lives in people’s memories. That’s how trash media survives.

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They are hypocrites of the highest order and love being jerks because it sets everyone else off.

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