Primal Fears

 Why This War Scares Boomers

When you ask the typical baby boomer what the formative memories from our childhoods were, most of us would probably cite the school air raid drills where we would hide under our desks, practicing in case of nuclear war.

We might also cite the polio pandemic, rock n’ roll, Disney movies, and a bunch of other cultural cues — Elvis, drive-ins, bobby socks, cowboy shows, etc.

As young adults, most of us remember the JFK assassination, civil rights, the anti-Vietnam War movement, women’s lib, Silent Spring, McCarthyism and more rock n’ roll.

The main story-tellers of our generation were a few years older than us — sort of our big sisters and brothers. The first boomers came along in at the end of World War II in 1946. Bob Dylan was born in 1941, John Lennon in 1940. Our few heroes were much older — MLK was born in 1929; JFK in 1917.

In today’s world, the worst boomers among our entire generation — Putin (1952), Trump (1946) — have risen to power, proving that every age has its scoundrels. And along with them they have brought back our worst nightmare — the specter of nuclear war that would end human life on this planet.

That is the primary and primal fear instilled in us traumatically as school children. Only someone as evil as Putin can truly comprehend the cruelty of his brandishing of nuclear threats to his fellow boomers. It is psychological warfare at its worst.

Today’s News (71):

1. Putin appears at big rally as troops press attack in Ukraine (AP)

2. Biden, Xi Talk as U.S. Threatens Actions if China Backs Russia in Ukraine War (WSJ)

3. In video call, Biden presses China’s Xi on Russia support (AP)

4. China’s decisive turning point: will it side with Russia and divide the world? (Guardian)

5. Russia batters Ukraine with bombs (WP)

6. Russia fired missiles at an airport near Lviv, a city where hundreds of thousands found refuge far from Ukraine's battlefields, as Moscow tries to regain the initiative in its stalled campaign. (Reuters)

7. Russia has attacked Lviv. Here's why the western city is so important to Ukraine's defense (CNN)

8. Russian missiles hit a fighter jet repair facility in the closest strike yet to Lviv (NPR)

9. Zelensky: 'Moral defeat' awaits West if it doesn't send more aid (CNN)

10. UN: 6.5 million people displaced inside Ukraine due to war (AP)

11. Putin Turned to a Chechen Warlord to Intimidate Ukraine. It Hasn’t Worked. (WSJ)

12. 109 empty strollers sit in a Lviv square, representing children killed in the war (NPR)

13. 130 survivors emerge but 1,300 remain inside bombed Mariupol theater, Ukrainian officials say (WP)

14. Gun battles as Russian troops reach Mariupol city centre, says mayor (BBC)

15. Marina Ovsyannikova on Becoming Russia’s Most Visible Antiwar Protester (WSJ)

16. TV anti-war protester 'wants to stay' in Russia (NHK)

17. Why Putin Is Hell-Bent on Capturing Ukraine’s Nuclear Reactors (Daily Beast)

18. In Ukraine’s second city, a furious rain of bombs and rockets takes a toll: ‘There are no coffins left’ (NYT)

19. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa blamed NATO for the war in Ukraine and said he would resist calls to condemn Russia, in comments that cast doubt over whether he would be accepted by Ukraine or the West as a mediator. (Reuters)

20. Ukraine war: The women tracing missing relatives (BBC)

21. Russia's wars in Chechnya offer a grim warning of what could be in Ukraine (NPR)

22. Why Vladimir Putin Invokes Nazis to Justify His Invasion of Ukraine (NYT)

23. All of the companies still doing business in Russia (Fortune)

24. Over 400 companies have withdrawn from Russia. But some Western brands are locked in (CNBC)

25. Western companies that maintain a presence in Russia to provide essential goods such as food and medicines are trying to strike a balance between President Vladimir Putin's government and advocates of Ukraine pulling them in opposite directions. (Reuters)

26. Telegram Thrives Amid Russia’s Media Crackdown — Russia’s campaign to restrict access to Twitter, Facebook and other sources of uncensored information on its invasion of Ukraine has skipped one crucial platform: the social media and chat app Telegram. (WSJ)

27. Holding down front lines, providing medical care, evacuating civilians: Stories of the Ukrainian women who joined the fight (WP)

28. This Is Why Autocracies Fail (David Brooks/NYT)

29. GOP shrugs off Trump impeachment echoes in Russia-Ukraine war

    The former president withheld aid from the same nation that Republicans are accusing Joe Biden of slow-walking aid to. They don't see the parallels. (Politico)

30. American gunmakers help Ukrainians fight back against Putin (AP)

31. Putin likens opponents to 'gnats,' signaling new repression (ABC)

32. As crisis in Ukraine grows, aid agencies rush in supplies (AP)

33. War Strands Ukrainian and Russian Tourists Together in Egyptian Resorts (NYT)

34. Ukraine war ups pressure for US oil; industry faces hurdles (AP)

35. James Whitney Hill, known to friends as Jimmy, was reportedly killed by heavy artillery attacks on unarmed civilians in the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv. The 68-year-old American freelance lecturer had traveled to Chernihiv to seek treatment for his partner Irina, a Ukrainian citizen who has multiple sclerosis, a friend said. In his final Facebook post Hill said bombing had intensified and there was no way out. [HuffPost]

36. Russian oil sale to India complicates Biden’s efforts (AP)

37. Propaganda war rages as Russians face huge pressure to back invasion (Financial Times)

38. "Ukraine did not start this war, neither did nationalists or Nazis. This is not the Russian people's war." (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

39. Ukraine appears to have stalled Russia's advance. Here's what that could mean (NPR)

40. Former Russian foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev: ‘I don’t buy this talk that Putin cannot back down’ (Financial Times)

41. Ukrainian Paralympian returns to Kyiv, calls for peace (NHK)

42. The Left Has Good Answers on Ukraine — Being anti-war isn’t naive, but a serious, considered, and humane position. (Atlantic)

43. Russian Hearts and Minds Matter. Here’s How to Reach Them. (Politico)

44. The world is at a 'dangerous moment' in the fight against diseases like polio, a senior World Health Organization official said, as efforts begin to immunize 23 million children across five African countries after an outbreak in Malawi. (Reuters)

45. Thousands of Afghans who evacuated their country following the U.S. withdrawal last year will be given temporary protected status for 18 months in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security announced. This comes after DHS issued a similar designation earlier this month to Ukrainian, Sudanese, and South Sudanese nationals living in the United States as refugees from their countries’ continuing wars and violence. [HuffPost]

46. The Taliban will allow girls around Afghanistan to return to class when high schools open next week, an education official said, after months of uncertainty over whether the group would allow full access to education for girls and women. (Reuters)

47. The Other Afghan Women — In the countryside, the endless killing of civilians turned women against the occupiers who claimed to be helping them. (New Yorker)

48. Clandestine Finance System Helped Iran Withstand Sanctions Crush, Documents Show (WSJ)

49. Trump’s ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows investigated for voter registration fraud (Guardian)

50. New Secret Service report details growing incel terrorism threat — The federal government on Tuesday released a study on the growing terrorism threat from men who call themselves "anti-feminists" or "involuntary celibates" and draw motivation for violence from their inability to develop relationships with women. Since 2014, attacks inspired by the "incel movement" and spanning the U.S. and Canada have left dozens dead. (CBS)

51. Jan. 6 trial centers on lingering mystery: Where was Mike Pence as riot raged? (Politico)

52. Republicans Push Crackdown on Crime Wave That Doesn’t Exist: Voter Fraud (NYT)

53. Moderna seeks FDA authorization for 4th dose of COVID shot (AP)

54. COVID cases predicted to rise in coming weeks because of new BA.2 variant (ABC)

55. Ivermectin Didn’t Reduce Covid-19 Hospitalizations in Largest Trial to Date (WSJ)

56. A key figure in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told an undercover FBI agent that he wanted to restrain the “tyrant” on a table then pose for a photo “like we just made the biggest drug bust,” according to a secret recording played for jurors. Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are charged with conspiracy. [AP]

57. ‘Finish Them Off’: Aid Workers, Found on Battlefield, Executed by Soldiers

    Three employees of Doctors Without Borders set out to rescue the wounded in a war zone in northern Ethiopia. Their fate shows the treacherous path for many aid workers in conflict zones. (NYT)

58. Our universe may have a twin that runs backward in time (LiveScience)

59. Another search for Planet 9 comes up empty (Space.com)

60. Ranking 2022 NCAA tournament men's basketball coaches as players, 1-68 (ESPN)

61. Researcher uses 379-year-old algorithm to crack crypto keys found in the wild (Ars Technica)

62. Progressives take aim at Google’s blockchain foray (Politico)

63. Here's how Americans view facial recognition and driverless cars — The most strongly opposed applications of artificial intelligence focused on computer chip brain implants and driverless cars. (NPR)

64. Biden’s chance to tackle climate change is fading amid global energy upheaval (WP)

65. In a World on Fire, Stop Burning Things — The truth is new and counterintuitive: we have the technology necessary to rapidly ditch fossil fuels. (New Yorker)

66. California prepares for 3rd dry year after few winter storms (AP)

67. Gig Workers Say High Gas Prices May Be a Breaking Point (NYT)

68. Alzheimer’s study: Boston researchers find ‘vicious cycle’ between daytime napping and Alzheimer’s dementia (Boston Herald)

69. This form of memory loss is common — but most Americans don't know about it (NPR)

70. Young brothers found in Amazon after nearly four weeks (BBC)

71. Dog Could At Least Try To Act Like It Cared About Ukraine (The Onion)

Lyrics

"Talkin' World War lll Blues"

Bob Dylan

Some time ago a crazy dream came to me
I dreamt I was walkin' into World War Three
I went to the doctor the very next day
To see what kinda words he could say
He said it was a bad dream
I wouldn't worry 'bout it none, though
They were my own dreams and they're only in my head

I said, "Hold it, Doc, a World War passed through my brain"
He said, "Nurse, get your pad, this boy's insane"
He grabbed my arm, I said, "Ouch!"
As I landed on the psychiatric couch
He said, "Tell me about it"

Well, the whole thing started at 3 o'clock fast
It was all over by quarter past
I was down in the sewer with some little lover
When I peeked out from a manhole cover
Wondering who turned the lights on

Well, I got up and walked around
And up and down the lonesome town
I stood a-wondering which way to go
I lit a cigarette on a parking meter and walked on down the road
It was a normal day

Well, I rung the fallout shelter bell
And I leaned my head and I gave a yell
"Give me a string bean, I'm a hungry man"
A shotgun fired and away I ran
I don't blame them too much though
They didn't know me

Down at the corner by a hot-dog stand
I seen a man
I said, "Howdy friend, I guess there's just us two"
He screamed a bit and away he flew
Thought I was a Communist

Well, I spied me a girl and before she could leave
"Let's go and play Adam and Eve"
I took her by the hand and my heart it was thumpin'
When she said, "Hey man, you crazy or sumpin'
You see what happened last time they started"

Well, I seen a Cadillac window uptown
And there was nobody aroun'
I got into the driver's seat
And I drove down to 42nd Street
In my Cadillac. Good car to drive after a war

Well, I remember seein' some ad
So I turned on my Conelrad
But I didn't pay my Con Ed bill
So the radio didn't work so well
Turned on my record player—
It was Rock-a-day Johnny singin', "Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa
Our Love's A-gonna Grow Ooh-wah, Ooh-wah"

I was feelin' kinda lonesome and blue
I needed somebody to talk to
So I called up the operator of time
Just to hear a voice of some kind
"When you hear the beep it will be three o'clock"
She said that for over an hour
And I hung up

Well, the doctor interrupted me just about then
Sayin', "Hey I've been havin' the same old dreams
But mine was a little different you see
I dreamt that the only person left after the war was me
I didn't see you around"

Well, now time passed and now it seems
Everybody's having them dreams
Everybody sees themselves
Walkin' around with no one else
Half of the people can be part right all of the time
Some of the people can be all right part of the time
But all of the people can't be all right all of the time
I think Abraham Lincoln said that
"I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours"
I said that

Disinformation Inc.

Disinformation and conspiracy theories abound during wars, which are always difficult and confusing to cover, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine is no exception to this rule.

In the midst of chaos, some choose to repackage propaganda from all sides as news. One trick is to pose the content, including right-wing extremist and pro-Russian —as “questions.” The perpetrators in this case are Tucker Carlson and Glenn Greenwald.

After failing to discredit U.S. reports of an impending invasion by Putin, the Fox host and Greenwald circulated QAnon propaganda that the U.S. might be involved in secret bio-weapon research inside Ukraine, despite the lack of any credible evidence. 

This mimicked Russian propaganda apparently meant to rationalize Putin’s own use of illegal bioweapons should he choose to do so, as he has in Syria in the past. If the world bought his lie, any residues detected after Russian assaults could be falsely attributed to the U.S. and Ukraine.

There indeed are bio-research facilities in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries, but the best evidence is they are not weapons research facilities and there is nothing “secret” about their operations. They are on the public record, as an excellent recent article in Slate documents.

As I have warned many times, conspiracy theories like these can only gain credence among thoughtful people when the legitimate sources of accurate information — i. e. the press outlets I cite every day — are themselves mistrusted.

And public confidence in mainstream media is very low.

Some will contend that several generations of media execs have brought this on themselves, with biased coverage, sensationalism, and failure to adapt to the realities of the digital age.

I may agree.

But the sources listed below are the best we have, and once their credibility has been undermined, otherwise reasonable people can go down an intellectual rabbit hole to the point they’ll believe the garbage extremists feed them on social media.

The mainstream media, especially TV, may well go overboard in their breathless coverage of the war but they are getting the overall story right. Putin is a ruthless war criminal who invaded Ukraine under false pretenses, claiming that the Zelensky government was pro-nazi. That was and is a lie. The invasion is about an empire trying to expand.

If there is any bio-warfare research being done over there, we’ll find out about that after determined investigations, probably by reporters like those currently trying to cover the war — not by the likes of propagandists like Carlson or lazy pundits like Greenwald.

Both men have zero credibility with me based on their records.

Thank goodness we have an honest press corps to remind us about that.

Today’s News (56):

1. Survivors emerge from rubble of Mariupol theater bombed by Russia (CNN)

2. Russia’s Attack Rallies a Divided Nation: The United States — Americans across the political spectrum express broad support for Ukraine, though opinions diverge on what that means and how far the U.S. response should go. (NYT)

3. 'Ukraine could fight Russia to a standstill' (BBC)

4. Slaughter, devastation in 2 Ukrainian cities (WP)

5. Russian forces in Ukraine are blasting cities and killing civilians but no longer making progress on the ground, Western countries said, as a war Moscow was thought to have hoped to win within days entered its fourth week. (Reuters)

6. 21 people killed in rocket barrage south of Kharkiv as Russia's bloody invasion enters its 4th week (USA Today)

7. Ukraine Tensions Spike as West Accuses Russia of Lying About Troop Withdrawal (NYT)

8. Fourth Russian general killed - Zelensky (BBC)

9. Desperation Mounts as Russia Tries to Take Mariupol (WSJ)

10. Let’s Talk About Those Ukrainian Biolabs — Tucker Carlson and Glenn Greenwald are just asking questions about their new favorite topic. Turns out there are some simple answers. (Slate)

11. Invoking the fall of the Berlin Wall, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to tear down what he called a wall between "free and unfree" Europe and stop the war in Ukraine. (Reuters)

12. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “I believe that Russians have already crossed all the red lines when they started shelling civilians.” At a separate appearance, President Joe Biden called Vladimir Putin "a war criminal." [HuffPost]

13. As diplomats hint of progress in talks, Pentagon warns of a potential buildup in Russian troops (WP)

14. Putin Acknowledges Impact of Sanctions on Russian Economy (WSJ)

15. China finds itself in a tricky position — stuck between the White House and the Kremlin (Politico)

16. VIDEO: Biden Announces More Military Aid for Ukraine (NYT)

17. In Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains, tens of thousands find refuge (WP)

18. Kremlin: many people in Russia are behaving like traitors (Reuters)

19. Citigroup Sits Between Russia and a Possible Bond Default (WSJ)

20. Russia warned the United States that Moscow had the might to put the world's pre-eminent superpower in its place and accused the West of stoking a wild Russophobic plot to tear Russia apart. (Reuters)

21. Ukraine War Shifts the Agenda in Congress, Empowering the Center (NYT)

22. With mostly women and children fleeing Ukraine, European authorities fear a surge in human trafficking (WP)

23. Koch Industries stays in Russia, backs groups opposing U.S. sanctions (CBS)

24. How Russia’s Revamped Military Fumbled the Invasion of Ukraine (WSJ)

25. Biden’s China ‘pivot’ complicated by Russia’s war in Ukraine (AP)

26. Russian invasion spurs European demand for U.S. drones, missiles (Reuters)

27. Outmatched in military might, Ukraine excels in the information war (WP)

28. Mass graves, hunger, nowhere safe: Besieged Mariupol descends into despair and agony (Times of Israel)

29. Cheap but lethal Turkish drones bolster Ukraine’s defenses (AP)

30. The Ukraine crisis could knock more than a percentage point off global growth this year and add two and a half percentage points to inflation, the OECD estimated, calling for targeted government spending hikes in response. (Reuters)

31. Russian businesses in US face backlash from war in Ukraine (AP)

32. The WHO says Ukrainian health care is under attack, and it needs more funds to help (NPR)

33. Is an outright Russian military victory in Ukraine possible? (Guardian)

34. Zelensky accuses Germany of letting down Ukraine (Financial Times)

35. 4 ways China is quietly making life harder for Russia (CNN)

36. A leading Russian ballet dancer quit the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow and is leaving the country for the Netherlands after denouncing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. “I have to be honest and say that I am against war with all the fibers of my soul,” Olga Smirnova, who had been the Bolshoi's prima ballerina since 2016, posted on the Telegram app. [HuffPost]

37. Russian government websites face ‘unprecedented’ wave of hacking attacks, ministry says (WP)

38. Drones flying into NATO territory have forced the alliance to decide how to respond -- if at all -- to incidents inside its borders (CNN)

39. G-7 decries Russia’s ‘indiscriminate attacks’ (AP)

40. Covid Cases Surge In China And Europe (NBC)

41. Europe’s Covid spike has Biden officials concerned, could lead to return of masks (Politico)

42. Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the WHO said, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus. (Reuters)

43. The Taliban have launched a massive house-to-house search in Kabul and other Afghan cities for what they call a "cleaning operation" to look for weapons and criminals. But thousands of Afghans are living in fear that they are about to persecuted because of their links to the country's former Western-backed government, or to the U.S., writes Hamed Ahmadi. [HuffPost]

44. Some Afghan Evacuees Head Home After Months of Waiting for U.S. Entry (WSJ)

45. Iran’s Attack Was Response to Secret Israeli Attack on Drone Site (NYT)

46. As Ukraine war rages, diplomats near Iran nuclear agreement (AP)

47. Getting around by taxi, Lyft and Uber to cost more as fuel surcharge is added (WP)

48. Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin declared an interview “over” when she was repeatedly pressed to explain her appearance at a recent white nationalist conference. She said she didn't know Nick Fuentes, the prominent white nationalist and antisemitic podcaster who organized the event she spoke at. [HuffPost]

49. James Webb Telescope Captures Stunning Image Of Billion Year Old Galaxies (NDTV)

50. ‘Quantum hair’ could resolve Hawking’s black hole paradox, say scientists (Guardian)

51. Asia's earliest known armored dinosaur fossil found in Southwest China (Global Times)

52. We traveled deep into the Amazon to investigate deforestation. A grisly discovery awaited us. (WP)

53. Despite the persistence of a statewide drought, urban California residents used 2.6 percent more water in January 2022 than they did in January 2020 (CalMatters)

54. Amazon Closes Deal to Acquire MGM (WSJ)

55. Deep-Sea Octopuses Are Making Shelters Out Of Human Trash (HuffPost)

56. Fork Section Of Cutlery Drawer Overrun By Invasive Soup Spoons (The Onion)

 

Afghan Conversation 27: Love Story

 [This is the latest in a series of wide-ranging conversations I have been having with a young Afghan friend about life in his country since the Taliban took over last year.—DW]

Dear David:

Three years ago I saw Nasrin for the first time. At that time, she was a teenager. Her beauty, innocence, and graceful smile made my heart beat faster. The curves of her body unnerved me. I wanted to tell her that she was beautiful, but I held back.

Although we have a number of mutual friends, I never spoke with Nasrin directly over those three years. Then, two months ago, one of her friends asked me if I could help Nasrin apply for a scholarship. I said yes, and she then called me. Her voice was so sweet and attractive that I had to struggle to act normal. 

A month ago, I went to the city where she lives and  saw her. How could  this much beauty be gathered in one person? I talked with her for a while but she was somewhat shy. I couldn’t tell whether she had the same feelings for me that I had for her. 

Then, when I got back to my hometown, she messaged me and asked me why I had left so soon. I asked her why did it matter whether I was there? In reply she said that she wished that I hadn't left so  soon. With that our timidity faded out and we talked openly about our feelings for each other. 

In Afghanistan the laws and traditions are very strict for relationships so it will be difficult for us to become boyfriend and girlfriend. Therefore we have decided it is much better if we would just be friends for now.

But in truth I love this girl and I think I want to marry her. She is religious and shy. She thinks that if we start an intimate relationship now and then cannot get married, we will have committed a great sin. So she has asked me what my plan is for the future? Will I stay with her forever?

I told her that it is a difficult question, because we don't have any future here and I don't know if the situation will ever improve. The future is very gloomy, so making an important promise like this is hard. If I could get out of here and find a viable future somewhere, of course, I would marry her. But if I could not, and my life doesn't improve, I would not share this suffering with anyone. 

So now she asked me to imagine that if I were her, what should she do? I don’t have any answers for her.

***

Usually, I let my friend’s words stand on their own, simply editing them for clarity. But today I feel compelled to note that among all of the outrages imposed on the Afghan population by the Taliban — severe poverty, hunger, joblessness, the threat of violence, suppression of women, fundamentalist Islamic nonsense, ignorance, inefficient government, and international isolation — stealing their own people’s hopes for the future may be the cruelest of all.

I’m so happy for my friend that even under these circumstances that he has fallen in love. His girlfriend sounds lovely. I wish for them what we all wish for young couples in love — a happy future together.

But at present they cannot even allow themselves to imagine a future. And that is truly a tragedy all of us can feel. — DW

***

1. Today’s News (66):

2. Ukraine Mounts Counteroffensive to Drive Russians Back From Kyiv, Key Cities (WSJ)

3. Russians bomb Mariupol theater where hundreds had taken refuge, officials say (CNN)

4. Russia and Ukraine both emphasized new-found scope for compromiseas peace talks were set to resume three weeks into a Russian assault that has so far failed to topple the Ukrainian government. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the talks were becoming "more realistic", while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there was "some hope for compromise", with neutral status for Ukraine - a major Russian demand - now on the table. (Reuters)

5. A New Diplomatic Off-Ramp for Russia (Politico)

6. Ukraine says Russian warships fire missiles (AP)

7. Ukrainian Town Deals Russia One of the War’s Most Decisive Routs — In the two-day battle of Voznesensk, local volunteers and the military repelled the invaders, who fled leaving behind armor and dead soldiers. “They had no orders for what to do if they are defeated. (WSJ)

8. State TV protester tells Russians: open your eyes to Ukraine war propaganda (Reuters)

9. Russia's state TV hit by stream of resignations (BBC)

10. IDEO: Russian State Television Worker Charged for Anti-War Protest (Reuters)

11. Social platforms’ bans muffle Russian state media propaganda (WP)

12. Western Companies’ Pullback From Russia Marks End of an Era (WSJ)

13. ‘I’m Not Scared of Anything’: Death and Defiance in a Besieged Ukrainian City (NYT)

14. City of Mykolaiv holds the line and delays Russian assault on Odessa (WP)

15. Ukraine's Zelenskyy invokes 9/11, Pearl Harbor, MLK as he pleads for pivotal aid from Congress (Fox)

16. Biden commits new military aid to Ukraine after Zelenskyy plea for more support (NBC)

17. Biden calls Putin a war criminal (NPR)

18. Biden announces hundreds of millions in new security aid for Ukraine following Zelensky's speech (CNN)

19. Blinken sets a standard for lifting sanctions: an 'irreversible' Russian withdrawal (NPR)

20. The economic cost of Russia's assault on Ukraine was fully exposed as Vladimir Putin's sanctions-ravaged government teetered on the brink of its first international debt default since the Bolshevik revolution. (Reuters)

21. Russia Blames Sanctions for Pushing It Toward Default (WSJ)

22. How plausible is Chinese military aid for Russia? (AP)

23. Life under occupation: how Ukrainians are resisting Russian rule (Financial Times)

24. VIDEO: These Foreign Fighters Are Joining the Battle for Ukraine (NYT)

25. Kyiv faces fresh attacks as leaders from Europe meet with Zelensky (WP)

26. European Leaders Brave Russian Bombardment in Visit to Kyiv (NYT)

27. Panic buying spreads in Middle East as Russian invasion sparks fear over food and fuel (WP)

28. Nearly 1 Million Child Refugees Have Fled Ukraine for Poland (WSJ)

29. The number of Ukrainians who've fled to Poland is equal to the population of Warsaw (NPR)

30. One Ukraine Part Is Stopping Europe’s Car Factories (Jalopnik)

31. Ukrainian nurse Oksana Martynenko and her colleagues have 21 babies to look after at a makeshift clinic in a residential basement on the outskirts of Kyiv - all of them surrogates whose parents cannot come to collect them because of the war. (Reuters)

32. 80 years before Zelensky’s address to Congress, Winston Churchill steeled Americans for war (WP)

33. Vladimir Putin Has Fallen Into the Dictator Trap — Reality doesn’t conform to the theory of the rational, calculating despot who can play the long game. (Atlantic)

34. Russian naval ships seen passing through Tsugaru Strait, northern Japan (NHK)

35. Council of Europe expels Russia from human rights body (AP)

36. Putin will search for a way to save face (BBC)

37. Refugee Crisis Will Test a European Economy Under Pressure (NYT)

38. Berlin train station turns into refugee town for Ukrainians (AP)

39. How Zelensky Came to Embody Democracy — The admiration for the Ukrainian leader that’s obvious and pervasive on social media is both genuine and a form of wish fulfillment. (Atlantic)

40. UN refugee chief in Kabul to say Afghans are not forgotten (WP)

41. U.S. less effective at countering terrorist threats in Afghanistan and Somalia since troop withdrawal, generals warn(WP)

42. Afghanistan’s Deadliest Highway Comes Back to Life (NYT)

43. Biden administration designates Afghans for protected status, shielding them from deportation (WP)

44. U.N. says military violence in Myanmar may be 'crimes against humanity' (NPR)

45. Fed begins inflation fight with key rate hike, more to come (AP)

46. Fed Raises Interest Rates for First Time Since 2018 — Officials signal quarter-point increase will be followed by six more this year to combat inflation (WSJ)

47. Biden’s latest supply chain hurdle: A looming Canadian rail strike (Politico)

48. China's Jilin province was "in a last-ditch battle" against COVID, according to a senior Communist Party official, as the northeastern region bordering North Korea and Russia accounted for three-quarters of China's total new cases. China's COVID governance is under pressure as Omicron spreads. (Reuters)

49. Omicron BA.2 sub-variant now nearly a quarter of new COVID cases in U.S., CDC estimates (CBS)

50. UK easing COVID-19 testing, monitoring despite case uptick (AP)

51. Covid-19 rates decline after mandates lapse, but concern remains (Politico)

52. A covid surge in western Europe has U.S. bracing for another wave (WP)

53. Diabetes & COVID-19: Scientists explore potential connection (AP)

54. WHO says global rise in Covid cases is 'tip of the iceberg' (NBC)

55. Kidneys on demand: How 3D printers could make organs (Politico)

56. Most people don't know these possible signs of early Alzheimer's — Mild cognitive impairment is an early stage of subtle memory loss or other cognitive ability loss, such as language or visual/spatial perception (CNN)

57. College students have become fearful of expressing their views. A new civil dialogue movement may restore healthy debate. (WP)

58. Federal prosecutors say a document found in the possession of Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right Proud Boys, contained a plan to occupy seven buildings around Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2021. The Supreme Court building was one target mentioned in the "1776 Returns" plan. [HuffPost]

59. Small asteroid strikes Earth's atmosphere mere hours after its discovery (KSL.com)

60. California’s ambitious high-speed rail is at a crossroads. (Cal Today)

61. A court ruling gave Texas families with transgender children some relief this weekend, but two tweets from state Attorney General Ken Paxton undid it all. Families are living in fear that Child Protective Services will show up unannounced to "investigate" them or that state officials will harass them. [HuffPost]

62. New York Times Shuts Down Wordle Archive, Bumming Everyone Out (Kotaku)

63. A Groggy Senate Approves Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent (NYT)

64. In a surprise move, the Senate unanimously passed legislation making daylight saving time, which began this week, permanent for the entire United States. The bill, titled the “Sunshine Protection Act,” was co-sponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). Rubio cited increased heart attacks and car wrecks during standard time, and said permanent daylight saving time would allow more sunlight at the end of the day for things like sports. [HuffPost]

65. A Film That Finally Captures Murakami’s Writing — Drive My Car is a rare adaptation of the Japanese novelist's work that brings his unique atmosphere to screen better than anything before. (Atlantic)

66. Aliens Pointedly Ignoring METI Transmissions Thought Scientists Would’ve Gotten Hint By Now (The Onion)

What Is the Story?

The second half of a dropdeck in a New Yorker piece caught my attention by raising a question about origin stories. The article is worth reading on its own merits (link below) but I want to focus on the issue in a different context.

Over the years in my many full-time jobs and part-time consulting work, I have often been asked to help craft an origin story or what we sometimes more cynically call the founder’s myth.

The goal of the leadership teams in these organizations is usually to establish (or re-establish) control over their own narrative, as opposed to allowing it to be dominated by others.

The “others” in this case might be journalists, historians, competitors, customers, disgruntled ex-employees, conspiracy theorists, poets, artists, singers, or in our time some random Instagram or TikTok “influencer.”

And that is a problem.

Re-gaining control of your own organization’s narrative can be a tricky business when one highly-publicized event may have had an inordinate influence in shaping public opinion.

Part of the key is to understand the elements of story-telling — characters, pace, perspective, drama, narrative arc, pivot points, emotional resonance, etc. — much as if you were scripting a movie or writing a novel.

Too many powerful people insist on sticking to the story they want to tell and the way they want to tell it, even when the context around them has changed in ways that make that no longer feasible.

The classic case is a company with a product that has harmed people. One angry customer can start a boycott or a consumer movement against the company that causes real damage over time.

The solution? Adapt your story to the new reality, acknowledge mistakes if they were made, and craft a new chapter to your story that celebrates solutions, moving on, redemption and a new beginning.

That’s not exactly an origin story but it may become something more important — your future story. 

That New Yorker story is: Why the School Wars Still Rage — From evolution to anti-racism, parents and progressives have clashed for a century over who gets to tell our origin stories.

Today’s News (75):

1. Prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and Czech Republic meet Zelensky in Kyiv (CNN)

2. Three European prime ministers rode a train for Kyiv, the first visit by foreign leaders to the Ukrainian capital since Russia launched its invasion, and a striking symbol of Ukraine's success so far in fending off Russia's assault. (Reuters)

3. Diplomacy Quickens to Halt Ukraine War or Stop Its Expansion (NYT)

4. Kyiv terrain will slow Russian troops, say Ukraine generals (BBC)

5. Fierce fighting continues; talks to resume as civilian toll mounts (WP)

6. Russia steps up bombardment of Kyiv, civilians flee Mariupol (AP)

7. Hundreds held like hostages inside Mariupol hospital - official (BBC)

8. Protester with 'No War' sign walks onto Russian state TV set (NBC)

9. Marina Ovsyannikova: Russian journalist tells of 14-hour interrogation (BBC)

10. Russia revises laws to crack down on media, antiwar protesters (NHK)

11. A jet linked to sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich landed in Moscow, after taking off from Istanbul following a brief stop there. Meanwhile, Spain has temporarily seized a Russian oligarch's $140 million yacht in Barcelona, with sources saying the vessel belongs to the head of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reuters)

12. How Kyiv’s outgunned defenders have kept Russian forces from capturing the capital (WP)

13. Fox News says its veteran war photojournalist has been killed reporting in Ukraine (CNN)

14. 2 members of the Fox News team in Ukraine were killed in an attack (NPR)

15. Zelensky asks Canada's parliament to ‘Please close the sky' (BBC)

16. As European leaders travel to Kyiv, Russia claims it holds Ukraine's Kherson region (NPR)

17. White House: Biden will travel to Europe for Ukraine talks (AP)

18. A wartime effort to quickly translate work by Ukrainian novelists, poets and historians is underway — a project as political as it is cultural, authors and translators say. (NYT Books)

19. Putin signs law allowing seizure of foreign planes for domestic flights (The Hill)

20. ‘I will go back to help’: Women head home to aid war effort (AP)

21. UN says nearly 3 million people have fled Ukraine (NHK)

22. Former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch warns Putin will move west if he wins in Ukraine (NPR)

23. When Russian bombs started falling on Kyiv, oncologist Nataliia Verovkina fled with her 10-year-old son. But once he was safe in Munich with his grandparents, she turned around and went back. We spoke to medics and volunteers trying to prop up Ukraine's health system. (Reuters)

24. Russia Deploys a Mystery Munition in Ukraine — Iskander-M short-range ballistic missiles are releasing a previously unknown decoy designed to evade air-defense systems, an American official said. (NYT)

25. America Needs a Better Plan to Fight Autocracy. — By enabling Putin and other global kleptocrats, the West undermined democracy. It’s time to change tactics. (Atlantic)

26. Foreign fighters in Ukraine await weapons in chaos of war (AP)

27. U.S. warns China not to aid Russia (WP)

28. Russians protest as Kremlin seeks to shape young minds (NHK)

29. Inside Chernobyl, 200 Exhausted Staff Toil Round the Clock at Russian Gunpoint (WSJ)

30. Thousands of Russians opposed to President Vladimir V. Putin are seeking asylum at the Mexican border, mostly near San Diego, (AP)

31. Putin’s Nuclear Threats Are a Wake-Up Call for the World — The Russian leader’s actions have opened our eyes to how dependent we all are on the whims of one man and his nuclear arsenal. Atlantic)

32. Ukrainian drone attack on Russian forces hiding in a forest (CNN)

33. How Ukrainian children understand the war (WP)

34. Ukraine war may lead to rethinking of US defense of Europe (AP)

35. The European Union formally approved a new barrage of sanctions against Russia, which include bans on investments in the Russian energy sector, luxury goods exports and imports of steel products from Russia. Britain said it would ban the export of luxury goods to Russiaand impose a new 35% tariff on $1.2 billion worth of Russian imports. (Reuters)

36. Lithuania, a Vulnerable NATO Link, Readies for Putin (NYT)

37. War in Ukraine disrupts key supply chains - and lives (AP)

38. Animals Can Be Refugees Too — Images of some of the refugee cats and dogs of Ukraine being cared for as family members, and brought to safety (Atlantic)

39. China warns of retaliation if hit by Russia sanctions fallout (Financial Times)

40. About a fifth of major Japanese firms suspend operations in Russia (NHK)

41. Bond Markets Forecast Long Financial Freeze for Russia (WSJ)

42. A divided US hangs together on the question of Ukraine (Financial Times)

43. Ukraine got it. Afghanistan and Cameroon didn’t. (Politico)

44. Don’t Blame the West for Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine (New Yorker)

45. Key inflation measure hits double digits for February (CNN)

46. Inflation, recession risk are about to get much, much worse (WP)

47. Investors are more concerned about the outlook for global growth than at any time since the financial crisis in 2008, and they have ramped up their cash holdings to a two-year high, according to a monthly fund manager survey by BofA. Financial indicators are showing increasing signs of stress, as investors see risks spiking and fear a market-wide liquidity crunch. (Reuters)

48. US unprepared for future rise in Covid cases, warns White House (Financial Times)

49. COVID-19 cases more than double in China’s growing outbreak (AP)

50. China's soaring COVID infections fuel concern about cost of containment (Reuters)

51. China Covid cases hit two-year high with millions in lockdown as outbreak spreads (Guardian)

52. Chinese virus cases climb, raise threat of trade disruption (AP)

53. Shares in China fall amid strongest COVID-19 lockdown yet (NPR)

54. Pfizer, BioNTech to seek authorization of second coronavirus booster shot for people 65 and older (WP)

55. Fully vaccinated will need fourth dose later this year, and new variant dubbed ‘deltacron’ detected in Europe (MarketWatch)

56. We're Not Prepared For The Next Pandemic Phase: Dealing With Long COVID (HuffPost)

57. Do masks in school affect kids' speech and social skills? (NPR)

58. U.S. plans to sell F-15 fighters to Egypt amid human rights dispute (Politico)

59. Covid, Russia and crime: GOP presidential hopefuls take swipes at Trump’s record (Politico)

60. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) provided a lengthy rationale for declining to ever appear on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program, describing it as being “full of Russian propaganda and not news.” Carlson often attacks Kinzinger, one of a handful of Republicans in Congress who have been repeatedly and publicly critical of former President Donald Trump. [HuffPost]

61. Half of Americans Doubt Biden Will Run in 2024, WSJ Poll Shows (WSJ)

62. Document in Jan. 6 Case Shows Plan to Storm Government Buildings (NYT)

63. Another Jan. 6 mystery revealed: Pence's second script rewrite (Politico)

64. Fearing political violence in 2024, judges sentence Jan. 6 defendants to probation through the next election (WP)

65. AP-NORC poll: Many Black Americans doubtful on police reform (AP)

66. Why the School Wars Still Rage — From evolution to anti-racism, parents and progressives have clashed for a century over who gets to tell our origin stories. (New Yorker)

67. Can states limit abortion and gender-affirming treatments outside their borders? (NPR)

68. California lawmakers headed off an enrollment freeze at the University of California, Berkeley, that threatened the growth not only of the iconic campus but also of public education institutions across the state. (Cal Today)

69. Scientists Use 196 Lasers To Recreate the Conditions Inside Gigantic Galaxy Clusters – “One of the Most Awe-Inspiring Things in the Universe” (SciTechDaily)

70. Instagram, TikTok could get sued for addicting kids under California proposal (Politico)

71. Hope for Kenya’s mountain bongos as five released into sanctuary (Guardian)

72. Climate change to make pollen season nastier (AP)

73. Hiring woes plague Biden effort to contain wildfires (Politico)

74. Sleeping with even a small amount of light may harm your health, study says (CNN)

75. Oil Companies Lament Rising Price Of Joe Manchin (The Onion)