Any Ukrainian riders?

[Paul A]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/03/05/zelensky-call-senators/

Zelensky pleads with U.S. lawmakers for help with air war against Russia.

 

“His main ask was for the U.S. to allow Poland and Romania to transfer Soviet era jets to #Ukraine, and for the U.S. to compensate by giving more advanced planes to those two NATO allies,” Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) said in a Twitter post.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/06/russia-ukraine-war-news-putin-live-updates/#link-WZICIZUFBJCVVE3J2YKW3H556Y

U.S. ‘looking actively’ at helping supply Ukraine with fighter jets, Blinken says.

“We are looking actively now at the question of airplanes that Poland may provide to Ukraine and looking at how we might be able to backfill should Poland choose to supply those planes,” he told reporters during a visit to Chisinau, Moldova.

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3422032-russia-preparing-to-shell-its-own-cities-to-accuse-ukraine-and-declare-general-mobilization.html

Sunday, 06 March 2022, 18:38

Russia preparing to shell its own cities to accuse Ukraine and declare general mobilization

Russian authorities may decide to implement a scenario, in which they will shell residential areas in the Russian cities located near the border with Ukraine to accuse the Ukrainian military.

The relevant statement was made by the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“According to the Kremlin leadership’s plan, this will be used as a basis for declaring general mobilization in Russia. Considering the actions of the Russian army in Ukraine, provocations in Russian cities will be accompanied by numerous casualties among civilians to create a ‘nice’ picture,” the report states.

Similar scenarios were used by Russia as a pretext for hostilities in Afghanistan, Chechnya and Abkhazia.

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3422114-poland-has-green-light-to-send-fighter-jets-to-ukraine-blinken.html

Sunday, 06 March 2022, 20:44

Poland has ‘green light’ to send fighter jets to Ukraine – Blinken

NATO members, namely the Republic of Poland, have got ‘green light’ to send fighter jets to Ukraine, while the United States and allies are increasing the defense support for Ukraine.

The relevant statement was made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in an interview with Face the Nation on CBS News, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Currently, the United States is talking with Poland about back filling its needs if in fact Poland chooses to provide these fighter jets to the Ukrainians.

A reminder that, on Saturday, March 5, 2022, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Poland, where they discussed the increased defense support for Ukraine.

[level9]

The Russian rouble has crashed another 25% against the dollar in the last 24 hours alone (the value more than halved since the war started). At this rate they'll be entering hyperinflation soon and the total collapse of their economy. I'd say the sanctions are working and Putin's about to have a hell of a lot more problems to deal with..

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/RUB%3DX?p=RUB%3DX

[Richardo]

This is kind of an aside but Hyperinflation refers to a specific situation where a country doesn't have any industrial capacity, few resources, and also must import food. Then the country prints money to import the above. Those are the prerequisites to 'true' hyperinflation, where the money actually becomes worthless.

It's a combination of having nothing to sell, and the requirement to import not only goods, but the unavoidable demand to import food to feed the populace. 

Without that combination, a country can have extremely high inflation, but will still be able to have an internal economy as people will be able to work and purchase domestic food. 

Russia does have exports, internal industry, and they were a food exporter. So things will get bad, but the situation can stabilize internally- that's still really bad but it won't necessarily reach 'true' hyperinflation like Zimbabwe or Weimar Germany. Additionally, other countries are basically not allowed to accept Russian currency anymore, so seignorage shouldn't come into play as much.

We'll see though. If the country is really mismanaged internally, like to the point where Russian farmers don't plant or harvest crops, it could turn into hyperinflation. Stranger things have happened.

Edited March 7, 2022 by Richardo

[level9]

16 minutes ago, Richardo said:

This is kind of an aside but Hyperinflation refers to a specific situation where a country doesn't have any industrial capacity, few resources, and also must import food. Then the country prints money to import the above. Those are the prerequisites to 'true' hyperinflation, where the money actually becomes worthless.

Hyperinflation, economist's definition is: 

• Hyperinflation is out-of-control inflation, in which the price of goods and services rises at an annual rate of 1,000% or more.

The reasons can be varied but at the end of the day don't actually matter. It only matters if the currency spirals. At the present clip the rate of fall in the rouble exceeds the technical definition of hyperinflation by a factor of 5.

There's too much to detail into as to why it's happening but the latest is Putin told Russian corporate debtors (who have borrowed heavily in foreign currency) to pay back the loans in roubles (ergo, dramatically inflating the money supply due to lack of foreign currency and thereby devaluing the currency both internally and externally).

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3423119-eight-days-under-siege-mariupol-without-electricity-heat-water-communication.html

Monday, 07 March 2022, 21:16

Mariupol town, Donetsk region, is cut off from electricity, heat, water supply, and communication.

"Mariupol has been under siege by the Russian occupiers for eight days in a row. The town has no electricity, heat, water supply or communications," the press service of the National Guard of Ukraine posted on Telegram.

It is noted that Mariupol has been waiting for the "green corridor" for three days, but the invaders use it every time for their own purposes: they start shelling and then regroup their troops to take more advantageous positions.

 

Mariupol Kirov/ Ukraine

549,826 views

Mar 6, 2022

Özel Harekat Tv

65.8K subscribers

 

 

[RagingGrandpa]

On 3/5/2022 at 9:52 PM, Tawpie said:

Hints? Clues? GoFundMes (legit ones!)?
If nothing else, we'll send money to the Polish Red Cross.

US taxpayers can give with pre-tax dollars if it's through an established charitable organization...

I like charitynavigator.com as a quick check of a charity's reputation. This Ukraine aid program looks good: https://support.savethechildren.org/site/Donation2?df_id=5751&mfc_pref=T&5751.donation=form1 

Edited March 7, 2022 by RagingGrandpa

[Paul A]

Sometimes good intentions of charities can go astray...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Aid#Fund_use_in_Ethiopia

Live Aid

Fund use in Ethiopia

In 1986, Spin published an exposé on the realities of Live Aid's actions in Ethiopia.

They claimed that Geldof deliberately ignored warnings from Médecins Sans Frontières, who had complained directly to Geldof even before Live Aid, about the role of the Ethiopian Government under Derg leader Mengistu Haile Mariam in causing the famine and that by working with Mengistu directly, much of the relief funds intended for victims were in fact siphoned off to purchase arms from the Soviet Union, thereby exacerbating the situation even more.

Geldof responded by deriding both the articles and Médecins Sans Frontières, who had been expelled from the country, and reportedly saying, "I'll shake hands with the Devil on my left and on my right to get to the people we are meant to help".

 

Geldof received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 1986 for his charity work in Africa.

_____________________________________

 

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/football/news/david-beckham-leaked-emails-unless-its-a-knighthood-f-off/1b9xit6evlxlu1qbf5gkontop6

04-02-2017

'Unless it’s a knighthood f*** off', David Beckham in reported leaked email scandal

The Sun newspaper claims to have found damning emails that suggest David Beckham has ulterior motives behind his work with UNICEF.

It is reported that in the emails the former England captain said the honours committee are “unappreciative c****.”

 

L'Equipe, and a number of other European outlets, have reported the furious star also:

- Initially refused to use his own money to fund his charity and turned down millions of pounds in work to raise money for UNICEF
- Demanded UNICEF pay for a £6685 business class flight despite his sponsors splashing out on a private jet
- Set up a sham segment on the Jonathan Ross chat show to raise the prospect of a knighthood
- Backed the “stay” campaign in the Scottish independence referendum to win favour with “the establishment”
- Moaned that his involvement in the Ingenious tax avoidance scheme was hampering his chances
- Wants to add to his fortune by being one of the first civilians to go into space

[Eucner]

10 minutes ago, Paul A said:

Sometimes good intentions of charities can go astray...

Still often they do good. You are now helping Russia. Was that your intention?

[RagingGrandpa]

23 minutes ago, Paul A said:

Sometimes good intentions of charities can go astray...

You're not wrong... but is this really the place and time to be discouraging philanthropy?

[Paul A]

Due diligence needed to assess charities.

Raging Grandpa provided a good resource to check on the integrity of a charity.

Individuals making appeals for donations via Western Union, direct deposits to accounts, etc, are a little suspect.

[Paul A]

Even some well known charities can be embroiled in scandals.  eg: Medecins Sans Frontieres.  Save the Children.

Philanthropy is to be encouraged.

Please research charities beforehand.

Google searches, newspaper reports, etc.

 

[Tawpie]

Another resource for ideas... please do research before you give. No sense in wasting money.

https://mashable.com/article/how-to-help-ukraine-refugees

A starting place for researching a charitable organization (may be most applicable to US charities though)

https://www.charitychoices.com/page/how-check-out-charity

Edited March 7, 2022 by Tawpie

[Eucner]

13 minutes ago, Tawpie said:

Another resource for ideas... please do research before you give. No sense in wasting money.

https://mashable.com/article/how-to-help-ukraine-refugees

I was amazed not seeing Red Cross mentioned. Unicef is an other I would recommend.

[jojo33]

Ukrainian refugees are currently dispatched across Europe. Some have family members living in other European countries, others have no destination. They will be dispatched in the same way as the Syrian refugees. In France and certainly in many countries in Europe, all the cities and small villages (I left Bordeaux, I am now in a small village) are appealing to citizens who wish to offer accommodation to refugees Ukrainians. There is also a call for donations, especially medicines, toys for children, mattresses, beds. Clothes are not requested because here we have a lot of them in stock in charities.

This morning I went to the town hall of the village to offer my help to future Ukrainian refugees. (I was a volunteer in 2007 in Peru, with the Peruvian Red Cross, after the earthquake that hit Pisco 7.9). As the conflict can last for a long time, it is almost certain that the Ukrainian refugees will stay for perhaps a year before they can return to rebuild their lives. You have to take into account that they no longer have a job or resources. The factor of their exodus is said to be "repulsive" since it is war and the loss of their property, their social and economic lives; the factor of their destination is said to be "attractive" it is about securing their lives or their loved ones but it is also economic since they must find an economic solution to their survival.
So I offered my help for: 
- clean the houses or apartments that will be intended for them

- help them by accompanying them in their administrative procedures, helping them to find their bearings in the system and the functioning of my country.
- and support them morally by being present, getting them to do activities (culture, sport, outings) that will allow them to regain their morale (like my segway)

The Europeans are going to help the refugees, we are going to welcome them in large numbers, it's not a question of money, because the international funds already exist, there are a lot of funds (see OCHA https://www.unocha.org/funding, the current donations will be used for the victims future humanitarian or natural disasters.

The logic of a humanitarian emergency action as I experienced in Peru, translates into several phases. The first phase is food relief, hygiene and accommodation and communications, the second phase which is the shortest is emergency psychological support, the last phase is the return to normal life in ephemeral conditions . (return to an activity, a rhythm).
In the case of Ukraine, we have European countries that are very well organized on the social and humanitarian side. My opinion will be very personal based on my experience: here is what I would advise those who want to help at this time the NGO.
Ok for medicine, basic necessities, but if it's financial aid, all European states are going to give financial aid to refugees so I would say, wait until the war is over, wait until Ukraine is in ashes, and wait for the Ukrainians to return to rebuild their country, this is where you can financially support a Ukrainian who, for example, wants to launch his activity thanks to a crowdfunding campaign.
Always, with every disaster, there is always too much emergency money. 

In Peru in 2007, all the adobe houses were destroyed, all the victims lived in tents, for more than six months, before houses were rebuilt.
The whole world wants to help and is already helping Ukraine, but the day it will be reconstructed, who will still be there? vultures?

[Paul A]

Google is a great resource.

Simply typing in:  (Charity) scandal

can provide illuminating information.

 

Here is one article from Google search:  "Red Cross Scandal"

 

https://www.npr.org/2015/06/03/411524156/in-search-of-the-red-cross-500-million-in-haiti-relief

June 3, 2015

In Search Of The Red Cross' $500 Million In Haiti Relief

When a devastating earthquake leveled Haiti in 2010, millions of people donated to the American Red Cross. The charity raised almost half a billion dollars. It was one of its most successful fundraising efforts ever.

The American Red Cross vowed to help Haitians rebuild, but after five years the Red Cross' legacy in Haiti is not new roads, or schools, or hundreds of new homes. It's difficult to know where all the money went.

NPR and ProPublica went in search of the nearly $500 million and found a string of poorly managed projects, questionable spending and dubious claims of success, according to a review of hundreds of pages of the charity's internal documents and emails, as well as interviews with a dozen current and former officials.

etc.................

 

[jojo33]

5 minutes ago, Paul A said:

Here is one article from Google search:  "Red Cross Scandal"

 

I have seen with my own eyes scandalous behavior on the part of red cross volunteers, often volunteers abuse their power or embezzle donations.

[Paul A]

Google search: "Unicef Scandal"

 

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/feb/13/unicef-admits-failings-with-child-victims-of-alleged-sex-abuse-by-peacekeepers

Tue 13 Feb 2018

Unicef admits failings with child victims of alleged sex abuse by peacekeepers

The UN’s children’s agency has admitted shortcomings in its humanitarian support to children who allege that they were raped and sexually abused by French peacekeepers in Central African Republic.

A statement by Unicef Netherlands is the first public acknowledgement of the agency’s recent failure to provide support to some of the victims of alleged abuse by peacekeepers in the African nation. It comes as the aid sector and the UN face increasing scrutiny for their failings in managing internal sexual misconduct by their own staff.

Unicef was given the task of overseeing the support for children who said they had been abused by peacekeepers.

But in March last year, an award-winning investigation by Swedish Television’s Uppdrag Granskning (Mission Investigate) revealed that some of the children supposedly in the UN’s care were homeless, out of school and forced to make a living on the streets, despite UN assurances that they would be protected. Unicef’s representative in CAR told the programme that the children were in the agency’s assistance programme for minors and were being supported. He said he was not aware that some were on the streets.

 

etc.......................

[Paul A]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/07/10/fact-check-american-red-cross-spending-claims-old-meme-false/5405797002/

Anna Staver

USA TODAY

July 10, 2020

 

Gail McGovern is the Red Cross’ current CEO.

She’s led the nonprofit since 2008.

Her annual salary in 2018 was $694,000.

[level9]

The Red Cross has pretty much been involved in non stop scandals of some sort the entire 40+ years I've been alive. I'm sure there are better charities..

[Eucner]

You can also support Ukraine armed forces to make this conflict shorter, which will minimize losses and human suffering. 

https://bank.gov.ua/en/about/support-the-armed-forces

[Eucner]

1 minute ago, level9 said:

The Red Cross has pretty much been involved in non stop scandals of some sort the entire 40+ years I've been alive. I'm sure there are better charities..

I'm glad we are not having such a bad experiences about Finnish Red Cross.

[OldFartRides]

On 3/6/2022 at 2:55 AM, UniVehje said:

There’s a Reddit post by 6 Ukrainian fellow riders helping people with their wheels in Kyiv and needing help

https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectricUnicycle/comments/t7luzp/hey_riders_guys_can_you_help_us

 

So has anyone sent any money to these guys yet. I’ve been dithering about it. I’d be inclined to if the appeal is legit.

[Tawpie]

1 hour ago, OldFartRides said:

So has anyone sent any money to these guys yet. I’ve been dithering about it. I’d be inclined to if the appeal is legit.

I chose a different charity (https://wck.org)... if I was even a little bit familiar with that rider I'd send him some money too, but that's not the case. I wish a rider from this forum would make a request...

Edited March 8, 2022 by Tawpie