Johann Sebastian Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson: Continuum II (review)

Víkingur Ólafsson's Most Enigmatic and Profound Bach Album Yet

Continuum II is one of several excellent albums on which Víkingur Ólafsson performs the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and it is the most enigmatic and profound album he has released so far.
I was compelled to listen more than once to even the most familiar pieces, such as the Air on the G String and the Largo from the Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor. Ólafsson certainly performs Bach like no other, exposing the full depth and beauty of Bach's music, as well as its mystery. I was left with more questions than answers after listening to this album.
As always, Ólafsson uses the pauses between the notes to help us feel the depth of each note. Although he is a true virtuoso, he chooses to play some of the pieces quite slowly, accentuating every note and making use of the silence between the notes. Perhaps these spaces between the notes are just as important as the notes themselves.
I heard Ólafsson play the Air on the G String as an encore at a concert a while ago. That performance of this piece was more moving, but also less philosophical, than the two versions he plays on this album. Both versions are worth hearing more than once. But I encourage you first to listen to the entire album from start to finish, because the order of pieces is important and is very well designed.
I highly recommend this album to anyone who loves classical music, and certainly to every fan of Bach or Ólafsson. It is not to be missed, and it is destined to become another Ólafsson classic.

See also:

The album is out now: Johann Sebastian Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson: Continuum II: https://dg.lnk.to/Continuum2
Víkingur Ólafsson: https://www.vikingurolafsson.com/

Please call and write to your elected officials asking them to support Ukraine

The fate of Ukraine depends on the pressure we put on our elected officials. Please call and write to them to express how important it is to you to support Ukraine!

TO CALL:

Call once every work day. Repeated calls on separate days are counted by them as separate calls. Repeating the same message is OK.

Usually, you will be asked to press buttons and then leave a voicemail. After you record the message, there is an option to press a button to send it, re-record it, or discard it.

Be brief, the time limit for recording a voicemail is only 2-3 min.

TO WRITE:

Use online forms, see the links below. Feel free to use my emails below as samples, or write your own.

##################################################

Contact information of elected officials:
##################################################

To submit letters/emails to your elected representatives online, use the contact forms on their websites.
You can find the contact form links and phone numbers here:
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

President Donald Trump:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
(202) 456-1111 (try this first)

(202) 456-1414 (if the above number is busy all the time, try this number. Ask to leave a message for the President. Be prepared to hold for 10-30 min)

The Congresspeople and Senators are specific to where you live. For my district (MA-5), these are the contact links :

Congresswoman Katherine Clark:
https://katherineclark.house.gov/email-me
(202) 225-2836

Senator Ed Markey:
https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact/share-your-opinion
(202) 224-2742

Senator Elizabeth Warren:
https://www.warren.senate.gov/contact/shareyouropinion
(202) 224-4543

House Speaker Mike Johnson:
(202)225-4000
Contact Speaker Johnson by phone. 

It is allowed even if you are not from his district, as long as you are a voter anywhere in the US. 

I could not find a way to contact Speaker Johnson by email or online unless you reside in his district.

###

President Donald Trump:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Dear President Trump:

Thank you for your continued assistance to Ukraine and for your efforts in establishing a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

I would like to urge you to continue supporting Ukraine and applying pressure on Russia to stop the Russian war of aggression. Specifically, I urge you to:
* Continue military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including but not limited to air defense, which allows protection of Ukrainian civilians.
* Continue sharing intelligence information with Ukraine, including satellite data, which allows protection of civilians and effective defense against continued Russian attacks.
* Enable Ukraine to arm itself during any ceasefire or peace agreement.
* Allow European peacekeepers in Ukraine during any ceasefire or peace agreement.
* Increase the primary and secondary sanctions on Russia, which should prevent it from funding the production of weapons used against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.  

A strong support of Ukraine allows the United States to preserve the rules-based world order, which is beneficial to American economic interests in the long term. It is consistent with your policy of “Peace Through Strength”, and serves American strategic interests. Thank you for your support of Ukraine!

Sincerely,
First name, Last name

###

Congresswoman Katherine Clark:
https://katherineclark.house.gov/email-me

Subject: Please continue helping Ukraine, updated April 5, 2025

Dear Congresswoman Clark:

Thank you for your continued assistance to Ukraine, and for your strong support of the fight of Ukrainians to protect their civilians against the relentless Russian attacks!

I would like to urge you to continue supporting Ukraine and applying pressure on Russia to stop the Russian war of aggression. Specifically, I urge you to work with the Trump administration in order to:
* Continue military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including but not limited to air defense, which allows protection of Ukrainian civilians.
* Continue sharing intelligence information with Ukraine, including satellite data, which allows protection of civilians and effective defense against continued Russian attacks.
* Enable Ukraine to arm itself during any ceasefire or peace agreement.
* Allow European peacekeepers in Ukraine during any ceasefire or peace agreement.
* Increase the primary and secondary sanctions on Russia, which should prevent it from funding the production of weapons used against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.  

A strong support of Ukraine allows the United States to preserve the rules-based world order, which is beneficial to American economic interests in the long term. It is consistent with the policy of “Peace Through Strength”, and serves American strategic interests. Thank you for your support of Ukraine!

Sincerely,

First name, Last name

###

Update: below is the reply from Senator Ed Markey.

EDWARD J. MARKEY MASSACHUSETTS		255 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (202) 224-2742
	United States Senate   April 18, 2025

 

Dear Timur:

Thank you for contacting me regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes, while those who remain face dire conditions—struggling with shortages of food, water, electricity, and adequate shelter as Russia continues its brutal assault. The United States and our European allies have stood together in support of Ukraine, providing economic and military assistance, as well as humanitarian aid. In April 2024, Congress passed a foreign aid package that included $61 billion to help Ukraine defend itself, a measure I was proud to support.

However, I am deeply concerned by actions taken by the Trump administration that undermine this critical effort. In one of his first moves upon returning to office, President Trump announced his intent to scale back U.S. support for Ukraine, including delaying the delivery of military aid and questioning America’s long-standing commitment to NATO. During President Zelensky’s visit to the White House, President Trump, for the first time since World War II, cast doubt on America’s willingness to defend democratic allies from authoritarian dictatorships. Instead of standing by our friends, President Trump parroted talking points straight from the Kremlin. Not only was his behavior unacceptable, but his administration also sided with Russia at the United Nations, voting against a resolution urging Russia to withdraw from Ukraine. These decisions send a dangerous signal to our allies that America is no longer a reliable partner. Siding with Vladimir Putin is shameful and represents a danger to democracies around the world. 

While we must continue to provide unwavering support for Ukraine and our NATO allies in Europe, we must also work toward a diplomatic resolution—despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued refusal to engage in good-faith negotiations that ensure Ukraine’s long-term security. Alongside our allies and partners, the United States has imposed sweeping sanctions to pressure Putin to end this unjust war. I remain committed to standing against Russia’s assault on Ukraine’s democracy and doing everything in my power to ensure Ukraine can defend its sovereignty. We need a lasting peace on Ukraine’s terms, not Putin’s. 

In response to reckless actions by Russian forces at Ukrainian nuclear power plants—jeopardizing the safety of countless civilians—I introduced the Nuclear Meltdown and Fallout Prevention and Preparedness Act to direct the Department of Defense to develop a plan to prevent, prepare for, and mitigate the risks posed by nuclear reactors in war zones. Additionally, during the first year of the war, I co-sponsored the Non-Recognition of Russian Annexation of Ukrainian Territory Act to ensure U.S. policy never legitimizes Russia’s illegal claims over Ukrainian land. Most recently, I co-sponsored a Senate resolution condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to vote with Russia and against Ukraine at the United Nations.

My heart remains with the people of Ukraine as they continue to defend their nation against this illegal invasion. I will keep your thoughts and outreach in mind and continue to advocate for policies that support Ukraine’s fight for peace, security, and sovereignty.

I appreciate your contacting me about this issue. If my office can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out again. To sign up for my newsletter, visit https://www.markey.senate.gov/newsletter. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

 

Sincerely,

Edward J. Markey
United States Senator

Please continue helping Ukraine and Israel: contact your elected officials

Those of us who live outside of Ukraine can help Ukraine by writing, calling or emailing our elected officials, urging them to continue helping Ukraine. This is critical to provide the necessary strong public support for the help that our politicians are providing Ukraine. Thank you for helping Ukraine!

Please see an example of such a letter to politicians below, as well as examples of actual replies from politicians. Feel free to use my letter as an example, but make sure to change the wording. Identical letters have much smaller impact than independently written letters. It is one of the dozens of messages I wrote to my elected officials since before Russia started the full-scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022 until present. I adjusted the letters as time went by and the needs of Ukraine changed. I also tried to customize the letters for each politician. It is best to keep the messages to politicians short and to the point, as well as respectful and positive. For further guidance on how to write to politicians, please listen to this TED talk: Omar Ahmad: Political change with pen and paper.

I contacted my Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ed Markey and President Joe Biden through the submission form on their respective websites. Below is how to find their websites:

https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

See the email replies from these elected officials below.

---

https://www.warren.senate.gov/contact/shareyouropinion

Subject: Please continue helping Ukraine and Israel - updated October 19, 2023

Dear Senator Warren:

I would like to express my deep gratitude to you for your support of Ukraine and Israel at a difficult time for both countries. Thank you for your work together with the Biden administration to help Ukraine and Israel protect their civilians against the terrorist attacks of Russia and Hamas, respectively.

I wrote on September 16, 2023, asking you to continue helping Ukraine in its fight against the Russian terrorists. Since then, Ukraine continued its steady progress towards liberating its people and restoring its territories. And then the horrific Hamas attack on Israel happened.

I would like to ask you to:

* Provide Ukraine with more long range precision weapons (e.g., ATACMS), fighter jets (e.g., F-16), tanks, drones and ammunition.
* Provide military and diplomatic assistance to Israel to ensure that it can destroy Hamas and thus restore peace and stability in the region.

I am deeply grateful to you for your strong support of both Ukraine and Israel, and for helping save the lives of innocent civilians during this time of conflict!

Sincerely,

Timur Shtatland, Ph.D.

---

On Tue, Oct 24, 2023 at 10:15 AM Elizabeth Warren <Elizabeth_Warren@warren.senate.gov> wrote:

Dear Timur,

Thank you for reaching out to me about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As you know, on February 24, 2022, Russian armed forces, at the direction of Vladimir Putin, launched an illegal invasion to overthrow the democratically-elected government of Ukraine. Since that invasion, President Putin has waged a brutal war against Ukraine, killing tens of thousands, including thousands of innocent civilians. Putin is wanted for war crimes, and Russia has reportedly kidnapped tens of thousands of Ukrainian children.

In August 2023, I traveled to Ukraine, where I met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top officials in Kyiv. I saw firsthand, on the eve of Ukrainian Independence Day, how the people and military of Ukraine are fully dedicated to this fight. Ukrainians are on the frontlines fighting for democracy, and we must continue to support them as they fight back against Russia’s illegal invasion.

Throughout this conflict, I have supported President Biden’s efforts to strengthen our alliances within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to present a united front against Russia’s aggression. The United States and our partners must continue to work together to hold Russia accountable. 

I continue to support the Biden Administration’s security assistance for the Ukrainian armed forces’ defensive capabilities and robust oversight to ensure that aid is not misused. I also commend President Biden’s continued use of sanctions targeting President Putin and Russian officials and entities supporting this invasion. We need to hold Putin and other Russian officials and entities accountable as we continue to support Ukraine in its fight against this aggression. This includes continuing to use diplomatic and economic tools to tighten constraints on Russia, isolate it, and prevent it from using any loopholes to evade sanctions in order to bring this conflict to an end. I introduced the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act with Senator Roger Marshall to ensure that countries like Russia are not able to use digital assets such as cryptocurrency to evade these punishing sanctions.

I will continue to support the United States’ efforts to support the Ukrainian people against Russian aggression. I appreciate your reaching out to me about this issue, and please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about issues of importance to you.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Warren
United States Senator

Washington, DC 309 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-4543

Boston, MA 2400 JFK Federal Building 15 New Sudbury Street Boston, MA 02203 Phone: 617-565-3170

Springfield, MA 1550 Main Street Suite 406 Springfield, MA 01103 Phone: 413-788-2690

 ----

On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 3:27 PM Congresswoman Katherine Clark <MA05KCIMA@mail.house.gov> wrote:

Dear Mr. Shtatland, Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts regarding Hamas’s deadly assault on Israel. I appreciate you taking the time to share your position on this issue. I strongly condemn the vicious terrorist attack by Hamas against innocent civilians in Israel. The violence is appalling, and I grieve with the families in mourning and communities under siege.  This horrifying attack has touched many in our community. I have received calls from constituents worried about loved ones in Israel, and I'm actively engaged with the State Department on their behalf.  On October 13, the U.S. government began arranging charter flights to assist U.S. citizens and will provide updates to those who have filled out the Crisis Intake Form at cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake.  Additionally, U.S. citizens are encouraged to monitor the Embassy in Israel’s website and social media for updates by visiting il.usembassy.gov or @usembassyjlm across social media platforms, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov/STEP, and use the Crisis Intake Form if in need of assistance.  If you or your loved ones have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at 617-354-0292. I will assist you in any way that I can.  My heart breaks for the Israeli people, for the Americans killed, for the 5th District families touched by this unthinkable tragedy, and for those praying for the safe return of their loved ones.  Please know that I stand steadfast with Israel and the Jewish people, and I will keep your thoughts in mind should legislation regarding this issue be brought to the House floor for a vote. Again, thank you for voicing your concerns, and please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I may be of assistance. Also, you can stay up to date on my work for the 5th District by following me on Facebook, Twitter, and my official website. Sincerely, Katherine M. Clark Member of Congress

Mikhail Yudovsky: paintings with rain (2023)

This is a small retrospective of 15 paintings with rain from 2023 by Mikhail Yudovsky Михайло Юдовський. I have previously seen these works one-by-one, as they were originally posted. But they pack even more impact when they are viewed together in this series. Rainy streets (and water in general) is one of my favorite themes in Yudovsky's works. I know of no other artist who could better express the romantic feelings evoked by the rain, by the wet streets, by the magical reflections in the water. Yudovsky experiments with colors - from multi-colored to nearly monochromatic paintings - and creates a rainy universe that is distinctly his own. These variations on the theme of rain are true Poetry in color!

The A.I. Dilemma, deepfakes and national security

Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, the people behind the film "The Social Dilemma", describe potential negative side effects of generative AI in the engaging talk (1 hour):

The A.I. Dilemma - March 9, 2023 - YouTube

The AI Dilemma - podcast

"Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin discuss how existing A.I. capabilities already pose catastrophic risks to a functional society, how A.I. companies are caught in a race to deploy as quickly as possible without adequate safety measures, and what it would mean to upgrade our institutions to a post-A.I. world."

...and these side effects already started appearing:

Reality wars: Deepfakes and national security | NPR: On Point, June 07, 2023

Includes a story how Bill Browder, a prominent Kremlin critic, became the victim of a deepfake hoax, after being invited to a Zoom call allegedly with Petro Poroshenko, former President of Ukraine.

Please continue helping Ukraine: contact your elected officials!

Those of us who live outside of Ukraine can help Ukraine by writing, calling or emailing our elected officials, urging them to continue helping Ukraine. This is critical to provide the necessary strong public support for the help that our politicians are providing Ukraine. Thank you for helping Ukraine!

Please see an example of such a letter to politicians below, as well as examples of actual replies from politicians. It is one of the dozens of messages I wrote to my elected officials since before Russia started the full-scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022 until present. I adjusted the letters as time went by and the needs of Ukraine changed. I also tried to customize the letters for each politician. It is best to keep the messages to politicians short and to the point, as well as respectful and positive. For further guidance on how to write to politicians, please listen to this TED talk: Omar Ahmad: Political change with pen and paper.

I contacted my Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ed Markey and President Joe Biden through the submission form on their respective websites. Below is how to find their websites:

https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

############################################################

April 9, 2023

Subject: Please help Ukraine!

Dear Congresswoman Clark:

I would like to thank you for your unwavering support of Ukraine! Please continue your work with the Biden administration in helping alleviate the suffering of civilians in Ukraine.

I wrote on December 17, 2022, providing recommendations for US policy regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Since then, the conflict continued, with Ukraine poised to start the Spring counteroffensive, with the goal of regaining the territory illegally occupied by the Russians. There is evidence of war crimes committed by Russia on the occupied territories, such as abduction of children. I would like to ask you to:

* Continue supplying Ukraine with weapons, with the goal to regain all of its territory, including Donbas and Crimea.

* Provide Ukraine with long range MLRS (e.g., ATACMS), fighter jets (e.g., F-16), tanks and ammunition.

* Start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 planes, in anticipation of the future developments.

* Increase sanctions on the Russian ruling elite. Seize their assets and use them for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

Thank you so much for your consideration, and for helping protect the lives of Ukrainian elderly, women and children!

Sincerely,

Timur Shtatland, Ph.D.

############################################################

Katherine M. Clark

Congress of the United States

Democratic Whip

DemocraticWhip.house.gov

Washington Office

2368 Rayburn Building

Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-2836

FAX: (202) 226-0092

Massachusetts 5th District

KatherineClark.house.gov

District Office

157 Pleasant St., Suite 4

Malden, MA 02148

Phone: (617) 354-0292

FAX: (617) 354-1456

April 11, 2023

Dear Mr. Shtatland,

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked, illegal invasion of Ukraine. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me.

President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people continue to show extraordinary bravery in the face of Putin’s monstrous war, and it is essential that they receive sustained support from the international community as they defend their country. The consequences of this war are staggering, and I am heartbroken by the mounting loss of life and the millions of Ukrainian families forced to flee their homes. 

That is why I am working with the Biden Administration and my colleagues in Congress to deliver robust humanitarian, economic, and military aid to Ukraine; hold Putin’s authoritarian regime accountable for its horrific acts of aggression; and end this war as quickly as possible. Nobody, especially the people of Ukraine, wants to see this conflict spiral further out of control, which is why our efforts must be centered on bringing it to an end. 

Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, America and our allies across the globe are united against Putin’s cruelty and have taken strong, coordinated steps to end the conflict – imposing historic sanctions against Russia and mobilizing vital assistance to the people of Ukraine. 

Congress has been a key partner in these global efforts, and I am proud to have voted in support of multiple aid packages to Ukraine – helping to bolster its defenses and provide food, medicine, and shelter to millions of displaced civilians. Moreover, I have voted for legislation to isolate Russia on the global stage by banning Russian energy imports and revoking permanent normal trade relations. These important steps are increasing pressure on Putin and draining resources from his war machine. 

The families impacted by this devastating war must be treated with compassion, which is why President Biden has committed to welcoming 100,000 Ukrainian refugees into the United States. I have also proudly commended the Administration’s decision to grant temporary protected status to Ukrainians as well as its support for our Eastern European allies as they continue to offer refuge. 

Please know that I will continue to do everything I can to support the people of Ukraine and help bring a swift end to this war, and I will keep your thoughts in mind should legislation regarding this issue be brought back to the House floor for a vote.

Again, thank you for voicing your concerns, and please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I may be of assistance. Also, you can stay up to date on my work for the 5th District by following me on Facebook, Twitter, and my official website.

Sincerely,

Katherine M. Clark

Member of Congress

############################################################

EDWARD J. MARKEY

MASSACHUSETTS                                                       

255 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING

WASHINGTON, DC 20510

(202) 224-2742

                 

United States Senate

April 19, 2023

Dear Timur:

Thank you for contacting me regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

Since the Russian military invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, millions of Ukrainians have fled the country, while those still in Ukraine are suffering through the most extreme privations, including lack of access to food, water, electricity, and shelter adequate to protect them from the relentless Russian assault. The United States and our European allies have responded with unity and are supporting Ukraine with economic and military aid, as well as humanitarian assistance.

While we must continue to provide unwavering support for Ukraine and our NATO allies in Europe, we must also push for a diplomatic resolution, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated rejection of opportunities to compromise proposed by the Biden administration, NATO, and Ukraine. Together with our allies and partners, the United States has imposed historic sanctions to pressure Putin to end this unjust war.

Ending the war in Ukraine means ending our dependence on Russian oil. That is why I introduced the Severing Putin’s Immense Gains from Oil Transfers (SPIGOT) Act, legislation to prohibit the importation of Russian oil and petroleum products into the United States. Additionally, I support President Biden’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Ukrainians who will be unable to safely return to their homes. I applaud the President’s decision to welcome 100,000 Ukrainian refugees to the United States.

Finally, I introduced the Non-Recognition of Russian Annexation of Ukrainian Territory Act, legislation that would ensure U.S. policy never recognizes any Russian claim of sovereignty over Ukraine.

My heart is with the people of Ukraine as they endure an illegal violation of their sovereignty by Russia. As Congress considers proposals in the 118th Congress related to Ukraine, I will keep your thoughts and outreach in mind and continue to advocate for peace and the security for all Ukrainians.

I appreciate your contacting me about this issue. If my office can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out again. To sign up for my newsletter, visit www.markey.senate.gov/newsletter. You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Sincerely,

Edward J. Markey

United States Senator

Help the Children of Ukrainian Refugees

Dear friends! I am raising funds to help the children of Ukrainian refugees. The help is provided by Anna Shumeyko, a psychotherapist and psychologist with 20 years of experience working with adults and kids. Anna is leading sessions in art therapy and body psychotherapy that help restore mental health of children traumatized by the war. I am raising funds for rent and supplies for the therapy sessions. One hundred percent of the funds go toward organizing the therapy sessions for the children - we have no overhead. Our goal is to raise $6800 for one therapeutic course for two age groups of 10 children each, 20 children altogether (rent for 1 year: $6000, supplies: $800). Huge thanks to everyone who has donated already! We are one third of the way there. I have known Anna Shumeyko for more than 30 years. Anna is a world class professional from Ukraine with unique experience and education in Ukraine and Switzerland. The families of refugees come from Mariupol, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Luhansk, and now live in Basel, Switzerland. Many of them escaped shelling and missile attacks, and all children were separated from their fathers. During therapy sessions, body tension is relieved through movement and games, and positive communication is established between adults and kids. Negative experience and images are processed and transformed with art using chalk, pencils, crayons and paints, as well as with different sensorial games. I will be very grateful for donations via PayPal: tshtatland@gmail.com

---

Дорогие друзья! Я собираю средства для помощи детям украинских беженцев. Детям помогает Анна Шумейко, терапевт и психолог с 20-летним опытом работы с детьми и взрослыми. Анна ведет занятия по арт-терапии и телесно-ориентированной терапии, восстанавливающие психику детей, которые травмированы войной. Я собираю деньги на аренду помещения и материалы для занятий. Сто процентов денег идут на организацию занятий для детей - накладных расходов у нас нет. Наша цель - собрать $6800 на 1 терапевтический курс для двух возрастных групп из 10 детей, 20 детей всего (аренда на год: $6000, материалы для занятий: $800). Большое спасибо всем, кто уже откликнулся. Мы уже собрали треть всей суммы денег! Я знаю Анну Шумейко больше 30 лет. Анна - первоклассный профессионал из Украины с уникальным опытом и образованием в Украине и Швейцарии. Семьи беженцев приехали из Мариуполя, Харькова, Днепра и Луганска и живут в Базеле, Швейцария. Многие бежали из-под обстрелов, все дети разлучены войной с отцами. На занятиях терапией снимается напряжение в теле через подвижные игры, налаживается положительная коммуникация с детьми и взрослыми. Трансформируется отрицательный опыт и образы в ресурсные, используя разные упражнения рисования мелками, карандашами и красками, и различные сенсорные игры. Я буду очень благодарен за помощь в любом размере по PayPal: tshtatland@gmail.com

Ukraine charities

How to help Ukrainian civilians suffering one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of the century? 

Last updated December 4, 2023

There are many ways you can help.

Charities run by friends:

Igor Lubashev (Massachusetts, USA) is raising money for lifesaving equipment for Ukraine as well as for the equipment for Ukrainian children’s education in orphanages and refugee settlements:

Here is the info from his GuFundMe page: 

Fundraiser by Igor Lubashev : Kharkiv Resilience Fund:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/kharkiv-strong

I am happy to share our latest project.

Hundreds of children in orphanages and refugee settlements have been displaced by the war and are missing school and other learning opportunities. Worry about their children’s education is one of the very top concerns of the families in refugee settlements — this is one of very few things they can actually control. There are Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking volunteers around the world who are interested to teach the children remotely, but there are very few laptops where the children are.

We have partnered with Earthlings Hub, Kiddo Byte Ukraine, and Ukraine Rescue Fund to send 100 Chromebooks and 120 headsets to the orphanages and refugee centers to allow the children a chance to learn.

Our Chromebooks have been delivered to children in Lviv, Kryvyi Rih, Chernivtsi, and Vinnytsia! Hurrah!

P.S. In the works is delivery of 3000 donated science kits to Ukraine -- the word about us being able to get these projects done gets around. We are happy to help!

P.P.S. We are still helping with our original projects like procuring and delivering fabrics, Velcro-like tape, and webbing for vests and other lifesaving equipment.

Timur Shtatland (2022) "The Riesling Drinker"

 Timur Shtatland (2022) "The Riesling Drinker" is dated to the artist's Stoneham period. It is variously known as "The COVID Test Taker", "To Drink or Not to Drink", and "A Second Thought Caused by the COVID Test a Moment Before the Timer Is up". It is inspired by Pablo Picasso's "The Absinthe Drinker", which, in turn, is dated to *that* artist's Purple Period (located between the Light Pink Period and the Blue Period). Precious little is known about this oeuvre, although one can read more about Riesling itself on the back of wine bottles. A timely gift by generous benefactors may have preceded, or, indeed, precipitated, the creation of this work.

Michael Apted: The "Up" series

The "Up" series of films documents the lives of 14 British children since they were 7 years old up to the present. The first documentary in the series, "Seven Up!", was shot in 1964, and the latest film (so far), "63 Up", was shot in 2019. The series was directed by Michael Apted after the first film, in which Apted worked as a researcher. The series is remarkable in offering a unique look into human development using as example lives of ordinary people traced from childhood into the old age. The "Up" series is a monumental achievement in the history of filmmaking. The entire experience of watching the films in sequence and following the lives of the people cannot be reduced simply to a set of lessons learned. You have to watch the films to really "get it", and definitely watch multiple times. I will mention just a few most memorable things that struck me as significant. 

Chance favors the prepared mind. This very successful series of documentaries came to life by chance: the first film was planned only as a single stand-alone feature, not a series. The studio offered Michael Apted a chance to create a sequel only later, when the children were about to turn 14. He took this opportunity, and offered to commit to come back every seven years to shoot the subsequent films.

Also, regardless of the social class (the subjects ranged from working class to upper class), most people eventually recognized how important good education (for example, college) is. Those that had good education themselves made sure to offer the same for their children. And those that did not have good education themselves understood the significance of education later in life and tried to give their kids and grandkids something better than what they had. 

Social class into which a person is born is hugely important: it often determines the person's social class for decades. 

One of the biggest psychological traumas that most people experienced was the death of their parents. Reflections on the death of their parents almost universally brought tears to the eyes of the documentary subjects, no matter what age. Truly cherishing every moment together with the people you love may be one of the most lasting and uplifting lessons from the "Up" series.

Brett Hennig: What if we replaced politicians with randomly selected people?

In the TED talk "What if we replaced politicians with randomly selected people?", Brett Hennig makes a case for sortition, a system of governance which replaces at least a part of the elected government officials with randomly selected people.

If you think democracy is broken, here's an idea: let's replace politicians with randomly selected people. Author and activist Brett Hennig presents a compelling case for sortition democracy, or random selection of government officials -- a system with roots in ancient Athens that taps into the wisdom of the crowd and entrusts ordinary people with making balanced decisions for the greater good of everyone. Sound crazy? Learn more about how it could work to create a world free of partisan politics.

Matt Cutts: Try something new for 30 days

In his talk TED talk "Try something new for 30 days", Matt Cutts suggests practicing new habits for 30 days.

Think about something you've always wanted to add to your life and try it for the next 30 days. It turns out 30 days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit -- like watching the news -- from your life.

I learned that when I made small, sustainable changes, things I could keep doing, they were more likely to stick. There's nothing wrong with big, crazy challenges. In fact, they're a ton of fun. But they're less likely to stick.

Note: The time to form a habit varies a lot, and 30 days is likely just a ballpark number:

The time it took participants to reach 95% of their asymptote of automaticity ranged from 18 to 254 days; indicating considerable variation in how long it takes people to reach their limit of automaticity and highlighting that it can take a very long time.

Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C.H.M., Potts, H.W.W. and Wardle, J. (2010), How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol., 40: 998-1009. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674

A.J. Jacobs: My journey to thank all the people responsible for my morning coffee

 A.J. Jacobs (familiar to readers of this blog from this and this posts) published a new book "Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey", described on the TED talk "My journey to thank all the people responsible for my morning coffee". While doing research for this book, A.J. Jacobs set out on a trip around the world to thank all the people who made possible his morning cup of coffee, from the barista in New York, to the coffee growers in Colombia, to the people who paved the road on which coffee arrived to New York.

Here are several new lessons that A.J. Jacobs learned during this journey:

Look up. [...] When dealing with people, I'm going to take those two seconds and look at them, make eye contact. Because it reminds you, you're dealing with a human being who has family and aspirations and embarrassing high school memories. And that little moment of connection is so important to both people's humanity and happiness.

Smell the roses. And the dirt. And the fertilizer. [...] I decided to really let the coffee sit on my tongue for five seconds -- we're all busy, but I could spare five seconds, and really think about the texture and the acidity and the sweetness. And I started to do it with other foods. And this idea of savoring is so important to gratitude. Psychologists talk about how gratitude is about taking a moment and holding on to it as long as possible. And slowing down time. So that life doesn't go by in one big blur, as it often does.

Find the hidden masterpieces all around you. 

Fake it till you feel it. [...] I would wake up every morning in my default mood, which is grumpiness, but I would force myself to write a thank-you note and then another and then another. And what I found was that if you act as if you're grateful, you eventually become grateful for real. The power of our actions to change our mind is astounding. So, often we think that thought changes behavior, but behavior very often changes our thought. 

Practice six degrees of gratitude. And every place, every stop on this gratitude trail would give birth to 100 other people that I could thank. [...] And it just drove home that it doesn't take a village to make a cup of coffee. It takes the world to make a cup of coffee. 

We use gratitude as a spark to action. [...] The research shows that the more grateful you are, the more likely you are to help others. When you're in a bad state, you're often more focused on your own needs. But gratitude makes you want to pay it forward. [...] And it's why I encourage people, friends, family, to follow gratitude trails of their own. Because it's a life-transforming experience. And it doesn't have to be coffee. It could be anything. It could be a pair of socks, it could be a light bulb. And you don't have to go around the world, you can just do a little gesture, like make eye contact or send a note to the designer of a logo you love. It's more about a mindset. Being aware of the thousands of people involved in every little thing we do.

Atul Gawande: The Checklist Manifesto

Atul Gawande: How do we heal medicine? https://www.ted.com/talks/atul_gawande_how_do_we_heal_medicine

Surgeon and writer Atul Gawande suggests using checklists in medicine. Checklists are a cheap and effective QC tool that found numerous uses in other professional areas, such as aviation.

Our medical systems are broken. Doctors are capable of extraordinary (and expensive) treatments, but they are losing their core focus: actually treating people. Doctor and writer Atul Gawande suggests we take a step back and look at new ways to do medicine -- with fewer cowboys and more pit crews.

"We created a 19-item two-minute checklist for surgical teams. We had the pause points immediately before anesthesia is given, immediately before the knife hits the skin, immediately before the patient leaves the room. And we had a mix of dumb stuff on there -- making sure an antibiotic is given in the right time frame because that cuts the infection rate by half -- and then interesting stuff, because you can't make a recipe for something as complicated as surgery. Instead, you can make a recipe for how to have a team that's prepared for the unexpected. And we had items like making sure everyone in the room had introduced themselves by name at the start of the day, because you get half a dozen people or more who are sometimes coming together as a team for the very first time that day that you're coming in."

REFERENCES:

The rate of death was 1.5% before the checklist was introduced and declined to 0.8% afterward (P=0.003). Inpatient complications occurred in 11.0% of patients at baseline and in 7.0% after introduction of the checklist (P<0.001).

Haynes AB, Weiser TG, Berry WR, Lipsitz SR, Breizat AH, Dellinger EP, Herbosa T, Joseph S, Kibatala PL, Lapitan MC, Merry AF, Moorthy K, Reznick RK, Taylor B, Gawande AA; Safe Surgery Saves Lives Study Group. A surgical safety checklist to reduce morbidity and mortality in a global population. N Engl J Med. 2009 Jan 29;360(5):491-9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsa0810119. Epub 2009 Jan 14. PMID: 19144931: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19144931/

Atul Gawande (2010) The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: https://www.amazon.com/The-Checklist-Manifesto-Things-Right/dp/0312430000/

Study: When their party switched its policy position on major issues, citizens' policy opinions followed suite

Slothuus, R. and Bisgaard, M. (2020), How Political Parties Shape Public Opinion in the Real World. American Journal of Political Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12550

How powerful are political parties in shaping citizens' opinions? Despite long‐standing interest in the flow of influence between partisan elites and citizens, few studies to date examine how citizens react when their party changes its position on a major issue in the real world. We present a rare quasi‐experimental panel study of how citizens responded when their political party suddenly reversed its position on two major and salient welfare issues in Denmark. With a five‐wave panel survey collected just around these two events, we show that citizens' policy opinions changed immediately and substantially when their party switched its policy position—even when the new position went against citizens' previously held views. These findings advance the current, largely experimental literature on partisan elite influence.

Via Rolf Degen.

Research-based charities guide

GiveWell is a site with evidence-based charity reviews. I found it to be a useful guide when selecting the best organizations for donations.
From their site:

We identify top charities by assessing them along four criteria: Their evidence of effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, transparency, and room for more funding.

Their top charities are supported by randomized controlled trials, the gold standard in economic research. 

SEE ALSO:
Esther Duflo: Social experiments to fight poverty

Don Thompson on prediction markets in political elections and business decisions

Who will win the election? Prediction markets are more accurate than the polls for prediction of the election results, according to Donald N. Thompson, an economist and professor of marketing, emeritus, at York University in Toronto, interviewed in this podcast: Let Your Employees Bet on the Company - HBR IdeaCast - Harvard Business Review (audio, 14 min).

"Dewey Defeats Truman", a famously inaccurate headline, Chicago Tribune,1948, from archives.gov

Dan Ariely: The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves

In The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves, Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University Dan Ariely describes the recent studies on psychology and economics of cheating. The experiments are so cool, and the book is so well-written, that I literally could not put it down. The research offers practical methods to decrease cheating. The new theory proposed by Ariely contradicts the currently prevalent rational model of crime, based on cost-benefit analysis, which is used to set our current policy.

Ben Goldacre: Battling bad science

Ben Goldacre: Battling bad science | Video on TED.com (video, 14 min)
British doctor, blogger and the author of the book Bad Science: Quacks, Hacks, and Big Pharma Flacks Ben Goldacre describes one of the most serious problems in medicine today: a flood of bad science. This ranges from false health and dietary claims coming from the self-proclaimed "experts" to withholding of evidence by pharma companies. Goldacre gives a few examples of bad science, in the order from easiest to hardest to spot:

Roy F. Baumeister: Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

Building Self-Control  (audio, 14 min)
In this short podcast, Roy Baumeister, Professor of Psychology at Florida State University and co-author (with John Tierney) of the book Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, summarizes the often surprising results of recent research on willpower (also known as self-control or self-regulation).

• Willpower is similar to muscle strength, in that it is a limited resource, it is renewable, and it can be strengthened.
• Willpower is a limited resource. At any given moment in time, you have only so much of self-control, and you can deplete it (a phenomenon known as ego depletion). We have the same amount of willpower, which we use up for a variety of tasks, such as resisting the temptation to overeat, being patient and polite under stress, and even making decisions. Laboratory studies have shown that when subjects are given various self-control tests throughout the day, regardless of the order of the tasks, they tend to perform worse on the later tasks. Self-control can be measured in the lab using a variety of standard tests, for example the ability to resist cookies while hungry, or the ability to keep the hand immersed in very cold water.
• Willpower is a renewable resource. Some of the ways to renew it is by eating or sleeping. After a meal or a good night sleep, people are better capable of self-control. Studies have shown that most diets are broken in the evening, not in the morning.
• Willpower can be strengthened over time by exercising it. One surprising method of developing willpower is to follow arbitrary rules. In one of the studies, subjects were told to work on their posture (sit up straight, stand up straight) for two weeks. After that, their self-control improved on measures that had nothing to do with posture.

A few other interesting findings I learned from the book: