~~PRLog (Press Release) - Feb. 6, 2014 - WINNIPEG, Canada -- By Ihor Cap
The threat of a renewed "Cold War" and a new "Berlin Wall" that will divide Europe from Asia is near, and the Western media is underestimating the significance of this threat. The new line of divide is Ukraine. Which side of the Ukrainian border the wall is to appear will be decided by the Western world. More and more though, it appears that it will be on the Polish-Ukrainian side of the border. Should this happen, democracy as we know it and its core public values will live under a constant umbrella of fear and deception.
On November 21, 2013,the Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has yielded to the pressure and threats from Putin's Russia. He postponed the signing of an agreement which would give the country Association status with the European Union (EU) along with many mutual economic benefits. As a result, hundreds of thousands frustrated Ukrainians hit the streets of the Ukrainian capital, the likes of which had not been seen since the Orange Revolution in 2004. They feel they are being sold out by the Ukrainian President, in spite of overwhelming public support favoring an alliance with the EU. Meanwhile, Putin is bullying Ukraine to join his Customs Union or Eurasian Union. The latter Unions are beginning to resemble a 21st century prototype of the Triple Alliance reminiscent of Nazi Germany, except today instead of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan we have Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. It's a cause of anxiety for the Ukrainian people, for Artur Sakunts, the Chairman of "Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor" (see AlRagir am, October 28, 2013),and for the Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine.
The Russian bear is hungry and getting bolder still. It needs a passive and obedient Ukraine, a Europe that is confused and fearful, and a North American continent that is mollified by song and dance. The Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine is much concerned about this part of the world because the sum of these authoritarian countries with Ukraine will pose a serious challenge to the security of Europe and NATO aligned countries.
While many people are familiar with the stereotypical images of Ukrainian cuisine and high kicking folk dances, fewer people are aware that Ukraine was the world's 3rd nuclear power, it was the main source of Soviet scientific achievements, and is currently a top 10 world's arms suppliers of the menacing Ukrainian made T-64BM Bulat tanks, BM-30 Smerch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BM-30_Smerch) heavy multiple rocket launchers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_rocket_launcher), the world's largest transport aircraft, and a variety of other effective surface-to-air (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface-to-air) missile systems and anti-aircraft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-aircraft) missile and artillery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artillery) complexes. Antonov (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov), KMDB, Malyshev Factory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malyshev_Factory), RPC Fort (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RPC_Fort), Yuzhmash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzhmash), and the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzhnoye_Design_Bureau) are the industrial engines manufacturing this complex series of hardware, weapons and other armoured fighting vehicles.
Today, Ukraine is positively contributing its technical know-how to such peaceful experimental efforts like the European Super-Collider and Sea Launch. Ukraine is a candidate, Associate member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research or CERN (with accession in progress) and is playing an important role in a variety of commercial and hybrid spacecraft launches as part of Sea Launch LLC, a joint partnership formed between The Boeing Company (40 %), RSC Energia (25 %), Kvaerner (20%), and Yuzhmash and Yuzhnoye (15 %). Ukrainian Economist Volodymyr Lanovyi points to the numerous sophisticated technical projects Ukraine is currently involved in with its French, German and English business counterparts to jointly develop complex technical-machinery and electronic production of a military nature. Even the world's largest transport aircraft (Antonov's Ruslan) has piqued the interest of NATO, and Russia knows it (see Dmytro Tuzov's interview with Volodymyr Lanovyi in Ukrainska Pravda, Dec. 23, 2013). Ukraine can continue to serve as a source of knowledge, cooperation and growth with the Western world or be swallowed into the proverbial black hole of abyss and perform the will of its future Imperial tyrants.
The next few days, months, years will be crucial. As Ukraine nears the finish line, the underlying issue is not getting the attention it needs. Our leaders are not aware of this imminent and apparent danger. Time is of the essence here. We need to ensure that democracy takes hold in Ukraine, because the Russians are doing everything in their power to make sure it does not.
Author: Ihor Cap is a Slavic Studies graduate from The University of Ottawa with a Specialization in Ukrainian Studies, and a Ph.D. graduate of The Florida State University
Thursday, December 29, 2016
A One-Time Favorite Ukrainian Games Website for Learning and Fun Closes Down!
EzReklama recently removed its gaming website after a 7 years online fun. It featured a collection of free online interactive games related to Ukrainian themes, learning, and most importantly fun! Visitors to the UkrainianGames.Blogspot.Com web site engaged in any number of interactive games in English or Ukrainian completely free of charge. The content of these games was appropriate for children and adults from 8 to 88.
Bilingual education teachers, especially elementary school teachers, used it to find a treasure chest of interactive content for the classroom that is designed to teach or reward their learners! Some schoolchildren enjoyed putting a ZAZ Ukrainian car jigsaw puzzle together. Others chose to put together the facade of the Lviv Opera and Ballet Theatre. You selected the picture of interest and control the level of difficulty. Easy puzzle cuts contained as little as 6 pieces for children and moved up in range of difficulty to as many as 247 cuts or pieces of an image. You decided which one is appropriate for you, for your learners or your family.
Young tots enjoyed connecting the dots in the correct sequence to learn the alphabet and take delight in the animal or other image rendered in front of the computer screen upon successfully connecting the dots. Still others may have just needed to brush up on a little math work with a little help from their favorite cartoon character "Hubka Bob".
Young girls who dreamed of becoming fashion models took delight in playing dress up with the "Ukrainian Fashion Girl" from Kyiv or Kateryna from Lviv. Young boys loved the high kicking, Cossack sword wavering onscreen figure that is also endowed with special mystical powers in "Bohun's Revenge."
All in all, game players found it an attractive site that was at once captivating and neatly organized so players can quickly find their favorite game. New games were added all the time. Moms and dads joined in the fun. There were puzzles, simulations, math and logic games, matching games and so much more. DARE to be entertained!
Bilingual education teachers, especially elementary school teachers, used it to find a treasure chest of interactive content for the classroom that is designed to teach or reward their learners! Some schoolchildren enjoyed putting a ZAZ Ukrainian car jigsaw puzzle together. Others chose to put together the facade of the Lviv Opera and Ballet Theatre. You selected the picture of interest and control the level of difficulty. Easy puzzle cuts contained as little as 6 pieces for children and moved up in range of difficulty to as many as 247 cuts or pieces of an image. You decided which one is appropriate for you, for your learners or your family.
Young tots enjoyed connecting the dots in the correct sequence to learn the alphabet and take delight in the animal or other image rendered in front of the computer screen upon successfully connecting the dots. Still others may have just needed to brush up on a little math work with a little help from their favorite cartoon character "Hubka Bob".
Young girls who dreamed of becoming fashion models took delight in playing dress up with the "Ukrainian Fashion Girl" from Kyiv or Kateryna from Lviv. Young boys loved the high kicking, Cossack sword wavering onscreen figure that is also endowed with special mystical powers in "Bohun's Revenge."
All in all, game players found it an attractive site that was at once captivating and neatly organized so players can quickly find their favorite game. New games were added all the time. Moms and dads joined in the fun. There were puzzles, simulations, math and logic games, matching games and so much more. DARE to be entertained!
Farewell Ukrainian Games website. We will miss you. You can try finding these games invidually by their names by doing a website search. Good Luck!
Practical Diaper Changing Tips for New Moms and Dads
By Ihor Cap
The more diaper changes you do the better you get at it. My mother-in-law observed the speed with which I perform a diaper change and said that I have “professorial skills“. I need not tell you but that was an Olympic moment for me.
1. Check inside the baby’s diaper. There is no better way to know if the baby soiled itself than to know. So, pull back the disposable diaper from behind with one finger and have a peek inside the diaper. The smell might be a stronger indicator for a diaper change. If the diaper is heavy, then the baby most probably wet herself. For those of you who are very sensitive to smell, I found that just breathing through my mouth instead of the nose would help you through the diaper change.
2. Prepare your materials for the diaper change. It is easier to complete the diaper change process if you prepare your materials ahead of time. Then you will not find yourself scrambling for something in the middle of the diaper change process. Make sure everything is within reach.
Remove the baby’s socks and sleepers, and tuck the bottom portion of the clothes behind the baby’s back so it does not get in the way of the diaper change. Undo the fasteners on the diapers, and then slowly wipe the remaining poop with the upper portion of the diaper. Toss the diaper in the diaper bin or trash can. Remember to clean the trashcan soon after the diaper change to avoid any unpleasant smells in your room.
Then lift the baby up by the baby’s ankles in one hand and wipe the baby’s bum using wet wipes with the other hand. Make sure you wipe the creases too.
If you are cleaning a baby boy, you may want to cover his penis with a flannel cloth to prevent him from spraying you. Clean under the boy’s external pouch (the scrotum) too. You may miss something if you do not look under there.
If you are cleaning a baby girl, always make sure to wipe in a downward motion to avoid potential urinary tract infections. Wipe from the top external vaginal folds downwards toward the anus. Do not forget the inner lip folds as there may be something that got in there too. If there is something there, wipe it gently. If there is no poop in there then there is no need to wipe. Use a fresh wet wipe to go over the same areas.
Check for any rashness. Smear some Penaten Cream wherever there is redness and do not forget the creases or folds on the legs too. Get a new diaper. Again, lift the ankles up with one hand and place the fresh diaper underneath the baby using your other hand. Now adjust the diaper with both hands sliding the diaper up or down as necessary and then fasten the side tab attachments to the diaper. For boys, make sure you place the penis in a downward position before you close the tabs to prevent any leaks later on. Do not fasten the tabs on to tight on the stomach or legs. Dress up the baby and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Now go wash your hands.
For large poop jobs, you will need to remove the baby’s clothes completely, and wipe the baby down with wet wipes. Then prepare the water tap to run on luke warm (I installed a spray aerator for this purpose) and have a flannel cloth ready with baby sensitive soap on it to wipe down the baby further.
Now carry the baby with one arm to the sink and wipe the baby down using the soap filled flannel wash cloth with the other hand. The reason for the flannel wash cloth is because the poop may be very greasy in big poop jobs and simply using a few wet wipes will not be enough to complete the job properly.
Do not leave any soap residue on the body as it may cause skin rashes to occur later when you close up the diaper. After you finished cleaning the baby, carry it over to the drying towel (which is different from your changing towel) and pat it down softly until the baby is dry. Check for redness. Apply cream where necessary and wrap her up! Occasionally let the baby dry out in the open to prevent diaper rash or help speed up the healing process. Wash your hands. Repeat diaper change process as needed.
Author Information:
Ihor Cap is a web author and father of two wonderful children, a boy and a girl.
For More Diapering Tips, Watch the Following Videos:
The more diaper changes you do the better you get at it. My mother-in-law observed the speed with which I perform a diaper change and said that I have “professorial skills“. I need not tell you but that was an Olympic moment for me.
1. Check inside the baby’s diaper. There is no better way to know if the baby soiled itself than to know. So, pull back the disposable diaper from behind with one finger and have a peek inside the diaper. The smell might be a stronger indicator for a diaper change. If the diaper is heavy, then the baby most probably wet herself. For those of you who are very sensitive to smell, I found that just breathing through my mouth instead of the nose would help you through the diaper change.
2. Prepare your materials for the diaper change. It is easier to complete the diaper change process if you prepare your materials ahead of time. Then you will not find yourself scrambling for something in the middle of the diaper change process. Make sure everything is within reach.
- You will need a garbage pail to toss out the soiled diaper.
- A baby change table or a towel that you will use to place underneath the baby for the diaper change, baby sensitive wet wipes or moist towelettes (non-alcoholic and moisturized preferred) and baby soap and a small flannel wiping cloth next to the sink in case you encountered the jack pot, and another separate drying towel to dry the baby.
- There is no need to wash the baby in the sink for small poops or wet diaper changes. In these cases, wet wipes will do.
- If you encountered the mother load (and it does happen), you will need a change of clothes for the baby.
- Lastly, you may need skin cream. Before you put a new diaper on the baby, check for diaper rash or skin redness around the area of the bum. If it is red, then it is a good time to spread a little skin cream on all the red areas and cracks using your fingertips. I found that Penaten Cream is a great product that takes care of this problem effectively and quickly.
Remove the baby’s socks and sleepers, and tuck the bottom portion of the clothes behind the baby’s back so it does not get in the way of the diaper change. Undo the fasteners on the diapers, and then slowly wipe the remaining poop with the upper portion of the diaper. Toss the diaper in the diaper bin or trash can. Remember to clean the trashcan soon after the diaper change to avoid any unpleasant smells in your room.
Then lift the baby up by the baby’s ankles in one hand and wipe the baby’s bum using wet wipes with the other hand. Make sure you wipe the creases too.
If you are cleaning a baby boy, you may want to cover his penis with a flannel cloth to prevent him from spraying you. Clean under the boy’s external pouch (the scrotum) too. You may miss something if you do not look under there.
If you are cleaning a baby girl, always make sure to wipe in a downward motion to avoid potential urinary tract infections. Wipe from the top external vaginal folds downwards toward the anus. Do not forget the inner lip folds as there may be something that got in there too. If there is something there, wipe it gently. If there is no poop in there then there is no need to wipe. Use a fresh wet wipe to go over the same areas.
Check for any rashness. Smear some Penaten Cream wherever there is redness and do not forget the creases or folds on the legs too. Get a new diaper. Again, lift the ankles up with one hand and place the fresh diaper underneath the baby using your other hand. Now adjust the diaper with both hands sliding the diaper up or down as necessary and then fasten the side tab attachments to the diaper. For boys, make sure you place the penis in a downward position before you close the tabs to prevent any leaks later on. Do not fasten the tabs on to tight on the stomach or legs. Dress up the baby and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Now go wash your hands.
For large poop jobs, you will need to remove the baby’s clothes completely, and wipe the baby down with wet wipes. Then prepare the water tap to run on luke warm (I installed a spray aerator for this purpose) and have a flannel cloth ready with baby sensitive soap on it to wipe down the baby further.
Now carry the baby with one arm to the sink and wipe the baby down using the soap filled flannel wash cloth with the other hand. The reason for the flannel wash cloth is because the poop may be very greasy in big poop jobs and simply using a few wet wipes will not be enough to complete the job properly.
Do not leave any soap residue on the body as it may cause skin rashes to occur later when you close up the diaper. After you finished cleaning the baby, carry it over to the drying towel (which is different from your changing towel) and pat it down softly until the baby is dry. Check for redness. Apply cream where necessary and wrap her up! Occasionally let the baby dry out in the open to prevent diaper rash or help speed up the healing process. Wash your hands. Repeat diaper change process as needed.
Author Information:
Ihor Cap is a web author and father of two wonderful children, a boy and a girl.
For More Diapering Tips, Watch the Following Videos:
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Cartoon Strips by EzReklama
The following cartoon strips were created at Bitstrips.com, a site that once allowed you "to create "instant comics starring you and your friends" but the site no longer exists. EzReklama used this site to create its own funnies some of which we would like to share with you here. Click Cartoon to Enlarge Image. Enjoy!
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(Click Cartoon to Enlarge)
(Click Cartoon to Enlarge)
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Monday, December 12, 2016
Social and Business Projects to Help Ukraine
It is
not normal that I should be turning to the international community to attract
people's attention to the plight of Ukraine's population whose everyday
life went down the tubes because of the war, and because its government
is not living up to the promises the politicians made to become elected.
It is not normal that I have to appeal to the outside world to
obtain financial support for bona fide social and business projects which would
give Ukrainians the necessary boost to mend the social fabric which has been
destroyed by decades of communism followed by another 25 years of pilfering and
economic sabotage by the corrupt anti-Ukrainian leaders who are dead set to
bring down Ukraine economically, politically and culturally.
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| Help Center/Halfway Home for Adult Orphans |
It is not normal that I have to speak on behalf of the war
veterans, the families of the killed soldiers, the adult orphans, the now
destitute people who are ready and willing to fight the consequences of
the economic collapse handed down to them by corrupt oligarchs and politicians
who always act with impunity.
It is not normal that I should be asking you to spare $1 a
day for 30 days to help the holding of a radio program for war veterans,
or the setting up of a help center/halfway home for adult orphans, or the
repairs of a summer rehabilitation camp for war veterans and their families,
and many other urgently needed projects.
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| Adult Orphans Help Center Project |
It is not normal ... but it is a fact that without YOUR financial support none of the projects will become reality. The government officials promise but do not deliver. The consequences of the war made the situation even more critical. Local Ukrainians have emptied their pockets to revive the Ukrainian army, which was dismantled by traitors. Today, due to the steep increase of the price for facilities, and the continued devaluation of the hryvnia, the local Ukrainians have been fleeced by the government as if to take revenge for their protests held during the Maidan of Dignity (Dec 2013 - Feb 2014). Because Ukrainians ousted one pro-Muscovite-Russian president, declared their desire to shake off the Muscovite-Russian yoke, and to side with Europe, Muscovy-Russia has cynically invaded Ukraine in March 2014, and brought war to the Donbas in Eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine, once called the Bread Basket of Europe, has been destroyed by Muscovy-Russia through communism in the 20th Century, and nowadays through the ongoing war. Today, Ukraine needs a helping hand to prevent despair from settling in even deeper amongst the population. Creating social havoc is a standard tactic used by Muscovy-Russia to destabilize societies and to foment discontent, which then turns into bloody revolutions or rebellions, which need to be avoided at all costs to prevent Muscovy-Russia from gaining more terrain.
The war veterans and the local Ukrainians need some help to give them the chance to restart their life, which has been destabilized by the enemy. Please, do help out Ukraine by supporting the social and business projects you can learn about by visiting the following links.
 |
| Katranka - Summer Rehab Camp for ATO War Veterans |
The war veterans and the local Ukrainians need some help to give them the chance to restart their life, which has been destabilized by the enemy. Please, do help out Ukraine by supporting the social and business projects you can learn about by visiting the following links.