So what does it all mean, and where will it end?

Pandemic-Induced Growth is Stalling

These layoffs are massive for the tech industry. Some companies have incrementally let go of workers over the course of the year, while others have suddenly slashed staff by the thousands. Silicon Valley suffered a large proportion of the hits, and nearly 24,000 layoffs occurred in San Francisco alone. After years of hiring frenzies, luxurious perks, big-budget renovations of headquarters, and sky-high salaries, it appears the party is finally over, at least for now.

The tech industry was already on a high before the pandemic started, but COVID-19 restrictions spurred an e-commerce boom, a spike in internet-based activities and demand for both software and hardware that made it easier to work from home. Some companies hired too many workers too quickly in response.

There was always bound to be a correction as consumers began to spend less time on their devices and limit their own spending in response to inflation. Rising interest rates, the war in Ukraine, supply chain issues, high fuel costs, and other factors have played their own roles. But experts say part of what’s happening is simply group-think, with companies following each other’s lead.

Tech Jobs are Here to Stay

The good news is that tech workers don’t need to fear a future in which they aren’t in demand. Though the competitive salaries and benefits enjoyed within the industry may decrease as part of an industry-wide belt-tightening, laid-off workers can always find jobs elsewhere.

Tech companies hit by decreases in ad spending and other shifts related to pandemic recovery may be laying workers off, but others are still hiring. According to tech insights firm Dice, the overall tech sector is actually facing a shortage of workers, and in June, there were about eight available job postings for every person laid off prior to that point.

Roles based on cloud operations, cybersecurity, and data science and analytics are all still in high demand, especially among companies using languages like R, Go, and Typescript. If laid-off workers do struggle to find new roles in other companies, they can look to the U.S. government as a source of some promising new jobs.

What Tech Layoffs Say About the Economy

Layoffs in tech don’t necessarily mean the broader economy is in danger. Federal data shows that layoff rates continue to hover near record lows. The November jobs report showed that employers added 263,000 jobs and the national unemployment rate held at 3.7 percent.

The overall number of American workers laid off has averaged about 1.4 million a month in 2022, while it was about 1.8 million per month between 2017 and 2019. Job openings also remain above their pre-pandemic trend, and applications for jobless benefits have remained more or less level.

Though they’re pretty divided on the subject, most experts believe a recession isn’t a certainty in 2023. Analysts at Goldman Sachs say the tech industry is only a tiny fraction of the larger jobs market, and laid-off workers aren’t likely to remain unemployed for long. Plus, previous mass layoffs in the tech industry didn’t always result in job cuts elsewhere in the economy or point to a looming economic downturn.

Many jobs in the tech industry are focused on innovation, so individual companies can afford to streamline their workforces without impacting their core businesses. The same can’t usually be said for blue-collar jobs and jobs in other industries, where roles directly influence a company’s daily functionality and revenue.

It’s unclear exactly when the tech layoffs will end, but there’s some comfort in knowing things aren’t all as bad as they seem.

The post When Will the Tech Layoffs End? first appeared on Dornob.

The countercultural art movement began with a group of students at the Academy of Fine Arts, Kinshasa, who decided to make art from what they could find around them. Most of what they found was the waste of faraway strangers: tires, foam, bottles, paint cans, CDs, flip-flops, exhaust pipes, and more. In 2015, the artists founded the collective Ndaku Ya Life is Beautiful, led by Eddy Ekete, and began performing while wearing their startlingly creative costumes.

Each costume echoes the ancestral clothing arts of the Congolese, and each has its own story to tell. Jared Kalenga’s “Robot Annonce” is a suit made of broken radio parts in a warning against the spread of fake news. “Femme Électrique” is a costume made of electrical wiring by Falonne Mambu, symbolizing the Congo’s inconsistent electrical service and the kidnappings and sexual assaults that occur when the lights go out.

“Tin Can” by Mvunzi Muteba Jr. aims to raise awareness among Africans about how the presence of multinational companies (such as those mining for rare minerals) has affected the continent and kept its citizens poor despite its many riches. “Tire Man” by Savant Noir is a protest of those stolen resources, like the rubber used to manufacture tires. Other issues represented by the costumes and performances include gang violence, viruses, pollution, a lack of safe drinking water, and the Western-style consumerism that’s beginning to creep into the country.

Gladieu’s photos capture these costumes against relevant backdrops, including graffitied concrete walls, industrial sites, gutters full of trash, and public street markets with locals looking on. In publishing the book, he hopes the levity and creativity of the images will catch the attention of Westerners who don’t want to be guilted into caring about where their waste ends up. His approach celebrates the Congolese culture and the resilience of the community of Kinshasa, sharing the ways in which the artists have reclaimed their experiences and translated them into something beautiful.

“(In the photographs), we are talking about ecology, but we are talking about ecology through African masks,” says Gladieu. “As you can see, they’re completely covered up. You don’t see any part of the skin. The traditional masks were done with natural materials. They symbolized the spirit of the ancestors or the spirit of support of the natural world. These young artists reinvent these traditional masks in a way, but they do it today with trash because they find more trash and natural materials.”

Published by Actes Sud, Homo Détritus was released in hardcover in November 2022 and is now available for backorder from Bookshop.org. You can see more of these images at Gladieu’s website, and on Instagram.

The post Stephen Gladieu’s New Book Spotlights the Congo’s Protest Art Against Western Trash first appeared on Dornob.

As it turns out, that solution may be closer than we think. Researchers at Northeastern University recently developed a new prototype device to address pain relief, no pharmaceuticals needed.

Soft, flexible, and completely dissolvable once implanted under a patient’s skin, the device essentially wraps itself around the nerves responsible for sending pain signals to the brain. Since it works somewhat like an absorbable stitch, there’s no need to surgically remove it after it’s done its job.

The device’s sophisticated construction allows patients to control it remotely, intensifying or reducing the pain-relieving “cooling” effect as needed. This effect is facilitated by small tubes embedded into the material that hold the cooling liquid, which in turn targets peripheral nerves (nerves that connect your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body) in the effected area. Study co-author Matthew MacEwan of St Louis’ Washington University School of Medicine explains: “By delivering a cooling effect to just one or two targeted nerves, we can effectively modulate pain signals in one specific region of the body.”

While similar cooling technologies have been tested in the past, what sets this device apart is its potential to be controlled with pinpoint precision. Other cooling therapies, such as liquid injection with a needle, could potentially lead to problems like blocking the wrong nerve, which could negatively impair a patient’s motor function in the process. “The duration and temperature of the cooling must therefore be controlled precisely,” says the leader of the device’s development, John A. Rogers of Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. “Excessive cooling can damage the nerve and the fragile tissue around it.”

While the implantable prototype is still in early stages of development, there is hope that it could one day be effective enough to replace the need for highly addictive opioids. For those experiencing chronic pain, the prospect of replacing drugs with an equally effective method of pain relief is a life-changing one. Rogers adds: “As engineers, we are motivated by the idea of treating pain without drugs — in ways that can be turned on and off instantly, with user control over the intensity of relief.” A lofty goal, but one that’s officially on the medical horizon, and all from a simple stretchy strip.

The post Is This Thin, Stretchy Device the Answer to the Opioid Crisis? first appeared on Dornob.

Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, tweeted “Ukraine today is the center of attention, center of resistance, freedom, true art. @banksy confirmed that he created seven murals in different parts of Ukraine, including Borodianka, Irpin, and Kyiv. It means a great deal to us. We are so grateful, Sir!”

In Horenka, on the ground floor of a devastated apartment block hit by Russian bombs in March, one mural shows a man lounging in a clawfoot tub, scrubbing his back with a brush. “For me, it means washing off all the dirt. The dirt of the Russian Federation,” local resident Tetiana Reznychenko told Reuters. “And this drawing makes me feel as if I have cleansed myself of the dirt that descended on us.”

Reznychenko told reporters that she served Banksy’s team a mug of instant coffee in her apartment when she saw them outside in the cold. Her damaged building currently has no electricity, heat, or running water, but she’s using a wood stove to get by for now. “Winter has begun, and we don’t know what will happen next,” she told Reuters. “Firemen brought us non-drinking water… but it will freeze unless we move it inside.”

Another mural in Borodyanka depicts a man resembling Russian president Vladimir Putin being thrown to the ground during a judo match with a young boy. Putin held an honorary black belt in judo until it was revoked earlier this year by World Taekwondo. The fourth mural shows children playing on a seesaw made from part of a tank. The fifth mural depicts a young gymnast holding a streamer aloft, and the sixth is a woman in a gas mask bearing a fire extinguisher. They all share a common theme of resilience in the face of horror and destruction.

Located about 35 miles northwest of Kyiv, Borodyanka was besieged by Russian forces early in the invasion and suffered extensive aerial bombardment, with many buildings reduced to rubble. Most of its 13,000 residents fled prior to its Russian occupation in late February. When the town came back into Ukrainian control in April, returning residents found that even those structures that had escaped bombs and shelling had been ransacked and burglarized.

Ukrainians like Alina Mazur, a 31-year-old from Kyiv, have traveled to the Borodyanka area to see the murals in person. “This is such a historic moment for our country, that people like Banksy and other famous figures are coming here and showing the world what Russia has done to us,” she told Smithsonian Magazine.

The post Banksy’s Presence in Ukraine Confirmed by a Series of New Murals first appeared on Dornob.

Some find the 64-square-foot size and seeming flimsiness of such tiny houses inhumane, while others believe they’re an important stepping stone to getting people off the street permanently. The architects feel that Alexandria Park Tiny Home Village was always meant to be transitional, giving occupants a sense of security and ownership as well as access to necessary services and facilities until they can move on to more stable housing. They expanded upon that idea in their latest project, creating larger permanent homes for disabled and formerly homeless veterans.

The firm certainly has the experience to back up its ideas. They’ve been creating shelters for vulnerable populations for over 20 years. Six years ago, they partnered with nonprofit developer Restore Neighborhoods Los Angeles and community bank Genesis LA to create a variety of housing prototypes that could help ease the homelessness and housing affordability crises in California. These projects are all rooted in the idea that everyone deserves dignity and a sense of community.

Located in the South Los Angeles community of the same name (just south of Watts and northwest of Compton), Willowbrook Apartments is a seven-unit complex occupying an awkwardly shaped, long-vacant plot of land close to public transit and a community church. Each unit is 300 square feet and includes a private bathroom, kitchenette, and universal design features for accessibility.

Galley-style kitchens and plentiful natural light create a feeling of expansiveness. The units are mirrored back-to-back to save space, and they’re all anchored to a communal outdoor space. A taller structure offers a community meeting room, storage space, and offices to form a “coherent urban campus, even on a small scale.”

The colors are acid-bright, with neon yellow paths winding around small stone patios and drought-tolerant landscaping. The architects wanted it all to feel very California: cheerful, sunny, and fresh. “Each bend and turn in the path provides real or implied mindful pause from the street to the front door, enhancing the separation from the public realm to the private,” the team explains. “This is something that is meaningful and critical for all residents, but even more so for those that have previously been unhoused.”

The complex will serve as a model for similar developments. The team chooses urban infill lots that are considered less than ideal by most developers, inserting either individual affordable starter homes costing $200,000, 5-bedroom duplexes for troubled teens, or small communities for vulnerable populations, like Alexandria Park Tiny Home Village and Willowbrook Apartments. The projects aim to be livable, reproducible, and anything but depressing.

“I hope this project captures the imagination of the culture, showing how such housing can actively enhance its neighborhood, no matter where the residents lived previously,” says Michael Lehrer, founder and president of Lehrer Architects. “This is critical to destigmatize these types of housing projects, and to destigmatize the people who live there, demonstrating the true beauty of complete neighborhoods that take care of all residents.”

The post Lehrer Architects Create Cheerful Permanent Housing for LA’s Disabled Vets first appeared on Dornob.

The Eiffel Tower is currently illuminated by 20,000 exterior LED light bulbs that use approximately 7.8 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. Until September 23rd, the world-famous landmark glowed from dusk until 1 am, putting on a special flickering light show for five minutes every hour. Lightbulbs flash on and off in random patterns to mimic the effect of a fireworks display for visitors.

More recently, The Paris city council decided to turn the lights off every night at 11:45 pm, potentially saving up to four percent of the tower’s annual energy consumption. Originally constructed in 1887, the Eiffel tower was first illuminated by 10,000 gas lights and external spotlights projecting from the base. It was updated to more modern lightning in 1985, with the sparkle effect being added to ring in the millennial year 2000.

Gas and Oil Shortage

The Eiffel Tower’s light restriction comes in response to the growing energy crisis across Europe caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Before the war, Russia had supplied roughly 40 percent of all of the European Union’s gas needs, but now only provides nine percent, causing skyrocketing prices and fuel shortages across the continent. Even those countries that were not heavily reliant on Russia for their energy needs are now feeling the pinch. For example, Germany depended on Russia for 55 percent of its gas needs in the past, but is currently buying more from Norway, reducing the amount available for other faithful customers like Great Britain.

What Else is Being Done?

In addition to dimming the tower lights a littler earlier, the City of Paris is also instituting several other energy-saving measures. For starters, all city-managed buildings will have their temperatures lowered from 19 to 18 degrees Celsius (roughly from 66 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit), except for in elderly care homes and baby day care facilities. Public pools will lower their water temperature from 27 to 26 degrees Celsius (from about 80 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit), and lighting on all public monuments will be turned off at 10 pm.

Around Europe, other countries are taking their own measures to cut energy usage. Germany is turning off spotlights on its over 200 public monuments and government buildings at night, shutting down fountains, requiring all state employees to wash their hands with cold water only, and even cancelling the traditional Christmas lighting along Berlin’s glitzy shopping district.

Spain has put limits on air conditioning and heating temperatures for all shops, offices, and other commercial venues. The Netherlands and Denmark are urging their citizens to take short showers to save on gas. And to ease the burden for their residents, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France have all set caps on electricity and gas prices. Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, average household energy costs have jumped to nearly five times their previous level.

Even if the Eiffel Tower light reduction is largely symbolic in nature, it shows solidarity with people across Europe who are having to cut back on energy use. Despite the latest measures, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has assured the public that nation’s capital “will always be the City of Light.”

The post Paris Pulls the Plug on Eiffel Tower Lights to Ease Energy Crisis first appeared on Dornob.

The mixed-media art installation explores how COVID-19 has impacted children and young adults around the world, expressed through commissioned pieces by composers, songwriters, and poets and recorded by the Young People’s Chorus.

A wide array of art forms come together in this project: video, sculpture, music, film, poetry, and spoken word. 500 singers with the Young People’s Chorus join the 15 composers and songwriters, seven poets, three choreographers, and two filmmakers to bring the stories to life. The exhibition aims to provide a powerful and intimate portrayal of the emotional strength, resilience, and joy these young choristers have faced since the pandemic first began in the spring of 2020.

“It was important to us to help our youth process their emotions — from confusion to fear to hope — through art while allowing listeners and viewers a glimpse into their hearts and minds during this time,” says curator Francisco J. Núñez, artistic director and founder of Young People’s Chorus.

Just like the rest of us, the members of the youth chorus have gone through a whirlwind of emotions throughout the pandemic. Pieces in the exhibit include songs like “Cabin Fever,” expressing what it felt like to suddenly be alone at home with stressed family members and no access to friends and old routines. “My Rainbow in the Window” is about finding small joys even during quarantine. “Power to the People” says “Just because we’re stuck at home doesn’t mean we’re stuck in our minds; just because we can’t hold each other doesn’t mean we stop the smiles. Fifty states protesting together, look at that a strong celebration. They won’t die in vain, we’re gonna fight, it’s time to save our nation.”

Participating artists include composers Samuel Adler, Derek Bermel, Thomas Cabaniss, Paquito D’Rivera, Aneesa Folds, Gordon Getty, Michael Gordon, Michael Harrison, Ted Hearne, Yuka C. Honda, David Lang, Elizabeth Núñez, Francisco J. Núñez, Jim Papoulis, and Paola Prestini. The exhibit is free and open to the public daily at the CIA at Copia, 500 1st St, Napa, California.

“We are thrilled that the public response to our AloneTogether installation at The CIA at Copia has been so positive that we have been asked to extend the exhibit through September,” says Núñez. “AloneTogether is a dynamic multimedia project that will give viewers a powerful and intimate portrayal of the range of emotions YPC choristers faced during the early days of the pandemic, from fear and loneliness to hope and joy. Art has given our youth a powerful vehicle through which they can process these complicated emotions and share them with the world. This is the power and beauty of art and what we do at YPC.”

The post The Young People’s Chorus of New York City Gives Voice to All Our Complicated COVID Emotions first appeared on Dornob.

Visual Artists Supporting Abortion Access

Some of these artists have been campaigning for women’s rights for decades. Barbara Kruger, Nan Goldin, Laurie Simmons, and Nancy Buchanan are among those whose work has touched on abortion rights since the law was first passed. Kruger’s black and white collage Your Body is a Battleground, an image originally produced for a women’s march in Washington in 1989, feels more culturally relevant than ever. “The striking down of Roe should come as a surprise to no one,” Kruger told ARTnews. “And if it does, they haven’t been paying attention.”

Feminist activist Marilyn Minter is among the contemporary artists responding to the impending Supreme Court ruling with both fury and creativity. Minter’s works supporting reproductive justice include a 2020 series called CUNTROL. That same year, Minter also teamed up with Laurie Simmons, Sandy Tait, Rebecca Jampol, Jasmine Wohi, and Gina Nanni to create an exhibition called Abortion is Normal with the Cultural Super PAC Downtown for Democracy. Simmons presented her 1976 photographic work featuring dolls and dollhouses in domestic scenes that explored gender and sexuality.

Artist and activist Dread Scott unveiled images and videos addressing the ruling on Instagram, writing “The impending Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade is a violent assault on women’s rights. Women will be forced to become mothers and others will die. This cannot be allowed to happen. Fight like hell to make sure this ruling never becomes law.” One work in progress, titled “Obliterated Power,” depicts the Supreme Court building blacked out against a bright blue sky.

In early 2022, Alicia Eggert’s neon installation OURs embarked on a tour across states where abortion rights are most at risk in collaboration with Planned Parenthood. The pink neon sign flashes the phrases “OUR BODIES,” “OUR FUTURES,” and “OUR ABORTIONS.” It landed in front of the Supreme Court on January 22nd, the 49th anniversary of the original Roe v. Wade ruling. “Constant rhythmic flashing serves both to beckon people and also to warn them,” Eggert explains in a statement. “Light is a universal symbol of hope, and when it comes to abortion access, this particular moment in time seems pretty dark and uncertain.

Artists Maureen Connor, Landon Newton, and Kadambari Baxi formed the art collective How to Perform an Abortion as both a learning and art project demystifying the historical, biological, and ethical controversies around fertility management. Their recent piece, entitled Trigger Planting, is a 45-foot herb garden visualizing the states where abortion is threatened. All of the plants in the display have traditionally been used for natural contraception and abortion.

Musical Artists, Comedians, Writers, and Actors Speak Up

Also teaming up with Planned Parenthood are 160 female, male, and nonbinary musical artists, actors, and other public figures, who listed their names in a full-page ad as part of the organization’s #BansOffOurBodies campaign. They include Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes, Halsey, Kendall Jenner, and Haley Kiyoko. “We are Artists. Creators. Storytellers,” the ad reads. “We are the new generation stepping into our power. Now we are being robbed of our power. WE WILL NOT GO BACK — AND WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN.”

Playwright Will Brumley has offered his play The Clinic royalty free for anyone who wants to stage a benefit reading, drawing dozens of responses across the country. The Clinic is an ensemble production about abortion providers in Wichita, examining how their lives change when they’re faced with providing service under impossible circumstances.

Comedian Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show, founded a non-profit called Abortion Access Front in 2015. The team of comedians, writers, and producers use humor to destigmatize abortion and expose extremist anti-force choices working to destroy access to reproductive rights in all 50 states. Their work includes traveling around the country in support of clinics, mobilizing groups to attend mass protests, and using video and social media to amplify news.

The post Artists Respond to the Potential Overturn of Roe v. Wade with Creative Furor first appeared on Dornob.

Norman Foster of architecture firm Foster + Partners met with Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov in April to offer his support and discuss a vision for a masterplanned reconstruction of the country’s second largest city. During that meeting, he submitted his “Kharkiv Manifesto,” promising to put his best efforts into making the city state-of-the-art in both infrastructure and layout.

“I undertake to assemble the best minds with the best planning, architectural, design, and engineering skills in the world to bear on the rebirth of the city of Kharkiv,” Foster wrote. “In the spirit of combining a planetary awareness with local action, I would seek to bring together the top Ukrainian talents with worldwide expertise and advice.”

Mayor Terekhov has also laid out his vision for the city, in which at least a quarter of the housing, hospitals, schools, and cultural centers have been destroyed. He hopes to see their investments in technology and healthcare restored, as well as the repair and preservation of historic buildings, many of which were styled in traditional Art Nouveau style.

Due to the centuries-long conflict with Russia over the Ukrainian border, the mayor also wants to see the city prepared for future attacks. Specifying that their urgent needs were for hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and offices for their robust IT businesses, Terekhov wants each of those places to have built-in bomb shelters. He also suggested that residential buildings should have underground parking lots that could be converted into emergency shelters.

The next step from Foster’s perspective (once the city is safe from more Russian attacks — Russian forces are still close enough to shell Kharkiv regularly from their current position) is to create a city masterplan that would include combining “the most loved and revered heritage from the past with the most desirable and greenest elements of infrastructure and buildings.” Foster hopes to “deliver the city of the future now” as well as to “plan for its life decades ahead.”

The 86-year-old Foster has had plenty of experience building the future. His is well known as one of the principal figures in British modernist architecture, having designed the Gherkin and Millennium Bridge in London, the Reichstag in Berlin, and the Apple Park campus in Silicon Valley. His firm was among many that protested the Russian aggression with not only words but actions. On his Instagram account in March, Foster posted, “We deplore the Russian invasion of Ukraine and as a result, we have stopped work on all our projects in Russia.”

Terekhov seemed pleased with the direction Foster wants to take. In Facebook footage from their video meeting, the mayor said, “I’ve seen your work and I would really like to see this new, progressive style in our city. I would like us to get a city center that would become one of the highlights of Europe.”

The post Norman Foster Partners with Mayor of Destroyed Kharkiv to Rebuild the “City of the Future” first appeared on Dornob.

Finland, which shares 800 miles of its eastern border with Russia, is not keen to be the next Ukraine. Luckily, the Scandinavian nation already has a system of 5,000 bomb shelters beneath Helsinki that could shelter the city’s entire population, along with an additional 50,000 bunkers across the country.

The bunkers were mandated by Finland’s Rescue Act, which requires any currently used buildings with a floor area of at least 12,900 square feet to include bunkers. Helsinki began excavating its tunnels in the 1960s for utilities like electricity and plumbing and soon realized they could continue digging for larger spaces to shelter the population in an emergency.

At least 85 percent of these shelters are operated privately and used to serve other functions during peacetime. That means many underground spaces are currently inhabited by churches, skate parks, shopping centers, theaters, parking garages, swimming pools, and even a hockey rink.

Helsinki’s 200-mile network of nuclear bunkers is mostly connected, so the city’s residents can simply go underground and comfortably walk, shop, socialize, and play sports no matter what the weather looks like above the surface. These subterranean spaces can be quite beautiful, especially when the raw rock walls are still visible. Standout spaces include the Amos Rex Art Museum and the Temppeliaukio Church, designed by architects and brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen.

Built throughout the Cold War era, the bunkers are located about 60 feet underground. They’re blast-proof, gas-proof, and able to withstand radiation and chemical attacks. Their current occupation by alternative uses won’t stop them from functioning as needed in an emergency. In fact, it would take just 72 hours to get them ready to accommodate thousands of occupants.

“We have to take care of the citizens, that’s the main reason we have this system,” says Tomi Rask, an instructor with Helsinki’s Civil Defense Department.

Previously part of Sweden, Finland was seized by The Russian Empire in 1809 and remained under its control for about a century. When the Russian Revolution led to the formation of the Soviet Union in 1917, Finland declared its independence. A brief civil war fractured the country between the Soviet-aligned Red faction and the Western-aligned White faction. During World War II, the Soviets invaded Finland twice, and though the outnumbered Finns were able to hold back the Soviet troops, Finland was forced to sign peace treaties twice that resulted in a loss of land along its eastern border.

In the decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland has chosen not to join any international alliances in order to appease Russia’s security concerns. The country built its bunkers and made conscription mandatory for men in order to stay prepared for possible invasion. But as officials and citizens alike watch the current events unfolding in Ukraine, support for joining NATO has skyrocketed from about 30 percent before the Russia-Ukraine war to more than 70 percent in the weeks following the February invasion.

Joining NATO would grant Finland the protection of the Western Military Alliance, expand NATO’s influence in the Arctic, and strengthen NATO itself. But it would also more than double Russia’s land border with NATO nations, potentially increasing the tensions in the Baltic Sea region. Russia has already threatened “serious military and political consequences” if Finland and Sweden join NATO. One potential response would be placing nuclear weapons in the Baltics.

The post If Tensions with Russia Escalate, Finland’s Awesome Underground Spaces Will Act as Nuclear Bunkers first appeared on Dornob.

Considering that the minimum wage hasn’t kept pace with inflation since 1968, what’s the average resident to do? An unprecedented number of unhoused people have no choice but to sleep on the streets. While some city governments are simply sweeping the houseless population from one park to the next like a game of whack-a-mole, groups like DignityMoves are focusing on building communities of tiny homes as a temporary measure until more permanent housing can be secured.

DignityMoves announced two inaugural communities in San Francisco and Santa Barbara last month, which cost about $30,000 per room (including all communal spaces) and took just a few months to build. Architecture firm Gensler joined tiny home builder Boss Homes to design prefabricated panel systems that could be assembled on sites secured by DignityMoves – typically vacant land or sparkling lots. Each project offers 70 rooms as well as shared bathroom and shower facilities, dining buildings, computer labs, clinics, and community spaces. The 33 Gough Street community in San Francisco has already begun welcoming residents.

“Central to DignityMoves’ vision is that everyone receives a private room with a door that locks,” the group explained in a press release. “Many experiencing homelessness are reluctant to accept beds in traditional group shelters. DignityMoves believes offering this sense of security will make clients more willing to engage in the critical supportive services needed to address the barriers to stable housing. One resident shared, ‘When I was living in my tent, I felt like I was constantly in survival mode, worried about my safety and where I might find my next meal. Now I am warm and dry and can lock my door at night.’”

These temporary, portable tiny homes are designed to last about 20 years. For structures that need a longer lifespan, DignityMoves partners with other manufacturers like Connect Homes, who built a 60-room community on city-owned land in the city of Rohnert Park. The group also collaborates with local agencies who provide supportive services like case management, mental and behavioral healthcare, job placement, and housing placement support. Private philanthropy and impact investors provide the funding.

San Francisco’s tiny home village will replace a city-sanctioned “safe sleeping village” full of tents. Though not exactly luxurious, the tiny houses are certainly an improvement over fabric shelters, especially in winter.

Crucially, DignityMoves sees them as just one tool in a toolkit for addressing homelessness; they’re not an all-in-one solution. What comes next is much more important. Organizers need only look to the spectacular failure of another recent attempt at offering temporary-to-permanent shelter to see why.

After authorities cleared an encampment at Echo Park in Los Angeles and provided transitional housing under a state program called Project Roomkey, only 17 people received long-term housing out of 183 displaced campers. Some of those people reported being placed in a prison-like environment with strict curfews, no-visitor policies, and requirements that they come with no personal belongings. Some rules, like mandatory daily room checks, made it hard for people to find work. Some got kicked out, some chose to leave, and only a few ever received housing vouchers. Those who did reported being unable to find landlords who would take them.

Ultimately, the project demonstrates that automatically treating unhoused people like criminals isn’t the answer to the homelessness crisis. Housing needs to be more affordable for everyone, and achieving that is going to require massive systemic changes in the way we monetize real estate, compensate employees, and structure wealth in this country.

The post Can a New Tiny Home Village Help Address California’s Homelessness Crisis? first appeared on Dornob.

Here are a few creative ways to your support for the struggling nation inside your own home:

Furniture from Emko

Lithuanian-based furniture and décor company Emko is donating three percent of every purchase to the Blue/Yellow support organization that supplies aid packets to schools, families, and the elderly in Ukrainian war zones. Buying their stackable Citizen Dining Chair could be a good way to show love to Ukraine and the world around it. Its sturdy oak frame is crafted from natural, sustainable materials.

A Mug from Ceramic Tableware

Ukrainian craftsman David, who lives in a rural area near Kyiv, learned the art of pottery making from his grandfather. His handmade mugs, bowls, and containers are made with traditional Ukrainian ceramic techniques, including the use of milk to fill in holes during the glazing process. Each piece takes the artist roughly a day to complete. His rustic mug would be a beautiful addition to your morning routine while simultaneously keeping food on the table of a Ukrainian artisan.

“Choose Love” Prints and Rugs from The Beaux Shop

This London-based antiques and rug dealer collaborated with blogger Lucy Williams to offer a curated collection of fine art works and special rugs to benefit the Ukrainian Red Cross. 20 percent of the profits from sales within the “Choose Love” set will go to providing safe shelter and food to Ukrainian refugees.

Ukraine Candle from the Door County Candle Company

Christiana (Gorchynsky) Trapani is a native born Ukrainian and owner of the successful Door County Candle Company. Although raised in the United States, Trapani has strong ties to friends and family still living in the besieged country. She has created a blue and yellow vanilla candle for purchase, with 100 percentof the profits being donated to Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit providing food and medical supplies to the war-ravaged residents. Says Trapani, “This special Ukraine candle is a way I feel we can make a difference and help those in need.”

Floral Stitchwork from EmbroideryArtbyNat

Created by Esty seller Natalia from Lviv, Ukraine, these beautifully bold floral artworks are masterfully hand-stitched. She also offers embroidery patterns and tutorials on her Etsy shop. Etsy is a great place to support the local Ukrainian economy right now, as the online marketplace company has dropped its fees for all Ukrainian sellers, studios, and artists.

Lavender Fabric Eggs from 510 Laundry

Handmade fabric Easter eggs have been hand-painted in the colors of Ukraine this year by vintage textile brand 510 Laundry. Purchasing a dozen of these will add a striking statement to your spring décor, while all proceeds will go to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross to support emergency aid.

The post Show Support for Ukraine with These 6 Home Decor Pieces first appeared on Dornob.

A week after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th, attacking multiple cities across the country and killing hundreds of civilians, businesses around the world quickly began cutting ties with Russia. Among the first of the luxury retailers to suspend operations in the world’s largest country were Hermès and Richemont, the owner of the Swiss Cartier. The latter, which has about a dozen directly operated shops in Russia, posted that it was suspending all its commercial activities in the country as of March 3rd.

In a statement on March 4th, Hermès, known for their costly Birkin handbags, said, “Deeply concerned by the situation in Europe at this time, it’s with regret that we have taken the decision to temporarily close our store in Russia and pause all our commercial activities…We will continue to stand by our local teams.” The high-end retailer operates three stores within the country.

Later the same day, LVMH, the parent company of fashion firms Christian Dior, Givenchy, and Bulgari, announced it would close its 124 Russian boutiques “given the current circumstances in the region,” according to a spokesperson. That evening, French firm Kering, owner of Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Saint Laurent, decided to close its two stores that employ a total of 180 Russian residents, citing “growing concerns regarding the current situation in Europe.”

A statement from Chanel in a LinkedIn post soon followed. “Given our increasing concerns about the current situation, the growing uncertainty, and the complexity to operate, Chanel decided to temporarily pause its business in Russia. We will no longer deliver into Russia, we will close our boutiques, and we already suspended our e-commerce.”

While it would be nice to believe all these companies have shuttered their Russian shops out of anti-war solidarity, the fact that economic sanctions against the country have already disrupted the supply chains to get luxury goods in was certainly a factor. And with Visa and Mastercard both blocking transactions from multiple Russian financial institutions, doing business in Russia was already becoming difficult for the high-end stores, making it a much easier choice to temporarily close their doors.

Perhaps that’s why so many of the fashion houses expressed “concern” in their carefully worded statements without condemning the actions of Vladimir Putin and his forces – in an effort to not burn any bridges for future dealings. Besides, according to Bernstein Research, luxury fashion in Russian only makes up 2 percent of global revenues for most of the industry.

While several other luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton and Valentino, made large donations to humanitarian and refugee organizations in support of the Ukrainian people under attack, one designer who has spoken out is Italian legend Giorgio Armani. During his February 27th Milan Fashion Week show, the 87-year old had his models strut in silence to make a statement.

“My decision not to use any music was taken as a sign of respect towards the people involved in the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine,” he posted on his Twitter account. On the sidelines of the show he added, “The best thing to do is send a message that we don’t want to celebrate because something very disturbing is happening around us.”

The post Luxury Brands Halt Business in Russia as Ukraine Conflict Rages first appeared on Dornob.

https://twitter.com/RUOligarchJets/status/1503389361907417094?cxt=HHwWjIC-uZmqjt0pAAAA

Updated every few hours, the Russian Oligarch Jets account publishes travel times and maps of the locations of private jets owned by some of Russia’s top billionaires, including Oleg Deripaska, Mihail Prokhorov, Roman Abramovich, Alisher Usmanov, Viktor Vekselberg, Alexander Abramov, and Leonid Mikhelson. The account, which has racked up over 400,000 followers, uses data scraped from publicly available air traffic information and a list of private jets and helicopters that was already being tracked by a blog called Radar Spots.

“I’m sure some people will try to kick some of these oligarchs out of the US or their country as they find out they’re here,” Sweeney told Euronews Next. “I don’t really expect much trouble since I’m here in the US.”

https://twitter.com/PutinJet/status/1503295525147361286?cxt=HHwWjIC-jZfU49wpAAAA

Sweeney is even tweeting the location of a jet suspected to be used by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin himself, but warns that the information may not be accurate because Putin uses several planes and flight data in Russia is hard to come by. Another account created by the American teenager, @RussiaYachts, tracks the superyachts owned by many of the same Russian oligarchs. That information is augmented by reports on yachts that have been seized, and locations of some yachts attempting to hide in friendly ports with their locator transmitters turned off.

The Biden Administration has released a fact sheet on United States government attempts to target Russian oligarchs enabling Putin’s invasion. “These individuals have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people, and some have elevated their family members into high-ranking positions. Others sit atop Russia’s largest companies and are responsible for providing the resources necessary to support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. These individuals and their family members will be cut off from the U.S. financial system, their assets in the United States will be frozen and their property will be blocked from use.”

Alisher Usmanov is specifically mentioned as a close ally of Putin whose yacht was seized by Germany. The European Union, the UK, and others have also gone after the assets of Russia’s oligarchs, many of whom have placed most of their fortunes in assets located outside of Russia, including sports teams and real estate in cities like New York and London.

Sweeney previously drew international attention with a Twitter account tracking Elon Musk’s private jet, which Musk described as a “security risk.” In a direct message to Sweeney on Twitter, Musk said “I don’t love the idea of being shot by a nutcase,” and offered $5,000 to the teen in return for disabling the account. Sweeney counter-offered with $50,000 and an internship, but Musk never replied, and has since blocked him on Twitter. The account, @ElonJet, is still active, but appears to be thwarted by Musk’s efforts to hide his travels.

The post Teen Famous for Antagonizing Elon Musk is Now Tracking the Private Jets of Russian Oligarchs first appeared on Dornob.

Photo: Daniella Herodesova

Colorful, impactful, and bold, the following pieces act as portals that connect and empower the viewer — a small step toward dispelling the sense of hopelessness and outrage that people feel when confronted with atrocities that are far away and ultimately out of our control.

Photo: Kasia Rubin

Kasia Rubin, a Polish artist living in France, expressed her feelings through an expressive watercolor of a woman holding a Ukrainian flag a, with the blurred outlines of other flags clumped together on the ground facing a blazing sunrise. Rubin recently explained her pieces to My Modern Met, stating “this art was my reaction to the military attack…fast and furious art…from the bottom of my heart with hope that other countries will react.” Ultimately, she hopes to share her own message of “peace and love for Ukraine”: a feeling shared by many across the world.

Photo: Shamsia Hassani

Graffiti/street artist Shamsia Hassani showed her support with a powerful piece depicting a woman rising out of the rubble. As pieces of the building below her fall away, the buildings themselves, branded with signs of peace and love, fall into dust, and the faceless woman weeps. Hassani also shared a message with her art, expressing her empathy, feelings of loss, and connection with the plight of Ukrainian people: “Ukraine, I feel your pain, I am also hit hard by the war…I feel the pain of your children. I am sorry for what your people have lost and are about to lose.”

Photo: Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers showed his support for the Ukraine through his impactful piece depicting a series of bombs emblazoned with the question: “Why are we back here?” The colors are gray and dismal except for the brilliant red of the warheads, catching the eye and forcing the viewer to contemplate the same senseless question of war that inevitably arises with such conflicts: why?

Photo: Dinara Mirtalipova

Photo: Lucy Claire

The above are just a few examples of recent works that are emerging as a response to the invasion. Undoubtedly, artists will continue their outpourings of support, dissent, and outrage in the coming days. Whether it’s a call to action or a reaction to events half a world away, these works offer a way for people everywhere to connect to something larger than themselves, and a powerful reminder of art’s ability to create shared emotional experiences and shine a light on even the darkest days.

The post Artists Everywhere are Showing Their Support for Ukraine first appeared on Dornob.

Direct Action:

Attend or organize protests in your city. A website called Stop Putin has a list of protests planned around the world, and you can add your own local events. Check your local news and Facebook events for additional protests that might pop up in your area.

Welcome refugees. An estimated 4 million Ukrainians will be fleeing their country in the weeks to come. Call or write your government representatives and insist that they grant Ukrainians immediate entry and humanitarian parole, which, in the United States, allows them to remain without a visa. Parole can be granted in as little as three days.

Counter disinformation. Be skeptical about the information you see online, which might be propaganda or misinformation. Question where the information came from and whether the source is reliable, especially before sharing on social media. Check out Stanford’s guide to spotting misleading news and information for more tips.

Donations:

Support Ukrainian journalism. A GoFundMe page organized by a senior executive from the Kyiv Independent is currently raising funds to support national and regional news sources fighting to relocate from Kyiv and other cities in peril.

Médicins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders is a well-respected, Nobel Prize-winning organization that currently has teams in Ukraine and surrounding countries providing medical aid and supplies.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is currently helping people fleeing from Ukraine, offering free professional and legal assistance with everything from counseling to representation.

Fundacja Ocalenie has stepped in to provide support after reports that African and Indian students have faced discrimination and racism at the border of Poland and Belarus. Funds will allow them to pay for food, translation services, legal aid, fuel for humanitarian aid groups, and more.

Polish Migration Forum is offering a free crisis hotline to help those affected by the crisis in Ukraine, including people who have fled the country and concerned people who have relatives in Ukraine. They are also seeking volunteers within Poland.

Razom for Ukraine is providing medical supplies and working to “amplify the voices of Ukrainians” during the crisis. Its aim is to help Ukraine pursue a democratic society with civil rights for all.

Sunflowers of Peace is an organization founded by a Ukrainian-American woman based in Massachusetts, raising direct relief funds for Ukrainians who are stuck inside the country. The group has raised half a million dollars in the last week alone, and is also collecting medical supplies that will be included in emergency response backpacks distributed within Ukraine and to refugees.

Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights is helping to support women, transgender, and nonbinary activists on the ground within and around Ukraine, including emergency evacuations and relocations, legal, financial, and medical support, security and disaster survival training, shelter, and access to alternative communication channels like mobile internet and VPNs.

The post Help the People of Ukraine Right Now with These 4 Actions first appeared on Dornob.