playing

I'm playing with a used Lensbaby optic and a Fuji film simulation. It gives an interesting vintage look. I think it looks like an old photo. I bought the optic used and cheap for fun. 

The Jan 6 Committee final public meeting took place today. We will see. I can't believe we lived through this.

Ryan Hendrickson and other volunteers removed 300 mines from some farmers' fields in Ukraine. John and Donna Culp, retired military officers who live in Waynesville, North Carolina, are volunteering to defuse undetonated bombs in Ukraine this winter. There is a nonprofit called Bomb Techs Without Borders. 

Volunteers in the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv made a Christmas tree out of camouflage nets. After the holidays the nets will be donated to soldiers.
A Lithuanian metal processing company, Kalvis, has been turning old wheel rims into small stoves for Ukraine. They send the stoves to civilians and soldiers. They've made 100 so far. Employees and volunteering local residents stay after hours to make them. 
The head of Turkey backed the creation of a new natural gas pipeline that could ease Europe's dependence on Russia. The gas would come from Turkmenistan. 
Germany inaugurated its first LNG terminal, built in record time. The ship is stocked with gas from Nigeria that can supply 50000 homes for a year. Germany will open four more LNG terminals over the next few months. Germany has to figure out how to balance its desire to be climate neutral by 2045 with gas suppliers desire for long term contracts. 
The Russian ruble fell to a more than six-month low against the dollar.
Zelensky pushed energy efficiency by explaining how replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs will help with blackouts. "European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen immediately announced that the European Union would fund the purchase of 30 million LED lightbulbs for 30 million euros ($32 million)."
USAID gave Ukraine 105 pieces of energy equipment worth more than $100,000. Ukraine is preparing to install it in a substation.
Canada is going to seize assets owned by Roman Abramovich, a sanctioned Russian oligarch. If forfeited, proceeds of his $25 million company will be used for reconstruction of Ukraine and compensation to Putin's victims.