Z is for Zelenskyy, Russia invaded Ukraine

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

Welcome to the last post of the 2022 A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine.  The President of Ukraine is Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, age 44, formerly an actor and comedian.

In 2015-2018, Zelenskyy starred in a television series called Servant of the People, where he played the president of Ukraine.  Then he began a political party called Servant of the People, and ran for election to be the actual president of Ukraine.  He won with 73% of the vote.

You can count me as someone who admires this man's love of his country and his refusal to flee when Russia invaded.  This is how a leader should lead!

Map of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

 

Map of Europe showing location of Ukraine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine

Thank you for visiting my blog during the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!  Please come back on Monday for the Reflections post!

 

Y is for Yikes! It's Hot and Dry!

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's Z post.  Enjoy! 

On June 27, 2021, it was 117F degrees at my house in Southern California.  During the period June 20-30, 2021, a massive heat wave covered the western half of North America.  Yes, I'm kinda cheating to put this one under Y.  But Yikes!  It's hot and dry!

Here's how much HIGHER than the average temperature it was in Washington State and Western Canada.

Here's the 2021 US Drought Monitor

And here's a photo of Lake Oroville, which shows the high water line and just how low the water level currently is.  California's drought is not fun.

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/26/1010610240/record-heat-wave-set-to-scorch-pacific-northwest-to-southern-california

https://www.drought.gov/states/california

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's Z post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

X is for Texas oil refinery explosion

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's Y post.  Enjoy! 

On December 23, 2021, an explosion occurred at one of the largest refining and petrochemical facilities in the United States, in Baytown Texas, near Houston.

Full disclosure - I was unable to find a photo of the actual 2021 refinery explosion that I could use on my blog without violating copyright, so the above photo is an oil refinery explosion in Texas in 2005.  Close enough, right?

The explosion and fire occurred at approximately 2am and injured 4 people.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/some-injuries-after-fire-exxons-baytown-texas-facility-2021-12-23/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10339141/Fire-breaks-Houston-area-Exxon-Mobil-oil-refinery-explosion.html

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's Y post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

W is for William Shatner oldest person in space

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's X post.  Enjoy! 

On October 13, 2021, William Shatner became the oldest person at age 90 to fly into outer space

With NASA/JPL in 2016

In 2021

In 1967

https://www.space.com/how-space-tourism-could-affect-older-people

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2021/10/william-shatner-breaks-record-for-oldest-person-in-space-after-blue-origin-flight-678841

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/13/science/william-shatner-space.html

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's X post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

V is for Viral Pandemic

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's W post.  Enjoy! 

~On February 8, 2022, COVID cases worldwide exceeded 400 million
~On March 7, 2022, the global death toll from COVID-19 passed 6 million 

[World population April 2022 is 7.9 billion]

Coronavirus stats

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's W post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

U is for Underwater Volcano Eruption Near Tonga

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's V post.  Enjoy! 

On January 15, 2022, the Underwater volcano Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai near Tonga, erupted and triggered tsunami warnings in Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, Samoa, and the United States.

Here's ash fallout on Tonga

Tsunami

"In terms of the scale and energy of the explosion, the Tongan event was basically like Krakatoa 2"

"“It’s super spectacular,” Peter W. Brown, a physicist at the University of Western Ontario, said of the shockwave, which traveled around the world several times at the speed of sound."

"The 15 January blast sent shock waves around the globe and defied scientific expectations. Researchers are now scrambling to work out why"

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's V post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

T is for Justin Trudeau invokes the Emergencies Act

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for Monday's U post.  Enjoy! 

On February 14, 2022, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history, to quell the nationwide protests and blockades in Canada against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions.

Truckers established an economic blockade in Ottawa and other cities, and on bridges connecting the US and Canada, halting trade.  The Emergencies Act allowed the government to shut down several crowdfunding sites and freeze bank accounts, so money could not flow to the protesters.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60472469

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/23/canada-trudeau-revokes-emergencies-act/

https://time.com/6148560/trudeau-canada-emergency-law/

Here's a teaser for Monday's U post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

S is for Britney Spears conservatorship terminated

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's T post.  Enjoy! 

 
On November 12, 2021, Britney Spears' conservatorship, which began February 1, 2008, was terminated by the court.

2013

 

1999

2009

The conservatorship [California's term for guardianship of an adult] began when she had a mental health breakdown in early 2008 and was committed to a psychiatric hospital.

https://variety.com/2021/music/news/britney-spears-conservatorship-termination-court-hearing-1235110694/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/judge-terminates-britney-spears-conservatorship-1256903/

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/12/1054860726/britney-spears-conservatorship-ended

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's T post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

R is for Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty of murder

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's S post.  Enjoy! 

On November 19, 2021, Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty of murder [by self defense] in Kenosha Wisconsin.

Photo by Gage Skidmore

Site of the shooting, Kenosha WI

 

A supporter in Kenosha WI

 

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/19/1057288807/kyle-rittenhouse-acquitted-all-charges-verdict

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/kyle-rittenhouse-trial-verdict-watch-11-19-21/index.html
 

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's S post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

Q is for Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee

This year's theme for my A-to-Z Blogging Challenge is Significant Events from 2021 and the first 3 months of 2022.

At the end of today's post is a teaser for tomorrow's R post.  Enjoy! 

England's Queen Elizabeth [age 96 on April 21, 2022 (tomorrow!)] lost her husband of 74 years on April 9, 2021.  She celebrated her Platinum Jubilee [70 years on the throne] on February 6, 2022.

June 2019

July 1959

https://www.royal.uk/platinumjubilee

https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk/

Here's a teaser for tomorrow's R post.  Remember, to avoid spoiling the answer for the next blog visitor, please comment on something related to the answer without giving the actual answer.

Photo by Gage Skidmore