The small world of aerials is trying to provide comfort. Athletes from Switzerland, including the former Olympic freestyle skier Andreas Isoz, have been raising funds and planned to go this weekend to Mukachevo, or as close as they could get near the Ukrainian border, to hand off supplies.

The dinner conversation was becoming inconducive to smooth digestion.

The hard drive spun up. The gray screen flickered. The smiley Mac face appeared and soon I was ready to dazzle the world with The Journals Book II.

Overt subterfuge in a region nearly caused a minor accident.