Weird World Observations

Biking along the bike path, many people use phone earpieces and scream on phone calls while riding. This seems new to me. And strange.

Vaping indoors. I see this a lot now.  

I Listened to This Whole Thing

And when Briahna Joy Gray said this, I really wish someone had come in with: "oh, thank you so much for clarifying you don't support murdering ALL Jews." My God.

One thing can be said: I've listened very carefully to the most intelligent arguments for supporting what I'll call the Palestinian position...and remain - on a scale of 1 to 10 of supporting Israel: an 11. 

It's Not A War

I find the "it's not a war" people among the most annoying in all the Israel-Palestine discussions...especially because they also call for a ceasefire. Takes quite a bit of chutzpuh to say this thing that both Israel and Hamas and the US and all the world calls a war is actually not a war. Also leads to pointless digressions mostly to service a lame intellectual game.

Men's Sports

What's the data on trans men in men's sports vs. trans women in women's sport? I imagine this single data point would tell you basically all you need to know.

Hot Take

This strikes me as naive.

The argument that Palestine should not be recognised in order not to reward Hamas partakes of the same genocidal logic we see in Gaza: the inability to distinguish between the Palestinian people (maybe 15 million, old of one century or two, rich in culture and history) with Hamas

Why is it up to Israel and the so-called West to define Palestinians? The Palestinians need to define themselves. And as far I can tell, they communicate very clearly to world who they are via their actions and reactions. So when Hamas is elected in Gaza, that tells me something. When Hamas is unopposed in Gaza, that tells me something. When Hamas commits atrocities against Israel and is celebrated, that tells me something. Now perhaps you say: Palestinians don't really support Hamas, they only do so because of fear. But if that were the case, the Palestinians would actually work with and celebrate the Israelis doing their dirty work for them. And I see no sign of that. 

I'll admit for sure, the joe-average Palestinian finds themselves in a very shitty position. But somewhere along the line you gotta decide as a people/group - what's more important: armed struggle against more powerful opponents? Or finding a way to live peacefully amongst neighbors? And they have decided. Wrongly, in my opinion.

This is Right

And in this respect, I am more Christian than liberal - something I never thought of as true. And this entire tweet is incredibly well put.

If I view you as a man with genderist views, I see you as a male who holds a set of beliefs I definitely do not share. But if you tell me to call you a transwoman and expect me to treat you as a female, you're trying to coerce validation of your belief system. /end

A question for me in day-to-day practice - out of politeness, I call people what they want to be called. But is this cowardly? Coercive? Perhaps I shall start calling people trans and be more overt than just adopting the pronouns? 

I Sort Of Follow the News

And I'm totally unclear what Trump was found guilty of... 

Logging

TV: Ripley E2

A careful, black and white, beautiful bookish adaptation of the novel. Period details are chef's kiss - the vehicles, clothes, setting. And then the intro to the Freddy Miles character. Played memorably by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the film. I'm watching. Thinking...did they make Freddy a girl? That doesn't make sense? But no...still named Freddy? Is this a weird male actor? I have no idea what they've done. This morning, I remember how weird it was watching this last night as I was falling asleep. So I check IMDB. They cast Sting's child who identifies as They. So I guess that means no gender. But I kinda just want to know what the fuck I'm watching - a 13 year gay kid or a transgender women....a little internet sleuthing reveals this is Sting's daughter. 

What a strange decision in this show. So much attention to detail to recreate a 1950s show and then they introduce the most 2024 of ideas in a major way. 

We might be underestimating how much influence the show Hamilton had on entertainment. Not for the better, IMO.

Weird Games We Play

One way current practices structurally undermine things like heteronormativity and whiteness - we force students / learners into things like DEI workshops to emphasize the underprivileged and disadvantaged. So it should not be a surprise when these kids come up with "ideas" that feature queer or non-white characters. Because they want audience approval. I see this firsthand - it's almost a default for any writer these days to include some LGBT characters to check the diversity box - and some do it better than others. But then the knife gets shoved in. Because if you're not actually LGBT or a minority writer, you will be criticized in this language, "Are you sure you're the right person to write this story?"

Now the really good or great writers will not fall into this trap. Why? Because they know themselves and have developed a voice. The autistic and stubborn also avoid the fate. But the young ones, the sensitive, the learners find themselves checkmated...

Logging

Book: Pick-Up by Charles Willeford

Picked up this Crime Novels of the 50s collection to read Ripley. Finished Ripley on a high only to start right up on this next one. Here are a few lines that made me laugh out loud:

"Sober, I was always embarrassed about my appearance, but I didn't intend to stay sober very long."

"Gin was my weakness, not women, but with a creature like her...well, it was enough to make a man think."

Gonna read other stuff this man wrote.

Logging

Book: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Nothing like traveling to get in some reading time and what a great reading time it was. Looking forward to diving into the adaptations of this. Highsmith a misanthropic maniac and wonderful writer. 

Perhaps

The people in charge should be the ones with questions rather than the ones with answers. 

The Proof Is In The Pudding

The overreaction by the stalker portrayed in Baby Reindeer by suing Netflix, etc does a good job of validating her protrayal.

Similarly, the venomous turn against Israel we see in the Global South and progressive West demonstrates why the creation of Israel was so important in the first place. It's a Jewish insurance policy against what the Nazis, Arabs, Romans, and Egyptians all tried to do. History doesn't repeat - but it rhymes. 

ICC

Announces arrest warrants for Sinwar and Netanyahu. A reminder they also issued an arrest warrant for Putin last year.

I am reminded of Ned Stark ordering Tywin Lannister to report to King's Landing to answer for the crimes of his bannerman.   

Logging

TV Show: Baby Reindeer

I deeply suspect all characters in this show would be in favor of freeing Palestine. 

Wisdom

Salman Rushdie on what a Palestinian state would be right now. 

Had I Known That Type of Thing Was Looked Down Upon...

Diddy video. 

Women in the Workplace

This mirrors my lived experience. 

And All Of A Sudden...

The world shifts. This is a remarkable list of political changes for the Dutch government. Are they really doing all this?  

Logging

Film: United 93 

On rewatch, still an astonishing film in my opinion. Just brilliant. I'm not even sure what other films one can compare it to. Battle of Algiers?