The Weird Times
Inner Monologues and Desultory Reporting from Outer Spaces: #155, April 30, 2023
Beware of ignorance when in motion; look out for inexperience when in action, and beware of the majority when mentally poisoned with misinformation, for collective ignorance does not become wisdom.—William J. H. Boetcker
When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.—Frédéric Bastiat
The question is not: can we justify abortions, but can we justify compulsory pregnancy?—Shirley Chisholm (1969)
Books and Culture
Some of us, we stood in silence
Some bowed their heads and prayed
I think I must’ve picked up a handful of dust
And let it fall over his grave
—from “Pineola,” Lucinda Williams
The Poet Who Became My Muse: In the late seventies, I fell in love with the poet Frank Stanford. His suicide would leave an indelible mark on my music, Lucinda Williams, New Yorker, 4/22/23. “His writing was feral and on fire.” (Ed. note: the poets CD Wright and Forrest Gander introduced me to Frank Stanford’s writing in the early eighties. His work blew me away then. And still does.)
Lucinda Williams’s memoir is Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You: A Memoir.
Read Frank Stanford: What about This: Collected Poems
Chizuko Ueno: the Japanese writer stoking China’s feminist underground: Ueno’s books are hugely popular in China, where a crackdown on large-scale organising has stifled a nascent feminist movement, Helen Sullivan, The Guardian, 4/24/23
Seeing Baya Anew: An exhibition of the Algerian painter’s work liberates it from the political symbolism of late colonialism, Alice Kaplan, NY Review of Books, 5/11/2023 issue
On the Wild West of Internet Regulations and the Birth of Pornhub: The Internet Is for Porn, Kelsy Burke, LitHub, 4/25/23. Book: The Pornography Wars: The Past, Present, and Future of America's Obscene Obsession
School librarian sues for defamation after N.J. residents complain about ‘pornographic’ books, Anthony J. Attrino, NJ.com, 4/26/23
“It Stands for ‘F*ck This Shit.’” On Getting a Tattoo at 80: “I settled on simple capital letters, like Scrabble squares,” Abigail Thomas, LitHub, 4/27/23: “I adopted Fuck This Shit as my motto during the Trump administration and find it applies to something new every day.” Book: Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing
The Vietnam War, 50 Years On: A Reading List: Frederick Logevall, Lien-Hang T. Nguyen, and More, George Black, LitHub, 4/28/23: “Two in particular dismantle the illusions, misconceptions, and hubris that drove the war: Neil Sheehan’s A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam, which was published in 1988; and David Halberstam’s The Best and the Brightest, which appeared in the following year.”
50 years ago this week, The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd topped the U.S. Billboard chart. The album ran on the Billboard 200 albums chart for 741 weeks in the first 15 years (total of 782 weeks) following its release and has since climbed to a total of 978 weeks. The album has sold more than 45 million copies worldwide, including 9,502,000 in the US.
Money, it's a crime.
Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie.
Money, so they say
Is the root of all evil today.
But if you ask for a raise it's no surprise that they're
giving none away.
—from “Money” by Pink Floyd, written by Roger Waters
Politicks
This week, unfortunately, we begin this section with some of the many current examples of rising American fascism:
Montana transgender lawmaker barred by GOP from House floor, Amy Beth Hanson, Sam Metz, Matthew Brown, AP News, 4/27/23
‘Blood on your hands’: Montana lawmaker’s words not unusual, Paul J. Weber, Amy Beth Hanson, APNews, 4/27/23: “In retaliating against Zephyr, Montana Republicans accused her of crossing a line that is faint at best…”
Republican attacks on trans people smack of fascism: Bigotry against minority groups based on sexual orientation or gender identity is a way fascism takes root, Robert Reich, The Guardian, 4/30/23: “As the world tragically witnessed in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, the politics of sexual anxiety gains traction when traditional male gender roles of family provider and protector are hit by economic insecurity. Fascist politics distorts and expands this male anxiety into fear that one’s family is under existential threat from LGBTQ+ people.”
'Blatant Attack on Democracy': NC Supreme Court Greenlights Partisan Gerrymandering: "An injustice that is so glaring, so lawless, and such a betrayal to the democratic values upon which our constitution is based will not stand forever," wrote a dissentinKenny Stancil, Common Dreams, 4/28/23
The First “Wrongful Death” Case for Helping a Friend Get an Abortion: The lawsuit’s long game — beyond instilling fear — is establishing fetal personhood, the holy grail of the anti-abortion movement, Mary Tuma, The Intercept, 4/26/23: “… the legal filing, riddled with sensitive information, instills a chilling effect on anyone who wishes to assist in abortion care, raising the threat of surveillance and public scrutiny, legal experts say. Filed by an influential conservative legal figure, the lawsuit also offers a window into the anti-abortion movement’s growing push for fetal personhood.”
'A little uncomfortableness from Jodi Picoult': Ex-Navy officer denounces 'fascist' Florida book bans, Maya Boddie, Alternet, 4/23/23
Florida’s book-ban frenzy targets Nora Roberts, and she’s not happy, Greg Sargent, Paul Waldman, Washington Post, 4/28/23: “If you don’t want your teenager reading this book, that’s your right as a mom — and good luck with that. But you don’t have the right to say nobody’s kid can read this book.”
Dwyane Wade Says Family Is His Motivation for Having Left Florida: 'Would Not Be Accepted:’ Dwyane Wade says he keeps his whole family's needs in consideration when making big decisions, like where to live, Angela Andaloro, People, 4/28/23
Revealed: Senate investigation into Brett Kavanaugh assault claims contained serious omissions: The 2018 investigation into the then supreme court nominee claimed there was ‘no evidence’ behind claims of sexual assault, Stephanie Kirchgaessner, The Guardian, 4/28/23
‘Worst-case scenario’: Rick Wilson on Tucker Carlson, presidential nominee: The fired Fox News host has cash, fame and appeal. The Lincoln Project co-founder says Trump and DeSantis should be worried, Martin Pengelly, The Guardian, 4/27/23. ED: We should all be worried.
Tucker Carlson Set The World On Fire: Now he can watch it burn, Lyz Lenz, Men Yell at Me, 4/26/23: “The Carlson model of shouting and shouting, then claiming you’re being censored when people push back, is now a career path.”
The Risky Gamble of Kevin McCarthy’s Debt-Ceiling Strategy: In the face of a catastrophic default, the House Speaker has pitted his most extreme members against the President, Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 4/28/23
Defaulting on the national debt is much closer than anyone realizes: House Republicans and Senate Democrats cannot even agree whether they need to negotiate on the debt limit, Paul Kane, Washington Post, 4/29/23
NSA Cybersecurity Director Says ‘Buckle Up’ for Generative AI: The security issues raised by ChatGPT and similar tech are just beginning to emerge, but Rob Joyce says it’s time to prepare for what comes next, Lily Hay Newman, Wired, 4/27/23
The next level of AI is approaching. Our democracy isn’t ready, Danielle Allen, Washington Post, 4/26/23: “Tech and democracy are not friends right now. We need to change that — fast.”
Feinstein Resignation Calls Grow After Manchin Sides With GOP on Pollution Rule: "We are putting decorum over democracy and our values," said Congressman Ro Khanna. "It's time for Sen. Feinstein to step down gracefully,” Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams, 4/27/23
10 First Nations sue Ontario and Canada over resource extraction and broken Treaty 9 promises: Arguing that resource extraction has violated Indigenous jurisdiction for over a century, the case could stall the Ontario government’s plans to mine the Ring o, Emma McIntosh, The Narwhal, 4/26/23
Is the Metropolitan Museum of Art Displaying Objects That Belong to Native American Tribes? Only a small percentage of works donated by Charles and Valerie Diker have clear ownership histories. Experts say this could mean objects are stolen or fake. Meanwhile, the Met has been slow to ask tribes for information about the items, Kathleen Sharp, ProPublica, 4/25/23
You're leaving now through the hole of an argument
I guess for awhile you've been looking for the exit
You slammed the door so hard I still hear rattling spoons
The sound of silence rings in every room
—from “Empty Cups,” Amanda Shires
Science and Environment
The world's first solar power station was built before World War One, created by a man with a vision for cleaner air, Stephen Dowling, BBC, 4/21/23. The inventor was Frank Shuman. This is from an article he wrote for Scientific American in 1911: A Sun-power plant, in order to be practicable, must possess, first, high efficiency; low cost of installation and maintenance; well-marked length of service; and should not require specially trained mechanics for its operation…
In the gentle shade of solar panels, desert restoration gets an unexpected leg up: Delicate biocrusts are used to restore drylands; instead of cultivating them in high-tech greenhouses, researchers are growing them under solar farms, Sarah DeWeerdt, Anthropocene, 4/25/23
The underbelly of electric vehicles: What goes into making EVs, where it comes from and at what human cost, Aaron Steckelberg, Hannah Dormido, Ruby Mellen, Steven Rich, Cate Brown, Washington Post, 4/27/23
What’s best for the climate: Reshoring solar panel production or just buying cheap from China? Balancing national interests and carbon emissions is tricky business, Mark Harris, Anthropocene, 4/27/23
Hoopa Tribal member fights to save California’s Trinity River and its salmon: Climate change and water diversions have put the river’s salmon in jeopardy, YCC Team, Yale Climate Connections, 4/24/23
Climate Change Is Walloping US Farms. Can This Farm Bill Create Real Solutions? Although it seems like everyone in D.C. is buzzing about a “climate farm bill,” some of the most impactful changes, including crop diversification and shifting diets from meat toward plants, are barely on the negotiating table, Lisa Held, Civil Eats, 4/26/23
Forget Cars, Green Hydrogen Will Supercharge Crops: Renewable generation projects are set to make this future fuel widely available. And it’s much more versatile than you think, Bianca Nogrady, Wired, 4/24/23
Zoonomia: Genetic research reveals all we share with animals, Laura Ungar, AP News, 4/27/23: “One of the most striking revelations is that certain passages in the instructions for life have persisted across evolutionary time, representing a through line that binds all mammals – including us.” Zoonomia Project
How Pools of Genetic Diversity Affect a Species’ Fate: A new, deeper understanding of how the breeding structure of species affects their genetic diversity is giving conservationists better tools for saving animals, Anna Funk, Quanta, 4/25/23
A musician’s unexpected journey to protect Earth’s last remaining quiet places: Composer Jonathan Kawchuk wanted to capture the sounds of nature for his latest album, but repeated interruptions by helicopters and traffic set him off on a new path, Ryan Wilkes, The Narwhal, 4/14/23
Three Practices to Combat Climate Grief: Palliative care providers offer a middle path between despair and denial when considering the climate crisis, Michael Kearney, Joanna Macy, Radhule Weininger, BJ Miller, Balfour Mount, Tricycle, 4/20/23.
A forthcoming book: Becoming Forest: A Story of Deep Belonging, Michael Kearney
Poem in Which Every Other Line is a Falsehood
they walk around in the stubble
of the field sharing a wine sap
after he cut his firewood he liked to sit
on a big log and listen to his blood rush
she turns her head in time to see
a flat iron float through an open window
—CD Wright
Health and Wellness
The Quest for Longevity Is Already Over: Studying people who live well beyond the age of 100 could reveal the secret to living longer, healthier lives. But the statistics tell another story, Matt Reynolds, Wired, 4/26/23
Tick-borne Powassan virus is being transmitted in concentrated clusters in New England, Yale study says, Jenny Blair, Yale School of Public Health, 4/11/23
Chocolate doesn’t cause acne – but carrots do help you see in the dark: the best and worst health myths and wisdom, Tracey Ramsden, The Guardian, 4/29/23: Feed a cold, starve a fever - TRUE “It is more accurate to say ‘feed a virus, starve bacteria’”
When you take the lost road
You come to the snow
And when you find the snow
You get down on your hands and knees
Like a sick dog
That’s been eating the grasses of graveyards
For twenty centuries
—from “Circle of Lorca,” Frank Stanford
Birds
On Mauritius, an Invasive Tree Boosts an Endangered Bird but Threatens the Wider Ecosystem: Conservationists helped the Mauritius kestrel dodge extinction once. Now, experts worry about putting the bird at risk to save other species, Ryan Truscott, Hakai, 4/27/23
These tiny creatures are losing their battle to survive. Here’s what we can do to save them, Amy Chillag, CNN, 4/21/23: “The Rufous Hummingbird is magical.”
Discover the Top 4 Smartest Birds Flying Around the United States, Nilani Thiyagarajah, A-Z Animals, 4/19/23
Recommended Reading
The Ones Who Remember: Second-Generation Voices of the Holocaust has just won a Silver Nautilus Award in the Heroic Voices category
The Devil’s Presence, a fine new novel by James O. Goldsborough. Hint: the devil is someone we all know. Not many writers are willing to take on subjects that worry us right now. This is a good one.
There’s no failure in sports. There’s good days, bad days. Some days you are able to be successful, some days you’re not. Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. And that’s what sports is about. You don’t always win. Some other people are going to win. And this year, somebody else is going to win. We’re going to come back next year and try to be better.—Giannis Antetokounmpo talking to the media about the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA playoff loss. Well worth watching in full. It’s a brilliant and inspiring statement.
In literal terms, the “boiling frog syndrome” concept is provably incorrect. When frogs are placed in slowly heated water, they will jump out. But the metaphor works because we recognize our own behavior as a group, civilization, species, actually does fail to act when we experience slow change that will inevitably destroy us. Maybe we will jump out in time. But current events are not encouraging. In America especially, we are unable to function as a socially cohesive society at precisely the moment when that is needed most. The confluence of political, social and environmental crises is boiling us alive. Shouting about it does not seem to work. So I’m not doing that here.
I know I am preaching to the choir every Sunday with this newsletter. I hope you will find ways to constructively use all this information - depressing and frustrating as it is so much of the time - to help formulate meaningful action or to find ways to get the news out to other people. Share news stories with people you barely know. Talk about climate change with your neighbors. Ask them what they think about book banning and politicians going after transgender people and wonder why this is happening now. Plant a bee friendly garden and tell everyone why. Give people copies of books that explain what is happening now. And talk to your local influencers and politicians. That’s where the action is anyway.
And it’s always good to find ways to celebrate. This is a great week for celebrations - May 1 is International Workers Day; May 4 is both Anti-Bullying Day and Bird Day. And of course, May 5 is Cinco de Mayo.
Please keep in touch. Thanks for all your emails. And as always, much love to all —David