The Weird Times
Inner Monologues and Desultory Reporting from Outer Spaces: Issue 239, December 8, 2024 (V5 #31)
It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.—The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Let’s be honest about DOGE and this whole thing: It’s a joke. We are talking about two billionaires who are cosplaying as government officials.—Cong. Maxwell Frost
Books, Music, Art, Culture
Indigenous Artists Give Minnesota a Map Makeover: A roundtable conversation with three women who are reviving land-based wisdom and history from a Dakota perspective, Sherry Kempf, Barn Raiser, 12/5/24: “When we use traditional knowledge, we understand that the land is a relative, not a resource. We’re not limited to five senses, and we use the idea of communicating through energy. The land tells us a story, both visually and through this energy of communication. By standing on the land, we can learn its history and stories through what our relatives tell us.”
‘He transformed his mind’: how did Malcolm Little become Malcolm X? Patrick Parr’s ambitious, eye-opening book looks back to the activist’s earlier days as he found himself while in prison, Martin Pengelly, The Guardian, 12/7/24: “He proved a natural reader, ‘playing with language and voice’, adding an understanding of literature to the fast-talking, fast-thinking style he picked up on the streets of Lansing and in the Harlem clubs.” Book: Malcolm Before X
The Romanticized Squalor of Queer: Luca Guadagnino makes William S. Burroughs’s novella a love story that is sordid, pathetic, affecting, and true, Andrew Marzoni, New Republic, 12/4/24: “… a love story that is sordid, pathetic, affecting, and true, exonerating the Burroughs of reckless paranoia with a portrait of a man striving to live authentically in inhospitable circumstances.”
The Grateful Dead ran this madcap country through their ‘fun machine:’ The long, strange trip — drugs, jams, drama and death — now brings the band to the Kennedy Center Honors, Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 12/4/24
‘I am acutely frightened’: artists talk of fears over a second Trump term: Figures in the art world including Amy Sherald and Marilyn Minter share their concerns ahead of Trump’s return, Veronica Esposito, The Guardian, 12/4/24: “I hope this election will be a wake-up call to the tribalism and ostracism taking over many art communities and spaces, but I do not have much faith that it will be.”
“Only the Northern Lights”: The Russo-Ukrainian War and Its Poets, Lora Maslenitsyna, Public Books, 12/3/24: “In order to reimagine our current reality, we need to accept that the unthinkable has come to pass. Perhaps we begin with poetry.”
Seeing Life Through the Eyes of the Dead: A Short Handbook for Writing Ghosts: Some Tips for Crafting Fully-Fleshed Out Fictional Spirits, Muriel Leung , LitHub, 12/5/24: “I believe that ghosts are not merely here to haunt, but to shift the ways in which we see the parameters of a life.” Book: How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster
Speaking Trumpian: Persuasion in a post-oratorical age, Christopher Caldwell, Claremont Rev of Books, Fall 2024: “ A new political technology was bringing forth a new kind of “messaging”—it’s not even clear yet that we ought to call it oratory. What is clear is the upshot.”
How the Western Literary Canon Made the World Worse: A talk with Dionne Brand about her recent book, Salvage, which looks at how the classic texts of Anglo-American fiction helped abet the crimes of capitalism, colonialism, and more, Elias Rodrigues, The Nation, 11/5/24: “What am I writing into? What am I writing over?”
Behind the Brain Rot: Oxford’s controversial Word of the Year captures how chronically online life has become, John Hendrickson, Atlantic, 12/3/24: “Brain rot is marked by a ‘supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.’ It has a symbiotic relationship with internet garbage, or, as shoddily made AI-generated content has been deemed, slop, some of which is created by spammers who find financial incentive in flooding social platforms.”
The Philosopher L. A. Paul Wants Us to Think About Our Selves: To whom should we have allegiance—the version of ourself making choices, or the version of ourself who will be affected by them? Alice Gregory, New Yorker, 12/2/24: “…you take just a step or two off the path indicated on the map. It isn’t much—that’s where I was now—but keep going in that direction, she said, and after a while you will find yourself far, far away from the original destination.”
What Makes Space Sacred? What Makes Land Holy? Rabbi Brant Rosen, Sholem Rav, 12/6/24: “’Every piece of ground on a person resides when they raise their eyes to heaven is a Holy of Holies.’ Every place has the potential to be a makom: holy space. Every home we create can be a Beit El – the sacred meeting place between heaven and earth.”
Whiff of earth in the air.
Phone number on a scratch pad.
Quick! Time for a walk
to lean on the graveyard fence.
—from “Momentary Manifesto,” Jane Augustine
Politics, Technology, Economics
Tulsi Gabbard Holds the Knife: An Operation We Might Not Survive, Timothy Snyder, Thinking About, 12/7/24: “Gabbard is just as qualified to operate on your brain as she is to operate the national intelligence services. Would you let her? She clearly wants to take up the knife. Whose idea, one wonders, was that?”
What Does Agenda 47 Spell for America’s Future? A stark warning about Trump’s dystopian plans for his second term...Thom Hartmann, Hartmann Report, 12/3/24: “Now is the time to join the resistance, while it’s still possible.”
The Dream of the Raised Arm: In early Thirties Germany, as the Nazi threat grew, the state’s propaganda machine began to penetrate the dream life of its citizenry. What of our dreams today, under the influence of the algorithms? And what will come with the return of Donald Trump? Zadie Smith, NY Review of Books, 12/5/24 issue. Forthcoming book: The Third Reich of Dreams: The Nightmares of a Nation, Charlotte Beradt
How to be Sand in the Gears of Tyranny: A Guest Essay, Emily Galvin-Almanza, The Cycle, 12/4/24: “All of us, from all perspectives, have something we can do. Some of it small. But none of it meaningless.”
These Times Demand Courage: We are already learning who will stand up to Trump and his reckless enablers and who will kowtow out of fear, Steven Beschloss, America, America, 12/6/24
Our Nation Has Been Making Progress. It's Trump Who Is the 'Resistance': The president-elect and his “manoverse” want to reverse many of the long-term societal changes that make our country truly great, John Harwood, Zeteo, 12/6/24: “They might as well try to hold back the tide.”
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly: One week in America reveals our promise, our problems, and the enemies within, Michael Moore, Newsletter, 12/6/24: “Giving up is easy folks. Resistance will be hard. Let’s be like Rosa and Shirley and Barbara.”
Donald Trump didn’t win by a historic landslide. It’s time to nip that lie in the bud: In 2024, we have a new post-election lie – Trump didn’t just win, Republicans say, but he won big. He won a landslide. That’s false, Mehdi Hasan, The Guardian, 12/3/24: “(Trump) did not win a majority of the vote….margin of victory over Harris is a miniscule 1.6 percentage points, smaller than that of every winning president since 1888 other than two.”
Shocking Exit Poll Reveals Why Trump Beat Harris: Voters were most concerned with these three issues, Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, New Republic, 12/3/24: “Those issues included inflation and the cost of living, immigration and the border, and jobs and the economy.”
How Latinos Elected Trump, Juan David Rojas, Liberal Patriot, 12/2/24: “By far the most resounding issue where Democrats facilitated their own demise with Latinos—and the broader public—was on immigration.”
Why Bidenomics Did Not Deliver at the Polls, Dani Rodrik, Project Syndicate, 12/4/24: “…the Biden administration paid too little attention to the changing structure of the economy and the interests of the new working class. It had the right intentions, but the wrong strategy.”
The Left-Flank Albatross: New research sheds more light on the Democrats’ perception problem, Michael Baharaeen, Liberal Patriot, 12/3/24: “… the perception was that the party cared most about social issues like abortion, LGBT issues, and climate change.”
The Blue Dog Blueprint: Moderate House Democrats dramatically outperformed Harris, Nate Moore, Liberal Patriot, 12/4/24: “It’s a lot easier to look outward, to blame and demonize other people, instead of looking in the mirror and seeing what we can do.”
Centrist Democrats should stop blaming progressives for Harris’s loss: Whether to use he/she pronouns in emails wasn’t a factor in the Harris-Trump race, Perry Bacon, Jr., Washington Post, 12/5/24: “The bashing of progressives started almost immediately after the election — and hasn’t stopped since.”
Meet Donald Trump’s Brick-Shittingly Scary New Cabinet, and Everyone Else Advising Him in a Second Term: Stephen Miller at the border. RFK Jr. running Health and Human Services. Jared Kushner's dad as ambassador to France. Welcome to the Trump administration 2.0, Bess Levin, Vanity Fair, 12/4/24
Deployment of the U.S. Military for Immigration Enforcement: A Primer, Elizabeth Goitein, Just Security, 12/3/24: “Military personnel could not search, arrest, or detain immigrants under a national emergency declaration.”
Missouri Voters Enshrined Abortion Rights. GOP Lawmakers Are Already Working to Roll Them Back: One month after Missouri approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion, legislators have proposed a flurry of bills to tighten abortion access or raise the bar for future amendments driven by voter initiatives, Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 12/5/24
House Democrats end 2024 with a net gain after final race flips their way: And Republicans will soon have just a one-vote margin in the lower chamber, David Nir, Jeff Singer, The Downballot, 12/4/24
Trump v. Clinton: The media double standard on the influence of foreign cash, Judd Legum, Popular Information, 12/4/24: “For some reason, the direct transfer of $18 million by a foreign national being prosecuted by the SEC to the president-elect has not been deemed worthy of meaningful coverage.”
Cutting Through the Noise to Trump’s Claimed Immunity in NY Felonies Case, Adam Klasfeld, Norman L. Eisen, Just Security, 12/6/24: “Defendant’s continued baseless accusations directed at the People and this Court have no bearing on his extension request and do not merit a response.”
Don’t Believe That The American Dream Is Dead: Pessimism about America has become fashionable. It’s a dangerous narrative, Liz Libes, Persuasion, 12/3/24: “So let’s scrap this notion that America is inherently discriminatory and start teaching younger generations that America really is the land of opportunity.”
What Can DOGE Do? Its leaders have lots of lofty plans and little power to implement them, Lora Kelley, Atlantic, 12/6/24
The End of Passive Democracy: South Korea’s brush with martial law is a reminder that democracy is not self-sustaining, Karishma Vaswani, Bloomberg, 12/6/24: “Yoon’s actions “serve as a warning sign flashing in bright red for democracies worldwide.”
The Immigrants Most Vulnerable to Trump’s Mass Deportation Plans Entered the Country Legally: Biden could still pursue additional protections for many of them—so far, he appears unwilling to do so, Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 12/5/24
Manufacturing is a war now: And the democracies are losing, Noah Smith, Noahpinion, 12/4/24: “…we’re falling behind in all kinds of manufacturing.”
Rape survivors like Gisèle Pelicot are choosing to speak out, refuting the idea that they should feel shame, Nomi Dave, The Conversation, 12/3/24: “I’ve decided not to be ashamed, I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the war of the future. It's not good, Lucian K. Truscott IV, Newsletter, 12/6/24: “War is already a terrible, horrific thing. Ultra-modern AI enabled warfare is going to make it worse.”
He had the best friends that money could rent, but Hunter got high (la-da-da-da)
Just imagine if he wasn't rich, and so damn white (yeah-hey)
The cops would raid his house, eat his lemon pound cake
Disconnect his cameras and steal his money
—From “Hunter Got High,” Afroman
Science, Environment
Why a two-year surge in global warmth is worrying scientists: Instead, global temperatures remain at near-record levels, Scott Dance, Ben Noll, Washington Post, 12/6/24: “…the world’s oceans remain extraordinarily warm, far beyond what is usual — warmth that drives the temperature on land up as well.”
Food Waste is Bad Actually: How we frame the problem makes all the difference, Peter Clayborne, Anarchy Unfolds, 12/7/24: “We cannot maintain our current levels of consumption and waste; the planet won’t support it.”
Texas farmers say sewage-based fertilizer tainted with “forever chemicals” poisoned their land and killed their livestock: The fertilizer was promoted as an environmental win-win for years. An untold number of farmers and ranchers across Texas have spread it on their land, Alejandra Martinez, Texas Tribune, 12/2/24
Formaldehyde Causes More Cancer Than Any Other Toxic Air Pollutant: Little Is Being Done to Curb the Risk, Sharon Lerner, Al Shaw, ProPublica, 12/3/24: “Formaldehyde is all around us and causes more cancer than any other chemical in the air. It can also trigger asthma, miscarriages and fertility problems.”
More than 400 chemicals in plastic products linked to breast cancer – study: Exposure to these toxic compounds, found in everyday items, could be elevating cancer risk in young women, Tom Perkins, The Guardian, 12/6/24
How the plastic industry undermines democracy by blocking bans: Companies that profit from plastics are pushing forward laws to keep Americans hooked on disposable plastic products, Hilary Beaumont, Environmental Health News, 12/5/24: “…for years, the public was lied to and was told you can just recycle all your plastics, and that's not true.”
Vicious cycle: Wildfires are making climate change worse: As climate change makes wildfires larger and more intense, they’re putting more carbon pollution into the atmosphere, YCC Team, Yale Climate Connections, 12/6/24
This could be the posterfrog for what ails the world’s amphibians. But it’s staging a comeback: Some individuals of the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog survived the fungal plague wiping out species around the world. Now, scientists have shown they can recolonize habitat, Warren Cornwall, Anthropocene, 12/4/24: “Amphibians are among the most endangered group of vertebrates in the world.”
Saving ‘old and wise’ animals vital for species’ survival, say scientists, Phoebe Weston, The Guardian, 12/6/24: “Saving ‘old and wise’ animals vital for species’ survival, say scientists. Hunting bigger, more experienced animals eradicates memories and knowledge crucial to group survival.”
New technologies could refine the copper the world needs — without the dirty smelting: Copper will play a central role in the energy transition. These startups are working on a cleaner way to extract it, Maddie Stone, Grist, 12/3/24
Divided over whether to stop making plastic, U.N. treaty talks collapse: Delegates from more than 170 countries huddled for a week of marathon negotiations but came up short on delivering a deal, Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 12/1/24
Will New Carbon Market Work? Indonesia Will Provide First Test: A U.N. carbon market is expected to open as soon as next year, with carbon-rich Indonesia planning to generate billions of dollars in credits from its vast rainforests, Fred Pearce, Yale Environment 360, 12/5/24
Killer whales have found new homes in the Arctic Ocean, potentially reshaping marine ecology, Caroline Hemphill, MongaBay, 12/3/24: “Killer whales put pressure on the local ecosystem, including Arctic whales important to Indigenous groups.”
Antarctica is in crisis and we are scrambling to understand its future: The last two years have seen unprecedented falls in the levels of sea ice around Antarctica, which serves as a protective wall for the continent's huge ice sheets. Researchers are now racing to understand the global impact of what could happen next, James Woodford, NewScientist, 12/2/24
DNA of 1,000 year-old maize sheds light on origins of globally important food crop, Univ of York, ScienceDaily, 12/5/24: “…understanding its origins and journey through different geographical regions could help find new ways of sustaining and improving crops today.”
Conjuring the Lost Land Beneath the North Sea: New research reveals that Doggerland—a sunken swath of Europe connecting Britain to the mainland—was more than a simple thoroughfare. It was home, Tristan McConnell, Hakai, 12/5/24: “As climate change accelerates in the modern era, the story of Doggerland becomes a story of our future.”
Health, Wellness
Bird Flu, Explained: We explore whether you should be worried, David Leonhardt, NY Times, 12/4/24: “H5N1 bears watching. It is changing and spreading in uncertain ways, and it already presents a threat to many animals and to people who work closely with them.”
Eating high-processed foods impacts muscle quality, study finds, Radiological Soc of NA, ScienceDaily, 12/4/24: “A diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with higher amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of the amount of calories consumed or level of physical activity….”
Childhood leaded gasoline exposure damaged Americans’ mental health: A new study links 151 million instances of psychiatric illness to leaded gasoline, Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 12/4/24: “We know from about 100 years of evidence from human and animal studies that lead is harmful for almost every organ system that we’ve studied…it’s particularly harmful to the developing brain.”
Love threatens to carry me off
Like a dancer in a trash heap storm.
—from “Extended Shortages,” Paul Violi
Birds, Birding
The Fleet-Winged Ghosts of Greenland: A mysterious population of peregrine falcons in the Far North has inspired environmental action and scientific research around the world, Caroline Van Hemert, Hakai, 12/3/24
Popular pesticide considered 'new DDT' killing CT's birds, bees and butterflies, Audubon report says, Jesse Leavenworth, CT Insider, 12/3/24: “…neonics are still used on lawns, golf courses and farm fields to kill insects, poisoning the many birds that eat those insects, according to the report.”
As slowly as a yogi stretches at an unsafe park
I tiptoe toward the gravity of the predicament we're in
I'd prefer leaving tomorrow sitting firmly in the dark
Instead of facing one more tired vision of the end
—from “Front Row Seats,” Dawes
Every week, I track the news, whatever is going on at the time. TWT reflects my best efforts to collect and share what seems most important or useful for us to know about. Lately, far too much of what is happening is grim or anxiety producing. But please don’t let all the terrible news defeat you. There is so much we can do, all of us together. Our connections to each other will make the difference.
Love is always the place where I begin and end.—bell hooks
We can open the door to the light.—Timothy Snyder
The anxiety of the future is only equalled by the tiresomeness of the present—Frank O’Hara
Be well everyone. Stay strong.
Love always—David