#but this is a great column

[mysandwichgiver]

OPINION

Our democracy is much more frail than Biden

by Will Bunch | Columnist

Published July 2, 2024, 12:04 p.m. ET

Do newspaper columnists know that democracy’s closer to death than Biden?

One of the first things they teach doctors in medical school is the imperfect but necessary art of triage, the technique used on a battlefield or during some other mass-casualty event to determine who is most gravely wounded and who needs immediate attention during a crisis when the system is overwhelmed, and clear-headed thinking will save lives.

Clearly, this is not something that is taught in journalism school.

Over the course of a remarkable weekend, I saw the best minds of my boomer generation destroyed by madness — newspaper columnists and other big shots convinced they were cosplayers in a real-world episode of The West Wing, saving America by giving chief of staff Leo McGarry the best words to convince an ailing President Bartlet that it’s time to step down.

The soft clacking of these keyboard commandos turned into a stampede as the nation’s pundits, its editorial-page poobahs, mega-rich but anonymous donors, and Democratic horse whisperers competed to outdo each other on The Daily Rip or in “the paper of record,” or wherever they thought the actual frail president, Joe Biden, might be paying attention.

Dropping names — Whitmer! Shapiro! Warnock! — like a groupie backstage at a heavy-metal concert, floating wildly implausible scenarios, stretching so hard for historical analogies that several probably blew out a hamstring, America’s pundit class managed to achieve a level of groupthink that surpassed the brainwashers of The Manchurian Candidate. All argued that for the good of the country he loves, Biden — hoarse, barely audible, and visibly confused a few times during Thursday’s Atlanta presidential debate — must immediately end his candidacy.

Meanwhile, in the actual America that less resembles The West Wing than the disaster flick Don’t Look Up, two comets simultaneously bore down on America in the hours leading up to its 248th — and possibly last — birthday as a democratic republic.

First, there is Donald Trump — desperate to avoid his sentencing for his 34 felony convictions, firing off racist insults about “Black jobs” and “bad Palestinians,” and carrying around a 900-page blueprint for American dictatorship called Project 2025 — streaking into the cosmic void of our troubled republic.

Meanwhile, don’t look up but a thoroughly corrupt and compromised Supreme Court is blazing a second trail toward American autocracy. In a flurry of body punches over the last several days, the nation’s highest court gutted the federal government’s ability to regulate fat-cat corporate polluters or stock swindlers, but said poor folks who sleep outside because there’s nowhere else to go can be arrested. Then, with a fierce right hook, it issued a 6-3 partisan ruling that will help Trump — who appointed three of them — evade justice while placing all future presidents above the law.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three liberal naysayers, read her blistering minority opinion from the bench Monday morning, arguing that the court’s finding that a president performing official acts can be immune from criminal prosecution “effectively creates a law-free zone around the president, upsetting the status quo that has existed since the founding.” She ended with the words, “with fear for our democracy, I dissent.”

I wish Justice Sotomayor had the bandwidth and the energy to work a second shift as editorial page editor at one of our major newspapers.

At Time magazine (yes, it still exists), the cover of its new issue contained just one word, “Panic” — not at the prospect of an American dictator with the seeming power to have the military assassinate his enemies, but at Biden’s health. At the New York Times (yes, it still exists), an editorial board that considered it pointless, or whatever, to call for Trump to leave the race after those 34 felony convictions — as well as the civil rape and financial fraud verdicts and the two impeachments and three other pending indictments — made its grand pronouncement that it’s Biden who must go. Other papers jumped on the bandwagon, including the swing state Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which in the 1950s and ‘60s won Pulitzers for its courage in taking on Southern racists before deciding instead to appeal to their grandchildren.

And look, I’m not going to argue that Biden’s health is not an issue. His debate performance was troubling, but I also think those of us determined not to see Donald Trump become president again should take a deep breath — even if that’s not the clickbait headline that many are eager to write. Biden needs to do more to assure the public about his energy level, and we also need to see the polls. Any decision should be based on the paramount thing — the thing that should be getting 72-point headlines: stopping dictatorship. As Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote Monday in her dissent, this is a “five-alarm fire that threatens to consume democratic self-governance.”

The power of Monday’s dissents by Jackson and Sotomayor form quite the contrast with the speculative flights of fancy about a brokered convention in Chicago, which, it’s worth noting, have largely come from white male boomer types. Many Black and brown and female voices, on the other hand, are urging Biden to stay as the only realistic hope — warts and all — of beating Trump in November. Maybe people who in one way or another know the horror of being treated as a second-class citizen understand the risk of dictatorship in a way that white dudes who’ve always been OK do not.

Most journalists want to be seen as savvy (or not naïve, essentially the same thing) and influential. Many editorial writers and columnists are still hurting from the fact that Trump was elected in 2016 with zero major print endorsements. They think calling for Trump to drop out would make them look foolish now that the Republican Party has devolved into a dangerous cult. But a demand for Biden to drop out might actually happen — so that’s savvy, right?

Except maybe the dangerous cult is the more important crisis, especially when it carries a printed guide to dictatorship and holds six justices in its back pocket. To focus on the actual threat we are facing, I wish America’s top pundits would spend less time watching reruns of The West Wing and maybe pick up a copy of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

The reality of what’s happening in July 2024 — that an authoritarian-minded president, with help from a politicized and unethical Supreme Court, is on track to lead a nation where all power is being vested in him, his MAGA movement, and the corporate polluters — is THE story, and Biden’s health is a subplot in that drama. The current president is walking slowly, but it’s the American Experiment that’s on a ventilator. Journalists aren’t doing their job: performing basic triage and focusing on the sickest patient in the room. With fear for our democracy, I dissent.

[illustratus]

The Plague in Rome by Jules-Élie Delaunay

[dollypopup]

"Penelope should have chosen Debling!"

My sister in Christ. . .he literally dumped her???

Like just before Colin Bridgerton was on his knees after outrunning her carriage to profess how he can't stop thinking about her in his love me, choose me, I'm yours speech, Debling did the Regency equivalent of calling her a floozy who would undoubtedly cheat on him when he abandoned her for several years to chase his passions (because she would never be one of said passions since she asked outright if he could ever come to care for her and he went 'hmmmm seems unlikely! good thing you have solitary hobbies to occupy you instead!') when he has been given 0 evidence of such other than realizing she liked to look out the window because she had a crush on the boy across the street. I was ready to challenge that man to a duel for Pen's honor

His feelings for her were middling at best, I mean Christ on a Pogostick, after he asked her mum for permission to propose he isn't even happy when he opens the door and Pen is there? She's looking like a snack- nay, a whole ass MEAL, and he can't even smile? He just nods at her and dips the fuck out? You don't think it would kill Penelope to know that both her sisters have husbands who absolutely adore them and she's out here with an absent dude who likely won't even write to her?

Portia's 'Love is make believe!' speech is so transparently full of shit when you realize that we've got Dankworth who is so obsessed with Prudence that he makes heart eyes at her every waking moment and considers her his little bonbon and Albion who loves Phillipa so much that he was waiting for her to consent to sex (not realizing she didn't know what it was) for two entire years because he would never pressure her and so he was content with finishing in his pants when he kissed her to make sure she was comfortable. And you want Penelope to settle for a life of loneliness? When Colin is so besotted with her that he dreams of her and breaks every societal expectation in the book as a notorious People Pleaser to run after her and cannot even wait for the morning after being intimate with her to introduce her as his wife to his family in the middle of the night? You want her to turn down Mr "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible" Bridgerton? For LORD PENGUIN?

Be so serious right now

[thefriendoforatioisdead]

I personally think that as of right now, since they are stil very young, Anin is very right to talk of desire and not love. I think at this point she is attracted to Pin, but it's not a romantic, deep, proufoundly strong love.

Obviously, she loves her best-friend, but she is not IN LOVE with her just now. Whereas I think Pin might already be falling in love in a truly romantic sense, even if she is in obvious denial about it.

And I do think Pin also has very strong desire for Anin (but she's not as bold about it), but in my opinion, her romantic feelings have been developing very slowly, carefully, gently. Blooming like a flower if you allow me the metaphor. Something quiet and soft, yet impossible to ignore. Something that is exactly like the relationship we saw between them in the first two episodes : It's loving and gentle, cute and sweet. But when Anin comes back, Pin is very very distraught by the fact that Anin has changed. When she says that she feels like she doesn't know her anymore I think she's talking about their relationship, because she can feel that the energy has changed. Because, as for herself, Anin's feelings are, as she said, ''burning''. They're quite brutal, if the way she acts with Pin is any indicator. They're powerful, demanding, and they overtook her fast and strong, in a way she can't, and doesn't want to fight.

So while Pin is still taking her time figuring out the gentle romantic emotions she's developping for her best-friend, Anin comes back with desire, physical intimacy, and her mind set on the idea of making her hers, without really even considering her heart. She knows what she wants, but she doesn't give Pin the time to figure out what SHE wants. She forces her to face her desire, which must be scary for someone as calm and shy as Pin, instead of letting it come to her slowly.

Their relationship is a little rocky, and will be for some time, because as of right now, they are not at the same level. Pin is falling in love and not ready for desire but is forced to face it, while Anin has strong and understood desire, but isn't letting herself really appreciate a return to the emotional connection they use to have because she just wants sex, and therefore not letting herself fall in love.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that for now we can see how immature they still both are in their love, because Anin is selfish and Pin is ''repressed'', and Anin is not giving her the space to come to term with her emotions. And I can't wait to see how all of this will evolve into something more sincere and deep. It's a very good storytelling

[classic-art-favourites]

Queen Charlotte by Allan Ramsay, 1762.

[royalty-nobility]

Equestrian Portrait of King George II

Artist: Joseph Highmore (English, 1692–1780)

Date: c.1743–1745

Medium: Oil paint on canvas

Collection: TATE Britain, London, United Kingdom

Description

Highmore may have painted this small equestrian portrait of George II as a preliminary design for a life-size portrait that remained unexecuted. Several celebrated life-size equestrian portraits, notably those of Anthony Van Dyck and Titian, influence the composition. Although the King wears a fanciful suit of ‘antique’ armour, the portrait may allude specifically to his actual role at the battle of Dettingen in 1743, when he led British and Hanoverian troops to victory against the French. Cosmo, 3rd Duke of Gordon, one of the king’s staunchest allies, probably commissioned the picture.

[sillovn]

Mirror of the World

[twirlymarimo]

i picked up the zosan magazine again and i just noticed that ran takahashi has a piece in there talking about his love for one piece and one of his favourite scenes is zoro absorbing luffy’s pain in thriller bark!

[spookygibberish]

Also if anyone is curious here's my big dumb very very roughly ranked list of shit I've listened to over the last yearish

[okmcintyre]

send me a character and I'll list:

favourite thing about them: Clarke's tenacity! Her first scene? She fights off two armed guards and LOCKS THEM IN HER CELL BEHIND HER. Then how she handles herself at the dropship ("You think we care who's in charge!?"). Her commitment to getting her people out of MW (despite every other leader before her failing to do so). Praimfaya. AFTER Praimfaya... When Clarke sets her mind on something, she's a force! 💥

least favourite thing about them: I hated seeing how much crap she put up with in S6 (and even some of the earlier seasons!) I wish she'd value herself enough to apply that tenacity to her own well-being 😅

favourite line: my answer always changes, but today it's this one from 512. It was refreshing to see Clarke own that 'Wanheda' part of herself after so many years. Loved that energy for her ⤵️

"What if I never see you again? No, not possible. How can you be sure? It's simple. You may be the Commander, but I'm the Commander of Death..."

brOTP: MURPHY! Their dynamic is sm fun!!

OTP: Bellarke. For sure 100% I'm always rooting for those two wonderful fools.

nOTP: I still think the Clarke x Gaia vibes felt really... off? I wasn't a fan. And Cillian definitely wasn't my fave either, but I guess he's actually not meant to be 😅

random headcanon: Eventually, earthkru has settled peacefully and trained a team of medics: so Clarke decides, after some convincing, to take up life as an artist.

(Though sometimes, when she can't sleep, Bellamy and Madi still find her helping patients in the med tent...)

unpopular opinion: she wasn't completely wrong with all her S5 decisions. Some of them, like shock-collaring her daughter? YES! But feeling obligated to get a 12 year old girl tf away from Wonkru and Blodrenia? Maybe not a bad call 🤷‍♀️ Her method was lousy, but her intentions not completely un-understandable.

...and her red hair was COOL! 🤣

song i associate with them: I'm gonna be predictable again bc ofc it's this one!

favourite picture of them: so many to choose from, but here's an adorable gif! ✨

[aneverydaything]

Day 2355, 3 December 2024

Monument to the Great Fire of London which is oddly immediately outside Monument Underground Station. What a coincidence!

[fictionadventurer]

Many men had offered her many things in the past, love and friendship, luxury and jewels, entertainment, dogs, amusements, homage--some she had accepted, some refused, but no man before had offered her work. Peter had offered her that, he had offered her a share of his--not noble or inspiring or fascinating work, just his work, what he had. He had offered it her, called her great energies into play, and set her to work beside himself in a furrow. And she was glad; for some reason she found it very good.

--Desire by Una Lucy Silberrad

[filthforfriends]

When I go to answer a serious ask, I usually type out my initial ideas, save it to drafts, and craft a response after I've had time to think. But recently, some of the asks have just disappeared. Unfortunately, this was one of those instances. (I'm recalling to the best of my ability).

Anon said they felt like the only one noticing how Maneskin use people as props in their photos, usually People of Color.

This topic touches on some of the most historically and currently relevant subsects of society. Race & ethnicity. Social development & communication, (now in the age of social media). Entertainment & representation. Plus, others I'm not thinking of. I want to acknowledge how deserving of an in depth discussion this topic is, while also acknowledging that I'm not informed enough to broach it. So this is gonna be pretty surface, anon, and I'm sorry for that.

What does it even mean to use somebody as a prop?

Props are used to add detail and context which make the subject or background more interesting. As inanimate objects, they only exist to enhance the scene. Therefore, to treat someone like a prop is to prioritize the way they can improve your image over that person's autonomy. Sure, both the prop and subject can both have individuality, as long as one serves to make the other look interesting.

So who's culpable? The subject, the photographer/videographer, perhaps a director of sorts? Personally, I think the blame is shared and situationally dependent.

Below are the most obvious examples of Maneskin using a person as a prop, posted to their insta pages. The trend anon pointed out is evident. Admittedly, I don't have a good sample size here, though. A ton of Maneskin's content is only available on their stories. Especially content with non-band members (which is what anon is referencing), since Maneskin's publicist prefers to post just the band.

I wonder how many of the people in these photos gave informed consent. (Not necessarily to a band member, just someone). As in "This photo will be posted without your name and seen by millions, but you won't receive royalties." Because some of these images Maneskin (the brand) can profit from via merchandise and copyrights. Conversely, most of the folks in the photos will experience poverty in their lifetime. Some of Maneskin's outfits are worth more than the other person makes in a year and they're treating them like a plant. There's also the safety concern. If any of these people have someone in the whole world that wishes them harm, that person can now find their job/neighborhood.

I know these photos aren't all bad. Victoria probably got consent to post pic #5, just a harmless prank. The woman in pic #3 was likely thrilled to be sitting next to such a handsome young man and thinks all social media is Facebook (which she hates). But why take pictures with the Black men in photos #2 & #4? What about the Latinas in #1 & #12? They're are using POCs as visually compelling markers of cultural and ethnic differences to say something meaningful about themselves. Look how far I've come! Look how successful my music is! You envy me, right?

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 11, day 30

So idk what I did in the castle scene that crashed my whole computer but I sure as heck did that, and lost a whole lot of work where I didn't even really learn anything, so I've given up on it and moved on to the next CG Fast Track tutorial series, which is optimizing Cycles (and which I'm pretty sure I've already done thanks to other tutorials and also fucking around by poking buttons but whatevs).

Anyway he gave me a nice Mando model and environment setup so that's my art progress for the night :)

I'm like 99% sure I can cut down my render time on this thing exponentially but whatevs, I'm following instructions, and 3 minutes isn't all that bad for a still image, really lol

[scoobydoodean]

[furtherfurther]

Temple of Hathor, Dendera