August 16, 2021

The GOP Serenity Prayer: Kabul Version

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the horrific consequences of my greed and incompetent mistakes on others,
except where I can make political hay by blaming those consequences on Democrats trying to fix them,
and an electorate too ignorant to know the difference."

June 13, 2021

Families of Christchurch mosque shooting protest Hollywood film that makes it all about Jacinda

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/christchurch-mosque-attack-movie-jacinda-ardern-says-they-are-us-too-soon-too-raw-for-nz/NV3OMYIREPR2OET6YLYX6N7QL4/

https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/125426510/family-of-christchurch-mosque-attack-victim-writes-open-letter-to-hollywood-actress-rose-byrne-to-refuse-her-role

I'm a bit torn on this one. I think Jacinda Ardern's (and New Zealand in general's) response to the mosque shootings was exemplary and should be held up and celebrated.

But at the same time we've had enough white saviour complex movies and it is ultimately a story that should be primarily about the victims and their families.

Unbelievable was one of the best films I've seen in the last twenty years because it actually took the time to portray the impact of rape on the victim and didn't give any screen time at all to the perpetrator. It completely upended the standard narrative where at least half the screen time goes to a sexy, scenery-chewing villain. Part of what was so good about NZ's response to the mosque shooting was that the media embargo on the shooter's name and social media. The focus was kept on the pain, suffering and humanity of the victims instead of giving a wider platform to the creepy loser who did it.

It's ultimately down to the skill of the writers and actors but I have a terrible feeling this film is set up to be half-Rose Byrne looking compassionate in a scarf and firing off press releases from her desk and half-Tom Hiddleston packing an ominous black bag, adjusting his body cam, and typing out manifestos and two or three minutes focused on the real heroes of the day - the average people throwing themselves in front of bullets and chasing after a man with a AK-47 to protect each other.

So I don't know that they shouldn't make it, but I do think it's too soon and if they insist on doing a Jacinda-centric version they should wait until after there has been a victim-focused one.

Any thoughts?

May 6, 2021

If all the world's scientific resources could be marshalled again to cure a disease

which are the top three that you would cure?

It gives me hope that, properly motivated and funded, we got a Covid vaccine in less than a year. If we took all the money and time and brainpower we currently waste on weapons and pointless apps to monitor egg freshness and boner pills and hair loss treatments and focused it all on researching how to cure something, what would have the biggest impact?

Mine would be:

1. Alzheimers
2. Diabetes
3. Asthma/COPD

Alzheimers and diabetes because they are horrific ways to die and asthma because it's so widespread, kills young people and reduces quality of life so much for decades.

February 26, 2021

And I have a new favorite "Dumbass Capitol Rioter Gets Busted" story...

"On or about January 22, 2021, Anna Morgan-Lloyd went to the Greene County Sheriff's Office ("GCSD" ) to obtain a firearms permit. While processing the application, a GCSD employee recognized Morgan-Lloyd as a person that posted on Facebook about the January 6th events at the US capitol... GCSD referred Morgan-Lloyd to the FBI"

https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Dona%20Sue%20Bissey%20and%20Anna%20Morgan-Lloyd%20Statement%20of%20Facts.pdf

I think this just edges out the stupidity of the multiple people who went there wearing their court-ordered ankle bracelets.

January 9, 2021

Mental health care needs to be more accessible in the US.

Reading some of the posts from Q Anoners, I can't help thinking some of these people are having major depressive, anxiety, bipolar or schizophrenic episodes and needed someone to talk to and couldn't afford actual therapy.

It's not an excuse for anything that went down last week, but I think we do need to understand how so many people are such easy pickings for radicalisation.

Not that many people can afford $200 a week for decent quality mental health counseling or access to drugs, especially when access to that kind of care is tied to their employment.

But we can't afford to let free online conspiracy theory communities continue to pick up the slack.