“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
―
Happy Friday, kittens! The sun is shining and I’ve got a lot of stuff to get through so we’re dropping the links early and hoping neither of my governments do anything particularly horrific before close of play. I’m not sure if this is too hopeful…
Last week we nearly went to war, the US president was credibly accused of rape, and the scale of our horrific treatment towards immigrants and asylum seekers as a nation was on fully display. And in about 48 hours it was all GONE. Barely a blip. We live in the upside down.
As always, I’ve lovingly curated a batch of weekend reading to help you make sense of the world in the year Our Lady Beyonce 2019. I’m not touching the first debates or the uneven Supreme Court rulings because one, it’s far too early to let a circus consume us and two, because I need to do a lot more reading on the latter to fully understand the process and implications of the rulings.
Someday, possibly quite soon, this planet is going to shake us off like a bad case of the fleas.
NO ONE is good enough to work for Beyoncé.
Hyperbolic, generational warfare title aside…the underling premise one I find very compelling and probably correct… “Not all of these problems were first caused by the Boomers, but they each worsened on their watch.” (Note, individuals and systems are not the same thing.)
Reader, I cackled. (h/t to Jeff for this one)
My feelings towards The Intercept are not un-nuanced, shall we say, but this personal piece by a journalist crossing the border is scary and worth a read. Stop law enforcement from acting like a military, 2020.
I’m glad I don’t have to make editorial decisions day to day, but whew do I think some major outlets and platforms are making some bad ones.
In related ranting… After two and half years, we need to stop treating Mr. Trump as if he’s a “normal” politician, working with and through the same old media rules. Misdirection and a scattershot approach to claims are his strength. Stop letting him get away with it: hold the line at the first lie and don’t move past it.
Glad this is happening to the long put upon US Women’s Soccer team, annoyed it took them to utterly dominate their playoffs so far to make it happen.
More money = higher taxes. I don’t understand why this is controversial, and I don’t understand ultrawealthy people being catered to and coddled to avoid this. If, heaven forbid, I ever end up superwealthy, I will absolutely be giving most of it away in my lifetime and at my death. You can’t take it with you.
If you want to help immigrants at the border (THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE LEGAL ASYLUM SEEKERS), consider donating to Raices who provide legal support and assistance to the most venerable.
My love for dandies is a well established part of my brand.
I think a lot about how being a non-Brit in Britain lends me as many unusual advantages as disadvantages. I toy with trying to write about it, but am not sure how to best address it… While I dabble, of course Hasan Minaj has a brilliant and more thoughtful take on outsider status overall: how it informs his work, uses his perspective, and more.
Trigger warning. The global migration crisis has been put front and center in new ways over recent years, and most effectively in photography. The horrible image of a drowned refugee child in Europe was a galvanizing moment, I’m hopeful that the image captured on the US/Mexico border this week is as well…but I’m afraid hearts have been hardened too much…
This longread piece on Essex and its role in British culture is fascinating reading! I can confirm that Essex Man as a stereotype is alive and well.
This story is 100% as bad as it sounds.
Kimberly Clark, drag queen and anti consumerism YouTuber is back online and just in time to drop a timely reminder that corporate pride is not the same thing as truly supporting LGBT+ people and communities.
Small Dog Syndrome 