This one will make it sound like I’m a fan — I’m not — but I was a kid when Owen Hart entered the WWF and an adult when he died in the ring.

Wrestling had already lost its shine and appeal to me, early in the 90s. The characters, storylines, and action bled fake. And, as I grew up, I came to understand it was no different than any other staged play, entertainment, or storytelling. What really bothered me wasn’t the fake drama, or the dumbing down of storytelling. It was serial betrayal, shameless advantage-taking, and the smooth-brained jingoism of it all. It became the refuge of every shameless American impulse.

Then Owen Hart died on camera. There was a brief reality check. Then, on with the show. The change, though was an acceptance that real death was no reason to stop, slow, or change directions on the machine. If anything, the show, the drama, the merch, and the culture became the basis for an entire political bloc.

Lest we forget: Linda McMahon is now Secretary of Education. Hard to think of a person worse than Betsy DeVos, but here we are.

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu.

Its a fast read, 12 short stories and I’m a bit more than half way through. I’ve been taken in by several of them.

Please enjoy.

Along with Naomi Klein and Ta-Nehisi Coates works, plus John Ralston Saul’s The Unconscious Civilization, Rutger Bregman’s Utopia is for Realists and several Massey Lectures, these have shaped my outlook on the world as it is.

Because this came last, for me, it recast this human experiment of ours and the depth of misdirection that is going on now.

Im glad you’ve said this. Before I saw The Death of Yugoslavia, I honestly believed that modern warfare was clean, clinical, and restricted to willing combatants. That the Geneva Conventions, various constitutional statements, and human honour and decency were a part of modern wars. At least since Vietnam.

No. I was disabused of that notion by this documentary. Yes, I agree, the BBC shouldn’t have the last word on a war in Eastern Europe. The BBC probably shouldn’t have the last word on anything. However, they did happen to have the first word — to me — on the importance of understanding how modern wars get started, how they progress, and chillingly, why they don’t end. It’s a sad, slow, solemn march into oblivion.

I’m not going to argue the utility of the comment.

I said, didn’t I?, it was a throwaway line — vaguely connected for a 7-minute, TikTok-friendly scene with a cameo by a pretty solid character actor. Anything to keep 10% of readers interested for one more paragraph — this attention economy is the pits.

You seem like a film/media purist. What consumable, catchy, full-length film helps you to make sense of Mr. Toad’s wild ride into authoritarianism?

Not pertinent.

…

…

Yet.

ech@ is right. I threw that reference in there for no good reason.

Yet, that Jesse Plemons scene (spoiler!) is feeling pretty chilling to some. But that’s all. For now. I had Kyle Rittenhouse vibes off of that. Linked article reminds us, he was acquitted.

But for whatever an answer to the question is worth: It’s a solid 6.5/10 movie. I’ve not felt the need for a second viewing. Watching America tear itself apart in real-time is a little more pertinent.

Im reading Fledgling by Octavia Butler. My first book of this genre in a long while, and it does seem to live up to its promise that it would break from form.

This was a summer read of mine last year. Good stuff.

Stumbled upon this and thought to fill out a card. Im 7 or 8 from completing the card (need to check if any of my reads are self-published), and I have three BINGOes (both diagonals and the bottom row).

I’m very annoyed that I havent read an author who lives on another continent AND no LGBTQIA+ since May.

I want to give a shout out to Jane Philpott, Health For All as my pick for A5. If you havent read it, regardless of whether you’re Canadian, give it a go. Americans, you especially. Canada’s healthcare system is by no means perfect. Her efforts to make it better, and the road she has walked to get there are legendary. She is Batman without the billions, a legitimate superhero. If only she could get Canada in general, and Ontario in particular, to listen.

The challenge she overcame was one of moral courage, supporting Jody Wilson-Raybould in leaving Cabinet. The book is full of other challenges she overcame or is currently rising toward.

Toss Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood in there.

In addition to the other thread descendants, staring with u/jjjalljs@ttrpg.network:

For all the bitching about capitalism, which basically every country on Earth uses for an economic system

This is only the case because it was instituted at gunpoint. The exploration, colonization, settlement, expropriation, amassment, warfare, thievery, and conquest of the world’s economy is soaked in blood, laden in exploitation of people, places, and things and destruction of the commons. You’d know that if you were subject to it. Or, if you’d paused to read, ask, or think about it for 5 seconds.

And, I can’t believe I’m saying this in public, “just because everyone is doing it, that doesn’t make it right.”

• We can vilify, undermine, and lead smear campaigns against unions under capitalism.

• We can break, or prevent, unions under capitalism.

• Our governments can attack us using local, state, provincial, and federal police forces whenever there is a perceived threat to capitalism.

Everything works fucking horribly with those 2781 billionaire capitalists robbing the world blind while blaming the victims.

Imagine that.

I forgot to say this in my previous response: I’m sorry that this happened in your state and I hope that Minnesota can do exactly what you’re describing. I heard the AG of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, talk on Democracy Now!

Wherever the shooter is, the state of Minnesota needs to take custody of him and any evidence. State-level courts need to try him for the homicide he committed. Minnesota needs to convict him at the state level.

If he’s only ever federally charged, the regime could try the case to appease public opinion. Even if he was convicted federally, -2 could/would pardon him.

That’s the thing. The regime says it’s legal. They’re lying. The state has a right to investigate federal exercise of power. If that right is removed, you no longer have a United States. It’s a fief.

I feel for you all. As I did 2001-2009.

Yes. Lest we forget, Philly PD bombed the city of Philadelphia.

Note: 9 MOVE members were convicted and imprisoned on questionable evidence in a similar, violent attempt to serve a “warrant”. Unless you, bot, believe that those not charged or convicted are guilty of crimes they were not even charged with, let alone the charges (contempt of court, parole violations, loud noise, animals, illegal weapons posession, threats) the warrants were being served represented in a land where people are innocent until proven guilty.

8 adults and 3 children dead. For what? Procedure? A monopoly on power? What of the 250 people and 60+ homes destroyed in the ensuing fire?

All this to say, America is mad racist. Still.

“West Philadelphia born and raised…”

Takes on a spin, no? I prefer the Roots.

I was surprised by it. It took me the first third to settle into it. After that, it really humanized and gave me much more insight to the original work. Not a must-read but I’m glad I read it.

I don’t generally read Batman, but this one had some pretty solid re-imagining.

Holy… you had a tough reading year.

Slaughterhouse Five, Flowers for Algernon, Starship Troopers, Catch-22, Infinite Jest, and Blood Meridian — in ONE year!?

Blood Meridian, alone, took me almost a year to read, toward the end of the Obama years. Flowers for Algernon I finished just before COVID. Slaughterhouse Five and Catch-22 I read in the 'aughts. I havent read Starship Troopers or Infinite Jest yet.

I tip my hat to you, friend. I wouldn’t unread a word either.

Im ready for the hate, but I content myself that I’ve gotten through these before having kids:

• Fullmetal Alchemist

• Hellsing

• Voltron (80s, I think I saw them all)

• Serial Experiments: Lain

And since having kids:

• Neon Genesis Evangelion

• One Punch Man

Alex Jones

Steve Bannon

Stephen Miller