Living on the traditional territory of: O-ga-xpa Ma-zhoⁿ (O-ga-xpa) (Quapaw), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Kaskaskia, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo)
The US is increasingly on its own with Israel.
Britain drops its challenge to ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders | The Guardian
Labour has announced its biggest step yet in overhauling the UK’s approach to the Middle East, dropping its opposition to an international arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu despite pressure from Washington not to do so.
Downing Street announced on Friday that the government would not submit a challenge to the jurisdiction of the international criminal court, whose chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, is seeking a warrant against the Israeli prime minister.
War criminal Benjamin Netanyahu, met with a standing ovation by the US Congress, appealed for more weapons which would enable Israel to “finish the job faster” in Gaza.
I’m sure it’s on record who in Congress continues to support Israel’s war crimes and genocide.
“Netanyahu drew one of the clearest lines yet between the supply of U.S. weapons and Israel’s genocidal assault of Gaza, essentially straight out saying that the slaughter has been made possible by U.S. assistance — and that the speed of Israel’s genocide is scaled to how many U.S. weapons they receive.”
The Kamala Harris Campaign launch video is so good:
The freedom to be safe from gun violence. The freedom to make decisions about your own body. We choose a future where no child lives in poverty, where we can all afford health care, where no one is above the law.
Tiny Life Journal - Photos from a foggy morning sunrise.
Truthout reports on a potential Polio Outbreak in Gaza:
Advocates for Palestinian rights are demanding that the Biden administration take urgent action to stop a potential outbreak of polio in Gaza after the virus that causes the deadly disease was found in Gaza’s wastewater, threatening an epidemic that would be nothing short of catastrophic.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says that Biden bears responsibility to respond to the crisis after funding Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s health and sanitation systems, which has created conditions ripe for a deadly epidemic.
Another summer of uncontrollable wildfires, another year towards a run-away climate emergency.
Large-scale and intense wildfires carrying smoke across northern hemisphere | The Guardian
The northern hemisphere has had a large number of intense wildfires in the first half of summer, carrying vast amounts of smoke across Eurasia and North America…
Emissions from Russian wildfires in June and July were higher than for the preceding two years, and fires in the region of Amur Oblast led to the estimated release of 17.2 megatonnes of carbon for the two-month period, the highest in 22 years.
On Mastodon, Joshua Holland shares the current state of Congressional support of war crimes and genocide:
A foreign leader invited to address the United States Congress is just shitting all over Americans who don’t support his far-right government’s campaign of ethnic cleansing and Republicans are giving him standing ovations for it.
Earth just set its hottest days on record in thousands of years
“We are now in truly uncharted territory and as the climate keeps warming, we are bound to see new records being broken in future months and years,” Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo said.
The records, which exceeded the old milestone set last July, very likely stands as the hottest day in thousands of years, based on tree ring records, ice cores and other so-called paleoclimate data.
US policing is broken and out of control.
The family of Sonya Massey is demanding justice after they say authorities tried to cover up her fatal shooting by a sheriff’s deputy in Springfield, Illinois, by initially claiming it was “self-inflicted.” Police body-camera footage showed this was a lie. The 36-year-old mother of two was shot dead in her own home on July 6 after she called 911 for help. “This is the worst police shooting video that I’ve seen. It is so senseless.
Inviting a war criminal to speak to Congress was a mistake. Of course, given the US and its current president is a full partner and arms supplier in those war crimes I suppose it fits. The US is a partner in a current, ongoing genocide.
A “disruptive” Capitol protest spikes security fears around Netanyahu speech
A large, raucous pro-Palestinian protest Tuesday at a U.S. House office building is spiking lawmakers' concerns about security around Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming speech.
YES. THIS. This is everything. We are the solution we need.
Joan Westenberg: Fuck Looking for the Helpers. Be One.
We distance ourselves from the problem. By focusing on identifying those swooping in to save the day, we subconsciously categorize ourselves as separate from the solution. We become observers rather than participants. It’s a subtle but insidious form of learned helplessness.
We absolve ourselves of responsibility. If our job is simply to notice and appreciate the helpers, we don’t have to grapple with our own potential role in addressing whatever clusterfuck is unfolding.
How Kamala Harris and Donald Trump compare on climate change » Yale Climate Connections
Harris has made clear throughout her career that she views climate change as a significant threat…
If elected president, Harris is “widely expected to try to protect the climate achievements of the Biden administration,” according to the New York Times.
In contrast, Trump has falsely called climate change a hoax
@UndamnedOne Agreed. He's poison.
@pratik @stupendousman Agreed. It's 2024. It's long past time for a woman president. Time for our second Black president and our first Indian president.
This is a fantastic opportunity for white America, especially the white men of America, to fully welcome and embrace an America that is made immensely better by its diversity. The future of humanity, our country and our planet will be better when we can overcome past insecurities, fears and divisions. It's not an option. Human solidarity will move us forward.
@markstoneman Agreed though this presents a fantastic opportunity. She'll get a full wave of energetic support from so many that were holding back. BRING IT!
@stupendousman Hoping!
@odd You know, I'd just posted earlier today about my hope that Biden would drop out and then, bam! Coincidence? No, the deep state trying to silence me with their oh so clever assassin!
I just felt a sting on my arm and looked down to see this little critter, smaller than a dime. I’d guess 10 mm. Left an easy to see bite and quickly swelling welt!
Zelus luridus, also known as the pale green assassin bug, is a species of assassin bug native to North America.
Really hoping for a Harris/Buttigieg ticket. That would energize the base. Feeling optimistic.
I’m not a Democrat but will vote for whatever Democrat is on the ticket. His stubbornness and insistence on remaining in the race is ridiculous at this point.
At This Rally, Everyone Loves Biden—and Wants Him to Drop Out – Mother Jones
“Young people have been shutting down streets, lobbying Congress, pressuring the White House, organizing for a chance to save our democracy, beat MAGA fascism, and win November’s presidential election with a new democratic presidential nominee,” said speaker Claudia Nachega, a 19-year-old college student and reproductive justice activist.
Navigating Another False Binary - ZNetwork
To my old fuzzy eyes and my old bent ears the two tasks at hand that I hope to aid a little in these troubling times are to Stop Trump and to Advance The Long March Toward A Truly Desirable Society. To my still I hope young mind, however, the two are not separate because to crown Trump would at best make the Long March much longer. So to Stop Trump and to Advance the Long March are really one task. But if they are one task then why the hell did I say “two tasks”?
@chrisaldrich Yes. I just read this at the begining of 2024 and it hits hard, especially given the context and our social-ecological-political parallels to the story.
World Court Finds Israel Responsible for Apartheid | Human Rights Watch
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion on July 19, 2024, with significant consequences for human rights protections in Palestine under Israel’s 57-year occupation.
“In a historic ruling the ICJ has found multiple and serious international law violations by Israel towards Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including, for the first time, finding Israel responsible for apartheid.” -Tirana Hassan, Human Rights Watch Executive Director
CrimethInc. : Ahead of Another Summer of Climate Disasters, Let’s Talk about Real Solutions
In cooperation with Freedom, we present a short text from Peter Gelderloos exploring why the strategies that mainstream environmental movements are currently employing to halt industrially-produced climate change are failing—and what we could be doing instead…
The mainstream climate movement begins from a premise that guarantees failure.
Not just failure. Catastrophe. And the more effective it is, the more harm it will cause.
Let’s explore why.
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara highlights that the recent ruling represents a corner-stone and game-changer in legal terms. He emphasizes that, while the ruling may not be surprising, it builds upon and extends the 2004 decision concerning the illegality of the apartheid wall in the West Bank. Bishara suggests that the significance of today’s ruling lies in its damning and detailed nature.
Dancing in my tiny house to Footloose and various other cheesy hits from the 80s as one does on a Friday afternoon. Anything to avoid the existential dread that is now a part of daily life. And right on cue, the theme song to Ghostbusters pops up and seems appropriate to the moment.
@davidmarsden Yes, punish the activists, that's the answer. 🙄🤬 That's insane. The fact that the general public is not protesting to a much greater degree gives the lawmakers the space they need to not act as aggressively as is needed.
I saw a recent interview with an Extinction Rebellion activist in which she and activists were blamed for not doing a better job communicating. No one should need convincing at this point. Lawmakers and the public are acting like children who are sticking their fingers in their ears and closing their eyes.
Yes, they knew. And most US law makers also knew but denied it. And not long after the public knew. You know who still isn’t acting? MOST OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
We don’t get a pass. The 10% of the Global North, especially in the US, continue to live lifestyles of over-consumption, air travel, maximum heating/cooling comfort, oversized houses, oversized vehicles. TODAY. WE KNOW.
US oil company ran 1977 article predicting climate crisis could cause starvation | The Guardian
Marathon Petroleum predecessor warned of potential for ‘social and economic calamities’ in decades-old publication
@MitchW Yep. Seems inevitable at this point. The sooner the better so they/we can get on with it.
The sooner the better.
When is the global population expected to peak? And how will we adapt? - Vox
The headline was clear: We are well past the days of worrying about having more people than the Earth can handle. The UN’s demographers now expect the number of people on the planet to peak at a bit under 10.3 billion in 2084.
That’s two years earlier than the UN was predicting peak population as recently as 2022, and considerably earlier than forecasts from just a few years before, when population wasn’t expected to peak until the 22nd century.
I’m pretty sure these people have lost their minds. If this isn’t the road to Dear-Leader style authoritarianism I don’t know what is. Gross.
Trump fans wear bandages on ears to show support – in pictures | US news | The Guardian
Some people plastered over ears at Republic national convention, in solidarity with Trump after assassination attempt.
@kaa Yeah, it's just beyond ridiculous now. The fact that we let it get this far and yet, still, too little is being done. Political processes have failed. Citizens have failed. Multinational corporations continue to "succeed" in record profits, resource extraction and production of "goods" that we at the top, the 10% of the Global North, greedily consume with no restraint.
It's sick and it is the end of our civilization. I have no doubt that the biosphere will eventually recover, changed and with many, many extinctions. But humans? Civilization as we know it today? No.
@amerpie For the record, I love the iPad exactly as it is! And no, I don't agree with the general techie narrative that iPadOS isn't up to snuff. But that's another conversation! 🤓
As for when the last time Apple did something really cool for it's users? Honestly, my general response is that I think tech folk have become deeply cynical about Apple and maybe about tech in general. Perhaps that's a good thing. These are tools, I'm not sure they were meant to be focused so intently. I think it's fair to say that for many it's an obsession (I include myself there).
But to flip back to your question, I think the past 24 years have been an amazing ride. From the many devices to the evolution of the classic Mac to OSX to iOS to WatchOS. Apple Silicon was a huge leap forward. The iPad, the app store and transition to free OS updates made for a safe, easy-to-use computer that my granny and all the other elders in my extended family have greatly benefited from. I have a deep appreciation for the iPad not just because it's my favorite computer but because of the enjoyment and connection it provided to my granny in the last years of her life.
I think tech folk have forgotten what it was like 18 years ago when computers were such a barrier. And, over time, I think many of us have become a bit joyless and spoiled. We overlook all of the many little details and take for granted what these devices do for us.
@manton Agreed on the guns. But we've got to get past our supposed greatness. Too many Americans are living in the past in regards to their thinking about how great we are. We could do with some clear, honest thinking about the America of 2024. This [American Exceptionalism[(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism) is something we need to get over. It's embarassing and not based in reality.
We are a troubled, violent nation that has much to reckon with.
@Havn My critique of that index is that it gives the US too much credit. The flaws in our system goes far deeper than that chart would seem to cover.
But certainly, Americans have NO ground to lecture anyone on democracy. We have failed in our responsibilities for decades. Even worse, our system was designed from the outset to limit democracy. Some of this was corrected but any honest evaluation in 2024, even a casual evaluation, reveals numerous serious problems at various levels, in most or all branches. A system rife with corruption and now in full blown crisis.
@numericcitizen - Very much agreed, we went from thinking of ourselves as citizens to consumers decades ago.
@Havn I think your response to Gruber is on point, including the snark. Frankly, US government is so deeply flawed, so corrupted, that to call it democratic is just delusional at this point. I think most Americans know this but it's a hard truth to admit because it's the failure of citizens to be citizens. We gave up on democracy long ago, we just don't want to face that fact.
@patrickrhone @jabel Ah! Interesting. Thanks for the links! I noticed that the YouTube I linked to was from 2007 and as I listened I had that historical context in mind.