Obsidian Wings

medical news

by liberal japonicus

My mom, who passed away in 2007 from melanoma, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 80's, so I found this article quite interesting

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/01/a-very-common-virus-may-be-the-trigger-for-multiple-sclerosis/

The fact that they screened for over 200 viruses makes the conclusion much stronger. Pity we live in a time when a big chunk of the population now considers drinking one's own urine to be an appropriate defense.

A 2-fer! Harnessing anger

by liberal japonicus

Wow, three posts within 7 days. Truly, the world is going to hell in a hand basket.

I earlier posted this, wondering about the current scandal de jour in the UK. If you aren't up on it, that has "leveled up", to quote a Conservative catchphrase. If you don't know, previously, a practice press conference and a photo of a garden gathering had appeared, but Johnson seems to squirm out of that. However, an email party invite to 100 people at a time when gatherings were limited to a max of 1 other person outside your family bubble seems to have put the scandal on steroids.

A poem commemorating the event by Brian Bilston

A couple of links

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/11/health-minister-admits-public-will-be-angry-over-no-10-lockdown-party

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/11/met-police-no-10-lockdown-parties

On the other side of the world, the saga of No-vax Djokovic is summoning up similar anger.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2022/jan/10/how-novak-djokovics-visa-controversy-has-unfolded-so-far-video (video)

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jan/10/i-am-not-vaccinated-novak-djokovics-interview-with-australian-border-force

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jan/12/how-australias-handling-of-djokovic-exposed-its-flawed-immigration-system-to-the-world

Folks are welcome to discuss the particulars of each case, but I put the last link in there because what I wonder is how should the anger created by these two situations be harnessed. I mentioned in the earlier post about the UK that I found the invocation by MPs in the commons of people dying etc more performative and wondering if that is the only way to deal with someone who is a incompetent jerk. (i.e. Johnson). For the Australian case, I've read people using the Djokovic affair to highlight how Oz treats immigrants and refugees. In both cases, it feels like hooking on to a general revulsion to make one's point, especially as I couldn't give a s**t about No-vax and Bojo the clown. On the other hand, it seems like this is the only way to move public opinion.

Anyway, are the situations parallel? And how to they map to the States? Or failing that, if you want to have a mad rant, have at it.

Was Freud right?

by liberal japonicus

https://late-light.com/issues/issue-1/death-drive-nation

Haven't read a lot of Freud, though I may have to. Here's the final graph, but fair warning, you will look really dumb if you just comment on this paragraph and not read the whole thing.

That our headlong rush into a grim future of yet more death has been precipitated by people clamoring for the return to a nostalgic, fantastical past should not be surprising. Nor should we be surprised that the workers who have been described as “essential” are also apparently the most disposable. They were always essential precisely insofar as they were disposable, and the past was “normal” precisely because it depended on the ongoing foreclosure of so many human futures. This is the logic of the death drive, distilled and accelerated, to which we cling all the way to the very bitterest of ends.

Like the weather

by liberal japonicus

Jan 6th that is, thinking of the joke about the weather: Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.

Which shouldn't be taken as a statement of principle, just an observation.

Anyway text of Biden's speech, and the video

and this analysis should get us started. Point to other stuff in the comments.

UK musings

by liberal japonicus

I just made a comment equating the average pro Brexiteer with the typical MAGAite, which I think is true. However, I'm pretty sure that on the other side of the spectrum, there are pretty massive differences. A few articles from the Guardian.

This, by Polly Toynbee, is a relatively cheery assessment of Labour's chances.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/04/conservatives-implode-red-wall-labours-grasp

This Anne McEvoy article is a bit more cautious

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/02/keir-starmer-gaining-traction-has-he-got-enough-to-trouble-tories

and touches on a point that Toynbee seems to skip, which is that it is not a Labor vs. Tory fight, the LibDems and the SNP, (as well as Sinn Fein!), while not the weight of Labour, fragment the Tory opposition space.

I really did like this article
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/03/tiny-youth-football-club-lesson-labour-phoenix-fc

Though that is probably the anarchist in me, thinking that mutual aid could turn the tide.

As a bit of a tag, novakant in the comments raises the issue of Tony Blair's knighthood.

I'm of several different minds on this. Yes, I don't think he should get it, but I'm not sure what 'it' is. It seems like it is supposed to be from the Queen, so I'm not sure about convincing the Queen that he shouldn't get it. Hoyle said that all prime ministers should get it, so Cameron, and then Johnson? So giving it to Blair seems like one step in making it a meaningless honor.

This reminds me of going to the Presidential Archives in Sejong and seeing a section for Park Geun-hye, who had been impeached and convicted on corruption charges. (A presidential pardon was given and she was released from prison on 31 Dec after serving 2 years of a 22 year term in the interests of 'national harmony') I mentioned to the teacher who took me there that I was baffled she seemed to be placed on the same level as the other presidents (though Korea has this thing about cutting down their ex-presidents) and she said 'why would we do that?'.

anyway, thoughts?

A new year open thread

by liberal japonicus

A bit of Japanese culture for y'all. As you approach the end of the year, when you realize that you will only meet them in January rather than in the days remaining in December, you say 'Yoi otoshi wo [omukae* kudasai]' which roughly translates as 'have a good new year'. And when you meet them after Jan 1st, you say '[Shinnen] Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu', which is 'opening of the new year, congratulations'.

The thing that gets me is that you are only supposed to say those things one time, so you've got to remember who you said it to. Obviously, in these masked, online times, that's totally screwed up for me.

Japan also has a tradition of bonnenkai (literally 'forget the year party') and shinnenkai. Ironically, my year in Korea added a third year of these gatherings missed by me.

Anyway, a thread to describe what you do for new year.

[*ed: thanks for the correction in the comments]