D&F 11/03/24
For our sins, it’s election week. Whether democracy is under threat, or was undermined so severely beginning with Reagan that we are already in a corporate autocracy is a matter of discussion, but I’m trying to distract myself a bit from polls, doom, and Discord punditry by watching spy shows. 24, Spooks, and Lioness imagine a world with actual “good” and “evil” and somehow their silly simplicity is comforting. Yes, their politics are completely at odds with mine, but I blame my upbringing for a love of espionage thrillers and gunplay. As I would say in Japanese, 仕方がない。
I turn 40 this month, which is wild. I was also watching Bob’s Burgers this week and the mom, Linda, turns 40-something in the fifth season, which makes me infinitely glad I don’t have kids, and grateful for good skin. I know the friends older than me will roll their eyes at this whole paragraph, but getting older is both one experience that unites us, and far more bizarre when we realize it applies to ourselves.
For my part, I’ll be riding a lot of kilometers with friends during my 40th, and ideally eating a very good meal or three with Haley, Andre, Nicholas, Junko, and possibly some special guests. If you’re in Japan in November, let me know.
Links
Starting off with a fun one on cursing in Finland. Every language has foul language, and its focus, whether scatological, religious, or sexual says a lot about that culture’s mores. In America we are scandalized by poop and sex—in Finland it’s pagan gods and sex. But the one thing I’ve learned from traveling is that “fuck” is pretty universal, even if everything else around that word is in a foreign tongue.
My favorite writing app is no longer on the Play Store for Android due to a weird new requirement that bodes poorly for good independent apps. I use Apple OS devices almost everywhere, save for video games, reading, and cycling, but it worries me when there’s less competition in the space. When I got my Boox Palma, it was the first Android device I’ve used in years, but I quickly realized the sort of apps I love are thin in the Google world. On the upside, I can install a probably-never-legal Manga reader, and so-so reading apps. The Installer newsletter has a lot of screenshots from journalists and writers, and most Android screens are dominated by Google apps. Maybe third party developers don’t expect Android users to buy apps, or they prefer the ease of testing against a smaller number of phones, but either way I wish there were more phone platforms with genuine developer interest.
“let’s be real—Google Play and the App Store don’t compete. They collaborate. Same rates, same model, same unchecked power. Call it a monopoly, call it a duopoly. They share the mobile market without too much crossfire: Apple takes those who can or want to pay, Google takes the rest. Google Play is not an alternative to the App Store. It’s not “Go there if you don’t like Apple.” Google Play is a very lazy, very sloppy carbon copy of the App Store.”
I don’t think all of this advice is the best, and they’re definitely sponsored, but Heatmap has some interesting points about individual action towards addressing climate change. The folks in private planes are the ones really dooming us, through both their flights and their support of genocidal policies, but collectively we can also fight against them. Or, at least, I hope we can.
On that note, I guess it’s time to say GO FUCKING VOTE. Your local elections are extremely important for your life and the life of your neighbors. While I personally find Kamala to be Center Right, a neoliberal with semi-modern views on social issues, I filled in the little ballot mark next to her name. I’m in a state where my vote for president doesn’t really count, but I also don’t think voting for a third party candidate on the ballot matters yet. If you’re unsure how to vote for down-ticket items, there are often union guides, LGBTQ guides, and even safe road/cycling guides to most elections, so look them up. An Australian friend reminded me that down under, they fine people for not voting to the tune of $200. I then told her most Americans don’t have $200 sitting around.
Closing
Well that’s all I have in me for this edition, so I’m back to TV and hoping the Brazil Grand Prix isn’t rained out tomorrow. Good luck with the time change (I curse you daylight savings), and welcome to the last few weeks of my 30s, space cowgirls~