Weekly Roundup + Updates (Feb. 21, 2023) (Patreon)

Most of my attention has gone to work and school lately. Due to some behind-the-scenes shenanigans at The Statesman, I'm effectively running both the Opinions and Arts sections for the immediate future. It's more than a little chaotic, but it's roughly in line with some of my ideas for the paper, so I'm not unhappy about it.

And now for an announcement: going forward, I'll be at least partly converting the Patreon to a page for my independent journalism. I'm not abandoning media criticism: those of you who read my post about Czech literature know I still have some plans in that field. I'm not even necessarily done with Nowhere and Back Again, although it has taken a backseat. But as my interests have shifted, some culture writing and independent reporting will do me some good.

The first book covered in An Unorthodox Intro To Czech Literature (if you have ideas for alternative titles, let me know) is Bohumil Hrabal's classic banned novella Too Loud a Solitude, a bizarre story of an elderly man tasked with burning books banned in Soviet Prague while stockpiling samizdat in his cellar. It's a really weird book, and I'm excited to introduce y'all to it.

(If you'd like me to write about a specific Czech book, the $5 tier awaits you.)

And now, as usual, the headlines:

Yesterday, Jack Mirkinson of The Nation turned out a phenomenal slam dunk on The New York Times' transphobia, delineating in scintillating and funny detail the Grey Lady's history of queerphobia. My favorite article of 2023 so far.

The Statesman broke news last week, showing that Stony Brook's catering service has allegedly been defrauding the school. We've been holding onto this story for a while, and I'm kinda glad to see it go. It's having some fun ramifications in Stony Brook.

You may have missed it, but Florida banned gender-affirming care for trans youth.

A Black Nashville congresswoman is fighting the GOP's attempt to rename John Lewis Way after Trump. Which. Fuck.

Kim Kelly (no relation) again in The Nation breaks down the Warrior Met Coal Strike, the longest labor action in Alabama history, which is ending its 23-month walkout in disappointment.

In lighter Southern news,Texas Monthly checked up on Poker Face's treatment of Texas barbecue. It's a fun read, especially if you like Poker Face and Texas barbecue.

A couple weeks back, a horse literally stopped traffic in Ithaca.