Biden deserves to be raked over the coals for the disastrous exit, not the failure of trying to install a democracy there. That was always doomed to fail and there is a laundry list of people to blame for those 20 years flushed down the toilet.
Technically during the war it wasn't. But the UK did have a long (and bloody) history that forged its form of democracy before elections were suspended. And even then, the govt had the capacity to change leadership, as it did in 1940.
Ukraine has only held elections for 30 years. It's a fledgling democracy. It bears watching. Especially since we know how governments everywhere hate to relinquish emergency powers.
You don't have to be pro-Russian (I'm not) to see this becoming a protracted conflict where we can go a very long time before Ukraine ever holds another election.Especially, iIf Russian retreat of all Ukrainian territory is the only thing that will allow martial law to be dropped and elections to occur.
There is no debate if Zelenskyy said it. He did. It's been widely reported by western media. Even Snopes said it was true.
Justified or not, right now, the country is not a democracy, no matter how you want to spin it.
The issue then becomes how many years will martial law be in effect. And how many years before the Ukrainian people demand an election. Frankly, this could easily become a decade long stalemate with Russia refusing to relinquish occupied territories and the west unable to move them by force or diplomacy.
Compared to those in the sample with no history of gender-affirming treatment, receiving treatment with hormones (OR = 0.2, 95% CI (0.1, 0.5)) or breast augmentation surgery (OR = 0.3, 95% CI (0.1, 0.6)) were associated with lower odds of ever having thoughts of suicide or attempting suicide. Individuals who received genital surgery did not have a statistically significant difference from those who did not receive gender-affirming treatment. The results were adjusted for age and race/ethnicity. There was no correction for any potential relationship with psychiatric diagnostic history, psychiatric treatment, substance use, or time elapsed since gender-affirming treatment, increasing the likelihood that the statistically significant results were vulnerable to a high risk of type I error.
You are expanding the scope of this discussion to things I don't disagree with you about. Conflating reading lists with chemical castration of children does not help your argument.
There are a lot of things we don't let children do, with or without parental consent.
For me, it is "sick and twisted" to trust a 12 year old to definitely *know* they are something as amorphous as a specific "gender" and advocate for biological augmentation to "affirm" that current belief. What if Billy is gay and confuses that with being a girl. Is that really so hard to imagine? Adolescence is a confusing time for almost everyone. I don't understand how this opinion is fascist.
Completely agree with your first statement. As long as they are adults, people can do whatever they want. Your second sentence makes giant assumptions, but ok. Your third sentence conflates gay and trans. Gay (or straight or Bi) is based on sexual attraction. That's a self-evident reality. It also doesn't require an individual to consider doing irreversible damage to one's body. This is where your argument goes off the rails. Again, if you are an adult and want to artificially change your biology - go right ahead. But allowing children to do such things? Again, is that progress?
It's sort of a weird argument to insist that "trans people are not confused about their gender". Being born one sex (no sex is not "assigned", as if some other had agency in the decision) and identifying as the opposite "gender" must be one of the most confusing situations a human can experience. Whatever process one goes through in reaching a point where they have "decided" they are X and not Y, it certainly must be rife with confusions of all sorts. To deny that this process, realization, transformation - is confusing - doesn't seem based in practical reality.
That's why gender-affirming care is such a ridiculous statement. Given your definition of gender, how can anyone possibly know what they are really? Gender has been rendered a meaningless term. It's not an identity, it's a mood.
You're sad? Here's a pill. You're a boy who wants to be a woman? Here's a puberty blocker.
"X" is set in 1979 and is about a group of young people renting a house on a property in rural Texas so they can make a porno. The land is owned by a scary elderly couple. It is a classic slasher film but with more depth to it. Mia Goth plays one of the young girls "Maxxine" as well as the old lady.
"Pearl" is the origin story of the that elderly woman - again played by Goth. It is set during WWI and the spanish flu pandemic.
If you are going to watch one, you should probably watch both.
I finally watched them both this weekend. "X" first followed by "Pearl".
I thought X was good but thought Pearl was brilliant. In fact, I think Pearl elevated X beyond what it could be on its own. Mia Goth's performance, especially the monologue at the end of Pearl, was incredible.
Regardless, I love that they basically created a franchise.
And while I look forward to seeing "Maxxxine," I kind of wish they continue Pearl's story in the years to come. Such a great character.
On “Weekend Plans Post: Making New Friends”
You buried the lede!
Congratulations!
On “Is Zelenskyy Canceling Elections?”
Biden deserves to be raked over the coals for the disastrous exit, not the failure of trying to install a democracy there. That was always doomed to fail and there is a laundry list of people to blame for those 20 years flushed down the toilet.
"
Technically during the war it wasn't. But the UK did have a long (and bloody) history that forged its form of democracy before elections were suspended. And even then, the govt had the capacity to change leadership, as it did in 1940.
Ukraine has only held elections for 30 years. It's a fledgling democracy. It bears watching. Especially since we know how governments everywhere hate to relinquish emergency powers.
You don't have to be pro-Russian (I'm not) to see this becoming a protracted conflict where we can go a very long time before Ukraine ever holds another election.Especially, iIf Russian retreat of all Ukrainian territory is the only thing that will allow martial law to be dropped and elections to occur.
"
There is no debate if Zelenskyy said it. He did. It's been widely reported by western media. Even Snopes said it was true.
Justified or not, right now, the country is not a democracy, no matter how you want to spin it.
The issue then becomes how many years will martial law be in effect. And how many years before the Ukrainian people demand an election. Frankly, this could easily become a decade long stalemate with Russia refusing to relinquish occupied territories and the west unable to move them by force or diplomacy.
On “Open Mic for the week of 6/19/2023”
Fully reversible? No damage, psychologically or physically? You sure about that?
It takes a lot of hubris to be so convinced you are right that you are willing to let children be experimented upon.
"
Compared to those in the sample with no history of gender-affirming treatment, receiving treatment with hormones (OR = 0.2, 95% CI (0.1, 0.5)) or breast augmentation surgery (OR = 0.3, 95% CI (0.1, 0.6)) were associated with lower odds of ever having thoughts of suicide or attempting suicide. Individuals who received genital surgery did not have a statistically significant difference from those who did not receive gender-affirming treatment. The results were adjusted for age and race/ethnicity. There was no correction for any potential relationship with psychiatric diagnostic history, psychiatric treatment, substance use, or time elapsed since gender-affirming treatment, increasing the likelihood that the statistically significant results were vulnerable to a high risk of type I error.
https://www.cureus.com/articles/145464-suicide-related-outcomes-following-gender-affirming-treatment-a-review#!/
"
You are expanding the scope of this discussion to things I don't disagree with you about. Conflating reading lists with chemical castration of children does not help your argument.
There are a lot of things we don't let children do, with or without parental consent.
For me, it is "sick and twisted" to trust a 12 year old to definitely *know* they are something as amorphous as a specific "gender" and advocate for biological augmentation to "affirm" that current belief. What if Billy is gay and confuses that with being a girl. Is that really so hard to imagine? Adolescence is a confusing time for almost everyone. I don't understand how this opinion is fascist.
"
Completely agree with your first statement. As long as they are adults, people can do whatever they want. Your second sentence makes giant assumptions, but ok. Your third sentence conflates gay and trans. Gay (or straight or Bi) is based on sexual attraction. That's a self-evident reality. It also doesn't require an individual to consider doing irreversible damage to one's body. This is where your argument goes off the rails. Again, if you are an adult and want to artificially change your biology - go right ahead. But allowing children to do such things? Again, is that progress?
"
It's sort of a weird argument to insist that "trans people are not confused about their gender". Being born one sex (no sex is not "assigned", as if some other had agency in the decision) and identifying as the opposite "gender" must be one of the most confusing situations a human can experience. Whatever process one goes through in reaching a point where they have "decided" they are X and not Y, it certainly must be rife with confusions of all sorts. To deny that this process, realization, transformation - is confusing - doesn't seem based in practical reality.
That's why gender-affirming care is such a ridiculous statement. Given your definition of gender, how can anyone possibly know what they are really? Gender has been rendered a meaningless term. It's not an identity, it's a mood.
You're sad? Here's a pill. You're a boy who wants to be a woman? Here's a puberty blocker.
That's your idea of progress?
On “Open Mic for the week of 6/12/2023”
100%
And I'm struggling to think of one contender to fill his shoes.
On “Open Mic for the week of 6/5/2023”
My 3 after-prom memories on Long Island all involve alcohol, a beach (or summer house), poor decisions and breaking up with my date.
Not always in that order.
And not all of them are actually remembered...
On “Where Is DeSantis’s Polling Bump?”
I wouldn't put much stock in polling numbers until after the first debate.
People need to see the two on the same stage trading punches.
Unlike 2016, Trump is going to square off against someone who will actually punch back.
If Desantis doesn't get a huge bump then, Trump will cruise to the nomination.
Let's see what happens.
On “Debt Limit Cacophony Ends With A Meh”
MacGuffin is definitely the word.
The Debt Ceiling Crisis is my least favorite of U.S. Political Theater production.
Zero entertainment value and 100% predictable.
On “The Month in Theaters September 2022”
"X" is set in 1979 and is about a group of young people renting a house on a property in rural Texas so they can make a porno. The land is owned by a scary elderly couple. It is a classic slasher film but with more depth to it. Mia Goth plays one of the young girls "Maxxine" as well as the old lady.
"Pearl" is the origin story of the that elderly woman - again played by Goth. It is set during WWI and the spanish flu pandemic.
If you are going to watch one, you should probably watch both.
I much preferred Pearl.
"
I finally watched them both this weekend. "X" first followed by "Pearl".
I thought X was good but thought Pearl was brilliant. In fact, I think Pearl elevated X beyond what it could be on its own. Mia Goth's performance, especially the monologue at the end of Pearl, was incredible.
Regardless, I love that they basically created a franchise.
And while I look forward to seeing "Maxxxine," I kind of wish they continue Pearl's story in the years to come. Such a great character.
On “The Debt Limit Deal Has Been Cut”
This was never not going to be hammered out. The hand-ringing about it was silly.
But yes, DC politics is disgusting, among other pejorative terms.
"
[Yawn]
We have not had a good Debt Ceiling "crisis" since 2013.
On “Hopeless Presidential Candidates Are Good for Democracy”
Not sure how Nikki Haley and RFK Jr are in the same ballpark...
The most obvious example to make your point would have been Tulsi Gabbard exposing Kamala Harris for the fraud that she is.
On “DeSantis Enters the Race, Promptly Missteps”
Much ado about nothing.
First GOP debate is in August. First Primary is over 7 months away.
The only thing certain at this point is that the opinions being thrown around before campaign season really begins will be insufferable.
On “Hemingway Home: Past, Prose, & Polydactyly in Paradise”
Really enjoyed this piece. Key West and the Hemingway House are on my bucket list.
Had hoped to run into Mike Leach there, but alas...
On “The Goddamn New York Jets”
Thanks.
And we appreciate you not making a crack about the Jets signing Love in 2037.
"
Chris Mullin is my all-time favorite player. Started watching hoops when he was a freshman at St John's, just down the road from where I grew up.
"
You know it's bad when something like the Tebow Debacle wasn't even considered for inclusion in the article.
On “It’s Going to Be Biden v Trump Again”
The problem existed before him. It will exist after him.
Highly doubt such an issue would have any impact in a republican primary or general election.
"
I wouldn't count on it. More likely such an event would *help* his campaign.
His response to Ian was pretty well received and a big reason for his landslide election victory a couple of months later.