Hi, I’m Gabrielle Blair and this is my newsletter. It’s completely free to access and read, but if you feel so moved to support my work, please consider a paid newsletter subscription: just $5/month or save money with the $50/annual sub. You can also go way above and beyond by becoming a Founding Member at $75. Or, some of you have let me know you’d rather send money directly via Paypal and Venmo (@gabrielle-blair). Thank you! Seriously, thank you. Support from readers keeps this newsletter ad and sponsor-free.
Hey there! It’s just me, checking in with a weekend link list for you, and hoping you’re doing well. It’s been an odd week for me work-wise, mostly because my website has been down since last weekend and I couldn’t figure out why. But Michelle at Walder Studio (hero!) did some sleuthing and found the issue and the site is up again (thank goodness! and knock on wood!).
At the house, we’ve been transforming our dining room doors that open up to the garden. They still need some painting, but I think I’ll be able to share the whole project as soon as Monday (I’ll share it in my Instagram Stories). It’s one of those small-ish projects that makes a BIG impact and I’m really happy about it. While you’re waiting, here’s a “before” photo:
Of course, I’ve also been glued to the news — I woke up this morning to reports about the first session of the January 6th hearing. Oh my. I feel so much anger and sadness. I’m furious the GOP has tried to brush all this under the rug and “move on” as quickly as possible. I’m aware that the new information shared in this hearing is not likely to change the minds of anyone who has embraced the big lie, and who doesn’t believe the election was legitimate. But still, I think it’s so important that we’re getting a chance to learn what actually happened, and how dangerous January 6th really was for our country. I didn’t realize how much new information would be shared, and I think I may stay up late for the next one.
A Few Things I’ve Been Wanting to Share With You
“The triple-punch of Roe, Buffalo, and Uvalde made me think apocalyptically about whether we ultimately wind up two countries. Maybe we already are.” By Joan Walsh. I keep thinking about this one. Is America just too big? Too divided? Is it easier to manage a democracy with the population of California, but no bigger? And would Conservatives be happier if they could make a country where abortion was illegal everywhere, and schools were privatized, and everyone owned a gun? I’ve never seriously considered splitting up America, but should I?
Democrats Should “Do Something” the Way the GOP Does Things, Gun control can be a winning issue for Democrats, if they act quickly, by Molly Jang-Fast.
I need to reread the constitution, it’s been too long. I had no memory that there’s a definition of militia in the constitution. We don’t need to guess what the 2nd amendment means — the constitution makes it clear.
Doctors successfully transplanted a 3-D printed ear made of living human cells. So cool.
‘It’s going to be an army’: Tapes reveal GOP plan to contest elections. Placing operatives as poll workers and building a "hotline" to friendly attorneys are among the strategies to be deployed in Michigan and other swing states.
I swear he’s like the Wizard of Oz, the man behind the curtain. Elon Musk’s "clean" superchargers were actually running on diesel generators.
America Turned the Greatest Vehicle of Social Mobility Into a Debt Machine, by Tressie McMillan Cottom. I think this is the most interesting take on student loans that I have read.
Early in the week, I did deep dive into essays about the Amber Heard trial. Here are five of the pieces I bookmarked:
The Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial was an orgy of misogyny, by Moira Donegan.
The bleak spectacle of the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial, by Michael Hobbes.
More from Michael Hobbes in this WNYC podcast, How The Media Failed Amber Heard.
Why I called 911, by iO Tillett Wright.
We Are All Guilty. Courtroom porn and social media have turned innocent bystanders into a mass of mudslingers, by Monica Lewinsky.
More links:
I really enjoyed this thread about different ways Jewish thinkers have conceived of God.
This current income inequality sure doesn’t seem sustainable. Click to see the whole chart.
This made me laugh.
That’s all for now. Feel free to comment on anything I mentioned above, or whatever’s on your mind. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
kisses,
Gabrielle
Hi Gabrielle, thank you for sharing. I too watched the hearing but in my friend group that I reached out to , not so much sadly. I believe they think it’s just politics. It does seem to be coming to a head in the next couple years if we decide we can live together or not in this country. I have an EU passport though born and raised in CA. In your opinion, would my family be better off (my kids similar in age to yours so don’t know if they would follow) in the EU? Any books or anything that helped you explore this decision of yours to live there? Thx
I highly recommend the recent Armchair Expert interview with Ray Dalio accompanied by his video on the changing world order. They really blew my mind last week. Puts all the increasing turmoil in the US into context as an empire in decline.
https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/ray-dalio
https://youtu.be/xguam0TKMw8