Big Tech Cracks Down on Russia

In addition to cracking down on Russian disinformation about Ukraine, they have also cracked down on Russia on a national level (ex: Apple pay no longer works in Russia). Many businesses in and out of tech are refusing to do business in Russia right now. Here's the thing: this proves what folks have been saying – they know how to target bad users/organizations. When they let hate speech and other misinformation run amok and claim it's out of their hands, they are lying. Lastly, this should serve as a reminder to us all that while Russia has its oligarchs, we have our own in the U.S. Both groups wield largely unchecked power in our society.

Bonus Stories:
Hochul Proposes Bringing Back Private Prison Labor
Is it too much to ask of our political leaders to be anti-slavery? That's what prison labor is. It's slavery. While this particular program technically could be less horrible than other states' systems of slavery, it is still slavery. Ban forced labor everywhere for anyone for any reason.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Embroiled by Scandals
At some point, it just becomes so sad how poorly led New York City is and has been for so long. Adams is lifting the vaccine mandate for indoor activities (like restaurants), made anti-LGBT appointments, further criminalized homelessness, and much more. Consistently bad behavior and bad decisions across the board.

Racism in the Refugee Crisis in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine is heartbreaking. Frustratingly but unsurprising, racism rears its ugly head no matter the circumstances. Anti-blackness is global and knows no bounds. While it is difficult, we all must reckon with all the truths, which includes recognizing the evil of the racism Black refugees trying to escape Ukraine are facing. Does it lessen the suffering of white refugees? No. Does it add another horrific layer to the war? Absolutely.

White Nationalist Right at Home at Republican Conference
The Republican Party cannot and will not disavow white nationalism and white supremacy because that is the single greatest unifying political stance of their organization. Whether the white supremacy is in the form of crazy conspiracy theorist podcasters or loud and stupid legislators or quiet and polite-looking legislators, they all wear the same white hoods.

Listen on Spotify. 

• Pen Black Girls | ENNY (feat. Amia Brave)
• Unholy War | Jacob Banks
• Magnetic | Full Crate (feat. Susan Carol & Sergiio)
• Sun, Moon & Herb | Venna (feat. JVCK JAMES)
• DO 4 LOVE | Snoh Aalegra

Must NOT Watch Show

What: Love Is Blind: Season 2
Who: Some really mean people
Where: Netflix
Why: This is my first recommendation to not do something, and it is really necessary. Love is Blind Season 1 was, like any reality TV show, filled with plenty of stupidity and melodrama nonsense. Ultimately, though, it was focused on folks who, crazy as they were, were trying to find love. I'd suggest that part of what makes it funny and entertaining was that the cast seemed actually invested in the experiment, which remains hilariously silly to me.

This new season, though... ew. All but a few of the cast members are mean, offensively immature, desperately in need of therapy, and uninterestingly annoying. All but maybe 1 or 2 regularly display behavior that reeks of "I just wanted to be on TV" which really sucks the fun out of the show. I know we all have our own lines in the sand for when reality TV veers from fun to just angering, and this is past my line. Don't waste your time, and if you see Shake or Shayne or Shaina out in public, give 'em a strong "fuck you" for me.

Re: War in Ukraine

What is there to say in the face of such suffering? I will not be offering a nuanced analysis of the conflict or its origins or what will happen in the future. I will not be masquerading as an expert. I will offer several brief suggestions, all of which I try to follow myself, for how to frame and approach this war as a regular degular consumer of media and information.

Learning takes time.
It is probably safe to assume that you and I fall into the same category of “Not an expert” regarding Eastern European politics, Ukrainian-Russian history, modern warfare, etc. If you are an expert, though, good for you – I want to learn from you! The only way to process news and current events that you do not have the requisite knowledge to understand is to learn, and this takes time. Not only does it take time to read and listen, but it also takes time to process it all. Especially when confronted with a wholly new topics, do not expect yourself to be able to sort through it all right away. In fact, be wary of those who claim to be able to. When it comes to nuance much more granular than “War is bad, and human suffering is heartbreaking,” it takes us non-experts time to learn. I have been loosely following and learning about Ukraine since the 2004 election – I know, very nerdy – and I am still far from any kind of expert.

Learning takes honesty.
Part of successfully parsing through a new topic is being honest with yourself. Perhaps most immediately, there must be honesty with yourself about what you do not know. So many people fashion themselves as experts in areas in which they have no expertise, and it is both annoying and embarrassing. There is no shame in not knowing everything about everything, so let yourself admit that which you do not know. Moreover, there is another kind of honesty we should embrace. It is not just a matter of what we do not know but a matter of what we do not care to know. Sometimes it is perfectly ok to say, “I do not really have the interest in learning more about this, and I am content with where I am at, at least for now.” Granted, this can go both ways because there are plenty of examples where such an admission is callous and cruel. That is a balance we all must find somewhere between “I do not care at all” and “I have neither the time nor the inclination to become an expert.” That takes honesty.

Learning takes effort.
In a world where mis/disinformation are rampant and largely unchecked, checking your sources sounds a lot easier than it is. We are inundated with information on social media and through traditional media that can be every permutation of inaccurate, overly simplistic, and misrepresenting the truth. Do what you can to retain skepticism about believing everything you see while holding onto the simple fact that there is credible information available you can access. And, perhaps most importantly and frustratingly, there are going to be times where we have questions we cannot quite answer to our full satisfaction.

No one is clocking you.
Many folks, myself included, feel a strong urge to contribute to moments like these. In the nicest possible way, though, no one cares. If it behooves you to contribute and you can do so in a productive way devoid of misinformation, do so. Absolutely! However, if you are overwhelmed either by emotion or information, relieve yourself of the imagined pressure to say something. It is ok to listen. I may be the outlier here, but I feel great relief when I remind myself of how small I am and how small the scale on which I operate is. That does not take away from my pride in my work or the sense of responsibility I feel to be productive… but on my scale. And that is ok.


For better or worse, that is all I have for you today. I believe there is usefulness in contributing to a conversation even when you are a not an expert so long as you do not try to act as one. I believe there is usefulness, too, in knowing the bounds of one’s contributions. For me, these are my bounds. I feel horrible watching the suffering of the Ukrainian people. I feel a modicum of pride that a proud and egalitarian Jew is a shining example of bravery and public service. And I feel good about doing what I can to help people process depressing messes of the current events like these.


As always, be you be great.