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I guess this newsletter is partly about advising people on how to spend their money, which is not something I particularly love doing…but I will direct your attention to the war going on in Ukraine. Being from Ukraine, lots of people have asked me for context on what’s happening, but I don’t live there and don’t feel like an authority. Still what seems clear to me: Ukraine is the target of an aggressive invasion by the army of a madman who places no value on human life. The Ukrainian forces, including many civilians, are putting up an incredible fight from a defensive position. The country faces a terrible loss of life and infrastructure. The defenders will need as much support as they can get and civilians welcome all humanitarian aid. Here’s a good guide with vetted orgs, if you can help 💙THANK YOU💛 I hope with all my might this horror is over soon and that Ukrainians have peace for many generations.
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During any sociopolitical crisis knowing what to do and how to help can feel confusing and horrible-- but never fear! I have a direct line for anyone interested in donating money to the cause. My dear friend is trying to raise $1200 to help HER dear friend cross the border from Gaza to Egypt. There are a ton of fees for crossing and he also needs money to try and get a European visa (his other option is taking a raft across the Mediterranean which is extremely dangerous and difficult). My friend's venmo is @lexog and I can big time vouch for the legitimacy of this cause! She's sending the money directly to her buddy in Gaza. Helping individuals not only get to safety but rebuild their lives in the wake of all this shit is a noble effort <3 <3
Dec 5, 2023
we have lost 20+ family members in several strikes (number isn’t confirmed bc we’re praying some somehow are alive under the rubble) and trying to save two rn
Big love if you can support ily
Mar 19, 2024
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There's been a numbing, sinking, unescaping feeling of dread at the pit of my stomach and the depths of my chest these days that continues to augment on the daily due to the current landscape of the world. Being in high school right now is such an experience in and of itself, I hear so much insensitive, immature, inaccurate, idiotic rhetoric, insults, and straight-up slurring left and right. Reading and any form of intellectual gain or self-actualization is immediately met with accusations of being a "nerd" or how it's some waste of time, which is influenced by the rapid consumption of social media in all of our daily lives. People in my circles are becoming radicalized and desensitized to really, really frightening ideologies that are facilitated through the lack of discernment and punishment for simply just wrong exclusionary statements that are said to attack people's integrity, race, gender, what have you. I am not hearing many positive things going on, and every insane headline I accidentally see, even when I avoid the news (not that that is the answer), is something straight out of a dystopian novel.
It hasn't been a month and a week if I'm correct. Left and right, I see exclusionary, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, racist, classist, chauvanistic, and outright outdated policies and rhetoric normalized and spreading like wildfire. We tried to tell ourselves it wouldn't be this bad. It is that bad. And pray to whatever you worship that it won't get worse. But don't leave it at that. Do your part. Please do your damn part.
Volunteer. Donate. Talk about it. Use your platforms. This post is not meant to catastrophize, but to shake you hard and wake you up. When tomorrow comes around, remember the plan. Please look up the "People's Union USA" for more information on the February 28th boycott, and try your hardest to do your part.
We are the people, the masses they fear. We have the power.
Feb 28, 2025
Top Recs from @eugene
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During my travelmania, I tempted the devil by trying to get even cheaper flights and ended up with a free trial on a random site called Unpub. I forgot to cancel the trial and got auto-enrolled for a year, with a fee of $49.95. At first I was pissed BUT soon I was snagging flights at 10-50% less than their list price! EXCEPT every once in a while I notice they register my ticket with weird Russian email addresses and need me to confirm credit card numbers they already have on file. Come to think of it, this seems extremely sketchy…your call.
Mar 10, 2022
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Before this crisis, we had another one: the global pandemic. If you recall, everything shut down pretty much everywhere…which gave a few film lovers the chance to become film programmers. Using under-the-radar streaming services (like Twitch, but dodgier), several collectives started running daily movie streams. It was a refreshing alternative to going on Netflix/Hulu/Criteria and weighing the options for an hour. Instead of having to pick a movie, you just go to the URL and feast your eyes on the stream. The one I was most obsessed with was Cinephobe, but Cathode Cinema, Moviepassed and SpectacleNYC all gave me much-needed joy, as depression, despair and death colonized human consciousness. A few major discoveries were Golden Mouth, Brimstone and Treacle, Play Dirty and Scalpel. These programmers earn my gratitude and admiration. I think Cathode is the only one still going strong and I highly recommend you check it out.
Mar 10, 2022