Good morning!
Welcome to Issue 32.5 of Digestable, your daily mouthful of real things happening in the world, minus alarmist pandemic news.
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Today’s news, fermented:
Happy Friday! I have nothing to add, except for that I have nothing to add.
Here’s a mood.
Caro's Advice Corner
Dear Caro,
I feel a civic duty to watch the debate, but have a hard time taking it seriously. How have you been getting through this political moment?
Sincerely,
Already voted
Dear already voted,
I just want to start with saying, I am so glad to hear you have already participated in this historic election. For anyone reading and tuning in, I just want to remind you of the importance of voting in this election. I could list all the reasons why, but I think the orange thing straight out of your nightmares in the white office says everything you need to know about why it is important to participate in this election.
So how am I getting through this political moment?...by drinking a lot of wine...just kidding, I prefer tequila in these trying times. I don’t think I am alone when I say, I am angry voting this November. But I am voting, and encouraging others around me that are able to vote, to do the same. I am by no means enthusiastically voting for the Democratic nominee. I preferred a different candidate, and a different leader for the Democratic party, but there is too much at stake to sit out in this election. Healthcare is on the line, women’s reproductive rights are on the line, immigration is on the line, the very moral soul of this country is on the line!!! By no means is Joe Biden my dream leader, but he is the leader that will vote out Donald Trump. If you are having doubts, check out this Election Forecast.
I am hopeful that once we get through this turmoil, we will continue to be able to participate in the shaping of a more progressive country, of a country where Black Lives Matter isn’t a political statement, a country where immigrant’s rights are human rights, a country that believes in climate change and will do SOMETHING about it. So don’t worry, you are not alone in feeling hopeless and scared. I’m scared too, but growth is never supposed to be easy. Don’t worry, if Biden is elected to office, we will hound him on his promises, and we will continue to organize on the issues that matter to this country. And that, Already voted, is how I am getting through this political moment.
Sincerely yours,
Caro
DJ M0RO’s low-key Music Show
Back next week!
*Hot Goss*
Brought to you by the superb Latifah Azlan.
I woke up this morning to unsettling news: that the Malaysian Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, plans to declare a State of Emergency in order to "better handle" the sharp surge in Covid-19 outbreaks in the country. I'm not sure how many of my readers follow Malaysian news but this step comes amid harsh criticisms of the government's recent failures in containing the crisis and, in many ways, contributing directly to these recent outbreaks by not adhering to government-mandated public health measures themselves and forging ahead with a poorly planned elections in one of the states in the country (which is also now the hardest hit in terms of number of cases).
I don't think anyone believes that declaring a State of Emergency to deal with the pandemic is a necessary step. In fact, we were doing really well during the first wave of the coronavirus and managed to flatten the curve in several weeks. Declaring a State of Emergency will give the government unobstructed powers to declare and suspend laws as they see fit and most people see this potential decision as the political move that is so transparently is: to consolidate power under a government that entered under coup-like circumstances and has slowly lost the mandate of the people (who did not elect them) and to muzzle increasingly harsh criticisms of the administration's failure at every ministerial level across several different ministries to effectively lead us through this crisis. In a nutshell, Malaysia is about to drop all pretenses of being a democracy -- even one that was as tinged with authoritarianism as it has been for decades. You love* (*hate) to see it.
BUT! This is meant to be a frivolous column where we navel gaze the rich and the famous rather than talk about things of substance (that's Lena's forte!) so I'll get on with it. Yesterday, a dedicated reader sent me this amazing video of Paris Hilton cooking lasagna that is currently up on her Youtube channel. The submission came with rave reviews and to be honest, I wasn't quite sure of what to expect because, you know, Paris Hilton, so I honestly went in with low expectations. And honestly, I should have known better than to underestimate Paris "That's Hot" Hilton. It's time to shutter up the ImprovAsylums in town, folks because this 16-minute video is total comedic GOLD.
There are SO many parts to this video that have me absolutely ROLLING on the floor. Cooking with biker gloves?! Paris' obvious disdain for Barilla's lasagna sheets?! The amount of MEAT she's packing into this lasagna?! Using salt, black pepper, and himalayan pink salt as lasagna spices?! Paris characterizing her spoons as "brutal" and the meat as "tan"?! I highly recommend watching this video in its entirety, especially if you've had a stressful week and need a laugh. I know i'll be playing this on repeat all day as I await news from home about the suspension of our government while still allowing our suspended government to have unchecked powers :)))