Imperialism
Russia
Ukraine
Fig. 1. “Destroyed Russian military vehicles located on the main street Khreshchatyk are seen as part of the celebration of the Independence Day of Ukraine in Kyiv, August 24.” Photograph by Gleb Garanich for Reuters, August 24, 2022,[1] fair use.
Tony Barber, “The delusions that put Putin on the path to war,” Financial Times, August 23, 2023, https://www.ft.com/content/f1afda2d-d942-432b-9ff2-08740e514d9b
Spotted lanternflies
I am without my car today and most of tomorrow. I got rear-ended a few months ago—a hit-and-run with the at-fault driver’s insurance company “defending” their client, meaning she almost certainly got away with it—and while the damage was largely invisible, there was about $1,500 worth, not counting the ceramic coat and rustproofing that I’m having to have redone on the repaired area (it’ll be over $1,600 and I guess we’ll just see if my insurance covers it).
So I wound up at Pittsburgh’s Cinnaholic—it’s a vegan cinnamon roll shop and, yes, it’s here—and having secured my cinnamon roll, I found myself smashing a lot of spotted lanternflies, near the shop but especially where I walked to meet an Uber to my next destination.
My Uber driver reported that she’d had the most luck stomping them from the side (I think she’s right). I am definitely noticing that natural selection seems to have favored the spotted lanternflies that will actually attempt to escape being smashed.
Henry Savage, “Should we still care about spotted lanternflies in Philly?” Philadelphia Inquirer, August 22, 2023, https://www.inquirer.com/life/outdoors/spotted-lanternfly-invasive-species-philadelphia.html
Ryan Deto, “Spotted lanternflies are swarming Western Pennsylvania,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 23, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/regional/spotted-lanternfly-are-swarming-western-pennsylvania/
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh
Century III Mall
Fig. 2. “The exterior of the closed Century III Mall taken from a drone . . . in West Mifflin.” Photograph by Benjamin B. Braun, May 11, 2023, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,[2] fair use.
Neena Hagen, “Owner of Century III Mall appeals condemnation as roof caves in,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 23, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2023/08/23/century-iii-mall-roof-owner-appeal/stories/202308220137
Neoliberalism
Work
Fig. 3. The spectre of Death, in the form of a large skeleton, rises with the smoke and flames of the burning Asch Building during the Triangle fire, as people jump and fall to their death. Artist unknown, from International Ladies Garment Workers Union Photographs (1885-1985) at The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Chris Isidore, “Teamster members ratify deal at UPS, putting strike threat to rest,” CNN, August 23, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/22/business/ups-strike-vote-teamsters-union/index.html
- [1]Reuters, “Ukraine puts destroyed Russian tanks on display in Kyiv,” August 25, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/ukraine-puts-destroyed-russian-tanks-on-idUSRTSALV9Q↩
- [2]Neena Hagen, “The fall of the Century: Once a retail shopping jewel, the West Mifflin mall has been left to rot,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 21, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2023/05/21/centuryiii-west-mifflin-mall-slag-heap-kaufmanns-sears-police-closed-crime/stories/202305210039↩