FNC - The most unhinged article I've ever read

Friday night chats then a little break!

Kia ora! We are about to enter the longest weekend (if you have school-aged kids) because Tuesday is a teacher-only day! As it turns out I am just totally exhausted so I need to have a break. Here’s an FNC and then I’ll be off for a week to try to rest my tired body and brain x

First, let me just share the most unhinged article I’ve ever read in my life: America’s premier pronatalists on having ‘tons of kids’ to save the world: ‘There are going to be countries of old people starving to death’.

First of all: Torsten Savage

TORSTEN SAVAGE!!!

Second of all: Industry Americus!

INDUSTRY MOTHER FARKIN AMERICUS!

Third of all: EVERYTHING. I don’t even know what to say - at first it’s just - “Both boys have their own iPads fitted with a strap so they can wear them around their necks” which just…I have no words…And the CHILD SHITTING ON THE STAIRS!! And then it’s just not funny and it’s awful. I mean of course they think Elon Musk is their king.

I mean. Just AWFUL. If that isn’t the most batsh*t article you’ve ever read, I need you to share with me what was worse.

Moving right along….

The Spinoff has a Wellington news coverage koha campaign happening. I was just reading Could Ray Chung really be the mayor of Wellington (and screaming GOOD GOD NO!). So it is rather timely.

It was of course The Budget Day yesterday. What is there to say? It’s what we expected. Thousands of cuts to deliver nothing that will help anyone who truly needs help.

This is an amazing video though:

tamairahook

A post shared by @tamairahook

What I’m reading:

It’s too easy for Pākehā to do nothing - by the excellent Pip Adam.

‘Not one more child’ - “Colonisation has treated generations of Māori to continuous violence. The Crown has attacked Māori systems of safety and wellbeing for generations, disconnecting us from our whenua, our whakapapa and our whānau. The fact that we still exist as Māori, the fact that so many of us (900,000 now!) still care that we are Māori, is proof of our love and resilience.”

The Māori wards bill, explained - The submissions period was so short! Submissions are already closed!

'I feel foolish': Expert admits she was wrong about controversial police tactic

Why Men Can't Stop Wearing Slutty Short Shorts

I really loved this post by

Leah McFall

about Bridgerton: Nailed, by Bridgerton.

Also loved

Anna McMartin

’s fascinating piece about public toilets.

‘Container’ homes suddenly uncool now that poor people might live in them - The girlies and I stayed in that house!

War On Gaza: Why Are Our Instagram Feeds More Graphic Than The News?

What I’ve been watching:

To be honest. Not much. As I write this I’m watching the Newshub budget where one commentator just said “was the budget brilliant?” which makes me want to put my head through a wall.

It feels like there’s not much on any of the streaming services at the moment eh?

Also I’ve found all week once I got Hammy to sleep I was basically falling asleep immediately after him. I’m just so tired at the moment.

What have you been watching?

What I’ve been listening to:

CW: Child death. Just skip this if you’re feeling fragile.

I feel embarrassed to say it because it does seem exploitative - but I can’t stop listening to The Boy in the Water the podcast about Lachie Jones. I feel bad that I’m listening to someone else’s devastating tragedy but…I am.

I am fascinated by hearing an inquest and how wildly informal it is - which, is this a Gore thing? Because everyone knows each other they’re just overly familiar in the court? I mean maybe it’s just that the times I’ve been in court or supported friends it has been for protesting - but usually the judge will be like waiting to fuck you up if you don’t say exactly the right thing. So like being snarky on the stand just seems wild to me. And it’s such a serious case yet you can almost hear the eye rolling from people giving their evidence!

I’m excited about a podcast coming up. Well maybe excited isn’t the right word….

This House of Grief is probably one of the best true crime books I’ve read along with Joe Cinque's Consolation…Both by Helen Garner. Who is probably the best crime writer in the world. Anyway, there’s a new podcast about Robert Farquharson who The House of Grief is about. Farquharson killed his three sons by driving his car into water.

Anyway, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age are doing a new podcast on the case called Trial by Water. I’m not sure how much more they can add to it but I’m going to re:read This House of Grief before listening.

OK, It’s Friday morning and I have run out of steam. I’m sorry.

Here’s what I posted on Insta and FB and I’ll just share it here, because I’m so sorry but I’m shattered, too tired to finish this FNC properly.

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I need to maintain structural integrity of the bridge (I’m the bridge) so it doesn’t fall down. So I’m taking sick leave which usually wouldn’t be a thing you’d announce online like this but given you’re all basically my employers (if you pay for my newsletter anyway) I thought I’d let you know.

It has been excruciatingly hard experiencing the brutality of the government’s cuts personally, but then adding to that - knowing how much worse it has been for others, trying to support them, advocate for them, and fight for them at the same time…well, I realised on Wednesday I wasn’t coping.

It’s hard to rest when you’re self employed, when you don’t have sick leave, when you are advocating for people who can’t rest…when you have young kids…when you’re ADHD and don’t really know how to rest…when you’ve internalised capitalist propaganda about rest…when you feel lectured by people about resting…When financially you are paid for output not thinking time - I’m just saying it’s A WHOLE THING.

So anyway, that’s all to say - FNC will be out tonight as usual but I won’t be publishing anything next week.

I won’t be replying to emails unless they’re super urgent for at least a week.

Arohanui and thanks for understanding

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