The Sorensen Monologues

Horse Sense for Pandemics

I don’t see how humanity can solve its problems with this degree of misplaced trust, bad-faith manipulation, and poor critical thinking skills. Also, what about the animals with parasites? I’ll bet there are some angry cows out there with four stomach chambers filled with worms, just waiting for pills that have been bought up by the stupid humans.

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Ironies of Afghanistan

I find it challenging to boil the whole Afghanistan situation down into a simple cartoon. When the war began, I thought it was overkill that would just inspire more terrorism. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld were clearly not to be trusted. But I also felt a certain amount of ambivalence since there was, in theory, a human rights component of stopping the horrific treatment of women. One thing that seems clear is that the Trump administration pretty much gave away the store to the Taliban in the Doha negotiations — you can find that photo of Mike Pompeo with Taliban leader Mullah Beradar here. Now the Trumpers are acting like Biden didn’t follow the terms of their “peace deal.” 

“Virtue Signaling”

Simply put, “virtue signaling” is a noxious term that provides a false explanation for people’s motivations to do the right thing for themselves and others. Sure, there are a few corporations pretending to be socially conscious while supporting racist, anti-LGBTQ politicians. But framing all attempts at ethical behavior in this way is a kind of mental trick that benefits the bullies and fascists. It’s yet another way to demonize progressives and sound policies without engaging on specifics. 

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Rental Breakdown

Whenever I look at Airbnb listings, I’m amazed by how expensive some of them are. People are apparently paying big bucks these days for flashy, Instagram-friendly “experiences.” In many tourist areas, long-term renters are getting priced out. Part of this is due to the raging real estate market — though the money to be made these days from short-term rentals can quickly outpace income from traditional tenants. This isn’t exactly helping to stabilize things for working people who just need a home, not an experience.

Viral Spiral

So the Delta variant is surging across the US, with Florida actually breaking last year’s hospitalization records. While the vast majority of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, this variant does have the unfortunate effect of turning people into highly-explosive virus volcanoes. By ending preventive measures prematurely, we’re creating ideal conditions for ever more dangerous variants to evolve. 

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