eli friedmann

Guitar player/teacher + photographer in NYC. All magas, theocrats, fans of the electoral college, + climate deniers cheerfully blocked on sight.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates Yeah, true, I've been mostly on Blue(redacted).
Who even knows if shifting from platform to platform even accomplishes much tbh.
Had to stop back here just to comment on the book tho.
That ending....won't say more.
Do not want to "spoil" it.
But I will recommend it.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates And that ending?
As skillful and satisfying as any I can imagine.
KO in the 10th.
The structure of the book locks completely into place in retrospect.
The best endings are able to make perfect sense (can't be random) without being obvious or trite.
Bravo.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

As precise, rigorous, and propulsive as ever.
🫡 ⁦@JoyceCarolOates⁩

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates
Further into the the book, the thing that is so striking is the pure genre velocity, suspense, and economy, combined with razor sharp prose precision, and a deeply disturbing psychological plausibility of characterization.
Total command of the form.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates It's very difficult to get published, let alone publicized, so part of my is sympathetic to literary rogues who lie and cheat to get their foot in the door.
It's not "ok" but artists have been known for not always being "ok".
Maybe the book is worthwhile even if it's not "true".

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates It is interesting to contemplate:
In book form, in a certain mindset, the factual reality of what is being described in the book is not the main point, necessarily.
But being told that "this is a true story" DOES impact how it is absorbed.
Lying + getting caught is frowned upon.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates I have often wondered at the concept of "war crimes".
To an outsider, war itself seems like a crime much of the time.
Was dropping the atom bomb a war crime?
It certainly was harsh.
This quote, from Apocalypse Now.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@dwallacewells Victory will/would be an successful administration and a city that is functioning well over multiple years.
And if he wins the general?
I hope he does indeed have success.
Because I will be living in it.
But the waters ahead are deep, dark, and choppy.
That is for sure.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

Well, yet again my preferred candidate has lost and I will roll with it.
I'm used to this by now.
I hope Lander continues to do good work.
I like his approach.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

#BradLander 👍

[Second Ave. Sagas @2AvSagas]

And if Mamdani isn't to your liking, Lander and Adrienne Adams are perfectly competent candidates who would do a good job. Lander is my top choice.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@ok_post_guy @reputationfan13 This is related to the free bus concept.
If implemented (assuming Hochul reverses her "no taxes" stance) it would redistribute riders.
The poorest would be on the bus, the better off would be on the subway/car/etc.
Maybe not ideal separation of populations.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@ok_post_guy And yes, this wage issue is real.
It's the paradox of the maga assault on undocumented workers.
Republicans love having low wage workers, but also demonize them.
What can NYC afford to pay city grocery workers?
Off the books undocumented level wages won't be an option.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@ok_post_guy @msut777 unsure the "public grocery store" concept has internalized the low margins of this industry.
Not margins for food producers, the store itself.
Will they be able to afford high quality merchandise, esp fresh produce?
Seems closer to fantasy than reality but I guess we'll see.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

Just to be clear:

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@jdcmedlock 1 package of raw spinach: $7.
2-3 apples: $3.
One large bag of frozen blueberries: $16.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@Lynn_Henning @MalloryMcMorrow That psychopath is in charge of government services.
Not ideal.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@MalloryMcMorrow Imagine a public servant whose philosophy is “well we’re all going to die…”
Wild stuff.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@d_h_sanders “Democracy dies in darkness. And we will host the grim reaper!”

[Yair Rosenberg @Yair_Rosenberg]

These extraordinarily brave Gazans are protesting both against Hamas and the Netanyahu/Smotrich/Ben-Gvir war plan. Incidentally, this puts them in agreement with the large majority of Israelis, who also oppose both, and want an end to the war in exchange for the hostages.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates "subways are certain death for riders!"
Meanwhile:
Public transit is about 1/10th as dangerous as driving.
One tenth.
Can't overemphasize that stat.

[eli friedmann @eligit]

@JoyceCarolOates If there is 1 thing that I have noticed for the last decade it is an obsession with attacking cities online.
It is a central part of the culture war, + I suppose it's been there for much longer than just the trump era.
"Cities are evil!"
meanwhile:
3.6 million subway rides a day.