On a windy Sunday evening, I stood alone at the kitchen window and watched the sun go down over the coastal range at the northern edge of San Francisco Bay.
At times like this that stretch of water gleams like liquified silver.
It was Father’s Day. Earlier, my two youngest came by and took me out for brunch at a nearby cafe in Richmond. My daughter, who’s 26, had been at yesterday’s “No Kings” demonstration in the city. She’s pursuing a Master’s Degree in industrial design.
My son, who’s 29, and just recovered from Covid, holds a Master’s Degree in history and works as a researcher for a Japanese media company.
They talked to me about their reservations about having children of their own, given the state of the world. “At least for now, I’m not planning on having any,” my son said. “That might change.”
My daughter nodded. “Same for me.”
I indicated I understood why they felt this way. These are scary times. Not only does human-induced climate change loom as an existential threat over their futures, AI now presents a human-made existential threat as well.
Wars rage in the Middle East and Ukraine in conflicts that may worsen and spread. Authoritarian regimes are on the rise all over the world, notably here in the U.S. where migrant families are being ripped apart by the cruelest president in our nation’s history.
Each day brings more disturbing headlines on many fronts.
It is hard to plan a career at their ages with so much instability and technological disruption in all economic sectors. Finances are a constant concern, as in the prohibitive cost of housing here in the Bay Area.
Long after they had left and returned to the city, I stood at that window and shuddered. It was not cold in the house but I felt my tremors returning. In some ways, there’s no lonelier time than a Sunday night.
The wind picked up, rustling the purple leaves of a plum tree. The bamboo swayed and Mount Tam drifted above the haze to the west. It was a strangely beautiful moment.
I watched a flock of birds fly westward toward the setting sun. A line from one of those Jurassic Park movies popped into my head.
“Life, uh, finds a way.”
(Art by Julia)
HEADLINES:
Close Trump Allies Sponsored the Military Parade, Raising Ethical Concerns (NYT)
Should Political Violence Be Addressed Like a Threat to Public Health? (New Yorker)
Suspect in Minnesota Attacks Is Detained, Ending Manhunt (NYT)
Who Is Vance Boelter? The Minnesota Lawmaker Shooting Suspect (WSJ)
Roommate details Minnesota shooting suspect’s life as authorities search near abandoned car (WP)
Netanyahu says ‘we’ll do what we need to do’ with Iran’s leader (Financial Times)
Trump says 'it's possible' US gets involved in Israel-Iran conflict (ABC)
Investors unnerved as Israel-Iran conflict fuels turmoil in oil markets (Reuters)
Israel’s attack on Iran marks moment of truth for Netanyahu (AP)
Takeaways From Trump’s Military Parade in Washington (NYT)
It wasn’t just the parade: This week, Trump politicized the military (WP)
Gunman Opens Fire on ‘No Kings’ Protest in Salt Lake City (Daily Beast)
Americans don't see Supreme Court as politically neutral, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds (Reuters)
L.A. neighborhoods clear out as immigration raids send people underground (LAT)
Trump Shifts Deportation Focus, Pausing Most Raids on Farms, Hotels and Eateries (NYT)
Padilla says FBI agent, Guard member escorted him to Noem's briefing before removal (Axios)
Washington Post in talks with Substack about using its writers (Guardian)
The Ad Industry’s A.I. Reckoning (NYT)
Protesters Urged Not To Give Trump Administration Pretext For What It Already Doing (The Onion)
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