J. Martin

September 5, 2021

German Federal Election, Heating Up

On Twitter, I’m usually way more engaged in political matters in the U.S., Israel, and East Asia. But with the upcoming federal election in Germany, that has shifted a bit. First of all, there’s one thing that is both true for the U.S. and for Germany: trying to barge into Congress or Bundestag with a small party that advocates radical change won't get you anywhere. For radical change, push locally—in communal, regional, and state elections. For less radical but vital and necessary change on the federal level, neither vote for parties in federal elections that are bona fide morally bankrupt nor for parties that have no chance in hell to pass the electoral threshold. Brace to be disappointed, yes. But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. That’s it. For everything else, there’s Rezo.

Where I live, the weather’s cleared up, which is a good thing. I finished my first pass of line editing and printed everything out for a second pass on paper. I love to do that outside on the balcony, both in the sun and at night.

Two weeks ago, I mentioned that I’m on Glass now, that new subscription-based social photo app for iOS. I’m quite happy with it so far. Yet, it’s a closed environment for subscribers. That’s why I opened up an ongoing public album on Flickr for the images I upload on Glass. They’re more laboriously edited than my regular uploads, usually with Affinity Photo or DxO Photolab plus Nik Collection and here and there a light dash of VSCO. Still learning and testing the waters! So don't expect miracles.

As a reading recommendation, something completely different this week. A book! Library of America has just released an incredibly comprehensive short story collection by Donald Barthelme, one of my favorite postmodern authors, whom I also wrote a lot about in my doctoral thesis. Try it! His tales are wry, deep, funny, absurdist, and incredibly dead-pan. You won’t regret it.

As some of you know, I’m a huge fan of Nicolas Cage, always been, Birdy, Wild at Heart, Face/Off, City of Angels, you name it, to the point of a massive crush, and this tweet cracked me up to no end last week.

My game recommendation today is Nightslink by noiseminded. It’s on itch.io for $3.29, playing time is about 20 minutes. You might want to play it more than once, though; there are a few more clues to be found if you lean into it, and even a slight twist. It’s an existential horror game with PS1 aesthetics, at times reminiscent of P.T. but not a rip off; it has one very mild jump scare; and it has no explanations whatsoever except what you pick up from conversations. What do you do? You deliver audio tapes to strange, secluded people in a decrepit apartment block, and they talk to you through their doors.

Enjoy!
J.