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The Merton Folio

Welcome to the Merton folio on the web.

…More Fuperman…

Those who know me well, know that Superman is my favorite superhero. I grew up reading all sorts of superheroes, and enjoy many of them, but Superman always held a special place in my heart. Sure, he’s nearly infinitely powerful and can fly and all that. But power and flight are table stakes for superheroes these days. Superman’s real superpower was that he chose to do good, to do what was right, because it was right.

Andor

The entire two-season run of Andor, 24 episodes in all, is streaming on Disney+. Andor is prestige, must see television. It’s compelling human drama, acted brilliantly by some of the top actors working today. The writing and direction are inspired and intentional. The production design amazing. The fact that it is also one of the most compelling Star Wars sagas ever committed to screen is icing on the cake. But this draws from many real world documentaries and movies about conflicts, fascist takeovers and tactics, and rebellions; so while Andor may take place “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away,” it feels familiar, like it took place here too, in living memory.

How California Can Save Itself

# America is going to Hell Trump’s tariffs are bringing on a global recession that will more than likely hit America harder than it hits the rest of the world. Trump is destroying international relationships left and right. He is dismantling national networks for health, education, social services, and so on. By the time he leaves office, even if a more sane government takes over, it will be left with a broken, impoverished, bitterly divided nation, deep in a downward spiral, with no friends left in the free world.

Not much else to say, except…

# I stand with Ukraine What Trump and his stooge did to Zelenskyy was depraved and disgusting. Everyone already knew that Trump is a narcissist who demands that foreign leaders kiss the ring. What everyone didn’t know—and is abundantly clear now—is that established relationships, allies, treaties mean nothing to him. # Budapest Memorandum The USSR had a lot of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Those would have made Ukraine one of the strongest nuclear powers in the world.

When it all feels too much

This is not a news site. I’m not going to aggregate or discuss every new twist and turn that happens either around the globe or in the Trump administration. Partly, because that would drive me insane. I’d rather focus on things that are positive. Partly because there’s going to be a non-stop barrage of bad news for the next four years (at least) and that’s all I’d ever have time to write about.