Sinking ship of state
Indignity Vol. 5, No. 32
CURRENT EVENTS DEP'T.
Update: It's All Still Going Badly
WHICH DAY IS going to be the worst day? Today they opened the concentration camp in Panama. The New York Times had found hundreds of detainees—normal asylum seekers, families, children—under guard in a Panama City hotel, with no access to lawyers or other assistance. and the response to that news coming out was apparently to take them away to the jungle, whether the camp there was ready or not. "It looks like a zoo, there are fenced cages," an Iranian Christian, deported with her husband and three children, told the Times, before the authorities confiscated her phone.
In the United States, the former competitive lumberjack turned MTV reality-show performer turned Republican member of Congress turned Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced that the Trump administration was rescinding New York's permission to charge congestion pricing in Manhattan. The real estate scammer turned NBC reality-show performer turned President Donald Trump gloated about the move on Truth Social with a post that ended "LONG LIVE THE KING," which the White House quoted in a post accompanied by an AI-generated image of a smirking Trump wearing a crown. The governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, who had delayed and undermined congestion pricing in an effort to pander to Long Island voters, only to discover that the tolls swiftly and stunningly cleared up traffic in the city, responded by posting "We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king," accompanied by a statement declaring the plan would continue, which ended "We'll see you in court."
Everyone is trying to figure out how to pay the appropriate attention to the complete unraveling of everything at once without losing their minds. Our household is experimenting with a rule of no feed-scrolling after sundown, on the grounds that it will all still be there in the morning. The sunset recently moved past 5:30. When it's dark out—as it is as I type this—it's time to shut off the news flow for the day.
Till morning, here are five more stories from today:
Trump Jr. hunting party investigated over killing of protected duck in Italy
More eggs are being confiscated at the U.S.-Mexico border amid the bird flu outbreak
Sources: Andrew Cuomo to announce run for NYC mayor by end of month
WEATHER REVIEWS
New York City, February 18, 2025
★★ The vestibule was filled with light reflected off windows across the street. The sun kept producing various local spotlight effects through the day but the shadows everywhere else were heavy. Indoors, the cold crept in and hung on the air; outside it burned the lips. Litter blew around, loose and dry. No one was out moving on the street unless they had somewhere to go.
EASY LISTENING DEP'T.
HERE IS TODAY'S Indignity Morning Podcast.
Tom Scocca
Click on this box to find the Indignity Morning Podcast archive.
TOM SCOCCA
ADVICE DEP'T.
GOT SOMETHING YOU need to justify to yourself, or to the world at large? Other columnists are here to judge you, but The Sophist is here to tell you why you’re right. Direct your questions to The Sophist, at indignity@indignity.net, and get the answers you want.
SANDWICH RECIPES DEP'T.
WE PRESENT INSTRUCTIONS in aid of the assembly of a sandwich selected from A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband: with Bettina’s Best Recipes, by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron, published in 1917, available at archive.org for the delectation of all.
Bettina Sandwiches (Twelve portions)
1/2 C-creamed cheese
3 T-pickles, chopped fine
1/2 C-pimento olives, chopped fine
2 T-salad dressing
1/4 t-salt
Mix the cheese, pickles, olives, and salt. Add the salad dressing. Spread this mixture between two thin pieces of buttered bread. Press firmly together and cut into fancy shapes.
If you decide to prepare and attempt to enjoy a sandwich inspired by this offering, be sure to send a picture to indignity@indignity.net.
