newyorker--2020-07-16--Andrew Cuomo’s Pandemic Poster and the Limits of Coronavirus Visuals

This week , the governor of New York , Andrew Cuomo , unveiled the latest in his ongoing series of civic-minded artworks : a monumental image illustrating the arc of his state ’ s journey through the COVID-19 pandemic , like a map of “ The Pilgrim ’ s Progress ” for 2020 .
The curve of infections is represented by a craggy mountain , whose peak is marked “ Day 43 , ” with 18,825 people hospitalized .
On the symbolic mountain , a nose gets swabbed for testing .
A waterfall of dollar signs represents the crashing economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? )
blows the “ Winds of Fear , ” joined by an octopus carrying a cruise-ship harbinger .
President Trump sits on a crescent moon labelled “ It ’ s Only the Flu.
” The narrative focus of this hysterical-realist tableau seems to be the group of well-masked people—New Yorkers , essential workers , and Cuomo ’ s daughters and dog—using “ The Power of ‘ We ’ ” to pull down the curve with a golden rope arcing across the composition .
( The “ Boyfriend Cliff , ” with its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s vendetta rather than a P.S.A . )
The celebratory poster , dubbed “ New York Tough , ” is for sale on the governor ’ s Web site for eleven dollars and fifty cents .
“ Poster art is something they did in the early 1900s , late 1800s , when they had to communicate their whole platform on one piece of paper , ” Cuomo writes of the project .
His side gig as a vintage visual propagandist entered public consciousness this past January , when he collaborated with the Brooklyn-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feverish poster depicting New York as a ship navigating stormy seas ( which was actually the sequel to two previous images , the first dating back to Cuomo ’ s initial run for governor , in 2010 ) .
The series was inspired by William Jennings Bryan ’ s intricate 1900 Presidential-campaign poster , which features an octopus as a symbol of trusts—Gilded Age business monopolies .
Beyond posters , the governor has commissioned two more works of COVID-19 public art , which were broadcast via press conference : a tapestry of donated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called “ a self-portrait of America ” ; and , in late June , a moss-green sculptural landscape , of which , he explained , “ This is the mountain that New Yorkers climbed.
” The mountain , in particular , was notable for its sheer unexpectedness—a craft project in the midst of a pandemic ?
—and for its simplification of so much suffering into a mundane geographical feature .
Dozens of headlines and hundreds of bemused tweets later , the new poster has become a meme—perhaps the recent streaming release of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonial-Americana aesthetics .
But what ’ s most remarkable is the contrast between the work ’ s bright , cartoonish imagery and the reality that New York has seen the most coronavirus deaths of anywhere in the country , a rolling catastrophe that could intensify again at any moment .
For Cuomo , whose daily press conferences made him an early hero of the pandemic—before an awareness of the state ’ s deficiencies in responding to the virus crept in—the politicking iconography seems to be something of a personal obsession .
In an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process by which he and the governor came up with their posters ’ elaborate metaphors , a flow from the subconscious : “ Let ’ s see what this looks like with a staircase emerging from the sea , and what if that staircase was made of brick to symbolize building a new New York as our economic policy moving forward into the future.
” It ’ s not surprising that it kicked off with a late-night epiphany , which , as Zimmerman recalled , had Cuomo scrawling sketches at the dining-room table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Jake Tapper and other commentators as a hollow victory lap , its triumphant optimism at odds with the virus ’ s increase in forty-one other states .
The waterfall of the economy is still definitely flowing downward , and the poster makes no reference to , for instance , the recent end of the state ’ s moratorium on evictions .
The poster might simply be Cuomo ’ s way of satisfying a creative itch .
But if he shares the Renaissance patron ’ s goal of burnishing his image for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumped the gun .
The Times labelled the latest poster “ kitsch , ” and it indeed has elements of cliché legibility , like the diagrams in a middle-school textbook .
But the description isn ’ t quite correct .
Walter Benjamin wrote that kitsch is “ art with a one-hundred percent , absolute and instantaneous availability for consumption.
” Cuomo ’ s work , by contrast , includes the expression of a kind of private visual symbology , which requires some effort to decode : the first-name labels of Cuomo ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ 111 Days of Hell.
” In that way , the poster is reminiscent of medieval manuscript illuminations , those complicated scenes that integrate calligraphy and numerology to gesture at a truth beyond logic .
The message of this latest from the atelier Cuomo is , ultimately , that we must have faith that salvation is with us .
Someday we will reach “ The Sun On The Other Side , ” whose beatific , anthropomorphized face is blessedly mask-free .
Such leaps of faith have been central to this country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It hasn ’ t gone well for us , and visibility is at the core of the problem : we can ’ t see the virus itself ; those of us quarantined at home often don ’ t see the essential workers risking their lives to keep the economy going , or the doctors and nurses tending to the sick in hospitals .
Our understanding of the virus and its effects relies on the secondary symbols that we do encounter in our daily lives : the refrigerator trucks turned morgues , the emptied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most potent weapons against the pandemic and a barometer of public anxiety , are interpreted instead as signs of their wearers ’ political allegiance .
We ’ re left , on our own , to follow inconsistent rules for confronting a little-understood disease on a suprahuman scale .
That ’ s why Cuomo ’ s poster is poignant even in its absurdity : his illustrations are grasping to understand and depict reality , just as we all are .
Of course , a governor ’ s magical thinking—nurtured among the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequential than a civilian ’ s .
If we take the poster ’ s composition literally , we might wonder why the giant nose of “ Testing-Tracing ” appears only on the left side of Pandemic Mountain , and connect it to the fact that tests are now taking up to seven to ten days to process in New York , long enough to make them next to useless for individuals .
In the bottom right corner of the mountain , near arrows pointing to Arizona , Texas , and Florida , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( also seen in Cuomo ’ s January poster ) .
Is this a pessimistic prophecy of civil war ?
Are the workers with the rope falling into it ?
It ’ s possible that there ’ s more to the poster than the designer himself knows .
Like the Book of Kells , it will be up to future exegetes to interpret .
In the meantime , the most effective representation of the pandemic is also the driest : a simple line on a graph .
Often , the line is red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upward .
It may chart the number of COVID-19 infections or deaths , or the rate of unemployment as a result of the pandemic .
The Financial Times is maintaining an infographic that allows users to compare the curves of various countries or U.S. states , based on a seven-day rolling average .
NPR has its own selection of visualizations , showing states colored red , yellow , or blue based on the volume of new cases now as compared with two weeks ago ; larger and smaller circles representing the total cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the plain old line .
Right now it shows that New York ’ s curve is only beginning its descent—there remains a long way to go .
Cuomo ’ s surreal artworks are designed for posterity , whereas the brutal geometry of infographics informs us day by day .
Our actions right now will determine whether the disinterested line will continue to angle up or down .
• The coronavirus vaccine is on track to be the fastest ever developed .
• What the coronavirus has revealed about American medicine .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. reopens , from socializing and using public bathrooms to wearing masks .
• Why remote work is so hard—and how it can be fixed .
• Seattle leaders let scientists take the lead in responding to the coronavirus .
New York leaders did not .
• The long crusade of Dr. Anthony Fauci , the infectious-disease expert pinned between Donald Trump and the American people .
• What to read , watch , cook , and listen to under quarantine .

This week, the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, unveiled the latest in his ongoing series of civic-minded artworks: a monumental image illustrating the arc of his state’s journey through the COVID-19 pandemic, like a map of “The Pilgrim’s Progress” for 2020. The curve of infections is represented by a craggy mountain, whose peak is marked “Day 43,” with 18,825 people hospitalized. On the symbolic mountain, a nose gets swabbed for testing. A waterfall of dollar signs represents the crashing economy. An overly Asiatic-looking dragon (China?) blows the “Winds of Fear,” joined by an octopus carrying a cruise-ship harbinger. President Trump sits on a crescent moon labelled “It’s Only the Flu.” The narrative focus of this hysterical-realist tableau seems to be the group of well-masked people—New Yorkers, essential workers, and Cuomo’s daughters and dog—using “The Power of ‘We’ ” to pull down the curve with a golden rope arcing across the composition. (The “Boyfriend Cliff,” with its dangling figure, suggests a father’s vendetta rather than a P.S.A.)
The celebratory poster, dubbed “New York Tough,” is for sale on the governor’s Web site for eleven dollars and fifty cents. “Poster art is something they did in the early 1900s, late 1800s, when they had to communicate their whole platform on one piece of paper,” Cuomo writes of the project. His side gig as a vintage visual propagandist entered public consciousness this past January, when he collaborated with the Brooklyn-based artist Rusty Zimmerman to create a similarly feverish poster depicting New York as a ship navigating stormy seas (which was actually the sequel to two previous images, the first dating back to Cuomo’s initial run for governor, in 2010). The series was inspired by William Jennings Bryan’s intricate 1900 Presidential-campaign poster, which features an octopus as a symbol of trusts—Gilded Age business monopolies. Beyond posters, the governor has commissioned two more works of COVID-19 public art, which were broadcast via press conference: a tapestry of donated masks, in April, that he called “a self-portrait of America”; and, in late June, a moss-green sculptural landscape, of which, he explained, “This is the mountain that New Yorkers climbed.” The mountain, in particular, was notable for its sheer unexpectedness—a craft project in the midst of a pandemic?—and for its simplification of so much suffering into a mundane geographical feature.
Dozens of headlines and hundreds of bemused tweets later, the new poster has become a meme—perhaps the recent streaming release of “Hamilton” primed the public for its colonial-Americana aesthetics. But what’s most remarkable is the contrast between the work’s bright, cartoonish imagery and the reality that New York has seen the most coronavirus deaths of anywhere in the country, a rolling catastrophe that could intensify again at any moment. For Cuomo, whose daily press conferences made him an early hero of the pandemic—before an awareness of the state’s deficiencies in responding to the virus crept in—the politicking iconography seems to be something of a personal obsession. In an interview with Gothamist, Zimmerman described the process by which he and the governor came up with their posters’ elaborate metaphors, a flow from the subconscious: “Let’s see what this looks like with a staircase emerging from the sea, and what if that staircase was made of brick to symbolize building a new New York as our economic policy moving forward into the future.” It’s not surprising that it kicked off with a late-night epiphany, which, as Zimmerman recalled, had Cuomo scrawling sketches at the dining-room table.
The poster has already faced criticism from Jake Tapper and other commentators as a hollow victory lap, its triumphant optimism at odds with the virus’s increase in forty-one other states. The waterfall of the economy is still definitely flowing downward, and the poster makes no reference to, for instance, the recent end of the state’s moratorium on evictions. The poster might simply be Cuomo’s way of satisfying a creative itch. But if he shares the Renaissance patron’s goal of burnishing his image for the historical record, he may well have jumped the gun.
The Times labelled the latest poster “kitsch,” and it indeed has elements of cliché legibility, like the diagrams in a middle-school textbook. But the description isn’t quite correct. Walter Benjamin wrote that kitsch is “art with a one-hundred percent, absolute and instantaneous availability for consumption.” Cuomo’s work, by contrast, includes the expression of a kind of private visual symbology, which requires some effort to decode: the first-name labels of Cuomo’s caricatured colleagues, the apocalyptic shorthands like “111 Days of Hell.” In that way, the poster is reminiscent of medieval manuscript illuminations, those complicated scenes that integrate calligraphy and numerology to gesture at a truth beyond logic. The message of this latest from the atelier Cuomo is, ultimately, that we must have faith that salvation is with us. Someday we will reach “The Sun On The Other Side,” whose beatific, anthropomorphized face is blessedly mask-free.
Such leaps of faith have been central to this country’s modus operandi in confronting the pandemic. It hasn’t gone well for us, and visibility is at the core of the problem: we can’t see the virus itself; those of us quarantined at home often don’t see the essential workers risking their lives to keep the economy going, or the doctors and nurses tending to the sick in hospitals. Our understanding of the virus and its effects relies on the secondary symbols that we do encounter in our daily lives: the refrigerator trucks turned morgues, the emptied streets and storefronts. Masks, one of the most potent weapons against the pandemic and a barometer of public anxiety, are interpreted instead as signs of their wearers’ political allegiance. We’re left, on our own, to follow inconsistent rules for confronting a little-understood disease on a suprahuman scale.
That’s why Cuomo’s poster is poignant even in its absurdity: his illustrations are grasping to understand and depict reality, just as we all are. Of course, a governor’s magical thinking—nurtured among the “Clouds of Confusion,” perhaps—is more consequential than a civilian’s. If we take the poster’s composition literally, we might wonder why the giant nose of “Testing-Tracing” appears only on the left side of Pandemic Mountain, and connect it to the fact that tests are now taking up to seven to ten days to process in New York, long enough to make them next to useless for individuals. In the bottom right corner of the mountain, near arrows pointing to Arizona, Texas, and Florida, is the churning “Sea of Division” (also seen in Cuomo’s January poster). Is this a pessimistic prophecy of civil war? Are the workers with the rope falling into it? It’s possible that there’s more to the poster than the designer himself knows. Like the Book of Kells, it will be up to future exegetes to interpret.
In the meantime, the most effective representation of the pandemic is also the driest: a simple line on a graph. Often, the line is red, especially when it’s pointing upward. It may chart the number of COVID-19 infections or deaths, or the rate of unemployment as a result of the pandemic. The Financial Times is maintaining an infographic that allows users to compare the curves of various countries or U.S. states, based on a seven-day rolling average. NPR has its own selection of visualizations, showing states colored red, yellow, or blue based on the volume of new cases now as compared with two weeks ago; larger and smaller circles representing the total cases or deaths in a particular place; and the plain old line. Right now it shows that New York’s curve is only beginning its descent—there remains a long way to go. Cuomo’s surreal artworks are designed for posterity, whereas the brutal geometry of infographics informs us day by day. Our actions right now will determine whether the disinterested line will continue to angle up or down.
A Guide to the Coronavirus


newyorker--2020-07-16--Is the Saudi Government Plotting Against Another U.S.-Based Critic?

In early May , officials with the C.I.A .
reached out to Ali Soufan , a former F.B.I .
agent who served as a lead investigator in the months before the September 11th attacks , to say they had learned that Al Qaeda militants were plotting against him .
The officials asked Soufan not to disclose many details , but , he told me , “ The information was specific enough that they felt that they had to inform me.
” Two weeks later , Soufan , who lives in the New York area , became the target of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , amplified by trolls and bots , featured menacing statements .
“ Mr .
Ali , ” one Twitter user wrote , “ Make yourself dead , beginning of the end.
” Soufan brought the material to F.B.I .
officials , who opened an investigation .
Cybersecurity experts hired by Soufan traced at least part of the campaign to an official in the Saudi government .
The campaign appeared to have involved some of the same people who had targeted Jamal Khashoggi , the Saudi dissident , Washington Post columnist , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence agents in October , 2018 .
Soufan is not without enemies .
He has been a longtime antagonist of Al Qaeda .
As an F.B.I .
agent , he pursued the militants who attacked the American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the U.S.S .
Cole , in Yemen .
He also investigated the ring of plotters who ultimately attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001 .
His efforts earned him the F.B.I .
Director ’ s Award for Excellence , given each year to the Bureau ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 9/11 plotters is depicted in the Hulu television series “ The Looming Tower.
” “ He ’ s a national hero , ” Bruce Riedel , a former C.I.A .
analyst who is now a scholar at the Brookings Institution , told me .
Soufan has also earned the ire of the Saudi government .
After leaving the Bureau , in 2005 , he started the Soufan Group , a security-advisory firm in New York .
His company runs a training academy for police and intelligence forces in Qatar , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last January , when the Vice-President , Mike Pence , tweeted a message that blamed Iran for the 9/11 attacks , Soufan responded by pointing out that fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were from Saudi Arabia .
The Saudi state has repeatedly disclaimed any responsibility for the attacks , but it has a long history of complicity with Al Qaeda .
The families of the victims of the September 11th attacks are suing the Riyadh government for allegedly aiding the hijackers .
Soufan also knew Khashoggi , a dissident who wrote a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the Saudi regime .
In October , 2018 , Khashoggi was murdered and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul .
No trace of him has been found , but the C.I.A .
has concluded , with “ medium-to-high ” confidence , that the assassination was ordered by Mohammed bin Salman , the Saudi crown prince .
After Khashoggi ’ s death , Soufan helped hold a memorial for him on Capitol Hill , which was attended by several United States senators and members of Congress .
When the social-media campaign began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cybersecurity team to investigate ; he also hired outside experts to advise them .
They determined that the effort was started by Hussain al-Ghawi , a self-proclaimed Saudi journalist .
He claimed , among other things , that Soufan , when he was an F.B.I .
agent , tortured a suspected Al Qaeda operative named Ali al-Marri .
( Soufan denies this .
He is noted for refusing to torture an Al Qaeda suspect , Abu Zubaydah , in 2002 , and later testified before Congress about the ineffectiveness of the C.I.A.
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post , al-Ghawi wrote that Soufan ’ s company had entered into an alliance with Qatar to malign Saudi Arabia , and that Soufan had been given Qatari citizenship .
( Soufan works in Qatar but denies having citizenship . )
“ Its purpose , ” al-Ghawi said of Soufan ’ s company , “ is to absolve Qatar of supporting terrorism.
” Those claims were retweeted thousands of times by a legion of bots and fake accounts , setting the stage for more vicious attacks .
“ His end will be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one person wrote on Twitter .
“ God willing.
” The deeper Soufan and his team dug , the more disturbing the details appeared .
Khashoggi had also been the target of a vitriolic social-media campaign—which al-Ghawi helped instigate .
In the months before the killing , al-Ghawi posted a similar series of tweets about Khashoggi , many of which were retweeted by bots and unverified accounts .
“ There is no one bigger than the homeland , Jamal , ” he wrote .
As in Soufan ’ s case , a relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Make yourself dead , ” a man tweeted at Khashoggi , in December of 2017 .
Last month , another case emerged : Omar Abdulaziz , a young Saudi activist living in Montreal , told the Guardian that Canadian police had warned him of a Saudi plot to target him .
Abdulaziz , a prominent critic of the Saudi regime , was a friend and collaborator of Khashoggi .
The threats against Khashoggi , Soufan , and Abdulaziz bear striking similarities .
The phrases “ the beginning of the end , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ your end is in a garbage dumpster ” appear in tweets about all three .
These sorts of phrases are not uncommon in Twitter exchanges in the Arab world , nor are Khashoggi , Soufan , and Abdulaziz the only targets of pro-Saudi trolls .
Still , Soufan is concerned that the over-all pattern suggests that he is a target .
“ Jamal was murdered by Saudi operatives , ” he said .
“ The threat against Omar is confirmed by Canadian authorities to be directly linked to Saudi Arabia .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me would not be connected as well.
” Who is al-Ghawi ?
The Twitter account in his name is verified , so he is most likely not a bot , but his account does not accept direct messages .
( I was unable to contact him . )
He runs a YouTube program called “ Al Jamra , ” or “ The Hot Coal , ” which broadcasts pro-Saudi propaganda .
Officials at the Saudi Embassy in Washington declined to address the specifics of Soufan ’ s case , but said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which are not supported by any evidence , and which are intended to serve the agendas of those propagating them.
” The officials added that Saudi Arabia prosecutes violators of its cybercrimes laws and allows victims to file suit .
But the Saudi government has apparently used online campaigns to further its interests .
In December of 2019 , Twitter announced that it had terminated fifty-nine hundred and twenty-nine accounts that were part of “ a significant state-backed information operation on Twitter originating in Saudi Arabia.
” Twitter said that the accounts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company ’ s “ platform manipulation policies.
” Records show that at least five of them had interacted with Khashoggi ’ s account before his murder .
Soufan ’ s team also identified thirty-seven accounts that retweeted or liked postings critical of both Khashoggi and Soufan .
“ These are the classic signs of a state-supported campaign , ” Zachary Schwitzky , one of the experts whom Soufan hired to examine the data , said .
At the same time , details of the Al Qaeda plot disclosed by the C.I.A .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign .
Agency officials told Soufan that he could be targeted while he was in Qatar ; tweets aimed at him said the same thing .
The C.I.A .
said that the plot appeared to be motivated by his time in the F.B.I .
and his continuing work on counterterrorism issues ; the tweets suggested the same .
“ The disinformation campaign used false narratives and dangerous imagery about me that directly aligned with elements of the threat , ” Soufan said .

Ali Soufan, a decorated veteran of U.S. law enforcement, has become the target of a vitriolic social-media campaign. Photograph by Antonio Olmos / The Guardian / eyevine / Redux
In early May, officials with the C.I.A. reached out to Ali Soufan, a former F.B.I. agent who served as a lead investigator in the months before the September 11th attacks, to say they had learned that Al Qaeda militants were plotting against him. The officials asked Soufan not to disclose many details, but, he told me, “The information was specific enough that they felt that they had to inform me.”
Two weeks later, Soufan, who lives in the New York area, became the target of a virulent campaign on social media. The campaign, amplified by trolls and bots, featured menacing statements. “Mr. Ali,” one Twitter user wrote, “Make yourself dead, beginning of the end.” Soufan brought the material to F.B.I. officials, who opened an investigation. Cybersecurity experts hired by Soufan traced at least part of the campaign to an official in the Saudi government. The campaign appeared to have involved some of the same people who had targeted Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi dissident, Washington Post columnist, and Virginia resident who was murdered by Saudi intelligence agents in October, 2018.
Soufan is not without enemies. He has been a longtime antagonist of Al Qaeda. As an F.B.I. agent, he pursued the militants who attacked the American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the U.S.S. Cole, in Yemen. He also investigated the ring of plotters who ultimately attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001. His efforts earned him the F.B.I. Director’s Award for Excellence, given each year to the Bureau’s outstanding agents. Soufan’s pursuit of the 9/11 plotters is depicted in the Hulu television series “The Looming Tower.” “He’s a national hero,” Bruce Riedel, a former C.I.A. analyst who is now a scholar at the Brookings Institution, told me.
Soufan has also earned the ire of the Saudi government. After leaving the Bureau, in 2005, he started the Soufan Group, a security-advisory firm in New York. His company runs a training academy for police and intelligence forces in Qatar, a neighbor and bitter rival of Saudi Arabia. Last January, when the Vice-President, Mike Pence, tweeted a message that blamed Iran for the 9/11 attacks, Soufan responded by pointing out that fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. The Saudi state has repeatedly disclaimed any responsibility for the attacks, but it has a long history of complicity with Al Qaeda. The families of the victims of the September 11th attacks are suing the Riyadh government for allegedly aiding the hijackers.
Soufan also knew Khashoggi, a dissident who wrote a series of damning columns for the Post about the Saudi regime. In October, 2018, Khashoggi was murdered and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. No trace of him has been found, but the C.I.A. has concluded, with “medium-to-high” confidence, that the assassination was ordered by Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince. After Khashoggi’s death, Soufan helped hold a memorial for him on Capitol Hill, which was attended by several United States senators and members of Congress.
When the social-media campaign began, Soufan asked his firm’s cybersecurity team to investigate; he also hired outside experts to advise them. They determined that the effort was started by Hussain al-Ghawi, a self-proclaimed Saudi journalist. He claimed, among other things, that Soufan, when he was an F.B.I. agent, tortured a suspected Al Qaeda operative named Ali al-Marri. (Soufan denies this. He is noted for refusing to torture an Al Qaeda suspect, Abu Zubaydah, in 2002, and later testified before Congress about the ineffectiveness of the C.I.A.’s methods.)
In another Twitter post, al-Ghawi wrote that Soufan’s company had entered into an alliance with Qatar to malign Saudi Arabia, and that Soufan had been given Qatari citizenship. (Soufan works in Qatar but denies having citizenship.) “Its purpose,” al-Ghawi said of Soufan’s company, “is to absolve Qatar of supporting terrorism.” Those claims were retweeted thousands of times by a legion of bots and fake accounts, setting the stage for more vicious attacks. “His end will be in a garbage dumpster in Qatar,” one person wrote on Twitter. “God willing.”
The deeper Soufan and his team dug, the more disturbing the details appeared. Khashoggi had also been the target of a vitriolic social-media campaign—which al-Ghawi helped instigate. In the months before the killing, al-Ghawi posted a similar series of tweets about Khashoggi, many of which were retweeted by bots and unverified accounts. “There is no one bigger than the homeland, Jamal,” he wrote. As in Soufan’s case, a relatively tame critique invited more intense attacks. “Make yourself dead,” a man tweeted at Khashoggi, in December of 2017.
Last month, another case emerged: Omar Abdulaziz, a young Saudi activist living in Montreal, told the Guardian that Canadian police had warned him of a Saudi plot to target him. Abdulaziz, a prominent critic of the Saudi regime, was a friend and collaborator of Khashoggi.
The threats against Khashoggi, Soufan, and Abdulaziz bear striking similarities. The phrases “the beginning of the end,” “make yourself dead,” and “your end is in a garbage dumpster” appear in tweets about all three. These sorts of phrases are not uncommon in Twitter exchanges in the Arab world, nor are Khashoggi, Soufan, and Abdulaziz the only targets of pro-Saudi trolls. Still, Soufan is concerned that the over-all pattern suggests that he is a target. “Jamal was murdered by Saudi operatives,” he said. “The threat against Omar is confirmed by Canadian authorities to be directly linked to Saudi Arabia. It seems highly unlikely that the threat against me would not be connected as well.”
Who is al-Ghawi? The Twitter account in his name is verified, so he is most likely not a bot, but his account does not accept direct messages. (I was unable to contact him.) He runs a YouTube program called “Al Jamra,” or “The Hot Coal,” which broadcasts pro-Saudi propaganda.
Officials at the Saudi Embassy in Washington declined to address the specifics of Soufan’s case, but said, “Saudi Arabia rejects such baseless allegations, which are not supported by any evidence, and which are intended to serve the agendas of those propagating them.” The officials added that Saudi Arabia prosecutes violators of its cybercrimes laws and allows victims to file suit. But the Saudi government has apparently used online campaigns to further its interests. In December of 2019, Twitter announced that it had terminated fifty-nine hundred and twenty-nine accounts that were part of “a significant state-backed information operation on Twitter originating in Saudi Arabia.” Twitter said that the accounts, most of which were automated, violated the company’s “platform manipulation policies.” Records show that at least five of them had interacted with Khashoggi’s account before his murder. Soufan’s team also identified thirty-seven accounts that retweeted or liked postings critical of both Khashoggi and Soufan. “These are the classic signs of a state-supported campaign,” Zachary Schwitzky, one of the experts whom Soufan hired to examine the data, said.


newyorker--2020-07-16--The Decadence of an Earlier Age

The Decadence of an Earlier Age

I wake up in the morning , at 4 A.M. sharp , to prepare for my job at the local hand-holding factory .
The sky is still dark , but the moon shines like the toothy smiles of my friends and family .
My open window lets air wafts in , cool on my mouth skin and chin area .
It ’ s a beautiful morning in a happy and free America .
The hand-holding-factory job is new , but there are so very many jobs that it made deciding where to work difficult .
I brush my teeth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for less than thirty seconds ( no soap ) , and head out into the world .
But , first , I lick my doorknob for good luck .
Headed to public transportation , I catch the subtle notes of music in the air .
It ’ s “ Old Town Road , ” by Lil Nas X , blasting from a nearby vehicle , a van that ’ s packed to the brim with the elderly , infants , and the immunocompromised .
They love this song as much as I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using my ungloved hand to whip an imaginary lasso above my head , like a cowboy .
I feel the reckless freedom of the open West , a land of Big Rock Candy Mountains and readily available respirators .
Other job-havers on their way to full-time employment see me dancing and join in .
It becomes a music festival .
All colors and creeds dance together in harmony , because racism does not exist because we do not talk about it .
On the subway , I make sure to kiss everyone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also works at the factory , taps me on the shoulder and reminds me not to get “ too fresh.
” I kiss her , as well .
I can ’ t help it .
I ’ m just so happy .
Exiting the subway , skipping , I rub both my hands along the stairway railings .
At work , I set up at my station and get right to it , holding hands as fast as I can .
After lunch at a crowded restaurant , our boss surprises us all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City !
I wonder if we ’ ll have time to physically touch everyone in Times Square .
I desperately hope so .
It ’ s been my lifelong goal to kiss the top of the Chrysler Building .
But only if all my friends , neighbors , and relatives ( both close and distant ) are there with me .
After work , I go on a date with a stranger I met at the music festival earlier .
He is nice and I invite him into my home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my doorknob ( and other things ) , before I send him on his way .
I crawl into my unwashed sheets in the clothes I wore all day , because I now think of them as my lucky clothes .
I shut my eyes and dream of eating at my favorite Chuck E. Cheese .
It ’ s just another night in 2019 , and the future is something I can ’ t wait to open-mouth smooch .

I wake up in the morning, at 4 A.M. sharp, to prepare for my job at the local hand-holding factory. The sky is still dark, but the moon shines like the toothy smiles of my friends and family. My open window lets air waft in, cool on my mouth skin and chin area. It’s a beautiful morning in a happy and free America.
The hand-holding-factory job is new, but there are so very many jobs that it made deciding where to work difficult. I brush my teeth, run my hands briskly under the water for less than thirty seconds (no soap), and head out into the world. But, first, I lick my doorknob for good luck.
Headed to public transportation, I catch the subtle notes of music in the air. It’s “Old Town Road,” by Lil Nas X, blasting from a nearby vehicle, a van that’s packed to the brim with the elderly, infants, and the immunocompromised. They love this song as much as I do. I dance to the music, using my ungloved hand to whip an imaginary lasso above my head, like a cowboy. I feel the reckless freedom of the open West, a land of Big Rock Candy Mountains and readily available respirators. Other job-havers on their way to full-time employment see me dancing and join in. It becomes a music festival. All colors and creeds dance together in harmony, because racism does not exist because we do not talk about it.
On the subway, I make sure to kiss everyone in my car. My grandma, who also works at the factory, taps me on the shoulder and reminds me not to get “too fresh.” I kiss her, as well. I can’t help it. I’m just so happy. Exiting the subway, skipping, I rub both my hands along the stairway railings.
At work, I set up at my station and get right to it, holding hands as fast as I can. After lunch at a crowded restaurant, our boss surprises us all with a pan-Asian vacation, departing from New York City! I wonder if we’ll have time to physically touch everyone in Times Square. I desperately hope so. It’s been my lifelong goal to kiss the top of the Chrysler Building. But only if all my friends, neighbors, and relatives (both close and distant) are there with me.
After work, I go on a date with a stranger I met at the music festival earlier. He is nice and I invite him into my home, where my family lives. He licks my doorknob (and other things), before I send him on his way. I crawl into my unwashed sheets in the clothes I wore all day, because I now think of them as my lucky clothes.
I shut my eyes and dream of eating at my favorite Chuck E. Cheese. It’s just another night in 2019, and the future is something I can’t wait to open-mouth smooch.


newyorker--2020-07-16--Betting on Gas Is Definitely Immoral—and Probably Unwise

The fallout from last week ’ s epic pipeline defeats continues .
Activists celebrated when the Secretary of Energy blamed them for the fossil-fuel industry ’ s recent losses ; a writer in the Financial Times used the three reversals as an opportunity to ask , “ Is the party finally over for US oil and gas ?
” ( His answer : yes , and if Joe Biden wins he “ will inherit an energy market that , despite Mr. Trump ’ s efforts , is primed for a transition that will be backed by investors increasingly obliged to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was one discordant note : even as Duke Energy and Dominion Energy announced that they are cancelling plans for the massive Atlantic Coast gas pipeline , Dominion also said that Warren Buffett has bought its residential natural-gas business for ten billion dollars .
So the Oracle of Omaha is betting on gas .
Buffett is far from infallible .
Just last year , he bet ten billion dollars on oil , and in May he lamented the hit he ’ d taken on the investment , saying that he planned to invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it seems , gas .
He hasn ’ t explained his reasoning , but Sammy Roth , writing for the L.A. Times , provided the best guesses .
In truth , gas has always been Big Hydrocarbon ’ s fondest hope for an exit strategy : coal is so clearly filthy that even Trump ’ s efforts have done nothing to stem its decline , and oil has probably hit its peak , as electric vehicles beckon .
Gas is the remaining possibility for growth—and , indeed , it has grown sharply in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its reputation as a clean fuel .
( Check out the industry ’ s Web page , with its sprightly trademarked slogan “ Propane Can Do That.
” ) But that reputation was always overblown at best .
Scientists have spent the past decade learning that natural-gas production spews methane into the air at dangerous rates ; those molecules join with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to accelerate the climate crisis .
In recent days , analysts reported that , worldwide , nearly half of all big projects to export liquefied natural gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate concerns and a COVID-related reduction in demand .
As drillers go bankrupt , it seems possible that the fracking industry will pass its zenith without ever having produced an actual profit .
( In fact , the Times warned over the weekend that some of these companies may be going bankrupt before fulfilling their obligations to seal and cap their abandoned wells , which are now leaking methane in large quantities into the atmosphere . )
Last week , utilities in Arizona , Colorado , and Florida announced plans to close coal-fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy , bypassing the so-called bridge offered by natural gas .
The Center for International Environmental Law reported that “ oil and gas companies can no longer mask their financial frailty.
” Buffett ’ s bet on gas is immoral—at this point , trying to make money off hydrocarbons is essentially facilitating the collapse of the climate system—but it may also be financially unsound .
Even if natural-gas backers such as Ernest Moniz , who was the Secretary of Energy under President Obama , win the fight to influence Biden ’ s policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fracking is “ not on the chopping block ” ) , there are reasons to think that the fuel ’ s glory days are waning fast .
A CleanTechnica analysis of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline gives credit to activists for their relentless fight but also to the home heat pump , which uses modest amounts of electricity to heat homes and water .
This electric appliance is common in much of the world , but is only now catching on in the United States .
According to the report , “ as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of new single family residential construction and 50 % of new multi-family buildings.
” That ’ s because the device works better than its alternatives : it uses far less energy to quietly heat or cool a building than a gas furnace .
( Despite its name , a heat pump also works as an ultra-efficient air-conditioner , which is useful given the current “ relentless ” heat wave that forecasters have said will be hitting most of the country for “ multiple weeks.
” ) Like an electric car , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology , not to mention cheaper to operate .
Yes , inertia will keep many people from making the switch in their existing homes , unless good government policy makes it easier .
But such policies are not hard to imagine , and the Rocky Mountain Institute lays out some proposals in a new report , highlighting a Maine initiative to install a hundred thousand pumps around the state in the years to come .
The political power of the fossil-fuel industry is on the decline , which means that all the engineers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get an increasingly fair hearing for their plans .
In addition , every time a new electric appliance is installed , the wealth—and hence the political power of the fossil-fuel industry—declines a tick further , in the kind of virtuous cycle that we badly need to keep accelerating .
Hail the humble heat pump .
Priscillia Ludosky is an unlikely and fascinating leader .
Born in Martinique in 1985 , she moved to France with her family when she was young .
She has a small online cosmetics business , but , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an online petition calling for more responsive government and for lower taxes on essential goods .
It went viral , and she is now regarded as one of the founders of the “ Yellow Vest ” movement—protesters who brought much of France to a standstill that winter .
In this country , the movement was often described as a protest against gas taxes ( and one that was adopted by some far-right elements ) .
But Ludosky , in fact , is a longtime and dedicated environmentalist , whose recent book , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Together We Demand Justice ” ) , which she wrote with fellow-activist Marie Toussaint , was released in France in May .
She also helped lead a process to create a citizens ’ assembly , which , in agreement with Emmanuel Macron ’ s government , consulted with experts and then offered proposals for radical reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions .
My interview with her has been edited for length and clarity .
How did the citizens ’ assembly work ?
Who was in it , and what are a few of the things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fifty citizens randomly chosen , with the mandate to “ define a series of measures to achieve a reduction of at least forty per cent of emissions by 2030 ( compared with 1990 ) in a spirit of social justice.
” From October , 2019 , they had seven working sessions , as well as online work , and were trained , informed by experts , decided who they were going to consult , and divided into several working groups : “ Feeding , ” “ To lodge , ” “ To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ To consume.
” They had to define which proposals would become rules of procedure , or laws , or be submitted to a referendum .
The President had undertaken to accept and apply them “ without filtering.
” Examples of proposals : a referendum to introduce into the Constitution environmental and biodiversity protection ; a law to penalize environmental crime .
They voted and submitted their hundred and forty-nine proposals to the government on June 21st and these were received by the President on June 29th .

The fallout from last week’s epic pipeline defeats continues. Activists celebrated when the Secretary of Energy blamed them for the fossil-fuel industry’s recent losses; a writer in the Financial Times used the three reversals as an opportunity to ask, “Is the party finally over for US oil and gas?” (His answer: yes, and if Joe Biden wins he “will inherit an energy market that, despite Mr. Trump’s efforts, is primed for a transition that will be backed by investors increasingly obliged to bet on clean energy.”) But there was one discordant note: even as Duke Energy and Dominion Energy announced that they are cancelling plans for the massive Atlantic Coast gas pipeline, Dominion also said that Warren Buffett has bought its residential natural-gas business for ten billion dollars. So the Oracle of Omaha is betting on gas.
Buffett is far from infallible. Just last year, he bet ten billion dollars on oil, and in May he lamented the hit he’d taken on the investment, saying that he planned to invest more in solar and wind—but also, it seems, gas. He hasn’t explained his reasoning, but Sammy Roth, writing for the L.A. Times, provided the best guesses. In truth, gas has always been Big Hydrocarbon’s fondest hope for an exit strategy: coal is so clearly filthy that even Trump’s efforts have done nothing to stem its decline, and oil has probably hit its peak, as electric vehicles beckon. Gas is the remaining possibility for growth—and, indeed, it has grown sharply in the past decade, partly due to its reputation as a clean fuel. (Check out the industry’s Web page, with its sprightly trademarked slogan “Propane Can Do That.”) But that reputation was always overblown at best. Scientists have spent the past decade learning that natural-gas production spews methane into the air at dangerous rates; those molecules join with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to accelerate the climate crisis. In recent days, analysts reported that, worldwide, nearly half of all big projects to export liquefied natural gas are now in trouble, thanks to climate concerns and a COVID-related reduction in demand.
As drillers go bankrupt, it seems possible that the fracking industry will pass its zenith without ever having produced an actual profit. (In fact, the Times warned over the weekend that some of these companies may be going bankrupt before fulfilling their obligations to seal and cap their abandoned wells, which are now leaking methane in large quantities into the atmosphere.) Last week, utilities in Arizona, Colorado, and Florida announced plans to close coal-fired power plants and go straight to renewable energy, bypassing the so-called bridge offered by natural gas. The Center for International Environmental Law reported that “oil and gas companies can no longer mask their financial frailty.”
Buffett’s bet on gas is immoral—at this point, trying to make money off hydrocarbons is essentially facilitating the collapse of the climate system—but it may also be financially unsound. Even if natural-gas backers such as Ernest Moniz, who was the Secretary of Energy under President Obama, win the fight to influence Biden’s policies (and Biden did say last week that fracking is “not on the chopping block”), there are reasons to think that the fuel’s glory days are waning fast. A CleanTechnica analysis of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline gives credit to activists for their relentless fight but also to the home heat pump, which uses modest amounts of electricity to heat homes and water. This electric appliance is common in much of the world, but is only now catching on in the United States. According to the report, “as of 2019 heat pumps accounted for 40% of new single family residential construction and 50% of new multi-family buildings.” That’s because the device works better than its alternatives: it uses far less energy to quietly heat or cool a building than a gas furnace. (Despite its name, a heat pump also works as an ultra-efficient air-conditioner, which is useful given the current “relentless” heat wave that forecasters have said will be hitting most of the country for “multiple weeks.”) Like an electric car, a heat pump is simply a more elegant technology, not to mention cheaper to operate. Yes, inertia will keep many people from making the switch in their existing homes, unless good government policy makes it easier. But such policies are not hard to imagine, and the Rocky Mountain Institute lays out some proposals in a new report, highlighting a Maine initiative to install a hundred thousand pumps around the state in the years to come.
The political power of the fossil-fuel industry is on the decline, which means that all the engineers with good ideas about the future will get an increasingly fair hearing for their plans. In addition, every time a new electric appliance is installed, the wealth—and hence the political power of the fossil-fuel industry—declines a tick further, in the kind of virtuous cycle that we badly need to keep accelerating. Hail the humble heat pump.
Passing the Mic
Priscillia Ludosky is an unlikely and fascinating leader. Born in Martinique in 1985, she moved to France with her family when she was young. She has a small online cosmetics business, but, in the spring of 2018, she wrote an online petition calling for more responsive government and for lower taxes on essential goods. It went viral, and she is now regarded as one of the founders of the “Yellow Vest” movement—protesters who brought much of France to a standstill that winter. In this country, the movement was often described as a protest against gas taxes (and one that was adopted by some far-right elements). But Ludosky, in fact, is a longtime and dedicated environmentalist, whose recent book, “Ensemble Nous Demandons Justice” (“Together We Demand Justice”), which she wrote with fellow-activist Marie Toussaint, was released in France in May. She also helped lead a process to create a citizens’ assembly, which, in agreement with Emmanuel Macron’s government, consulted with experts and then offered proposals for radical reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions. My interview with her has been edited for length and clarity.
How did the citizens’ assembly work? Who was in it, and what are a few of the things they recommended?
These are a hundred and fifty citizens randomly chosen, with the mandate to “define a series of measures to achieve a reduction of at least forty per cent of emissions by 2030 (compared with 1990) in a spirit of social justice.” From October, 2019, they had seven working sessions, as well as online work, and were trained, informed by experts, decided who they were going to consult, and divided into several working groups: “Feeding,” “To lodge,” “To work/produce,” “Mobility,” and “To consume.” They had to define which proposals would become rules of procedure, or laws, or be submitted to a referendum. The President had undertaken to accept and apply them “without filtering.” Examples of proposals: a referendum to introduce into the Constitution environmental and biodiversity protection; a law to penalize environmental crime. They voted and submitted their hundred and forty-nine proposals to the government on June 21st and these were received by the President on June 29th.
The President rejected many of the suggestions. What happens now?
Now all support organizations, such as our collective “The Citizens Vests” (“Gilets Citoyens” in French), which are organizing to communicate what can be better in people’s long-term daily lives if some of these proposals are adopted. The President said some proposals would be included in one project, of several laws, by the end of the summer, and others can be submitted to the population through a referendum by 2021. He also said that the modification to the Constitution would be submitted through a referendum by 2021. But we don’t know if he will respect his commitment, so we need public debate and interest around this to make it happen. The citizens’ assembly has created an association to keep an eye over their work.


newyorker--2020-07-16--Grayness, by Sheila Heti

Grayness, by Sheila Heti

This is the second story in this summer ’ s online Flash Fiction series .
You can read the entire series , and our Flash Fiction stories from previous years , here .
The whole world could still be gray , as it was in the past , in those old movies .
But then one day colors came , sometime between then and here .
I think it must have been the wars .
After the wars people said , We need some reason to be less upset .
Someone suggested , Colors ?
The world agreed that colors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the despair of the dying , and all those piled-up bones .
Colors were brought in .
They were just carted in on trucks , and everyone took their fill .
It was a job for every person on the planet to put colors where they ought to be .
Some things were decided in advance , like making the grass green , and you ’ d get a ticket if you made yours red or blue .
But other things you could decide , like the color of your shirt .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who made the big decisions , they were necessary , but then so was every humble individual , doing their own job .
The world sighed in relief : everything was so much more beautiful now !
And for several days there were no wars , just people enjoying the colors , but humans adapt quickly to what is beautiful and nice , and then the wars started up again , and the committee was disbanded .
A long time ago I was part of this committee—not the original one , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee ’ s daughters .
We gathered to take notes about what had really happened in those conversations , so that we could tell the world .
We asked our fathers , What was it like to be on the committee ?
How did the meetings go ?
But they had lost their memories , some of them , and others were angry at the other committee members , and wouldn ’ t tell us why .
We gathered very little information to save for the world , for posterity .
Then we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves , Let ’ s just enjoy the colors .
Who cares how they got here ?
So we did .
We became just like everyone else , not archivists of the past , but regular folks walking through the colors of the present , as if we didn ’ t know anything .
Then , one day , Amanda thought we should actually just talk to the people of the world who had participated in dispersing colors over the land , just regular folk , the ones who did it .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I wanted to do it with her , because I liked her and it sounded fun .
I asked if she thought I should bring my movie camera , and she said yes , we could make a documentary .
We went to a little town and just stood in the square and accosted people who were going about their Sunday shopping and asked them what it was like when there started to be colors , and had they participated in coloring everything ?
We only asked the old people .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to us , but one old woman did .
She invited us back to her apartment for tea .
Her apartment was full of colors , just like the rest of the world , except for one corner , which was still gray .
It was her own secret corner that hadn ’ t been colored—perhaps the only place in the world like this !
The world would have been agitated to know that a corner had not been filled in ; but she said that in fifty years , sixty , seventy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She preferred to give up husbands and friends , so she could keep one corner of the world not colored .
It was clearly restful to her to have it , as restful as a little gray mouse that ’ s a friend .
Oh , she told us , as she spoke for the camera , avoiding eye contact with it , her fingers playing with her teacup on her little china saucer , it was all anyone could talk about—what color are you going to make this ?
What color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Isn ’ t it all so beautiful now ?
How did we ever live with all that grayness ?
Why did it take the world so long ?
Isn ’ t it nice how we are all coöperating ?
She was making little sour expressions as she imitated those people from so long ago , many of whom were dead now , she said .
She had got into the craze for a little while too , coloring everything in sight , even things that weren ’ t in her jurisdiction to color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But one day she returned to her apartment , where she hadn ’ t yet filled in the corner .
She had been coloring other things , she had just put it off .
She thought , I ’ m tired , I ’ ll do it tomorrow .
She told us this with downcast eyes .
And what happened ?
Well , tomorrow turned into tomorrow , as it does for so many of us .
It kept appearing on her to-do list , like one of those items that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t even notice them anymore .
And the months turned to years , and somehow she never did it .
What is it with those things that never make it off the list ?
Is it that we actually don ’ t want to do them ?
Or that we don ’ t even need to do them ?
We put them on there because we think we should .
Why don ’ t we just take them off already ?
So finally she took it off , and by that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough color left that she could use to fill in the corner .
She stayed in that apartment—various friends encouraged her to move , for the immigrants were moving into her building , and so her friends thought that she ought to move .
But , although she wasn ’ t a fan of the immigrants , she didn ’ t mind them so much , they were nice neighbors , and that dull corner reassured her in a funny little way .
She looked at it every day as she took her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have anybody over , and , yes , her lovely immigrant neighbors thought she was a snob , but really what was she supposed to do if one of them found out , and said something to somebody ?
She couldn ’ t take the risk .
And so she didn ’ t take the risk .
She finally stood up to let us out , very very sadly .
She told us to please not air our documentary , or write about it , until she died .
She wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until she died , and not be taken away or to jail , or for somebody from some committee to come and color it in , so we agreed , because we felt sorry for her , and we liked her .
Well , she finally died last year , and next week our documentary airs , but we are sad about it .
Mostly we wish we hadn ’ t been waiting for this anniversary , the one-year anniversary of her death , with the sort of desire everyone feels to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re proud of the short film we created , and that we found this story , but not that she had to die in order for us to put it into the world .
Better that she had lived , and lived with her corner , than that we got to show our film .
Why is there always so much sadness when something good occurs , a balance between the good and the bad ?
Couldn ’ t she have said , Show your film to the world !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ any longer about one little corner not being filled in ?
No , but perhaps she knew something we did not , about colors , and grayness , and corners , and what is allowed to you in your privacy , in your tiny little apartment , and what is not .

This is the second story in this summer’s online Flash Fiction series. You can read the entire series, and our Flash Fiction stories from previous years, here.
The whole world could still be gray, as it was in the past, in those old movies. But then one day colors came, sometime between then and here. I think it must have been the wars. After the wars people said, We need some reason to be less upset. Someone suggested, Colors? The world agreed that colors were needed, to pull everyone out of the despair of the dying, and all those piled-up bones. Colors were brought in. They were just carted in on trucks, and everyone took their fill. It was a job for every person on the planet to put colors where they ought to be. Some things were decided in advance, like making the grass green, and you’d get a ticket if you made yours red or blue. But other things you could decide, like the color of your shirt. It was a small committee of people who made the big decisions, they were necessary, but then so was every humble individual, doing their own job. The world sighed in relief: everything was so much more beautiful now! And for several days there were no wars, just people enjoying the colors, but humans adapt quickly to what is beautiful and nice, and then the wars started up again, and the committee was disbanded.
A long time ago I was part of this committee—not the original one, but the commemorative one, made up of the committee’s daughters. We gathered to take notes about what had really happened in those conversations, so that we could tell the world. We asked our fathers, What was it like to be on the committee? How did the meetings go? But they had lost their memories, some of them, and others were angry at the other committee members, and wouldn’t tell us why. We gathered very little information to save for the world, for posterity. Then we disbanded, too. We said to ourselves, Let’s just enjoy the colors. Who cares how they got here? So we did. We became just like everyone else, not archivists of the past, but regular folks walking through the colors of the present, as if we didn’t know anything.
Then, one day, Amanda thought we should actually just talk to the people of the world who had participated in dispersing colors over the land, just regular folk, the ones who did it. The rest of the daughters were tired, but I wanted to do it with her, because I liked her and it sounded fun. I asked if she thought I should bring my movie camera, and she said yes, we could make a documentary. We went to a little town and just stood in the square and accosted people who were going about their Sunday shopping and asked them what it was like when there started to be colors, and had they participated in coloring everything? We only asked the old people. Most people didn’t want to talk to us, but one old woman did. She invited us back to her apartment for tea.
Her apartment was full of colors, just like the rest of the world, except for one corner, which was still gray. It was her own secret corner that hadn’t been colored—perhaps the only place in the world like this! The world would have been agitated to know that a corner had not been filled in; but she said that in fifty years, sixty, seventy, she had not let anyone in. She preferred to give up husbands and friends, so she could keep one corner of the world not colored.
It was clearly restful to her to have it, as restful as a little gray mouse that’s a friend. Oh, she told us, as she spoke for the camera, avoiding eye contact with it, her fingers playing with her teacup on her little china saucer, it was all anyone could talk about—what color are you going to make this? What color are you going to make that? Isn’t it all so beautiful now? How did we ever live with all that grayness? Why did it take the world so long? Isn’t it nice how we are all coöperating?
She was making little sour expressions as she imitated those people from so long ago, many of whom were dead now, she said. She had got into the craze for a little while too, coloring everything in sight, even things that weren’t in her jurisdiction to color, like the neighbor’s fencing.
But one day she returned to her apartment, where she hadn’t yet filled in the corner. She had been coloring other things, she had just put it off. She thought, I’m tired, I’ll do it tomorrow. She told us this with downcast eyes. And what happened? Well, tomorrow turned into tomorrow, as it does for so many of us. It kept appearing on her to-do list, like one of those items that are there for so many months you don’t even notice them anymore. And the months turned to years, and somehow she never did it. What is it with those things that never make it off the list? Is it that we actually don’t want to do them? Or that we don’t even need to do them? We put them on there because we think we should. Why don’t we just take them off already? So finally she took it off, and by that time the world didn’t even have enough color left that she could use to fill in the corner.
She stayed in that apartment—various friends encouraged her to move, for the immigrants were moving into her building, and so her friends thought that she ought to move. But, although she wasn’t a fan of the immigrants, she didn’t mind them so much, they were nice neighbors, and that dull corner reassured her in a funny little way. She looked at it every day as she took her tea. No, she didn’t have anybody over, and, yes, her lovely immigrant neighbors thought she was a snob, but really what was she supposed to do if one of them found out, and said something to somebody? She couldn’t take the risk. And so she didn’t take the risk. She finally stood up to let us out, very very sadly. She told us to please not air our documentary, or write about it, until she died. She wanted to live with that little corner like that until she died, and not be taken away or to jail, or for somebody from some committee to come and color it in, so we agreed, because we felt sorry for her, and we liked her.
Well, she finally died last year, and next week our documentary airs, but we are sad about it. Mostly we wish we hadn’t been waiting for this anniversary, the one-year anniversary of her death, with the sort of desire everyone feels to show the world what they’ve made. We’re proud of the short film we created, and that we found this story, but not that she had to die in order for us to put it into the world. Better that she had lived, and lived with her corner, than that we got to show our film. Why is there always so much sadness when something good occurs, a balance between the good and the bad? Couldn’t she have said, Show your film to the world! and felt safe that no one cared any longer about one little corner not being filled in? No, but perhaps she knew something we did not, about colors, and grayness, and corners, and what is allowed to you in your privacy, in your tiny little apartment, and what is not.


newyorker--2020-07-16--Elena Hontoria Tuerk on Supporting Children’s Development During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Last week , President Trump declared that public schools must fully reopen in the fall , threatening to withhold federal funding if they fail to do so .
But neither he nor the Secretary of Education , Betsy DeVos , has offered guidance on how schools can safely resume classroom teaching during the coronavirus pandemic .
Meanwhile , some of the largest school districts in the country , including Los Angeles and San Diego , have announced that they will only hold classes online , while New York City and other districts are planning on partial reopenings .
I recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a clinical psychologist at the University of Virginia who specializes in child and family therapy .
During our conversation , which has been edited for length and clarity , we discussed the biggest threats to the psychological health of young children , how teachers will have to adjust to instructing kids during a pandemic , and the ways in which parental stress can affect kids ’ growth .
I just want to stipulate for readers that we are talking about the effects of no schooling or less schooling on children , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of just sending kids to school even if it is unsafe .
The virus is extremely serious , but I don ’ t want you to feel like you have to make that clear with every answer .
What will be your biggest fear if we end up missing an entire school year , and how does it change when we are talking about younger kids versus high-schoolers ?
I think of things in terms of the systems that children are involved in—so not just children but the effects on their peer dynamics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my concerns for children mostly have to do with increased parenting stress , and the types of choices parents are having to make when their children are home full time .
That is one area of major concern .
And that has significant effects on children ’ s functioning .
Could you describe what parenting stress often entails and leads to ?
Sure .
Parents are not able to access their support systems—the traditional support systems for families , which are grandparents or other supports—and all those things really help parents act in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaks from their children and are able to access resources and receive reinforcement .
So all of those things missing from their lives makes it not ideal for them to do their best parenting and respond in effective ways , and ways that indicate reduced emotionality .
What other concerns do you have ?
For younger children in particular , the opportunity to develop peer-negotiation skills , problem-solving skills , the social skills we want them to grow into in those early elementary years—the lack of those opportunities is unfortunate .
And it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not be recovered later , but they are a big part of why kids develop into healthy social beings .
Also , all of this home life is not ideal for kids facing anxiety , because they are not having opportunities to challenge themselves or do things that might be intimidating .
Kids who are more socially anxious are able to really avoid peer interactions right now or really just engage electronically with peers .
And what about older kids ?
Speaking to older kids , the opportunities they are missing are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and having more opportunities to be out of the home , and having more opportunities to be around same-aged peers , and do that healthy exploration and risk-taking that we want them to do as they launch into adulthood .
Being home all the time is not ideal for an adolescent .
[ Laughs . ]
Having you been talking to kids for the past few months , and what have those experiences been like ?
Yes , I have been talking to adolescents , and then I supervise cases that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , again , among many kids , the ones who are anxious are feeling great because they are avoiding the things that make them anxious .
You are seeing these memes about it being an introvert ’ s dream , and for some of these kids , it is actually harder to do clinical work with them because generating exposures for anxiety-producing events is harder right now .
So rather than go up to a kid and talk to them at recess , it ’ s FaceTime a kid you sort of know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this isn ’ t a natural experiment .
This isn ’ t what kids would normally be doing to face social anxiety .
And then , with other kids , we see it from a parenting perspective , in terms of the amount of stress it puts on working families .
It might be financial stress , or that they don ’ t have their child-care needs met .
It is much harder for families to maintain routine and effective strategies , so that they aren ’ t using very punitive approaches to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you talking to parents , too ?
We work with kids with anxiety , but when it comes to behavior management it ’ s almost always parent-directed treatment to help them respond to all sorts of behaviors .
Are parents aware that their parenting is suffering ?
You read about these experiments where tired people perform worse on tests but don ’ t realize it .
Is it like that ?
Oh , no .
Parents are stressed and they are trying to manage multiple roles .
So they are now in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employee for their job , house cleaner , and parent , and this is a level of engagement with their kids that they are not used to or haven ’ t been used to in many years .
So they are very aware they are stressed .
And what they have been really wanting from the clinicians is help creating structure and ideas about what life can look like right now to make everyone function relatively well .
You could probably tell I don ’ t have kids from that dumb question .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do , given that the virus is what it is ?
I don ’ t know that you are asking this question , but I have been thinking about it a lot from a policy perspective , because I think those are the real needs we have .
One of the things I have been arguing for as part of the next stimulus package is an increase in allocations for the child-care-subsidy program .
The federal government provides funds to states .
So one thing that I think needs to happen right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is expanding these child-care subsidies so that we can use them for home-based care , because group child-care setting are not very practical for families right now , and parents are afraid for both their own children but also for beloved staff .
And we can ’ t use grandparents , so we don ’ t have the natural ecology we would normally have to lean on in a crisis .
So really what parents need in order to be able to function financially , and emotionally , probably , is child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can act as providers and caregivers and basically act as tutors .
So this child-care-subsidy program could be expanded .
States already have the infrastructure for this , and the training materials for people who want to be registered as providers , and a way to disburse these funds .
So what we really need is to expand the eligibility criteria so that families can identify a provider that they want to be in the home , and then that person can act in this role .

Last week, President Trump declared that public schools must fully reopen in the fall, threatening to withhold federal funding if they fail to do so. But neither he nor the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, has offered guidance on how schools can safely resume classroom teaching during the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, some of the largest school districts in the country, including Los Angeles and San Diego, have announced that they will only hold classes online, while New York City and other districts are planning on partial reopenings.
I recently spoke by phone with Elena Hontoria Tuerk, a clinical psychologist at the University of Virginia who specializes in child and family therapy. During our conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity, we discussed the biggest threats to the psychological health of young children, how teachers will have to adjust to instructing kids during a pandemic, and the ways in which parental stress can affect kids’ growth.
I just want to stipulate for readers that we are talking about the effects of no schooling or less schooling on children, which does not mean we are in favor of just sending kids to school even if it is unsafe. The virus is extremely serious, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to make that clear with every answer.
Sure. Totally understood.
What will be your biggest fear if we end up missing an entire school year, and how does it change when we are talking about younger kids versus high-schoolers?
I think of things in terms of the systems that children are involved in—so not just children but the effects on their peer dynamics and, particularly, parents. So my concerns for children mostly have to do with increased parenting stress, and the types of choices parents are having to make when their children are home full time. That is one area of major concern. And that has significant effects on children’s functioning.
Could you describe what parenting stress often entails and leads to?
Sure. Parents are not able to access their support systems—the traditional support systems for families, which are grandparents or other supports—and all those things really help parents act in their roles more effectively. They get breaks from their children and are able to access resources and receive reinforcement. So all of those things missing from their lives makes it not ideal for them to do their best parenting and respond in effective ways, and ways that indicate reduced emotionality.
What other concerns do you have?
For younger children in particular, the opportunity to develop peer-negotiation skills, problem-solving skills, the social skills we want them to grow into in those early elementary years—the lack of those opportunities is unfortunate. And it is not to say that those skills cannot be recovered later, but they are a big part of why kids develop into healthy social beings. Also, all of this home life is not ideal for kids facing anxiety, because they are not having opportunities to challenge themselves or do things that might be intimidating. Kids who are more socially anxious are able to really avoid peer interactions right now or really just engage electronically with peers.
And what about older kids?
Speaking to older kids, the opportunities they are missing are really more about differentiation from family life, and having more opportunities to be out of the home, and having more opportunities to be around same-aged peers, and do that healthy exploration and risk-taking that we want them to do as they launch into adulthood. Being home all the time is not ideal for an adolescent. [Laughs.]
Having you been talking to kids for the past few months, and what have those experiences been like?
Yes, I have been talking to adolescents, and then I supervise cases that the students are seeing. And I think, again, among many kids, the ones who are anxious are feeling great because they are avoiding the things that make them anxious. You are seeing these memes about it being an introvert’s dream, and for some of these kids, it is actually harder to do clinical work with them because generating exposures for anxiety-producing events is harder right now. So rather than go up to a kid and talk to them at recess, it’s FaceTime a kid you sort of know and have a FaceTime conversation. But this isn’t a natural experiment. This isn’t what kids would normally be doing to face social anxiety.
And then, with other kids, we see it from a parenting perspective, in terms of the amount of stress it puts on working families. It might be financial stress, or that they don’t have their child-care needs met. It is much harder for families to maintain routine and effective strategies, so that they aren’t using very punitive approaches to manage children’s behavior.
Are you talking to parents, too?
We work with kids with anxiety, but when it comes to behavior management it’s almost always parent-directed treatment to help them respond to all sorts of behaviors.
Are parents aware that their parenting is suffering? You read about these experiments where tired people perform worse on tests but don’t realize it. Is it like that?
Oh, no. Parents are stressed and they are trying to manage multiple roles. So they are now in the role of teacher, camp counsellor, employee for their job, house cleaner, and parent, and this is a level of engagement with their kids that they are not used to or haven’t been used to in many years. So they are very aware they are stressed. And what they have been really wanting from the clinicians is help creating structure and ideas about what life can look like right now to make everyone function relatively well.
You could probably tell I don’t have kids from that dumb question. But tell me, what can clinicians do, given that the virus is what it is?
I don’t know that you are asking this question, but I have been thinking about it a lot from a policy perspective, because I think those are the real needs we have. One of the things I have been arguing for as part of the next stimulus package is an increase in allocations for the child-care-subsidy program. The federal government provides funds to states. So one thing that I think needs to happen right now, because I doubt schools will reopen, is expanding these child-care subsidies so that we can use them for home-based care, because group child-care setting are not very practical for families right now, and parents are afraid for both their own children but also for beloved staff. And we can’t use grandparents, so we don’t have the natural ecology we would normally have to lean on in a crisis. So really what parents need in order to be able to function financially, and emotionally, probably, is child care in the home. So people who can act as providers and caregivers and basically act as tutors.


newyorker--2020-07-15--The Art of the Uncooked Summer Dinner

The Art of the Uncooked Summer Dinner

One of the notable negative effects of air-conditioning , besides its environmental ravages , is its flattening effect on cooking .
For the lucky souls who live in homes with cold air blowing through like the Arctic , the SPECIAL SUMMER GRILLING ISSUE !
of a food magazine is little more than a quaint formality .
What ’ s stopping you from firing up the oven when the air-conditioner roars a chilly counterpoint ?
I once lived , for a while , in one of those marvellously insulated iceboxes , where summer was something that happened entirely outside the windows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stood between me and a mid-July pot roast .
I don ’ t particularly enjoy hot weather—the best summer trip I ever took was two sweater-clad weeks in Alaska .
So I expected to love living in such climatic neutrality , but instead I felt strangely alienated .
I had grown accustomed to the damp-shirted misery of dinner in the heat .
The frigidity of that kitchen untethered me from time .
“ Did we skip summer ?
” I remember asking my husband , once the chill of October had set in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heating in that apartment was just as robust as the A.C. ) I was left with an un-scratched itch : refrigerator salads , kitchen-sink tomato sandwiches , piles of sausages and summer vegetables brushed with oil and set to char on an outdoor grill .
Or those sweaty , exhausted , Tennessee Williams-sultry suppers : an entire box of popsicles and a glass of gin , or three sticky nectarines and a handful of humidity-softened potato chips , or a green bell pepper eaten like an apple , followed by an after-dark walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ice-cream truck .
The apartment where I live now has built-in air-conditioning units , strange rectangular machines that dribble and rattle and groan , on occasion emitting belches of icy vapor .
They are worse than useless against the furnace of the oven ; they are at best a feeble exhalation against the lighting of a stove burner .
( In the sweaty delirium of August , it ’ s easy to believe that they possess a malicious sentience , entertaining themselves with a repertoire of noises until they meet their inevitable fate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the summer months , I live a proper life of oscillating fans and meals that make minimal demands on my personal heat index .
My diet lately is cold soups—especially salmorejo , an Andalusian cousin of gazpacho that ’ s tart with vinegar and thickened with a bit of bread—and Peruvian-style seafood ceviche , in which the delicate flesh of fish is “ cooked ” in the potent acidity of citrus juice without any need for heat .
All they ask of me is a blender ( for the soup ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though at the sweltering height of summer even those small tasks can take more will than a body can muster .
In the freezer , as the heat bears down like a beautiful hell , I always have popsicles .
1 .
In a small saucepan , heat sugar , ginger , and lemon zest with 2½ cups water .
Bring the mixture to the barest simmer , stirring until the sugar dissolves .
Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature in the pan .
2 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a slotted spoon to remove the ginger solids and lemon zest , and discard them .
Stir in lemon juice .
Ladle the mixture into popsicle molds and let set in the freezer for at least a few hours .
Or don ’ t freeze , and just drink the ginger lemonade .

One of the notable negative effects of air-conditioning, besides its environmental ravages, is its flattening effect on cooking. For the lucky souls who live in homes with cold air blowing through like the Arctic, the SPECIAL SUMMER GRILLING ISSUE! of a food magazine is little more than a quaint formality. What’s stopping you from firing up the oven when the air-conditioner roars a chilly counterpoint?
I once lived, for a while, in one of those marvellously insulated iceboxes, where summer was something that happened entirely outside the windows and nothing but a sense of decency stood between me and a mid-July pot roast. I don’t particularly enjoy hot weather—the best summer trip I ever took was two sweater-clad weeks in Alaska. So I expected to love living in such climatic neutrality, but instead I felt strangely alienated. I had grown accustomed to the damp-shirted misery of dinner in the heat. The frigidity of that kitchen untethered me from time. “Did we skip summer?” I remember asking my husband, once the chill of October had set in. (Not that we could tell—the heating in that apartment was just as robust as the A.C.) I was left with an un-scratched itch: refrigerator salads, kitchen-sink tomato sandwiches, piles of sausages and summer vegetables brushed with oil and set to char on an outdoor grill. Or those sweaty, exhausted, Tennessee Williams-sultry suppers: an entire box of popsicles and a glass of gin, or three sticky nectarines and a handful of humidity-softened potato chips, or a green bell pepper eaten like an apple, followed by an after-dark walk through the neighborhood in search of the ice-cream truck.
The apartment where I live now has built-in air-conditioning units, strange rectangular machines that dribble and rattle and groan, on occasion emitting belches of icy vapor. They are worse than useless against the furnace of the oven; they are at best a feeble exhalation against the lighting of a stove burner. (In the sweaty delirium of August, it’s easy to believe that they possess a malicious sentience, entertaining themselves with a repertoire of noises until they meet their inevitable fate as scrap metal.) Consequently, during the summer months, I live a proper life of oscillating fans and meals that make minimal demands on my personal heat index. My diet lately is cold soups—especially salmorejo, an Andalusian cousin of gazpacho that’s tart with vinegar and thickened with a bit of bread—and Peruvian-style seafood ceviche, in which the delicate flesh of fish is “cooked” in the potent acidity of citrus juice without any need for heat. All they ask of me is a blender (for the soup) and a knife (for the fish), though at the sweltering height of summer even those small tasks can take more will than a body can muster. In the freezer, as the heat bears down like a beautiful hell, I always have popsicles.
Ginger-Lemonade Popsicles
Makes 10 3-oz. popsicles
Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick coins
Zest of 2 lemons, in strips
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4-6 lemons)
Directions
1. In a small saucepan, heat sugar, ginger, and lemon zest with 2½ cups water. Bring the mixture to the barest simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature in the pan.
2. When the syrup is cool, use a slotted spoon to remove the ginger solids and lemon zest, and discard them. Stir in lemon juice. Ladle the mixture into popsicle molds and let set in the freezer for at least a few hours. Or don’t freeze, and just drink the ginger lemonade.