Tyre Nichols, letters and culture talk
The footage released last night of police beating Tyre Nichols to death is horrific. I know on an intellectual level we live in a very limited democracy. Still, my understanding is the George Floyd protests were one of the largest movements this country has ever seen. Three years later nothing has changed. It’s hard not to feel hopeless.
Anyway, my next letter will make the animal-welfare case for increased federal funding for cultivated-meat research. If you want to write your own, take a look at this post, if only for the newspaper email lists:
It’s time for (Cell) Culture Talk. Here are some of the things I’ve been playing and watching lately.
Game — Magic: The Gathering Arena. I’ve been fiddling around with my own version of a Portal to Phyrexia deck. It’s pretty bad, because I don’t have the right cards, but when the deck works, it feels like I’ve pulled off some kind of intricate sleight of hand.
Portal to Phyrexia allows you to use creatures from your or your opponent’s graveyard. I try to only use my own artifact ones, because I’m still following my silly, self-imposed vegan Magic rule. Rootwire Amalgam is great in this regard, because you sacrifice it to create a token. So you can get a 15/15 creature with haste out each turn.
Speaking of my silly rule, I’m thinking about allowing planeswalker cards. My understanding of the lore is, unlike creatures, who you create and boss around, planeswalkers are supposed to be equals who assist you voluntarily. Also, are zombie and plant creatures supposed to be sentient? Inquiring minds want to know, haha.
Film — West Side Story (2021). This was a rewatch. I’ve only seen the original movie once or twice, but the soundtrack was in frequent rotation in my childhood home. So I’m very fond of the music. I don’t think we fully appreciate what a high level Steven Spielberg is operating at. Remaking a classic film could have been a disaster, however, this is wonderful, in my view.
Sports — Knicks beat Cavs, 105-103. It was a nail biter, but the Knicks managed to come out with a win, snapping their four-game losing streak. Julius Randle led the way with 36 points. Isaiah Hartenstein had a critical block on Donovan Mitchell at the end.
Sports — Knicks beat Celtics, 120-117. That was an impressive victory against perhaps the best team in the league. Hopefully, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson will be named to the all-star squad. They deserve it.