It seems I neglected to post these in the correct order. That makes three known mistakes (and counting) in the 2022 project. It is fortunate that no one cares about such things.
Day 294. Joanna and Lucy Simon.
I admit with nothing like a sense of pride that I had never heard of Carly Simon’s equally musical sisters Joanna and Lucy until they died on October 19th and 20th respectively. They are by no means the first people featured on these daily 2022 news drawings who I had not heard of previously, but exploration and education are part of the project. So, I make no apologies, but rather am grateful to have learned of them even if it was posthumously. Fortunately, because of their art, a large part of them lives on. As trite as that can sound, it is quite true for me.
Day 295. V-1302 John Mahn
Another tritism (yes, I made that up): Wars are the gifts that just keep giving. During World War II, the Nazis commandeered a fishing trawler (or likely loads of them — with different names, of course), V-1302 John Mahn. In February of 1942, the British Royal Air Force bombed and sank the Mahn in the North Sea. And that is where it is currently spewing toxic chemicals. You can read all about it here.
Day 296. Fear in Politics.
I can think of few things more reprehensible in politics than using fear to pit citizens against one another. Some US politicians and hopefuls will use any tricks and devices at their disposal to get votes. Do you honestly believe that someone who tries to convince Americans that a large portion of their fellows are out to get them has the best interests of the country at heart? No, I didn’t think you did. Imagine what it would look like if half of Americans wanted to destroy your life and the country. What would that actually look like? Fear is a terrible and effective tool; and it makes tools of us all.
Day 297. Leslie Jordan.
Even if the name Leslie Jordan is unfamiliar to you, you’ve almost certainly seen him in a TV show or other performance. Mr. Jordan left this plane on October 24, 2022. Fortunately for us, he left a long legacy of work through which he lives.
Day 298. Ashton Carter.
Physicist. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. Deputy Secretary of Defense. Secretary of Defense. Chairman of the Editorial Board for International Security. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Congressional Office of Technology. Rockfeller University. Defense Science Board. Defense Policy Board. International Security Advisory Board. National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science and Technology for Counter Terrorism. Department of Homeland Security. Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Policy Advisory Group. Preventative Defense Project. And on an on… It’s quite a resumé. Ashton Carter’s views were all over the map (please do not mistake this as an approval of all he did — the point is that he did way more than most of us and much of it was good). He thought the US should provide more military funding for Ukraine, he wasn’t jazzed about releasing more prisoners from Guantanamo, he worked for nuclear non-proliferation, he helped develop mine-resistant vehicles, he supported transgendered people serving in the military, and so much more. Carter died of a heart attack on October 24, 2022.
Day 299. Mike Davis.
Activist and author (best known for Planet of Slums) died on October 25, 2022.
Day 300. Twitter Under New Management.
Oh, Elon. When I drew this card, I had no idea of what a sh@$ show Twitter would become.