cloak-and-dagger

I'm pretty sure that I'm not up to the task for all of this cloak-and-dagger stuff in my life at the moment. I mean, I understand that I'm being increasingly dramatic, but... I'm short on sleep, and, seriously, this is what's happening in my actual city and my actual life right now.

I'm in the middle of taking virtual training courses, and I'm already having to rethink how I want to participate. So, I think that means the first session was excellent. I now understand much more about legal observer tactics. And apparently the neighbor-to-neighbor community networking method that is being used here in Minneapolis is modeled after one developed a decade ago for Rogers Park in Chicago.

A few hours before that training session, the neighborhood security response chat (loosely described in this video) was compromised shortly after I joined it. It made me wonder, "Hmmm. I certainly didn't share details, but the timing is strange. I wonder if my Yahoo email account is monitored, since the needed details were there with my invitation?" Which then led me to wonder about the appointment I have tomorrow after work to meet a total stranger at the nearby Cub grocery (aka "public space" which is open to ICE intrusion). I never really understood why meeting a unionist in Minneapolis would be necessary before I could talk to the IBT Local 8 (in Pennsylvania) about what it would mean for me to join from another state. I did ask IBT Local 8 about it, using my Yahoo email address. Later, a random person contacts me to meet in person about unions and cross-state involvement. "Sure, " I say, simpleminded as usual. Now, though, I wonder. Should I ask the local network to have someone there at that time, to record the interaction, just in case? Or is this just part of the Teamsters' own cloak-and-dagger protocol? They certainly have their own history of corruption and violence. *sigh*

Fascism sucks. It ruins everyone, I think. Trust is hope is antidote... maybe? We have to choose which life, which world, we want to inhabit. I'm certain of that much, at least. The rest of this Andor political intrigue is just not my specialty. I prefer everything out and visible on the proverbial table.

I've seen lots of good and interesting videos recently. I'll leave you with this one primary recommendation, though. I mentioned the high-quality Legal Eagle channel back in 2024, and here is the main vlogger in a very uncharacteristically emotional video with good review of what's happening. He gets bonus points for mentioning stochastic terrorism, which I've also called out a few times over the years.

Watch on YouTube