The ongoing war and genocide in Gaza is unprecedented. Nothing that Israel and its supporters can say or do will avoid the historical accountability of the extermination of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. 

 The above assertion is critical, both for ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and achieving Palestinian freedom. This is why. 

 In all past wars and adjoining war crimes, Israel managed to push the reset button in its relationship with occupied Palestinians.

War, war and more war.

It’s only possible for one reason: the belief that only some people are fully human. Those who aren’t . . . well, they can be killed when necessary. My inner scream at this false reality we feed ourselves — via the media, via mainstream politics — keeps getting louder and louder. Is there a way to get things to change?

To put it another way: Is there a way to transcend the abstract view of Planet Earth in which global politics operates? We have religion. We have values: Be kind, be loving, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — but they don’t seem to manifest collectively. At the collective, that is to say, the political, level, only so much kindness can be tolerated. In terms of security, kindness is weakness.

Touring German Village during the holidays at night has become a tradition for many, and just in time for this weekend’s German Village Lights the new mixed-used monstrosity “Jaeger Square” has opened for business – or at least started offering leases for its $1,000-a-month 350-square feet studios replete with Murphy beds.

Those German Village homeowners who spent years, a lot of money, and sweat equity building the character of Central Ohio’s most unique neighborhood have begun to speak out online. The five-story 261-unit apartment building (pictured above on left) with retail space is at the corner of Whittier and Jaeger Streets, a short walk to Schiller Park, and built by The Pizzuti Companies. And while Jaeger Square is actually in Schumacher Place and not German Village – a neighborhood that has stricter zoning codes and a historical commission that would have put up a tougher fight and more resistance – what’s done is done.

A college friend recently received an ad in the mail for “100 percent legal THC.” The glossy card promised “Natural Cannabis, Natural Relief” with photos of “potent edibles,” “disposable vapes,” and “high grade concentrates.” Intrigued, he visited the website and purchased several pre-rolled joints, aka “pre-rolls.” A few days later, a package arrived in the mail with contents that looked, smelled, and tasted like marijuana. In fact, the potency statistics on the packaging appeared nearly identical to those on dispensary products. In excellent health for a 60-year-old, my friend’s only side effect was a good night’s sleep. He liked both the price and the high.