Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid threw a wrench into the works when he declared from the United Nations General Assembly podium: “An agreement with the Palestinians, based on two states for two peoples, is the right thing for Israel’s security, for Israel’s economy and for the future of our children.”

 The statement took many by surprise, including the Palestinian leadership. 

 Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has been addressing the UNGA every September, every year, recycling the same speech about how he has fulfilled his commitments to peace and that it is Israel that needs to engage in serious negotiations toward a two-state solution. 

Wednesday, October 5, 6;30-7;30pm
Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St.

Kick off the festival with our CXC Opening Night reception! Celebrate the return of a fully in-person Cartoon Crossroads Columbus at the Gateway Film Center. Gather with old friends and meet new ones over a Gateway / CXC signature cocktail. Volunteers will be available to help you make your plans to experience CXC’s panels, expo and afterparties. Reception followed by a welcome from CXC staff and our first presentation, a Screening – Rubber Hose Animation with Vincent Alexander.

Complimentary lite bites and cash bar available.

Cartoon Crossroads Columbus is a non-profit organization that sponsors a yearly, four-day Fall festival in Ohio devoted to comics and cartooning. CXC 2022: October 6-9.

Chris Hedges’ latest book, The Greatest Evil Is War, is a terrific title and even better text. It doesn’t actually argue a case for war being a greater evil than other evils, but it sure does present evidence that war is tremendously evil. And I think in this moment of nuclear weapons threats, we can consider the case pre-established.

Yet the fact that we’re at major risk of nuclear apocalypse may not interest or move some people the way that the case made in this book might.

Of course, Hedges is honest about the evil on both sides of the war in Ukraine, which is quite rare and may either do a great deal of good persuading readers or prevent a lot of readers getting very far into his book — which would be a shame.

Hedges is brilliant on the supreme hypocrisy of the U.S. government and media.

He’s also excellent on the experiences of U.S. war veterans, and the horrible suffering and regrets that many of them have.

This book is also powerful in its descriptions of the  shameful, dirty, and disgusting gore and stench of war. This is the opposite of the romanticization of war so prevalent on tv and computer screens.

Mystery-thriller “Don't Worry Darling” is Olivia Wilde's sophomore outing as a director; she made “Book Smart,” a brilliant coming-of-age buddy comedy film. Florence Pugh and Harry Styles play Alice and Jack Chambers. They live in what appears to be the fifties, "American Dream" type of home in a town called Victory, a desert-paradise visual look and feel to Palm Springs. It's picture-perfect; all the houses have modern-midcentury architecture and decor, surrounded by pools, palm trees, and never-ending cocktail hours. Chris Pine is Frank, the inspirational leader of the Victory Project.

The men put on their suits and drive off to work in beautiful vintage automobiles, to work at the mysterious Victory Project, which they swear consists of "developing progressive materials." Before their husbands leave, the wives happily send them off with lunch, only to welcome them home at the end of the day with a whiskey, a three-course meal, and whatever else will make them happy.