The perfect slogan for our times is: “Less DEI and more DEA.”

Not as good as “Let’s go, Brandon!” but still.

I don’t know if you’ve heard of Sergio Ramírez. He’s the most famous Nicaraguan writer of our times. Mega bestseller. Received Premio Cervantes (the Hispanic Nobel).

Sergio Ramírez is also a Sandinista. He was in the Sandinista government. Daniel Ortega’s vice-president. Not some minor player but one of the big honchos of the regime. Much of his writing is a defense of Nicaraguan socialism. And he’s a talented writer. Not my favorite, but not for any political reason. Politics has zero impact on my appreciation of art. I’m just not into his writing style.

In any case, a couple of days ago, Ramírez fled Nicaragua. His former bestie Daniel Ortega banned Ramírez’s new novel. And tried to arrest him for “fomenting violence,” which in leftist newspeak means “criticizing the left’s policies.” Ramírez is clamoring to the skies that there’s a dictatorship in Nicaragua. There is terror in the country, he says. It’s all true but one has got to ask, why is Ramírez so surprised? Has any leftist revolution ever resulted in anything else?

Ramírez was faithful to the regime. But he’s talented. He’s not a boring, stupid drone like Ortega. This means he was doomed. A brilliant person – even one that is useful to the regime – will always be destroyed. If you believe in equality above all, sooner or later you will have to get rid of talented people like Ramírez. Their very existence constantly draws attention to the futility of your struggle.

OMG, I just used for the first time the debit card functionality where you tap the card on a device and the payment goes through. And it worked! I’ve had the card for a while but was always afraid to try the tapping. It’s so cool!

I’m like a savage with a tin can.