Hopeless?
As 2025 begins, it is sometimes hard to tell if time is moving forward or backward.
“The word ‘retarded’ is enjoying a comeback.”
– Celebrated by the New York Post
While recovering from surgery and stuck in bed, I binged the second season of Squid Game. The first installment was a depressing look at the state of the world under corporatism, with the 1% finding entertainment in the violent deaths of those who had fallen into deep debt. While well-made, the sequel was even more painful to watch.
Part of the reason this version was more uncomfortable to watch was the addition of nuance to the backstories of the game's victims. Much like how society sees the unhoused as drug users who brought their circumstances upon themselves, the viewers of Season 1 were discouraged from feeling too much empathy for the players. However, in the new season, those with gambling debts played alongside players with debilitating medical debts, failed businessmen, and victims of crypto schemes. These were not people who had squandered their paychecks, they were victims of Capitalism in its current state.
The fact that empathetic characters were included in this season made it even worse when they could not bring themselves to work collectively to extract themselves from the situation. Instead, they turned on each other and defied their self-interest, egged on by those in charge who manipulated them masterfully.
Predictably, there was no happy ending. It was the perfect representation of the year we just had.
It has been almost a decade since Donald Trump descended his golden escalator in Trump Tower surrounded by a crowd paid to cheer him on. His propensity to lie and his ability to trade in the currency of bigotry were all on display from the beginning. The experts all said he would never be president, but in November 2016 he fooled everyone. A majority of Americans voted for Hillary Clinton, but enough voted for Trump that he won the Electoral College.
Nothing was surprising about the Trump presidency. On day one he lied about the size of his inauguration crowd and his followers accepted his version of reality. Those lies continued through his Presidency, reaching comical heights as he rerouted the projected path of a hurricane with a Sharpie. Those laughs went away as 1,161,164 Americans (411,534 during his presidency) died during the COVID-19 pandemic, a number magnified by Trump’s incompetence.
Tomorrow, the second act of the Trump presidency will begin. After he lied and bullied his way through the campaign, a plurality of Americans decided to put this failure of a president back in the White House. His intentions (especially for immigrants and members of the LGBTQ+ community) are clear. We can only hope that he is too incompetent to follow through.
Like the players of Squid Game, none of Trump’s supporters think that they will be the ones to pay the price as their Dear Leader barrels through his Presidency. Even if it does, history shows they will not blame him; he handed Biden an economy in the dumpster, but the electorate blamed the successor for the disruptions in their lives.
Despite earning less than half the vote, Trump is claiming a mandate, and his followers are newly emboldened. The incoming President promises to follow through with unpopular efforts to pardon the violent January 6th insurrectionists, increase tariffs, and enact mass deportations. He has ramped up his efforts to silence critics in the media. His followers celebrate their claimed victory over “wokeness,” and their ability to use derogatory terms, including against the developmentally disabled, without judgment.
Perhaps the biggest threat of the next four years is the crisis that is not even on our radar yet. Trump's appointed Cabinet includes a vaccine denier, a physician who hawks snake oil on the Internet, and a Russian mole. By the time Americans are relieved of the Trump presidency, the costs of COVID may seem quaint.
Happy New Year! May the Force be with us all.
A look back at my Different Drummer musings about politics, family, and music from the past year:
“Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time”
– Green Day
_____
Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for public education, particularly for students with special education needs, who serves as the Education Chair for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD’s District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him “a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles.” For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
About the Creator
Carl J. Petersen
Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for students with SpEd needs and public education. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD’s District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Opinions are his own.
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Charter School Debt Increases To At Least $2,899,721
“Any charter that refuses to pay what is owed should be revoked.” – Scott Schmerelson “If a charter school refuses to pay the fees they owe, even after given opportunities to pay their debt to our students, then I do support revoking the charter from the school.” – Karla Griego
By Carl J. Petersenabout a year ago in The Swamp
‘An Incomprehensible Nightmare’: Grief Turns to Anger Over Swiss Bar Fire as Le Constellation Owner Arrested
New Year’s Eve is meant to symbolize hope, renewal, and fresh beginnings. In the Swiss Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana, however, the arrival of 2026 became a moment of unimaginable horror. A devastating fire at the popular nightclub Le Constellation claimed 40 lives and injured more than a hundred others, transforming a place of music and celebration into the epicenter of one of Switzerland’s deadliest peacetime disasters in decades. What followed was a wave of national mourning — and then something more powerful. As details emerged, grief began to turn into anger, and a collective question echoed across Switzerland and beyond: How could this have happened? A Night That Changed Everything Shortly after midnight on January 1, Le Constellation was packed with young people celebrating the New Year. Witnesses recall a festive atmosphere, champagne flowing, music pulsing, and crowds pressed close together. Within minutes, everything changed. Investigators believe that sparkler-style fireworks attached to champagne bottles ignited flammable soundproofing material on the ceiling. Flames spread rapidly through the confined basement space, filling the venue with smoke and heat before many people could react. Panic followed. Survivors described a desperate rush for exits, poor visibility, and crushing crowds as people tried to escape. Some broke windows. Others were trapped. Emergency services arrived quickly, but the fire’s speed and intensity left little chance for many inside. By dawn, the scale of the tragedy was clear. A Community in Mourning Crans-Montana, better known for ski holidays and postcard-perfect views, became a town united by sorrow. Many of the victims were teenagers and young adults, some as young as 14. Families from Switzerland, France, and Italy gathered in hospitals, churches, and temporary shelters, searching for answers and clinging to hope. A national day of mourning was declared. Bells rang across the country. Vigils were held, candles lit, and names read aloud. Swiss leaders were joined by foreign dignitaries in remembrance ceremonies, underscoring the international impact of the loss. But even as memorials continued, troubling information began to surface. From Grief to Outrage Public emotion shifted dramatically when authorities revealed that Le Constellation had not undergone a mandatory fire safety inspection since 2019, despite regulations requiring regular checks for venues hosting large crowds. For many families, this disclosure felt like a second shock. How could a nightclub operate for years without inspection? Who was responsible for ensuring safety standards were met? And why were obvious risks — such as indoor fireworks — allowed at all? The mayor of Crans-Montana acknowledged failures in oversight, admitting that inspections simply had not taken place. That admission sparked widespread anger, not only toward the bar’s owners but also toward local authorities and regulatory bodies. On social media and in public forums, the tone changed from mourning to demand: someone must be held accountable. The Arrest That Changed the Investigation That demand intensified when Swiss prosecutors announced the arrest of Jacques Moretti, co-owner of Le Constellation. Authorities placed him in pre-trial detention, citing concerns that he could leave the country and potentially evade justice. Prosecutors are now investigating possible charges including involuntary homicide, negligence, and causing bodily harm. His wife and business partner was questioned separately and placed under house arrest. For many families, the arrest offered a measure of reassurance — a sign that the tragedy was being taken seriously. For others, it raised further questions about how responsibility would ultimately be shared between private owners and public institutions. Voices of the Survivors Amid legal developments, survivors continue to process their trauma. Some remain hospitalized with severe burns and smoke inhalation injuries. Others are physically safe but psychologically scarred. Several have described recurring nightmares, survivor’s guilt, and a sense of disbelief that they lived while friends did not. Parents of victims have spoken of empty bedrooms, unfinished dreams, and futures erased in minutes. Their testimonies have become a powerful reminder that behind every statistic is a human life — and that accountability is not abstract, but deeply personal. A National Reckoning on Safety The fire has triggered a sweeping review of fire safety standards across Switzerland. Authorities have launched inspections of nightclubs, bars, and event spaces nationwide. Indoor pyrotechnics are being restricted or banned, and enforcement mechanisms are under renewed scrutiny. Yet critics argue that inspections alone are not enough. They are calling for: Clearer responsibility between municipalities and venue owners Transparent public records of safety inspections Stronger penalties for non-compliance Faster intervention when risks are identified If a disaster of this scale can happen in a country renowned for precision and regulation, many ask, what does that mean for public safety elsewhere? An Incomprehensible Nightmare — and a Turning Point The phrase repeated by grieving families — “an incomprehensible nightmare” — captures the emotional weight of the tragedy. But as legal proceedings move forward, that nightmare may also become a turning point. The Le Constellation fire has exposed systemic weaknesses, forced uncomfortable truths into the open, and sparked a nationwide conversation about responsibility, prevention, and justice. Whether those conversations lead to lasting reform remains to be seen. What is certain is this: the 40 lives lost on that New Year’s night will not be forgotten — and for many, justice will mean ensuring that such a tragedy never happens again.
By Muhammad Hassan3 days ago in The Swamp
Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts5 days ago in Longevity
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