With its plodding beat and drifting arpeggios, Flock of Dimes’ “Hard Way” feels spacious and comforting, but it also comes with a sense of foreboding. In the words of its author, Jenn Wasner (a flock unto herself), “this song is an example of the power of the subconscious mind to hide truths from ourselves that we’re not yet ready to see… It wasn’t until long after I wrote it that I became aware of its odd foreshadowing of what was to come—that something I intended to be bright and hopeful in the moment was floating on top of a deep current of unease.” That’s the vibe of all the news items below: supposedly great ideas going sour. Turn up and read on.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve felt myself lag on acknowledging lot of the rough stuff that’s been happening. Reflecting now, I think it’s because I’ve been working on some heavy stuff in my journalism work, and my impulse in the newsletter is to counterbalance and keep it light. It’s not forever, but wanted to say as much in case you’ve noticed and are wondering what’s up. And stay tuned for what I think is going to be a good article.

That said, I want to talk about Gaza, mainly because I have an expert friend who’s been keeping me informed and I want to share his work with you. This week, you’d know Alex Kane as the guy who broke the news this week on AOC’s resolution that would block the United States’ sale of bombs to Israel, but he’s been covering the region for years with a focus on Palestinian human rights (and what happens when the US throws its weight around). This week has marked a major turning point in how the American left is approaching Israel, which Alex also just explained on the Vox podcast that, um, explains the news. It’s the next best thing to joining the group chat— take a listen.

Since the links above are covering the arms deal, let’s turn back to my area of expertise: the oopsies of capitalism stateside. I’ve just been reading this review of a book about how real estate investment is changing the shape of buildings, and it. is. wild. According Matthew Soules’ Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin, investment developments aren’t really being built for humans any more; instead, they’re growing into shapes designed to maximize their value for the owner. From Nate Berg’s review: “Icebergs are the homes of the superrich in London that, due to building height rules, can see their values increased by adding new levels deeper and deeper below ground. Zombies are the half-dead neighborhoods in places like Dublin and southern Spain where speculative development and investment homes often sit empty. Ultra-thins are the tall luxury towers now popping up in cities around the world that serve less as places to live than as places to invest and grow the buyer’s money.” Housing crisis? What housing crisis?

Did someone say capitalism is reshaping cities? And have they seen the $260 million floating park that’s about to open in Manhattan? Developed by Barry Diller, the CEO of IAC (otherwise known as daddy of Match Group, Vimeo, and Ask.com), it might remind you of The Vessel at Hudson Yards, since the two parks share a designer known as the “billionaire whisperer.” According to a New York Times architecture critic, who is pro-this-park, “Little Island can remind you more of a private estate than a city park. It’s clearly going to cost a king’s ransom to maintain.” But not to worry, Diller will cover those costs for the next 20 years, and if we play our cards right, Manhattan will have sunk by the time that’s up, leaving only the people in the ultra-high-rises above water.

Lorem buddy Michael Friedrich got it right: “If we rely on the “mega-moguls” to create our public spaces, they will continue to build “charming” little SimCity vanity projects. For the love of god, simply tax these people and use the revenue for real parks.”