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Culture War Roundup for the week of May 4, 2026

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Because this is Israel's possible last chance to use America as a beatstick on Iran for at least a generation or two. I think Israelis call it mowing the lawn with Palestinians, this must be like getting a contractor to trim the trees. I also try to finish eating the old food in the fridge as it gets closer to the expiration date, Netanyahu's reasoning may be similar.

Democrats and younger Republicans are turning neutral to anti-Israel. Since pro-Israel US politics is increasingly associated with older Republicans, a Republican president right now is the best chance to cash in on all the AIPAC lobbying investments while there are still pro-Israel democrats in office. Now or never.

Netanyahu may have hoped for the IRGC to be fully wiped out and for Iran to be occupied by the US, but this is probably the minimum expected result. At least Israel will be relatively safer for a few years, at which point they will be stronger and possibly able to deal with Iran by themselves.

Always keep the expendable chaff on the front line to soften up the enemy before the real battle starts.

Always keep the expendable chaff on the front line to soften up the enemy before the real battle starts.

In Chess the pawns go first.

I feel like this is more like a wild queen's gambit, if you were told by the referee at the start of the match your queen would be removed from the board after 20 total moves played. Might as well damage your opponent as much possible.

Got me missing the xmen movies though, might have to do a full rewatch.

Opening repertoire’s were always my weakness originally and it was where my deficiencies showed, but in end games I was always rock solid and had near machine optimal moves. I always preferred the Ruy-Lopez.

I was hoping to see Yagiz Kaan defeat Magnus or at least draw him, since he’s now the youngest 2700 ever to play the game; but Magnus never loses endgames. It took balls to see such a young kid so eager to swim out to the deep end of the pool. You could tell he realized the single blunder he made where it was lost for him, but I’m proud of him. Kid’s got a bright future.

Ruy Lopez is the way my dad taught me to play. It's my opening as white far too much, to the point it's a crutch and probably weakens me severely playing black.

Never heard about Yagiz until now, but being so young there's no way he doesn't get better unless he has a mental breakdown or something.