DL Open Thread: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
When Will Those Gazans Learn To Stand In Line Properly? Israeli troops mete out justified discipline b/c being starved for months is no excuse:
Chaos and confusion broke out at a new aid center in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the first full day that humanitarian assistance was being distributed through a contentious effort conceived by Israelis.
A blockade by Israel since March had halted food and fuel entering the enclave, leaving Palestinians desperate for supplies. Aid organizations suspended their operations as food stockpiles dwindled, and relief officials have been warning that widespread hunger has become a daily reality.
The desperation was evident at the distribution site on Tuesday, where footage verified by The New York Times showed chaotic scenes unfolding, with hundreds of people gathering in the compound. Large crowds, including women and young children, could be seen running toward the center of the site where boxes of aid had been piled up earlier in the day, and the chaos grew as more people climbed up and over sand berms surrounding the location.
In one video, a large crowd can be seen suddenly running away from the distribution site as several short bursts of gunfire are heard in the distance. The panicked crowd tramples the metal fencing set up round the perimeter of the site.
Security at the new distribution sites is being provided by private American contractors, but the Israeli military is stationing forces nearby, outside the perimeter.
Israel has said it was blocking aid from entering Gaza to prevent it from reaching the hands of Hamas. Under the new plan, aid is being distributed at sites the foundation has set up in coordination with the Israeli authorities.
But the plan to have the Israeli military stationed at a visible distance from the sites has drawn an outcry from humanitarian organizations. Critics say it puts Palestinian civilians at risk of more contact with Israeli soldiers. And there are fewer sites proposed than aid groups once had in place, raising fears that there will be less access to food and that civilians will have to travel farther to get it.
Learning line etiquette is the first step towards building a civilized society. Amirite? Some quick learners may even be rewarded with food. Some dare call it genocide.
Another ‘Stainless Steel Behemoth’ Meets An Unfortunate Fate:
STARBASE, Tex. — SpaceX launched its Starship rocket Tuesday evening in a mission that came after two failures and as Elon Musk, returning to his companies after a controversial stint in the White House, looks to inject renewed energy into his space venture.
The usual drama behind a launch was heightened this time around because of the previous Starship explosions over the Gulf of Mexico in tests this year. The company needed to prove that it could fly Starship without another failure — or what the company calls a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.”
A stainless-steel behemoth that stands 400 feet tall, Starship is the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, and its test flights are crucial to the future of America’s space ambitions. Tuesday’s mission started off with the smooth launch of a booster that had flown during a previous test flight. The spacecraft separated from the booster, then fired six engines to propel it on a trajectory across the globe. But well after the ship’s engines shut down, SpaceX controllers lost command of the vehicle.
International Visitors Visit–Elsewhere:
Amid rising political tensions and growing concerns over immigration policies, U.S. tourism has experienced a dramatic decline, with international visitors dropping by sixty-one percent. This sharp downturn can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the trade wars initiated during the Trump administration, fears surrounding aggressive immigration enforcement, and the increasing perception of the U.S. as an unwelcoming destination.
As global travelers seek more welcoming and politically stable regions, the U.S. tourism industry is left grappling with the fallout, as many key destinations, restaurants, and hotels suffer from a significant loss of foreign visitors. This crisis marks a pivotal shift in the global travel landscape, signaling that the U.S. may no longer be the go-to destination it once was.
As global tourism struggles to recover, the United States is facing a sharp decline in international visitors, impacting businesses that rely on this sector, from restaurants to hotels. The country’s once-thriving tourism industry has been hit hard by a series of factors, including trade wars initiated during the Trump administration and growing fears surrounding aggressive immigration policies. These concerns have driven many potential tourists to look elsewhere for vacation destinations, leaving the U.S. increasingly isolated from the global tourism market.
Biden’s fault.
I can’t keep up with all the lawsuits against the Trump Administration, but he seems to be losing almost all of them. Not that he’ll stop doing illegal stuff.
Developer Fee Increases Finally Coming To New Castle County? Marcus Henry appears more receptive than Matt Meyer:
A plan to make developers pay more in fees is back in New Castle County.
The New Castle County Council will consider an ordinance to raise the fees imposed on subdivisions and other development projects to bring in more dollars for emergency response services. The proposal is similar to one that then-County Executive Matt Meyer vetoed last December, weeks before his inauguration as governor.
Impact fees are collected by the county to support funding services like fire departments, law enforcement, emergency medical services and other county services. An ordinance the county will consider would increase those fees for the first time since 1999.
Would this mean–no more bundling parties? Might as well share Part 2, since I took the time to write it.
What do you want to talk about?
Here’s some coverage of Gaza aid distribution that doesn’t require login (sorry, NYT isn’t getting my personal information):
The reported injuries at the distribution site: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cev41em3r9lo
and some context on the aid distribution: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cev41em3r9lo
and a pretty good explainer from NBC:
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/gaza/gazas-american-backed-aid-system-means-people-israel-distribution-un-rcna209388