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Marie: Sorry, my countdown clock was unreliable; then it became completely unreliable. I can't keep up with it. Maybe I'll try another one later.

 

Public Service Announcement

Zoë Schlanger in the Atlantic: "Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But, as Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth recently told me, black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid." This is a gift link from laura h.

Mashable: "Following the 2024 presidential election results and [Elon] Musk's support for ... Donald Trump, users have been deactivating en masse. And this time, it appears most everyone has settled on one particular X alternative: Bluesky.... Bluesky has gained more than 100,000 new sign ups per day since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. It now has over 15 million users. It's enjoyed a prolonged stay on the very top of Apple's App Store charts as well. Ready to join? Here's how to get started on Bluesky[.]"

Washington Post: "Americans can again order free rapid coronavirus tests by mail, the Biden administration announced Thursday. People can request four free at-home tests per household through covidtests.gov. They will begin shipping Monday. The move comes ahead of an expected winter wave of coronavirus cases. The September revival of the free testing program is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to respond to the coronavirus as part of a broader public health campaign to protect Americans from respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), that surge every fall and winter. But free tests were not mailed during the summer wave, which wastewater surveillance data shows is now receding."

Democrats' Weekly Address

Marie (Feb 23): As far as I can tell, there isn't any. I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like Democrats are so screwed up, they can't even put together a couple of minutes of video to tell us how screwed we are.

Out with the Black. In with the White. New York Times: “Lester Holt, the veteran NBC newscaster and anchor of the 'NBC Nightly News' over the last decade, announced on Monday that he will step down from the flagship evening newscast in the coming months. Mr. Holt told colleagues that he would remain at NBC, expanding his duties at 'Dateline,' where he serves as the show’s anchor.... He said that he would continue anchoring the evening news until 'the start of summer.' The network did not immediately name a successor.” ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “MSNBC said on Monday that Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary who has become one of the most prominent hosts at the network, would anchor a nightly weekday show in prime time. Ms. Psaki, 46, will host a show at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, replacing Alex Wagner, a longtime political journalist who has anchored that hour since 2022, according to a memo to staff from Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s president. Ms. Wagner will remain at MSNBC as an on-air correspondent. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s biggest star, has been anchoring the 9 p.m. hour on weeknights for the early days of ... [Donald] Trump’s administration but will return to hosting one night a week at the end of April.”

New York Times: “Joy Reid’s evening news show on MSNBC is being canceled, part of a far-reaching programming overhaul orchestrated by Rebecca Kutler, the network’s new president, two people familiar with the changes said. The final episode of Ms. Reid’s 7 p.m. show, 'The ReidOut,' is planned for sometime this week, according to the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The show, which features in-depth interviews with politicians and other newsmakers, has been a fixture of MSNBC’s lineup for the past five years. MSNBC is planning to replace Ms. Reid’s program with a show led by a trio of anchors: Symone Sanders Townsend, a political commentator and former Democratic strategist; Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Alicia Menendez, the TV journalist, the people said. They currently co-host 'The Weekend,' which airs Saturday and Sunday mornings.” MB: In case you've never seen “The Weekend,” let me assure you it's pretty awful. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "Joy Reid is leaving MSNBC, the network’s new president announced in a memo to staff on Monday, marking an end to the political analyst and anchor’s prime time news show."

Y! Entertainment: "Meanwhile, [Alex] Wagner will also be removed from her 9 pm weeknight slot. Wagner has already been working as a correspondent after Rachel Maddow took over hosting duties during ... Trump’s first 100 days in office. It’s now expected that Wagner will not return as host, but is expected to stay on as a contributor. Jen Psaki, President Biden’s former White House press secretary, is a likely replacement for Wagner, though a decision has not been finalized." MB: In fairness to Psaki, she is really too boring to watch. On the other hand, she is White. ~~~

     ~~~ RAS: "So MSNBC is getting rid of both of their minority evening hosts. Both women of color who are not afraid to call out the truth. Outspoken minorities don't have a long shelf life in the world of our corporate news media."

As we watch in horror the rapid destruction of our democratic form of government, it is comforting to remember there is life outside politics. I took a break a while ago to enjoy a brief lesson in the history of the moonwalk: ~~~

But it may go back even further:

And this chronological account is helpful:

New York Times: “Chuck Todd, the former 'Meet the Press' moderator and a longtime fixture of NBC’s political coverage, told colleagues on Friday that he was leaving the network. A nearly two-decade veteran of NBC, Mr. Todd said that Friday would be his last day at NBC.... Mr. Todd, 52, is the latest TV news star to step aside at a moment when salaries are being scrutinized — and slashed — by major media companies. Hoda Kotb exited NBC’s 'Today' show this month, and Neil Cavuto of Fox News and CNN’s Chris Wallace departed their cable news homes late last year.”

CNBC: “ CNN plans to lay off hundreds of employees Thursday [Jan. 23] as it refocuses the business around a global digital audience.... The layoffs come as CNN is rearranging its linear TV lineup and building out digital subscription products. The cuts will help CNN lower production costs and consolidate teams, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. Certain shows that are produced in New York or Washington may move to Atlanta, where production can be done more cheaply, said the people. For the most part, the job cuts won’t affect CNN’s most recognizable names, who are under contract, said the people. CNN has about 3,500 employees worldwide.... NBC News is also planning cuts later this week, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. While the exact number couldn’t be determined, the job losses will be well under 50....”

 

Contact Marie

Email Marie at constantweader@gmail.com

Page Links
Wednesday
Jan262011

The Commentariat -- January 27

Bill Keller, the New York Times executive editor, write a story for the Times Magazine about Times' reporters encounters will Julian Assange. Watch the video here. ...

... John Cook at Gawker has a pretty good take on Bill Keller's literary effort. It would be a fair guess that Cook is not hoping for a job at the Times.

Scott Wilson & Joby Warrick of the Washington Post: "The Obama administration is openly supporting the anti-government demonstrations shaking the Arab Middle East, a stance that is far less tempered than the one the president has taken during past unrest in the region." CW: this is more evidence that the Obama Administration was delighted with WikiLeaks. ...

... Related News. New York Times: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had executed more than 40 search warrants in the United States on Thursday as part of an investigation into an international group of computer hackers who attacked corporate Web sites last year in a show of support for WikiLeaks."

Speaking of Leaking... Jeremy Peters of the New York Times: "Two hours before President Obama delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday..., a full-length draft of the speech was posted on a news Web site without White House knowledge. And for a moment, one of the most scripted acts of Washington stagecraft was thrown off balance. The leak of the speech ... appeared on NationalJournal.com at 7:14 p.m.... The National Journal was keeping tight-lipped about how it obtained the speech, saying only that it came from a Democrat." ...

... Ben Smith: "If there's one thing President Obama did go on about a bit about in the State of the Union, it was American exceptionalism -- as the National Journal's Ron Fournier noted at some length. Two who didn't entirely notice were Speaker John Boehner and Kathleen Parker.... It should also be noted that Obama called Boehner Speaker of 'The Greatest Nation on Earth.'" ...

... Here's is Parker interviewing Speaker Boehner. The exchange in which they bemoan the President's not acknowledging American exceptionalism begins 5 minutes in:

     ... Greg Sargent: "What's amusing about this ongoing assertion from the right is how easily debunked it is, and how casually its proponents simply pretend that the historical record doesn't exist." ...

... Hey, here's a new criticism of the President's SOTU speech, from Alvin Felzenberg, a Princeton historian & veteran of two Republican Administrations: plagiarism. "Had the president submitted the text of his second State of the Union Address in the form of a college term paper, he would have been sent forthwith to the nearest academic dean. Once again, our public affairs are such that we have one standard for presidents and another for undergraduates." Huf-fy! ...

... David Meadvin, writing in Political Wire, explains why the snap polls showed such a positive reaction to the President State of the Union speech.

"On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner talked to The Wall Street Journal's David Wessel about the [President's] initiative [to equalize & reduce the corporate tax rate]. Mr. Geithner emphasized the administration's insistence on offsetting the corporate rate, now 35%, by eliminating deductions, credits and incentives."

Amanda Terkel: "Although President Obama avoided talking about the contentious issue of gun control in Tuesday's State of the Union address, his top advisers say he will soon be jumping into the debate. In a discussion with a small group of bloggers and reporters on Wednesday at the White House, Senior Advisor David Axelrod said there was 'no doubt' the President will address the gun issue at a later date."

Raw Meat for Republicans. AP: "... Social Security will run at a deficit this year and keep on running in the red until its trust funds are drained by about 2037, congressional budget experts said Wednesday in bleaker-than-previous estimates."

Raw Meat for Democrats. Frank Newport & Lydia Saad of Gallup: "Prior to the State of the Union address, a majority of Americans said they favor cutting U.S. foreign aid, but more than 6 in 10 opposed cuts to education, Social Security, and Medicare. Smaller majorities objected to cutting programs for the poor, national defense, homeland security, aid to farmers, and funding for the arts and sciences."

Matt Yglesias: print more money & get the unemployed off the couch.

Ed O'Keefe of the Washington Post: "President Obama vowed during his State of the Union address Tuesday to end enforcement of the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy this year, providing the clearest indication yet that the ban on gays openly serving in uniform will end in a matter of months, not years as some have feared."

I think it's absolutely wrong, and the public should understand that the president has enough power; he should back off and let us do what we do. -- Harry Reid, on President Obama's pledge to veto earmarks

Two posts on the Democrats' cave on filibuster reform:

     Sam Stein: The window to change the Senate rules during this session through a simple majority vote ended without action ... as lawmakers in the chamber agreed to adjourn the first day of the 112th Congress." Unfortunately, Stein uses the passive voice to the point he doesn't really reveal why this happened.

     Jon Walker of Firedoglake: "Senate Democrats had the ability to easily solve the problems they spent the last two years endlessly complaining about, but choose not to.... Every single procedural problem [Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell causes Democrats in the next two years is ultimately the fault of Senate Democrats because, despite knowing his modus operandi, they still choose to leave themselves at his mercy." ...

... Related News. New York Times: "... Senate ... leadership on Thursday promised to temper the procedural warfare that has consumed the chamber in recent years and increased partisan tension. The bipartisan agreement left intact the filibuster.... But the Senate approved other changes Thursday in rules intended to quicken the pace of action, including new limits on a single lawmaker’s ability to anonymously block legislation and nominations." ...

... Speaking of Stupid Senate Stuff, Ian Millhiser of Think Progress reports that the Republican leadership has put Mike Lee (R-UT) on the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is the guy, Millhiser quips, who defines a sentence as "a noun, a verb, and 'unconstitutional.'” "Lee has recently claimed that federal child labor laws, FEMA, food stamps, the FDA, Medicaid, income assistance for the poor, and even Medicare and Social Security violate the Constitution."

Shailagh Murray of the Washington Post: "It is the narrowly divided Democratic-led Senate -- not the Republican House -- that is most likely to tackle the bipartisan initiatives Obama laid out Tuesday, including free-trade deals, border security and immigration reform, and an overhaul of the corporate tax code."

Dan Eggen of the Washington Post: "By voting Wednesday to abolish public financing for presidential campaigns, House Republicans endorsed a policy that could cause serious problems for ... fellow Republicans hoping to run for the White House in 2012":

For the major candidates, the best-known candidates, the system is irrelevant at this point. The ones who are relying on it now are the more marginal candidates. . . . The question is whether the Republican leadership is happy not to finance those people. -- Lawrence Noble, former SEC counsel

Rick Pearson & David Kidwell of the Chicago Tribune assess the political leanings of members of the Illinois State Supreme Court & how their political affiliations may influence the justices' decision on the Rahm Emanuel petition to remain on the Chicago mayoral ballot.

Alissa Rubin of the New York Times: a "string of political miscalculations ... have left [Afghan President Hamid] Karzai a diminished and more isolated leader, members of Parliament, Western diplomats and analysts say. At the very least, they say, the outcome seems certain to signal the beginning of a potentially more precarious period in Mr. Karzai’s relations with Afghanistan’s power brokers."

Paul Farhi of the Washington Post: "A coalition of rabbis wants Fox News chief Roger Ailes and conservative host Glenn Beck to cut out all their talk about Nazis and the Holocaust.... The rabbis have called on ... Rupert Murdoch to sanction his two famous employees via a full-page ad in Thursday's editions of the Wall Street Journal -- one of many other media properties controlled by Murdoch's News Corp."

News Items

Washington Post: "Opposition activists in Egypt vowed to defy a government ban and turn out by the thousands for demonstrations Friday, prompting authorities to apparently cut access to the Internet in an attempt to limit their ability to organize."

Washington Post: "Sporadic anti-government protests continued across Egypt Thursday, with demonstrators facing off against police outside the lawyers' guild in central Cairo and activists reportedly setting fire to a police post in the eastern city of Suez."

New York Times: "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said that the military could be ready this year to carry out the repeal of a ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the armed forces, and that he has accelerated efforts to revise training and regulations."

Chicago Tribune: "The Illinois Supreme Court ruled today that Rahm Emanuel can stay on the ballot for mayor of Chicago, saying in a unanimous decision that he meets the state's residency requirements despite spending most of the last year as White House chief of staff." ...

... NEW. Here's a facsimile of the Illinois Court's decision.

Politico: "President Barack Obama on Thursday named Jay Carney, communications director for Vice President Joe Biden and former Washington bureau chief for Time magazine, to replace Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary. Carney’s new posiition was announced in an email from chief of staff Bill Daley that detailed more than a dozen other personnel moves made as part of a broader White House staff reorganization." Here's the full text of Daley's e-mail.

New York Times: "Yemen, one of the Middle East’s most impoverished countries and a haven for Al Qaeda militants, became the latest Arab state to witness mass protests on Thursday, as thousands of Yemenis took to the streets in the capital and other regions to demand a change in government."

New York Times: David Kato, "an outspoken Ugandan gay activist whose picture recently appeared in an anti-gay newspaper under the headline 'Hang Them,' was beaten to death in his home, Ugandan police said on Thursday."

The President speaks in Wisconsin:

Here's the Los Angeles Times report of Obama's visit to Manitowoc, Wisconsin yesterday. AND here's the AP report. New York Times report on President Obama's trip to Wisconsin. Video above. ...

     ... Politico Related: "White House officials will travel across the country in the days after President Obama’s State of the Union speech in an effort to promote some of its key themes.... Obama [is] visiting Wisconsin and Vice President Biden [is] heading to Indiana." New York Times story here.

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