The Ledes

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (02-25-2025)

Some Good News, for a change: ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “Astronomers have been carefully watching 2024 YR4, a space rock with a heightened chance of hitting Earth in 2032. But fear not: NASA announced on Monday that it posed a threat no longer — the odds that the asteroid would smash into our planet have dropped to nearly zero.”

New York Times: “Eleven days after the pope was hospitalized, speculation is mounting and prayers for his recovery verge on a vigil.”

The Wires
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The Ledes

Monday, February 24, 2025

New York Times: “Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent who leaped onto President John F. Kennedy’s limousine as it came under fire in Dallas and prevented a scrambling Jacqueline Kennedy from falling to the ground, died on Friday at his home in Belvedere, Calif. Mr. Hill, hailed for his bravery but long tormented by his inability to save the president’s life, was 93.”

New York Times: “Roberta Flack, the magnetic singer and pianist whose intimate blend of soul, jazz and folk made her one of the most popular artists of the 1970s, died on Monday in Manhattan. She was 88.”

New York Times: “Pope Francis is suffering from 'initial, mild kidney failure' in addition to the serious respiratory illness that has left the 88-year-old pontiff in critical condition in a Rome hospital, the Vatican said on Sunday. Describing a 'complex' clinical picture, the Vatican said that the kidney ailment was 'at present under control,' and that there had been no repeat of the respiratory crisis that the pope had experienced on Saturday. The pope was 'alert and well oriented,' the Vatican said, and he attended Mass in his suite along with the medical staff caring for him.”

Help!

To keep the Conversation going, please help me by linking news articles, opinion pieces and other political content in today's Comments section.

Link Code:   <a href="URL">text</a>

OR here's a link generator. The one I had posted died, then Akhilleus found one, but it too bit the dust. He found yet another, which I've linked here, and as of September 23, 2024, it's working.

OR you can always just block, copy and paste to your comment the URL (Web address) of the page you want to link.

Note for Readers. It is not possible for commenters to "throw" their highlighted links to another window. But you can do that yourself. Right-click on the link and a drop-down box will give you choices as to where you want to open the link: in a new tab, new window or new private window.

Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.

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

Friday
Oct152010

The Commentariat -- October 15

Banksters, Robo-Judges & a Do-Nothing Administration

Paul Krugman explains & comments on "the mortgage morass" as it stands today: "True to form, the Obama administration’s response has been to oppose any action that might upset the banks.... The response from the right is, however, even worse." ...

... The Rocket Docket. Brady Dennis, a straight reporter at the Washington Post, describes Florida's "rocket docket": judges whom the state has hired out of retirement to handle the foreclosure backlog are robo-signing uncontested foreclosures even though the banks' paperwork is not in order. Many judges, attorneys argue, are worse than the banks. ...

... How did we get in this mess? William Cohan shows us how it all started -- investment banks not only ignored advice that a large percentage of the loans they were bundling failed to meet standard underwriting guidelines, they withheld that information from investors to whom they sold the packages. Cohan is hopeful some banksters finally will get their comuppance: "So far, not a soul on Wall Street has been found to be criminally liable for the practices that led to the financial crisis. But thanks, in part, to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, we are getting closer than ever to the day when the culprits will pay for what they did." ...

... New York Times: "Angelo R. Mozilo, the founder and former chief executive of Countrywide Financial, once the nation’s largest mortgage lender, agreed to pay $67.5 million Friday to settle a civil fraud case brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission last year." ...

... Ezra Klein has some good suggestions on how to fix the meltdown. CW: unfortunately, Klein's solutions require the federal agencies to get off their lazy, do-nothing asses. Good luck with that. ...

... The New York Times Editorial Board also suggest some fixes, including modifying bankruptcy laws to force banks to modify loans. "Throughout this crisis, the Obama administration has been far more worried about protecting the banks than protecting homeowners.... The banks that got us into this mess can’t be trusted to get us out of it. The administration and Congress need to act." ...

... David Hilzenrath of the Washington Post: "Stocks of major banks declined sharply Thursday amid concern that widespread corner-cutting in the foreclosure process could saddle the financial system with a costly and paralyzing mess. The sell-off was one of the most vivid indications yet that, just as banks were recovering from the financial crisis of recent years, foreclosure problems could take a new toll." ...

... Mark Gongloff of the Wall Street Journal on the markets' "acute uncertainty" about banks in light of the foreclosure crisis. ...

... Which only adds to pressure on the bank-friendly Obama Administration & on the friendly banks themselves to get off the dime, Bloomberg reports. CW: so far, nobody's budging. ...

... Max Abelson of the New York Observer: Wall Street blames the homebuyers: as one Goldman Sachs analyst said, "The problem is they don't deserve to be in that place. They probably deserve to be there less than they used to." ...

... The New York Observer's "Horror Stories from the Foreclosure Crisis." The first one: "Man without Mortgage Gets Foreclosed." Slideshow.

Thomas Cox. New York Times photo.... David Streitfeld of the New York Times: the little house in Maine that broke the bank. Thomas Cox, a former bank foreclosure officer, now working for a nonprofit, took on GMAC on behalf of a foreclosed homeowner & laid "the groundwork for foreclosure challenges nationwide." ...

... Digby points out that way back in 2007 she & Bill Moyers were on the Case of the Disappearing Paperwork. CW: this isn't a surprise to anybody in the industry, & it shouldn't be a surprise to regulators.

****************************************************************

I have this new diet, it’s called the 'Pretend You’re a Republican Diet.' It’s every time you see carbs or sweets or fats, you pretend you’re a Senate Republican and just say no. -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who has lost 40 pounds since she gave birth two years ago

Justin Elliott of Salon: according to Gen. Hugh Shelton, who was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs during part of President Clinton's Administration, an unnamed Clinton cabinet member whispered to Shelton,

What we really need in order to go in and take out Saddam is a precipitous event — something that would make us look good in the eyes of the world. Could you have one of our U-2s fly low enough — and slow enough — so as to guarantee that Saddam could shoot it down?

Shelton says he replied, Why, of course we can. Just as soon as we get your ass qualified to fly it, I will have it flown just as low and slow as you want to go.

Smurfers. Scott Hensley of NPR: "how CVS became meth makers' favorite drugstore."

Sam Stein: Drummond Pike, "... the founder and CEO of the Tides Foundation (a frequent [Glenn] Beck target), has written advertisers asking them to remove their sponsorship of the Fox News program or risk having 'blood on their hands.'" ... Pike, who along with his organization was recently targeted by an assassin inspired by Beck's program, penned a letter on Friday to the Chairmen of the Boards of JP Morgan Chase, GEICO, Zurich Financial, Chrysler, Direct Holdings Americas, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Lilly Corporate Center, BP, and The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc." The full text of Pike's letter is here.

How Low the Bar? Steve Benen: "The political world seems to realize that some real nutjobs have won major-party nominations this year, which then apparently leads to surprise when clearly unqualified nominees manage to engage in a debate without drooling on themselves for an hour.... We seem to have developed a depressing checklist: (a) did the candidate show up; (b) did the candidate speak English; (c) did the candidate remember the talking points drilled into his/her head by handlers from Washington; (d) did the candidate repeat the poll-tested zinger; (e) did the candidate avoid some kind of mental breakdown."

Scott Woolley of Fortune: why Carly Fiorina never mentions the job that gave her name recognition: head of Lucent Technology. Under Fiorina, they gambled big, & shortly after she moved to Hewlitt-Packard, Lucent went under because of huge, unwise vendor loans made on Fiorina's watch. But Fiorina made out like a bandit.

David Brooks wrote an op-ed column today about what a nice guy Rep. Mark Kirk is, even though he lied repeatedly about his military service record. (See my comment [#10, Marie Burns].) I'll bet Our Miss Brooks thinks Kirk's voter intimidation program is A-okay, too. But Olbermann doesn't:

Chad Levingood of the Delaware News Journal reports on Chris Coons' & Christine O'Donnell's second debate. ...

I've got Sean Hannity in my back pocket, and I can go on his show and raise money by attacking you guys. -- Christine O'Donnell, to GOP insiders who aren't helping her campaign

... "People thought of her as an ignorant, deadbeat witch." Keith Olbermann & Howard Fineman discuss Christine O'Donnell's candidacy:

Karoun Demirjian of the Las Vegas Sun recaps the debate/smackdown between Harry Reid & Sharron Angle. CW: rhymes with "witch." You can watch it on C-SPAN.

Bruce L. R. Smith, in a Washington Post op-ed, remembers Barack Obama, Sr., from their days at Harvard. Smith refutes Dinesh D'Souza's flimsy charge that President Obama inherited "Kenyan anti-colonialist" philosophy from his father.

Nick Seaver of AmericaBlog applied to be a member of the audience in President Obama's youth town hall, held yesterday. The "casting" rep who interviewed him asked him to come up with a "lighter" question than the alreadly boring one he suggested, but evidently his response wasn't light enough because the producers rejected Seaver. ... Washington Post follow-up: asked about the Seaver incident, Robert Gibbs gave a non-response response.