A blog about societal, cultural, and civilizational collapse, and how to stave it off or survive it. Named after the legendary character "Crazy Eddie" in Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "The Mote in God's Eye." Expect news and views about culture, politics, economics, technology, and science fiction.
I closed John Oliver on UFOs for World UFO Day by telling my readers "I might return with another John Oliver video for tomorrow's post that I can share next month. Stay tuned." I'm following through by sharing Trump’s Second Term.
John Oliver discusses Donald Trump’s plans for a second term, why it could be much worse than his first term, and what Trump has in common with a hamster.
As I tell my liberal friends who keep thinking that the GOP should be dead by now, the GOP as a traditional party engaged in electoral politics is already dead. What it is now, as described by "EscapefromWisconsin" over at the Hipcrime Vocab, is an authoritarian movement. That makes it an undead party in a democratic system. As Bela Lugosi's Dracula said in the eponymous movie, "There are far worse things awaiting Man than Death." Yeah, and one of them has happened to the GOP.
That was a dozen years ago. Back then, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan weren't the candidates to realize that movement's ambitions; they were still conventional conservative candidates contesting for power in a democracy. The condition of the GOP has become even more obvious since then with the rise of Hoover Cleveland, who is the right candidate to fulfill the current party's dictatorial desires. As I wrote nearly three years ago, "I had no idea how right I was then and now I wish I hadn't been. Break out the garlic."
MSNBC has been all over Project 2025, so stay tuned to see if I follow up with their videos tomorrow for a serious take on the issue.
HappyWorldUFODay! I'm pulling a slightly fast one today, as I wrote yesterday "This concludes the string of holiday entries that began on Juneteenth. Stay tuned for an evergreen post that I can share in July." Change of plans with one more holiday post to add to the string. However, I can still share this on the second UFO Day in July, which is the one I usually observe. Without any further ado, watch John Oliver examine UFOs.
John Oliver explains why we need honest inquiry into UFO sightings, and why those inquiries should be data-driven, fact-based, and – crucially – boring as fuck.
When I wrote "UAPs are an ongoing subject of Congressional hearings and public interest, so I'm sure to return to the topic" last year, I didn't think I would do it through comedy. Surprise! Making the story funny makes it more likely that people will remember the information. That written, I agree the subject should be taken more seriously, to the point where most people would find them "boring as fuck." We might actually get closer to the truth.
Speaking of getting closer to the truth, I'm repeating what I wrote three years ago.
If many UAPs are secret weapons programs, especially foreign ones, that's a cause for concern.
John Michael Greer thinks that UAPs being secret weapons programs is the most likely possibility, stating so most recently in last month's Toward the Breaking Point. In fact, he thinks it's a cover story for U.S. weapons development. While I'm not sure about the cover story part, I do think secret weapons programs are a likely explanation for many sightings.
Reconnaissance flights aren't actually weapons, but as top secret military and intelligence projects, they come close enough.
I might return with another John Oliver video for tomorrow's post that I can share next month. Stay tuned.
Scripps News reporter Ben Schamisso dives into the savory world of Detroit Style Pizza, a culinary marvel that's taking the nation by storm. Revealed by a recent Yelp survey, searches for Detroit-style pizza soared by 26% from 2022 to 2023, signaling its growing popularity among food enthusiasts.
Born in Buddy's Pizzeria, Detroit, in 1946, this distinct pizza variant is celebrated for its crunchy, cheese-laden edges and signature caramelized crust—a testament to its uniqueness. Uncover the rich history, the artful dough preparation process, and the reasons behind its triumph over traditional New York and Chicago pizzas. With its popularity surging by 26% in just the last year, Detroit Style Pizza is swiftly becoming a contender for America’s top pizza choice. Could it be your new favorite?
Talk about a successful marketing campaign! I even succumbed to it. Being a diabetic didn't stop me from buying a frozen Buddy's Pizza Friday and eating it that night for an early celebration. I just made sure to adjust my insulin dose accordingly.
Follow over the jump for today's celebration of Souther, the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Summer Solstice, a holiday created by John Michael Greer, who also designated the wombat as the animal mascot, and National Pink Day, another holiday that shares today.
HappyWorldRainforestDay! Today is the first time I'm celebrating the environmental holiday with a dedicated post during an even-numbered year — progress!
As I have the past two times I observed World Rainforest Day, I'm blogging about the temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest, particularly the Coast Redwood forest of California, beginning with PBS Terra explaining Redwoods Shouldn't Be So Tall. Here's Why They Are.
Beyond its iconic height, the Redwood Forest is sacred to the Yurok Tribe and a scientific frontier for the study of vast biodiversity that exists nowhere else on Earth. This episode of Untold Earth explores the varied relationship between The Redwoods, their forest ecosystems, and the humans who live and work among them. Asking, at every turn, what makes these trees epically singular in nature?
This is a sequel of sorts to the PBS Terra video I embedded in last year's post. Like that video, I've shown it to my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development.
Mosses were among the first land plants to evolve out of the ocean roughly 450 million years ago. It grows everywhere, from the world’s harshest landscapes to cracks in the sidewalk. This episode of Untold Earth gets up close and personal with the mosses of the Hoh Rainforest to understand their vital role in this ecosystem and potential to offer a glimpse into our planet’s future.
If I haven't already shown this video to my students, I should and probably will, as I will lecture on mosses on Monday. Again, welcome to blogging as professional development.
Before I leave today, National Day Calendar has updated its photo once again.
June 22 is World Rainforest Day to raise awareness and encourage everyone to set some time aside to join the fight to protect rainforests. Join us today as we encouraging action to protect them.
That's both the message for today and a wrap for today's environmental holiday post. Stay tuned for the final consecutive holiday entry, a double celebration of Souther on Detroit-Style Pizza Day. Wombats eating pizza instead of ice cream!
How and why the giraffe's neck emerged in the first place has been a mystery that generations of biologists have argued over – one that has made us reconsider our understanding of how evolution actually works over and over again.
I've been saving this video for today since I watched it last August, ten months ago. After all, I'm an environmentalist; I conserve my resources. Speaking of which, I've been meaning to show this to my students as an example of sexual selection, but I definitely forgot to do so this semester. Now that I've blogged about it, I might just remember. Welcome to blogging as professional development.
It’s been 50 years since Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, a conservation effort that’s credited with saving some of America’s most treasured animals, including the iconic bald eagle. NBC’s Emilie Ikeda shares a closer look at its impact for TODAY.
As much of a doomer as I am, I'm glad to share a success.
The summer solstice is on Thursday, June 20 this year, marking the official start of summer. This is the earliest one within nearly 300 years.
I knew about astronomical summer, which begins today, meterological summer, which began June 1st, and the unofficial beginning of summer on Memorial Day, which I call the beginning of American cultural summer, but I hadn't heard of solar summer before. That means I learned something new today and it's always a good day when I learn something new.
Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is observed on June 19 each year. It became a U.S. federal holiday in 2021, following the signing of a bill by President Joe Biden[.]
President Joe Biden signed legislation marking Juneteenth, a day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, as a federal holiday.
The president signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act at 3:30 p.m. on June 17 in the East Room of the White House. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris also gave remarks on the passage of the bill and the significance of the holiday.
That's a good overview of the holiday as of 2021 with an even better preview image, one so colorful that I originally placed it first.
An historian explains the history and significance of the holiday.
...
Note: This video was previously titled, "Juneteenth, explained." The title has been changed to better reflect the video's content.
When American schoolchildren learn about chattel slavery in the US, we’re often told it ended with Abraham Lincoln’s signature on the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
But, as late as June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas were still held in bondage. On that date, the Federal troops entered the state and began to punish slave holders and former confederates who refused to obey the law.
“Juneteenth is a deeply emotional moment for enslaved people,” says historian Karlos K. Hill, of the University of Oklahoma.
In Texas and across the country, emancipated African Americans began celebrating annually, with parades, concerts, and picnics. “Being able to go wherever they want and being able to wander about; for enslaved people, it was an expression of their freedom,” says Hill. “Formerly enslaved people celebrating, in public, their newfound freedom, was an act of resistance.”
However, by 1877, the Federal government had largely abandoned the South. The lynching era— when hundreds of African Americans were killed by white mobs each year across the North and the South— began soon after.
Today, Dr. Hill says, commemorating Juneteenth is important for all Americans because it helps us see all the ways that slavery still shapes this country, including, as he says, “the desire to master and dominate black bodies.”
As much as I like Vox's videos, I'm surprised I haven't embedded this one in one of my previous posts. It was about time I did.
I concluded Animalogic's 'Crocodiles: Survivors of the Last Extinction' for World Crocodile Day by telling my readers, "This blog is likely to pass its page view goal for June before I post the next entry, so look for something evergreen tomorrow. Stay tuned." As i predicted, the blog passed its June page view goal early yesterday afternoon, so I'm shifting from current events to topics that will still be good to share next month. With that in mind, I'm sharing The debate over the Anthropocene, explained by Vox.
Humans have changed the planet. Should that go on the geologic calendar?
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The word “Anthropocene” has gained cultural resonance in recent years, as it’s become clearer that humans have made an indelible — and destructive — impact on our planet. But it’s also a term with a specific technical meaning: an epoch, or geologic unit of time, named for humans.
In 2009, geologists first started investigating whether the Anthropocene should be formally recognized as part of the way we record geologic time. This video explains what happened next: how a team of scientists looked for the evidence to make their case, and what it means to consider human time as part of the Earth’s 4.6 billion-year history.
Note: The title of this video has been updated.
Previous title: Should humans get their own geologic era?
The link I first embedded in "a possible sixth mass extinction" yesterday was to Holocene extinction or Anthropocene extinction on Wikipedia, which reminded me that I'd been sitting on this video for the past month. Also, I'm in the middle of teaching about geologic time, so this video is right on topic. I might even show it to my students today.
I won't show SciShow's The Human Era Has an Official Start. It’s a Lake in Canada to my students because it jumped the gun on the official decision to not recognize the Anthropocene. It still has scientific value, explaining the lake's chemistry, which Vox ignored.
Recently, a group of scientists have declared that the start of the Anthropocene, the time of outsize human influence on Earth, to be Crawford Lake in Canada. But how can a time be a place? We'll explain, and maybe grab some maple syrup.
A lot happened in the nearly six months between this video and Vox's. There will not be an officially recognized Anthropocene any time soon. That doesn't mean that the concept will disappear; it has too much cultural resonance and usefulness, even if the geologists have rejected it — for now.
The crocodile is one of the deadliest predators in the world. Unfortunately, they find themselves prey to something far more dangerous.
The title is certainly attention-grabbing and it turns out to be true despite the information in the video itself, which placed the divergence of crocodiles, gavials, and alligators at or just after the Paleocene-Eocene boundary, which was after the last mass extinction. Wikipedia saves the title.
The three primary branches of Crocodilia had diverged by the end of the Mesozoic. The possible earliest-known members of the group may be Portugalosuchus from the Cenomanian (95 million years ago),[20] though the classification of this taxon has been disputed.[21][22] After are alligatoroids and gavialoids that lived in North America and Europe during the Campanian (around 83.6–72.1 million years ago). The first known crocodyloids appeared in the Maastrichtian (around 72.1–66.0 million years ago), that lineage must have been present during the Campanian, and the earliest alligatoroids and gavialoids include highly derived forms, which indicates that the time of the actual divergence between the three lineages must have been a pre-Campanian event.
So the crocodiles really did survive the most recent mass extinction, not just their ancestors. May they survive a possible sixth mass extinction.
This blog is likely to pass its page view goal for June before I post the next entry, so look for something evergreen tomorrow. Stay tuned.
How many Mildreds did you go to school with? If you're under 60 years old, probably none! Mildred may have been a top ten baby name 100 years ago, but today it[']s almost extinct... Why is that??
I'm briefly calling attention to the fourth-fastest rising name on the boys list, Cassian. It's the given name of the protagonist of RogueOne and Andor and is thus a Star Wars name. I plan on covering those names for Father'sDayweekend.
Follow over the jump for 2023 in Star Wars baby names.
This is a good day for me to observe, since I'm an environmentalist who supports renewable energy. I could post much more, but I conserve my resources, so I'll save them for future posts — that is, if I'm not being a paleontologist by celebrating National Megalodon Day instead.
For more than 10 million years, Megalodon was at the top of its game as the oceans’ apex predator...until 2.6 million years ago, when it went extinct. So, what happened to the largest shark in history?
I've been waiting nearly six years to use this video, so, thanks, Hoover Cleveland, for inspiring me. File that under even the worst people can sometimes be useful!
World Martini Day falls on the third Saturday in June each year. Around the world martini lover's are shaking up their gin to enjoy this unique beverage with a twist. Join us as we learn a few facts about the martini and help you understand why we raise a glass to this summertime beverage holiday.
I'd been celebrating it on June 19th for years, but apparently it's moved. Either the people behind it wanted to avoid Juneteenth or National Day Calendar was confused all along. I'm still celebrating with MEGALODON BITE Fishbowl Cocktail! (Inspired by Meg 2) by The Martini Shot.
Drink responsibly and stay tuned for Father's Day!
Join us in this thought-provoking video as we delve into the crucial question of whether Washington, D.C. should become a state. Advocates for statehood put forth compelling arguments, and we explore the reasons behind their call for change.
Discover how the residents of Washington, D.C. lack voting representation in the U.S. Congress, despite paying federal taxes and serving in the military. Explore the concept of "taxation without representation" and its historical significance, as we delve into the core democratic principles that underpin this issue.
Explore the population size of Washington, D.C., which surpasses certain existing states, and the implications of granting statehood based on its population. Dive into the potential benefits that statehood could bring, such as full congressional representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, ensuring that the citizens of Washington, D.C. have a voice and equal participation in the democratic process.
Uncover the current challenges faced by Washington, D.C., including limited autonomy and dependence on congressional approval for local decisions. Learn how statehood would empower Washington, D.C. with greater self-governance, allowing its residents to shape their own destiny without undue interference from the federal government.
Furthermore, we explore the constitutional aspects surrounding statehood, analyzing the language of the Constitution and the potential interpretations that support the notion of Washington, D.C. becoming a state.
I've become familiar with Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s Delegate to the House of Representatives, since I've been covering this issue, but this is the first I've heard of D.C.'s shadow Senator Paul Strauss. I count that as learning something new, and it's always a good day when I learn something new.
On Friday, Rep. Andy Ogles, (R-Tenn.) introduced a bill to repeal the D.C. Home Rule Act. Reps. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) are co-sponsoring the bill.
The Home Rule Act was signed into law in 1973 by President Richard Nixon and went into effect in 1975.
Sigh. Fortunately, repealing home rule would be just as difficult under the current Senate and President as D.C. statehood would be given the current Congress. That might not be the case if Republicans retake the Senate and Hoover Cleveland returns to the White House. That's all the more reason to prevent both from happening.
I plan on revisiting the related issue of statehood for Puerto Rico on National Piña Colada Day next month. Stay tuned.
The Supreme Court ruled that the abortion pill Mifepristone can stay on the market. The justices found that the anti-abortion doctors did not have legal standing. NBC News' Yamiche Alcindor, MSNBC legal analyst Leah Litman and Reproductive Freedom For All President Mini Timmaraju join Ana Cabrera to discuss.
As I wrote, this passes for good news. However, it was decided on standing, as in the plaintiffs didn't have any, not on merits. That means that potential plaintiffs who do have standing could get a ruling in their favor, banning or restricting Mifepristone. In addition, Leah Litman and Mini Timmaraju both mentioned the possible use of the Comstock Act to restrict abortion access again. I find that alarming enough that I think the parts of Comstock Act that are currently unconstitutional need to be repealed, restricting the ability of anti-choice advocates to reanimate them. I have the same opinion of the Insurrection Act, which is also being touted as a way for the more extreme right-wing activists, including Hoover Cleveland, to suppress dissent. That's a topic for later.
Planned Parenthood Missouri Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colleen McNicholas joins Ana Cabrera to discuss the Supreme Court rejecting a challenge to the abortion pill mifepristone. MSNBC legal analyst Melissa Murray also weighs in on the court's decision.
The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously preserved access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion decision since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.
I couldn't resist both hearing Kamala Harris's reaction and giving a Michigan station the last word.
President Biden pledged to respect the judicial process after his son Hunter was convicted, the former president made creepy remarks about Taylor Swift's appearance, and the wife of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has a thing for flags.
Yes, President Biden both loves his son and recognizes his constitutional responsibility to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” Those are more than I have seen out of "Hoover Cleveland," my new nickname for Trump. Speaking of laws being faithfully executed, since I'm pro-gun-control, I can't be too upset about Hunter's conviction. There is at least one wrong way to buy a gun in America. I just wish it wasn't exploited for a partisan political purpose by people who are generally opposed to gun control. Hypocrisy!
Jordan Klepper tackles the Hunter Biden guilty verdict, as well as Justice Samuel Alito's wife, Martha-Ann Alito, caught on tape planning to fight Pride flags with more flags. Plus, Michael Kosta reveals how Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to scrap New York congestion pricing might have had something to do with the "Diner Effect."
In place of Hoover Cleveland talking smack about TaylorSwift, to which I say good luck messing with Americans' entertainment, Klepper and Kosta are covering Governor Hochul's stopping congestionpricing. That's a subject that deserves another post. Maybe if or when CityNerd uploads a video about it.
The high profile trial of Hunter Biden ended badly for him as he was found guilty on all three counts, the Biden’s hosted a party at the White House in honor of Juneteenth, Donald Trump had a virtual meeting with the New York City Department of Probation, the Fox News crowd is upset that Jimmy is hosting an interview with Presidents Biden and Obama during a fundraiser here in LA, Dr. Phil interviewed Trump and mentioned a very familiar name, Fiberace was in Vegas this weekend where he said many incomprehensible things, including a diatribe about sharks, which made us think why not give the little ones a treat with an all Trump rendition of “Baby Shark.”
Kimmel now has Mondays off, which is why I featured Jimmy Fallon yesterday instead and why Kimmel is covering Hoover Cleveland's probation meeting, Dr. Phil's interview, and Las Vegas rally. That last deserved a "Baby Shark" parody, although I still think Hoover Cleveland sounds like Crazy Frog when he goes "bing, bing."
Ugh, nightmare fuel! Also, this clip reminds me that tomorrow is National Golf Cart Day, but I'm not blogging about it. Instead, I've seen three references to Olive Garden this week, which I'm taking as a suggestion from the universe to showcase Company Man Mike's video explaining why Red Lobster's former sister restaurant, Olive Garden, is still a success. Stay tuned to see if I do.
Seth takes a closer look at Trump meeting with a probation officer after holding his first large rally since his guilty verdict, where he screamed about teleprompters, batteries and sharks.
Who needs to watch Chris Hayes on MSNBC when Seth's staff selects the best clips and makes them funny? Speaking of MSNBC, the following image from Ari Melber's show illustrates a problem Donald Trump has with probation, associating with known felons.
While "Hoover Cleveland," my new nickname for him, is probably done with a lot of this rogues gallery, he took Paul Manafort back into his 2024 campaign.* I don't know if Manafort's pardon prevents probation from prohibiting personal contact. If not, that could make running the campaign difficult. Darn.
The former president spent his weekend making speeches on the campaign trail where he revealed his true feelings about his voters, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene likened him to the son of God.
That was a terrible thing for Hoover Cleveland to say, but his core voters don't seem to care. At least it was honest, which is a rare event. As for MTG, there's nothing I can say that Randy Rainbow hasn't said and sung better.
Jimmy addresses the latest news, like Time magazine interviewing both Trump and Biden, Trump's first meeting with his New York probation officer and Martha's Vineyard being close to running out of marijuana.
First, any time Hoover Cleveland tells a "Sir" story, don't believe him. Second, he's showing that he's more scared of sharks than of electric vehicles. Third, he's a little early for Shark Week. That begins on July 7th.
Tomorrow is Loving Day, but I don't know if I can top what I wrote two years ago. Stay tuned to see what I blog about tomorrow.
*Hoover Cleveland — Hoover because he's the first U.S. President to have a net job loss during his term since Herbert Hoover, Cleveland because he's trying to repeat what Grover Cleveland achieved, earn a second non-consecutive term. It helps that both were Republicans.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its outlook for the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season today (May 23, 2024), and it's the most aggressive forecast on record. Our hurricane expert Dr. Rick Knabb breaks it down.
If NOAA, The Weather Company, and Colorado State University (CSU) are correct, then this season will exhaust the primary list of names, which has only happened three times before, 2005, 2020, and 2021. It almost happened last year, when there were 19 named storms, leaving one of my names and my ex-girlfriend's name unused. That means that our names will stay together until 2029, more than 20 years after we broke up. As I wrote in 2022, ironic.
Here are this year's Atlantic storm names. Fortunately, most of them have no special significance to me.
Now the overflow list of storm names.
If the forecast is correct, we're likely to see some from the first column before the year is over.
AccuWeather hurricane experts are concerned that storms could rapidly intensify during the 2024 hurricane season due to high ocean temperatures, low wind shear, and abundant moisture. Hurricane season starts this Saturday, June 1.
Since the late 1960's, Red Lobster has grown to become an American seafood institution with over 650 restaurants and tens of thousands of employees. It's also one of the most successful casual restaurant chains to ever exist. So it was pretty surprising to many when they filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in early 2024. However while many in the media reported on the famous Endless Shrimp as the culprit, the truth as to how this company fell so quickly is a bit more complicated. Join me today as we find out how this iconic chain ultimately declared bankruptcy.
I feel like no bankrupt company's story is fully told until both Company Man Mike and Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films have weighed in. Thanks to Jake's reporting, I have revised my opinion that private equity may not have been critical in Red Lobster's failure. Golden Gate Capital's decision to sell the properties the stores sat on and then lease them really did mess up the chain's cash flow. This was on top of the debt from the leveraged buyout. The only good news is that the bankruptcy didn't happen on their watch. Instead, Thai Union was left holding the bag, but not for long. As I wrote last month, "They're done with Red Lobster." Here's to hoping the new owners, whoever they are, have better luck.
That's a wrap for today's tale of the Retail Apocalypse, although I may return to restaurants to showcase Company Man Mike's video explaining why Red Lobster's former sister restaurant, Olive Garden, is still a success. Stay tuned.
In a recorded message from New Zealand, actor and ocean activist Jason Momoa said, “the human induced triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss continues to weigh heavily on the ocean ecosystems and the communities that directly depend on it. If we don't change course. The oceans dire state will continue to apply. Doesn't have to be that way. Through reimagining our relationship with the ocean and working together to better understand prioritize and protect it, we can rebuild a preserve that help the ocean both now for future generations. I'm honored to be joining the United Nations family World Oceans Day. Celebrate how wonderful it is to live our blue planet and underscore the importance of prioritizing the oceans help, our own health.”
World Ocean Day is celebrated worldwide on 8 June Every Year.
Award-winning actor, entrepreneur, and filmmaker Jason Momoa has long advocated for environmental issues and social justice. Of Polynesian and Hawaiian descent, he has lent his voice and platform to protecting the oceans and the rights of indigenous peoples and island nations. Momoa's entrepreneurial pursuits focus on advancing sustainable practices, products and packaging, including development of Mananalu, a water packaged in infinitely recyclable aluminum. His passion for environmental conservation is evident through his collaborations with organizations like Ocean Unite, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, Lonely Whale, and Kumano I Ke Ala. He advocates for marine protection, coral reef preservation, and global initiatives against plastic pollution and waste. Moreover, in addition to his direct involvement with SDG 14, "Life Below Water," and his profound dedication to ocean health and the protection of marine life, Momoa is actively involved in raising awareness of the issue of intersectional environmentalism and social justice through his production companies, Pride of Gypsies and On The Roam, which produces scripted and unscripted original content, branded content, and product collaborations.
Speaking of Aquaman, I predicted that "I'm looking for Aquaman 2 to earn a nomination at the next EMA Awards" in The 2023-2024 Environmental Media Association Awards nominees. I'm also looking forward to seeing the movie on the next Saturn Awards ballot. Too bad it's almost certain to get crushed by Deadpool & Wolverine. The Marvel streak will continue.
The United Nations features Momoa in more videos, but I'm also being a good environmentalist by conserving my resources for next year, when World Oceans Day will also be the subject of the Sunday entertainment feature. Speaking of which, stay tuned for that tomorrow. Daytime Emmy Awards winners, anyone?
A Boeing spacecraft carrying two NASA astronauts is on its historic maiden voyage. The landmark launch kicked off the first crewed test flight of the capsule and marked the culmination of a long and trying development process.
Boeing’s Starliner mission has safely docked with the International Space Station after navigating new issues that cropped up overnight en route to the orbiting laboratory. CNN's Kristin Fisher reports.
Not only am I happy that Starliner successfully docked with the ISS, I'm glad for the astronauts and cosmonauts on the station that they'll be able to recycle their water. I often jokingly gross out my environmental science students by calling water recycling "toilet-to-tap," but in this case it's not only justified, but necessary.
SpaceX achieved a new milestone with its mega Starship rocket, after both the booster and the spacecraft made controlled returns to Earth.
I watched the re-entry live and was amazed that Starship successfully splashed down after one of its flight control surfaces burned through but remained attached. Like the proverbial honey badger, the spaceship didn't seem to care!
China’s Chang’e lunar probe has taken off from the far side of the moon to return back to earth, according to China’s national space agency. If China successfully makes it back to earth, it will be the first country to have gathered samples from the far side of the moon. China’s previous lunar mission, Chang’e 5, gathered samples from the near side of the moon, but collecting samples from the far side has required additional technical know-how as well as operating on more challenging terrain. According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Chang’e 6 “withstood the test of high temperature on the far side of the moon."
We have a space race!
I expect to report more on the return to the Moon on Moon Day and recap these missions in this year's edition of 2023 in space. In the meantime, stay tuned for WorldOceansDay.
Biden greeted surviving members one-by-one, thanking them for the service on that fateful day.
As an expatriate Californian, who loves entertainment nearly as much as my country and tells my students you can take me out of California but you can't take California out of me, I appreciated the name checks of The Longest Day and Band of Brothers. I'm only surprised he and his speechwriter(s) didn't manage to mention Saving Private Ryan as well. I guess one Tom Hanks show was enough.
I also appreciated how President Biden related D-Day to the present day, especially the domestic fight to protect democracy against authoritarianism at home and foreign aggression in Ukraine. May we be up to the task.
Follow over the jump for videos representing France, Canada, and the United Kingdom at the event.
Jon Stewart tackles climate change over the years including seasonably cold weather somehow invalidating global warming, Republicans using a secular argument to counter the Pope's statement about climate change and a House of Representatives committee struggling with the basic principles of global warming.
All of that was from the previous decade and some of the politicians and media figures have retired since then, but the basic conflict remains. Sigh. Here's to Americans as a whole getting the message — my regular readers almost certainly already have — and to this post being as well-received as Jon Stewart devours the fast-food industry, parts 1 and 2, which currently has 215 default and 224 raw page views. May people care about climatechange as much as they care about food.
Camden County, New Jersey's Jersey Surf perform a segment from the corps' #DCI2023 production, "Express Yourself," during the 2023 DCI World Championships hosted August 10-12 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Camden County, NJ | 23rd Place | 75.488
By coincidence, this happened to be a great selection for Pride Month.
Normally, I'd continue with the Garden State's other DCI corps, the Raiders, but New Jersey is such a great state for all-age corps that I'm embedding 2022 DCA World Championships | Hawthorne Caballeros (World Class) - Timeless from Drum Corps Associates (DCA) next. Don't worry, I'll get to the Raiders.
Presenting selected clips from their 2022 Production "Timeless" in partnership with Box5 Media.
The Caballeros perform at the 2023 Plymouth Show part of the Americas Hometown Thanksgiving Celebrations in Plymouth Ma.
I count this as a semi-official upload. Also, the sound of late 20th Century drum corps lives on!
I wrote above that I would get to the Raiders, so here is 31st Raiders 2023 from Drum Corps Library.
I enjoyed this show concept and found the performance fun!
Since this is an unofficial upload, it may not last long, so enjoy it while it lasts. I just hope the account persists until Canada Day so that I can use the videos of Les Stentors for this year's drum corps Canada Day to begin July.
Follow over the jump for the marching bands from the District of Columbia and the rest of today's primary states, including an encore from the Rutgers band.
Stephen recaps the drama that followed the jury's verdict in Donald Trump's election interference trial, the former president claimed he never used the phrase "lock her up" in reference to Hillary Clinton, and former Fox chairman Rupert Murdoch has tied the knot with his fifth wife.
"[J]ail to the chief" is a great line, but it's going to be a while. I expect he'll be sentenced to house arrest in Trump Tower with the Secret Service as his guards, at least for this set of crimes.
I stand by that prediction with the possible addition of $170,000 in fines, $5,000 for each conviction, although Jimmy K's desire for community service to be part of the sentence would work for me, too.
I'll have more on his potential sentence over the jump.
Jon Stewart breaks down the response to Trump's guilty verdict from Joe Biden and the media, as well as the GOP's vow for revenge and hypocritical complaint about Democrats pursuing "political prosecutions." Plus, Jon pleads with the media to act a little more like the court system and examine evidence and reach conclusions, instead of wildly speculating on future realities.
*Snork* I'm a biologist, so I appreciated the Bonobos reference. It was funnier than Banana Republic — more projection!
Follow over the jump for two bonus clips from Stephen's show last night.
Pearl the Prius's odometer will roll over 64,000 miles by the time I return home from work today, so it's time for a driving update. I begin with Ray "CityNerd" Delahanty naming (and shaming) 10 Cities Where Driving Consumes the Most of Your Life.
In 1974, Ivan Illich wrote that the typical American male spent 25% of his waking life either driving a car or working for the income required to pay for one. 50 years later, is this true? And, which cities consume the most -- and least -- of our time with driving?
I'm not surprised that the Inland Empire has the cities that require the most time spent driving or working to support a car. It's one of the things I miss the least about southern California after moving to Michigan 35 years ago.
That's the overall driving picture. Follow over the jump for my personal update.
Activist investor Nelson Peltz has sold off his entire stake in Disney (DIS) after the entertainment giant successfully fended off his proxy battle. Morningstar Senior Equity Analyst Matthew Dolgin joins Catalysts to discuss what this move means for the company and its future.
Dolgin notes that while current Disney CEO Bob Iger says the company is on the right track to develop from the linear media landscape to the streaming world, it will continue to remain a challenge industry-wide. He adds, "We weren't sure if Peltz had the answer either," saying the company's transition is a still "a work in progress."
"He identified several missed steps in the past, but those are easier to identify in retrospect. He didn't necessarily have solutions," Dolgin says of Peltz. He adds, "He thought that the company should do something with its non-sports entertainment linear network, so ABC, Disney Channel, FX, those types of stations. And we don't think that would have been the right move. They still make up about a third of the company's operating profit, so to get rid of that cash now, we don't think was the answer."
Dolgin says that bundling is key in the streaming era: "It actually ends up being the most cost-effective way for consumers." He explains that bundling delivers consumers more streamlined and efficient user experiences while providing great value.
He believes that Bob Iger is the right CEO to transform the business in the streaming era, saying, "The most important thing is that someone with the entertainment background... is critical to Disney's future."
"He didn't necessarily have solutions" as Morningstar Senior Equity Analyst Matthew Dolgin said of Peltz. Disney CEO Bob Iger said something similar when CNBC Television interviewed him in Disney CEO Bob Iger: Nelson Peltz didn't bring any new ideas after the proxy fight concluded.
Disney CEO Bob Iger joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the company's proxy fight win against activist investor Nelson Peltz, takeaways from his engagement with shareholders, the company's top priorities, succession plans, state of the streaming landscape, new sports streaming alliance, future of ESPN, navigating America's culture wars, and more.
Mentioning Ike Perlmutter, who "spent 'years' reportedly frustrating Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige before the lucrative film business was moved out from under his purview in 2015, and more recently wielded influence behind the scenes as his friend, activist investor Nelson Peltz, made a play to join the Disney board" makes me think that Peltz was more interested in reinstating "old" ideas than promoting new ones. It also reminds me that Peltz was a Trump supporter, as he himself stated in CNBC Television's interview on election night 2020, saying A Donald Trump win is good for America: Trian Partners CEO.
Nelson Peltz, Trian Partners CEO, joins CNBC's presidential election coverage to discuss why his support is behind President Trump as election results roll in.