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.
Their audiences would likely protect them against direct government action, but not the parent companies of their networks. Other than boycotts, I don't know how their viewers can pressure the media corporations. Being number one in late night certainly didn't help.
Follow over the jump for reactions for CNN, PBS, and MSNBC, plus an observance of National Daiquiri Day.
The “Barbie” movie is one of the summer's most highly anticipated movies but it's sparking an unexpected controversy. A map, seen in the film, shows a jagged line off the coast of China that allegedly represents the country's disputed claim to the South China Sea. China claims that everything inside that jagged line is theirs but every other nation that borders the South China Sea disputes that. Now, Vietnam is banning the movie and the Philippines may follow suit. The movie’s producer says the map is only make-believe and was not intended to make any statement about the real world. Inside Edition's Alison Hall has more.
This seems like a tempest in a teapot, but the dispute between China and its neighbors, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines, is deadly serious, as DW News explains in Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie over map of South China Sea.
Vietnam has banned the movie 'Barbie'. The Margot Robbie starrer was due to be released there on July 21, but won't be released now. State media reported this was because the film included a map showing unilateral Chinese claims in the South China Sea.
Yikes! This explains why the U.S. and Philippines announced four new bases in the country this April. That's quite the reversal of policy after the U.S. abandoned Clark Air Base in 1991 and Naval Base Subic Bay in 1992. That happened because the end of the Cold War and the Philippines' people and government's irritation at the bases becoming attractive nuisances because of the American servicemen's appetite for vice. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, a story I tell my students, sped the process along. It looks like the rise of China as a world power and regional threat made the Philippines reconsider the advantages of a U.S. military presence. I don't know if that would ever happen in Vietnam, but stranger things have happened.
Speaking of stranger things, but unfortunately not the Netflix series, this has spilled over into domestic politics, as the Politico article shown in the "Inside Edition" video reported in GOP declares war on ... Barbie.
GOP lawmakers accuse filmmakers of pandering to Chinese censors. But Warner Bros. Film Group, which produced the movie, said Thursday the map is not intended to “make any type of statement.”
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), who leads a select House panel aimed at countering the influence of China, said the map “illustrates the pressure that Hollywood is under to please CCP censors.”
“While it may just be a Barbie map in a Barbie world, the fact that a cartoonish, crayon-scribbled map seems to go out of its way to depict the PRC’s unlawful territorial claims illustrates the pressure that Hollywood is under to please CCP censors,” Gallagher said in a statement to POLITICO. “I hope Warner Brothers clarifies that the map was not intended to endorse any territorial claims and was in fact, the work of a formerly plastic anthropomorphic doll.”
Warner Bros., in its own statement to POLITICO, said there were no geopolitics intended in “Barbie.”
“The map in Barbie Land is a child-like crayon drawing,” a spokesperson for the Warner Bros. Film Group said. “The doodles depict Barbie’s make-believe journey from Barbie Land to the ‘real world.’ It was not intended to make any type of statement.”
Oh, dear dog. Anything to generate outrage along with anti-China and anti-Hollywood sentiment.
"Barbie" beat "Oppenheimer," the runner-up, which it shares a release date with, along with "Dune: Part Two," "Killers of the Flower Moon," and "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One." That's a list of potentially great movies, all of which I expect to see nominated in future awards shows, including the Saturn Awards, which I vote for.
Arizona Secretary of State and candidate for governor Katie Hobbs and senior opinion writer for The Boston Globe Kimberly Atkins Stohr discuss how election workers around the country are fighting against conspiracy theories and misinformation ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
Voting for the 2022 midterms is already underway, and the nation’s top election officials are caught fighting a two-front war: Battling disinformation stemming from the last election, while simultaneously preparing for the next one.
The officials are no longer just running elections. They’ve become full-time myth-busters, contending with information threats coming from the other side of the globe — and their own ranks.
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They’re dealing with political candidates undermining the election systems that they still run for office in, and conspiracy theories that target even the most obscure parts of America’s election infrastructure. And they say the country will face the same issues this year as it elects a new Congress and decides control of three dozen statehouses.
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The struggles stemming from misinformation vary state-to-state, from dealing with threats of violence against election workers at all levels to contending with so-called insider threats — election workers who themselves pose a security challenge to the system.
“There is a possibility that this lady, who is currently under investigation for allegedly tampering with election machines, who actively pushes Donald Trump's Big Lie,” says Chris Hayes, “That woman could conceivably be in charge of overseeing all of Colorado's elections in 2024.”
It looks like the people who buy Trump's "Big Lie" are learning from last year's failed effort to overturn the election by not just working the refs, but replacing them. I'm going to recycle my reaction from April in response.
Personally, I'd rather call it Trump's dangerous delusion, his fixed belief that the election was stolen from him despite allevidence, which I see as related to his vulnerabilitytoconspiracy theories, but "the Big Lie" is the established phrase used by CNBC and others, so I'm calling it that instead. It's a lie, too.
To paraphrase what I wrote last month, Benson's remarks show that Trump's delusion is not just dangerous but contagious.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold's response to Peters' behavior shows that, too.
Amanda Litman, co-founder and executive director or Run For Something, talks about the surge in interest in running for local office and the importance of supporting quality, non-kooky candidates in low level races to preserve the functioning and integrity of democracy in the United States.
If my readers can't or won't run for something, at least support the candidates who oppose the supporters of "The Big Lie" in this year's state and local elections. Our democracy depends on it!
House Republicans voted to remove Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., from her position as conference chair, the No. 3 position in caucus leadership, after she voted to impeach former President Donald Trump. The vote totals will not be released because a voice vote was held.
I'm neither surprised nor disappointed. I saw this coming and didn't expect any better from my former party. As I wrote yesterday, "the GOP is sticking closer to Trump than ever."
Rachel Maddow shares highlights from a speech by Rep. Liz Cheney on the House floor in which she excoriates her Trump-supporting Republican colleagues for failing to support the Constitution and the rule of law and calling democracy into question by parroting Donald Trump's lies about the 2020 election.
Calling democracy into question is one of the strategies of Vladimir Putin in dealing with the U.S. and European democracies. Trump is acting like he's workingfor Russia, even if he's just following Putin's bad example — a bad bromance indeed!
House Republicans voted quickly on Wednesday to remove Liz Cheney as their No. 3 leader over her repeated criticism of Donald Trump, a massive shakeup that ties the party tighter to Trump and threatens to create a new litmus test in the GOP.
On the one hand, "I never thought I would be on the same side of an issue as Liz Cheney [and] it makes me a bit uncomfortable. Chalk that up to a stuck clock being right twice a day." On the other, I think Trump's opponents should take in any allies who are willing to join us. Just remember that they are allies, not friends.
I'll keep following the story to see who replaces Cheney. I think it will likely be Elise Stefanik, but stay tuned to find out.
Republican state legislators across the country began to formulate new voting laws in response to the tumultuous 2020 presidential election in State Houses across the country. In Georgia, the voting law known as SB 202 has become mired in controversy, as opponents of the law claim it will further voter suppression, and supporters of the new law argue that it will bring back confidence in elections.
A rash of new voting legislation has caused an uproar among progressive activists, pushing some big businesses to take a political stance. Some corporations and executives have voiced opposition to the new bills, notably in Georgia.
Amazon, General Motors, and others released a joint statement in opposition to voting restrictions. Earlier in the month, Major League Baseball reportedly moved the All-Star game out of Georgia in protest of the new bill, and the CEO of Delta Airlines stated the voting law was 'unacceptable'.
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The new law in Georgia will mandate voter ID for absentee voting, limit the use of drop boxes, and restrict giving out food and water to voters waiting in line near polls. Proponents think these measures will increase security and faith in elections.
Opponents of these bills say they're targeting low-income voters who have less flexibility to vote during work hours and also are less likely to have a driver's license or other forms of ID.
That's only part of a long video description at YouTube. The summary at CNBC's webpage is more succinct.
Republican state legislators across the country have been formulating new voting laws in response to the 2020 presidential election. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill known as S.B. 202 was signed into law last month. Opponents of the law claim it will add to voter suppression in the state, and supporters argue it will bring back confidence in elections.
The recent spat between leading Republicans and major corporations like Delta, Coca-Cola and Major League Baseball criticizing Georgia’s restrictive new voting law isn’t just about voting rights; it’s the sign of a deeper breakup that has been years in the making. For anyone confused about how Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell could admonish big companies to “stay out of politics,” after building a career on corporate donations and business-friendly policies, this deeper breakup tells the story.
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a legendary business professor and associate dean at the Yale School of Management, has watched this split grow in recent years, and has heard it from CEOs he knows and works with. What the GOP cares about and what major businesses care about are, increasingly incompatible, he says.
“The political desire to use wedge issues to divide—which used to be fringe in the GOP—has become mainstream,” Sonnenfeld says. “That is 100 percent at variance with what the business community wants. And that is a million times more important to them than how many dollars of taxes are paid here or there.”
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As the GOP tries to position itself as the home of “working-class values,” capturing loyalty with a steady campaign against the perceived excesses of progressive culture, it’s running afoul of a business community that can’t simply silo off “culture war” topics. In the eyes of major corporations, issues like voting rights, immigration and transgender-inclusive restrooms have economic impact, too. The millions of people alienated by those fights aren’t just their future customers, many of whom expect to support brands they believe in, they’re the companies’ employees.
“The bad news for Republicans is that they seem to have a 1920s view of who Big Business’ workforce is,” says Sonnenfeld. “That workforce is, at a minimum, highly diverse—and they get along. Trying to stir that up is misguided.”
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“Basically, business leaders believe that it’s in the interest of society to have social harmony. ... Divisiveness in society is not in their interest, short term or long term.”
Not only did Republicans drink Trump's Kool-Aid, it looks like they drank SteveBannon's about turning the GOP into a working-class white party as well. While Bannon may claim credit for the idea, I can trace it back to 2012, when Newt Gingrich threw big business under the bus while campaigning against Mitt Romney. Nine years later, the rift between Republicans and big business has opened up wide enough for everyone to see. Who knows? Maybe the Republican Party will fall into it. Break out the popcorn, but also fight for voting rights.
*Personally, I'd rather call it Trump's dangerous delusion, his fixed belief that the election was stolen from him despite allevidence, which I see as related to his vulnerabilitytoconspiracy theories, but "the Big Lie" is the established phrase used by CNBC and others, so I'm calling it that instead. It's a lie, too.
Video message by H.E. Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General on International Women's Day.
Gender equality is fundamentally a question of power.
Transforming the balance of power is essential, not only as a question of human rights, personal development, health and well-being.
It is critical to solving some of the most damaging and intractable problems of our age.
From the ridiculing of women as hysterical or hormonal, to the routine judgement of women based on their looks; from the myths and taboos that surround women’s natural bodily functions, to mansplaining and victim-blaming – misogyny is everywhere.
Involving women leaders and decision-makers in mediation and peace processes leads to more lasting and sustainable peace.
Gender equality, including men stepping up and taking responsibility, is essential if we are to beat the climate emergency.
Women’s equal economic rights and opportunities are a global imperative if we are to build a fair globalization that works for all.
Unless women play an equal role in designing digital technologies, progress on women’s rights could be reversed.
It is simple math.
Women’s participation improves institutions.
The 21st century must be the century of women’s equality.
Let us all play our part in making it so.
Follow over the jump as I work backwards through the five issues, more or less, with videos from three other organizations.
Democratic candidate John Delaney tells CNN's John Berman that he is withdrawing from the 2020 presidential race.
Delaney is definitely picking the right candidates with moderate reputations for his few supporters to consider, at least among those competing in Iowa, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, and Pete Buttigieg. If Michael Bloomberg and Deval Patrick were competing there, he might suggest them, too. That's not a recommendation that reflects my preferences. As I wrote on the comments to Drinks for the Democratic debates, Part 2, I am supporting more liberal candidates.
I like Bernie. In fact, I voted for him in the Michigan primary three years ago and had both a lawn sign and a car magnet advertising him. I helped contribute to his surprise victory in the Michigan primary. However, I voted for Bernie for two other reasons than his actual stands on the issues. First, he was a stand-in for Elizabeth Warren, who I liked even better, but wasn't running in 2016. Second, I really did not like the idea of the nomination process being a coronation of Hillary; I thought she had to earn that nomination, not coast to it. Neither of those apply this year, so I'm supporting Harris, Warren, and Inslee, in that order.
With both Kamala Harris and Jay Inslee out of the race, I'm backing Elizabeth Warren, for now. I just hope she doesn't drop out before the Michigan primary on March 10th. My wife and I haven't decided on who our second choice is among the remaining candidates.
During the first night of the second Democratic debates in Detroit, Senator Elizabeth Warren had a heated moment with John Delaney asking, "why talk about what’s not possible.”
That exchange at the debate prompted one on Twitter, where my friend Kevin Gamin wrote "Considering how Warren dropped an anvil on Delaney, we're already down one." I responded "Yeah, but Delaney is rich, self-funding, and on a mission to tell the liberals off. It will be a while before he drops." I followed up on my tweet by writing "I was right that it would be a while before John Delaney dropped out. I didn't think it would take six whole months!" Anyway, good riddance!
nrakich [Nathaniel Rakich, elections analyst]: I don’t know. In the “self-funders” category, I think former Rep. John Delaney is likelier to drop out than Steyer. At least Steyer’s money is getting him into debates.
Delaney, on the other hand, has loaned his own campaign more than $24 million total for the cycle and has nothing to show for it.
At what point do you say, “Hm, I think I’d rather keep my money”?
geoffrey.skelley: I don’t know. He seems dedicated. Delaney completed the “Full Grassley” — named for Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley — by visiting every county in Iowa, and obviously, he has a ton of personal wealth to keep him going, so who knows.
sarahf: Ha. OK, Geoff, if not Delaney, who??? LAST LAST PICK.
Rakich ended up being right; Delaney dropped out before Steyer, who has already qualified for the next debate. As for Skelley, he picked Klobuchar, who is currently in fifth place in Iowa and has also qualified for the next debate. He should have picked Delaney.
Anyway, it's still six down, three to go. Here's to Bennet dropping out after Monday night.
Follow over the jump for the drink suggestions and memes/graphics I'm retiring now that Delaney has dropped out.
The presidential hopefuls are bringing their messages to Michigan voters.
As I type this, O'Rourke has wrapped up his visit to Hometown Heroes Cafe in Center Line and has moved to Carpenter's Training Center in Ferndale. I watched MSNBC cover him in Center Line, so he is getting national attention after raising a record $6.1 million in the first 24 hours after declaring his candidacy, beating Bernie Sanders by $0.2 million. Wow!
Speaking of MSNBC, Gillibrand is taping a segment for tonight's All In with Chris Hayes later this morning, then appearing with Governor Gretchen Whitmer in Clawson this afternoon. Normally, I'd wish the senator good luck as one of the women running for U.S. President, but my wife and I are still annoyed by her role in the resignation of Al Franken. On the one hand, he probably needed to go, but only after the Senate Ethics Committee had finished its hearings. On the other, the rush to get him to resign messed with Americans', particularly progressives', entertainment, which riles Americans and does not go well in politics. I'm not alone in thinking that. Politico reported last November that a lot of big Democratic donors won't contribute to Gillibrand because of her actions in the Franken scandal.
Enough of my rant about Gillibrand and Franken. I might follow up on the visits tomorrow. Stay tuned.
CBS Miami's Eliott Rodriguez reports on new changes to the U.S. business, travel and trade policies with Cuba.
Trump mostly reversed Obama's lifting of the trade and travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba. While that was generally popular with Cuban-Americans in Florida, it did hurt some Americans. KARK reported in June on their Senators' and Representatives' efforts to ease restrictions in Pro-Cuba Trade Lawmakers Hope to Open up Cuban Market to American Farmers.
Arkansas wasn't the only state involved. The High Plains-Midwest Ag Journal quoted Senators from Kansas and Minnesota who also wanted to ease restrictions for agricultural imports.
“With an open market to Cuba, Kansas could top $55 million in additional sales. While we are renegotiating our trade deals, we have a $2 billion market untouched right under our nose. It is time to throw support behind this mutually beneficial economic opportunity. It is through leadership in Congress, and discussions like this roundtable that we will begin to make these lasting changes,” [Representative from Kansas Roger] Marshall said.
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“I’m grateful to have participated in this important discussion. The time to begin renewing our relationship with our neighbors just 90 miles off the Florida coast is now. With American farmers suffering some of the lowest commodity prices we have ever seen, Congress has an opportunity to take action and make real change,” [Representative from Minnesota Tom] Emmer said.
“The Cuba Agricultural Exports Act, sponsored by Rep. Crawford, would lift financing restrictions imposed by the embargo on agriculture exports. The result would be relief for our farmers and a first step toward redefining the American-Cuban relationship. While my bill, the Cuba Trade Act, accomplishes the ultimate goal or lifting the embargo completely, passing Rep. Crawford’s bill can, and should, happen immediately.”
The Florida Republican on Wednesday declared on Twitter that he’d block any new amendments to the farm bill unless the Senate votes to strike a provision that would allow USDA funding for foreign market development programs to be spent in Cuba — or until senators adopt his proposal to ban U.S. taxpayer dollars from being spent on businesses owned by the Cuban military.
David Richardson, a state representative who for the last six years has represented Miami Beach and Little Havana, spent roughly 36 hours in Cuba this week, returning to Miami on Tuesday night. He said his visit — focused on meetings with local business owners and members of the country’s gay community — reinforced his opinion that the trade embargo put in place after Fidel Castro’s revolution has been counterproductive.
“We need to lift the embargo,” Richardson told the Miami Herald. “I absolutely believe that the people in Cuba are being harmed right now because of this policy. We need to lift the embargo so that ordinary citizens can be empowered and through their empowerment they will change policy in Cuba. It’s ridiculous or nonsense for us to believe that a continuation of a failed policy that’s 60 years old is going to somehow change the minds of the Cuban regime.”
All of this is enough to drive one to drink.
On that note, follow over the jump for two daiquiri recipes from Tipsy Bartender.
FiveThirtyEight asked Could An Independent Candidate Succeed In 2016? Of all the answers to the question, I agreed most with Harry Enten, who said "this year pretty much meets all the criteria for at least a moderately successful third-party candidacy." For me, that means that the Libertarians and possibly the Greens could reach the threshold of five percent of the popular vote to qualify for public financing in 2020. The Constitution Party does not have ballot access in enough states to meet that criterion. It's very unlikely that even one of the minor parties will qualify for the debates with the major party candidates. As Gary Johnson pointed out, that requires fifteen percent in several polls before the debates. While minor parties have earned Electoral College votes before, that happened when they had concentrated regional strength, such as the Dixiecrats and the American Independent Party, and could win pluralities in three-party contests. Neither the Libertarians nor the Greens meet that criterion; their support is more diffuse. Consequently, none of the minor parties will win the presidency, but they'll certainly overperform compared to any election since 2000 and possibly even 1996, but not 1992. None of these candidates is Ross Perot. Even he didn't win any Electoral College votes.
So far, those predictions are panning out. First, Johnson did not get into the debates, as he did not get 15% in the polls in time. Second, as of today, FiveThirtyEight projects Johnson will earn 7.6% of the vote in November. That would be the best showing for a minor party candidate since Perot in 1996, but not better; Perot earned 8.4% in that election. As I wrote, Johnson is not Perot. Third, FiveThirtyEight is also predicting only a 2.9% probability that Johnson will earn any electoral votes, most likely in his home state of New Mexico. My forecast, as far as it went, is coming true. That written, there are two results of Johnson's success that I didn't foresee, the newspaper endorsements and the comedic reaction.
“We would rather recommend a principled candidate for president — regardless of his or her prospects for victory — than suggest that voters cast ballots for such disappointing major-party candidates,” the editorial board wrote.
“We reject the cliche that a citizen who chooses a principled third-party candidate is squandering his or her vote,” the endorsement continued. “…We offer this endorsement to encourage voters who want to feel comfortable with their choice. Who want to vote for someone they can admire.”
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It’s the fifth newspaper endorsement that Johnson, who is polling in the single digits, has received from traditionally right-leaning editorial boards. On Thursday, The Detroit News, which has until this year always endorsed Republican candidates for the presidency, endorsed Johnson. The Libertarian candidate also has received endorsements from the New Hampshire Union-Leader, the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Winston-Salem Journal.
In contrast, the closest Trump has to a major metropolitain newspaper endorsement comes from the New York Post. Five endorsements to maybe one. That's not a result I would have expected, even from the Detroit News. Speaking of which, WXYZ reported on Detroit News endorses Libertarian Gary Johnson for president. Roll video!
Get used to that clip. It will show up again and again over the jump as Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Bill Maher, and Sarah Silverman laugh at Johnson.
A Univision network is dropping the Miss USA pageant and the company says it will cut all business ties with Donald Trump in a spiraling controversy over comments the Republican presidential candidate made recently about Mexican immigrants. Univision said Thursday it would pull the plug on its Spanish-language coverage of the pageant July 12 by its UniMas network. It also has severed its business relationship with the Miss Universe Organization, which produces the Miss USA pageant, due to what it called "insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants" by Trump, a part owner of Miss Universe.
A source tells The Hollywood Reporter that NBC is evaluating its commitment to the upcoming Miss USA pageant hours after Univision's decision to drop the program over comments made by Donald Trump. Preparation is already underway for the live event, which is set to broadcast from Baton Rouge, La., on July 12. NBC and Univision have aired the Miss USA pageant for the past 12 years. The Miss Universe Organization, which presents the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants, is a joint venture between Trump and NBCUniversal that dates back to 2002. NBCUniversal currently has a five-year, $13.5 million contract with Trump.
I doubt NBC will stop showing "Miss USA" but if they do, Trump might lose "Celebrity Apprentice," too.
The oft-dismissed sportscaster and political commentator lost another job, as today he was fired by Current TV and . In response, Keith Olbermann has threatened to sue. In the comments to the Politico articles linked above, conservatives gloat while trolling Keith's fans. The exchanges are very wanky.
I'm disappointed but not terribly surprised. I've been a fan of Keith's since he was the sports anchor for KTLA TV 5 in Los Angeles almost 25 years ago, which means I remember when the station fired him after less than a year. Therefore, his being let go from Current is just par for the course, although I'd been hoping he'd last longer than he did. As for what this means to me, my wife and I switched from cable to Direct TV just so we could watch Current. Now that Olbermann is no longer working for the station, we have no reason to renew our contract. After it expires, we will go back to the cable company.
