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.
ABC News’ Maggie Rulli reports on the new U.N. climate report on the dire threat warming temperatures pose to the planet, as fires and extreme weather events spread globally.
The world's leading climate scientists have issued a stark new warning about the growing impact of climate change and what needs to be done to stop it. CBS News foreign correspondent Roxana Saberi reports on the key findings, and Bloomberg Sustainability Editor Eric Roston joins CBSN to discuss.
What struck me about Eric Roston's analysis was that, if anything, climate change is not only happening now, but coming faster and have more severe effects than the experts expected, as this past June's heatwave in the Pacific Northwest caught them by surprise.
Calling for “massive” pressure to fight climate change after a dire report by the UN science panel on Monday, activist Greta Thunberg said she plans to go to this year’s global climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
The deadly heat waves, gargantuan hurricanes and other weather extremes that are already happening will only become more severe, the United Nations panel on climate change told the world on Monday, reporting that global warming was dangerously close to being out of control – and that humans were “unequivocally” to blame.
Referring to a recent spate of extreme weather events, Thunberg said: "These are all just symptoms of the climate crisis. We're not talking about the root cause itself, the things that are actually fuelling these events. And we are not holding people in power accountable."
“I hope that this can be a wake up call,” Thunberg said of the report, in an interview.
I hope this report will serve as a wake up call as well. It's not like the IPCChasn'twarnedusbefore.
I will close out today's entry by being a good environmentalist and recycling what I wrote three years ago this month with an updated link.
HappyNationalVeepDay! After three posts about Mike Pence interrupted by an entry about the show Veep, I'm dedicating today's entry to Kamala Harris with a serious message followed by a silly skit.
“President Johnson led through extremely difficult times—through national grief, through global threats, through deep-seeded injustice. And I believe that there are lessons we can learn from this monument of a man and apply to the moment we're in,” said Vice President Harris.
The press release also summarized LBJ's accomplishments in civil rights.
President Johnson regularly ranks as one of the greatest presidents based on his extraordinary legislative achievements, including the three seminal civil rights bills that after 100 years achieved full legal rights for all Americans. Also included in President Johnson's extraordinary portfolio is the Immigration Act of 1965, which opened legal immigration from all nations equally, based upon family reunification and needed job skills in the United States.
Houston dedicated another monument in Little Tranquillity Park that day.
Also dedicated Friday at Little Tranquillity Park was a memorial to Apollo I astronauts Command Pilot Gus Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward White and Pilot Roger Chaffee, who perished on January 27, 1967, while testing their capsule prior to launch. Little Tranquillity Park has contained for years two small memorials to the astronauts of the Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia, who perished in service of their country. The memorials include two semicircles of seven Magnolia trees, with each tree representing one of the astronauts. The new Apollo I memorial includes the planting of three additional Magnolia trees, each representing one of the astronauts.
This reminds me that I've blogged about the Challenger disaster, but not about either the end of space shuttle Columbia or Apollo I. Maybe I should do that. It also explains why Vice President Harris talked about LBJ's actions on behalf of spaceexploration, including the founding of NASA. I'm glad she included those accomplishments in her remarks.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tied the two monuments together.
"This is a special day for Houston, and I hope people from all walks of life will visit the site honoring President Johnson and the astronauts who gave their lives in service to our country,” Mayor Turner said. “On this date, August 6 in 1965, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. As we reflect on this historic occasion, it is hard to believe that we are still working to uphold the rights of ALL eligible voters. President Johnson was a Southern white man from Texas fighting for civil rights and during his lifetime changed the course of history both politically and socially."
Vice-President Kamala Harris (Maya Rudolph) and her husband Doug Emhoff (Martin Short) host Ted Cruz (Aidy Bryant) and Joe Biden (Alex Moffat) for a friendly Passover dinner.
Not only couldn't I resist, but I'm glad I saved this video until now. Not only does it feature Rudolph as V.P. Harris, but also Emmy nominees Aidy Bryant, Kenan Thompson, and Cecily Strong. Good luck to all of you!
Conan (TBS) The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central) Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Like last year and thethreeyears before that, "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" leads variety talk series nominees, this year with seven nominations. "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" follows with five, although Stephen's extended franchise earned four more for a total of nine. "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" earned two, while "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" and "Conan" earned one each. "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" got snubbed in this category in favor of "Conan," which just ended its run on TBS. I'm sure it's all the same to TBS, but I'd rather have seen Bee return. Next year.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents: Pandemic Video Diaries: Vaxxed and Waxxed (TBS) Inside Pixar (Disney+) Pose: Identity, Family, Community (FX) Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen (Bravo) Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man (YouTube)
I'd like Bee to win this category, but I just don't know if she will despite being a returning nominee. "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" would be the other political choice, while all the rest are about entertainment. My gut says it will be "Inside Pixar" or "Pose: Identity, Family, Community," the first because of Disney's production values, the second because it's a three-time returning nominee in its final season. That alone might give it the Emmy.
Samantha Bee ('Full Frontal') on Trump's absence: It's the 'best possible outcome for America' and 'for our show.' The Emmy winner chats about her variety talk series with Gold Derby editor Daniel Montgomery.
Despite the discussion of her family being eligible for craft awards like technical direction, the main show earned no nominations. Maybe it helps to have members of the Television Academy do that work for it to be nominated.
Speaking of Stephen's extended franchise earning four more Emmy nominations, here are the show categories featuring them, beginning with Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
Celebrating America — An Inauguration Night Special (Multiple Platforms) The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS) The Oscars (ABC) The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd (CBS) Stephen Colbert's Election Night 2020: Democracy's Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020 (Showtime)
While the two political nominees, "Stephen Colbert's Election Night 2020: Democracy's Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020" has three nominations and "Celebrating America — An Inauguration Night Special" has two, neither leads nor is likely to be favored. Both "The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards" and "The Oscars" have four nominations while "The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd" has three. Based on the history of the award, I think a live event celebrating show business will win, favoring either "The Oscars" which has been nominated every year since the inception of this version of the award, or the Grammy Awards, which has been nominated for three of the four years of the current category. If all things were equal, I'd give the nod to the Oscars, since movies are closer to television than music, but other than the number of nominations, I'm not sure all things are equal. I found the ceremony a bit underwhelming compared to previous years except for the pre-recorded music segments; those were spectacular. If it wins, it will be because it was a minor miracle that it happened at all.
Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
Carpool Karaoke: The Series (Apple TV) Late Night with Seth Meyers: CORRECTIONS (YouTube) The Randy Rainbow Show (YouTube) Reno 911! (Quibi) Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News (Paramount+)
This is a very different looking category from last year because the Television Academy merged Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series with Outstanding Short Form Variety Series to recreate Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series. Consequently, more of last year's Short Form Variety Series appear here than the sole returning scripted comedy from last year, "Reno 911!" At least the addition of variety nominees didn't dilute the political and government content, with "Late Night with Seth Meyers: CORRECTIONS," "The Randy Rainbow Show,", and "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News" providing a lot of political content to go along with the funny cops of "Reno 911!" While I'm rooting for "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News," I expect "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" will win instead. I've learned not to underestimateJames Corden.
Follow over the jump for nominations of the people behind the camera.
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO) Saturday Night Live (NBC)
This category almost disappeared after Comedy Central canceled "Drunk History" after initially renewing it. It would have merged with Variety Talk for a general Variety Series category. I'm glad the Television Academy didn't follow through with the idea and so are the Variety Talk Series and "A Black Lady Sketch Show." One of the first and the latter would likely have been left out of the nominations and the variety talk series would have had an uphill fight to beat SNL. Instead, two variety series get to take home trophies. In this case, I expect SNL to win this category again.
Lorne Michaels and the cast of Saturday Night Live share their stories of what it was like filming all of Season 46 during the 2020 presidential election and coronavirus pandemic.
Now for the acting nominations, which are less of a sure thing for SNL.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Carl Clemons-Hopkins as Marcus Vaughan on Hacks (Episode: "New Eyes") (HBO Max)
Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent on Ted Lasso (Episode: "All Apologies") (Apple TV+)
Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard on Ted Lasso (Episode: "Two Aces") (Apple TV+)
Nick Mohammed as Nathan Shelley on Ted Lasso (Episode: "Make Rebecca Great Again") (Apple TV+)
Paul Reiser as Martin Schneider on The Kominsky Method (Episode: "Chapter 18. You only give me your funny paper") (Netflix)
Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins on Ted Lasso (Episode: "Biscuits") (Apple TV+)
Kenan Thompson as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Dave Chappelle") (NBC)
Bowen Yang as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Carey Mulligan") (NBC)
Bowen Yang ('Saturday Night Live') on 'crazed experimentation' of Titanic iceberg sketch. The 'SNL' cast member joins Gold Derby's Kevin Jacobsen for this chat.
That was another interesting look behind the scenes.
Gold Derby also interviewed Kenan Thompson but he has another nomination for lead actor in a comedy series, so I'm being a good environmentalist by saving it for my post about comedy series. That written, Thompson is the only returning nominee from last year, so he'd be the nominal favorite by that criterion. I'm not so sure he'll win, as "Ted Lasso" has four nominees in this category alone, replacing Schitt's Creek as the favorite comedy series at these awards. If the Emmy electorate can settle on a single candidate, then whoever he is will win. If not, then I think it will be between Carl Clemons-Hopkins for "Hacks" and Paul Reiser on "The Kominsky Method." Both series are about show business and, all else being equal, the Emmy electorate will vote for good shows about the entertainment business. I'm not sure all things are equal, as SNL and "Ted Lasso" have more nominations with 21 and 20 respectively, but vote-splitting might allow one or the other to slip past. After writing all that, watch Yang surprise me by winning.
Both Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong return as nominees in this category, joined by Aidy Bryant from SNL. Like cast-mate Kenan Thompson, that would make them nominal favorites based on that criterion. Between the two of them, I would give the slight nod to McKinnon as a former winner. Also like Thompson, I think that may not be enough, as the two hot scripted comedy series are "Hacks" and "Ted Lasso." I think "Ted Lasso" may be the better comedy, but "Hacks" is about show business, so I expect one of the two Hannahs, Einbinder from "Hacks" and Waddingham from "Ted Lasso," will win instead. Since I think she won't win in this category or the other on in which she's nominated, I'm going to share Aidy Bryant ('Shrill,' 'Saturday Night Live') on Emmy noms for lead and supporting: 'Such a shock!'
Aidy Bryant ('Shrill,' 'Saturday Night Live') on Emmy noms for both lead and supporting: 'It was such a shock!' The comedy star chats with Gold Derby's Denton Davidson.
Alec Baldwin as President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Dave Chappelle") (NBC)
Dave Chappelle as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Dave Chappelle") (NBC)
Morgan Freeman as Morgan Freeman on The Kominsky Method (Episode: "Chapter 20. The Round Toes, of the High Shoes") (Netflix)
Daniel Kaluuya as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Daniel Kaluuya") (NBC)
Dan Levy as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Dan Levy") (NBC)
Every nominee is a former Emmy or Oscar winner, so this is a very talented field. Two of them, Alec Baldwin and Dave Chappelle, won Emmys for the same roles on SNL before, so they are the nominal favorites. While Baldwin split the 2019-2020 Golden Coffee Cup for Best TV President, I'm not rooting for him. Instead, I'm supporting Chappelle. That doesn't mean either will win. The Emmy voters may split their votes so that Morgan Freeman wins as himself in "The Kominsky Method."
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Yvette Nicole Brown as Judge Anita Harper on A Black Lady Sketch Show (Episode: "But the Tilapias Are Fine Though, Right?") (HBO)
Bernadette Peters as Deb on Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (Episode: "Zoey's Extraordinary Girls' Night") (NBC)
Issa Rae as Jess on A Black Lady Sketch Show (Episode: "My Booty Look Juicy, Don't It?") (HBO)
Maya Rudolph as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Maya Rudolph") (NBC)
Kristen Wiig as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Kristen Wiig") (NBC)
Finally, a category with last year's winner returning as a nominee. That makes me more confident about using that criterion to pick a favorite, Maya Rudolph. Still, this is one field where "Black Lady Sketch Show" holds its own against SNL, as both have two nominees in this category. Also, Bernadette Peters has been in show business a long time (I recall seeing her in the hallway at NBC's Burbank studio when the UCLA Band performed "Copacabana" on a Dick Clark special in 1978 and she was already an established performer then) yet has never won a Emmy to go along with her Tony Awards. She might sneak on past the sketch show nominees to win.
Follow over the jump for the nominees behind the camera.
I've been writing a lot about the problems caused by climatechange lately but not much about the solutions other than letting the Global Footprint Network describe them as part of Earth Overshoot Day. One of those solutions was driving an electric car. Yesterday, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to encourage auto companies to build enough of them that half of the cars sold in 2030 would be electric. CNBC covered the announcement in President Joe Biden: There's no reason we can't reclaim EV leadership.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the White House on the need for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, as well as the jobs such an initiative could create.
In addition to acknowledging the Michigan delegation, President Biden gave a brief, for him, eulogy for Carl Levin. He would have enjoyed today. Also, President Biden seems genuinely enthusiastic about driving the first electric Corvette. I'm sure he'll be wearing his aviator sunglasses when he does.
President Biden has signed an executive order targeting 2030 as the year when 50 percent of the vehicles sold in the U.S. will be electric. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joins 'Squawk Box' to breakdown the policy.
I'm glad to see him as Secretary Pete, not just Mayor Pete.
Follow over the jump for analysis of this announcement.
Several lawmakers and activists were arrested while rallying for a federal voting rights bill in Washington. Texas state Representative Ron Reynolds, who was among those arrested, joins CBSN's Lana Zak with more.
I wish Ron Reynolds and the rest of those arrested luck and leniency and also that their sacrifice is not in vain.
More than 100 state legislators from over 20 states have joined activists in Washington pushing for voting reform legislation. Representative Anna Eskamani of Florida was one of the lawmakers rallying on Capitol Hill. She joins CBSN's Elaine Quijano with more.
I want to point out two images from Elaine Quijano's interview of Anna Eskamani, both of which show polarization over voting rights, first by party affliation and then by race and ethnicity.
Polarization related to partisanship is much stronger than from race and ethnicity, so while a majority of all Americans and majorities of the races and ethnicities surveyed support federal rules to ensure equal access to voting, Republicans most certainly do not. No wonder laws restricting voting rights are being passed in states with Republican majorities in their legislatures.
Both segments also examined the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas and Florida. Right now, the two states account for a third of all new cases in the U.S. That deserves a post of its own, so stay tuned.
The White House says a new moratorium on evictions will be put into effect for parts of the country with higher case counts of COVID-19. It follows days of protest by progressive Democrats who camped outside the U.S. Capitol after the CDC's moratorium was allowed to expire over the weekend. CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang, Axios congressional reporter Alayna Treene, and Politico national political correspondent Meridith McGraw join CBSN's "Red & Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano with the details, and the White House's reaction to sexual harassment claims against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
I think this is good news and will allow time for both the aid to renters to reach them and for the spike in infections from delta variant to subside. I just hope the Supreme Court doesn't strike down this eviction moratorium as well.
As for the other topic in the video description, I'll just repeat what I wrote in March: "I wouldn't want to be New York Governor Andrew Cuomo right now."
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.
Mayer's reporting shows that Trump's delusion is not just dangerous but contagious. It's bad enough that there is one pandemic running around; we don't need another.
The end of the federal moratorium means evictions could begin Monday, leading to a years’ worth of evictions over several weeks and ushering in the worst housing crisis since the Great Recession.
Housing courts around the country are expected to get busy starting Monday after the federal eviction moratorium lifted over the weekend.
Both segments discussed what help is available to renters and how to access it. Here in Michigan, WXYZ described what its viewers can do for themselves in Staying On Top Of Rent Payments.
Here's to hoping that the aid money already allocated but not spent prevents or delays enough most of the evictions so that they don't make the pandemic, which is already bad, even worse. That's the last thing we need.
When I covered scripted short form nominees last year, I expressed a concern about Quibi.
Quibi's 10 nominations have brought the short-form streaming service much needed attention for something other than its weak subscription numbers. That's good, but while Emmy nominations are a sign of quality, they are no guarantee of long-term survival. Al Jazeera Americaearned lots of Emmy nominations for news but shut down just the same after less than three full years. I wish Quibi better luck with its business.
In this case, the network was canceled, but the shows were renewed.*
Now the nominees.
Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
Carpool Karaoke: The Series (Apple TV) Late Night with Seth Meyers: CORRECTIONS (YouTube) The Randy Rainbow Show (YouTube) Reno 911! (Quibi) Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News (Paramount+)
This is a very different looking category from last year because the Television Academy merged Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series with Outstanding Short Form Variety Series to recreate Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series. Consequently, more of last year's Short Form Variety Series appear here than the sole returning scripted comedy from last year, "Reno 911!" At least the addition of variety nominees didn't dilute the political and government content, with "Late Night with Seth Meyers: CORRECTIONS," "The Randy Rainbow Show,", and "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News" providing a lot of political content to go along with the funny cops of "Reno 911!" While I'm rooting for "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News," I expect "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" will win instead. I've learned not to underestimateJames Corden. At least he's not nominated for acting, which is next.
Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
Kevin Hart as Kevin Hart on Die Hart (Quibi)
John Lutz as Gilbert Pewntz on Mapleworth Murders (Quibi)
Brendan Scannell as Pete Devon on Bonding (Netflix)
J. B. Smoove as Chief Billy Bills on Mapleworth Murders (Quibi)
John Travolta as Ron Wilcox on Die Hart (Quibi)
The only nominees depicting government employees in this field are J. B. Smoove as Chief Billy Bills and John Lutz as Gilbert Pewntz on "Mapleworth Murders" and I don't think either are the favorite. Instead, I'm picking Kevin Hart from "Die Hart," a show about Hollywood, which will earn votes when all else is equal. I could be wrong, as John Travolta's role was written for Bruce Willis, who turned it down. That might be a big enough role that he could upset Hart or split the vote, letting Brendan Scannell sneak past for the award
Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
Nathalie Emmanuel as Jordan King on Die Hart (Quibi)
Kerri Kenney-Silver as Deputy Trudy Wiegel on Reno 911! (Quibi)
Keke Palmer as Barbie / Gammy Tay / Lil Thad / Miranda / Rick on Keke Palmer's Turnt Up with the Taylors (Facebook Watch)
Paula Pell as Mrs. Abigail Mapleworth on Mapleworth Murders (Quibi)
While Kerri Kenney-Silver is both the only returning nominee and only nominee playing a government employee, I'm not sure she's the favorite. Nathalie Emmanuel seems to be participating in her awards campaign on Twitter and Paula Pell is the actual star of her own show, so I think both of them have better chances.
Stay tuned for more posts about Emmy nominees, most likely about variety talk shows.
*That's not quite a first, as UPN and WB merged to create The CW and the most successful shows from both ended up on The CW, but at least there was some corporate continuity between the old and new networks. That's not the case here. At least Roku is here to run the awards campaign.
