"(Joanne) Harris said: 'I’ve seen a number of debut authors emerge and get very large initial advances - which is great for a debut author - but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the publisher will value that author beyond their debut. We’re getting a generation of twenty-somethings being praised and paraded around for their debut because it’s a debut and then we just don’t hear about them again. Their second novel - which if often a bit of a problematic one to do anyway - may not necessarily do as well, has not necessarily been pushed as much. Their career instead of moving upwards and building on its success ends up kind of dwindling. They get replaced by the next big debut.'" (Grokked from Terri Windling)
"A Japanese cargo ship successfully launched to the International Space Station Tuesday (Sept. 24), lifting off two weeks late due a launch pad fire during its first liftoff attempt."
"Sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden is the new face of the environmentalist movement… But while personalizing a movement, especially with the innocent face of a child, is usually PR gold, Greta’s ascendancy to the forefront of environmental activism could end up being a major negative to the movement – and the environment." Ah, the old industry standard retort, attacking the messenger, claiming she's being "manipulated" by "adults", and trying the, "but you'll regret it" tactic. Also note where they want the fight to be, "Greta, and the adults guiding her, are seeking to shift almost all the focus from personal responsibility to governments and big corporations to enact environmental reform." See, this "pollution" problem isn't the result of governments or big corporations, it's all on everybody and don't you feel ashamed for that? Fuck you, old man. "If the activists protesting right now could get the most serious climate change threats eliminated, but without politically defeating President Trump and Republicans and/or putting the big oil companies out of business in the process, would they still be interested in the cause?" Yes, you bloviating fucktard. And then the classic, "but they're not doing the hard work (so why should we)?" And that's why Greta crossed the ocean in a boat instead of just flying.
"Cities from New York to Shanghai could see regular flooding, as sea levels rise faster than previously thought… Glaciers and ice sheets from the Himalayas to Antarctica are rapidly melting… And the fisheries that feed millions of people are shrinking." We're boned.
"It’s time to run a Windows update on your Microsoft computer… The tech giant has issued two emergency warnings."
"Thomas Cook holidaymakers and crew are free to leave Cuba, according to the Civil Aviation Authority… Repatriation flights have been arranged with the aid of the British Ambassador to Cuba, it said." With some inside into the business of tourism and travel companies.
"Thomas Cook staff say they have been stranded overseas and fear they will not receive thousands of pounds in wages, following the collapse of the world's oldest tour operator."
"Corporate insiders — board members and C-suite executives — are selling stock in their own companies at the fastest rate since the peak of the dot-com bubble, according to a U.K. analysis firm called Smart Insider, first reported by the Financial Times." It's just a quick bit of news without much discussion, but yeah, what, me worry?
"The United States led more than 30 countries in condemning what it called China’s 'horrific campaign of repression' against Muslims in Xinjiang at an event on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly that was denounced by China." Great, now address the problem of xenophobia (which isn't really the case, but it's the way those who are against muslims view it) here in the US.
"Federal judges yesterday issued a stinging rebuke to the Federal Communications Commission, saying the agency's justification for eliminating media-ownership limits 'would receive a failing grade in any introductory statistics class.'" Ouch. (Grokked from John)
"The battle between the Trump administration and California escalated Tuesday as the Environmental Protection Agency threatened to withhold billions in federal highway aid because California has, in the EPA's words, 'the worst air quality in the United States.'" You know, after the same people made a move to remove California's ability to set stricter car emissions levels and are trying to rollback air quality regulations.
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday 'we're going to find out what happened' about a whistleblower's complaint regarding President Donald Trump and said he expects the Senate Intelligence Committee will conduct a 'responsible, rather apolitical, at least bipartisan' probe of the matter… But the Kentucky Republican and his fellow GOP senators did not explicitly commit to pushing for the full complaint turned over to the committee." If it's going to be "bipartisan" is has to be complete, and not start off with partisan blinders installed.
How' the impeachment playing to the right? Let's go to Fox. "With Nancy Pelosi finally bowing to Democratic pressure and launching a formal impeachment inquiry, many in the media may be getting their wish… After all, many pundits, especially on the left, longed for the same outcome during the Russia investigation, only to be bitterly disappointed." Yes, yes, it's just like the Mueller report which only implicated the president in obstruction of justice (and wasn't charged because of William Barr's mental hurdle which is not held by all lawyers) and put people in jail. Add in a lot of "both sides" and "whataboutism" it pretty standard dreck from the Ministry of Bullshit, that it's all the "leftist" media's fault. "The impeachment push from House Democrats is likely to 'blow up in the faces of Democrats and the media like an exploding cigar,' Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett predicted on 'Fox & Friends' Wednesday." Ah, there's the money shot. See, this is just really bad for Democrats. And the president has been working hard to release the transcript of the call and the whistleblower complain (which there's a distraction about how this isn't a whistleblower complaint because people can't blow the whistle on the president).
"Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'When you strike at a king, you must kill him.' That’s what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has to worry about as House Democrats move closer to initiating impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. What if Trump is acquitted?" People are playing this as "if he's not removed by the Senate it'll just make him stronger, like it did for Clinton." So let me call bs on this right now. As I said last night, the Democrats (because there won't be much support from the Republicans, at least not at first) have to frame this as, "you'd have to be stupid or complicit in crimes to exonerate this president." And "oh, the polls aren't there right now." Sure they aren't. Most people aren't paying attention (most people don't). An investigation and hearings (most of which should be public, those that aren't should release redacted transcripts within 48 hours) will make the case against the president. As that goes on, the poll needles should move. Also noted for the "Dems just want a redo on 2016 election" for which the main players must make the case strongly that this is about the president's actions since then. There's a whole bunch of other bs in the article.
What happens when bullies get caught in their own net? "'Shut up moron, shut up' the president’s legal representative (Giuliani) shouted over the left-wing pundit. 'You don’t know what you’re talking about idiot. You’re just lying…just keep your lying mouth shut.'" This was about a comment Chris Hahn made that the government asked Giuliani to go to the Ukraine and pressure them to investigate Biden… something Giuliani has basically admitted to. When they can't control the spin, they try to shut it down.
"The White House is set to release a transcript Wednesday of President Trump's scrutinized call this summer with the new Ukrainian president. But that likely won't quell the growing movement toward impeachment in Congress." Democrats need to make sure everybody understands that 1) we need the whistleblower complaint because that's what this is really about and 2) this incident is just one of many things the president has done which warrant impeachment (including the wonky emoluments clause).
"Freshman Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) introduced a resolution aimed at removing House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.) from his role as the top Democrat on the panel responsible for handling impeachment proceedings." Just add his name to the list.
"Rep. Adam Schiff has assumed control of what appears to be the single most consequential scandal facing Donald Trump’s presidency — and, for the moment, is driving a narrative that could lead to Trump’s impeachment." And there's another diminishing angle, it's just a fight between two people.
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