"The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has announced the finalists for the 2019 Nebula Awards, including the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, and the Nebula Award for Game Writing." Congrats to the nominees.
"LightSail 2 has been orbiting Earth for eight months now, and it has captured some stunning shots of our home planet during that time."
"The company’s owner, L Brands, said that the private-equity firm Sycamore Partners will buy 55% of Victoria’s Secret for about $525 million. The Columbus, Ohio, company will keep the remaining 45% stake. After the sale, L Brands will be left with its Bath & Body Works chain and Victoria’s Secret will become a private company." The confluence of MeToo, Epstein, changing tastes, and the business philosophy of 6 sigma (but mostly the later).
Forever Chapter 11. "Forever 21, the fast-fashion mall standby that filed for bankruptcy last year, will live on. Three companies announced Wednesday that they are jointly acquiring the retailer aimed at young shoppers and that they plan to continue to operate its U.S. and international stores."
A PBS Newshour story about the state of employment in our late-capitalism era. "Crist spent his career in a higher echelon of the printing industry than this. For almost 30 years, Crist was a manager at printing giant RR Donnelley." I have lived this, only I was 45 at the time. I only work 2 jobs, though. But I was 2 months from being fully vested in the retirement pensions. But I have been fortunate to continue to make similar money. But if you wonder what drives me, this is the fear. But for the grace of fortune, so I would walk that same path.
"The director of Wuhan Women’s Prison has been removed from her position, according to the Hubei Daily, where it’s believed 230 inmates have tested positive for Covid-19." Rhut rho.
"Airlines stand to lose $29.3bn (£23.7bn) of revenue this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, the global airline industry body has warned."
"A Mexican municipal worker who was shot at point-blank range by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in New York this month suffered excruciating pain, has limited vision in his left eye and cannot use his left arm, according to a federal lawsuit filed against the unnamed ICE agent."
"A federal judge in Arizona has ruled that conditions at U.S. border holding cells operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency violated the Constitution." The case started in 2015.
"Afghan forces, the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan and the Taliban militia will begin a seven-day 'reduction in violence' across the country beginning Saturday midnight local time (2:30 p.m. ET Friday) — a possible prelude to a broader peace deal following two decades of war, according to U.S. and Afghan officials." "Reduction in violence" is so ridiculously low it's almost (almost) impossible to miss.
"The Trump administration has revived the debate over 'end-to-end encryption' — systems so secure that the tech companies themselves aren't able to read the messages, even when police present them with a warrant." While those who fight for more controls over encryption and to install backdoors like to use the phrase, "if you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear", the law itself is the exact opposite. Unless the government can prove a need, they don't get to see your data. At all. And shouldn't even know if it exists. And now this will get wrapped up in the discussions of removing Section 230 of the CDA, which holds "transmission companies" (like Facebook, twitter, Google, etc) not liable for content posted by users.
"The DIA, which is responsible for secure White House communications, said Social Security numbers and other personal data its network held, was likely compromised, reports Reuters, citing a letter sent to compromised individuals." The fuck? (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
"'I thought a lot about if I had been in that position how would I have approached it, and I'll be honest: It's inconceivable to me that if I had firsthand knowledge of gross abuse of presidential power that I would withhold my testimony from a constitutional accountability process,' said (Susan) Rice, who served in the Obama administration, Wednesday while sitting next to Bolton at an event at Vanderbilt University in Nashville." Well, yeah, she both has and served under a president who has a conscience. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
"Trump loyalist and ally Roger Stone was sentenced Thursday to more than three years in federal prison, following an extraordinary move by Attorney General William Barr to back off his Justice Department’s original sentencing recommendation."
"Victoria Coates, a top official on the National Security Council, is being reassigned amid fallout over the identity of the author of the inside-the-White House tell-all book by 'Anonymous.'"
"The intelligence community's top election security official delivered a briefing to lawmakers last week warning them that the intelligence community believes Russia is already taking steps to interfere in the 2020 election with the goal of helping President Donald Trump win, three sources familiar with the matter tell CNN." And someone is not happy. "'This is not a big surprise, but it illustrates the tremendous challenge that the intelligence community has where they're teeing up facts that our President doesn't want to hear, and with a result that the messenger got shot in the form of Joe Maguire being asked to leave,' Clapper said." Also it's rumored Devin Nunes is the one that went running to Trump with the news. About the secure briefing. Violating that security.
"NPR's Rachel Martin talks to ex-acting Director of National Intelligence David Gompert about reports Trump was angered when he learned lawmakers were briefed on Russia's support of his reelection." No transcript yet.
Also, again, they never stopped interfering (waves to my Russian friends… and their friends in Italy, ciao, bella).
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