The Ledes

Friday, September 27, 2024

New York Times: “Maggie Smith, one of the finest British stage and screen actors of her generation, whose award-winning roles ranged from a freethinking Scottish schoolteacher in 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' to the acid-tongued dowager countess on 'Downton Abbey,' died on Friday in London. She was 89.”

The Washington Post's live updates of developments related to Hurricane Helene are here: “Hurricane Helene left one person dead in Florida and two in Georgia as it sped north. One of the biggest storms on record to hit the Gulf Coast, Helene slammed into Florida’s Big Bend area on Thursday night as a Category 4 colossus with winds of up to 140 mph before weakening to Category 1. Catastrophic winds and torrential rain from the storm — which the National Hurricane Center forecast would eventually slow over the Tennessee Valley — were expected to continue Friday across the Southeast and southern Appalachians.” ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates are here.

Mediaite: “Fox Weather’s Bob Van Dillen was reporting live on Fox & Friends about flooding in Atlanta from Hurricane Helene when he was interrupted by the screams of a woman trapped in her car. During the 7 a.m. hour, Van Dillen was filing a live report on the massive flooding in the area. Fox News viewers could clearly hear the urgent screams for help emerging from a car stuck on a flooded road in the background of the live shot. Van Dillen ... told Fox & Friends that 911 had been called and that the local Fire Department was on its way. But as he continued to file the report, the screams did not stop, so Van Dillen cut the live shot short.... Some 10 minutes later, Fox & Friends aired live footage of Van Dillen carrying the woman to safety, waking through chest-deep water while the flooding engulfed her car in the background[.]”

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The Ledes

Thursday, September 26, 2024

The New York Times:' live updates of Hurricane Helene developments today are here. “Hurricane Helene was barreling through the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday en route to Florida, where residents were bracing for extreme rain, destructive winds and deadly storm surge ahead of the storm’s expected landfall. The storm could intensify to a Category 4, if not higher, before making landfall late Thursday, and forecasters warned Helene’s anticipated large size could make its impacts felt across an extensive area. Areas as distant as Atlanta and the Appalachians are at risk for heavy rains.... Many forecast models show the storm making landfall late Thursday near Florida’s Big Bend Coast, a sparsely populated stretch....” ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post has forecasts for some cites in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina & Tennessee that are in or near the probable path of Helene. ~~~

     ~~~ This morning, an MSNBC weatherperson said Tallahassee (which is inland) would experience wind gusts of up to 120 m.p.h. and that the National Weather Service said expected 20-foot storm surges near the coast would be “unsurvivable.”

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The New York Times lists Emmy winners. The AP has an overview story here.

New York Times: “Hvaldimir, a beluga whale who had captured the public’s imagination since 2019 after he was spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera, was found dead on Saturday in Norway, according to a nonprofit that worked to protect the whale.... [Hvaldimir] was wearing a harness that identified it as “equipment” from St. Petersburg. There also appeared to be a camera mount. Some wondered if the whale was on a Russian reconnaissance mission. Russia has never claimed ownership of the whale. If Hvaldimir was a spy, he was an exceptionally friendly one. The whale showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people. He remained in busier waters than are typical for belugas....” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Oh, Lord, do not let Bobby Kennedy, Jr., near that carcass. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: “There’s no evidence that a well-known beluga whale that lived off Norway’s coast and whose harness ignited speculation it was a Russian spy was shot to death last month as claimed by animal rights groups, Norwegian police said Monday.... Police said that the Norwegian Veterinary Institute conducted a preliminary autopsy on the animal, which was become known as 'Hvaldimir,' combining the Norwegian word for whale — hval — and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'There are no findings from the autopsy that indicate that Hvaldimir has been shot,' police said in a statement.”

New York Times: Botswana's “President Mokgweetsi Masisi grinned as he lifted the diamond, a 2,492-carat stone that is the biggest diamond unearthed in more than a century and the second-largest ever found, according to the Vancouver-based mining operator Lucara, which owns the mine where it was found. This exceptional discovery could bring back the luster of the natural diamond mining industry, mining companies and experts say. The diamond was discovered in the same relatively small mine in northeastern Botswana that has produced several of the largest such stones in living memory. Such gemstones typically surface as a result of volcanic activity.... The diamond will likely sell in the range of tens of millions of dollars....”

Click on photo to enlarge.

~~~ Guardian: "On a distant reef 16,000km from Paris, surfer Gabriel Medina has given Olympic viewers one of the most memorable images of the Games yet, with an airborne celebration so well poised it looked too good to be true. The Brazilian took off a thundering wave at Teahupo’o in Tahiti on Monday, emerging from a barrelling section before soaring into the air and appearing to settle on a Pacific cloud, pointing to the sky with biblical serenity, his movements mirrored precisely by his surfboard. The shot was taken by Agence France-Presse photographer Jérôme Brouillet, who said “the conditions were perfect, the waves were taller than we expected”. He took the photo while aboard a boat nearby, capturing the surreal image with such accuracy that at first some suspected Photoshop or AI." 

Washington Post: “'Mary Cassatt at Work' is a large and mostly satisfying exhibition devoted to the career of the great American artist beloved for her sensitive and often sentimental views of family life. The 'at work' in the title of the Philadelphia Museum of Art show references the curators’ interest in Cassatt’s pioneering effort to establish herself as a professional artist within a male-dominated field. Throughout the show, which includes some 130 paintings, pastels, prints and drawings, the wall text and the art on view stresses Cassatt’s fixation on art as a career rather than a pastime.... Mary Cassatt at Work is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Sept. 8. philamuseum.org”

New York Times: “Bob Newhart, who died on Thursday at the age of 94, has been such a beloved giant of popular culture for so long that it’s easy to forget how unlikely it was that he became one of the founding fathers of stand-up comedy. Before basically inventing the hit stand-up special, with the 1960 Grammy-winning album 'The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart' — that doesn’t even count his pay-per-view event broadcast on Canadian television that some cite as the first filmed special — he was a soft-spoken accountant who had never done a set in a nightclub. That he made a classic with so little preparation is one of the great miracles in the history of comedy.... Bob Newhart holds up. In fact, it’s hard to think of a stand-up from that era who is a better argument against the commonplace idea that comedy does not age well.”

Washington Post: “An early Titian masterpiece — once looted by Napolean’s troops and a part of royal collections for centuries — caused a stir when it was stolen from the home of a British marquess in 1995. Seven years later, it was found inside an unassuming white and blue plastic bag at a bus stop in southwest London by an art detective, and returned. This week, the oil painting 'The Rest on the Flight into Egypt' sold for more than $22 million at Christie’s. It was a record for the Renaissance artist, whom museums describe as the greatest painter of 16th-century Venice. Ahead of the sale in April, the auction house billed it as 'the most important work by Titian to come to the auction market in more than a generation.'”

Washington Post: The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., which houses the world's largest collection of Shakespeare material, has undergone a major renovation. "The change to the building is pervasive, both subtle and transformational."

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May 29, 2023

CNN posts Memorial Day photos.

Russ Bynum of the AP: "Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment made a desperate retreat [in September 1950] as North Korean troops closed in around them. A wounded, 18-year-old Army Pfc. Luther Herschel Story feared his injuries would slow down his company, so he stayed behind to cover their withdrawal.... He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor, which is now displayed alongside his portrait at the National Infantry Museum, an hour's drive from his hometown of Americus, Georgia. But Story was never seen alive again, and his resting place long remained a mystery. That changed in April when the U.S. military revealed lab tests had matched DNA from [niece Judy] Wade and her late mother to bones of an unidentified American soldier recovered from Korea in October 1950. The remains belonged to Story, a case agent told Wade over the phone.... A Memorial Day burial with military honors was scheduled Monday at the Andersonville National Cemetery. A police escort with flashing lights escorted Story's casket through the streets of nearby Americus on Wednesday after it arrived in Georgia." As a child, Story had lived in Plains, Georgia and worked for President Jimmy Carter's father. A staff member told President Carter of the return of Story's remains, which evoked "a big smile" from the former 'resident.

~~~~~~~~~~

Afternoon Update:

"Nukes for All!" Yuliya Talmazan of NBC News: "Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, promised nuclear weapons to any nation that joined Russia and Belarus. The comment came just days after the Belarusian leader confirmed the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to his country. Putin has periodically hinted at a nuclear escalation since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, dramatically increasing tensions with the United States and the West. 'It's very simple. You have to join the union between Belarus and Russia, and that's it: There will be nuclear weapons for everyone,' Lukashenko said in a comment aired Sunday night on Russian state TV.... On Thursday, the Belarusian leader confirmed that Russia has moved on the plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, first announced in March."

Jennifer Haberkorn, et al., of Politico: "The White House has a simple message to Democrats skeptical of the debt ceiling agreement the president cut with Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Don't judge us by what's included but what we kept out. Top administration officials began fanning out late Saturday evening and all through Sunday to sell the deal, which would suspend the debt ceiling through January of 2025, limit federal spending through the same period, and make changes to government social welfare programs. The calls with stakeholders and lawmakers were generally positive, according to three people familiar with the overall feedback...."

CBS/AP: "Russia's Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the fighting in Ukraine. In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy's office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that 'the Russians are dying' and described the U.S. military assistance to the country as 'the best money we've ever spent.' While Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation, the short video by Ukraine's presidential office put them next to each other, causing outrage in Russia. Later, Zelenskyy's office issued video of Graham's actual remarks showing the shorter version had been edited.... Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that 'it's hard to imagine a greater shame for the country than having such senators.'" MB: Well, now, there's a Kremlin official remark I agree with, albeit for different reasons. Thanks to Forrest M. for the lead.

~~~~~~~~~~

Luke Broadwater & Chris Cameron of the New York Times: "A day after striking a deal in principle with President Biden to suspend the debt limit, Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his leadership team began an all-out sales pitch on Sunday to rally Republicans behind a compromise that was drawing intense resistance from the hard right. To get the legislation through a fractious and closely divided Congress, Mr. McCarthy and top Democratic leaders must cobble together a coalition of Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate willing to back it. Members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus have already declared war on the plan, which they say fails to impose meaningful spending cuts, and warned that they would seek to block it.... Mr. Biden told reporters that he was confident the deal would reach his desk and that he spoke with Mr. McCarthy on Sunday afternoon 'to make sure all the T's are crossed and the I's are dotted.'"

Mychael Schnell & Emily Brooks of the Hill: "Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) released text of the bill to raise the debt limit on Sunday evening as Democratic and Republican leaders work to corral support ahead of this week's vote. The bill -- which spans 99 pages -- raises the debt limit for two years, strengthens work requirements on federal public assistance programs and rescinds roughly $28 billion in COVID-19 funding that went unused.... And in a surprise addition to the bill, it includes a measure to expedite completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline -- a major win for West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) who has long been trying to speed up construction of the natural gas pipeline that had been stalled due to environmental concerns.... The bill's release officially starts the clock on the 72-hour rule, which gives House members at least three days to review a bill before voting on it. Sticking to the 72-hour rule was a key demand of the conservatives who withheld support for McCarthy during the drawn-out Speaker's race in January."

Joanna Walters of the Guardian: "US president Joe Biden has said a bipartisan deal to raise the $31.4tn US debt ceiling and avoid a default is ready to move to Congress and urged lawmakers to pass the agreement he struck with Kevin McCarthy. 'This is a deal that's good news for ... the American people,' Biden said at the White House on Sunday night after a call with McCarthy to put the final touches to a tentative deal struck the previous day. 'It takes the threat of catastrophic default off the table, protects our hard-earned and historic economic recovery, he said.... Earlier on Sunday morning, McCarthy boasted on Fox News Sunday that 'there's not one thing in the bill for Democrats' even though Biden achieved his fundamental goal of persuading the Republican to agree to a debt ceiling increase."

Former hostage Joe Biden spoke Sunday about the budget agreement:

~~~ Marie: BUT Catherine Rampell has a point. If she's right -- and I think she may be -- Joe pulled a fast one on the hostage-takers: ~~~

     ~~~ Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post: "... from what we know so far, this much-ballyhooed 'deal' doesn't seem terribly different from whatever budget agreement would have materialized anyway later this year, during the usual annual appropriations process, under divided government. To President Biden's credit, the most objectionable ransoms that Republicans had been demanding are all gone.... The U.S. government, prodded by House Republicans, has spent the past few months beclowning itself before the rest of the world.... The U.S. government also might have already incurred higher borrowing costs, of as-yet-unknown amounts, as markets fretted in recent weeks over whether Uncle Sam might stiff any creditors.... There also might be longer-term reputational and financial costs thanks to this episode, particularly if we've now set ourselves up for another hostage crisis two years hence.... And to what end? To get minimal changes to fiscal policies that probably would have happened anyway? This not-quite-cataclysmic-but-still-corrosive outcome assumes, of course, that the Biden-McCarthy agreement actually passes and the U.S. government doesn't beclown itself further." AND ~~~

~~~ Dean Obeidallah on Substack: "President Biden won and Donald Trump/MAGA lost -- again. It's that simple when it comes to the debt ceiling deal announced Saturday night. Keep in mind Trump was demanding a debt ceiling default because he wants to tank our strong economy given he believes it helps him win in 2024. Trump publicly stated and posted on social media as much, recently writing that Republicans should cause a default, 'UNLESS THEY [GOP] GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT (Including the "kitchen sink").'... North Carolina Rep Dan Bishop who tweeted: 'RINOs congratulating McCarthy for getting almost zippo in exchange for $4T debt ceiling hike.' (You can read even more MAGA Reps going ballistic here.)... For starters and very importantly, it raises the debt ceiling for two years -- not one as the GOP wanted.... In addition, the budget cuts agreed--to per a NY Times analysis Sunday -- amount to only 'a fraction of the cuts Republicans originally sought.'... In reality, the deal reached is much more about future spending limits than it is with simply raising the debt ceiling to pay for past appropriations."

Presidential Race 2024. David Edwards of the Raw Story: "A Fox News poll found that 56% of Americans do not believe ... Donald Trump has the 'mental soundness' to be president.... As for [President] Biden, 60% of those Fox News polled agreed he did not have the mental soundness to do the job. Fox News noted that the difference between the two candidates was within the survey's margin of error.... The survey also compared President Joe Biden's character to Trump. Biden had a 9-point advantage over Trump regarding honesty and an 8-point lead for empathy. 11% fewer people also believe that Biden is corrupt."

Beyond the Beltway

Marie: When I was a young woman reading the newspapers, I used to tut-tut and marvel at how backward other countries were (see Uganda story, linked below) compared to the glorious USA. While the new Uganda legislation certainly is worse than the Tennessee law described next, I note that the New York Times earlier included links to both stories in the same block on its front page. (The Times has since moved the Tennessee link to its "Politics" page alone.) Nowadays, Republican legislatures across the country are making sure I do my tut-tutting at home, too. ~~~

~~~ Tennessee. Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: "If a federal judge allows [Tennessee's 'adult caberet'] law to take effect in the coming weeks, it will ban what it defines as adult cabaret performances, including by 'male or female impersonators,' on public property or anywhere children could view them. It will not stop the shows that ... [performers put] on at an adults-only club in Clarksville and other clubs near the Kentucky border. Still..., performers said, being seen in drag anywhere in public feels far riskier now. The law and others like it come as far-right activists have increasingly targeted drag shows across the country, with members of the Proud Boys and other protesters, sometimes heavily armed, appearing at the shows and at library story hours when drag performers read books to children."

In case you were momentarily deluded by Ken Paxton's impeachment and were thinking, “Gosh, maybe some Texas Republican lawmakers are so bad,” there's this: ~~~

~~~ Texas. Patrick Marley of the Washington Post: "Texas Republicans wound down their regular legislative session Sunday by changing election policies for a single populous Democratic stronghold but not other parts of the state. The measure gives the secretary of state under certain conditions the power to run elections in Harris County, home to Houston and 4.8 million residents. It follows a bill approved days earlier that shifts the oversight of elections from its appointed elections administrator to the county clerk and county assessor. Harris County officials at a news conference last week said they would bring a lawsuit challenging the measures as soon as Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signs them into law. 'These bills are not about election reform,' said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county's chief executive. 'They're not about improving voters' experience. They are entirely about suppressing voters' voices. The reasoning behind these bills is nothing but a cynical charade.'" ~~~

~~~ AND. Kelby Vera of the Huffington Post: "Texas lawmakers have moved to shutter all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at publicly funded universities in the state. Legislators in both chambers approved the final version of Senate Bill 17 on Sunday and it is now headed to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to be signed. If approved, SB 17 would require Texas' public universities to dismantle their DEI offices, programs and training in the next six months. The bill also bans institutions from mandating any DEI training as a condition of employment or admission to the university, and orders all hiring practices be 'color-blind and sex-neutral.'The legislation would not affect course instruction, faculty research, student organizations, guest speakers, data collection or admissions."

Way Beyond

Turkey. Bad News for Democracy. Suzan Fraser & Zeynep Bilginsoy of the AP: "Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection Sunday, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade as the country reels from high inflation and the aftermath of an earthquake that leveled entire cities.A third term gives Erdogan an even stronger hand domestically and internationally, and the election results will have implications far beyond Ankara.... With more than 99% of ballot boxes opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52% of the vote, compared with 48% for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The head of Turkey's electoral board confirmed the victory, saying that even after accounting for outstanding votes, the result was another term for Erdogan." The Guardian's story is here. Akhilleus seems skeptical. See his comment, first posted late yesterday and re-posted below.

Uganda. Rodney Muhumuza of the AP: "Uganda's president has signed into law tough new anti-gay legislation supported by many in this East African country but widely condemned by rights activists and others abroad. The version of the bill signed by President Yoweri Museveni doesn't criminalize those who identify as LGBTQ, a key concern for campaigners who condemned an earlier draft of the legislation as an egregious attack on human rights. But the new law still prescribes the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality,' which is defined as cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV as well as with minors and other categories of vulnerable people."

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Monday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Explosions rang across the capital [Kiev] Monday morning as it suffered its 16th air attack this month and second in the past 12 hours. The Kyiv regional military administration described the raid as a missile attack and said air defenses were at work.... The drone strikes launched by Russian forces Saturday night was the largest since the start of the war, with most of the Iranian-made drones targeting Kyiv, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War.... Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans over the weekend to implement sanctions against Iran for a 50-year period.... [U.S.] Secretary of State Antony Blinken begins a five-day visit to Sweden, Norway and Finland on Monday to discuss support for Ukraine, among other matters, the State Department said. He will also attend a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Oslo." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Monday are here. The Guardian's live updates for Monday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here.

Comments Off

Reader Comments (6)

By Akhilleus:

“With more than 99% of ballot boxes opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52% of the vote, compared with 48% for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.”

(What? He didn’t win 120% of the vote? Erdogan must have missed the page in the Authoritarian Election Handbook that suggests receiving more votes than there are voters is a good way to scare off future opponents.)

“The head of Turkey’s electoral board confirmed the victory, saying that even after accounting for outstanding votes, the result was another term for Erdogan."

He better say that or he’ll be introduced to Erdogan’s election consultant Mr. Bonesaw, and his pals Mr. Pliers and Mr. Blowtorch.

If I were Kemal Kilicdaroglu, I’d make sure my passport was in order.

Don’t you just know how jealous Fatty must be of fascist leaders who don’t have to start an insurrection to “win” an election?

May 29, 2023 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

Looks like that anti-gay legislation passed in Uganda would get a welcome round of applause in some red MAGA states, but not all. There are still Party of Traitor/Trump loving media screamers (and politicians) who still demand much harsher treatment for human beings who do not agree that they (the screamers) have a right to punish them for loving another person of the same sex.

The uptick in hatred directed toward trans and LGBTQ communities is all of a piece with the increased acceptance on the right, in the Age of Trump, of violence as a political tool to get what they want.

This Saturday, the weekly Metropolitan Opera broadcast featured a new production by composer Terence Blanchard, “Champion”, about the life of boxer Emile Griffith who, in the 60’s, held world championship titles in several weight categories (a rare and unusual feat in the boxing world). Griffith, in a 1962 match, knocked out boxer Benny Paret. Paret never regained consciousness and died 10 days later. The death haunted Griffith the rest of his life. But that wasn’t his only difficulty. Griffith was bisexual. In 1992, seen leaving a gay bar, he was beaten so badly he had to be hospitalized for months.

The opera, a stunning work, depicts the older Emile talking to his younger self (a neat idea). In a moment of recognition about the acceptance of deadly violence in this country, compared to a loving relationship, the Griffith character ponders a central conundrum of his life and career:

“They forgive me for killing a man, but want to kill me for loving a man.”

Not much has changed.

May 29, 2023 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

https://news.yahoo.com/head-rt-calls-lindsey-graham-224716821.
html?.tsrc=daily_mail&uh_test=0_00

Seems the Russians want Lindsey Graham dead, or at least, he's now
on their hit list of dangerous Americans.
He must have said something derogatory (easily done) about that
former president* that Vlad didn't approve of.
Or maybe Vlad wants him to ride bare back with him into the sunset>

May 29, 2023 | Unregistered CommenterForrestMorris

Seems there's no rest for the wicked.

Herding congressional cats occurs even on a Federal holiday.

May 29, 2023 | Unregistered CommenterKen Winkes

Is Aunt Pity Pat going to get the vapors now with every mosquito or tick bite, thinking that it's a dose of Novichok from his former BFF Vlad?

May 29, 2023 | Unregistered Commenterunwashed

@unwashed: Could be. I can state with some certainty that Lindsey will not be taking a summer cruise down the Volga smartly attired in a natural linen suit & panama hat.

I'd suggest as an alternative he paddle along South Carolina's Sparkleberry Swamp. But, you know, mosquitoes.

May 29, 2023 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns
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