“Santos is not just a criminal in his own right; he is also a Donald Trump Mini-Me, exemplifying the intersection of the “Big Lie” form of politics and serial criminality. In his indictment, there are lessons to learn about both the degradation of politics and the limits of criminal law’s ability to resist that degradation.”
“The NFL Is on a Mission to Take Over Your Calendar“.
“It is the Same Name Stories era at the New York Times.”
“Although the basic tech supporting vocal deepfakes has been around for a few years, and early adopters like Holly Herndon have long championed their creative potential, AI-generated music has finally gone mainstream. In the bright glare of the spotlight, it’s easier than ever to see how AI software could dramatically reshape the way music is conceived and recorded, providing new automated creative tools while threatening entire job categories—and that’s just in the short term.”
“AI has to be addresses now or never. I believe this is the last time any labor action will be effective in our business. If we don’t make strong rules now, they simply won’t notice if we strike in three years, because at that point they won’t need us.”
I was a BlackBerry admin for about eight years, mostly in the Aughts. It was a great ride, and I still have fondness for those now-obsolete devices. I admit, I never thought the life and times of BlackBerry and its maker would become the subject of a movie, but I’m glad it did. Now I want a prestige podcast or TV miniseries to really go deep on what happened with Research in Motion.
The Seinfeld finale is now 25 years old.
The Durham investigation ends with a whimper and some grievances.
“But that’s not how conservatives change their minds. On the Right, humility is a sign of weakness. (Jesus must have been misquoted about the meek.) So you never admit you were wrong and you never apologize. And yet, conservative opinions do change occasionally. Sometimes they even reverse.”
“Immigration status is not relevant for treatment in an emergency room. It is not needed. It is a barrier to care. Adding truthful non-answers from people who have nothing to fear from answering honestly to the database gives a slight bit of protection to people who need it.”
My thanks to Fred for those last two links and for the shoutout, after which he segues into an introduction to Jared Wellman, who bears some resemblance to but is not at all the same as Jared Woodfill.
“Countless smartphones seized in arrests and searches by police forces across the United States are being auctioned online without first having the data on them erased, a practice that can lead to crime victims being re-victimized, a new study found. In response, the largest online marketplace for items seized in U.S. law enforcement investigations says it now ensures that all phones sold through its platform will be data-wiped prior to auction.”
“A former employee of Rudy Giuliani is suing him for $10 million over allegations of sexual assault and harassment, wage theft and “other misconduct,” including several instances that were recorded, according to a complaint filed Monday.”
“The biggest winner of the first month of the 2023 MLB season isn’t a team or player, it’s a rule: the pitch clock. Introduced this season, the rule change is making MLB fans more interested in watching ballgames, according to a new Morning Consult survey. And those who have watched say the game is now more enjoyable than it used to be.”
“Writers’ group PEN America and publisher Penguin Random House sued a Florida school district Wednesday over its removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities, the latest opposition to a policy central to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ agenda as he prepares to run for president.”
“At every level of education, atheists are at the very top end of political engagement.”
“Nothing screams “I’ve been canceled” more than winning a Grammy, right?”
RIP, Marlene Hagge-Vossler, golf Hall of Famer and the last surviving founder of the LPGA Tour.
RIP, Charlie Stenholm, former Democratic Congressman from Lubbock.
“I was there and I took what I took . . . . I had every right to do it. I didn’t make a secret of it. You know, the boxes were stationed outside of the White House.”
“A Massive Leak Spotlights the Extremism of an Anti-Trans Medical Group”.
RIP, Rodrigo Barnes, former NFL player, civil rights activist, and one of the first Black scholarship athletes at Rice University.
RIP, Jim Brown, all-time great running back for the Cleveland Browns and movie actor.