The Ledes

Thursday, July 3, 2025

CNBC: “Job growth proved better than expected in June, as the labor market showed surprising resilience and likely taking a July interest rate cut off the table. Nonfarm payrolls increased a seasonally adjusted 147,000 for the month, higher than the estimate for 110,000 and just above the upwardly revised 144,000 in May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday. April’s tally also saw a small upward revision, now at 158,000 following an 11,000 increase.... Though the jobless rates fell [to 4.1%], it was due largely to a decrease in those working or looking for jobs.”

Washington Post: “A warehouse storing fireworks in Northern California exploded on Tuesday, leaving seven people missing and two injured as explosions continued into Wednesday evening, officials said. Dramatic video footage captured by KCRA 3 News, a Sacramento broadcaster, showed smoke pouring from the building’s roof before a massive explosion created a fireball that seemed to engulf much of the warehouse, accompanied by an echoing boom. Hundreds of fireworks appeared to be going off and were sparkling within the smoke. Photos of the aftermath showed multiple destroyed buildings and a large area covered in gray ash.” ~~~

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Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.

INAUGURATION 2029

Commencement ceremonies are joyous occasions, and Steve Carell made sure that was true this past weekend (mid-June) at Northwestern's commencement:

~~~ Carell's entire commencement speech was hilarious. The audio and video here isn't great, but I laughed till I cried.

CNN did a live telecast Saturday night (June 7) of the Broadway play "Good Night, and Good Luck," written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, about legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow's effort to hold to account Sen. Joe McCarthy, "the junior senator from Wisconsin." Clooney plays Murrow. Here's Murrow himself with his famous take on McCarthy & McCarthyism, brief remarks that especially resonate today: ~~~

     ~~~ This article lists ways you still can watch the play. 

New York Times: “The New York Times Company has agreed to license its editorial content to Amazon for use in the tech giant’s artificial intelligence platforms, the company said on Thursday. The multiyear agreement 'will bring Times editorial content to a variety of Amazon customer experiences,' the news organization said in a statement. Besides news articles, the agreement encompasses material from NYT Cooking, The Times’s food and recipe site, and The Athletic, which focuses on sports. This is The Times’s first licensing arrangement with a focus on generative A.I. technology. In 2023, The Times sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, for copyright infringement, accusing the tech companies of using millions of articles published by The Times to train automated chatbots without any kind of compensation. OpenAI and Microsoft have rejected those accusations.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I have no idea what this means for "the Amazon customer experience." Does it mean that if I don't have a NYT subscription but do have Amazon Prime I can read NYT content? And where, exactly, would I find that content? I don't know. I don't know.

Washington Post reporters asked three AI image generators what a beautiful woman looks like. "The Post found that they steer users toward a startlingly narrow vision of attractiveness. Prompted to show a 'beautiful woman,' all three tools generated thin women, without exception.... Her body looks like Barbie — slim hips, impossible waist, round breasts.... Just 2 percent of the images showed visible signs of aging. More than a third of the images had medium skin tones. But only nine percent had dark skin tones. Asked to show 'normal women,' the tools produced images that remained overwhelmingly thin.... However bias originates, The Post’s analysis found that popular image tools struggle to render realistic images of women outside the Western ideal." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The reporters seem to think they are calling out the AI programs for being unrealistic. But there's a lot about the "beautiful women" images they miss. I find these omissions remarkably sexist. For one thing, the reporters seem to think AI is a magical "thing" that self-generates. It isn't. It's programmed. It's programmed by boys, many of them incels who have little or no experience or insights beyond comic books and Internet porn of how to gauge female "beauty." As a result, the AI-generated women look like cartoons; that is, a lot like an air-brushed photo of Kristi Noem: globs of every kind of dark eye makeup, Scandinavian nose, Botox lips, slathered-on skin concealer/toner/etc. makeup, long dark hair and the aforementioned impossible Barbie body shape, including huge, round plastic breasts. 

New York Times: “George Clooney’s Broadway debut, 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' has been one of the sensations of the 2024-25 theater season, breaking box office records and drawing packed houses of audiences eager to see the popular movie star in a timely drama about the importance of an independent press. Now the play will become much more widely available: CNN is planning a live broadcast of the penultimate performance, on June 7 at 7 p.m. Eastern. The performance will be preceded and followed by coverage of, and discussion about, the show and the state of journalism.”

No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land. -- Magna Carta ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “Bought for $27.50 after World War II, the faint, water stained manuscript in the library of Harvard Law School had attracted relatively little attention since it arrived there in 1946. That is about to change. Two British academics, one of whom happened on the manuscript by chance, have discovered that it is an original 1300 version — not a copy, as long thought — of Magna Carta, the medieval document that helped establish some of the world’s most cherished liberties. It is one of just seven such documents from that date still in existence.... A 710-year-old version of Magna Carta was sold in 2007 for $21.3 million.... First issued in 1215, it put into writing a set of concessions won by rebellious barons from a recalcitrant King John of England — or Bad King John, as he became known in folklore. He later revoked the charter, but his son, Henry III, issued amended versions, the last one in 1225, and Henry’s son, Edward I, in turn confirmed the 1225 version in 1297 and again in 1300.”

NPR lists all of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners. Poynter lists the prizes awarded in journalism as well as the finalists in these categories.

 

Contact Marie

Email Marie at constantweader@gmail.com

Saturday
May252019

The Commentariat -- May 26, 2019

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"Dr. Marvin Schwalb passed away on April 10, 2019 in Livingston. Dr. Schwalb was a professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry - New Jersey Medical School for over 45 years and served as the Associate Director of the Institute of Genomic Medicine before retiring. Marvin is survived by Karen, his wife of 56 years, his daughters, Robin, Heidi and Abby, and his sister Karen. He was predeceased by his brother, Bruce. He was an avid painter, hobbyist, collector and traveler." -- Levine Memorial Chapel

Dr. Schwalb was a valued commentator here on Reality Chex, and we have missed him. Thank you to Akhilleus for informing us of his death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today is only Sunday, but contributor Patrick has already found the headline of the week (see commentary below):

"Owners of Noah's Ark replica suing insurer over flood damage"

~~~~~~~~~~

Trump: I Trust Little Kim Before I Trust Bolton, Japan. Daniel Politi of Slate: “... Donald Trump seemed to contradict his national security adviser Saturday, claiming he was unbothered by North Korea’s recent missile tests essentially because he trusts dictator Kim Jong Un. In a tweet while he was in Japan, Trump also espoused a view that is at odds with his host country. 'North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me,' Trump wrote on Twitter. 'I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me.'... Japan had said that North Korea's recent test of short range missiles amounted to a violation of United Nations resolutions. And Trump's own national security adviser John Bolton agreed with that assessment, telling reporters on Saturday there was 'no doubt' that the missile test violated Security Council resolutions."

The Trump Scandals, Ctd.

Alexandra Hutzler of Newsweek: "Donald Trump has given Attorney General William Barr permission to declassify intelligence information about the origins of the Russia investigation, a move legal experts say is a gross abuse of power. 'In a corrupt act of political retribution, our president has ordered his utterly compliant attorney general to root out Deep State demons that exist only in the unhinged mind of our nation's leader,' Gene Rossi, a former federal prosecutor, told Newsweek." ...

... Sonan Sheth of Business Insider: "... Donald Trump's decision to grant vast authority to Attorney General William Barr to declassify intelligence as he investigates the origins of the Russia investigation stunned national-security veterans and has the Justice Department hurtling toward a clash with the US intelligence community.... Current and former officials say Trump's order represents a direct threat to the lives and safety of US intelligence sources abroad." ...

This is a president who will lash out and destroy anything if he believes it will suit his interests. And he now has a capable lieutenant in the attorney general to help him do just that. -- Rep. Adam Schiff, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee ...

... Michael Schmidt & Julian Barnes of the New York Times: "President Trump tried somewhat clumsily last year to revoke the security clearance of the former C.I.A. director who played a role in opening the Russia investigation. He then wanted to release classified documents to prove he was the target of a 'witch hunt.' Both attempts petered out, hampered by aides who slow-rolled the president and by Justice Department officials who fought Mr. Trump, warning he was jeopardizing national security. But this week, Attorney General William P. Barr engineered a new approach. At Mr. Barr's urging, Mr. Trump granted him new authorities to examine the start of the Russia investigation, demonstrating a new level of sophistication for an old line of attack. Unlike Mr. Trump's hollow threats and name-calling, Mr. Barr's examination of how the intelligence community investigated the Trump campaign could offer a more effective blueprint for the president to take aim at his perceived political enemies.... Mr. Trump's latest action is a drastic escalation of his yearslong assault on the intelligence community." Emphasis added -- Mrs. McC: As I suspected, it was Barr's idea to give himself unprecedented power over intelligence leaders. ...

... ** Jonathan Chait: "In combination with Barr's latest counter-investigation, Trump has succeeded in reshaping the legal incentives under which law enforcement operates. The message is clear: If you investigate Trump or his allies, you will yourself be hounded and scrutinized for evidence of any wrongdoing.... And if you carry out Trump's agenda or goals, you will be rewarded with legal immunity for any crimes, however cruel or brutal. Just as Trump has put his presidency at the disposal of his never-ending campaign, he is likewise demanding that the federal security apparatus put aside its ethos of civil-service neutrality and follow his whims." Read the whole post.

Normalizing the Abhorrent. Ben Mathis-Lilley of Slate: "On Thursday in the Oval Office, an NBC reporter noted to Trump that treason is punishable by death and then asked him who he felt, specifically, had committed treason in the course of the Russia investigation. The president responded by naming four FBI officials -- former director James Comey, former deputy director Andrew McCabe, and former agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page -- who'd been involved in the case. And that was it! Twitter was briefly incredulous, a few articles were posted, but for the most part it was not considered really newsworthy that the POTUS had casually tossed out the idea of executing the FBI's previous leadership team."

Scott Wong & Olivia Beavers of the Hill: "There is growing daylight between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) over the best strategy for combating a Trump administration that is flouting a flurry of congressional subpoenas at nearly every turn. The pair of powerful Democrats clashed in recent days over whether to launch impeachment proceedings against President Trump and how soon to hold a contempt vote against Attorney General William Barr. Nadler, spurred by frustrated Judiciary Committee members, has been privately pushing leadership for both an impeachment inquiry and a contempt vote immediately after lawmakers return from their weeklong Memorial Day recess. Pelosi is still urging a go-slow approach, concerned that Democrats have not yet swayed public opinion about why such aggressive tactics are necessary."

Cristina Alesci of CNN: "Lawyers for ... Donald Trump have reached an agreement with the House Intelligence and Financial Services committees to hold off for now on enforcing the subpoenas for Trump's financial records from Deutsche Bank and Capital One, according to a court document and a source familiar with the agreement. Similar to a deal reached earlier this week with the House Oversight committee the agreement allows for an expedited appeal schedule."

David Graham of the Atlantic: Last week, the Washington Post reported "about how Trump has repeatedly pressured the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Homeland Security to award a contract for building a wall at the southern U.S. border to a North Dakota company headed by a leading Republican donor [and frequent Fox 'News' guest]. The story demonstrates the shortcomings of Trump's attempt to bring private-sector techniques into government. It shows his tendency toward cronyism, his failures as a negotiator, and the ease with which a fairly primitive attention campaign can sway him. At heart, though, what it really exemplifies is Trump's insistence on placing performative gestures over actual efficacy. And it is a concrete example -- almost literally -- of how the president's violations of norms weaken the country and waste taxpayer money." Graham neatly ties Trump's advocacy of the donor's company to Trump's many failings as a businessman & president*.


Rachel Frazin
of the Hill: "President Trump on Saturday slammed a Friday court ruling that blocked some construction of his border wall as 'in favor of crime, drugs and human trafficking.' Trump also said that the government would ask for an expedited appeal. 'Another activist Obama appointed judge has just ruled against us on a section of the Southern Wall that is already under construction,' he tweeted. 'This is a ruling against Border Security and in favor of crime, drugs and human trafficking. We are asking for an expedited appeal!'... Federal Judge Haywood Gilliam, an Obama appointee, on Friday issued a preliminary injunction that would temporarily prevent the Trump administration from constructing additional border fencing in specific areas and using about $1 billion in reallocated Defense Department funds for border wall construction."

Beyond the Beltway

Utah. Tauren Dyson of UPI: "The Utah Supreme Court suspended a judge for six months without pay after he consistently criticized ... Donald Trump online and during proceedings. The court ruled that Judge Michael Kwan, who served for 20 years in Taylorsville, violated Utah's judicial code of conduct, according to court documents."

News Lede

New York Times: "Bart Starr, the earnest and determined leader of the great Green Bay Packers teams of the 1960s who became one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in history -- the in-the-huddle incarnation of their fierce and masterly coach, Vince Lombardi -- died on Sunday in Birmingham, Ala. He was 85."

Reader Comments (6)

Maureen Dowd = pitch perfect:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/25/opinion/sunday/donald-trump-nancy-pelosi.html

May 26, 2019 | Unregistered CommenterNJC

Trump’s authoritarian-dictatorial yearnings are getting more scary by the day. Now he’s siccing the full force of the government’s legal apparatus on a true witch hunt, the end result of which, as he has declared, is the imprisonment and execution of those he sees in his vicious, vindictive little lizard brain as his enemies. Those investigating his traitorous connections with an antagonistic foreign power, which ultimately put him in the White House, are guilty of treason against the king and deserving of death.

While all this is going on, the Party of Traitors sits by, mouths tightly closed, looking on as the country they claim to love is being unraveled by a dangerous lunatic, the bedrock of this nation’s beliefs and the structures of freedom put in place by the founders gleefully jackhammered by a vile slug and his slithering serpents.

They are no different than so-called right to life Christians who lustily cheer for the death penalty. It’s not just a philosophical inconsistency, it’s hypocrisy that fatally undermines the entire system they claim as their support in acting as they do.

Every day that goes by with McConnell and Graham and company sitting by as Trump juts out his Mussolini jaw and demands that his sycophants and lackeys sieg heil when he walks by is another ineradicable testament to the complete falsity of their claims to be patriotic Americans.

They are boot licking dogs, dogs without honor, without morality, without a country.

May 26, 2019 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

In broad daylight, Trump is constructing his own Stasi, a Trumpian state security apparatus the sole goal of which is to protect him from any and all legal challenges, in other words, to perpetuate his power, and to persecute his enemies—to the point of death. In Barr, he has his very own Heinrich Himmler.

May 26, 2019 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Thanks to NJC for the tip on the Dowd column. I’d pretty much given up reading her as I have Our Miss Brooks and Blow Up Doll Boy Douthat. The Times has not been much of a help in staving off the traitors but at least some commenters are not confused about who the bad guys are. One comment to Dowd’s piece puts things in a way we might have gotten from out very own Marvin Schwalb, who long ago pegged Trump for the dangerous narcissist he is.

This commenter pointed out that it’s always possible to identify a family beset by a malignant narcissist. He or she is perfectly fine, suffering no difficulties as they spread their venom and chaos. It’s all the OTHER family members who are exhausted and in therapy, trying to make sense of things. Sounds familiar.

By the way, speaking of our friend Marvin, I’ve wondered about him since we haven’t heard from him in a while and that his posts had become shorter and fewer over the past few months. Sadly, he passed away last month. He was a valued and trusted voice in our little RC world and he is missed.

Thanks for everything, Dr. Schwalb!

https://levinememorialchapel.com/tribute/details/3756/Marvin-Schwalb/obituary.html

May 26, 2019 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

@Akhilleus: Thanks to Bill Barr, now Trump constantly reminds me that he's just a crude, comic version of George H.W. Bush. (I don't recall that Bush specifically "investigated the investigators," but he did worse by effectively invalidating the work of the independent counsel Lawrence Walsh by pardoning all of the men indicted as a result of Walsh's investigation. Good thing, too, as Walsh was ready to implicate Bush himself in the Iran-Contra scheme.)

May 26, 2019 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

The story in the NY post is "meh", but the headline is great:

"Owners of Noah’s Ark replica suing insurer over flood damage"

https://nypost.com/2019/05/25/owners-of-noahs-ark-replica-suing-insurer-over-flood-damage/

May 26, 2019 | Unregistered CommenterPatrick
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