Vee

It was a pretty lousy and ill-timed statement, by a departing official who is skilled at catalyzing Biden to action and should've known better. I can get behind roasting the dead-end left all day long for so many past sins, but the fury from the larger base over this issue isn't all the product of fringe hippies or magical thinkers. It isn't just Splinter News or Bernie or Bust folks pissed about how the WH has handled this up til very recently, it's normal, decent, levelheaded people and the Bedingfield quote should've known better by now, weeks (and months) in. I believe the White House wants to do the right thing; I also think they botched this early on and it's not improper to say that.

Didn't Real have cancer? Yeah, let's fire a 25-year vet or whatever he is for the temp. GTFO.

The CBS Trek renaissance has really come into its own with Lower Decks (featuring a hilarious Dawnn Lewis as the captain, as well as Jack Quaid and some other great leads) and now Strange New Worlds, the Captain Pike show, both of which basically put the previous two shows to shame. I enjoy things about Discovery and Picard despite their very rocky runs and Discovery has improved a lot since its inception, but the over-egging of everything and apparent micromanagement that have frequently plagued the first two shows don't seem evident at all in LD or SNW so far. SNW is also a throwback to classical episodic Trek, and it has really worked for them thoughtit also has running subplots. In times like ours now, a kind of neo-classicism in entertainment mixed with optimism and typical Trek sociopolitical relevance (like SNW pointedly using footage of January 6th to illustrate the coming Earth civil wars that have always been a part of Trek's history of the 21st century) is really welcome. just hope a finer balance between episodic and serialization can be struck in future with new shows, a la Deep Space Nine. I haven't seen Prodigy yet, the kids' show featuring Kate Mulgrew's return, but I hear decent things.

An EO isn't going to be enough, but not for the reasons the Bernie or Bust crowd thinks. It can be a good beginning, and it has to be followed through on with the measures (the courts, the filibuster) they'll have to campaign on and then execute if they can maintain a majority. Otherwise nothing else done means anything because it will all get undone by that corrupt court. That's the truth that meets in the middle between two extremes, for me at least. The above is unfair IMO, as I don't believe the Dems have had a majority willing to codify for decades (until maybe now).

It is good news. What will matter is what this EO will materially do beyond the general statement of its intent. That's what I'm waiting to hear on, like you. Per news this morning, the administration has been hesitant to declare a public health emergency re: abortion for a variety of reasons, some of which involve COVID funding that I believe would have to be re-appropriated for it. That's a very valid concern; the political concerns, or fears of a legal battle, are IMO not. There are going to be legal battles over abortion now in every dark or not so dark corner of this country whether the White House likes it or not. We might as well lean into it. Pressure did help in getting this EO out of the realm of idle musing inside some months-long committee (a running habit with the WH, especially since December) and it can do the same with further measures. For now, I will wait to see what the EO actually entails.

Oh jeez. Lenny Von Dohlen and Itzin? Both amazing and unforgettable in their signature roles - Von Dohlen was amazing as Harold on Twin Peaks, while Gregory Itzin contained multitudes as Charles Logan (the most corrupt POTUS til Trump), and pretty much revitalized a moribund show in a two-hander with himself and Jean Smart as his neurotic First Lady.

This took too long for them to begin to get on top of, but it's a start and I'm very glad for it. Meanwhile: The assassination of Shinzo Abe is shocking. I initially thought from vague reports that he'd died of natural causes. I haven't heard of something like that in Japan since Yukio Mishima or the Aum Shinrikyo subway gas attacks.

Oh God, I'd forgotten the ending of Dogville. What a scene, and he's so good in it with Kidman. More Thief: Thread:

I feel like the Pincher sex scandal in the last few weeks/months? has been the tipping point, though, maybe I'm wrong. Someone else can explain that.

This somehow went even worse than expected, but what I want to know is how long "Semafor" will last after this debacle given the rapturous media reception it got, because access and start-ups while trying to elevate the 'good guys' in the right wing are everything to these people. (The added detail of Smith whining in Sifry's DMs about how they have to stop being 'liberal media' talking only to each other is a bonus gift)

What a legend, especially for Thief and The Gambler.

LOL:

And now: There seems to be some fog of war atm as to whether he is simply resigning as Tory leader, PM or both, or whether he will remain in the PM seat until autumn awaiting a replacement. I have my doubts the latter will hold up for long.

Still bleeding more loyalists straight through the night to morning over in the UK.

That's why I love Drake, right there.

IIRC it was originally intended to film them back to back, but COVID wrecked that. I assume they'll be moving quickly now though, partly since the Duffer Brothers are contracted to do a miniseries of Stephen King and Peter Straub's The Talisman for Amazon (which Lucas reads in the finale). Spielberg has held the rights to it since the '80s. I think S4 is probably their strongest season and I was very impressed. Managing that scale and scope over nine feature length episodes is near-impossible for even bigger shows like Game of Thrones, which failed at it, but they kept up the pace and character depth here. (You can't service every character the same though, which is why I was fine with Finn Wolfhard taking a backseat for people like Max, Lucas, Nancy, Dustin, Eddie, etc., and I suspect Will will return to the forefront next time as well.) Hopefully they can stick the landing. I do have my doubts that it will be a 'bloodbath' though - I think some characters may die, but I think the Duffers seem to have indicated they don't feel constant death is needed to have stakes. Fans were just as invested and afraid for their favorites this season as they were last season or the one before; even though we've been through this before, everyone kept expecting a huge body count. In the end it wasn't that massive. You don't need to turn every show into GOT or Breaking Bad when all that's needed is the perception of risk and dramatic weight.

One of the greats, not only for his stage work but for his unique film productions of Lord of the Flies and Marat/Sade. RIP.

Winter #1 was Lori Cardille, right? I'll always be fond of her from Day of the Dead, which cemented her horror stardom (she had a long association with those George Romero zombie films bc of her family's involvement in all of them); I've never seen her soap work but I'd like to.