Next Draft - Reporting From the Front
"The phrase man bites dog is a shortened version of an aphorism in journalism that describes how an unusual, infrequent event (such as a man biting a dog) is more likely to be reported as news than an ordinary, everyday occurrence with similar consequences, such as a dog biting a man." Sadly, man shooting a lot of innocent people with a high-powered, automatic weapon is America's ultimate dog bites man story. It will be followed by another story almost too common and predictable to report: Lawmakers doing nothing to address the issue. A heavily-armed Army reservist and firearms instructor with a history of mental illness and shooting threats went on a mass killing spree at multiple locations in Lewiston, Maine, leaving at least 18 people dead and many injured. The shooter is still at large and a massive manhunt is underway. It is mass shooting number 566 in America this year; another American horror story in a never-ending war zone. Here's the latest from CNN. 2Watch Your SixHamas. Iran and its other proxies. Social networks and other digital narratives about who is good and who is evil. The intellectual/philosophical struggle between the international progressive movement and Israel. The settlers inside Israel and the occupied territories. Divisions among Jewish citizens inside Israel itself. Tom Friedman argues that those are the elements of Israel's six front war, a struggle that can only be won "if Israel — and the United States — can assemble a global alliance. Unfortunately, Israel today has a prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and a ruling coalition that will not and cannot produce the keystone needed to sustain such a global alliance. That keystone is to declare an end to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the overhaul of Israel’s relations with the Palestinian Authority so that it becomes a credible, legitimate Palestinian partner than can govern a post-Hamas Gaza and forge a broader two-state solution including the West Bank." NYT(Gift Article): Israel: From the Six-Day War to the Six-Front War. "I believe that some elements of that progressive movement, which I realize is big and diverse, have lost their moral bearings on this issue ... For an intellectual community seemingly concerned about nations occupying other nations and denying their right to self-rule, you don’t see a lot of progressive college campus demonstrations against the biggest oppressing power in the Middle East today: Iran." 3Get By With a Little Help..."A slim majority of adults surveyed (53%) said they have between one and four close friends. 38% said they had about five or more. About 8% said they had no close friends. That adds up with what some experts are describing as an epidemic of loneliness for some Americans." (I'm pretty sure I have more close friends than the average, but I'm counting readers.) NPR: How many friends do Americans have? A survey crunched the numbers. 4The Thai That BindsIt "is a small but powerful symbol of Google’s far-reaching impact on businesses over the past two decades and the lengths their owners will go to try to optimize their operations for the company’s platforms. The name is both notable and obvious — if you’ve spent any amount of time searching for things online, you will understand the reference immediately. The turn is that 25 years after Google Search first arrived, the name says the quiet part out loud." The Verge on how small businesses think in the age of Google, and restaurant named Thai Food Near Me. The restaurant nearest Google. 5Extra, ExtraTake a Hike: "The Commerce Department said the economy expanded last quarter at the fastest pace in nearly two years — and more than twice the 2.1% annual rate of the previous quarter." US economic growth accelerated to strong 4.9% rate last quarter as consumers shrugged off Fed hikes. 6Bottom of the News"This, it turns out, is what the campers have really come for: community. What these people have paid for, whether they knew it or not, wasn’t Adam Carolla or Jay Leno or Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn. It wasn’t even getting onstage. The real comedy fantasy isn’t doing comedy. It’s being a comedian — the part when you get offstage and sit at a table at a Canter’s with Amy Schumer and Dave Attell, trying to think of something hilarious to keep up with them. Like so much else, it’s about finding your people." Joel Stein Goes to Comedy Camp. Get a copy of my 📕, Please Scream Inside Your Heart, or grab a 👕 in the Store. |
Older messages
The Coming Johnson Era
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
We Have a Speaker, Betting the Spread in the Middle East
Because I Don't
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
A Looming Disaster, Another Trump Lawyer Flips, Bret Michaels (The Dog)
Pounding Sand in the Desert
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
The World's Infected Sore, Weekend Whats, Feel Good Friday
Bibi-ing There
Monday, October 23, 2023
BiBi's Leadership, SAT's division test, Pop-Tarts Taste Testers
Down at the Crossroads
Monday, October 23, 2023
Middle East Heats Up, Trump Told to Cool Down
You Might Also Like
Trump's controversial pick for Labor secretary.
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Lori Chavez-DeRemer drew criticism from the right and left. Plus, looking back on a note to self. Trump's controversial pick for Labor secretary. Lori Chavez-DeRemer drew criticism from the right
GeekWire Gala: Early-bird pricing ends Saturday, Nov. 30!
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
The GeekWire Gala returns December 12: Grab early-bird tickets today! View this email in your browser Grab GeekWire Gala tickets today, early-bird rates end on Saturday! The GeekWire Gala kicks off the
Turing Societies
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
The AI Turing Test // Were All Slave Societies Brutal? Turing Societies By Kaamya Sharma • 26 Nov 2024 View in browser View in browser The AI Turing Test Scott Alexander | Astral Codex Ten | 20th
⚡️ ‘Andor’ S2 Is Making One Crucial Change
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Plus: Marvel is getting its next-generation superhero team all wrong. Inverse Daily Two men ride a high-speed vehicle in a gritty, industrial setting. One appears focused, while the other looks
The Intercept needs to raise $225,000 by midnight, December 3
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
We're not about to let Erik Prince, Elon Musk, or any other litigious billionaire dictate what we cover. But we rely on member donations to help make everything we do possible. In 2020, The
Parenting an 'emerging adult'
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
+ this class takes you straight to hell – and back
Inside The Plan To Let Trump Track Millions of Immigrants
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
The private prison lobby has been quietly pushing a drastic expansion of ICE's surveillance apparatus. Trump's reelection may be the final step. According to records uncovered by The Lever,
Act Fast! Your Exclusive Membership Offer Awaits!
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Annual Digital Membership Just $49.99 For Your First Year Subscribe for as low as $1/week your first year. Act fast! Exclusive Membership Savings — Act Now! Don't miss the Cyber Sale! Dive into a
Get ready to argue about Thanksgiving recipes
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Plus: Trump charges dropped, an IVF mixup, and "holding space" for Wicked's press tour. November 26, 2024 View in browser Melinda Fakuade is a staff editor on the culture and features
Trump Charges Dropped, Best Christmas Lights, and a Sombrero Galaxy
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
The Justice Department dropped all charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the federal case charging him with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏