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Yesterday — 28 June 2024Other

The End of the Administrative State

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By: mittens
28 June 2024 at 10:45
"The Supreme Court on Friday reduced the authority of executive agencies, sweeping aside a longstanding legal precedent that required courts to defer to the expertise of federal administrators in carrying out laws passed by Congress. The precedent, Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, is one of the most cited in American law. There have been 70 Supreme Court decisions relying on Chevron, along with 17,000 in the lower courts. The decision threatens regulations in countless areas, including the environment, health care and consumer safety." Supreme Court Overrules Chevron Doctrine, Imperiling an Array of Federal Rules (NYT; archive)

SCOTUSBlog on the likely effects. Elie Mystal: "Conservatives have now completed their generational goals of overturning Abortion, Affirmative Action, and Chevron. If y'all don't think Obergefell and gay marriage is next on the chopping block, you must read the New York Times."
Before yesterdayOther

And many of the ones that were, probably shouldn't have been

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By: Halloween Jack
27 June 2024 at 11:12
Cannon Films Promo Reel '86 - Half of These Were Never Made! [slyt] Shows planned upcoming films from Cannon Films when they were arguably at their Golan-Globus height in the mid-eighties. Mostly shlock, but some surprisingly serious films in there. (Also, it was more like about two-thirds of them were made, although many of those sank without a trace.)

I was going to make a big post listing all of them and which ones were made, but YT commenter @robmclean4352 already did in the top-voted comment. (Don't know if it's possible to link directly to a comment; I'm pretty sure that it's not kosher to copy-and-paste something like that.)

Juneteenth small press roundup

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By: joannemerriam
19 June 2024 at 08:35
For Juneteenth, a small press roundup (over 50 more below the fold), starting with Library Journal's Juneteenth 2024 | A Reading List which includes these small press books:

Kalamazoo Public Library's Teen Reads Celebrating Juneteenth includes small press titles X: a novel (Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon, Candlewick Press, a fictionalized account of Malcolm X's childhood and teen years, 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book: Amazon; Bookshop) and Freedom By Force: The History of Slave Rebellions (Therese Harasymiw, Greenhaven Publishing LLC*: Amazon). * Greenhaven is a bit of a stretch as a small press – they're owned by Rosen Publishing Group who are huge, but independent of the Big Five. Milwaukee Community Journal's 13 Books that will remind you of your power this Juneteenth includes these small press books: Temple University Center for Anti-Racism's 5 books reflecting Juneteenth principles includes small press title Being Human Being: Transforming the Race Discourse (Molefi Kete Asante and Nah Dove, Universal Write Publications LLC: Amazon; Bookshop). Universal Write Publications' most recent titles also include: and I have also noticed: Antiblackness and Global Health: A Response to Ebola in the Colonial Wake by Lioba Hirsch (Pluto Press, June 2024): Examines how colonial mentalities and infrastructures shaped the response to the West African Ebola epidemic. (Bookshop) Black Pastoral by Ariana Benson (University of Georgia Press, 2023): Poems that explore Black people's experiences with the natural world. Cave Canem Poetry Prize winner; finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize. (Amazon; Bookshop) Bluff: Poems by Danez Smith (Graywolf, 20 Aug 2024): Written after two years of artistic silence, during which the world came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Minneapolis became the epicenter of protest following the murder of George Floyd, Bluff is Danez Smith's powerful reckoning with their role and responsibility as a poet and with their hometown of the Twin Cities. This is a book of awakening out of violence, guilt, shame, and critical pessimism to wonder and imagine how we can strive toward a new existence in a world that seems to be dissolving into desolate futures. (Amazon; Bookshop) Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, ill. Alex Bostic (Union Square Kids, 2022): This lyrical celebration of Juneteenth, deeply rooted in Black American history, spans centuries and reverberates loudly and proudly today. (Amazon; Bookshop) The Global History of Black Girlhood eds. Corinne T. Field and LaKisha Michelle Simmons (University of Illinois Press, 2022): How and why we should seek out the Black girls of the past. (Amazon; Bookshop) Japa and Other Stories by Iheoma Nwachukwu (University of Georgia Press, 1 Sept 2024): These eight brutally beautiful stories are struck full of fragmented dreams, with highly developed thieves, misadventurers, and displaced characters all heaving through a human struggle to anchor themselves in a new home or sometimes a new reality. This book is about young Nigerian immigrants who bilocate, trek through the desert, become temporary Mormons, sneak through Russia, and yearn for new life in strange new territories that force them to confront what it means to search for a connection far from home. Winner of the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. (Amazon; Bookshop) The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers by Arlisha Norwood (Rockridge Press, 2022): Chapter book. (Amazon) The Joys of Being a Little Black Boy (Amazon; Bookshop) and The Twirl of Being a Little Black Girl (Amazon; Bookshop), both illustrated hardcover picture books by Valerie Reynolds, ill. Chris Turner (Chicago Review Press, 13 Aug 2024). Juneteenth Rodeo by Sarah Bird (U Texas Press, 4 June 2024): Timeless photos offer a rare portrait of the jubilant, vibrant, vital, nearly hidden, and now all-but-vanished world of small-town Black rodeos. (Amazon; Bookshop) Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership by Brea Baker (One World, 18 June 2024): Why is less than 1% of rural land in the U.S. owned by Black people? An acclaimed writer and activist explores the impact of land theft and violent displacement on racial wealth gaps, arguing that justice stems from the literal roots of the earth. (Amazon; Bookshop) A Seat at the Table: The Life and Times of Shirley Chisholm by Drs. Glenn L. Starks & F. Erik Brooks (Chicago Review Press, Mar 2024): Biography of the 1972 Democratic presidential candidate and how her run shaped the future. (Amazon; Bookshop) Trailblazers: Black Women Who Helped Make America Great, American Firsts/Icons by Gabrielle David (2leaf press) is a six-volume series that examines the lives and careers of over 400 brilliant women from the eighteenth century to the present who blazed uncharted paths in every conceivable way. Volumes 1 (Amazon; Bookshop); 2 (Amazon; Bookshop); 3 (Amazon; Bookshop); 4 (Amazon; Bookshop); 5 (released June 2024); and 6 (released Sept 2024). We Are the Culture: Black Chicago's Influence on Everything by Arionne Nettles (Chicago Review Press/Lawrence Hill Books, Apr 2024): Pop culture expert Arionne Nettles takes us through the history of how Black Chicagoans have led pop culture in America for decades, and gives insight into the ways culture spreads and influences our lives. (Amazon; Bookshop) We're Alone: Essays by Edwidge Danticat (Graywolf, 3 Sept 2024): Tracing a loose arc from Edwidge Danticat's childhood to the COVID-19 pandemic and recent events in Haiti, the essays gathered in We're Alone include personal narrative, reportage, and tributes to mentors and heroes such as Toni Morrison, Paule Marshall, Gabriel García Márquez, and James Baldwin that explore several abiding themes: environmental catastrophe, the traumas of colonialism, motherhood, and the complexities of resilience. (Amazon; Bookshop) When I Passed the Statue of Liberty I Became Black by Harry Edward (Yale UP, 20 Feb 2024): The lost memoir of Britain's first Black Olympic medal winner—and the America he discovered. (Amazon; Bookshop) The Wishing Pool and Other Stories by Tananarive Due (Akashic Books, 2023): In her first new book in seven years, Tananarive Due further cements her status as a leading innovator in Black horror and Afrofuturism. (Amazon; Bookshop) * Bonus content of non-American African diaspora books! Brittle Paper's 23 African Beach Reads for a Relaxing Summer Vacation includes small press titles:
  • A Kind of Madness (Uche Okonkwo, Tin House Books, 2024, 10 short stories concerned with literal madness but also those private feelings that, when left unspoken, can feel like a type of madness: Amazon; Bookshop)
  • Like Water Like Sea (Olumide Popoola, Cassava Republic, 2024, follows Nia, a queer, bi/pansexual naturopath in London, as her life unfolds across three pivotal moments, spanning from her 28th year to a life-altering realisation at the age of 50: Amazon)
  • Womb City (Tlotlo Tsamaase, Erewhon Books*, 2024, Afrofuturism set in a dark and deadly future Botswana: Amazon; Bookshop)
* Like Greenhaven above, Erewhon is a bit of a stretch as a small press – they're owned by Kensington Publishing Corp who are also huge, but independent of the Big Five. Akashic Books offers the original noir anthologies Accra Noir (Ghana) (Amazon; Bookshop), Addis Ababa Noir (Ethiopia) (Amazon; Bookshop), Nairobi Noir (Kenya) (includes Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o; Amazon; Bookshop). The CBC's 40 books by Black Canadian authors to read includes small press titles: and the poetry collections: And the UK's Black Writers Guild's book release page includes small press titles Monster (Dzifa Benson, Bloodaxe Books, 24 Oct 2024: Amazon; Bookshop) and Person Unlimited: An Ode to My Black, Queer Body (Dean Atta, Canongate Books, 4 July 2024: Amazon). Previous roundups: 1 (pride), 2 (no theme), 3 (challenging work), and 4 (no theme).

Republicans block cleanup until polluters get immunity

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By: Bella Donna
18 June 2024 at 09:55
From Tom Perkins in The Guardian: Wisconsin Republicans are withholding $125m designated for cleanup of widespread PFAS contamination in drinking water and have said they will only release the funds in exchange for immunity for polluters. The move is part of a broader effort by Republicans in the state to steal power from the Democratic governor, Tony Evers, the funding's supporters say, alleging such "political games" are putting residents' health at risk.

"People really feel like they're being held hostage," said Lee Donahue, mayor of Campbell, which is part of the La Crosse metropolitan area and has drinking water contaminated with astronomical levels of PFAS. "It's ridiculous, and some would argue that it's criminal, that they are withholding money from communities in dire need of clean drinking water." PFAS are a class of chemicals used across dozens of industries to make products water-, stain- and heat-resistant. They are called "forever chemicals" because they don't naturally break down, and they persist in the environment and accumulate in humans' and animals' bodies. The compounds are linked to cancer, decreased immunity, thyroid problems, birth defects, kidney disease, liver problems and a range of other serious illnesses. In other news about PFAS, outdoor clothing brands are still using 'forever chemicals' despite health risk, according to Guardian reporter James Tapper. PFAS are a global issue. In early 2023, the Forever Pollution Project released the results of a unique collaborative cross-border and cross-field investigation by 16 European newsrooms. The investigation showed that nearly 23,000 sites all over Europe are contaminated by PFAS. It also uncovered an additional 21,500 presumptive contamination sites due to current or past industrial activity. The dataset behind the Map of Forever Pollution is freely available thanks to French newspaper Le Monde. US nonprofit Clean Water Action recommends 10 actions to help reduce your exposure to PFAS (oddly, refusing to vote for Republicans is not one of them). Previously: How 3M Executives Convinced a Scientist the Forever Chemicals She Found in Human Blood Were Safe and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: PFAs.

Sparkling, Shining Stars

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By: jomato
18 June 2024 at 03:24
Ilid Kaolo is a singer-songwriter and Outlet Drift is a three piece rock band. Both acts draw on their roots as Indigenous Taiwanese people to create wonderful fusions.

Indigenous Taiwanese people belong to the family of austronesian peoples. Even if you don't know much about the Indigenous Taiwanese, there's a good chance you've listened to a traditional melody of the Amis tribe. In 1994, German electronic group Enigma sampled a recording of a traditional chant in their song Return to Innocence (the original performers, Difang and Igay Duana sued Enigma and Virgen records for unauthorized use, and the case was settled out of court). Ilid Kaolo writes in both Chinese and the Amis language, and is influenced by bossa nova and jazz music. I'm fascinated by the songs that blend Amis melodies with jazz-influenced arrangements. (The post title is the name of a song on Ilid's album My Carefree life.) Outlet Drift is a grunge-influenced rock band. With their last album, Lady of the Ocean, they say they wanted to use their music to express the breath and power of the Ami marine culture. I originally learned of both of these acts via the Taiwan Beats article 5 Taiwanese Indigenous Artists that You Should Know. These were my favorites from the article, but maybe you'll vibe more with one of the other groups mentioned.

Christian nationalists in the court system

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By: kliuless
15 June 2024 at 12:07
Justice Alito Caught on Tape Discussing How Battle for America 'Can't Be Compromised' [ungated] - "In a new, secret recording, the Supreme Court justice says he 'agrees' that the U.S. should return to a place of godliness."

The recording, which was provided exclusively to Rolling Stone, captures Windsor approaching Alito at the event and reminding him that they spoke at the same function the year before, when she asked him a question about political polarization. In the intervening year, she tells the justice, her views on the matter had changed. "I don't know that we can negotiate with the left in the way that needs to happen for the polarization to end," Windsor says. "I think that it's a matter of, like, winning." "I think you're probably right," Alito replies. "On one side or the other — one side or the other is going to win. I don't know. I mean, there can be a way of working — a way of living together peacefully, but it's difficult, you know, because there are differences on fundamental things that really can't be compromised. They really can't be compromised. So it's not like you are going to split the difference." Windsor goes on to tell Alito: "People in this country who believe in God have got to keep fighting for that — to return our country to a place of godliness." "I agree with you. I agree with you," replies Alito, who authored the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision, which reversed five decades of settled law and ended a constitutional right to abortion.
Justice Alito questions possibility of political compromise in secret recording - "Martha-Ann Alito spoke to Windsor about her flags on another recording made at the dinner, according to an additional edited recording the filmmaker posted online. She said she wanted to fly a religious flag because 'I have to look across the lagoon at the Pride flag for the next month', an apparent reference to celebratory LGBTQ+ displays during Pride month in June." Supreme Court's Alito appears to back US return to 'godliness' in secret recording - "The 'Appeal to Heaven' flag has come to symbolize hopes by some conservative activists for a more Christian-centered U.S. government." Secret recording puts spotlight on Alito's strong conservative views on religious issues - "The justice has consistently backed religious Christian groups in Supreme Court cases and has often spoke about freedom of religion being under attack." Alito's 'Godliness' Comment Echoes a Broader Christian Movement - "Justice Samuel Alito's secretly recorded remarks come as many conservatives have openly embraced the view that American democracy must be grounded in a Christian worldview."
The unguarded moment added to calls for greater scrutiny by Democrats, many of whom are eager to open official investigations into outside influence at the Supreme Court. But the core of the idea expressed to Mr. Alito, that the country must fight the decline of Christianity in public life, goes beyond the questions of bias and influence at the nation's highest court. An array of conservatives, including antiabortion activists, church leaders and conservative state legislators, has openly embraced the idea that American democracy needs to be grounded in Christian values and guarded against the rise of secular culture. They are right-wing Catholics and evangelicals who oppose abortion, same-sex marriage, transgender rights and what they see as the dominance of liberal views in school curriculums. And they've become a crucial segment of former President Donald J. Trump's political coalition, intermingled with the MAGA movement that boosted him to the White House and that hopes to do so once again in November. The movement's rise has been evident across the country since Mr. Trump lost re-election in 2020. The National Association of Christian Lawmakers formed to advance Christian values and legislation among elected officials. This week in Indianapolis, delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, are voting on issues like restricting in vitro fertilization and further limiting women from pastoral positions. [US Southern Baptists effort to enshrine ban on women pastors falls short (earlier: Southern Baptists finalize expulsion of two churches with female pastors), US Southern Baptists condemn IVF procedure] And in Congress, Mike Johnson, a man with deep roots in this movement and the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal advocacy group, is now speaker of the House. Now, Supreme Court justices have become caught up in the debate over whether America is a Christian nation. While Justice Alito is hardly openly championing these views, he is embracing language and symbolism that line up with a much broader movement pushing back against the declining power of Christianity as a majority religion in America. The country has grown more ethnically diverse and the share of American adults who describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated has risen steadily over the past decade. Still, a 2022 report from the Pew Research Center found that more than four in 10 adults believed America should be a "Christian nation." Justice Alito's agreement isn't the first time he has embraced Christian ways of talking about the law and his vision for the nation. Shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago, a ruling for which Justice Alito wrote the majority opinion, the justice flew to Rome and addressed a private summit on religious liberty hosted by the University of Notre Dame. His overarching concern was the decline of Christianity in public life, and he warned of what he saw as a "growing hostility to religion, or at least the traditional religious beliefs that are contrary to the new moral code that is ascendant." "We can't lightly assume that the religious liberty enjoyed today in the United States, in Europe and in many other places will always endure," he said, referencing Christians "torn apart by wild beasts" at the Colosseum before the fall of the Roman Empire... [T]he resonance of the Sacred Heart goes beyond simply an abstract religious concept, just as the Pride flag does. Each is notable for the vision of America that they symbolize, and the different visions of marriage, family and morality that they represent. For one slice of America that celebrates L.G.B.T.Q. rights, June is Pride Month. For another devout, traditional Catholic slice, June is a time to remember the Sacred Heart.
Justice Alito, in secretly recorded audio, apparently agrees nation needs to return to place of 'godliness' - "In the edited clips that were posted to X, Windsor approached Martha-Ann Alito at the event and seemingly expressed sympathy for 'everything that you're going through' and that it 'was not okay.' 'It's okay because if they come back to me, I'll get them,' Martha-Ann Alito said, referring to the news media. 'I'm gonna be liberated, and I'm gonna get them.' ... Windsor then turned the conversation to the stir caused by the 'Appeal to Heaven' flag, to which Martha-Ann Alito said the 'feminazis believe that [Justice Alito] should control me. So, they'll go to hell, he never controls me,' she added." In Secret Recordings, Alito Endorses Nation of 'Godliness.' Roberts Talks of Pluralism. - "The two justices were surreptitiously recorded at a Supreme Court gala last week by a woman posing as a Catholic conservative."
The justice's comments appeared to be in marked contrast to those of Chief Justice Roberts, who was also secretly recorded at the same event but who pushed back against Ms. Windsor's assertion that the court had an obligation to lead the country on a more "moral path." "Would you want me to be in charge of putting the nation on a more moral path?" the chief justice said. "That's for people we elect. That's not for lawyers." Ms. Windsor pressed the chief justice about religion, saying, "I believe that the founders were godly, like were Christians, and I think that we live in a Christian nation and that our Supreme Court should be guiding us in that path." Chief Justice Roberts quickly answered, "I don't know if that's true." He added: "I don't know that we live in a Christian nation. I know a lot of Jewish and Muslim friends who would say maybe not, and it's not our job to do that." The chief justice also said he did not think polarization in the country was irreparable, pointing out that the United States had managed crises as severe as the Civil War and the Vietnam War. When Ms. Windsor pressed him on whether he thought that there was "a role for the court" in "guiding us toward a more moral path," the chief justice's answer was immediate. "No, I think the role for the court is deciding the cases," he said.
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