James Earl Jones, 1931-2024

The legendary star of stage and screen is gone at 93.

Nate Silver Under Fire

The election analyst is out on a limb with Trump.

Is Disney Too Big?

Yet another service disruption over rights fees calls attention to the issue.

Is Joe Biden Fit to Serve?

The Replace Biden bandwagon continues rolling. Evidence is mounting that he needs to get on it.

Trump Leads Biden Going into Tonight’s Debate

He’s doing better in all the swing states but one than in 2020.

The Real Star Wars Films

Restored versions of the original movies are now available in 4K. They’re likely not legal.

MAGA didn’t come from nowhere

The roots of MAGA run deep, through places like my old home.

Mickey Mouse Entering Public Domain (Sort Of)

Steamboat Willie is about to be ripe for exploitation.

The Future of Streaming TV

The current business model is collapsing. It’s about time.

Flagship University Arms Race

The oldest state institutions of higher education are spending money to make money.

Corporations and Pride Month

Damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Sometimes both.

Speaking of the GOP Primaries…

Faint praise edition.

Streaming Wars Killing Streaming Dream

Disney is making some unwelcome moves.

Trump’s Town Hall

CNN gave the former Liar in Chief a huuuge platform.

Writers on Strike

They’re fighting for fair treatment. They’ll likely lose.

The Ever-Shifting Media Landscape

BuzzFeed, Disney, and others are making big cuts.

Of Motes and Beams

The left and right are attacking basic rights. But not equally.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Goes Bye-Bye

Disney has replaced a controversial song at its theme parks.

Barbara Walters, 1929-2022

The trailblazing television interviewer is gone at 93.

The NFL is Taking Over

The biggest entertainment product in America is getting bigger.

Trump Hemmorhaging Donors and Backers

The ship is abandoning the sinking rat.

Streaming Service Consolidation

There are too many products chasing too few consumers.

Star Trek Goes Woke!

Has a franchise that’s always been political gone too far?

An Action-Oriented Prescription

A follow on from yesterday.

Defending the F-Word

It’s the Swiss army knife of profanity.

high-resolution photo of acceptance, alphabet, bisexual, blur, close up, colorful, culture, equality, focus, gay, gay pride, gay wallpaper, gender, gender identity, hands, holding, individuality, lesbian, letters, lgbt, lgbt wallpaper, lgbtq, LGBTQIA, pride month, queer, rainbow colors, transgender high-resolution photo of acceptance, alphabet, bisexual, blur, close up, colorful, culture, equality, focus, gay, gay pride, gay wallpaper, gender, gender identity, hands, holding, individuality, lesbian, letters, lgbt, lgbt wallpaper, lgbtq, LGBTQIA, pride month, queer, rainbow colors, transgender

CRT? Tired. Groomers? Wired!

The latest strategic moral panic from the far right

Democratic Backsliding and the American Right

The only way to save our freedom is to destroy it.

Monday Tab Clearing

Stories of note sans write-ups.

Is this Cancel Culture?

Two related examples: are they “cancel culture” or not?

subscribe, registration, signup, software, applications, tablet, device, subscribe button, login, account, business, coffee, smart, security, credential, information, user, password The free high-resolution photo of subscribe, registration, signup, software, applications, tablet, device, subscribe button, login, account, business, coffee, smart, security, credential, information, user, password, gadget, technology, electronic device, product, electronics, display device, multimedia, smartphone, mobile device, mobile phone, tablet computer, personal computer, communication device, brand @mohamed hassan, taken with an unknown camera 07/13 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. subscribe, registration, signup, software, applications, tablet, device, subscribe button, login, account, business, coffee, smart, security, credential, information, user, password The free high-resolution photo of subscribe, registration, signup, software, applications, tablet, device, subscribe button, login, account, business, coffee, smart, security, credential, information, user, password, gadget, technology, electronic device, product, electronics, display device, multimedia, smartphone, mobile device, mobile phone, tablet computer, personal computer, communication device, brand @mohamed hassan, taken with an unknown camera 07/13 2018 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

The End of Passwords?

One of the great annoyances of the Internet is slowly going away.

Some Thoughts on “Cancel Culture”

Thomas gets the ball rolling, and I take off from there.

Nostalgic for Nostalgia

Is the past still the past?

green surgical masks on green background green surgical masks on green background

On Narratives and Covid Restrictions

Are we really being blocked from getting back to normal? And if so, what is the real barrier?

Winnie the Pooh and Bambi Enter Public Domain

But only the original books, not the Disney adaptations.

Mayberry and White America

When life doesn’t imitate art.

John Madden, 1936-2021

The Hall of Fame coach and legendary broadcaster is dead at 85.

Beatles ‘Get Back’ Documentary

A long peek at history in the making.

ESPN, Jock Culture, and Jon Gruden

Is the Worldwide Leader responsible oblivious to bigotry?

“Why do Liberals Hate Orban?” is not the Right Question

The right questions are: 1) why do some some on the right like him, and 2) should this concern us all?

President Joe Biden, joined by Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky and Merck CEO Ken Frazier, delivers remarks on COVID-19 vaccine production Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden, joined by Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky and Merck CEO Ken Frazier, delivers remarks on COVID-19 vaccine production Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Vaccine Incentivization: Sticks Better Than Carrots

Making it difficult for refuseniks works better than prizes.

Alabama, Disney, and the Quest to Be a National University

The cost of raising a university’s profile.

Quick Hits

The tabs must be cleared.

Amazon ‘Controls Everything You Watch’

The tech giant is even more powerful than you think.

How to Defend Rules Designed to Make Voting Harder

An example from Dan McLaughlin of NR

The NFL’s $10 Billion TV Deal

Pandemic-induced recession? What pandemic-induced recession?

Texas Ends COVID Restrictions

The Lone Star State is celebrating its independence in a big way.

Streaming Wars Taking No Casualties

Thus far, Disney+ and HBO Max are additive rather than cannibalizing competing services.

The Great Unbundling

The days of one-stop media shopping are long gone.

Chadwick Boseman Dead at 43

The actor best known for his roles as Jackie Robinson and Black Panther has been lost to cancer.

Pro Athletes Boycotting Games

The NBA playoffs have been hit with a work stoppage.