Important story by ⁦⁦Patricia Cohen⁩ on the African countries on the brink of debt crises, how things got so bad and what the impending disaster means for the world. nytimes.com/2024/08/28/bus…

1/ University of Florida President Ben Sasse abruptly resigned in July, citing his wife’s poor health. Less than a month later, the student-run newspaper The Alligator broke a bombshell story about how spending under Sasse’s office tripled in his first year.

2/ The story went viral and drew national attention. Florida’s chief financial officer ordered an investigation. Meet the students who chased the story: poynter.org/reporting-edit…

DeSantis pulls the plug on golf courses in state parks plan for now after public backlash miamiherald.com/news/local/env…

The killer of Las Vegas Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German was convicted today in the murder. German was a courageous, relentless scribe, with the best traits of the old school. latimes.com/world-nation/s…

Question for literary/film criticism folks: Can you recommend any good writing about popular films or shows in which arguments/pleas for justice for an oppressed group are delivered by the drama’s villains? Like in the movie TRUE LIES, or some episodes of Law & Order, for example

Emily Flitter In a recent podcast Witney Seibold and I explored the recent, related trend of villains motivated by a desire to save humanity from climate change, but whose extreme methods must be defeated by the heroes, who then - ironically - do nothing to solve the villains' root problem.

Fascinating overview of the corruption & bribery scandals engulfing LA city politics nytimes.com/2024/08/29/us/…

Happy Skynet Day to all who celebrate

Emily Flitter Witney Seibold Aw, thanks! That was in our "Thank Godzilla, It's Friday" episode about Godzilla: King of the Monsters. redcircle.com/shows/critical…

To learn more about how #Detroit’s #education system is deeply connected to the city’s economics as a Black American city, we sat down with Andre M. Perry , a leading voice on racial and structural inequality, education, and economic #inclusion. Listen in: bit.ly/4dFUYSN

Grace Paley:

The atmosphere was FULL OF LOVE

PHOENIX (AP) — The temperature in Phoenix has reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit for a record 100th straight day.

Meet the bargain hunters taking unwanted skyscrapers (or pieces of them) off of struggling investors’ hands. By ⁦Stacy Cowley⁩ nytimes.com/2024/09/03/bus…

I appreciate that the NYT spotlighting my reporting in Bolts on the really shocking rates of uncontested DA races — here with my analyses of Ohio & Wisconsin. nytimes.com/2024/09/04/us/… And what makes it even startling is if you take the long view (1/2).

A job straight out of college? In this economy? ⁦talmon joseph smith⁩ explains why it’s getting harder for grads to get hired nytimes.com/2024/09/05/bus…

just now - John Williams, President of the New York Fed: "With the economy now in equipoise, and inflation on a path to 2 percent, it is now appropriate to dial down the degree of restrictiveness in the stance of policy by reducing the target range for the federal funds rate."

I just pre-ordered this -- SO EXCITED

Scenes from a marriage: WFUV Radio plays “Back Streets”during breakfast. “Is he singing ‘out on the wet streets?’” I ask. C looks up the song. Neither of us is familiar with it. After reading the lyrics, we agree, tears in our eyes, that Bruce Springsteen is actually pretty talented.