Extra, Extra
Peter Out? “The senior official described to MS NOW how Hegseth’s executive office led a planned and deliberate process that involved creating paper-only files filled with printouts from internet searches that were inaccessible to the officers under consideration. Hegseth’s office gave instructions about the new criteria over the phone instead of in writing.” Pentagon official reveals Hegseth’s criteria for senior promotions. He really can’t be gone soon enough. And it might be really soon. Republican Thomas Massie moves to force vote to impeach Pete Hegseth.
+ Youth Must Be Served: How much can older generations screw up the world before the youth finally take to the streets? About this much. “Their reasons for taking to the streets have varied widely, from protesting against corruption and an unequal playing field to calling for more investment in education, affordable housing and action on the climate crisis.” ‘A global political awakening’: how Gen Z protests are sweeping the world.
+ The Vampire Strikes Back: America to Trump: “We couldn’t hate you more.” Trump to America: “Hold my Miller.” A Chief of Staff Who ‘Will Crack Skulls‘. “Where Wiles served as something of a guardrail—making sure Trump was fully briefed and that he understood the risks and pitfalls of any decision—Miller has played the role of an accelerant for a president who already has rash tendencies.”
+ Food Groups: Tensions rise in Philadelphia over boycott of Jewish-owned restaurants. This is beyond sickening. It’s also getting more common. And, related: Kanye West Breaks His Own Record for Biggest Rap Concert in U.S. History.
+ Fraudian Slip: And…. he’s back. “President Donald Trump emerged Monday with muddled accusations of election fraud.” Also, after a crazy weekend, Trump says he was ‘only kidding’ about making UFC’s Dana White the next press secretary. (It actually made some sense. Dana White is one of the few people who can comprehend the horrific beatdown MAGA just got.)
+ On Brand: “Brand, 51, was a career chameleon who went from stand-up comic and MTV host to a political analyst esteemed by Britain’s left, only to become a conspiracy theorist and Christian convert beloved by the U.S. right.” Now he’s got a new residency. Russell Brand sentenced to over 10 years for rape and sexual assault.
+ Expand the Contract: “The College Football Playoff and ESPN have signed a five-year deal that will expand the field to 24 teams in 2027 with ESPN as the event’s continued broadcast partner.” This is in keeping with their usual M.O. Good for the bottom line. Bad for the game. (And I’m not just mad because even if they expand it to 124 teams, Cal still wouldn’t make it…)
+ Well, Well, Well: “‘Imagine explaining a wellness darty to someone who went to college in 2012,’ Aydan Child, the 25-year-old Gainesville, Fla., resident wrote in a September TikTok post that quickly went viral. In the video, fraternity brothers can be seen running shirtless and holding Pilates poses in front of the Pi Kappa Alpha house at the University of Florida. The post prompted outrage from various corners of the internet in what amounted to a generational panic; millennials and Gen Xers expressed horror at the notion that today’s college kids are hyper-fit and totally sober. The New York Post called the photos ‘bone-chilling.'” WSJ (Gift Article): Cold Plunges, Fitness Pop-Ups: The Students Pushing Clean Living on Campus. (Marlon Brando whisper-voice: “The horror, the horror.”)
