Members phkrause Posted September 6, 2024 Author Members Posted September 6, 2024 🗞️ NYT publisher sounds alarm Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios A.G. Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times, penned a rare opinion piece for The Washington Post yesterday, warning that the undermining of press freedoms in democratic nations like Hungary and Brazil serves as an important reminder of what's at stake this election. Why it matters: In placing the 41,000-word essay with a historic rival, Sulzberger sent a broader message about the power of news companies in tackling these issues with a united front, Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer writes. "I'm grateful to The Post for running it, especially given the length," Sulzberger wrote in a note to staff. "It's just another example of how The Post ... has long been one of our closest partners on matters of press freedom. These challenges cannot be solved by one institution." Sulzberger writes in the piece: "To ensure we are prepared for whatever is to come, my colleagues and I have spent months studying how press freedom has been attacked in Hungary — as well as in other democracies such as India and Brazil. The political and media environments in each country are different, and the campaigns have seen varying tactics and levels of success, but the pattern of anti-press action reveals common threads." Between the lines: For many years following the brutal 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, The Post served as the face of the U.S. press freedom fight. More recently, Wall Street Journal publisher Almar Latour stepped into that role after the arrest of reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia. Read Sulzberger's op-ed (gift link — no paywall) ... Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 6, 2024 Author Members Posted September 6, 2024 September 6, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We’re covering smartphones in schools — as well as the Georgia school shooting, a trial in France and A.I. music. Confiscated phones in Orlando, Fla. Zack Wittman for The New York Times A turning point? Several times a year, I visit a high school or a college to talk with students about how I do my job and how they see the world. On a typical visit, I spend a few minutes in the back of the classroom while the teacher is conducting another part of that day’s lesson. These experiences have shown me what a dominant — and distracting — role smartphones and laptops play in today’s schools. From my perch behind the students, I can see how many of them are scrolling through sports coverage, retail websites, text messages or social media, looking up occasionally to feign attention. It’s not everyone, of course. Some students remain engaged in the class. But many do not. I would have been in the latter group if smartphones had existed decades ago; like many journalists, I do not have a naturally stellar attention span. And I’m grateful that I didn’t have ubiquitous digital temptations. I learned much more — including how to build my attention span — than I otherwise would have. Above all, my recent classroom experiences have given me empathy for teachers. They are supposed to educate children, many of whom have still not caught up from Covid learning loss, while in a battle for attention with fantastically entertaining computers. A growing body of academic research suggests it isn’t going well. Twister and pickleball In Orlando. Zack Wittman for The New York Times But school officials and policymakers have begun to fight back. It’s probably the most significant development of the 2024-25 school year. At least eight states, including California, Indiana and Louisiana, have restricted phone use or taken steps toward doing so. They are following the lead of Florida, which last year banned phones in K-12 classrooms. Other states, including Arizona and New York, may act soon. (My colleague Natasha Singer, who’s been covering this story, discussed these policies on an episode of “The Daily.”) At the schools that have restricted phones, many people say they already see benefits. In a Florida school district that Natasha visited — and that went even further than the state law requires, banning phones all day — students now have more conversations at lunch and play games like Twister and pickleball. Before, children mostly looked at their phones, one principal said. Of course, there are still some hard questions about these policies, including: How do schools enforce the rules? And what is an appropriate punishment for breaking them? Should schools ban phone use only during class time or for the entire school day? To put it another way, is a more social lunchtime worth the downside that parents can’t easily reach their children? How can teachers incorporate technology into lessons, as the new laws generally allow, without undermining the policies’ benefits? A mixed blessing Even with these difficult questions, the new policies may represent the start of a broader shift. For much of the smartphone era — which began with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 — Americans treated the rapid spread of digital technology as inevitable and positive. Now people view it as more mixed. “Smartphones have brought us a lot of benefits,” Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, told me yesterday. “But the harms are also considerable.” Children’s mental health has deteriorated during the same years that smartphone use has grown. Loneliness has increased, and sleep hours have decreased. In surveys, both teenagers and adults express deep anxiety about their own phone use. By many measures, American society has become angrier, more polarized and less healthy during the same period that smartphones have revolutionized daily life. Social scientists continue to debate precise cause and effect, but many policymakers, Democrats and Republicans alike, argue that the country can’t wait to act. Murthy agrees. “There’s an urgency to this,” he said. “What we need now is a great recalibration of our relationship with technology.” As encouraging examples, he cited schools’ new phone policies and the student-led Log Off movement. If the country ultimately looked back on unfettered smartphone use as a mistake, it wouldn’t be the first time that a public health campaign took years to have an impact. Russell Shaw, the head of Georgetown Day School, an elite private school in Washington, D.C., recently wrote an article for The Atlantic explaining why he was banning cellphones in all grades. Shaw described the ways that constant phone use had harmed social life and learning during his 14 years at the school. Yet he began the article with a historical anecdote on a different subject: When his parents attended high school in the 1960s, they received free samples of cigarettes on their cafeteria trays. “I believe that future generations will look back with the same incredulity at our acceptance of phones in schools,” Shaw wrote. THE LATEST NEWS Georgia School Shooting The father of a 14-year-old accused of killing four people at a Georgia high school this week was charged with second-degree murder. A year before the shooting, the F.B.I. interviewed the suspect and his father about whether he had posted threats online. The teenager said he “would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner.” Read more about the interview. JD Vance, campaigning in Arizona, described school shootings like the one in Georgia this week as an unfortunate “fact of life,” calling for stronger security. International Gisèle Pelicot, who consented to be photographed in an open trial. Lewis Joly/Associated Press A woman in France spoke publicly in court against her former husband, who is accused of drugging her over almost a decade and inviting dozens of men to rape her. She described herself as a boxer who repeatedly stood back up. President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier, a conservative, as France’s new prime minister, months after the snap parliamentary elections. More than 30 Catholic priests and missionaries moved from the West to remote Pacific islands after they were accused of sexually abusing children, or had been found to do so. (The Pope is visiting the Pacific.) China is banning most international adoptions. Foreigners in the process of adopting are in limbo. It’s been the hottest summer on record, European officials say. 2024 Election Donald Trump, speaking to New York business leaders, promised a commission to assess government efficiency. He said Elon Musk would lead it. Trump also suggested he would repeal President Biden’s signature climate law, calling global warming “not our problem.” Trump again threatened to jail his political opponents, accusing them of weaponizing the legal system against him. “Two can play the game,” he said. Tim Walz campaigned in Pennsylvania, a battleground state. He spoke with dairy farmers as a Trump flag flew in a neighbor’s yard. Trump Legal Cases The judge overseeing Trump’s Jan. 6 criminal case set a quick schedule, letting prosecutors present evidence by the end of this month. Still, a trial is unlikely to begin before Election Day. If Trump wins, he’s likely to fire the special counsel and order the Justice Department to toss out the case. Separately, the judge overseeing Trump’s Manhattan criminal case plans to rule today on whether to postpone sentencing until after the election. More on Politics A judge halted Biden’s program to cancel student debt for some borrowers, siding with Republican states that sued to block it. Democrats hope that abortion ballot measures will boost their Senate candidates in red states like Montana and Florida, helping the party keep its majority. Michigan asked residents to help design “I Voted” stickers. One, by a seventh grader, features a werewolf tearing off its shirt. Other Big Stories Hunter Biden Jenna Schoenefeld for The New York Times Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax charges, saying he wanted to spare his family “more pain” by avoiding a trial. He faces up to 17 years in prison. The U.S. Justice Department charged five members of the Russian military intelligence agency over cyberattacks on Ukraine before the invasion. Federal agents seized the phones of New York City’s police commissioner, schools chancellor, and several officials in Mayor Eric Adams’s inner circle. It is not yet clear what investigators are looking for. Teen e-cigarette use has fallen sharply. Only 8 percent of high-school students say they have vaped recently — down from 27 percent five years ago. Opinions A.G. Sulzberger, The Times’s publisher, explains in a Washington Post essay how Hungary, Brazil and India have eroded a free press — and how the same could happen in the U.S. Here are columns by Paul Krugman on Trump’s inflation benchmarks and David Brooks on the danger of cheap thrills. The Times Sale starts now: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. MORNING READS In the Paralympic Village. James Jill for The New York Times Fix-it shop: These technicians at the Paralympic Games repair wheelchairs, prostheses and even damaged sunglasses. Backlash: When Gambia banned female genital cutting, a 96-year-old practitioner resisted. Her case led to a campaign to make it legal again. Ultraprocessed foods: Are some worse than others? Last-chance tourism: More people want to visit vanishing glaciers, but climate change is also making the sites unstable. Boosters: Where and when should you get another Covid shot? Here’s what the experts say. Lives Lived: The journalist Steve Silberman stripped away the stigma surrounding autism in his 2015 book “NeuroTribes.” He was also an archivist for the Grateful Dead and wrote liner notes for several of the band’s albums. Silberman died at 66. SPORTS U.S. Open: Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, good friends, play a highly anticipated semifinal tonight. The winner will become the first American man to make the final since 2006. The American Jessica Pegula will play in her first Grand Slam singles final tomorrow. Paralympics: An actress gave up her career to help her baby son, whose leg had been amputated. Almost two decades later, he won two gold medals in track. Soccer: Alex Morgan, an icon of the U.S. women’s national team, announced her retirement. Read about her legacy. N.F.L.: The Kansas City Chiefs are 1-0 after a win over the Baltimore Ravens in last night’s season opener. It was decided by a toe. ARTS AND IDEAS In San Francisco. Christie Hemm Klok for The New York Times A.I. is causing problems for streaming. A North Carolina man used artificial intelligence to create hundreds of thousands of fake songs by fake bands. Then he put them on streaming services where an audience of fake listeners played them, prosecutors said. Penny by penny, he collected $10 million, prosecutors said. Now he’s charged with fraud. More on culture Nicole Kidman Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images See the 15 best looks from the Venice Film Festival. See the 10 most anticipated art shows this season, including Sienese art at the Met and Pan-African art throughout Chicago. Seth Meyers joked about claims that Trump and Vance are weird. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Make a classic marinara sauce. Fall in love with big band jazz. Refresh thrifted clothes. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was fraught. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —David P.S. David Leonhardt appears on today’s episode of “The Daily” to discuss affirmative action in higher education. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 8, 2024 Author Members Posted September 8, 2024 September 7, 2024 SUPPORTED BY UPWAY By Melissa Kirsch Good morning. On the occasion of the U.S. Open finals, let us consider the grief of the lapsed sports fan. María Jesús Contreras Love all “It’s like Black Friday at Walmart,” a tennis fan told The Times of the record-breaking attendance at this year’s U.S. Open. This sort of review might make a normal person glad they’d opted out of attending the tournament. But the more I heard of the colossal throngs, the endless lines attendees were enduring to procure a souvenir hat or a Honey Deuce or just to get inside the stadium complex, the more I wished I were there. I have, for most of my teen and adult life, defined myself as a tennis fan. It’s been a sort of badge of honor: I may not remember the rules of football from one Super Bowl to the next, but I can recall in bright detail the intricacies of the John McEnroe-Jimmy Connors rivalry of the 1980s. Being into tennis has given me a connection to the larger fraternity of sports fans, the parking lot tailgaters and March Madness bracketeers and the people who get up at 4 a.m. to watch World Cup matches. John Jeremiah Sullivan wrote that tennis is “as close as we come to physical chess, or a kind of chess in which the mind and body are at one in attacking essentially mathematical problems. So, a good game not just for writers but for philosophers, too.” For this mostly indoor cat who’s more at home discussing literature than LeBron, tennis has provided a passage from the cerebral to the physical, a means of getting out of my head. In May, in a cafe in Dublin, I struck up a conversation with a woman at a neighboring table. She’d just finalized her plans to attend Wimbledon and was abuzz with anticipation for the players she hoped to see. We chatted about Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Frances Tiafoe, top seeds with good chances of going far. Sensing she’d found a confederate, she moved on to the Italian Open, which was going on as we spoke. As she reeled off the stats of players I’d never heard of, I felt my tennis bona fides slipping. I tried to keep up — it felt good to be connecting with a stranger in a foreign country through the lingua franca of tennis — but I was lost. I could still deconstruct every stroke in Stan Wawrinka’s electric 2015 victory over Djokovic in the French Open final, but, for no good reason, I hadn’t really been engaged with the game since Roger Federer and Serena Williams retired in 2022. I, who used to mark tournament dates in my calendar as soon as they were announced, had essentially retired from tennis myself. The grief of the lapsed fan is hardly a serious matter. With a little light internet research, one can get back into any sport — one could even accomplish this in the few remaining hours before the U.S. Open finals begin. My friend Justin, who texts me “!!!!” whenever something notable happens in a Grand Slam match on the (in recent years incorrect) assumption that I’m watching too, has probably not even noticed that I haven’t been responding all year. I felt a little silly for even describing my U.S. Open FOMO as grief when I chatted about it this week with my colleague Sam Sifton. But he pointed out that he felt it, too, felt the poignancy of not attending the tournament, not taking part in the ritual of walking the boardwalk at Flushing Meadows from the train to the tennis center and back. I loved that part of going to the Open too, the magic-hour light radiant on the faces of fellow fans en route to a night match. If we define ourselves by who and what we love, and I think we should, then it’s valuable to love as many things as we can, to accumulate enthusiasms and lean into them, to hold onto passions when we discover them and not let them fall away. This way, our identities become rich, multidimensional, expansive. Sometimes it feels like there’s more to dislike than to like, more to disdain than to embrace. My longing for tennis feels like an opportunity, a reason to open my arms wider, to take more of the world in. I’m going to seize it. For more David Foster Wallace on Roger Federer as Religious Experience. “The most flamboyant and freakish player was Ezra Pound, who sported an enormous floppy beret to distract his opponent as well as to shade his eyes.” From 1985, why tennis is the sport of poets. Attending the U.S. Open with the writer Philip Levine. A MESSAGE FROM UPWAY E-Bikes on sale Top e-Bikes at unbeatable prices! Use code SUMMER for an extra $150 off sale prices! Ends in 48h. Check Upway.co now U.S. OPEN FINALS PREVIEW Taylor Fritz, in his match against Frances Tiafoe last night. Karsten Moran for The New York Times American men’s tennis has been lost in the wilderness. Before this weekend, the last American man to reach the U.S. Open final was Andy Roddick in 2006; Roddick was also the last to win the tournament, in 2003. Now, finally, the Yanks are back. Taylor Fritz beat Tiafoe in an all-American semifinal last night, winning in five sets, and on Sunday he has a shot to break the two-decade title curse. It won’t be easy: He faces Jannik Sinner, the world’s No. 1-ranked player. American women have had no such drought. Serena Williams reigned over the sport until recently, and Coco Gauff, one of her heirs apparent, won the Open last year. Today, another American, Jessica Pegula, is going for her first Grand Slam title. She faces Aryna Sabalenka, winner of the past two Australian Opens. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Michael Keaton Geordie Wood for The New York Times In “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Michael Keaton returns to a role now enshrined in pop culture — with 35 years of ups and downs, plus an Oscar nomination, under his belt. (Read our review.) Read about the television shows to keep an eye out for this fall, including a “WandaVision” spinoff and Colin Farrell in “The Penguin.” “Who TF Did I Marry,” a popular 50-part TikTok series in which a woman recounted her troubled marriage, is being developed for television, Variety reports. The Times asked readers to share their favorite movies from 1999. Here’s what they said. Fashion Zac Posen Nicholas Albrecht for The New York Times Zac Posen, known for over-the-top glamour, is trying to reinvent Gap Inc. The stakes are high for both the designer and the brand. The Venice Film Festival has been a showcase for new designs as well as vintage pieces. See 15 looks from the event. Music MJ Lenderman, whose particular brand of indie rock fuses Southern twang with tragicomic tales, has a new album. The Times profiled Lenderman, and our critic recommended nine songs to get acquainted with his style. “Transa,” a 46-track album about transgender awareness that features Sam Smith, Sade and André 3000, is set to be released in November. Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian-born musician who brought bossa nova to a global audience through his ensemble Brasil ’66, died at 83. Other Culture Stories OK McCausland for The New York Times Longtime friends Patti LuPone and Mia Farrow are appearing together in “The Roommate” on Broadway. They spoke to The Times about their return to the stage. Anna Sorokin, who claimed to be a German heiress and was convicted of theft, will appear on the next season of “Dancing With Stars.” Astro Bot, out this week for PlayStation, is one of the best-received video games of the year. Our review calls it an “exceptional, imaginative game.” THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Election Juan Merchan, the judge in Trump’s Manhattan criminal case. Ahmed Gaber for The New York Times The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s Manhattan criminal case postponed his sentencing until after Election Day, siding with Trump to “avoid any appearance” of affecting the race. Kamala Harris’s campaign and the Democratic Party raised $361 million last month, nearly triple what Trump and Republicans did. Trump, who was found liable for sexually abusing a woman in the 1990s, said that his accuser was lying, and that another woman wasn’t attractive enough for him to have harassed. Dick Cheney, the Republican former vice president, said he would vote for Harris. Trump, he said, “tried to steal the last election using lies and violence.” Other Big Stories The U.S. labor market continues to slow. The economy added 142,000 jobs last month and earlier job gains were revised downward, boosting the Federal Reserve’s case for cutting interest rates. Stocks fell on the news. The Israeli military appeared to withdraw from Jenin, a city in the occupied West Bank, after a 10-day raid that killed dozens of people and damaged homes, businesses and infrastructure. Elsewhere in the West Bank, a 26-year-old American woman protesting Israeli settlements there was fatally shot. Activists said Israeli soldiers had shot her. The Justice Department accused a Pakistani citizen of plotting to attack a Jewish center in Brooklyn on or near Oct. 7, the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel. The Times analyzed millions of Telegram messages, and found the app has become a haven for drug trafficking, disinformation and terrorist groups. The Times Sale starts now: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. A MESSAGE FROM UPWAY E-Bikes on sale Top e-Bikes at unbeatable prices! Use code SUMMER for an extra $150 off sale prices! Ends in 48h. Check Upway.co now CULTURE CALENDAR By Andrew LaVallee 🎨 “Long Tail Halo” (Wednesday): If you’re in New York, you can see one of the fall’s major art exhibits without paying admission or even walking into a museum. Outside the Met’s entrance, there will be four nearly-10-foot-tall sculptures by Lee Bul, one of South Korea’s most important contemporary artists. 👩🎨 “Emily in Paris” (Thursday): For reasons only discernible to Netflix, this show’s fourth season was released in two batches, and the second one is on its way. Escapism at its finest? A pure, unadulterated hate-watch? Deux things can be true. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Linda Xiao for The New York Times By Melissa Clark Made-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake Whew, you made it through the first week of September. Now, you deserve a reward for navigating that passage back to work and school — preferably something soothing and easy. My vote goes to Mollie Katzen’s made-in-the-pan chocolate cake, a deep cocoa stunner further enhanced with a generous handful of chocolate chips scattered on top before baking. Ready in under an hour, it’s exactly the kind of instant gratification the whole family can get behind. Make it with your kids, letting them mix and stir to their little hearts’ content, and serve it for midafternoon snacking over the weekend. Then, save some to tuck into lunchboxes during the week. It will make Monday so much sweeter. T MAGAZINE Photograph by Ilya Lipkin. Styled by Jay Massacret Click the cover image above to read this weekend’s edition of T, The Times’s style magazine. REAL ESTATE Kevin, Teri, John and Bethanie Love near the family’s new home outside Philadelphia. Rachel Wisniewski for The New York Times The Hunt: A family left the Nevada desert for Greater Philadelphia. Which home did they choose? Play our game. What you get for $925,000: A saltbox-style four-bedroom house in Ancram, N.Y.; a Tudor Revival cottage in Richmond, Va.; or a 2018 house in St. Louis. Andy Cohen: The TV host is selling his 3,500-square-foot apartment in the West Village, painstakingly assembled over two decades. See inside. LIVING Men’s wear: A group of experts chose the 25 most influential postwar collections. Party time: A 16-hour ferry trip between Stockholm and Helsinki is a festive summer ritual, featuring limbo contests (and maybe a bit too much to drink). Seashell art: Works encrusted with oysters and mussels are showing up in galleries and interiors. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER How to de-stink thrifted clothes The joy of scoring an amazing vintage find can quickly dissipate when you realize that it literally stinks: musty, old and dusty. Luckily, getting rid of funky smells from secondhand clothes is easier than you might think. Wirecutter’s experts recommend the same formula some might use for a good spring break: the sun and a shot of vodka. The sun’s UV rays can kill bacteria lingering in the fabric. And our testing has found vodka in a spray bottle works better against odor than Febreze. You’ll then want to pre-treat any stains, wash the item gently and stay far away from your dryer. — Annemarie Conte NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was fivefold. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa P.S. The most clicked story in the newsletter last week was a quiz to determines if you have healthy brain habits. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 8, 2024 Author Members Posted September 8, 2024 September 8, 2024 Good morning. Today, my colleague Maxwell Strachan writes about the extreme lengths we go to improve our sleep. We’re also covering the 2024 election, the U.S. Open and a coup at Disney. —David Leonhardt Illustration by Petra Eriksson Zonked out By Maxwell Strachan I’m an editor on Well, The Times’s personal health section. Americans used to say we’d sleep when we were dead. We viewed sleep as a waste of time — something prized by the lazy, and minimized by the industrious. How times have changed. These days, getting in bed early is cool. People, especially those in younger generations, have come to better understand the benefits of a good night’s rest, and many now make sleep a central part of their personal health routines. Experts say this is a good thing: Consistently solid sleep can benefit your heart, brain, immune system and mental health. But our newfound love of sleep is also leading us to strange places. On social media, you can find some people mixing concoctions meant to induce sleep — called “sleepy girl mocktails” — and others trying on sleep aids like mouth tape, nose tape and jaw straps, sometimes all at once. For many, sleep has become something to be optimized, even perfected. Kate Lindsay has a fascinating new story in The Times today that explores this growing fixation — specifically, the large number of people for whom good sleep is not good enough. They are sometimes called “sleepmaxxers.” Kate’s story raises a question I’ve been wondering myself: After so many years of worrying too little about sleep, is it possible some of us have started worrying too much? In today’s newsletter, I’ll walk you through the science behind some popular methods for improving sleep, and the possible downsides of caring too much about it. A “sleepy girl mocktail.” Molly Matalon for The New York Times Sleep, Inc. A few lucky people can fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. For the rest of us, a multibillion-dollar industry offers a boundless supply of products that promise to help. There are best-selling guidebooks, smartwatches, smart rings, temperature-changing mattresses, straps, plugs, masks, glasses and even mists. And that’s to say nothing of the enormous variety of sleep-inducing pills and gummies. People routinely get millions of views on TikTok and Instagram testing out sleep hacks and accessories, including by filming themselves taking off all the accouterment, a trend known as “morning shed.” Is this all a case of consumerism gone wild, or does any of this stuff actually help? The Times’s Well desk has looked into the science behind a few of these products. Here’s what we found: Mouth tape: A few small studies have found people with mild sleep apnea snored a bit less (or less severely) when they taped their lips closed. The effects for people without sleep apnea are less clear. But experts say you should probably steer clear of mouth tape if you struggle to breathe through your nose, whether because of a deviated septum, allergies, chronic congestion or something else entirely. Magnesium: This common sleep supplement is one part of the viral “sleepy girl mocktail.” And while some observational studies have linked magnesium to better sleep quality, several other, more rigorous trials have found that it has no effect for most people. That said, it’s not harmful, so if it works for you, feel free to keep taking it — you may benefit from a placebo effect. Melatonin: One of the most common sleep-related supplements is also one of the most misused. Many people who take melatonin do so right before they get in bed. But, as the Well team has explained, melatonin is more like a sunset than a light switch. It is best taken hours before bed, so that it can aid your body in the process of winding down. So what works? There’s good news: Sleep experts say the most reliable hacks are often the cheapest and most simple. Get in and out of bed at the same time every day, no matter how well you sleep. Lower the temperature in your room to between 65 and 68 degrees. Limit alcohol and caffeine in the hours before bed. Exercise! Experts also recommend a wind-down period every night. It’s better if that time doesn’t include screens, but if television relaxes you, consider something light that you’ve already seen. (I like to watch “Veep,” “The Office” or “30 Rock” before bed.) And if all else fails, you can stick your head in a freezer. Yes, really. So long as a gadget or product isn’t making your sleep worse, or harming you, there’s no real problem with it. Maybe sipping a “sleepy girl mocktail” or spraying magnesium on your feet helps you relax. But watch out for signs that you are becoming fixated on sleep. In 2017, a few researchers came up with the word “orthosomnia” to describe a phenomenon in which people who wear sleep trackers on a “perfectionistic quest for the ideal sleep” actually have their sleep become worse. If that sounds like you, it might be time to take a step back. “Sleep is a passive process,” one doctor told Kate. “It is to be protected, not forced — or ‘maximized.’” In short, winding down before sleep: good. Winding yourself up about sleep? Not so much. For more: Read Kate’s story on the quest for sleep perfection. THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Election Donald Trump Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times Donald Trump narrowly leads Kamala Harris by 48 percent to 47 percent among likely voters, according to a national poll by The Times and Siena College. While it’s worth being cautious about the poll’s findings, Nate Cohn writes, it’s plausible that the poll would be the first to capture a shift back toward Trump. At a rally in Wisconsin, Trump pledged to ultimately eliminate the Education Department. Method acting and tough questions: Read how Harris and Trump are prepping for their debate on Tuesday. Middle East A gunman killed three Israelis at a border crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Israeli military said. The Israeli military struck two school compounds turned shelters in Gaza. The military said that Hamas was using them as a base. The family of an American killed at a protest in the West Bank demanded an independent investigation, saying that Israel could not investigate her death impartially. Iran has sent short-range missiles to Russia, according to U.S. and European officials. Iran denied providing the weapons. More International News Edmundo González, center, at a rally in May. Lexi Parra for The New York Times Edmundo González — the Venezuelan opposition candidate who is widely considered to have won July’s disputed presidential election — has fled the country. He was facing an arrest warrant. In rural China, women are challenging a custom that denies them land rights if they marry outside their village. Cow vigilantism — violence related to the slaughter or smuggling of cows, or the suspicion of such acts — is unnerving some Muslims in India. Other Big Stories Aryna Sabalenka Graham Dickie/The New York Times Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated Jessica Pegula, an American, in the U.S. Open women’s final. The mother of a boy charged with fatally shooting four people at his Georgia high school told relatives she had called to warn the school of an emergency on the morning of the attack, her sister said. A palace coup: Bob Iger outmaneuvered his chosen successor to return to power as Disney’s chief executive. Here’s how it happened. THE SUNDAY DEBATE Which candidate has the advantage heading into the presidential debate on Tuesday? Harris. She is skilled at finding weaknesses in her opponent’s arguments, and she can goad Trump into making weak personal attacks. “Harris can also be deft in flashing anger, turning attempts by opponents to paint her as weak into opportunities to show strength,” The Economist writes. Trump. He can zero in on Harris’s shifting policy stances and subpar tenure as vice president. “With one disciplined debate performance, Trump helped knock Biden out of the race. On Tuesday night, he has a chance to do the same to Harris,” The Washington Post’s Marc Thiessen writes. FROM OPINION Heat waves can often be deadly. Naming them, as we do with hurricanes, could help people take them more seriously, Eric Klinenberg writes. Here are columns by Nicholas Kristof on hiking and Jamelle Bouie on Trump and abortion. The Times Sale starts now: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. MORNING READS In Brooklyn, N.Y. Dave Sanders for The New York Times Gowanus Canal: A real estate boom has come to a polluted corner of Brooklyn. Housing: A family fled violence and poverty in El Salvador to build a better life in San Francisco. The city often wasn’t what they thought it would be. Routine: How a celebrity hairstylist spends his Sundays. Vows: From hostel bunk mates to life partners. Lives Lived: Lloyd Ziff designed some of the most visually exciting magazines of the 1970s and ’80s. But his real love, and eventually his focus, was photography. He died at 81. BOOK OF THE WEEK Today, we introduce a new feature to the Sunday edition of The Morning: a book recommendation from Elisabeth Egan, a Times books editor. Each week, Elisabeth will highlight one book she thinks you should consider reading. By Elisabeth Egan “Colored Television,” by Danzy Senna: Take one frustrated biracial novelist. Add an abstract painter husband and two demanding, complicated children (are there any other kind?). Fold in a dwindling bank account, the price of real estate in Los Angeles and an oleaginous TV producer dangling charming, multicultural neighborhood money and you have the ingredients for Danzy Senna’s book-clubbable novel, “Colored Television.” Perfect for fans of “The Plot,” “Leave the World Behind” and “Erasure” (which happens to be written by Senna’s husband, Percival Everett), this modern fable begs the question: What would you sell for the life of your dreams? Read our review of the book here. More on books For almost 30 years, Senna has written about characters who happen to be multiracial — “the country I come from,” as she put it. You know from the opening paragraphs of “Creation Lake” by Rachel Kushner, that “you are in the hands of a major writer,” our critic writes. THE INTERVIEW Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times By David Marchese This week’s subjects of The Interview are the comedian Will Ferrell and Harper Steele, his best friend and frequent collaborator. Their upcoming documentary, “Will & Harper,” which opens in select theaters on Sept. 13 and streams on Netflix starting Sept. 27, is about a cross-country road trip the two took after Steele transitioned. Do you have a goal for the movie? Steele: There’s a process of normalizing queer people for America, and this movie does that. It makes the trans experience more understandable. However, I’m not that interested in normalizing for people who have hated me for centuries. I want the movie to make other people be gentler and softer and caring, and maybe if you’re a father who loved “Anchorman” and you’ve got a trans kid now, maybe you’re going to open yourself up. Ferrell: You’re willing to sit down and have a conversation. Steele: That’s the work I want the movie to do. But I don’t particularly care about making myself normal to people who don’t like me. How are you feeling now about being out in the world as a woman? Steele: There are still anxieties. But I basically wake up every morning happy, which is something I didn’t do for, mostly, 59 years. I feel amazing. Was there any apprehension on your part, Will, about making your personal life into a documentary? You’re not a confessional comedian, and I don’t think of your comedy as you working out your personal stuff. Ferrell: I’ve had a long enough career that I’m very secure in exploring the subject matter with my friend. We’ll see what the reaction is toward me. It’s going to be some positive, some negative or whatever, but I’m at a place where I can take any of it. Read more of the interview here. THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE Photograph by Jamie Chung for The New York Times Click the cover image above to read this week’s magazine. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Go “wild swimming” in these European cities. Tackle back-seat messes with a car vacuum. Get a quality hammer. MEAL PLAN David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews In this week’s Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter, Emily Weinstein highlights recipes from her list of 100 easy weeknight dinners, including a 30-minute spiced roast chicken, a dumpling noodle soup and a cheesy baked pasta with sausage and ricotta. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were abomination and ambition. Can you put eight historical events — including the creation of the compass, the debut of the “The Wizard of Oz,” and the theory of continental drift — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 10, 2024 Author Members Posted September 10, 2024 September 9, 2024 Good morning. Today, my colleague Kate Zernike explains the 10 abortion measures on the ballot this fall. We’re also covering Harris and Trump, a second Google antitrust case and athletes’ anime obsession. —David Leonhardt Abortion rights supporters in Arizona. Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press Body politics By Kate Zernike I cover abortion. If there’s one thing that captures how the abortion debate has changed in the last two years, it’s ballot initiatives. In the five decades that Roe v. Wade was the law of the land, almost every abortion question on state ballots was put there by anti-abortion groups. Now the reverse is true. In the last two years, abortion rights activists won seven out of seven ballot initiatives. So this fall, they’re swinging big, asking voters in 10 states to establish a constitutional right to abortion. A few of these new measures — in Florida, Missouri and South Dakota — would do something no ballot question has done so far: restore access to abortion where it had been almost entirely banned. Previous ballot initiatives have merely protected access in states where it already existed. And Democrats have another motivation for the initiatives: to drive turnout for Kamala Harris and the party’s congressional candidates, especially in battleground states like Arizona and Nevada. Several measures will be tricky to pass. The one in Florida, for instance, requires a 60 percent majority. (The highest margin the abortion rights side has won in a red state is just below that.) In today’s newsletter, I’ll guide you through the ballot questions that would let voters decide abortion policy in their states. Red-state abortions Most of the ballot measures would amend a state constitution to re-establish the right the Supreme Court established in Roe v. Wade: access to abortion until viability, when the fetus can survive outside the uterus. That’s around 24 weeks of pregnancy. After that, the state could limit or ban abortion, except if a medical provider says it was necessary to protect the mother. Signing a petition in Missouri. Ed Zurga/Associated Press The stakes are highest in the states that restricted abortion after the court overturned Roe, and where Republican-controlled legislatures protect anti-abortion policies. A measure in Missouri would reverse a ban, but a legal challenge may strip it from the ballot this week. Florida bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, which is about two weeks after a woman misses her period. At that point, many women don’t yet know they are pregnant. The amendment would restore access for the roughly four million women of reproductive age in the state — and for millions more who once traveled there for abortions from nearby states that ban them. Anti-abortion groups are sponsoring just one measure, in Nebraska. It would ban abortion in the second and third trimester, enshrining a state law that prohibits abortion after 12 weeks. So why offer the constitutional amendment? Because abortion-rights groups have a competing question that would prevent the state from banning abortion before the fetus becomes viable. If both amendments pass, the one with more votes takes effect. Driving Democratic turnout In some places, the ballot amendment won’t really change abortion policy — it just affirms state law. But it could draw more voters to the polls. A rally in Las Vegas. John Locher/Associated Press In Montana, abortion is already legal until a fetus’s viability (or roughly 24 weeks of pregnancy), thanks to a 1999 state Supreme Court decision. But sponsors of this year’s amendment say they need to enshrine that right in the Constitution so lawmakers or justices can’t undo it. And if it drives turnout to re-elect Jon Tester, a vulnerable Senate incumbent, then all the better for them. Democrats have similar ideas about Arizona and Nevada. These are battlegrounds not only in the presidential race but also in the party’s bid to hold its Senate majority. In Arizona, the amendment would overturn a ban on abortion after 15 weeks. But Nevada already allows abortion until viability, so the immediate objective there seems more purely political. The same is true in Maryland, where Democrats hope a ballot measure helps Angela Alsobrooks beat Larry Hogan, a Republican former governor, in this year’s Senate race. Then there’s the House. To win a majority, Democrats need to net at least four seats. Operatives have identified 18 competitive races across the country where ballot measures could help. The list includes two seats to flip in Arizona and three to hold in Nevada. It also includes two seats they want to win in Colorado, where a ballot measure in November would enshrine current policy, which allows abortion at any time. (That initiative also needs more than a simple majority — 55 percent — to win.) Political compromises The biggest prize liberals see is in blue New York, home to seven competitive House races, five in districts held by Republicans. Abortion is already legal until viability, but a ballot initiative there would go further, establishing an “Equal Protection of Law Amendment” that would bar discrimination based on sex. It doesn’t specifically mention abortion, and Republicans believe its reference to “gender identity” will alienate voters. Activists went with a narrower option in South Dakota, which would allow abortion restrictions in the second trimester — which begins at 13 weeks, well before viability — betting that would pass in a conservative state. Planned Parenthood declined to support it, saying it didn’t go far enough. For abortion rights groups, the ballot strategy may be near its end. Only 17 states allow citizens to put amendments in front of voters. If the groups succeed in November, there will be only three states among those — Arkansas, North Dakota and Oklahoma — that ban abortion. For more More voters, especially women, now say abortion is their top issue. Democrats hope the abortion issue will save the Senate, but in conservative states, it might not be enough. Why hasn’t democracy settled the abortion question in the U.S.? Until recently, voters hadn’t faced many chances to express their views. THE LATEST NEWS More on the Election Harris and Donald Trump are close in the polls heading into their first debate tomorrow, Nate Cohn writes. At the debate, Harris must decide how much to embrace President Biden’s policies or distance herself from them. What are Harris’s strengths and weaknesses as a debater? The Times’s Lisa Lerer looks at moments from the vice president’s previous performances. Watch a three-minute video. Middle East Israeli strikes in western Syria killed at least 14 people, according to Syrian state media. Kuwait, a major oil exporter, has introduced blackouts to cope with surging electricity demand over summer. More International News A stall selling traditional Tajik clothing, rather than hijabs and head scarves. Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times Tajikistan, in an attempt to counter extremism, is restricting visible signs of Islam. It has enforced bans on head scarves, and local authorities with scissors outside a K.F.C. have trimmed men’s beards. A fugitive televangelist accused of leading an international sex abuse ring was caught in the Philippines. He was wanted by the F.B.I. The opposition candidate in Venezuela’s election has sought asylum in Spain. The decision has dimmed hopes for democracy in the South American country. Typhoon Yagi killed at least 21 people and injured more than 200 as it churned across Vietnam. Earlier, it killed at least 24 in China and the Philippines. Greece’s prime minister has proposed measures — including restricting cruise visits — to curb tourist numbers. Business Google’s second antitrust trial begins today. The Justice Department has called for a breakup of the tech giant, which it says controls most online advertising. Apple will today unveil iPhones with artificial intelligence features. The system — called Apple Intelligence — will create a more capable Siri powered by generative A.I. Other Big Stories In Winder, Ga. Christian Monterrosa for The New York Times After a school shooting in the Georgia town of Winder, residents consoled one another and asked whether more could have been done to prevent the attack. A wildfire in Southern California more than quadrupled in size over the weekend, forcing evacuation orders. Russell Nelson, the leader of the Mormon Church, is 100 today. Justice Samuel Alito disclosed a gift of concert tickets worth $900 from a German princess with links to far-right conservatives. Opinions American politics will become increasingly violent if we continue to normalize attacks, Katherine Miller writes. Is your name your destiny? There is good reason to be skeptical, Jesse Singal writes. Here is a column by David French on MAGA. The Times Sale starts now: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. MORNING READS The solar system’s innermost planet. European Space Agency, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Mercury: New images show the speckled surface of the planet in detail. Dispatch: Catholic priests once came to Indonesia. One of the country’s islands now ordains so many it exports them. Quiz: A.I. can create lifelike videos. Can you tell what’s real? Nature: Apes have been observed making more than 80 meaningful gestures. These theories try to explain why. Metropolitan Diary: It started with a cigarette. Lives Lived: María Benítez was an American dancer and choreographer who, as the founder of a popular Spanish dance troupe, played a major role in making New Mexico a hotbed for flamenco. She died at 82. SPORTS Jannik Sinner Karsten Moran for The New York Times U.S. Open: Jannik Sinner of Italy, the men’s No. 1, defeated the American Taylor Fritz in straight sets in the final. The win reaffirms Sinner’s place atop tennis, our columnist writes. N.F.L.: The Detroit Lions outlasted the Los Angeles Rams in overtime, part of an entertaining Week 1. Soccer: The U.S. player Alex Morgan appeared in her final professional match. It was an emotional night. ARTS AND IDEAS Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns with an anime visor. Nick Cammett/Getty Images High-profile young athletes like the sprinter Noah Lyles and MMA’s Israel Adesanya are broadcasting their obsession with anime like “Naruto” and “Pokémon.” The trend upends outdated labels that divide jocks and geeks. “There’s more nerds out here that can ball out and like anime,” Jamaal Williams of the New Orleans Saints, who has worn an anime helmet visor, said. “You don’t have to be the stereotype where all we do is rap or play ball.” More on culture A revealing and sometimes uncomfortable nine-hour documentary about Prince could redefine our understanding of the singer. It may never be released. “The Room Next Door,” directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, won the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice International Film Festival. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Top this simple one-pot chicken and rice dish with caramelized lemon slices. Get cozy in the best pajamas. Give a great bridal shower gift. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were weighting, whetting and whitening. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 10, 2024 Author Members Posted September 10, 2024 September 10, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We’re asking 24 questions that we wish Donald Trump would answer — and covering tonight’s debate, an Israeli airstrike and the Princess of Wales. Donald Trump Roger Kisby for The New York Times Unanswered questions Two weeks ago, The Morning published a list of questions that we wished Kamala Harris would answer. Today — the day of the debate between Harris and Donald Trump — we’re publishing questions for Trump. As before, my Times colleagues who are covering the campaign helped put this list together. The economy 1. The signature legislation of your presidency was a tax cut that disproportionately helped the wealthy. Now you want to make this legislation permanent — and expand it. How will a tax cut geared toward the rich help most American families? 2. The federal debt is already large, and your tax cut would expand it. Do you have any plans to reduce the debt? 3. You have sent mixed signals about whether you will again try to repeal Obamacare. Will you? And when will you release your own health care plan, as you’ve long promised? 4. You have proposed a big tariff on goods coming into this country. Many business executives and economists say it will raise consumer prices. Why do you think they’re wrong? 5. You have signaled that you want to end the Federal Reserve’s independence and help set interest rates yourself. When other countries have politicized their central banks, inflation has tended to rise. Why do you favor this idea? 6. You promised to pass an infrastructure bill as president but didn’t. President Biden did — along with bipartisan laws on veterans’ health, manufacturing and more. Why has he been a more bipartisan president than you were? Other domestic issues 7. You’ve said that you are proud of the demise of Roe v. Wade and that states should decide abortion policy. Will you promise to veto any congressional bill that imposes new restrictions on states? 8. Many abortions occur through prescription medications. Five months ago, you said you would announce a policy on medication abortion, but you haven’t. Will you take executive actions to restrict its availability? 9. You promised to build a border wall — a policy that many voters support — but you completed only modest sections of it. Why should voters believe you will succeed in a second term? Trump in Arizona. Doug Mills/The New York Times 10. You have called for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants. Whom exactly would you deport — everybody who’s in this country illegally, including children and people who’ve been here for years, or only some groups? And how would you identify and apprehend people? 11. Extreme heat, severe storms and flooding have all become more common. Yet you’ve called climate change “not our problem.” Are you worried about the world you’re leaving to your grandchildren? Foreign policy 12. You’ve suggested that Vladimir Putin should have a freer hand to do what he wants in Europe. Would you try to withdraw the U.S. from NATO? 13. You have criticized U.S. military aid to Ukraine and pledged to end the war there in a single day. Isn’t this effectively calling for Ukraine to surrender and accept a peace deal favorable to Putin? 14. You have promised to bring home the hostages in Gaza. How would you persuade or force Hamas to release them all? 15. Middle East policy during your presidency often followed the wishes of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister. His unwillingness to compromise on big questions appears to be an obstacle to peace. Do you disagree with him on anything? 16. If Iran appeared to be building a nuclear weapon, would you order a military attack? 17. You were tougher on China than your predecessors. But you also recently abandoned your opposition to China’s ownership of TikTok, evidently after being lobbied by a Republican donor. Are you willing to stand up to China even if it costs your allies money? Trump himself 18. You tried to overturn the 2020 election result after Biden beat you. Do you believe in American democracy? 19. On Jan. 6, 2021, rioters attacked police officers at the Capitol. You’ve praised those rioters, raised money for them, pledged to pardon them and met with their relatives. Do you understand why this angers officers who were injured in the attack and the families of those who died afterward? 20. A jury found that you had sexually abused E. Jean Carroll. Another jury convicted you for falsifying records to cover up an affair. And you have a long record of demeaning women. Do you regret any of this behavior? 21. You used your power as president to enrich yourself and your family, including by holding events at your properties. Will you do so again? 22. The governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the U.A.E. have invested billions of dollars with a fund run by Jared Kushner, your son-in-law, even though he has little relevant investment experience. Do you think they’re trying to curry favor with you through him? 23. Four years from now, you would be 82. In public appearances, you sometimes give incoherent answers, including a recent one about child care. Will you release your complete medical records? 24. Multiple people who watched you up close as president — including your vice president and a chief of staff — say that you’re unfit to be president. Why do so many of your own appointees feel this way? Tonight’s debate Tonight’s debate is high-stakes: It’s the only one scheduled between Harris and Trump, and they are virtually tied in the polls. It starts at 9 p.m. Eastern. Will Trump restrain himself? Will Harris distance herself from Biden? Here’s what else to watch for. Trump has recently mixed up names, stumbled over words and rambled, raising questions about his age and cognitive health. In past debates, Harris was unafraid to instigate attacks, but could be unsteady when receiving one. More on the election What do Harris and Trump say about each other? Harris has mostly stuck to policy critiques, while Trump has insulted her — as “crooked,” “crazy” or “stupid” — more than three times a day. Harris’s campaign website now has an “Issues” page. It mostly mirrors Biden’s stances and also criticizes Project 2025. Trump said he would vote for a Florida ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana, CNN reports. THE LATEST NEWS Israel-Hamas War Israel struck inside a humanitarian area in the southern Gaza Strip, saying its target was a military command center. An official in Gaza said the strikes killed at least 40 people. Violence is escalating in the West Bank: Palestinian militants have made bolder, more sophisticated attacks, and Israel has intensified its military raids. Politics The eccentric, right-wing German princess who hosted Justice Samuel Alito and his wife at her castle last summer praised him as “pro-life in a time where the majority follows the culture of death.” Justice Elena Kagan said Americans were right to worry about the Supreme Court soon limiting contraceptive access and same-sex marriage. Several congressional Republicans, including JD Vance and Ted Cruz, have spread a false story about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio. War in Ukraine In Kyiv. Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times For some women in Ukraine, a visit to a nail salon — which often involves navigating power outages and air-raid sirens — is an act of defiance. A Ukrainian drone attack near Moscow killed at least one person, a Russian official said. Ukrainian civilians increasingly support negotiations with Moscow to end the war, but soldiers are skeptical about a deal, The Wall Street Journal reports. More International News Catherine, Princess of Wales Tolga Akmen/EPA, via Shutterstock Catherine, the Princess of Wales, said she had completed chemotherapy. She has revealed few details about her cancer diagnosis. Seventy-nine environmental activists were killed in Colombia last year, a new report says. Sixty were killed the year before. Nearly half the population of East Timor attended the Mass that Pope Francis held there, according to the Vatican, The A.P. reports. Weather A wildfire in San Bernardino County, Calif., forced schools to close and residents to evacuate. Another erupted in the hills of Orange County. Tropical Storm Francine is growing stronger in the Gulf of Mexico, and could make landfall in Louisiana tomorrow. See the storm’s track. Other Big Stories James Earl Jones in 2012. Todd Heisler/The New York Times James Earl Jones, who stuttered badly as a child but became one of Hollywood’s great voices, roaring life into “Star Wars” and Shakespeare, has died at 93. Read his Times obituary. SpaceX launched a mission to carry a billionaire astronaut further from Earth than any human since the Apollo project. At least seven counties in southeastern Kentucky closed schools as the authorities search for the suspect in a highway shooting. Teenage girls’ brains aged rapidly during pandemic shutdowns, probably from the stress of isolation, a study found. Opinions Liz Magic Laser traces the political history of the raised fist, from the Black Panthers to Trump. The arrest of the Telegram chief and Brazil’s X ban shows that social-media titans are nearing the end of impunity, Alexander Howard writes. Harris should focus on swaying people who don’t like Trump personally but plan to vote for him based on policy, Kristen Soltis Anderson writes. Here’s a column by Michelle Goldberg on Trump’s disrespect for the anti-abortion movement. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS An iPhone 16. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images iPhone 16: Apple says its new phone has A.I. to make Siri more useful. Tech Fix: You don’t need to buy a new phone to use A.I. tools. Our columnist explains how to get them. Ask Vanessa: “Are special clothes you don’t wear anymore worth keeping?” Lives Lived: In the 1970s, Maria Redo single-handedly convinced thousands of New York City retailers to offer discounts to older people struggling to make ends meet, starting a nationwide trend. She died at 99. SPORTS N.F.L.: The San Francisco 49ers spoiled Aaron Rodgers’s season debut in a 32-19 win over the New York Jets. Read a recap. Deshaun Watson: A Texas woman sued the Browns quarterback, accusing him of sexual assault. Tyreek Hill: The police in Miami released bodycam footage of the Dolphins star’s arrest during a traffic stop on Sunday. The team said officers’ actions had been “overly aggressive and violent.” ARTS AND IDEAS The “wet martini” at Eel Bar in Manhattan. John Taggart for The New York Times Many adjectives have been attached to martinis — dirty, smoky, filthy, flaming — but few bartenders, Pete Wells writes, would have thought it was a good idea to sell a wet martini. “It implied that the bartender had allowed too much vermouth to creep into the glass,” Pete writes. “It was a synonym for anemic, sloppy, wishy-washy.” A martini served by a new restaurant, however, reflects an appreciation of vermouth that’s been a long time coming. More on culture Jorge Ramos is preparing to leave Univision after 40 years at the network. He is known for questioning leaders including Fidel Castro. “You know these are strange times when Dick Cheney and Barbra Streisand are voting for the same person,” Jimmy Fallon joked on his show. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Serve this brown butter peach cake at brunch. Avoid these rookie running mistakes. Store files on a USB drive. Enjoy a good night’s sleep on these mattresses. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was typeface. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —David P.S. Has faith shaped your life? The Times wants to hear from you. Tell us what you believe in, whether you’re religious or not. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 11, 2024 Author Members Posted September 11, 2024 September 11, 2024 By David Leonhardt and Ian Prasad Philbrick Good morning. We’re covering the Harris-Trump debate — as well as Congress, California wildfires and marriage tuneups. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Doug Mills/The New York Times A good night for Harris Debating has long been a Kamala Harris strength. It resembles courtroom argument, a core part of her career as a prosecutor. A debate helped her win her first statewide race in California, 14 years ago. In her only vice-presidential debate four years ago with Mike Pence, polls showed that she won. And she certainly seemed to win last night’s debate with Donald Trump. She was calm and forceful and repeatedly baited Trump into looking angry. As Trump told lies — about Obamacare, inflation, crime, immigrants eating household pets and more — she smiled, shook her head and then called him on the lies. She often looked directly at him or the camera; he seemed unwilling to look at her and looked mostly at the moderators. During the debate, prediction markets shifted a few points toward Harris. Many political analysts, including conservatives, also judged Harris to be the winner — two-and-a-half months after many of those same analysts said Trump had trounced President Biden in their debate: “Y’all, this is not going well for Trump. Don’t get mad at me for saying so,” Erick Erickson, the conservative commentator, wrote on social media. He also accusing the moderators of being biased against Trump — a common Republican argument last night. (The Times’s media correspondent analyzed the moderators’ performance.) “I think she’s winning this. She comes across as normal, clear, and strong. Trump can’t land a blow — he is blustering and unfocused,” Rod Dreher, the Christian conservative, wrote. “Trump looked old tonight,” Chris Wallace, the longtime Fox News host who now works for CNN, said. At least one person who isn’t a political analyst also seemed influenced by the night. “Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight,” Taylor Swift wrote on social media afterward. “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.” Will it matter? A debate watch party in Arizona. Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times There are a couple of important caveats. First, Harris didn’t have a perfect night. She often ignored the questions from ABC’s moderators — like the opening question about whether Americans are better off than four years ago, as well as questions about her changed positions on fracking and other subjects. She recited her talking points instead. She made a few false or misleading statements (though many fewer than Trump), including about the unemployment rate when he left office. She described her policies in ways that weren’t always easy to understand. In Trump’s closing statement, he parried her many promises by pointing out that she has been vice president for three-and-a-half years and asked, “Why hasn’t she done it?” Second, it is uncertain how much Harris’s strong overall performance will matter. “Hillary Clinton also won the debates against Donald Trump,” Julia Ioffe of Puck News noted. The same prediction markets that shifted toward Harris last night continue to show the election as a tossup. The debate’s impact will become more evident as new polls emerge in coming days. But Harris’s campaign seemed very pleased with how last night went. More on tactics During the debate. The ABC News Presidential Debate Body language spoke loudly. The debate began with a handshake (Harris walked over and introduced herself to Trump, as they had never met in person). Later, she used her expressions to signal her distaste. Many of Harris’s answers seemed aimed at Trump’s ego. She mocked his rallies as boring, and said that world leaders laughed at him and that he was “fired by 81 million people.” Trump at times appeared scattered and shouted into his microphone. Trump spoke longer than Harris did overall, but Harris spent more time attacking Trump, as these charts show. Harris’s campaign immediately challenged Trump to a second debate. Trump said he’d “have to think about it.” More on issues Abortion: Trump defended the overturning of Roe v. Wade and declined to say whether he would veto a national abortion ban. Harris deftly attacked Trump’s stance, but she declined to say whether she supported restrictions on abortion in the third trimester. (The Times’s Jonathan Swan noted, “Trump has made clear to advisers that he believes the abortion issue alone could cost him the election.”) Threats to democracy: Trump refused to acknowledge that he lost the 2020 election and falsely claimed he had “nothing to do with” the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, blaming Nancy Pelosi. Immigration: Trump repeatedly pivoted to discuss immigration, where polls favor him. Harris countered that Trump pushed Republicans to kill a bipartisan border-security bill, saying he “would prefer to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.” Ukraine: Trump wouldn’t say whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war with Russia. Harris said that Vladimir Putin would be “sitting in Kyiv” if Trump were president. Health care: Asked if he had a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, which he has promised for years, Trump said he had “concepts of a plan.” Biden’s record: Harris largely deflected Trump’s efforts to link her to Biden, calling herself “a new generation of leadership.” But she defended Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan and much of his administration’s work. Here are the night’s best, worst and most surprising lines and six takeaways. Commentary “Everything seemed to unfold on her terms, not his,” the Times Opinion columnist Lydia Polgreen argued. Here’s what other Opinion writers thought about the debate. The political consultant Frank Luntz praised the debate moderators, ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis, for “covering a wider range of topics than most debates. Perhaps it was because they knew this might be the only debate of this election cycle.” ABC News was the “biggest loser” of the night and the moderators “embarrassed themselves” by only fact-checking Trump, Liz Peek wrote at Fox News. “Trump has done nothing to capitalize on the fact that one-third of voters nationally (more in the swing states) feel like they don’t know enough about Harris. He is not defining her. He’s taking her bait,” National Review’s Noah Rothman wrote. Late night hosts joked about the debate. “Harris got under his skin like she was stuffing in butter and rosemary. It was beautiful,” Stephen Colbert said. THE LATEST NEWS Sept. 11 Today is the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Harris and Trump are both expected to attend memorial events in New York City and in Shanksville, Pa., where Flight 93 crashed. Many Sept. 11 responders developed cancer in the years that followed. Some of their families are still fighting to be recognized. Politics Several House Republicans pushed back on Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to fund the federal government into next year. Hard-liners said it didn’t cut spending enough, while hawks said it would amount to a military spending cut. Johnson’s bill includes a measure requiring proof of citizenship to vote. Trump said Republicans should shut down the government unless they received “absolute assurances on Election Security.” In Missouri, a measure to restore abortion access will appear on the November ballot, the state’s supreme court ruled. Republicans had tried to remove it. Sarah McBride, a Democratic state senator, won her primary for a Delaware House seat. She’s poised to become the first openly transgender member of Congress. Nearly 50 million people — one in seven Americans — have gotten health insurance through the Affordable Care Act over the past decade. Israel-Hamas War A school that housed displaced Gazans in Nuseirat. Bashar Taleb/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Palestinians sheltering in schools in Gaza are trying to keep out armed militants to avoid being targeted by Israeli forces. The Israeli military likely used 2,000-pound bombs in a recent strike on a camp for displaced people, weapons experts said. The U.S. suspended exporting those bombs earlier this year. The Israeli military said that the six hostages whose bodies were recently recovered from Gaza spent their last weeks in a tunnel around 5.5 feet tall. Other Big Stories In Riverside County, Calif. Eric Thayer/Associated Press Several fast-moving wildfires threatened homes and forced evacuations in the mountains around Los Angeles, but cooler weather helped firefighters keep them at bay. Russian forces are nearing Pokrovsk, a transit hub in eastern Ukraine. Maps show how its capture could change the war in the region. The police in Pakistan raided Parliament, officials said, and arrested at least 10 lawmakers allied with Imran Khan, the imprisoned former prime minister. Cholera deaths rose by 71 percent worldwide last year. Conflict and climate change drove the increase, according to the World Health Organization. Opinions Margaret Renkl offers an impassioned defense of the so-called trash trees of Tennessee. Here’s a column by Thomas Edsall on the rejection of science. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Max Alexander with one of his creations. Graham Dickie/The New York Times Next generation: See New York Fashion Week through the eyes of Max Alexander, an 8-year-old with a knack for sewing and a massive online following. Marriage tuneup: Therapists shared six questions that can bring middle-aged couples closer. Lives Lived: Will Jennings was an English professor who became a lyricist for musicians including Eric Clapton and Dionne Warwick, and won an Oscar in 1998 for “My Heart Will Go On,” the theme from “Titanic.” He died at 80. SPORTS A New Zealand goal in the 89th minute. B/R Football on X. Soccer: The U.S. men’s national team tied with New Zealand. Just before the game, the U.S. officially named Mauricio Pochettino as its new coach. Our reporters detailed why. N.F.L.: There’s no indication the league is investigating the San Francisco 49ers after an apparent discrepancy around Christian McCaffrey’s injury designation. Read a report. ARTS AND IDEAS Eric Helgas for The New York Times A reader wrote to Well, The Times’s personal health section, to ask why we get songs stuck in our head — in the reader’s case, one by the country artist Kacey Musgraves. Research shows that some elements make a song more likely to become an earworm, including fast tempos and long, sustained notes (as in Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”). Read about the science (and tips to get them out). More on culture Internet sleuths spent years trying to identify Celebrity Number Six, a woman whose face appeared on a piece of fabric. They finally found her. A gala at New York Fashion Week brought out the stars, including Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Viola Davis. See their outfits. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Julia Gartland for The New York Times Enjoy a hearty and rich beef stew. Be ready if your basement floods. Pick the right cellphone plan. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was docility. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —David and Ian Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 13, 2024 Author Members Posted September 13, 2024 September 12, 2024 Good morning. Today, my colleague Charlie Savage explains the contrasting approaches Trump and Harris take to presidential power. We’re also covering polio vaccination in Gaza, a storm in Louisiana and a billionaire’s spacewalk. —David Leonhardt Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Jim Vondruska,Dave Sanders for The New York Times THE STAKES Presidential power By Charlie Savage I cover legal policy and the Justice Department. Nearly every president has pushed the limits of the office’s power by taking actions that some legal scholars consider an overreach — in directing a military strike, issuing an executive order or filling a job without Congress’s approval. Checks and balances can frustrate a leader who wants to get stuff done. And in an era of polarized politics that can paralyze Congress, presidents often believe that their success hinges on unilateral action. These pressures apply to both Republicans and Democrats. But that does not mean Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are equivalent. Harris hasn’t said anything to suggest she would expand presidential power as an end in itself. Trump, by contrast, wants to concentrate more power in the White House and advertises his authoritarian impulses. (Read about his plans.) At Tuesday’s debate, he praised Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, who has eroded democracy in his country, describing him as “one of the most respected men — they call him a strong man. He’s a tough person. Smart.” The Morning is running a series in which journalists explain how the government might work under Harris or under Trump. In this installment, I’ll discuss each candidate’s approach to the separation of powers and the rule of law. I’ve been writing about executive power for two decades, and this cycle I’ve been tracking such issues closely again. Trump’s radical vision Trump busted many norms while in office, like when he invoked emergency power to spend more taxpayer funds than Congress approved for a border wall. If he wins again, as my colleagues and I have reported in a series about the policy stakes of his campaign, he has vowed to go farther. Trump says he’d make it easier to fire tens of thousands of civil servants and replace them with loyalists. (He issued an executive order laying the groundwork late in his term, but President Biden rescinded it; Trump has said he would reissue it.) He also says he’d bring independent agencies under White House authority and revive the tactic, outlawed in the 1970s, of refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs he dislikes. Building on how Trump pressured prosecutors to scrutinize his foes during his first term, the former president and his allies signal that they’d end a post-Watergate notion: that the Justice Department has investigative independence from the White House. He has threatened to order the prosecution of perceived adversaries, including Biden, election workers, a tech giant, political operatives and lawyers and donors supporting Harris. Trump also wants to use American troops on domestic soil to enforce the law. And he is planning a crackdown on illegal immigration with millions of deportations a year — far higher than the several hundred thousand per year that recent administrations, including his own, managed. To do it, his chief immigration adviser has said, the government would carry out sweeping raids and construct giant detention camps near the border in Texas. Trump is full of bluster. But there are reasons to believe that a second Trump term would carry out more of his ideas than the first. While he was sometimes constrained last time by judges or his own political appointees, he pushed courts rightward by the end of his term. And his advisers plan to hire only true believers in a second term. Ordinary boundary-pushing Unlike Trump, Harris is signaling that she would be a normal president. That would mean usually adhering to a consensus understanding of executive power. But I wouldn’t be surprised if she occasionally pushed the boundaries of presidential authority — albeit within ordinary parameters. Presidents of both parties have stretched executive powers when they haven’t been able to get new bills through Congress — think of Barack Obama’s attempts to shield certain undocumented immigrants from deportation or Biden’s attempts to forgive student debt. They have also claimed sweeping and disputed power to use military force without congressional authorization — like when Obama ordered airstrikes on Libya and when Trump directed the military to attack Syrian forces. Notably, when Harris sought the Democratic nomination in 2019, she wrote for an executive power survey I conduct every four years that “the president’s top priority is to keep America secure, and I won’t hesitate to do what it takes to protect our country.” Still, she also said presidents must obey surveillance and anti-torture laws that George W. Bush claimed the power to override — as well as a detainee transfer statute that Obama claimed he could bypass. If Republicans in Congress blocked Harris’s nominees and legislative agenda, it is likely she would take more aggressive unilateral actions. Those typically lead to accusations of overreach and legal challenges. The growth of executive power has been a story of bipartisan aggrandizement: Presidents take a disputed action, pushing the limits of their legitimate authority; their successors build on that precedent. But based on what Trump has said he is planning to do, I would expect Harris to accelerate that trend much less than Trump. More on the debate Trump called the debate rigged and falsely suggested that ABC gave Harris questions in advance. He said he was “less inclined” to debate Harris again. Several Trump advisers privately admitted that he had performed poorly against Harris. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Fox News that Harris “clearly won.” Over 67 million Americans watched Harris and Trump debate, roughly a third more than watched Trump and Biden in June. Shares of Trump’s social media company fell after the debate, and ended the day at their lowest level since the company went public. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris after the debate could draw in more young voters. More on the election In Lower Manhattan. Dave Sanders for The New York Times Biden, Harris, Trump and JD Vance commemorated the Sept. 11 attacks at the World Trade Center memorial. Harris and Trump, standing a few feet apart, shook hands. After Biden spoke about bipartisanship in Pennsylvania, a Trump supporter asked him to put on a Trump baseball cap. He did. See the photo. The candidates are staking their campaigns on different views of the country, Peter Baker writes. Trump is betting that Americans are angry; Harris is betting that they’re exhausted. The father of an 11-year-old boy who died after an immigrant crashed into his school bus asked Trump and Vance to stop using his son as a political weapon. The Capitol will get extra security when Congress meets to certify the presidential election winner, to prevent another Jan. 6 attack. THE LATEST NEWS Israel-Hamas War In Gaza City. Omar Al-Qattaa/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The U.N. said the polio vaccination campaign for children in Gaza was going well in difficult conditions. Israel struck a school building used as a shelter in Gaza, which it said Hamas had used as a command post. A U.N. agency said the strike killed six of its employees. President Biden said he was outraged by Israel’s killing of an American activist in the West Bank, and Harris questioned the Israeli army’s conduct. More International News Alberto Fujimori in 1998. Silvia Izquierdo/Reuters Alberto Fujimori, who rebuilt Peru’s economy over two decades as president but was later imprisoned for human rights abuses, died at 86. In South Korea, men have been victimizing women they know by putting their faces on pornographic clips. England’s National Health Service, one of the country’s most revered institutions, is in critical condition, according to a new report. North Korea is still sending Russia advanced short-range ballistic missiles, despite sanctions. Tropical Storm Francine In New Orleans. David Grunfeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate, via Associated Press Hurricane Francine weakened to a tropical storm, after lashing the Louisiana coast with 100 m.p.h. winds and heavy rain. Forecasters warned of flash floods and “life-threatening” conditions in New Orleans and nearby. Other Big Stories Speaker Mike Johnson scrapped a House vote on a government funding bill that members of both parties had opposed, leaving Republicans without a plan to avert a shutdown. Inflation continues to slow and is at a three-year low, data from August shows. A gallon of gasoline gotten 12 percent cheaper over the past year. A billionaire in orbit is preparing to walk in space with his crew. Watch the spacewalk live. Two years before Boar’s Head deli meats caused a deadly listeria outbreak, federal inspectors found rust, mold and insects at one of the company’s plants. Doctors tell Black women to get unnecessary C-sections more often than they do other women, a study found. Opinions Getting an IUD inserted can be excruciating. To better serve women, doctors need to stop downplaying the potential pain, Christine Henneberg writes. Here’s a column by Pamela Paul on the deeper meaning of euphemisms. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS The Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel. Vincent Tullo for The New York Times Rest in luxury: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, John Lennon, Nikola Tesla and Aaliyah all passed through the same New York mortuary. “Man flu”: The internet likes to tease men when they complain about the sniffles. But experts say there are real immunological differences between the sexes. Greed and gluttony: How a $1.5 billion real estate deal and all-you-can-eat shrimp helped sink Red Lobster. Kyoto: Its gardens and temples are famous. But the city’s waterways are enchanting, too. Lives Lived: As an anonymous C.I.A. officer, Edward B. Johnson helped rescue six American diplomats from Iran by casting them as a Hollywood crew — an audacious escape that inspired the Oscar-winning movie “Argo.” He died at 81. SPORTS W.N.B.A.: The Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson, the overwhelming favorite to win her third M.V.P. award, broke the single-season scoring record in a win over the Indiana Fever. M.L.B.: Shohei Ohtani hit the 47th home run of his historic first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. N.F.L.: The Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will play on Sunday, his coach said, less than a week after a lawsuit accused him of sexual assault and battery. B-girls: The Australian breaker Raygun, whose routines at the Paris Olympics earned widespread mockery, is now the sport’s top-ranked dancer. Here’s how it happened. ARTS AND IDEAS Alan Alda won two Emmys for the same role in 1974. Associated Press/Associated Press Half a century ago, in 1974, the Emmys introduced a new award: the Super Emmy. The Television Academy pitted the winners in the comedy and drama categories against each other during the telecast. In one, Alan Alda (“M*A*S*H”) won actor of the year over Telly Savalas (“Kojak”). The award was deeply unpopular — even the winners spoke out against it — and it never appeared again. These days, though, it’s harder than ever to distinguish between comedy and drama (which category gets “The Bear” again?). It’s possible, Brian Lowry writes, that the Super Emmy “might be one of those once-bad ideas whose time has finally come.” More on culture Thousands turned out in San Francisco to watch Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder, record a podcast. Jimmy Kimmel mocked Trump’s debate performance. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Bryan Gardner for The New York Times Bake feta with broccolini, tomatoes and lemon. Squat, even if you have bad knees. Protect your online accounts with a security key. Decorate for Halloween. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were burping and upbringing. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 14, 2024 Author Members Posted September 14, 2024 September 13, 2024 Good morning. Today, two of my colleagues use maps to explain the state of the war in Ukraine. We’re also covering Mexico’s judiciary, a new ChatGPT and “The Golden Bachelorette.” —David Leonhardt Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project | Note: As of Sept. 8 | By The New York Times Summer battles By Andrew E. Kramer and Josh Holder Andrew visited the fronts. Josh tracked troop movements and made the maps. Not long ago, a Ukrainian officer at an artillery position on the eastern front shared a telling detail with The Times. His crew, sweaty and covered in dust, was firing a howitzer at a coal mine it had occupied until just days earlier. Now they were losing ground, and the Russians held the mine. Not since the early months of the war have front lines shifted as swiftly as they have in the past several weeks. In northeastern Ukraine last month, the country’s military staged a surprise attack into Russia and quickly captured about 500 square miles. At the same time, Russian troops pressed ahead with their offensive toward the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, advancing by more than a mile on some days. Yesterday, they were on the city’s doorstep. In today’s newsletter, we’ll examine the new battlefield maps, and we’ll explain why each front is so volatile. The eastern front For more than a year, the lines often shifted only yards per day, despite fierce fighting. Troops were dug into well-fortified lines that led to comparisons to World War I. Then, in February, Russia broke through a dense maze of Ukrainian defenses in the city of Avdiivka, an industrial city that had been a Ukrainian stronghold since 2014. Russia then had a path to the west through Ukraine’s fallback lines. The advances have since continued, sporadically. Russia ground through defensive positions in fields east of Pokrovsk, a city built around a crucial road and railroad junction, this summer. Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project | Note: As of Sept. 8 | By The New York Times The artillery team near the coal mine held a position typical for Ukrainian forces. It was tucked into a grove of trees for camouflage. It overlooked a vast open farm field. The fields, the small villages and the several reservoirs on the Pokrovsk front provide few natural barriers against infantry attacks or sources of cover from Russian artillery and aerial bombs. Since April, Russian troops passed five lines of Ukrainian fortifications. Only two now remain between the front line and the city, Pokrovsk’s military administrator told me. Police cars drove on the city’s streets, blaring orders for residents to evacuate. Its fall would cut key supply lines for Ukraine into the Donbas region and ease Russia’s potential march westward. The northern front Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project | Note: As of Sept. 8 | By The New York Times Ukraine realized it was losing ground in the east. Rather than fight on ineffectively there, on Russia’s terms, Ukraine responded with a risky surprise attack in the north. Troops surged into Russia, hoping to draw forces away from the battle for Pokrovsk. So far at least, it has not worked. Russia still presses ahead in eastern Ukraine. Yet Ukrainian troops have quickly opened a new front in the war. It captured about a hundred settlements near the border, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraine’s military broke through thin border defenses manned mostly by young conscripts. Then soldiers advanced along two rivers, keeping the water as a protective barrier along one flank. Their gains have yet to be tested in a serious counterattack. Some of the tactics are similar in both theaters. As Russia has sought to encircle Ukrainian troops in the Donbas, Ukraine has tried the same in Russia. It has blown up bridges over the Seym River to isolate Russian soldiers in a pocket between the water and the Ukrainian border. As Russia tried to build pontoon crossings over the river in recent weeks, Ukraine blew them up with long-range strikes. It’s not a given that this period of quick changes will continue. Going into the fall, the questions are whether Ukraine can defend the Russian territory it captured and whether Russia’s troops can continue on the offensive without a pause to rearm and regroup. The answers will help determine both the future of the war and any potential peace deal. More on the war Near Moscow. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters President Biden is poised to let Ukraine launch long-range Western weapons deep into Russia, as long as it doesn’t use U.S.-provided arms, officials said. The Toronto Film Festival canceled screenings of a documentary on Russian soldiers, which has been criticized as Kremlin propaganda. THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Republican Campaign Donald Trump said he wouldn’t debate Kamala Harris again. Harris, who raised $47 million after Tuesday’s debate, said “we owe it to the voters to have another debate.” A Georgia judge threw out three charges in the criminal case against Trump and his allies there, but kept most of it intact. The case remains frozen while the defendants seek to disqualify the prosecutor, who had a relationship with a subordinate. Trump, campaigning in Arizona, called for the elimination of taxes on overtime pay. Springfield, Ohio — where Trump falsely claims Haitian immigrants are eating pets — evacuated its city hall after bomb threats. The mayor has had enough. Trump met with New York firefighters to mark the Sept. 11 attacks. He brought along a conspiracy theorist who has called the attacks an “inside job.” An antisemitic ad campaign, funded by a group that appears tied to Republicans, has targeted parts of Michigan with many Muslim residents. The ads highlight the Jewish faith of Doug Emhoff, Harris’s husband. 2024 Democratic Campaign When Taylor Swift endorsed Harris on Instagram, she also posted a link to Vote.gov, a registration site. In 24 hours, more than 400,000 people clicked on it. Do endorsements like Swift’s matter? The Upshot reviewed the evidence. Alberto Gonzales, a George W. Bush loyalist who served as attorney general, endorsed Harris. “Trump is someone who fails to act, time and time again, in accordance with the rule of law,” he wrote in Politico. More on Politics Alabama has mailed the first absentee ballots of the general election. North Carolina was supposed to mail ballots last week, but delayed them to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name. A judge overturned North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban, saying that the State Constitution protected the right to an abortion until fetal viability. Speaker Mike Johnson faces a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government. He’s caught between a hard right that wants to cut spending and mainstream Republicans who fear a shutdown will endanger their re-election. New York Investigations Commissioner Edward Caban, the top N.Y.P.D. official. Dave Sanders for The New York Times The New York City police commissioner is stepping down. Federal agents seized his cellphone last week as part of an investigation into his twin brother’s nightclub security business. The federal investigation is one of four that touch top city officials. Others involve the mayor’s dealings with Turkey, and the head of the school system. Here’s a guide. International In Mexico City. Luis Antonio Rojas for The New York Times Mexico’s states approved a constitutional amendment to replace thousands of appointed judges through a new system of elections. Pakistan seemed close to beating polio. Now the disease is spreading quickly. Israel conducted a raid in Syria that obliterated a Hezbollah missile production facility near the Lebanese border, according to American officials. The pope’s long tour of Asia signals his commitment to building a church with a less Western future. Other Big Stories Boeing workers are striking for the first time since 2008. It’s a union dispute. Firefighters have made progress in stopping the wildfires in California. OpenAI unveiled a new ChatGPT that can reason through math and science. Opinions The U.S. athletes Jayci Simon, left, and Miles Krajewski. Samantha Hurley/Associated Press Samantha Hurley is a blind photojournalist who covered the Paralympics. See her photos. “Hedonistic excess isn’t the cause of addiction.” Maia Szalavitz talks about the real reason people can’t put down their phones. Here are columns by Paul Krugman on Trump’s position on Obamacare and David Brooks on Harris’s politics of joy. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Made Nagi/EPA, via Shutterstock Elon Musk: The billionaire has barricaded himself behind a kind of mini-Secret Service in response to threats. Wedding trends: First comes marriage. Then comes the rehearsal dinner. Monkeys: Marmosets address different individuals with distinct calls, a study suggests. They’re the first nonhuman primates found to use something like names. Lives Lived: Bob Weatherwax was born to train celebrity dogs. He grew up alongside Pal, the first collie to play Lassie, and went on to coach successors, as well as dogs for “Back to the Future” and other films. He died at 83. SPORTS Damar Hamlin tackles Tua Tagovailoa. Jasen Vinlove/Imagn Images, via Reuters N.F.L.: The Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. W.N.B.A.: The Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark liked Taylor Swift’s post endorsing Harris, but says she isn’t endorsing a presidential candidate herself. ARTS AND IDEAS Tia-Maria Smith, 60, isn’t interested in marriage. Amanda Mustard for The New York Times “The Golden Bachelorette” premieres next week, with a 61-year-old school administrator and grandmother going to exotic locations to meet two dozen suitors. But single straight women around that age say real-life dating isn’t like that. Scammers often target older women on dating apps. One women said men have made her feel like dating a woman in her 60s is an act of generosity. “It’s exhausting,” Anne Vitiello, a 60-year-old single woman from New York, said. “It’s like panning for gold in a sewer.” More on culture In New York. Simbarashe Cha/The New York Times New York’s streets had no shortage of great outfits during Fashion Week. See some looks. You may have seen a lot of videos of the V.M.A.s on social media this week. See the show’s seven most memorable moments. Late night hosts joked about Biden briefly wearing a MAGA cap. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Bake cauliflower Parmesan. Take a solo cruise. Travel with better luggage. Slice your pizza with scissors. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was mothball. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. P.S. The Times is re-establishing its Vietnam bureau, which closed in 1975, and Damien Cave will lead it. Here’s our front page from April 30, 1975, covering the fall of Saigon. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 14, 2024 Author Members Posted September 14, 2024 September 13, 2024 Good morning. Today, two of my colleagues use maps to explain the state of the war in Ukraine. We’re also covering Mexico’s judiciary, a new ChatGPT and “The Golden Bachelorette.” —David Leonhardt Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project | Note: As of Sept. 8 | By The New York Times Summer battles By Andrew E. Kramer and Josh Holder Andrew visited the fronts. Josh tracked troop movements and made the maps. Not long ago, a Ukrainian officer at an artillery position on the eastern front shared a telling detail with The Times. His crew, sweaty and covered in dust, was firing a howitzer at a coal mine it had occupied until just days earlier. Now they were losing ground, and the Russians held the mine. Not since the early months of the war have front lines shifted as swiftly as they have in the past several weeks. In northeastern Ukraine last month, the country’s military staged a surprise attack into Russia and quickly captured about 500 square miles. At the same time, Russian troops pressed ahead with their offensive toward the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, advancing by more than a mile on some days. Yesterday, they were on the city’s doorstep. In today’s newsletter, we’ll examine the new battlefield maps, and we’ll explain why each front is so volatile. The eastern front For more than a year, the lines often shifted only yards per day, despite fierce fighting. Troops were dug into well-fortified lines that led to comparisons to World War I. Then, in February, Russia broke through a dense maze of Ukrainian defenses in the city of Avdiivka, an industrial city that had been a Ukrainian stronghold since 2014. Russia then had a path to the west through Ukraine’s fallback lines. The advances have since continued, sporadically. Russia ground through defensive positions in fields east of Pokrovsk, a city built around a crucial road and railroad junction, this summer. Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project | Note: As of Sept. 8 | By The New York Times The artillery team near the coal mine held a position typical for Ukrainian forces. It was tucked into a grove of trees for camouflage. It overlooked a vast open farm field. The fields, the small villages and the several reservoirs on the Pokrovsk front provide few natural barriers against infantry attacks or sources of cover from Russian artillery and aerial bombs. Since April, Russian troops passed five lines of Ukrainian fortifications. Only two now remain between the front line and the city, Pokrovsk’s military administrator told me. Police cars drove on the city’s streets, blaring orders for residents to evacuate. Its fall would cut key supply lines for Ukraine into the Donbas region and ease Russia’s potential march westward. The northern front Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project | Note: As of Sept. 8 | By The New York Times Ukraine realized it was losing ground in the east. Rather than fight on ineffectively there, on Russia’s terms, Ukraine responded with a risky surprise attack in the north. Troops surged into Russia, hoping to draw forces away from the battle for Pokrovsk. So far at least, it has not worked. Russia still presses ahead in eastern Ukraine. Yet Ukrainian troops have quickly opened a new front in the war. It captured about a hundred settlements near the border, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraine’s military broke through thin border defenses manned mostly by young conscripts. Then soldiers advanced along two rivers, keeping the water as a protective barrier along one flank. Their gains have yet to be tested in a serious counterattack. Some of the tactics are similar in both theaters. As Russia has sought to encircle Ukrainian troops in the Donbas, Ukraine has tried the same in Russia. It has blown up bridges over the Seym River to isolate Russian soldiers in a pocket between the water and the Ukrainian border. As Russia tried to build pontoon crossings over the river in recent weeks, Ukraine blew them up with long-range strikes. It’s not a given that this period of quick changes will continue. Going into the fall, the questions are whether Ukraine can defend the Russian territory it captured and whether Russia’s troops can continue on the offensive without a pause to rearm and regroup. The answers will help determine both the future of the war and any potential peace deal. More on the war Near Moscow. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters President Biden is poised to let Ukraine launch long-range Western weapons deep into Russia, as long as it doesn’t use U.S.-provided arms, officials said. The Toronto Film Festival canceled screenings of a documentary on Russian soldiers, which has been criticized as Kremlin propaganda. THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Republican Campaign Donald Trump said he wouldn’t debate Kamala Harris again. Harris, who raised $47 million after Tuesday’s debate, said “we owe it to the voters to have another debate.” A Georgia judge threw out three charges in the criminal case against Trump and his allies there, but kept most of it intact. The case remains frozen while the defendants seek to disqualify the prosecutor, who had a relationship with a subordinate. Trump, campaigning in Arizona, called for the elimination of taxes on overtime pay. Springfield, Ohio — where Trump falsely claims Haitian immigrants are eating pets — evacuated its city hall after bomb threats. The mayor has had enough. Trump met with New York firefighters to mark the Sept. 11 attacks. He brought along a conspiracy theorist who has called the attacks an “inside job.” An antisemitic ad campaign, funded by a group that appears tied to Republicans, has targeted parts of Michigan with many Muslim residents. The ads highlight the Jewish faith of Doug Emhoff, Harris’s husband. 2024 Democratic Campaign When Taylor Swift endorsed Harris on Instagram, she also posted a link to Vote.gov, a registration site. In 24 hours, more than 400,000 people clicked on it. Do endorsements like Swift’s matter? The Upshot reviewed the evidence. Alberto Gonzales, a George W. Bush loyalist who served as attorney general, endorsed Harris. “Trump is someone who fails to act, time and time again, in accordance with the rule of law,” he wrote in Politico. More on Politics Alabama has mailed the first absentee ballots of the general election. North Carolina was supposed to mail ballots last week, but delayed them to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name. A judge overturned North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban, saying that the State Constitution protected the right to an abortion until fetal viability. Speaker Mike Johnson faces a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government. He’s caught between a hard right that wants to cut spending and mainstream Republicans who fear a shutdown will endanger their re-election. New York Investigations Commissioner Edward Caban, the top N.Y.P.D. official. Dave Sanders for The New York Times The New York City police commissioner is stepping down. Federal agents seized his cellphone last week as part of an investigation into his twin brother’s nightclub security business. The federal investigation is one of four that touch top city officials. Others involve the mayor’s dealings with Turkey, and the head of the school system. Here’s a guide. International In Mexico City. Luis Antonio Rojas for The New York Times Mexico’s states approved a constitutional amendment to replace thousands of appointed judges through a new system of elections. Pakistan seemed close to beating polio. Now the disease is spreading quickly. Israel conducted a raid in Syria that obliterated a Hezbollah missile production facility near the Lebanese border, according to American officials. The pope’s long tour of Asia signals his commitment to building a church with a less Western future. Other Big Stories Boeing workers are striking for the first time since 2008. It’s a union dispute. Firefighters have made progress in stopping the wildfires in California. OpenAI unveiled a new ChatGPT that can reason through math and science. Opinions The U.S. athletes Jayci Simon, left, and Miles Krajewski. Samantha Hurley/Associated Press Samantha Hurley is a blind photojournalist who covered the Paralympics. See her photos. “Hedonistic excess isn’t the cause of addiction.” Maia Szalavitz talks about the real reason people can’t put down their phones. Here are columns by Paul Krugman on Trump’s position on Obamacare and David Brooks on Harris’s politics of joy. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Made Nagi/EPA, via Shutterstock Elon Musk: The billionaire has barricaded himself behind a kind of mini-Secret Service in response to threats. Wedding trends: First comes marriage. Then comes the rehearsal dinner. Monkeys: Marmosets address different individuals with distinct calls, a study suggests. They’re the first nonhuman primates found to use something like names. Lives Lived: Bob Weatherwax was born to train celebrity dogs. He grew up alongside Pal, the first collie to play Lassie, and went on to coach successors, as well as dogs for “Back to the Future” and other films. He died at 83. SPORTS Damar Hamlin tackles Tua Tagovailoa. Jasen Vinlove/Imagn Images, via Reuters N.F.L.: The Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. W.N.B.A.: The Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark liked Taylor Swift’s post endorsing Harris, but says she isn’t endorsing a presidential candidate herself. ARTS AND IDEAS Tia-Maria Smith, 60, isn’t interested in marriage. Amanda Mustard for The New York Times “The Golden Bachelorette” premieres next week, with a 61-year-old school administrator and grandmother going to exotic locations to meet two dozen suitors. But single straight women around that age say real-life dating isn’t like that. Scammers often target older women on dating apps. One women said men have made her feel like dating a woman in her 60s is an act of generosity. “It’s exhausting,” Anne Vitiello, a 60-year-old single woman from New York, said. “It’s like panning for gold in a sewer.” More on culture In New York. Simbarashe Cha/The New York Times New York’s streets had no shortage of great outfits during Fashion Week. See some looks. You may have seen a lot of videos of the V.M.A.s on social media this week. See the show’s seven most memorable moments. Late night hosts joked about Biden briefly wearing a MAGA cap. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Bake cauliflower Parmesan. Take a solo cruise. Travel with better luggage. Slice your pizza with scissors. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was mothball. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. P.S. The Times is re-establishing its Vietnam bureau, which closed in 1975, and Damien Cave will lead it. Here’s our front page from April 30, 1975, covering the fall of Saigon. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 15, 2024 Author Members Posted September 15, 2024 September 14, 2024 By Melissa Kirsch Good morning. On the eve of the Emmy Awards, it’s worth taking a look at what we’re actually watching. María Jesús Contreras Divided attention The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards are tomorrow, and if it feels too soon for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to be throwing another one of these celebrations, that’s because it is. It was a mere eight months ago that “Succession,” “The Bear” and “Beef” swept most of the major categories of the 75th Emmys. That ceremony was postponed four months because of Hollywood’s labor disputes, which leaves us with two Emmy ceremonies in one year. On the one hand, great — more to celebrate. On the other, even those of us who love to lose ourselves in the glitz and schmaltz of awards shows could use another minute to process the end of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” to get caught up on “Reservation Dogs,” to miss Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri a little, as charming as they may be. “What even is television anymore?” my colleague Alex asked me this morning, a question that seems almost impossible to answer. I’m not 100 percent caught up on all the shows nominated for these Emmys, but that’s not because I haven’t been spending unhealthy amounts of time watching things on screens. What does it mean is that I haven’t found 10 hours to watch the first season of “Shogun,” by all accounts a very good series that I would like very much, but I have just in the past week spent at least that much time consuming an incoherent jumble consisting of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce canoodling at the U.S. Open, Donald Trump’s remarks at the Economic Club of New York, a “Gladiator”-themed Pepsi ad, plus countless movie trailers, Peloton workouts, cooking demos, fabric steamer reviews and oh god I could go on. I’m watching stuff all the time, but very little of it leaves a mark. It’s all passive time spent with screens, ingesting information. It requires little of me intellectually, emotionally, spiritually. Just because something uses up my attention doesn’t mean I’m actually paying attention to it. A recent story in The Atlantic examined how we’ve abandoned meals for snacks. I see the same trend in my culture consumption: I’m noshing on bits of content all the time, but seldom sitting down for a full meal. When I look over the list of the Emmy nominees, the category I am most excited about is the one honoring writing for a variety special. There are five nominees, four of which are comedy performances that I adored. Two, Alex Edelman’s “Just for Us” and Jacqueline Novak’s “Get on Your Knees,” I saw when they were performed live, in February and March of 2022, as Covid restrictions were easing and attending a show in person still felt strange and new. I was nearly delirious with excitement, over how smart and dynamic the comedians were, how electric it felt to be in an audience with other spectators. Those evenings are, in my memory, perfect: I remember arriving at the theater, finding my seat, turning off my phone for the duration of the show, going out afterward and chatting excitedly about what we’d just seen. I don’t want to lose that appetite for full meals, for entertainment that engages my mind and heart and requires my physical presence. Streaming services invite one to graze on shows, to watch a few minutes between scrolling Instagram and working on an email. I remember, in the mid-’90s, going over to my friends’ house each week for NBC’s Thursday night Must-See TV lineup of “Friends,” “Seinfeld” and “ER.” Those evenings are still so vivid — we would all bring knitting projects to work on while we watched. It seems almost quaint now to invite people over to watch an episode of a streaming show, to create a time-restricted event out of the 24/7 banquet of watchable content. It’s so much easier to just snatch little bites where we can. But I’m interested in trying it, in adding some formality, some inconvenience to my cultural diet in the hopes of returning some meaning and magic to the never-ending binge. For more The Times’s full coverage of the Emmy Awards. Where to stream the nominees. More on Alex Edelman’s and Jacqueline Novak’s specials. “What we have now is a profusion of well-cast, sleekly produced competence.” Our critic James Poniewozik on “The Comfortable Problem of Mid TV.” THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film James Earl Jones Jesse Dittmar for The Washington Post via Getty Images The actor James Earl Jones, who voiced Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in “The Lion King,” died at 93. See his life in pictures, and read about some of his greatest roles. “My Old Ass,” about an 18-year-old who meets her 39-year-old self (played by Aubrey Plaza) during a drug trip, is one of nine movies Times critics are talking about this week. The disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein underwent emergency heart surgery. He has been held at Rikers Island since April. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” out in November, features the Colosseum filled with water and predators. The Times spoke with Scott and the movie’s production designer. Television Joan Vassos, a 61-year-old grandmother of three, is the star of “The Golden Bachelorette” on ABC. “I know that it’s a weird way to meet somebody,” she told The Times. Three new cast members will join “Saturday Night Live” for its 50th season, NBC said. Gillian Anderson plays a sex therapist on the Netflix dramedy “Sex Education.” In real life, she’s an advocate for women’s sexual health and has written a book about fantasies. Music Kendrick Lamar will headline the Super Bowl halftime show. Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” was not nominated for a Country Music Award. The album had stirred debate about the historical role of African Americans in the genre. Readers shared their songs of the summer, including some by Chappell Roan and the Cranberries. Listen to the playlist. A singer from the band Danity Kane sued Sean Combs, known as Diddy, accusing him of threatening and groping her. Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighters frontman and Nirvana drummer, revealed on Instagram that he had fathered a child outside his marriage. Justin Timberlake pleaded guilty to driving while impaired after his June arrest in the Hamptons. He agreed to pay a $500 fine and serve 25 hours of community service. Other Culture Stories Jo Foster, center, as Oliver in “Why Am I So Single?” Matt Crockett “Why Am I So Single,” a new musical from the duo behind the Broadway hit “Six,” is relatable and fun, but lacks narrative drive, our critic writes. Glenn Lowry will step down as the Museum of Modern Art’s director next year, after 30 years in the role. Gabriela Ortiz is Carnegie Hall’s composer in residence this season. She has spent her career channeling the sounds and sensibilities of Latin America. A PETA activist confronted Pharrell Williams, whose Louis Vuitton collection incorporated fur. “Yes, you’re right,” Williams said, adding that he had “plans to change things.” THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Election President Biden at the White House yesterday. Rod Lamkey Jr. for The New York Times President Biden angrily denounced Donald Trump’s false claim that Haitian immigrants were eating household pets. “This has to stop,” Biden said. Trump defended Laura Loomer, a far-right activist he’s traveled with recently, but claimed he didn’t know she’d called the Sept. 11 attacks an “inside job.” Trump allies including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lindsey Graham have criticized her. Biden is likely to delay his final decision on whether to block the sale of U.S. Steel to a Japanese company until after the election. Pope Francis said that Trump, who opposes migrants, and Kamala Harris, who supports abortion rights, are both “against life.” Other Big Stories The U.S., Canada and Britain accused RT, Russia’s global television network, of working as an arm of Russian intelligence and placed new economic sanctions on it. Boar’s Head will shut down a Virginia deli meat plant linked to a deadly listeria outbreak. The company identified liverwurst processing as the source. Jessica Ramos, a state senator from Queens, became the latest candidate to say she would run against Mayor Eric Adams, whose administration faces multiple investigations. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. CULTURE CALENDAR By Desiree Ibekwe 🎸 “143” by Katy Perry (Friday): Perry — once pop music’s center of gravity — has had a bumpy comeback. Critics and fans panned her new album’s first single, “Woman’s World,” for peddling outdated girl-boss feminism. (Lyrics: “It’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be livin’ in it / You better celebrate / ’Cause, baby, we ain’t goin’ away.”) And Rolling Stone revealed that Perry had worked on the album with the producer Dr. Luke, who was sued years ago over accusations of abuse and sexual assault. This album is a source of curiosity, not just for the music but for the public’s response to it. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Craig Lee for The New York Times By Melissa Clark Lemon Sweet Rolls With Cream Cheese Frosting Do the words lemon sweet rolls with cream cheese frosting make you a little weak in the knees? Yossy Arefi’s cozy recipe is a fresh, citrusy take on the usual cinnamon rolls, but made for lemon-heads like me. Her zest-spiked filling infuses a spiraled, buttermilk-enriched bread dough scented with cardamom. Yeasty, tender and slathered with a tangy cream cheese icing, it’s just the thing to serve at a special breakfast or brunch when you want something rich and satisfying, but still brightly flavored. REAL ESTATE Jennifer Kaufmann and Josh Kaufmann in Chicago. Taylor Glascock for The New York Times The Hunt: A couple with a budget of around $650,000 wanted a house in Chicago for their growing family. Which home did they choose? Play our game. What you get for $1.4 million: An 1890 Queen Anne Revival house in Salt Lake City; a brick townhouse in Savannah, Ga.; or a recently renovated 1938 Spanish-style house in Albany, Calif. LIVING A summer evening in the Cours Julien neighborhood. France Keyser for The New York Times France: Marseilles is a mosaic of the people and history that shape it. Its pizza reflects that rich culture. In the garden: Native landscapes can be hard to plant. Here’s some help. Toteme: This Swedish fashion label has a no-nonsense, “pragmatic” look — and a lot of fans in New York. Modern Love: Friends for 16 years. Lovers for one night. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER No, you probably don’t need a new phone Every year, tech companies release new smartphones with appealing but nominal upgrades, enticing you to buy a fancier model of the thing you already own. Our advice? If you properly care for your phone, you don’t need to replace it every year — or even every other year. No judgment if you want a shiny new device. But if you’re looking to save a few bucks and reduce electronic waste, Wirecutter’s experts suggest a few small hacks that can make a big difference in making your phone last longer. Start by prioritizing your phone’s battery health: Avoid extreme temperatures, and stop charging it to 100 percent. — Roderick Scott GAME OF THE WEEK C.J. Stroud and the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts in the season opener. Zach Bolinger/Associated Press Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans, N.F.L.: The Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had one of the best rookie seasons in N.F.L. history last year. This week, he faces football’s next great hope: Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in the draft. Stroud led his team to the playoffs last year, and the Texans offense looks even better now — some believe they could be Super Bowl contenders, Zak Keefer writes in The Athletic. Meanwhile, with Williams still getting used to the pros, the Bears’ best hope is their impressive defense, which outscored the offense in Week 1. Sunday at 8:20 p.m. Eastern on NBC For more: NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was chickadee. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 15, 2024 Author Members Posted September 15, 2024 September 15, 2024 Good morning. Today, my colleague Gina Kolata explores the effectiveness of the N.F.L.’s new helmet caps. We’re also covering the Supreme Court, Mayor Eric Adams and Demi Moore. —David Leonhardt Kylen Granson of the Indianapolis Colts wearing a Guardian Cap. Darron Cummings/Associated Press Extra protection? By Gina Kolata I’m a reporter covering health. Now that the N.F.L. season has begun, you may have noticed football players wearing a strange sort of cover over their helmets. It’s called a Guardian Cap, and it adds a layer of foam to the outside of the helmet, with the aim of reducing brain injuries. N.F.L. players have worn the caps during summer practice for the past few years, but this is the first season the league is allowing them in games. A handful of players wore them during the opening weekend. The company behind the caps, Guardian Sports, says they reduce the force of the impact when a player’s head is hit. But what does that mean? And do they protect against concussions? Erin Hanson, Guardian’s founder and owner, said an N.F.L. study found that when players used Guardian helmet caps in practice, the number of concussions fell by more than 50 percent. Yet, Guardian also has a disclaimer on its website: “No helmet, practice apparatus or helmet pad can prevent or eliminate the risk of concussions or other serious head injuries while playing sports. Researchers have not reached an agreement on how the results of impact absorption tests relate to concussions.” In a telephone interview, Hanson emphasized that it was unrealistic to think that the cap would prevent all concussions. “Football is a dangerous collision sport,” she said. “No doubt about it.” I asked brain trauma experts to weigh in. What sort of protection can players realistically expect if they wear the helmet caps? Today’s newsletter explains what the extra padding could do for concussions, and for C.T.E., the long-term condition that plagues many players later in life. Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, center, suffered a concussion during a game on Thursday. Lynne Sladky/Associated Press The trouble with concussions Don’t count on these new helmet caps to protect against concussions, experts said. “The problem is that people confuse head injuries with brain injuries,” Dr. Jamshid Ghajar, a neurosurgeon and the president of the Brain Trauma Foundation, told me. “Helmets definitely help with head injuries,” like a fractured skull or injuries to the scalp, he noted, but they don’t help with concussions. Concussions arise when a person’s neck bends and twists after the head is hit. That was apparent on Thursday, when the Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion from a tackle that caused his neck to turn sharply. “The neck is very flexible,” Dr. Ghajar said. “Its movement causes the brain injury problem, making the front part of the brain whiplash.” The front of the brain, he added, “is where we see concussions and severe brain injury.” Race-car drivers wear helmets that actually protect them from concussions, Dr. Ghajar noted. The helmet holds the neck rigid so it cannot move in a collision. “Drivers have had collisions at over 200 miles per hour and no brain injury,” he said. “Helmets and padding work if you have an iron neck,” Dr. Ghajar added. Tricky data But what about that N.F.L. study of players that Hanson cited, showing a 50 percent reduction? “That was a pleasant surprise,” Dr. Javier Cardenas, a senior medical adviser for the N.F.L., told me. It happened two years in a row, he added, which led him to conclude that the caps “definitely” reduced the risk of concussions. Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, a concussion expert at Massachusetts General Hospital, is not convinced. He noted that the N.F.L.’s study had relied on players reporting their own symptoms, which makes it hard to draw conclusions. The problem, Dr. Daneshvar said, is that players may not always recognize symptoms of a concussion, or may ignore them. And if they think their new helmet caps are protecting them, they may be less likely to report a concussion. Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports, via Reuters Con Hope for C.T.E. C.T.E., or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is the condition that most frightens many football players. It can lead to memory loss and behavioral changes years later. And it results from not just the traumatic impacts that cause concussions, but also the accumulation of smaller hits to the head that every football player endures. The extra padding of helmet caps could, in theory, help reduce that. “Anything that decreases force to the head will decrease the risk of C.T.E.,” Dr. Daneshvar said. Kylen Granson, a tight end for the Indianapolis Colts, has said he plans to wear a helmet cap all season. “I would be remiss in not taking every precaution that’s available to me,” Granson said in a recent Instagram video. “I’m going to get married this coming year. I want to be able to remember our first dance 30 years from now.” The N.F.L. has cited a lab study that found Guardian caps reduced force by 10 percent. That “would probably decrease C.T.E. risk,” Dr. Daneshvar said, though he cautioned that the lab study used dummies with rigid necks, which he said created “ideal circumstances to maximize the effect.” “My analogy would be a filtered cigarette,” Dr. Daneshvar said. “It absolutely decreases the rate of cancer, and it might be a step in the right direction, but it’s not the entire solution.” THE LATEST NEWS Politics Chief Justice John Roberts Erin Schaff/The New York Times Chief Justice John Roberts deployed his authority during the last Supreme Court term to mold rulings that benefited Donald Trump, a Times investigation found. False claims that Trump has repeated about migrant gangs in Aurora, Colo., stem from the city’s fight with a landlord. “She was good at standing up for herself”: The Times reporter Astead Herndon spent the week after the presidential debate speaking with undecided voters. Watch a video. New York City Federal investigations could endanger Mayor Eric Adams’s re-election chances — and his ability to enact his political agenda. See a tracker of the investigations into the mayor and his circle. The N.Y.P.D. commissioner resigned this past week. Whoever replaces him will take over an agency that Adams has seeded with loyalists. International In Kharkiv, Ukraine. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times Despite bombing, residents of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv find opportunities for joy in art, dancing and family. See images. Iraq has quietly allowed the Iranian-backed groups Hamas and the Houthis to open offices in Baghdad. The Houthis launched a missile at Israel, penetrating the center of the country for the second time in two months. No casualties were reported. In recent weeks, aid groups have been able to deliver fresh fruit to northern Gaza. “My children were so happy to see apples for the first time in nine months,” a resident told The Wall Street Journal. China has used force to drive out the Philippines from parts of the South China Sea, damaging boats and injuring personnel. Drug cartels looking for trafficking routes have infiltrated the thick rainforests of Costa Rica. Other Big Stories Three major wildfires in Southern California have destroyed dozens of homes. Some residents are mourning a lifetime of memories. Astronauts on the SpaceX capsule Polaris Dawn splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico after completing the first commercial spacewalk. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” made around $190 million in North America in its first 10 days, handing Warner Bros. a hit after a summer of box office misfires. THE SUNDAY DEBATE Will Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris affect the election? Yes. Swift’s endorsement may not persuade Trump loyalists, but it could increase voter turnout, which makes a difference. “Swift is such a megastar that her endorsement has the potential to be more meaningful than almost any other,” David Jackson writes for U.S. News and World Report. No. Her endorsement of Harris was largely expected. She also announced it too early — people will have forgotten about it by November. “While it may provide a short-term boost for fund-raising toward Democrats and general voter registration, the momentum will fade, as with any other celebrity’s support,” Alex Rosado writes for The Washington Examiner. FROM OPINION Trump said he had “concepts of a plan” to replace the Affordable Care Act. Don’t be fooled, Senator Elizabeth Warren writes: He knows how he would gut the health care system. To help their children be more independent, parents should pay less attention, Darby Saxbe writes. Here are columns by Nicholas Kristof on a hidden consequence of climate change and Lydia Polgreen on false claims about immigrants. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Natasha Ahmed Shoes off, laptops out: A new social media trend involves creatively arranging TSA bins — and showing them off. Clinging on: For many, summer ends in September. Die-hard fans of the season, however, say the best part starts after Labor Day. Real estate: Could characters from “Friends,” “Twilight” and “Sex and the City” afford their homes today? Routine: How a 90-year-old comedian spends her Sundays (including a 10-minute set at Gotham Comedy Club). Vows: South meets North India at an inclusive Hindu wedding. Lives Lived: Mary McFadden took symbols from ancient cultures and translated them into intricate embroideries, beading and paintings on dresses worn by figures including Jacqueline Onassis. McFadden died at 85. BOOK OF THE WEEK By Elisabeth Egan “The Life Impossible,” by Matt Haig: If only real-life people inherited vacation homes as frequently as fictional ones seem to! In this otherworldly best seller from Matt Haig, author of “The Midnight Library,” a septuagenarian math teacher lands a shack in Ibiza, Spain, compliments of a long-lost friend. Of course there are strings attached — mysteries to solve, environmental crises to deflect and entanglements (quantum, romantic and otherwise) to unravel. But roiling beneath Mediterranean splendor is a deeper message about the unknown and whether it should remain that way. Not to be confused with Steve Gleason’s moving memoir by the same name, “The Life Impossible” pairs well with Liane Moriarty’s “Here One Moment,” coming out on Tuesday. Read our review here. More on books Haig opens up about why he’s reclaiming Ibiza, the place where he fell apart. In “Here One Moment,” an airline passenger tells fellow fliers how and when they’ll die. Moriarty has sold more than 20 million books. She has no interest in becoming a “brand.” THE INTERVIEW Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times By Lulu Garcia-Navarro This week’s subject for The Interview is Demi Moore, whose new movie, “The Substance,” is a dark comedy about the horrors of getting older as a woman in Hollywood. But it’s also a literal body-horror film in which Moore’s character takes a strange elixir that allows her to create a younger, more perfect version of herself. Moore, now in her 60s, spoke about her own attempts at changing her body over the years, and aging in an industry that doesn’t always embrace older women. Why did you sign on to star in a movie about a woman who’s aging in Hollywood and at war with her own body? It felt very meta watching you do this. Why it was easy for me to step in and do this is because I don’t feel I am her. This is a woman who has no family — she’s dedicated her entire life to her career, and when that’s taken, what does she have? And so, in a way, I had enough separation from her, and at the same time, a deep, internal connection to the pain that she was experiencing, the rejection that she felt. I knew it would be challenging, but potentially a really important exploration of the issue. Tell me what you understand the issue to be. That it’s not about what’s being done to us — it’s what we do to ourselves. It’s the violence we have against ourselves. The movie starts with your character sitting down with a male executive and being told that when you turn 50, it’s over. Is that something that you heard a lot working in Hollywood? I feel like it’s less overt. It’s less overt and a little bit more of the unspoken perception that your desirability — there’s a line in the film that says your desirability as a woman is done with your fertility, which for me, it’s a perception that’s been bought into, but it doesn’t make it the truth. Read more of the interview here. THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE Photograph of Prince in 1979 by Jurgen Reisch. Click the cover image above to read this week’s magazine. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Design a cozy window seat this fall. Consider a kitchen torch. Ditch the brown bag for a good lunch box. MEAL PLAN Christopher Testani for The New York Times Tortellini is an amazing all-ages convenience food, Emily Weinstein writes in this week’s Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter. She suggests using it in a one-pot dish with prosciutto and peas, which seems fancier than it really is. Emily’s other dinner recommendations include: smashed chicken burgers with Cheddar and parsley, and oven-seared salmon with corn and tomatoes. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were javelin and javelina. Can you put eight historical events — including the first spacewalk, the first M.R.I., and the invention of the folding umbrella — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 16, 2024 Author Members Posted September 16, 2024 September 16, 2024 By the staff of The Morning Good morning. We’re covering a second attempted assassination of Donald Trump. We also have the latest on a judicial overhaul in Mexico, flooding in Africa and the Emmy winners. Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Saul Martinez for The New York Times An armed threat For the second time in just over two months, federal officials say, a man armed with a rifle attempted to assassinate Donald Trump. A Secret Service agent spotted a man with a gun at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla., yesterday and fired at him before the man could hit anyone. Trump was unharmed, and the police arrested a suspect. In today’s newsletter, we’ll share what we know about the episode and the suspect. In the bushes Pictures of evidence found at the fence of the golf course. Chandan Khanna/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Trump was golfing at his club in West Palm Beach yesterday afternoon with a few staff members and a longtime friend. A Secret Service agent traveling ahead of Trump noticed the barrel of a rifle sticking through a fence along the course. The agent quickly fired shots toward the gunman, the Palm Beach County sheriff said. The gunman fled, and it’s not clear whether he fired any shots. He left behind an AK-style rifle with a scope; two backpacks filled with ceramic tile, which he had hung on a fence; and a video camera. A witness’s photo allowed the police to track the suspect as he drove up Interstate 95, and he was arrested a short time later. A law enforcement source identified him as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii. Lily Boyce, Lazaro Gamio, Helmuth Rosales Not long after the shooting, Trump sent an email to supporters saying, “Before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” People close to him said that he was shaken but upbeat, and that he had joked about not getting to finish what had been a good round of golf. President Biden said he was briefed on the attempted shooting. “I am relieved that the former president is unharmed,” Biden said. “As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country.” Vice President Kamala Harris said she was “deeply disturbed” by the assassination attempt. The suspect Routh’s social media history shows a penchant for violent language and an obsession with the war in Ukraine. He wrote in 2022 that he was willing to fight and die to defend that country. The Times interviewed him in 2023 for an article about Americans volunteering to aid the war effort in Ukraine. Routh, who had no military experience, said he had traveled there after Russia’s invasion. (Read the reporter describe his call with Routh.) Since 2019, Routh has made several small donations totaling $140 to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democrats, The Associated Press reported. He had also criticized Trump on social media, according to CNN. The Martin County, Fla., sheriff said that Routh was unarmed and showed little emotion when deputies arrested him. The F.B.I. is leading the investigation. More on the attempted shooting Trump is an avid golfer. The hobby presents a challenge for the Secret Service: Courses are large and wide open, and often border public areas like roads. The attempted shooting directed even more scrutiny toward the Secret Service, which has now twice allowed armed men to get relatively close to Trump. Trump sent a fund-raising appeal after the attempt on his life. “There are people in this world who will do whatever it takes to stop us,” it read. The Guardian reached the suspect’s son, who spoke about his father’s time in Ukraine. We’re covering this story as it evolves. Follow updates here. Campaign news JD Vance, asked on CNN about the false rumors that Haitian immigrants were eating pets, said he was willing “to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention.” At his first major campaign event for Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the crowd that he was being investigated over his handling of a whale carcass decades ago. Georgia runs the nation’s only Medicaid work program. It’s a preview of how Trump could reshape health care. Young women have become more liberal in the last eight years, analysis shows. Hillary Clinton’s loss to Trump and the overturning of Roe helped shape their views. THE LATEST NEWS Israel-Hamas War Israeli security officers observing a group of Palestinians praying outside Al Aqsa Mosque. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times The war in Gaza has disrupted the celebration of major religious holidays for Jews, Muslims and Christians in the area. Three Israeli hostages in Gaza were probably killed by an airstrike in November that targeted a senior Hamas commander, the Israeli military said. Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s top leader, is using couriers, codes and handwritten notes to direct the group’s operations. The avoidance of electronic communication is frustrating Israel’s ability to find him, The Wall Street Journal reports. More International News In Maiduguri, Nigeria. Joshua Olatunji/Associated Press Flooding in west and central Africa has killed more than 1,000 people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. Shanghai is enduring its strongest storm since 1949, Typhoon Bebinca. It canceled all flights and closed major attractions. Mexico passed a constitutional amendment that will have voters elect judges. Around 7,000 judges, from the chief justice down, will have to run for office. Women displaced by war in the Democratic Republic of Congo face an impossible choice: Starve or risk rape by soldiers as they collect firewood in the forest, The Journal reports. Psychologists working in camps say around 80 percent of women have been raped. Accusations that China recruited an aide to influence New York’s governor echo cases around the Western world. New York City Mayor Eric Adams faces a political challenge after two prominent New York City officials quit, with federal investigations surrounding him and his inner circle. The police have been cracking down on street vendors this year. Sellers say they are just trying to earn a living. Officers shot a man with a knife on a subway platform in Brooklyn. Shots also hit an officer and two bystanders. Other Big Stories Lawyers for TikTok will appear in court today, aiming to block a law that would ban the app in the U.S. early next year. Read what to know. An experienced hiker was found dead at Yosemite National Park after he went missing during a backpacking trip, park officials said. Opinions Data centers — warehouses full of corporate computers — are everywhere, and they’re an annoying neighbor, Sean Patrick Cooper writes. Gail Collins and Bret Stephens discuss the Trump assassination attempt and Mayor Adams. Here are columns by David French on Trump’s views on Ukraine and David Wallace-Wells on China’s green transition. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Calf roping in Calgary, Alberta. Amber Bracken for The New York Times “Yellowstone Effect”: Cowboy culture is going mainstream. Cities and towns with Western heritage are cashing in. Mouse fight: In Paraguay, people love Mickey, the cartoon mascot of a 90-year-old food packaging company. Disney doesn’t. Memorabilia: Three years ago, a businessman bought roughly 20 million sports cards. Now he wants to show them to the world. Expectations: The surgeon general has said that parenting today is too stressful. Here’s what changed. Metropolitan Diary: A mysterious voice on the subway. Lives Lived: Michaela DePrince was born in Sierra Leone during a civil war, and she became an acclaimed ballerina in New York and Amsterdam. She died at 29. SPORTS The Raiders’ Davante Adams made a big catch in the fourth quarter. Las Vegas Raiders N.F.L.: The Raiders came back to beat the Ravens in Baltimore, and the No. 1 draft pick, Caleb Williams, struggled as the Chicago Bears lost 19-13 to the Houston Texans. Read more about Week 2. M.L.B.: The Chicago White Sox are still on pace to have the most losses in league history, but they had a great weekend. Golf: The United States claimed the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017, thanks to huge performances from Lilia Vu and Rose Zhang. ARTS AND IDEAS Hiroyuki Sanada and the cast and crew of “Shogun.” Mario Anzuoni/Reuters At last night’s Emmys, “Shogun,” FX’s big-budget drama about feudal Japan, won best drama, earning 18 awards overall (the most wins for a show in a single year). “Hacks” — a Max series about two female comedians — took home best comedy, beating out the favorite, “The Bear.” However, Jeremy Allen White, Liza Colón-Zayas and Ebon Moss-Bachrach of “The Bear” scooped individual acting awards. Elsewhere, Netflix’s out-of-nowhere hit “Baby Reindeer” won several awards in the limited series category. See a full list of the winners. More on the Emmys Ayo Edebiri Jae C. Hong/Invision, via Associated Press Sleek sophistication and classic penguin suits: See 16 looks from the red carpet. Richard Gadd, the writer and star of “Baby Reindeer,” gave three of the night’s better speeches. “No slump is ever broken without a willingness to take risks,” he said. Read about the best — and worst — moments of the show. More on culture Tito Jackson, a member of the Jackson 5 and the third of nine Jackson children, has died at 70. Gillian Anderson, one of the stars of “Sex Education,” has written a book about female pleasure. Read an interview. With Oasis touring again, the hairstyles popularized by Liam and Noel Gallagher are back in the spotlight, too. Moo Deng, a baby hippo at a zoo in Thailand, has received a lot of attention online, including from dedicated fan accounts, Time magazine reports. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Bake these crunchy, cheesy breaded chicken breasts. Stream these children’s movies. Defeat mice with these traps. Secure your digital life. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was meddling, melding and mingled. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 17, 2024 Author Members Posted September 17, 2024 September 17, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We’re covering the presidential horse race, and we admit it. We also have the latest on the apparent Trump assassination attempt, the war in Ukraine and personalized drinks. At a presidential debate watch party. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Respecting voters The term “horse race” tends to have a negative meaning in politics. People use it to describe an obsession with polls rather than what really matters — issues, policies, an election’s stakes. Here at The Morning, we believe in focusing on issues. We have written dozens of such newsletters this year, often tied to other Times coverage. We recently started a series called The Stakes, highlighting the huge differences between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. We’re policy nerds, and we are proud of it. Today, though, I want to explain why the horse race also matters. Politicians and voters who dismiss poll results as superficial risk ignoring political reality — and taking polls seriously can bring enormous benefits. The past few years have been a case study, mostly involving the Democratic Party. Today’s newsletter focuses on three examples. 1. Trump’s 2020 defeat When the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination began, the party’s left flank was ascendant. Trump’s extremism had radicalized many Democrats in the opposite direction. Progressives, especially the college graduates who staff campaigns and think tanks, wanted to decriminalize border crossings, ban fracking, abolish private health insurance and defund the police. The party’s presidential candidates embraced at least some of these positions, even though they were never broadly popular. And they never became popular, despite the passionate arguments that advocates made. Instead, Democrats seemed to be on the verge of nominating a candidate with unpopular views and helping Trump win re-election. One major candidate, however, adopted fewer of these positions and still had a moderate image: Joe Biden. Polls showed that he would be a stronger opponent against Trump than other Democrats. Here’s one example, from a Times chart published in late 2019: Source: Based on a New York Times/Siena College poll of 3,766 registered voters from Oct. 13 to Oct. 26 in 2019. | By The New York Times Democratic voters took note. They backed Biden’s campaign, with many citing his electability, and he won the nomination. Primary voters in South Carolina, disproportionately Black and working class, played a vital role. Had Democratic voters disregarded the horse race, Trump might now be in the eighth year of his presidency. 2. The 2024 campaign Four years later, Biden had become a much weaker candidate. At 81, he walked stiffly and couldn’t always communicate clearly. The White House minimized his public appearances. Many Americans found it unsettling. Polls repeatedly showed that most voters considered him too old to serve a second term and that Trump was likely to win in November. Nonetheless, Democratic leaders insisted that Biden was doing just fine — energetic and vigorous behind the scenes, they claimed — and urged people to ignore the horse-race polls. Then came Biden’s miserable debate performance. Even afterward, Biden initially refused to leave the race, but other Democrats began to accept reality. They pushed him out partly by confronting him with poll results. As Nate Cohn, The Times’s chief political analyst, wrote, “Democrats are extraordinarily fortunate that the early debate gave them an unprecedented second chance to act on what the voters had already been telling them for a year.” Had Democrats continued to dismiss this year’s horse race as a distraction, they would probably be on course to lose it badly. 3. 2024, redux Once Harris replaced Biden as the nominee, the polls shifted. She was in fact an energetic, vigorous candidate. Still, she had a problem. She was one of those 2020 candidates who had adopted unpopular positions on immigration, fracking and more. Her 2020 campaign fared so badly that she dropped out before the first caucus. This year, by contrast, Harris has been more respectful of public opinion. She has reversed several stances, and she portrays herself as a tough patriot who will fight for the American middle class. These positions have helped her shrink Biden’s deficit with swing voters, and she is running virtually even with Trump. She may yet lose the election. Trump’s campaign can read the polls too, and its ads emphasize both Harris’s past statements and the Biden administration’s record on inflation and immigration. Many swing voters say they don’t yet know enough about Harris and are worried she is too liberal, Nate has explained. The next big question is whether Harris will take a clear lead following her strong debate last week. I am comfortable making one prediction: To understand the strategies that the campaigns adopt over the final two months, you will need to keep an eye on the polls. The bottom line It’s obviously possible for politicians (as well as journalists and voters) to pay too much attention to the horse race. Any politician who adopted an agenda based only on poll results would not be demonstrating leadership. And polls are obviously imperfect guides to public opinion; Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in 2016 partly because her campaign put too much faith in polls that wrongly showed her to be ahead. But it is also possible to make the opposite mistake — to pay so little attention to the horse race as to be disdainful of public opinion. Polls, after all, are not describing an actual horse race. They are describing something much more important: public opinion in a democratic system that is supposed to be responsive to that opinion. Related: There are early signs of a post-debate bounce for Harris, Nate Cohn explains. THE LATEST NEWS Trump Gunman Outside the Trump International Golf Club. Saul Martinez for The New York Times The police said the suspect in this weekend’s apparent assassination attempt arrived at Trump’s golf course around 2 a.m. Sunday, about 12 hours before the Secret Service spotted him. The acting Secret Service director said that agents hadn’t fully swept the golf course and that the outing wasn’t on his schedule. The agency is facing renewed scrutiny. The suspect, Ryan Routh, appeared in court and faces two gun-related federal charges. Prosecutors could add more serious charges later. Routh appears to have acted alone. He did not fire his rifle and never had Trump in his sightline, the authorities said. Routh, 58, described himself online as a former Trump supporter. But in a rambling, self-published book last year, he accused Trump of threatening American democracy and wrote “you are free to assassinate Trump.” Trump blamed the attempted shooting on inflammatory language from Biden and Harris. JD Vance said, “The left needs to tone down the rhetoric or somebody is going to get hurt.” Violence increasingly shapes American politics. Trump has both inspired and been a target of it, Peter Baker writes. 2024 Elections Harris discussed the Biden administration’s labor policies in a meeting with leaders of the Teamsters union. The union may endorse a candidate this week. Only three Black women have ever served in the Senate. After November, the number could reach five. Biden promoted a $1.3 billion federal investment in historically Black colleges and universities, crediting Harris — a Howard graduate — with helping to secure it. International Gisèle Pelicot arrives at court. Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA, via Shutterstock A man who is accused of drugging his wife for over a decade and inviting dozens of men to join him in raping her testified in French court. “Today I maintain that I am a rapist, like those in this room,” he said on the stand. Read more about his testimony. Flooding in Central Europe killed at least 17 people, breached dams and destroyed bridges. Russia is escalating its bombing campaign against Kyiv and other big Ukrainian cities. Vladimir Putin has also demanded more troops, The A.P. reports. A senior Hamas official, in an interview with The Times, maintained that the group was winning the war in Gaza and would be part of the enclave’s future. “Hamas has the upper hand,” he said. A candidate for mayor of São Paulo, Brazil, hit an opponent with a chair during a TV debate. Business Amazon told its office workers that they will have to come in five days a week next year. Days after thousands of Boeing employees went on strike, the company said it would freeze hiring and cut costs, halting production of its most popular commercial jet. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, plans to bar Russian media outlets from posting. Other Big Stories Kendric Cromer Kenny Holston/The New York Times Kendric Cromer, 12, is among the first patients to be treated with newly approved — and still rare — gene therapy for Sickle Cell. “I can’t wait to start my new life,” he told his mother. A powerful storm flooded businesses and collapsed roads in southeastern North Carolina, where a tropical storm hit just last month. Opinions The through line in the Trump assassination attempts isn’t security failures or heated rhetoric; it’s easy access to guns, Gabrielle Giffords, the former congresswoman who survived a shooting in 2011, argues. Here’s a column by Paul Krugman on the cost of demonizing immigrants. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS In Jinan, China. Gilles Sabrie for The New York Times “Silver economy”: In China — where the birthrate is plunging — businesses that catered to children are changing course to serve seniors. Dark sky: There’s a partial lunar eclipse tonight. Here’s what you need to know. White-nose syndrome: A fungus decimated American bats. Now scientists are fighting back. Ask Vanessa: Why do so many people wear all black? Education: The idea of incorporating the Bible into classrooms is gaining traction. Some conservative Christians aren’t on board. Lives Lived: Dr. George Berci, a Holocaust survivor, conceived surgical techniques and tools that have revolutionized minimally invasive operations and procedures. He died at 103. SPORTS A Falcons interception in the last seconds. NFL Monday Night Football: The Atlanta Falcons and their quarterback Kirk Cousins stunned the Philadelphia Eagles, taking a 22-21 lead with under a minute left. Read a recap. Gymnastics: The American gymnast Jordan Chiles appealed the ruling that stripped her of her Olympic bronze medal. Here’s where the case stands. N.F.L.: After two blowout losses, the Carolina Panthers are benching their starting quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, in favor of the veteran Andy Dalton. A TIMES BIRTHDAY The New York Times NYT Cooking debuted 10 years ago today, and David Leonhardt reflects on the anniversary: I’m a heavy user of the NYT Cooking app, and not just because I work here. There is no easier way to turn a vague craving — or a potpourri of refrigerator ingredients — into a tasty meal. On Sunday, a full slate of September football left me wanting chili and, just like that, Julia Moskin was teaching me how to make a rich, smoky Texas-style version. To celebrate the 10th birthday, I recommend this beautiful package of recipes — including readers’ 50 favorites. ARTS AND IDEAS Custom drinks from a McDonald’s beverage chain. Photo Illustration by Jonathan Zizzo for The New York Times At cafes and fast-food chains, Americans are obsessed with customizing drinks — filling them with tapioca pearls, dried fruit and cookies and cream crumbs. At Starbucks, a quarter of all custom drinks in the U.S. have more than three modifications. “A very American need for instant energy, coupled with a very American desire for self-expression, has inspired an ever-mutating ecosystem of tricked-out drinks,” Priya Krishna writes. More on culture Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested after a grand jury indicted him. The charges were not announced but a lawyer for Combs said he believed he was being charged with racketeering and sex trafficking. The ’90s alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction canceled their reunion tour after two members fought onstage. This year’s Booker Prize shortlist includes Rachel Kushner’s “Creation Lake” and Percival Everett’s “James.” Jimmy Kimmel commented on the suspected Trump gunman: “He tweeted earlier this year that his dream ticket would be Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, which is how you know he’s nuts.” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Aspen trees on Kebler Pass, near Crested Butte, Colo. Getty Enjoy fall foliage in places that aren’t New England. Conquer pests in your home. Upgrade your iPhone. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was chiefly. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —David Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 18, 2024 Author Members Posted September 18, 2024 September 18, 2024 SUPPORTED BY MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM Good morning. Today, my colleague Jeanna Smialek explains the politics of today’s Fed announcement. We’re also covering the Hezbollah pager attack, wildfires and Icelandic wool. —David Leonhardt The Fed building in Washington. Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times Eyes on the money By Jeanna Smialek I cover the Fed. The Federal Reserve is independent from politics. That doesn’t mean that politics is independent of the Federal Reserve. Today, America’s central bank will almost certainly cut borrowing costs from a two-decade high. More cuts are likely before the end of the year. The reason is economic: Inflation has come down from its 2022 peak, and unemployment has climbed. The Fed doesn’t need to squeeze the economy as tightly as it did to bring prices under control. Also, keeping rates too high for too long could seriously hurt the job market. But cutting borrowing costs right now — just weeks before the election — pushes Fed officials into the middle of a political battle they would prefer to avoid. Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, says a rate cut before the election would be a bid to help Democrats. And while President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have both mostly avoided talking about the Fed, other prominent Democrats have called for lower borrowing costs; it would help the economy on their watch. Central bankers say they ignore the political calendar when they weigh their decisions. They have the freedom to do that: Because Fed officials do not answer to the White House, they have the independence to make decisions — even politically unpopular ones — based solely on inflation and employment. But that won’t stop politicians from turning the Fed into a talking point. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain why. Election booster Independence is important to the Fed. Back in the 1970s, it seemed to bend to pressure from the Nixon White House as it kept interest rates too low for too long. That mistake helped to drive runaway inflation, and it has haunted central bankers ever since. Today, Fed officials believe they should ignore the political cycle and focus on the economic fundamentals. Those fundamentals suggest it’s now time to cut interest rates. Outside economists agree; some even think that officials have waited too long. But lowering borrowing costs this close to an election inevitably injects the Fed into the campaign. That’s because rate cuts tend to help the party in power. Lower interest rates boost the economy by making it cheaper for people to borrow money to buy a house or start a business. And while the full benefits take time, cutting borrowing costs can shift America’s economic vibe quickly. Cutting rates sends a clear signal: America is beating inflation. Given how much Americans hate inflation — in polls, they say it is a top concern this November — that’s welcome news for the U.S. consumer. Already, mortgage rates are coming down, and expectations for lower rates have helped to lift stocks. All of that explains why voters and the politicians who court them prefer low rates. Many presidents — including Harry Truman, Nixon, Lyndon Johnson and Trump — pushed for lower rates. And some incumbents, including George H.W. Bush, blamed high interest rates for costing them re-election. Nonpartisan, but not perfect Fed officials realize that rates affect politics, but they face a dilemma. If they cut rates as expected, Republicans can accuse them of helping Democrats. But if they hold off until after the election, Democrats can accuse them of the reverse. Officials think that their best option is to pay no attention to the political calendar. “I can’t say it enough: We just don’t go down that road,” Jerome Powell, the Fed chair, said earlier this year. But setting policy based on data doesn’t guarantee that the Fed will make the right policy choices. After all, guiding the economy is more of an art than a science. How much should the Fed adjust rates to protect the economy? It is not always clear, and officials simply make their best guesses. This time, the Fed could make one of two big mistakes. It could cut interest rates too abruptly, which would speed up the economy and keep inflation high. Given that risk, some economists think that officials will cut interest rates by a cautious quarter-point today. That’s like taking a foot off the brake, but just a little. The other risk is lowering rates too slowly and tanking the job market. Already, some economists point to a slowdown in hiring and a pickup in the unemployment rate as signs that the Fed might be falling behind. A larger-than-usual half-point rate cut this afternoon could cushion the job market against further slowdown. It’s difficult to know today which path will look best in hindsight. But whatever the Fed chooses, one thing is certain: Politicians will be watching. Related: See what rate cuts mean for everyday finances — car loans, credit cards, mortgages, savings and student loans. A MESSAGE FROM MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM A Healthcare System Driven by Innovation At Mass General Brigham in Boston, scientists and clinicians collaborate to provide patients with highly personalized care for all forms of cancer and other diseases. By creating multidisciplinary clinical teams specializing in early detection and treatments including cellular and immunotherapies, doctors at Mass General Brigham bring their research directly from the bench to the bedside. LEARN MORE THE LATEST NEWS Pager Attack In Beirut, Lebanon. Wael Hamzeh/EPA, via Shutterstock Hundreds of pagers belonging to members of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, exploded at the same time across Lebanon and in Syria. See a video. The blasts killed 11 people and injured more than 2,700, Lebanese officials said. Israel appeared to be behind the attack: Its operatives hid explosive material in a shipment of pagers before they arrived in Lebanon, American and other officials said, with a switch to detonate them remotely. The pagers received a message at 3:30 p.m. that appeared to be from Hezbollah’s leadership, officials said. Instead, it was a trigger — the pagers beeped for several seconds, then exploded. At least eight of those killed were Hezbollah fighters, the group said. Lebanese officials said an 8-year-old girl was killed, and Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon was injured. Many victims had injuries to their faces, particularly the eyes. Video from a hospital in Beirut showed patients with mangled hands and burn injuries. The exploding pagers carried a Taiwanese brand name. But that company, Gold Apollo, said another firm in Hungary made the model involved. Hezbollah began to rely on pagers last year, out of fear that Israel had penetrated its cellphone network. Harris Interview Kamala Harris with members of the National Association of Black Journalists. Kenny Holston/The New York Times In an interview with Black journalists, Harris condemned Trump’s false claim that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating pets, calling such rhetoric hateful and “a crying shame.” Harris dodged when asked if she supported Roe v. Wade’s restrictions on abortion after the second trimester, saying only that she supported restoring “the protections” of Roe. Asked about Black men who support Trump, Harris said she was “working to earn the vote — not assuming I’m going to have it because I am Black.” More on the 2024 Election At a town hall with supporters, Trump suggested his tariffs would bring “so many auto plants” to Michigan. At one point he confused Bagram Air Base, in Afghanistan, with the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Trump suggested he would restore a state and local tax break that largely benefits residents of blue states — despite signing a law in 2017 that limited it. Former governors — seven Republicans, 12 Democrats — urged sitting governors to certify the results after the 2024 vote, calling doing so “not open for debate.” Trump’s allies have argued that local officials can choose not to certify results. Groups backing Harris have reserved $332 million in ads for the campaign’s final weeks, compared with $194 million from groups backing Trump. An Ohio woman regrets sharing a rumor that a Haitian neighbor might have taken another neighbor’s cat. Right-wing campaigners spread her Facebook post. Trump Gunman Trump gave his Secret Service detail short notice that he would be golfing on Sunday, leading agents to forgo a scan of the perimeter. The acting Secret Service director told Trump that agents need to strengthen security at his courses if he wants to keep playing there. Several people who encountered Ryan Routh, the suspected gunman, in pro-Ukraine groups warned the U.S. about his erratic behavior, The Wall Street Journal reported. Harris condemned the apparent assassination attempt, and said she had called Trump to “see if he was OK.” Trump described it as “a very nice call.” Florida will conduct its own investigation, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, suggesting that he didn’t trust the Justice Department. More on Politics Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, with other Senate Democrats. Tom Brenner for The New York Times Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have created a national right to I.V.F. access. Democrats planned the vote to highlight Republican opposition to reproductive rights. Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat who used I.V.F. to have children after combat injuries left her with fertility problems, proposed the legislation. International In the Brasília National Forest this month. Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters Large parts of Brazil are on fire: In August, wildfires burned an area the size of Costa Rica. Roughly a million Ukrainians and Russians have been killed or wounded in the war between the two countries, The Journal reports. In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s party lost a parliamentary seat in Montreal that it had held for decades. Many Canadians viewed the special election as a referendum on Trudeau. Years after a coup, the military in Myanmar has killed thousands of civilians, according to the U.N. Business Instagram will add stricter settings for teenagers. Users under 18 will be made private by default, and the app will not send them notifications at night. Read a guide to the rules. The Biden administration pushed its decision on whether to let a Japanese company buy U.S. Steel until after the 2024 election. (We recommend this episode of “The Daily” on the subject.) Other Big Stories Extreme heat and the wildfires it stokes are taking a physical toll on firefighters. They’re exposed to heat stroke and exhaustion — and the possibility of health risks in the long term. Adults under 50 have been developing breast and colorectal cancers at higher rates in recent decades. Alcohol may be a factor, a report suggests. Opinions A survey of Gen Z shows that many young people have deep regrets about social media, Jonathan Haidt and Will Johnson write. Senator Tina Smith and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduce their new bill, which aims to build millions of affordable homes across America. On “The Opinions” podcast, Paul Krugman shares his advice for the Fed: Cut rates sharply. Here are columns by Thomas Friedman on foreign policy and the election and Michelle Goldberg on the deadly effects of abortion bans. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS In Selfoss, in the south of Iceland. Sigga Ella for The New York Times Following a thread: For a new way to see Iceland, bring your knitting needles. Health: Many pills, including one from Kourtney Kardashian, claim to work just like Ozempic. Experts say there’s little evidence that they do. Pregnancy brain: As hormones surge, some brain areas shrink. Scientists say it may be a fine-tuning that helps mothers bond with and care for their babies. Lives Lived: Cathy Merrick fought for Indigenous rights in Canada. Her recent advocacy work included speaking on behalf of Indigenous victims’ families in a series of murders by a white man. Merrick died at 63. SPORTS College football: Tennessee is adding a 10 percent “talent fee” to its season ticket prices next year to cover revenue-sharing costs, a first among major programs. M.L.B.: Shohei Ohtani hit a 48th home run, putting him two homers and two steals from the league’s first 50-50 season. N.F.L.: The Miami Dolphins placed their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after he was diagnosed with his third concussion in three years. He’ll sit out at least four games. A MESSAGE FROM MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM A Healthcare System Driven by Innovation At Mass General Brigham in Boston, scientists and clinicians collaborate to provide patients with highly personalized care for all forms of cancer and other diseases. By creating multidisciplinary clinical teams specializing in early detection and treatments including cellular and immunotherapies, doctors at Mass General Brigham bring their research directly from the bench to the bedside. LEARN MORE ARTS AND IDEAS Noah Verrier’s Uncrustables sandwich. Noah Verrier Noah Verrier, a 44-year-old artist from Tallahassee, Fla., has created a niche for himself on social media: moody oil paintings of junk food. Verrier has rendered greasy cheesesteaks, a Taco Bell meal, extra-large sodas and dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets. The endeavor has been lucrative. This past week one of his paintings — of a Smucker’s Uncrustables sandwich — sold for just under $5,000. More on culture Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail after pleading not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. “Will you people stop trying to assassinate Donald Trump? Not only is it morally wrong, but you’re also just giving him more things to brag about,” Ronny Chieng said on “The Daily Show.” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Toss cauliflower florets in spices for this vegetarian take on shawarma. Conceal under-eye circles more effectively. Clean your mirrors and windows better. Play an easy-to-learn board game. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were backboard, backdoor and corkboard. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 20, 2024 Author Members Posted September 20, 2024 September 19, 2024 By German Lopez Good morning. We’re covering the presidential candidates’ immigration policies — plus, walkie-talkie attacks in Lebanon, an interest-rate cut and MAGA fashion. Migrants line up to be transported to a Border Patrol processing center in Arizona. Rebecca Noble for The New York Times THE STAKES Two paths on immigration Nine years after Donald Trump’s rise in American politics, the stakes on immigration may seem clear enough. Trump wants a harsh crackdown on illegal immigration, with a border wall and mass deportations. Kamala Harris wants an approach that balances border security with human rights considerations. That broad framing gets many things right, but it also masks some nuance and overlap between the two candidates. Consider: Trump says he wants to increase at least some forms of legal immigration. And Harris supports a bill that would help build the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Those are not the positions voters typically hear from either candidate. The Morning is running a series in which we explain how the government would work differently under Harris or Trump. In this installment, I focus on immigration. Their records Trump: Since he entered politics in 2015, no issue has animated Trump like immigration. When he was in the White House, he built parts of the wall. He enacted a travel ban focused on Muslim countries. He separated families who crossed the border, in an attempt to deter future migrants. He worked with Mexico to stop people from entering the U.S. He closed the border to nonessential travel during the Covid pandemic. But he has also fought immigration restrictions for his own political benefit. Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of senators proposed a bill that would have limited asylum — a major source of undocumented immigration — and hired more border guards, among other changes. Trump called on Republican lawmakers to oppose the bill because he worried it would prevent him from running on immigration if President Biden fixed the problem. Harris: Vice President Harris comes from an administration with a shifting record on immigration. At first, Biden relaxed rules. He undid many of Trump’s policies and spoke warmly about migrants. The number of illegal border crossings soared. When it became clear the surge was hurting Democrats in the polls, the administration started to crack down. After the border security bill failed to pass Congress, Biden signed an executive order in June that has largely blocked asylum seekers. Illegal entries plummeted. Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection | Only encounters between ports of entry are shown. | By Ashley Wu Biden also put Harris in charge of helping address the root causes of illegal immigration. This position was not really “border czar,” as Harris’s critics claim. She worked with Latin American countries to boost their economies and bring down crime, making it less likely that people would want to come to the United States. Harris has changed her position on some immigration issues. She no longer supports decriminalizing illegal border crossings, as she did in her 2020 presidential campaign. That move reflects her tougher shift on immigration overall. Their plans Trump: If he wins, Trump has promised a tougher crackdown on immigration than he carried out in his first term. Besides finishing the wall, he has said he will mount the “largest deportation effort in American history.” He said last week that his crackdown will begin in Springfield, Ohio, and Aurora, Colo., which have recently been at the center of false and hyperbolic claims about immigration. He would push the military and law enforcement to deport millions of undocumented immigrants across the country. But he has not answered questions about the specifics: Would law enforcement go door to door? How would officials identify migrants? Would there be protections to ensure that legal immigrants and citizens aren’t deported, as happened in a previous mass deportation campaign in the 1950s? Trump has taken a few immigration-friendly positions, such as promising a green card to college graduates who are not citizens. He made similar remarks in 2016 and, while in office, actually reduced legal immigration. But many economists worry that mass deportations would shrink the work force, hurting the economy. Trump could address those concerns with a plan to bring more workers to the U.S. legally. Harris: Harris has cast herself as tough on the border, embracing the bipartisan bill that Trump helped defeat this year. That measure would fund the wall, give the president new powers to restrict border crossings and modestly expand legal immigration. For Harris, this is a balancing act. Democrats have battled Trump’s agenda and taken a friendlier stance on immigration. But polls show that Americans see the border as out of control, and many now support the wall and mass deportations. Harris is trying to get her party to face that political reality. That still involves some immigration-friendly positions. Harris, for example, supports a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. But Democrats would likely need to control the House and the Senate to make it happen. If Republicans control any part of Congress, Harris could end up with only the more restrictive parts of her agenda. Different visions What would all these policies add up to? Trump would likely leave the country with far fewer immigrants, with big effects across American life and the economy. Harris would enact more modest changes, taking steps to stop illegal immigration without mass deportations. That situation likely wouldn’t be too different from the one today, now that border crossings have fallen under Biden. For more Trump, at a rally in New York, said he would visit Springfield and Aurora, two towns he has mentioned in false claims about immigration. Harris criticized Trump’s mass deportation plan at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus event, promising to change what she called a “broken” immigration system. Biden denounced Trump’s comments about immigrants “poisoning the blood” of the country, The Hill reports. “We’re a nation of immigrants and that’s why we’re so damn strong,” he said. Long before he accused Haitian immigrants of eating pets, Trump said Haitians “all have AIDS” and spoke derisively about the country. The Stakes A Morning newsletter series on how the government might work under Trump or Harris. Presidential power Taxes THE LATEST NEWS U.S. Economy The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by half a percentage point, a sharp cut that suggests central bank officials are confident that inflation is fading. This was the Fed’s first rate cut since early 2020. Officials expect to make another of the same size this year, to hold down unemployment. The cut is the latest good economic news for the Biden administration. Harris welcomed it but said she remained focused on lowering prices. Trump said it showed that either the economy was bad or the Fed was “playing politics.” Lebanon Radio Attack In Beirut, Lebanon. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times Walkie-talkies exploded across Lebanon, in another apparent coordinated attack on Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group. The blasts killed at least 20 people and injured 450. There were fewer explosions than in the Israeli attack on Tuesday that detonated hundreds of pagers. But the walkie-talkies were larger and could have held more explosives, a Times analysis found. Israel manufactured the pagers, lacing their batteries with explosives, as part of an elaborate plan, defense and intelligence officials say. Read about Israel’s modern-day Trojan horse. A Times reporter was covering a funeral after the pager attacks when a blast went off nearby. People panicked and ran as loudspeakers ordered them to remove the batteries from their phones. Israeli officials have not directly addressed the explosions, but the prime minister and defense minister said that the military was shifting its focus from Gaza to Lebanon. “They killed our child Fatima!”: Mourners gathered for the funeral of 9-year-old Fatima Abdullah, who had heard her father’s pager beep in the kitchen and was carrying it to him when it exploded, a relative said. 2024 Election New Times polls showed mixed results, with Harris and Trump tied nationally but Harris ahead in Pennsylvania, an important swing state, Nate Cohn explains. The Teamsters union won’t endorse a presidential candidate. It released survey results saying most of its members preferred Trump, which Trump called an honor. The day before a gunman shot Trump from a rooftop in July, the Secret Service discussed the building as a security risk — but failed to secure it, a Times investigation found. JD Vance said that Democrats who label Trump a fascist were inciting violence. Trump has repeatedly called Harris a fascist. Trump’s threats to prosecute “corrupt” election officials have alarmed the local and state workers who run elections. More than 100 Republican former national security officials and former members of Congress endorsed Harris, calling Trump unfit. Climate A controlled burn in the San Bernardino National Forest. Philip Cheung for The New York Times Residents of California’s mountain towns want to stay. But insurers say fires make their homes too risky. Texas, the biggest oil-producing state, has kept up with energy demand by embracing solar power. America’s emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas, are still growing, despite promises to cut back, research shows. Other Big Stories The House rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s funding bill after 14 Republicans defected. Without more funding, the government will shut down at the end of the month. The Justice Department sued the owner and operator of the ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Owners of G.M.’s electric vehicles will be able to use Tesla’s chargers, the largest network in the U.S., starting today. A federal judge ordered Sean “Diddy” Combs to remain in jail until his trial for sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, rejecting a request for bail. The authorities searching for a highway gunman in Kentucky found a body they believe to be their suspect, ending a 12-day manhunt. Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty to new charges in New York that accuse him of sexually assaulting a woman in 2006. Opinions The W.N.B.A. rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese play very different roles on the court. Pitting them against each other is a disservice to both, Esau McCaulley writes. Here’s a column by Nicholas Kristof on the crisis in Sudan. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Lena Ruseva modeled a dress of her own design. Johnny Milano for The New York Times MAGA fashion: A conservative-themed fashion show featured ball gowns, sequined jackets and, of course, hats. See the looks. NASA: The mission — a $5 billion probe headed for a moon of Jupiter — looked doomed. See how engineers saved it. Rainforest: A tiny lizard inflates a natural scuba tank — an air bubble on its head. See a photo. Lives Lived: Time magazine ruined Dusko Doder’s journalism career when it falsely reported that the K.G.B. had recruited him. Doder sued for libel and won, and Time apologized. He died at 87. SPORTS N.B.A.: Adrian Wojnarowski, a popular league insider, suddenly retired from ESPN. Our media critic reports he’s walking away from $20 million. M.L.B.: The Milwaukee Brewers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot. Late last night, the New York Yankees joined them. W.N.B.A.: The league chose Portland as home for its 15th team. It’s another indicator of the sport’s explosive growth. ARTS AND IDEAS The New York Times Armor companies are marketing products designed for the military to parents and schools. Their bulletproof backpacks and hoodies often have kid-friendly aesthetics such as whimsical colors and patterns. Some people see them as unsettling but necessary; others find them infuriating. One company makes a morbid promise: “If you get shot (God forbid) with our hoodies on, we’ll send you a replacement hoodie FREE of charge,” it says. “Just include the police report or news clip.” More on culture Steve Burns, the former star of the beloved children’s show “Blues Clues,” has a new audience: adults on TikTok. “According to a new poll, young people are nervous about the 2024 election. Oh, my God, am I young?” Stephen Colbert joked on his late night show. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Armando Rafael for The New York Times Transform a basic corn muffin with blueberries. Fight inflammation with these foods. Use a cheaper, better sponge. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was matchup. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —German Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 22, 2024 Author Members Posted September 22, 2024 September 20, 2024 SUPPORTED BY Good morning. Today, my colleague Lisa Miller explains the surge in breast-reduction surgeries. We’re also covering the North Carolina governor’s race, Hezbollah and food prices. —David Leonhardt Cheyenne Lin, 26, had constant back pain before her surgery. Maggie Shannon for The New York Times Cosmetic change By Lisa Miller Lisa Miller tells stories about how people care for themselves for the Well section. Fashion is cyclical, and so are fashionable body types. Katharine Hepburn gave way to Marilyn Monroe, who gave way to Twiggy. Madonna was overtaken by Kate Moss. Then Kardashian voluptuousness blew up heroin chic. But when Stella Bugbee, the editor of the Times’s Styles section, pointed me to data showing a 64 percent surge in elective breast-reduction surgeries since 2019, we both knew this was more than a fad. I wanted to find out what was happening. Breast reductions have risen in every age group, but especially among patients under 30. Why would more than 70,000 women each year submit to anesthesia, a painful recovery and possible changes to nipple sensation? Why would they risk their ability to breastfeed? It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why fashions change. The reason can be a simple rejection of what came before. But sometimes fashion reflects massive political and cultural shifts. Punk manifested the populist fury of anti-Thatcher Britain. Vintage and thrift styles reflect Gen Z’s environmentalism. Women’s suffrage, the sexual revolution, the entry of women into the professional work force, #MeToo — all these history-making moments have changed not just how women think of themselves but their outward presentation as well. I wrote a story about the new preference for small-breastedness, which The Times published today. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain. Lifting a burden Plastic surgeons say their breast-reduction patients are propelled by social media and word of mouth. They’ve consumed breast-reduction content online, in graphic and intimate detail, and now these young women regard the procedure as a liberation, attainable for a four- or five-figure fee. (Getting insurance to cover any elective breast reduction is a struggle.) “I am more than my baby-making and -feeding parts,” is how they put it to Kelly Killeen, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. The patients talked about the psychic and physical toll of growing up with bigger breasts: constant male attention, disapproval and shaming from parents and teachers who push girls to cover themselves up. Cheyenne Lin, 26, told me about standing in line during recess in elementary school when a teacher reached down and pulled her shirt collar, which had slipped down her shoulder, up to her neck. “I thought I was doing something wrong, but it was just — I had boobs,” she said. They lamented being unable to comfortably run track, figure skate, snowboard, hike or dance at their own parties. They bind their breasts with double sports bras. They can’t shop in regular retail stores. They’re mortified by having to wear special bras and bathing suits with thick support straps. Before her reduction, Lin’s breasts were asymmetrical. Starting in her sophomore year of college, she had such constant, searing back pain that she felt trapped in the body of a 70-year-old. When I met her in Los Angeles the week after her surgery, she spoke about her former breasts in derogatory terms, having turned the negative attention of the world on herself. They were “kind of flat and saggy,” she said. She began to hate them so much that she averted her eyes when she toweled off after the shower. ‘Men need to change’ Still, I wondered. We have been living through a revolutionary era of body acceptance. I sent my own daughter to a sleepaway camp where the rule was “no body talk”: Girls were not to comment on other girls’ physical appearance, for any reason. In my friend groups, we are scrupulously careful not to pass down a previous generation’s damaging obsession with thinness and dieting, and we tell our daughters how beautiful they are, whatever their shape. So the idea that breast reduction is a liberation puzzled me. Isn’t it just another tool that helps women conform to a body type that is endorsed by the wider culture and is amplified by influencers on TikTok wearing bikinis on yachts? Isn’t it an expensive way to be able to wear tube tops and smock dresses in a flattering way? Maybe reductions are mirror image of breast augmentation, still one of the top plastic surgery procedures in the country, at about 300,000 per year. The answer, or a partial answer, came in a series of conversations with the sociologist Sarah Thornton, who in May published “Tits Up,” a social history of the breast. As desirable as it may be, it is actually impossible to exist as a woman in the world without absorbing all the thoughts and feelings everyone else has about her body, she reminded me. And breasts, especially bigger breasts, draw a disproportionate amount of attention. Starting at puberty, girls with larger breasts are both oversexualized and critiqued for being droopy, saggy, flabby — and other adjectives associated with aging. “We all want to live in a world where we’re not bothered by our appearance, but that’s not the reality we’re living in right now,” Thornton said. “If women are going to have an emancipated rack, then men need to change.” A MESSAGE FROM AT&T iPhone 16 Pro with AT&T Learn how to get the new iPhone 16 Pro on AT&T and the latest iPhone every year with AT&T Next Up Anytime℠. Learn More THE LATEST NEWS North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times In posts on an online porn forum more than a decade ago, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson of North Carolina, the Republican nominee for governor, described himself as a “black NAZI” and defended slavery, CNN reported. Robinson, who denied the posts were his, has a history of offensive remarks. He has quoted Adolf Hitler and suggested a lack of Christian teachings is to blame for school shootings. Some aides to Donald Trump had hoped Robinson would withdraw, fearing his scandals will make it harder for Trump to win the swing state. Robinson vowed to stay in the race. Democratic Campaign Kamala Harris and Oprah Winfrey. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Oprah Winfrey hosted a livestream forum for Kamala Harris. Guests included a teenager who was shot at school and the family of a woman who died as a consequence of Georgia’s abortion ban. Harris outspent Trump by 20 to 1 on Facebook and Instagram the week of their debate, a sign of their uneven online advertising battle. Dane County in suburban Madison, Wis., is the fastest-growing county in the swing state. Democrats see promise: The people moving there tend to vote for them. Republican Campaign Trump said “the Jewish people would have a lot to do” with it if he loses the election, describing Jews who vote for Democrats as “voting for the enemy.” Trump’s allies are pushing Nebraska’s Republican-dominated legislature to change how the state awards electoral votes for president, making it easier for Trump to win them all. Trump’s pledge to visit Springfield, Ohio, where he has falsely accused Haitian immigrants of eating pets, has alarmed residents. JD Vance said he would keep referring to Haitians in the city, most of whom are in the U.S. legally, as illegal aliens. Mike DeWine, Ohio’s Republican governor, who was born in Springfield, criticized Trump and Vance’s comments. “This rhetoric hurts the city and its people,” he wrote in Times Opinion. U.S. Economy President Biden called the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut “a new phase of our economy and our recovery,” but said he was not declaring victory on the high cost of living. Stocks reached new highs after the Fed’s rate cut fueled financial optimism. Mortgage rates continued to drop, which could reinvigorate the housing market. Should you refinance your mortgage after the interest rate cut? Here’s how to decide. More on Politics Trump with his Secret Service detail. Doug Mills/The New York Times Lawmakers are discussing increasing the Secret Service’s budget after two assassination attempts against Trump. Some Republicans are resisting. A 76-year-old convicted drug dealer from Alaska was arrested after threatening to kill Supreme Court justices. Gun ownership among Democrats is rising. Researchers partly attribute the shift to a volatile political climate, The Wall Street Journal reports. New York Magazine placed its Washington correspondent on leave after she disclosed a personal relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Middle East In Beirut, Lebanon. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times The leader of Hezbollah said that the group would retaliate against Israel for the exploding electronics attacks that killed 37 people in Lebanon this week. Hours after his speech, Israel carried out dozens of airstrikes against Hezbollah. The pager attacks were proof of Israel’s technological and spycraft might. Their strategic goal was less clear. The attacks turned ordinary devices into miniature grenades — an unsettling development for a world where everything is connected to the internet, David Sanger writes. Other Big Stories The sheriff of a rural Kentucky county walked into a courthouse and fatally shot a district judge after an argument, the police said. Multiple women accused Mohamed al-Fayed, the billionaire former owner of the British department store Harrods, of rape and sexual assault. Fayed died last year at 94. Nike announced the sudden retirement of its chief executive as the company struggles with declining sales and a falling stock price. Opinions After leaving Fox News, Tucker Carlson has become even more effective at uniting anti-establishment, MAGA Republicans, Jason Zengerle writes. As weight-loss drugs explode in popularity, the medical community needs to develop a definition of obesity that emphasizes health risks, not just body size, Julia Belluz writes. Here are columns by Michelle Goldberg on Elon Musk’s destruction of Twitter and Pamela Paul on the medical establishment. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Allie Sullberg ‘True prices’: Damage to the environment isn’t factored into the price of food. Researchers want to expose this hidden cost by displaying it — in dollars — to consumers. Wheel hustlers: These New Yorkers are making thousands of dollars by moving Citi Bikes around the block. Legumes: Experts weigh in on the health benefits of bean and chickpea pastas — and how to make it taste good. Reconstruction: Prehistoric Earth was very hot. That offers clues about the planet’s future. State of the unions: The Times covered their wedding in 2018. Through miscarriage and a high-risk pregnancy, their relationship has remained strong. Lives Lived: JD Souther was part of a coterie of musicians around Los Angeles who circled a peaceful, country-inflected rock sound in the late 1960s. Souther played a central role in the rise of the Eagles, writing or co-writing some of their best-known songs. He died at 78. SPORTS M.L.B.: Shohei Ohtani became the first player in league history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season. N.F.L.: Aaron Rodgers and the Jets defeated the Patriots, 24-3, showcasing how good New York can be with Rodgers healthy. W.N.B.A.: The Atlanta Dream clinched the final spot in the postseason after defeating the New York Liberty. See the bracket here. A MESSAGE FROM AT&T iPhone 16 Pro with AT&T Learn how to get the new iPhone 16 Pro on AT&T and the latest iPhone every year with AT&T Next Up Anytime℠. Learn More ARTS AND IDEAS Jad Sleiman, an owner of the Bushwick Comedy Club. Jeenah Moon for The New York Times Many comedy clubs book stand-ups based on networking and follower counts. And while live comedy has recovered well from the pandemic, the gulf in influence between celebrity comics and gifted young unknowns has grown, the Times comedy columnist Jason Zinoman writes. A new venue — the Bushwick Comedy Club — is trying to challenge the establishment. “Simply put, we’re going to actually watch submission tapes,” one of the owners told Jason. More on culture David Lauterstein, a founder of the sex-meets-street brand Nasty Pig, has reimagined fetish-inspired apparel for 30 years. His new memoir is a colorful portrait of gay New York in the 90s. The Frick Collection selected Axel Rüger, the chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, as its next leader. Seth Meyers discussed the false claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield. “By the way, if your cat goes missing, why would your first guess be someone ate it?” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Armando Rafael for The New York Times Make a cold-weather friendly Caesar salad. Visit London’s most distinctive shops. Add these lamps to your bedside table. Expedite cooking with a food processor. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were eligibility, illegibility and legibility. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 22, 2024 Author Members Posted September 22, 2024 September 21, 2024 By Melissa Kirsch Good morning. It’s still summer today, but fall arrives tomorrow. Take a minute to pause on the threshold. María Jesús Contreras Shoulder season I received the “They’re back!” text from my friend Greg in Oxford, Miss., on Monday evening. “They” were the Halloween inflatables festooning his neighbor’s lawn, as depicted in an accompanying photo: a jack-o’-lantern with a ghost flailing from each eye, Skeleton Medusa, two spiders the size of Volkswagen Beetles. Greg knows I’m appalled at the ever-earlier arrival of spooky-season décor. Mid-September, still summer by the astronomical calendar. I went to the website of “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” for some sanity. No comfort there: “Thanksgiving Weather Forecast 2024 — With U.S. Travel Map!” the headline chirped, gleefully premature. “Who decides on the seasons,” I searched, just to be a brat. I know what’s happening: Tomorrow morning, at 8:44 a.m., the sun, heading southward, will cross the celestial equator. No matter what post-Labor Day stalwarts on Cape Cod told my colleague Steven Kurutz about September’s being a summer month, if you’re currently residing in the Northern Hemisphere, the argument’s over: Tomorrow’s fall. I’m relieved, at this point, to stop the charade; enough with this yearning. It was 82 degrees in New York City last weekend, but it wasn’t really hot. It was a noncommittal hot, bright but withholding. When the sun went behind a building, it felt like an abandonment. I picture the months of September through December as a long slide. You’re at the top at Labor Day, maybe holding on to the railing, afraid to let go of August. By the time you get to the equinox, the descent is fully underway. You’re picking up momentum: Oct. 1, Halloween, Election Day, changing the clocks; buckle in, here come the holidays. You land at the end of December, with a flying leap into the new year (if you’re blessed), or with a thud, in a puddle (if you’re me), or you just land on your feet (a good goal for all of us). “Don’t talk to me of solemn days / In autumn’s time of splendor,” Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote, denouncing those who would portray fall as a time of sadness and decay. I’m persuadable. Last weekend, as the sky turned pink and the sun set on an outdoor concert in Queens, I closed my eyes and tried to feel the chill enter the air, to detect the exact moment it went from short-sleeves weather to sweater weather. The threshold between one season and another, between one moment and the next, between one way of being and the next one: There’s power there. If you can identify the demarcation and pause in it, you can turn your head one way and see where you’ve been, turn the other and see where you’re going. We’re doing so many things and moving so quickly that these moments usually slip by unacknowledged. We don’t realize we were in portal until we’ve already passed through it. For more New England isn’t the only place where you can see fall foliage. Lindsey Zoladz’s most anticipated albums of fall. Fall fiction, nonfiction, movies and TV. I’m collecting poems that sing of the glories of this time of year. An excerpt from “Leaves” by Lloyd Schwartz: You’ll be driving along depressed when suddenly a cloud will move and the sun will muscle through and ignite the hills. It may not last. Probably won’t last. But for a moment the whole world comes to. Wakes up. Proves it lives. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Music Getty Images The music mogul Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, and he has been ordered to remain in jail until his trial. Read a timeline of his career and the accusations against him. Sophie, a pioneering hyperpop producer, died in 2021. The album she left behind, finished by her brother and studio manager, will be released next week. The New York Philharmonic still faces troubles as its fall season opens: It’s in the middle of labor talks, still lacks a president and chief executive and is undergoing an inquiry into sexual misconduct. Film and TV The cast and crew of the show “Shogun” accepted the Emmy Award for outstanding drama series last weekend. Caroline Brehman/EPA, via Shutterstock An audience of nearly seven million watched this year’s Emmy Awards ceremony, an increase for the first time in three years. Jodie Foster was among the first-time acting winners. See a list. “Wolfs,” in which George Clooney and Brad Pitt play underground fixers, is one of 11 movies our critics are talking about this week. In “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore, an aging starlet uses an experimental drug to create a younger version of herself. If you enjoy it, here’s some other body horror to check out. Contestants in “Beast Games,” a reality competition show hosted by the YouTube star MrBeast, have sued him over what they describe as dangerous filming conditions. “The West Wing” debuted 25 years ago. Aaron Sorkin, its creator, spoke to The New York Times about the current political moment. Cast members visited the real White House yesterday. Other Big Stories The gaming platform Roblox is ubiquitous among tweens. A fashion game called Dress to Impress has adults paying attention. Nelson DeMille, a prolific writer of thrillers featuring terrorist hijackings, Mafia kingpins, military malfeasance and more, died at 81. THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Election Kamala Harris in Georgia yesterday. Audra Melton for The New York Times Kamala Harris, campaigning in Atlanta, blamed Donald Trump for abortion bans across the U.S. and spoke about two women who died as a consequence of Georgia’s strict abortion law. “Trump is the architect of this crisis,” she said. The pro-Trump majority on Georgia’s State Election Board ordered counties to hand-count ballots cast on Election Day, likely delaying results. The rule could face legal challenges. Secret Service agents failed to communicate clearly with local law enforcement before and during the July rally where a gunman shot Trump, an internal review found. Other Big Stories An Israeli airstrike on Lebanon killed a top Hezbollah commander. Lebanese officials said the bombing leveled two apartment buildings and killed at least 14 people. Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon this week — exploding pagers on Tuesday, an airstrike yesterday — mark a significant escalation of the war on its northern border, Patrick Kingsley writes. A security company formerly owned by a New York City deputy mayor got millions of dollars in city business after he began working at City Hall. The F.D.A. authorized an at-home nasal-spray flu vaccine, the first time it has approved a self-administered alternative to flu shots. AstraZeneca plans to make it available next fall. The Federal Trade Commission took legal action against the three largest pharmacy benefit managers, accusing them of inflating insulin prices to boost their profits. Canada is debating whether to exhume possible graves at former schools for Indigenous children. Right-wing activists increasingly question the graves’ existence. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. CULTURE CALENDAR By Alexis Soloski 🎬 The Wild Robot (Friday): A robot washes ashore on a lightly forested island in this technological and ecological fantasy from DreamWorks Animation. Children’s films are too rare these days; memorable ones are scarcer still. But this one promises well. Written and directed by Chris Sanders (“Lilo & Stitch”), it is an adaptation of Peter Brown’s stern and lyrical middle-grade novel, a meditation on community, found families and adapting to new environments. It stars the voices of Lupita Nyong’o as the title automaton and Kit Connor as the gosling she adopts. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Bryan Gardner for The New York Times By Mia Leimkuhler Gochugaru Salmon With Crispy Rice Hello! Mia Leimkuhler here, the newsletter editor for NYT Cooking. My suggestion for this weekend is a simple one: Make Eric Kim’s gochugaru salmon with crispy rice. This fast, easy and (most crucially) very delicious dish was a featured recipe in our new newsletter, Dinner Tonight. “This was one of the best meals we’ve made in a long time,” wrote Felicia, a reader. For more like it, sign up for Dinner Tonight, which arrives in your inbox every afternoon with an answer to that eternal question: What’s for dinner? REAL ESTATE Dana and Tom Callahan with their 10-week-old son in Manhattan. Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times The Hunt: With their first child on the way, a couple combed the co-ops of Upper Manhattan for more space. Which home did they choose? Play our game. What you get for $600,000: A 1910 Arts and Crafts-style home in Louisville, Ky.; a 1938 bungalow in Marfa, Texas; or a circa-1900 Colonial Revival house in Farmington, Conn. Taxi TV: New York City’s real estate agents are taking over a smaller screen. Rent or buy? These families had a tough decision to make. LIVING The living room of the artist collective Espace Aygo. Philippe Braquenier A creative playground: How a collective of artists turned a crumbling Brussels building into a D.I.Y. wonderland. ‘Modern Love’ podcast: Gillian Anderson reads an essay about a woman who becomes unintentionally celibate after a painful breakup, and she discusses a time when she felt similarly. Meet-cutes: Readers share their stories of serendipitous meetings this summer. Paris: The novelist Joyce Maynard spent a week on a riverboat on the Seine within full view of the Eiffel Tower. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER How to pick the right bedside lamp Yes, aesthetics play a crucial role in selecting a bedside lamp. But after months of testing, Wirecutter experts identified a few other necessities: A stable base is a must, as is a dimmable source of light and a shade that efficiently diffuses it. With all that in mind, we landed on nine great lamps that fit a variety of style preferences — including a cheap and reliable lamp we love and a paper lantern with heft. — Joshua Lyon GAMES OF THE WEEK Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images W.N.B.A. playoffs: It was a breakout year for the W.N.B.A — average viewership for games on ESPN nearly tripled compared with last season. Now, it’s time for the playoffs. A’ja Wilson, who broke W.N.B.A. records for both scoring and rebounds this season, will try to lead the Las Vegas Aces to a third straight title. The New York Liberty are the top seed and have a shot to win their first-ever championship. And Caitlin Clark, who set a league record for assists (and broke all sorts of rookie records), has the Indiana Fever in the postseason for the first time in almost a decade. All four first-round series begin Sunday: New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream 1 p.m. on ESPN Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever 3 p.m. on ABC Minnesota Lynx vs. Phoenix Mercury 5 p.m. on ESPN Las Vegas Aces vs. Seattle Storm 10 p.m. on ESPN NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was friction. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa P.S. The Morning’s most clicked story this week was about the court testimony of a man in France accused of drugging and raping his wife and inviting dozens of men to do the same. “She didn’t deserve this,” he said in front of his ex-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, who chose to make the trial public. Read more about it. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 22, 2024 Author Members Posted September 22, 2024 September 22, 2024 Good morning. Today, The New York Times Magazine published one of the most ambitious stories in its long history — an account of a Russian military officer’s desertion and escape. Sarah Topol spent over a year and a half investigating the Russian military and reporting in eight countries across four continents. In the story, the officer — identified by a pseudonym, Ivan — feigns a serious back injury to escape the front in Ukraine and eventually defect. He uses a cane to make that story convincing. Now, he must retrieve his passport, which is locked with other officers’ passports in the H.R. office of his base in Russia. Each passport has a paper slip in it, logging various personal details. He buys a fake version of the passport online: good enough to fool the military, but not to fool anyone at the borders he needs to cross. So Ivan devises a plan to get his hands on the real one — and swap it with the fake. Here’s how he does it. Elinor Carucci for The New York Times The deserter By Sarah A. Topol I’m a contributing writer for The Times Magazine. Ivan knew the office from years of worthless paperwork and reports. The H.R. manager sat at a desk on the right side of the room. Next to him was a six-foot-high metal safe with three drawers. They were unlocked with a key. The passports were kept in folders inside the drawers. To complicate matters, Ivan could use only one arm — the other would be holding the cane as part of his act. So he had to walk in, with his cane in his left hand, take the passport out of his pocket and somehow swap it for the fake. He would also need to remove the paper slip from the original and place it into the duplicate before returning it. How could he do all that with just one hand? The H.R. manager’s desk faced the room. Ivan would have to find a way to reach into his pocket while holding both the cane and the passport. No, that wouldn’t work. He would need to find a way to sit down, put down his cane so he could have two free hands and then reach into his pocket — but that motion could be seen from the side or the back. Ivan thought maybe he could hide the passport up his sleeve. At home, he put on his uniform and practiced — the passport was bulky, bigger than his wrist. Someone could notice. Ivan sat down at his kitchen table to think. He attended meetings with a Moleskine-type notebook; maybe he could take the notebook, as if he were coming from some mindless meeting. He carried it in his right hand. What if I take it, open it and slip the passport inside? When he tried it, he realized that the notebook bulged a bit — you could see something smaller sandwiched inside the larger book easily. Just imagine if it slipped out and there were two identical passports on the ground? He sat down again to think. What if I cut a hole in the notebook and put it in there? Ivan took out a knife and carved a hole in the center of the notebook’s pages. He left blank pages at the back, so if anyone asked him to write something down, it would still be usable. He practiced how he would do it. He would walk into the office; to his right, the H.R. manager would be seated facing the room. “Privyet! Can I have my passport please? I need to write something down for my wife,” Ivan rehearsed. The guy would turn, open the safe and hand Ivan the passport. Ivan would take the passport with his right hand — the same one holding the notebook — and walk over to a table he knew was on the other side of the room. He would sit down and lean his cane against the table. Keeping his original passport in his right hand, he would open the notebook with his left, his fingers flipping the cover to reveal the duplicate passport in the hole. Ivan would pull out the duplicate with his left hand and insert the original passport with his right. When he was done, Ivan would close the notebook from the back and pick it up tightly by the binding in one hand with the duplicate passport on top. He would return it to the duty officer the same way he had taken it and walk out, leaning on his cane. He spent a night and a day at home practicing the movements. He timed it, until he could do it fast, almost with his eyes closed. He wanted it to be quick, muscle memory, so if he were nervous, he wouldn’t stumble or shake. The trick wasn’t just in the double-handed swap, but in moving the pages and cover backward and forward with his fingers simultaneously, like a difficult piano piece. Once he mastered the movements, Ivan spent a week casing the H.R. office, determining when it was the least busy. He learned that the usual senior human-resources officer had left for the front — and that in his place was a green young lieutenant whom Ivan outranked. Perfect, Ivan thought. Find out what happens next by reading the whole story. You can also listen to the audio version (read by the actor Liev Schreiber). Read this week’s Magazine here. THE LATEST NEWS Middle East In Haifa, Israel. Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Hezbollah launched missiles into Israel in retaliation for a wave of Israeli attacks a day earlier. The barrage went deeper than most of the group’s previous attacks. “I am hoping that it was all just a bad dream”: Attacks in Lebanon this past week have pushed doctors in the country’s ailing health care systemto the limit. One Israeli strike killed a Hezbollah commander accused of involvement in the 1983 Beirut bombings that killed hundreds of Americans. His death resurfaced pain for the victims’ loved ones. Israel struck a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, which it said Hamas was using as a command center. Palestinian health authorities said the attack killed 22 people. Israeli troops raided Al Jazeera’s main office in the West Bank, the network said. Journalists were ordered to leave and told that the office would be shut. More International News In Tirana, Albania. Hilary Swift for The New York Times Albania plans to create a Vatican-style sovereign state for members of the Bektashi, a moderate Muslim order, as a way to promote religious tolerance. In Japan, flooding and landslides after heavy rain killed at least one person, with seven others missing. More rain is expected through Monday. Emmanuel Macron appointed a new, more right-wing cabinet. France has been at a political impasse since inconclusive parliamentary elections in July. A Marxist candidate, riding a wave of anger at the established order, led the early counting in Sri Lanka’s presidential election. In Afghanistan, the Taliban are restricting what men wear, as well as imposing severe rules on women, The Washington Post reports. 2024 Election Donald Trump Roger Kisby for The New York Times Donald Trump has threatened to target political enemies if re-elected. Last time around, he often got the investigations he demanded. Roughly three million voters in seven battleground states are undecided. Polls show they’re pessimistic about the country. As a prosecutor, Kamala Harris cracked down on violent offenders and showed leniency on less serious crime. Harris has been attacked for not having biological children. The campaign has exposed a fault line in American culture over motherhood, Katie Rogers writes. Other Big Stories Drug overdose deaths are falling across the U.S. Researchers and officials aren’t sure why. Law enforcement officials in New York City are strategizing how to stem the growth of a notorious Venezuelan gang. An American soldier who fled to North Korea last year pleaded guilty to desertion and was sentenced to time served. He has also been dishonorably discharged. Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, made his debut as a starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. Read a recap. THE SUNDAY DEBATE How much will the interest rate cuts affect the economy? Significantly. Lowered interest rates will improve the job market and continue to lower inflation and mortgage rates. “The soft landing that we all hoped for — where inflation falls back to 2 percent without triggering a recession — is on the horizon,” Jason Furman writes for U.S. News and World Report. Minimally. Though these cuts are a step in the right direction, small businesses and home buyers are unlikely to see much of a difference. “The Fed would need to reduce its federal funds rate by at least a full percentage point to help accomplish this. So we’ve got a long ways to go,” Gene Marks writes for The Hill. FROM OPINION Padma Lakshmi says Kamala Harris’s qualities as a cook — patience, attention to detail, and the impulse to bring people together — would make her a great president. Conservative college students face discrimination on campus, but they shouldn’t allow that to alter their beliefs or give them a victim mentality, Robert George writes. Here are columns from Nicholas Kristof on rape in Sudan’s civil war and David French on Mark Robinson’s scandals. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Diner classics. Colin Clark for The New York Times Old school: Across New York City, millennial chefs are saving decades-old diners, gently tweaking menus and interiors. Car parts and a dream: A teacher from Alberta, Canada, spent nearly 2,000 hours building a hovercraft without a blueprint. Routine: How the “Suits” actress Gina Torres spends her Sundays. Vows: A Hollywood actress finds a farm, and her leading man, in the Midwest. Lives Lived: Robert Lansdorp was a tennis coach whose focus on developing ground strokes through ceaseless repetition helped turn four of his students — Tracy Austin, Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova — into world No. 1s. He died at 85. BOOK OF THE WEEK By Elisabeth Egan “Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI,” by Yuval Noah Harari. No need to be intimidated by this 492-page doorstop; it’s easy to dip in and out of, and its analog heft makes for a satisfying counterweight to the algorithmic vapor it tries to contain. Welcome to Artificial Intelligence 101, taught by the historian behind the mega-best-seller “Sapiens.” Here, Harari takes a long, hard, philosophical look at the way decision making, idea-creating technology can and will reshape the future — including jobs, governments, health care and relationships. Do we want our universe to be overtaken by a Strega Nona-style supercomputer hellbent on producing paper clips? Probably not. But Harari also offers thoughtful ideas for how to rethink technology without going full Luddite, and he asks a poignant question that, for now (I think/hope?!), can only be addressed by humans: “Why are we so good at accumulating more information and power, but far less successful at acquiring wisdom?” Read our review of the book here. More on books If you prefer your artificial intelligence blended with fiction, start with these novels. Katherine Rundell, author of “Impossible Creatures,” finds it “bad manners to offer a child a story and give them just a moral.” THE INTERVIEW Sally Rooney Philip Montgomery for The New York Times By David Marchese This week’s subject for The Interview is the best-selling novelist Sally Rooney. Her new book, “Intermezzo,” will be published on Sept. 24. There are stylistic aspects to “Intermezzo” that make it different from your past books. But it’s not that different. Do you ever wonder if your books are too similar, and about how your writing might change in the future? That’s a really good question. I would have to answer it by saying I don’t care about my career. I think about, How do I make this book the perfect version of what it can be? I never think about it in relation to my other work, and I never think about what people will say about how close or distant it is from my oeuvre. I don’t feel myself thinking about my growth as an artist, if you will. You’re not being a little disingenuous? I’m skeptical. It’s fair to be skeptical. There is a huge cultural fixation with novelty and growth. Get bigger, sell more and be different. I don’t find that very interesting. This question relates to a recurring theme in your work: how one might live a meaningful life in a time of historical crisis. How do you think about the value of your work in that regard? That’s a really good question and a difficult question and one that I constantly return to in my own life and work. I feel convinced that our present world system is not fit for purpose. That’s a crisis that is extremely pressing, and I’m aware that I’ve spent three years of my life working on a novel that does not really directly contribute anything to the struggle against these forces. I absolutely question why I’ve done that. A lot of this would be more easy to justify if I could say, “Thankfully, all my novels are works of genius.” But what I will say is they’re completely sincere. I genuinely put my heart and soul into them. Read more of the interview here. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Relax at an adults-only hotel. Ace an online job interview. Outsource vacuuming to a (self-emptying) robot. Choose the best running shoes. MEAL PLAN Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd. New York Times Cooking, in celebration of its 10th birthday, released a list of 50 of its greatest hits for inclusion in your recipe box. (You can find them here.) In this week’s Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter, Emily Weinstein offers five extra five-star recipes to add to your list including kimchi fried rice, garlicky chicken with lemon-anchovy sauce and hot honey shrimp. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was jawbone. Can you put eight historical events — including the Berlin Airlift, the founding of Venice, and the creation of “Happy Birthday to You” — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 24, 2024 Author Members Posted September 24, 2024 September 23, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We’re covering the threats faced by the U.S. — plus, Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the 2024 election and “The West Wing” at 25. In the South China Sea. Aaron Favila/Associated Press ‘The threats we face’ The first sentence of the report — released over the summer by a bipartisan, congressionally appointed commission — was blunt: “The threats the United States faces are the most serious and most challenging the nation has encountered since 1945 and include the potential for near-term major war.” The nation, the report continued, “is not prepared today.” The threats begin with China, which has grown more belligerent in Asia. In Europe, Russia started the first major war in almost 80 years. In the Middle East, Iran finances a network of extremist groups. Increasingly, these countries work together, too, sometimes with North Korea. The report described them as “an axis of growing malign partnerships.” I want to devote today’s newsletter to the findings from the group (officially known as the Commission on the National Defense Strategy) because I found them jarring — and because I suspect many readers haven’t yet heard them. “In a healthy political climate,” Walter Russell Mead, a foreign affairs expert at the Hudson Institute, wrote in The Wall Street Journal, the report would be “the central topic in national conversation.” An anti-democracy alliance This anti-American alliance presents a threat because its members are not satisfied with the status quo. That’s why Russia invaded Ukraine and Iran’s proxies have been so aggressive in Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. It’s why China has rammed Philippine boats in the South China Sea and President Xi Jinping has directed China’s military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. China, Russia and Iran all want more control over their regions than they now have. One of the bipartisan group’s central arguments is that American weakness has contributed to the new instability. “This is not a report encouraging the U.S. to go to war,” Jane Harman, the former Democratic congresswoman from California and the commission’s chair, told me. “It’s a report making sure the U.S. can deter war.” If the U.S. doesn’t do more to deter aggression, living standards in this country could suffer, Harman and her colleagues argued. Iran-backed attacks in the Red Sea have already raised shipping costs, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made energy more expensive. A war in Taiwan could cut off access to the semiconductors that power modern life. Harman told me that she believed the warning signs today were similar to those in the run-up to both Pearl Harbor and 9/11 — serious and underestimated. American weaknesses The report cited several major U.S. weaknesses, including: A failure to remain ahead of China in some aspects of military power. “China is outpacing the United States and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific through two decades of focused military investment,” the report concluded. One reason is the decline in the share of U.S. resources devoted to the military. This Times chart, which may surprise some readers, tells the story: Source: Congressional Budget Office | By The New York Times The report recommended increasing military spending, partly by making changes to Medicare and Social Security (which is sure to upset many liberals) and partly by increasing taxes, including on corporations (which is sure to upset many conservatives). The report also called for more spending on diplomacy and praised the Biden administration for strengthening alliances in Europe and Asia. A Pentagon bureaucracy that’s too deferential to military suppliers.The report criticized consolidation among defense contractors, which has raised costs and hampered innovation. The future increasingly lies with drones and A.I., not the decades-old equipment that the Pentagon now uses. A U.S. manufacturing sector that isn’t strong enough to produce what the military needs. A lack of production capacity has already hurt the country’s efforts to aid Ukraine, as The Times has documented. “Putin’s invasion has demonstrated how weak our industrial base is,” David Grannis, the commission’s executive director, said. If the Pentagon and the innovative U.S. technology sector collaborated more, they could address this problem, Grannis added. A polarized political atmosphere that undermines national unity. A lack of patriotism is one reason that the military has failed to meet its recent recruitment goals. Perhaps more worrisome, many Americans are angry at one another rather than paying attention to external threats. The bottom line A single commission won’t have all the answers to the hard strategic issues facing the country. How much money should the U.S. spend on the military, given other priorities and the large federal debt? How much waste can be cut from the Pentagon budget? Which foreign conflicts are vital to the national interest — and which are a distraction? All these questions are vexing. But Americans do face a more dangerous world than many realize. The unexpected global turmoil of the past decade makes that clear. For more: I recommend this Times interactive, which has videos, photos and maps that document the Chinese coast guard’s aggression toward Philippine ships. THE LATEST NEWS Middle East In Tyre, southern Lebanon. Aziz Taher/Reuters Israeli warplanes attacked hundreds of targets in Lebanon this morning as part of an aerial offensive. The Israeli military warned Lebanese civilians to evacuate villages where Hezbollah — the Iran-backed group that controls parts of Lebanon — was storing weapons. A Hezbollah official said that the group had entered a new stage of open warfare against Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would take “whatever action is necessary” to diminish the threat from Hezbollah. The escalating violence across the Israel-Lebanon border is causing international concern. “We’re going to do everything we can to keep a wider war from breaking out,” President Biden said. 2024 Election Donald Trump has gained a five-point lead over Kamala Harris in Arizona and is ahead in tight races in Georgia and North Carolina, according to polls from The Times and Siena College. It’s a good set of numbers for Trump, but not necessarily an exceptional one: Harris’s easiest path to victory lies in the Northern battleground states, Nate Cohn writes. A majority of likely voters in Arizona plan to support an amendment to the state’s Constitution that codifies the right to abortion, Times and Siena College polling found. More on Politics Congressional leaders unveiled an agreement to fund the governmentthrough December after Speaker Mike Johnson dropped demands for a longer-term deal that included proof-of-citizenship voting requirements. House Republicans argued in a report that China exploited ties with American universities, using federal funding to advance technologies with military applications. International In Mae Sot, Thailand. Lauren DeCicca for The New York Times For women who fled war in Myanmar and settled in Thailand, soccer has become a refuge. Global leaders will meet at the U.N. this week for their annual gathering. There, Biden will face pressure to loosen restrictions on Ukraine’s use of weapons inside Russia. A methane explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran killed dozens of people. The death toll is expected to rise. The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo released more than 700 inmates from the country’s largest prison to ease overcrowding after a deadly stampede. Six people died after rainfall caused flooding and landslides in a coastal region of Japan. Other Big Stories In Waco, Texas. Meridith Kohut for The New York Times For the first time in modern American history, young men are more religious than young women. At a church in Waco, Texas, the divide is evident in the pews. Fake GPS signals used by militaries to repel drones and missile are spreading beyond conflict zones and confusing commercial aircraft, The Wall Street Journal reports. Gunmen opened fire in a popular entertainment district in Birmingham, Ala., killing four people. The authorities are still looking for the shooters. Opinions Israel’s pager attacks emphasize that all of us are in danger from cyberattacks, especially because of the international supply chains for computer equipment, Bruce Schneier writes. Gail Collins and Bret Stephens discuss Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina, and gun control. Here are columns by Frank Bruni on Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for governor in North Carolina, and Ezra Klein on Trump’s deep state. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS At the Fête de l’Humanité south of Paris. Dmitry Kostyukov for The New York Times Fête de l’Humanité: This French fair is a blend of Burning Man and a political convention, attracting the masses with bands, lectures and food. Climate: Our appetite for meat is hurting the planet. Enter lab-grown flesh. Ask Vanessa: “Is it time to rename the pussy-bow blouse?” Metropolitan Diary: His hair was rather wild. Lives Lived: Mercury Morris gave the rushing attack of the Miami Dolphins speed and dexterity in the early 1970s, helping to power the team to two Super Bowls and the N.F.L.’s only perfect season. He died at 77. SPORTS Malik Nabers N.F.L. on X N.F.L.: The New York Giants rookie Malik Nabers led his team to a 21-15 win over the Cleveland Browns. Elsewhere, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Atlanta Falcons thanks to a generous no-call. M.L.B.: The Chicago White Sox lost their 120th game of the season, tying the record for the worst season in modern baseball history. W.N.B.A.: It was Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas, not Caitlin Clark, who snatched the spotlight in the first round of the playoffs with a triple-double in a win over Clark’s Indiana Fever. ARTS AND IDEAS “The West Wing” debuted in September 1999. Kevin Foley/NBCU Photo Bank Aaron Sorkin’s “The West Wing” turned 25 yesterday. The Times’s chief TV critic, James Poniewozik, despite being an early skeptic, watched every episode of the show’s seven seasons. The show was funny, James writes in a Critic’s Notebook, and knew how to pluck at viewers’ heartstrings. But its political wish-fulfillment has aged poorly. “Just as ‘24’ oversimplified the war on terror,” James writes, “‘The West Wing’ propagated a Vaseline-lensed image of politics.” More on culture A soccer shirt warehouse. Vintage soccer jerseys have become a streetwear staple — and a target for major investors. Their real appeal is in the memories they conjure. Activists are hopeful that the arrest of Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, will lead to changes in the music industry, which has largely avoided the #MeToo accountability that swept Hollywood and politics. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Con Poulos for The New York Times Make this adaptable white bean soup either brothy or stewlike. Avoid the “cynicism trap.” Choose a new mattress. Here’s how. Exercise with a jump rope. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were dialyze and dialyzed. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 24, 2024 Author Members Posted September 24, 2024 September 24, 2024 By German Lopez Good morning. We’re covering Israel’s strikes in Lebanon — plus, Mayor Eric Adams, the Chinese economy and a banana aficionado. In southern Lebanon. Mahmoud Zayyat/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Hezbollah front Israel is now at war on its western and northern borders as a tense stalemate with Hezbollah, a militant group in Lebanon, has escalated into open conflict. The current clash goes back a year. Hezbollah started firing missiles into Israel in solidarity with Hamas the day after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel. A year of back-and-forth bombings between Hezbollah and Israel followed. Yesterday, Israel struck more than 1,300 sites across Lebanon. More than 490 people died in the attacks. Since Israel sent troops into Gaza to fight Hamas, analysts and officials have warned that the war could spiral into a regional conflict. Hamas is part of a network of anti-Israel groups backed by Iran that spans the Middle East. That network includes Hezbollah. The airstrikes over the past few days, in retaliation for Hezbollah’s own attacks, move Israel closer to an all-out war in the region against Iranian proxies. Today’s newsletter will explain what led to the strikes, what’s happening now and what might come next. Year of escalation A rocket-damaged house in Lebanon in March. Amir Levy/Getty Images Hezbollah is a large paramilitary group that says it wants to destroy Israel and curb U.S. influence in the Middle East. The group, founded during Israel’s war in Lebanon in the 1980s, is also a powerful force in Lebanese politics and essentially runs part of Lebanon. It has spent much of its four-decade history attacking Israel, Israel’s allies and other targets around the world, including a Jewish cultural center in Argentina in 1994. Hezbollah first gained international notoriety in 1983, when it blew up the American embassy in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, and later American and French barracks there. Since the Oct. 7 attack, the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated: Hezbollah’s missiles have displaced tens of thousands of civilians in northern Israel. The group says it will continue its barrage until Israel agrees to a cease-fire in Gaza. Israel has retaliated with its own attacks. Last week, it blew up pagers and other electronic devices belonging to Hezbollah members. Those attacks killed at least dozens and wounded thousands more. Israel says Hezbollah is storing long-range rockets in people’s homes. This past weekend, Israel warned people in Lebanon to evacuate areas with those caches. Some human rights groups criticized the warnings as inadequate, arguing that Lebanese civilians can’t reasonably know if they live close to hidden military targets. Israel then bombed targets in Lebanon, including Beirut, to take out more of Hezbollah’s leaders and their weapons. Israel’s goal is to decimate Hezbollah, forcing it to back down and stop its rocket salvos. That would allow thousands of Israeli civilians to return home. Hezbollah has responded with more rockets, at times firing deeper into Israel than usual. Expecting such counterattacks, Israeli officials have restricted gatherings in their country’s north. Schools and businesses in the area remained closed yesterday. The cycle is familiar. Israel and Hezbollah each claim that its attacks are meant to get the other to back down from a war. Instead, the strikes lead to further escalation. What’s next Rescue workers in Beirut, Lebanon. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times Israel and Hezbollah have not fought an all-out war since 2006, when Israel invaded Lebanon. More than 1,000 Lebanese and 150 Israelis died. Israel claimed that it won that war, but it did not appear to have much long-term effect on Hezbollah’s operations. How would Israel fare in a full war against Hezbollah today? It has already hurt Hezbollah’s leadership with the recent airstrikes and pager attacks. But Israel is also fighting in Gaza and the West Bank, where the military has supported Israeli settlers. For a ground war in Lebanon, Israel may have to call up tens of thousands of reservists, many of whom are already exhausted from fighting elsewhere. “On the one hand, it is one of the best-equipped militaries in the world,” my colleague Patrick Kingsley, the Jerusalem bureau chief, told me. “On the other, it is stretched thin.” Yet Israeli leaders might have the public’s support. Recent polling suggests that a small majority of Israelis back a broader war against Hezbollah. “The displacement of so many Israelis from northern Israel is considered a kind of loss of sovereignty,” Patrick told me. And since Hezbollah does not appear willing to back down from its attacks in support of Hamas, the chances of further escalation remain high. More on the Middle East Hezbollah said it had targeted military-industrial sites in northern Israel this morning and fired a barrage of rockets at the Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona. Yesterday was the deadliest day of Israeli attacks in Lebanon since 2006. One Israeli strike in Beirut targeted Ali Karaki, Hezbollah’s top commander in southern Lebanon. He survived, the group said. Israel hacked into Lebanon’s phone system and sent text messages to residents warning them to evacuate. “Death is very close”: As Israel and Hezbollah intensify their conflict, people in Beirut fear an all-out war. The largest hospital in northern Israel shifted its entire operation to its underground parking lot after Hezbollah rocket fire nearby. In Gaza, Israel struck a school-turned-shelter that it said Hamas had used as a command center. President Biden long held onto hope for a peace deal in the Middle East. With four months left in office, he is beginning to acknowledge that he’s running out of time, David Sanger writes. THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Election Mike McDonnell, a Nebraska state senator. Nati Harnik/Associated Press A key Republican state senator rejected changing how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes. Donald Trump had pushed for the change, which would have helped him. In an interview with The New Yorker, Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Trump and JD Vance’s proposals to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said Zelensky wanted Kamala Harris to win. Trump appears to be benefiting from ticket-splitters in Arizona, a Times and Siena College poll found. Trump has a five-point lead there, even as a Democrat leads by six points in the state’s Senate race. Harris and Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox host who is engaged to Donald Trump Jr., clashed decades ago when they were both California prosecutors. Read the back story. Attempted Trump Assassination Prosecutors said Ryan Routh, the man accused of trying to kill Trump at his golf course, staked out the site for a month and wrote a confession note. Routh’s note included: “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster.” New York Mayor Eric Adams Karsten Moran for The New York Times Federal prosecutors investigating whether Mayor Eric Adams conspired with Turkey to receive illegal foreign donations have also sought information about interactions with five other countries. Representative Anthony D’Esposito, a New York Republican, gave jobs to a woman he was having an affair with and to his fiancée’s daughter, a possible violation of House ethics rules. The New York Police Department has resisted punishing officers who wrongly stop and frisk people, a review found. Chinese Economy In Luang Prabang, Laos. Lauren Decicca/Getty Images Leaders in Beijing are striking deals with China’s neighbors to build rail and sea links, seeking to become Asia’s trade hub. The Chinese central bank cut interest rates and mortgage down payments in an effort to kick-start a stagnant economy. The Biden administration plans to ban Chinese software from American cars, aiming to prevent China from monitoring Americans’ movements. A prominent Chinese economist has been detained after accusations that he criticized Xi Jinping in private messages, The Wall Street Journal reports. Business California sued Exxon Mobil, accusing it of overhyping recycling to sell more plastic. Wall Street’s chief A.I. skeptic: The head of stock research at Goldman Sachs tells investors that the technology costs too much and makes too many mistakes. The Justice Department is preparing to sue Visa, accusing it of illegally penalizing customers who try to use rivals. Businesses are accelerating imports as dockworkers on the East and Gulf Coasts threaten to strike. Analysts estimate that a walkout could cost the economy $5 billion a day. Other Big Stories Murders in the U.S. fell nearly 12 percent last year. It was the biggest drop since national record keeping began in 1960. Tropical Storm John hit western Mexico as a Category 3 hurricane, then weakened. Heavy rains there could cause flash flooding and mudslides. Missouri’s governor and state Supreme Court rejected a bid for clemencyfor Marcellus Williams, who is scheduled to be executed tonight. He was found guilty of murder in 2003 and has long fought his conviction. Opinions No matter what metric you use, extreme poverty around the world has fallen steadily, Max Roser writes. Americans already know Trump. How people view Harris will decide the election, Kristen Soltis Anderson argues. Here are columns by Michelle Goldberg on the Electoral College and Paul Krugman on Trump’s missing health care plan. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Jackson Gibbs Pivot: Some news outlets, spurned by social media, are seeking readers on WhatsApp. A delicate balance: On Greece’s tourism-dependent islands, residents compete with visitors for a dwindling water supply. Keeping the doctor away: Apples are packed with health benefits. Here’s what the experts say. Lives Lived: The bebop saxophonist Benny Golson was both an accomplished musician and a sought-after composer, writing standards including “I Remember Clifford” and “Killer Joe.” He died at 95. SPORTS Rebecca Lobo Dave Sanders for The New York Times W.N.B.A.: Rebecca Lobo was one of the league’s first stars. Now she’s calling games as a younger generation takes it to new heights. N.F.L.: Jayden Daniels bested Joe Burrow in a duel of Heisman-winning quarterbacks, leading the Washington Commanders to a stunning 38-33 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Read a recap. College football: The former U.S.C. running back Reggie Bush filed a lawsuitagainst the school, the Pac-12 and the N.C.A.A. for “profiting from uncompensated use” of his name, image and likeness. ARTS AND IDEAS Dwarf Hawaiian variegated bananas on Maui. Ron Dahlquist/Design Pics Inc., via Alamy “My default mode of being alive is ‘What is that banana?’” Gabriel Sachter-Smith told The Times. Sachter-Smith, 35, has identified some 500 varieties on expeditions around the world. His travels have introduced him to bananas that are egg-shaped and orange, a foot long and pale yellow, and sausage-stubby and green. More on culture Keith Lee has made a lucrative career of traveling around the U.S. to review casual restaurants on social media — sometimes offending cities in the process. Trump made several promises to women over the weekend. “I’m not sure if he’s running for president or marketing a new brand of tampon,” Stephen Colbert joked. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Try a playful take on steak au poivre that uses chicken thighs. Travel with noise-canceling headphones. Buy a tasty margarita mix. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were habitual and halibut. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —German Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 26, 2024 Author Members Posted September 26, 2024 September 25, 2024 Good morning. Today, my colleague Steve Lohr explains the threats created by our online, connected world. We’re also covering the U.N. General Assembly, Hezbollah and American portion sizes. —David Leonhardt A malfunctioning information screen at an airport in New Delhi. Rajat Gupta/EPA, via Shutterstock A brittle network By Steve Lohr I cover technology and the economy. Two months ago, what should have been a routine software update by a security company, CrowdStrike, crashed millions of computers around the world running Microsoft Windows. Airlines grounded flights. Subways stopped. Operators of 911 lines couldn’t dispatch help. Stores shut down. Hospitals canceled surgeries. The chaos, though it lasted only a few days, was telling. New advances make our lives easier, but there are trade-offs. They can vanish quickly — in an outage, a hack or a pandemic. And as the economy has become more dependent on a smaller number of technology companies, we’ve become more susceptible to hiccups that affect them. American cellphones, for instance, stopped working in Europe for several days in June, stranding many travelers. We’re “highly digitized, highly interdependent, highly connected, and highly vulnerable,” said Jen Easterly, who leads the Homeland Security Department’s agency focused on digital infrastructure. A House hearing yesterday and other government agencies are looking into how an errant sliver of buggy software touched off the CrowdStrike meltdown. This outage was not the work of villainous foreign hackers. Instead, it was simply a reminder of how reliant we are on our tech and the companies that make it. They are corporate paragons of innovation, success and wealth. But every year there are reasons to wonder if they have the incentive or even the capability to be trustworthy stewards of our collective security. Global vulnerability The pandemic taught us a hard-earned lesson: Diversity enhances resilience. Before Covid struck, supply chains were too dependent on China — leading to widespread product shortages when containers full of goods got stuck there. In business technology, Microsoft is a dominant species. Its Windows software controls the basic operations on 1.4 billion machines worldwide — including in hospitals, factories, stores, airports and corporate data centers. The chaos in July unfolded when CrowdStrike’s update accidentally tanked an estimated 8.5 million machines running Windows — a large number but a tiny portion of Microsoft’s global footprint. “That uniformity brings incredible efficiency, but the bad news is that it also results in incredible brittleness,” said Tom Mitchell, a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. In a shop on London’s Oxford Street. Sam Bush for The New York Times The biggest and most valuable companies also carry the most risk to the economy as a whole. They are linked to more users, so if something happens to them, all the people who depend on them suffer. Think of Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet, which is Google’s corporate parent. They are dominant hubs in fields like cloud computing and software, online advertising and e-commerce. If they go down, they can disrupt your daily routines, or your company’s. Containing the risks The ascent of these tech giants is relatively recent. But the danger of concentration in key industries is certainly not. “Systemic risk” is the term used by experts and policymakers. When the 2008 financial crisis struck, governments realized that the systemic risk of big bank failures could imperil whole economies. So regulators rewrote the rules. They identified a group of “systemically important” banks and said that these should be subject to greater scrutiny. They introduced “stress tests” of their resilience to see if they have sufficient funds to withstand market drops, even panics. Similarly, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is developing a list of companies that disproportionately affect national security, economic security and public health and safety. The government is paying closer attention. In 2022, President Biden created the Cyber Safety Review Board, modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates airplane crashes and makes recommendations. This year, it issued a harsh critique of a 2023 intrusion into Microsoft’s cloud messaging service by a hacker group linked to the Chinese government. The hackers had gained access to the email accounts of senior U.S. government officials, and the report blamed a “cascade of security failures at Microsoft.” It recommended more than a dozen fixes, and Microsoft’s president said in June that the company was implementing all of them. Microsoft said the issues identified by the safety panel had no relation to the CrowdStrike outage. The company says it is working to reduce the risk of accidental crashes. One perennial challenge for tech companies is to balance developing new products with protecting the ones they already have. They make most of their money selling new offerings, not fixing old ones. After Delta Air Lines said it had lost $500 million in the CrowdStrike outage — from canceled flights, overtime payments and hotel rooms for stranded passengers — its C.E.O. questioned the priorities of tech giants. Their strategies depend on beating their competitors to the next big thing. “They’re building the future,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief, said, “and they have to make sure they fortify the current,” securing the day-to-day machinery of the digital world. THE LATEST NEWS U.N. General Assembly President Biden at the U.N. Dave Sanders for The New York Times Biden, speaking at the U.N. for his last time as president, expressed optimism that world leaders could address war, disease and A.I. “Things can get better,” he said. Biden also reflected on his decision not to seek re-election. “Some things are more important than staying in power,” he said to applause. “It’s your people that matter the most.” The U.S. will donate $500 million and one million vaccine doses to African countries fighting mpox, Biden said. He called on other countries to act. Volodymyr Zelensky wants Western allies to let Ukraine use the weapons they supplied to strike deep inside Russia. He said, in an address to the Security Council, that “Russia can only be forced into peace.” Kamala Harris Kamala Harris said she supported eliminating the Senate filibuster — the chamber’s 60-vote threshold for most legislation — to pass a law protecting abortion rights nationwide. Two Senate Democrats turned independents, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, criticized that position. Manchin said he wouldn’t endorse Harris. Progressive groups warned that Harris was showing signs of weakness with younger and Black and Latino voters in swing states. Donald Trump A federal grand jury charged the gunman who lurked near Donald Trump’s golf course with attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate. He faces life imprisonment. Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee who recently dismissed the classified documents case against Trump, will oversee the gunman’s case after it was randomly assigned to her, Politico reports. Separately, U.S. intelligence officials briefed Trump about what his campaign called “specific threats from Iran to assassinate him.” Trump wants to enact a low-tax, high-tariff strategy to keep manufacturing in the U.S. Those ideas had limited success during his presidency. More on Politics Speaker Mike Johnson J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press Speaker Mike Johnson plans to bypass House Republican hard-liners by relying on Democratic votes to pass a spending bill today. He has repeatedly done so to avoid shutdowns. A House committee recommended holding Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, in contempt of Congress for failing to testify about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Facebook and Instagram now feature less political content. Mark Zuckerberg, who runs their parent company, has privately expressed cynicism about politics and described himself as a libertarian. Polls show a single-digit Senate race in Texas, where Ted Cruz, the Republican incumbent, leads Representative Colin Allred, a Democratic former N.F.L. linebacker. Middle East After an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon. Hasan Fneich/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Some Israeli officials believe the recent strikes against Hezbollah achieved short-term goals, but fear there’s no clear further strategy to bring calm. The Israeli military said it intercepted a Hezbollah missile fired at Tel Aviv. It appears to be the group’s deepest attack into Israel. Iran’s president says Israel is trying to goad his country into a wider war. The conflict with Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, raises the pressure on Tehran to strike back, Steven Erlanger writes. More International News Russia’s space agency promised to launch satellites over Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso; the countries say the project will help them contain Islamist insurgents. China said it had launched a ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean, a projection of power in Asia. A desert motor race in northern Chile destroyed geoglyphs — vast figures that Indigenous people carved thousands of years ago. Other Big Stories Missouri executed Marcellus Williams, who was convicted of the 1998 killing of a journalist. The local prosecutor whose office convicted him has fought to overturn his sentence. Caroline Ellison, a top executive at the failed crypto firm FTX, received a two-year prison sentence for conspiring to steal billions from customers. A bankruptcy judge ruled that Infowars’ website, social media accounts and other assets can be auctioned to pay the Sandy Hook families that Alex Jones defamed. Opinions Silicon Valley elites support Trump partly to punish the Biden administration for its antitrust policies, Chris Hughes argues. To make good on her promise of an opportunity economy, Harris should focus on communities rather than individuals, Raj Chetty writes. Here’s a column by Bret Stephens on Hezbollah’s threat to the world. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS Partying in Berlin. Gordon Welters for The New York Times Vibe maintenance: To protect an anything-goes atmosphere, clubs in London and New York — inspired by ones in Berlin — are blocking patrons’ phone cameras with stickers. Longevity: Anti-aging enthusiasts are taking a pill typically prescribed to organ transplant patients. Will it extend their lives? Investigation: Some unregulated maternity homes, which offer sanctuary to pregnant women on the brink of homelessness, are limiting residents’ movements and contacts. Lives Lived: As a lawyer for the union that represents baseball players, Dick Moss helped set the stage for the sport’s free agency revolution. He died at 93. SPORTS The Padres’ triple play. Major League Baseball M.L.B.: The San Diego Padres clinched a postseason berth with a game-ending triple play against the Los Angeles Dodgers. W.N.B.A.: The New York Liberty defeated the Atlanta Dream to advance to the semifinals. They will face the Las Vegas Aces, who bested the Seattle Storm. Brett Favre: The former Green Bay Packers quarterback revealed that he has Parkinson’s disease. ARTS AND IDEAS Eva Cremers Restaurant portions swelled in America in the 1980s. The serving size of spaghetti and meatballs doubled; burritos grew heavier than a Tom Clancy hardcover. Now, after decades, it seems our dinners may finally be shrinking, Kim Severson writes. She cites factors including costs, Gen Z’s eating habits and a fight against waste. More on culture Over the past year, Times reporters and editors traveled across the country to put together our list of the 50 best restaurants in America. See it here. A woman has accused Sean Combs in a lawsuit of drugging and raping her in 2001. She said she learned last year that the assault had been recorded. Jimmy Kimmel joked about Biden’s speech to the U.N.: “He warned his fellow leaders to ‘never forget some things are more important than staying in power,’ which got a huge laugh from the Russian delegation.” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Armando Rafael for The New York Times Transform a jar of sun-dried tomatoes into the perfect easy pasta sauce. Treat seasonal affective disorder with a light therapy lamp. Choose the right coffee maker. Take a quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was prodigy. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Correction: In yesterday’s newsletter, the caption with a photo of a damaged home misidentified the location. It was in Metula, Israel, not in Lebanon. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 26, 2024 Author Members Posted September 26, 2024 September 26, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We’re covering a poll of undecided voters — as well as Eric Adams’s indictment, a cease-fire proposal and Moo Deng the hippo. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Kenny Halston and Doug Mills/The New York Times No. 1 concerns How will undecided Americans choose between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump — or decide to vote for neither — in the final six weeks of the campaign? To better understand these voters’ thinking, my colleagues and I added an open-ended question to the most recent Times/Siena College poll in which we asked people to name their biggest concern about each candidate. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain the results. Trump’s temperament We define swing voters as the roughly 18 percent of likely voters who say they haven’t yet made a firm decision. Some describe themselves as undecided, while others say they’re leaning toward one candidate but open to changing their mind. (All the numbers in today’s newsletter come from a poll of three swing states — Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina. But I’ve analyzed a similar question in a nationwide poll conducted by YouGov and The Economist, and the themes were similar.) Swing voters’ biggest concern about Trump, by far, is his temperament. “He’s unwilling to admit that he’s been wrong about anything,” said a white woman under age 30 who has a bachelor’s degree. A middle-aged Hispanic woman without a degree said, “My biggest concern is about the way he handles himself.” Many of the responses were withering. People called him — and I’m using their exact words here — emotional, impulsive, reckless, unstable, unhinged, childish, arrogant, disrespectful, narcissistic, selfish, rude, chaotic and erratic. Overall, 35 percent of swing voters said that his personality was their biggest concern about him: Note: People who did not answer or gave another response are not shown. Source: Times/Siena College poll | By The New York Times As you can see in the chart, we treated honesty as a separate category, and it was the second most common concern about Trump. Some people cited his lies. Others said he was racist or sexist or mostly looked out for the wealthy. Still others doubted his ability to the job, saying he was too old. “He’s not as dynamic,” said a white man over 65 from Arizona. “His ideas and his behavior is strange.” Unhappiness with Trump’s personal behavior was far more common than concerns about his proposed policies. To put it another way, a meaningful slice of Americans dislike Trump as a person while liking some of his record, such as the economy’s performance before Covid and his toughness on immigration and trade. This pattern helps explain why many Republicans believe Trump would have a comfortable lead in the polls if only he would act more normally. Harris’s policies The concerns about Harris are different. Her personality was also the most cited area of concern, but by a much smaller share of voters than mentioned Trump’s personality. And the worries about her were often vaguer. “I don’t think she’s got it all together,” said an older white man in Arizona. Some voters said they didn’t think she seemed serious or intelligent. Others explicitly questioned whether a woman could succeed as president or alluded to stereotypes tied to gender, such as whether she could “hold up under the strain.” It’s hard to know exactly how Harris can address these concerns, especially since the poll was conducted after her forceful debate this month. But many other voters have more concrete questions about Harris’s candidacy. The share who cited specific policy areas was much larger than the share who raised such questions about Trump. Note: People who did not answer or gave another response are not shown. Source: Times/Siena College poll | By The New York Times Some called her too liberal. (Although some swing voters worry that Trump is an authoritarian, few describe his policy views as too conservative.) Two of the biggest areas of concern are the high inflation and surging immigration while she has been vice president. “Economic collapse and open borders,” said a Black woman in Georgia between 45 and 64 with a bachelor’s degree. A small percentage of other voters mentioned an issue other than the economy or immigration, including Harris’s support for Israel and her liberal stance on gender issues. Then there are those voters who say they simply don’t know enough about Harris. “She doesn’t know how she plans to run the country because she doesn’t give straight answers,” said a white woman between 45 and 64. “She has been directly asked questions and deflected,” said a Hispanic woman in the same age group. “She’s politically vague,” said an Asian man under 30. The Harris campaign has seen similar polling results, which helps explain the economic speech that Harris gave in Pittsburgh yesterday. It contained clearer themes than many of her previous remarks on the economy. It was also decidedly moderate, as my colleague Jim Tankersley explained. “Look, I am a capitalist,” Harris said. Until recently, Harris has often chosen to say less rather than more about her agenda. Swing voters remain eager to hear more. William Davis and Ruth Igielnik contributed to today’s newsletter. More on the election In Pittsburgh, Harris promised to invest in innovative industries like A.I. and accused Trump of favoring the wealthy. “For Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers,” she said. In an MSNBC interview, Harris criticized Trump’s economic record and called his proposed tariffs unserious. Read more takeaways. On “The View,” Biden called Trump a loser and said he was at peace with ending his re-election bid. Trump’s advisers are considering whether to change his travel — including flying less on his own plane — after threats to his life. A Senate committee investigating security lapses at the July rally where a gunman shot Trump found communications breakdowns that it blamed on unclear leadership at the Secret Service. THE LATEST NEWS Adams Indictment Eric Adams Karsten Moran for The New York Times Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, was indicted after a federal corruption investigation. Prosecutors are expected to detail the charges today. The F.B.I.’s investigation focused on whether Adams had traded favors for illegal campaign donations from the Turkish government. In addition to the Adams case, at least three more federal investigations hang over City Hall. Here’s a guide. What happens next? New York voters cannot recall the mayor and he is not required to resign, but Gov. Kathy Hochul has the power to remove him. Before the indictment, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had called for Adams to resign, becoming the most prominent Democrat to do so. See a list. More on Politics Congress passed a bill to fund the federal government into December. Biden is expected to sign it, avoiding a shutdown. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for North Carolina governor, reportedly wrote in 2009 that the police “should have shot Al Sharpton,” the civil rights activist. Several members of Robinson’s staff plan to resign next week after previous reports of disturbing comments. The House condemned Biden, Harris and other administration officials over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. All Republicans and 10 Democrats voted for the resolution. Investors from Saudi Arabia and other countries have paid Jared Kushner’s private equity firm at least $112 million since 2021. Representative Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, made racist claims about Haitians in a since-deleted social media post. “Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters,” he wrote. Middle East The chief of Israel’s military told soldiers at the northern border that it was drawing up plans for a possible ground invasion of Lebanon. Benjamin Netanyahu ordered soldiers to keep fighting. The U.S. is working to broker a short-term cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. War in Ukraine Ukrainian soldiers. Nicole Tung for The New York Times Russian forces are fighting for a string of strongholds in eastern Ukraine. Taking any one could reshape the war there. Someone Zoom called a U.S. senator impersonating a top Ukrainian official, seemingly using deepfake technology. Hurricane Helene Hurricane Helene is expected to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast tonight. The storm could intensify to Category 4 or worse. Helene’s winds could stretch across Florida and Georgia, possibly to Atlanta. At least 17 counties along the Florida coast ordered evacuations. Other Big Stories A man with a gun hijacked a bus in Los Angeles, leading the police on a chase through downtown. One person onboard was killed. An American woman in Switzerland became the first to die using a so-called suicide capsule — an airtight pod that fills with nitrogen gas. Authorities have arrested several people who might have helped her. An Alaskan island has enlisted residents and the federal government to catch a rat, fearing an infestation that could wreck its delicate ecosystem. Opinions Trump The New York Times “You can’t trust him.” “He is wholly unfit to be in office.” “He is a coward.” Read the case against Trump, as made by former allies, colleagues and friends. Climate change threatens wheat and rice. Fonio, an African staple that could help the world cope, deserves to be the next quinoa, Marcus Samuelsson writes. Rutgers University’s president resigned because he values critical thinking and today’s campus politics does not, Pamela Paul writes. Here’s a column by Nicholas Kristof on an orphan in Sudan. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS An artist’s rendering of the black hole. E. Wernquist/D. Nelson (IllustrisTNG Collaboration)/M. Oei Space: A black hole is spitting the biggest lightning bolt ever seen — a cosmic jet of energy so long that the Milky Way is a dot in comparison. Low-budget ads: Your local restaurant may be doing sketch comedy on TikTok. New York: Only seven of the city’s 100 poorest schools have a student publication. A local nonprofit wants to change that. Lives Lived: Cat Glover danced onstage with Prince during his “Sign o’ the Times” tour and her choreography added a frenetic flair to his late 1980s ensembles. She died at 62. SPORTS W.N.B.A. playoffs: The Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx secured semifinal spots. The Sun ended Caitlin Clark’s rookie campaign, while Napheesa Collier scored 42 points in what may have been Diana Taurasi’s final game. M.L.B.: Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball is up for auction. Bids open at $500,000. College football: The quarterback Matthew Sluka, who led U.N.L.V. to a 3-0 start, said he would step away over unfulfilled name, image and likeness payments. It’s a first for the sport. ARTS AND IDEAS Moo Deng Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters Defiant, sassy, slippery, chubby: Meet Moo Deng, the internet’s favorite pygmy hippopotamus. Since a zoo in Thailand introduced her this summer, she has popped up in memes posted by sports teams, businesses and the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Her popularity has raised awareness around about her endangered species; there are fewer than 3,000 pygmy hippos in the wild. More on culture In the latest Legend of Zelda game, Echoes of Wisdom, the princess herself becomes a hero. Read our review. On “The Daily Show,” Desi Lydic joked about Trump demanding to see Harris’s “burger certificate” for proof she worked at McDonalds. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Bryan Gardner for The New York Times Braise chicken in a skillet, and add greens and olives. Take a colorful trip this fall. Read a beginner’s guide to the gym weight room. Sharpen your knives. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were admitting, intimidating and mandating. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —David Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 28, 2024 Author Members Posted September 28, 2024 September 27, 2024 Good morning. Today, we’re covering Hurricane Helene — as well as Eric Adams’s indictment, Volodymyr Zelensky on Capitol Hill and a photo booth in New York. —David Leonhardt A capsized boat washes ashore near St. Petersburg, Fla. Joe Raedle/Getty Images A huge hurricane By Patricia Mazzei and John Yoon We have reporters in Florida. One was in the eye of the storm. Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm with winds of 140 miles an hour. It swallowed parts of Florida in a nine-foot storm surge, lashed the region with heavy rain and has cut power for millions of people. It is now in Georgia, where it is weakening to a tropical storm. You can track it here. Helene is the most powerful hurricane ever to strike Florida’s Big Bend region, where the state’s long peninsula curves to meet its Panhandle. The storm is huge, and it is expected to damage much of the southeast. President Biden approved disaster declarations for Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina, in addition to Florida and Georgia. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor, said that one person had died from the storm but that there would likely be others. Brian Kemp, Georgia’s governor, said that a tornado there had killed two people, and one person died in North Carolina. The damage from Helene’s record storm surge will come into view as the sun rises soon. (Follow the latest updates.) Serious damage is expected from the storm surge along Florida’s coast. The National Weather Service office in Tallahassee reported that a surge of up to 10 feet was moving mobile homes around in Steinhatchee, a coastal community near where the storm made landfall. In Cedar Key at midnight, tide levels were at nine feet, more than two feet above the previous record. Biden is encouraging people across the region to shelter from the storm, which he called “catastrophic.” Here’s what we know: Hurricane Helene arriving in Tampa, Fla. Nicole Craine for The New York Times A big reach: Helene is expected to douse people from the southern tip of Florida all the way to North Carolina. Officials predicted landslides across southern Appalachia and warned of damage in parts of South Carolina nearly 400 miles from Florida’s coast. Power outages: More people are losing power, and widespread damage to the grid could cause outages that last days, if not weeks. More than 2.2 million customers were without power in the region early Friday. A majority of them, 1.2 million, were in Florida. More people are losing power in Georgia and South Carolina, too. Scenes from Florida: Along the Gulf Coast, waves slammed bridges and slapped into partially submerged buildings. Falling trees knocked down power lines. The National Weather Service urged people in Tallahassee to “TAKE COVER NOW!” See photos. A storm-related death: A 4-year-old girl was killed in a car crash in Catawba County, N.C., according to officials. She was riding in a car that veered over a roadway’s centerline and crashed into oncoming traffic in the rain. More on the storm The New York Times See maps of the expected flooding and of Helene’s path. People across the Southeast are bracing for the storm’s arrival in the coming hours and days. Read what to expect. We have tips to keep you safe and guidance for how to prep food for an emergency. Florida’s Gulf Coast region has endured two other hurricanes recently, but even veterans left ahead of Helene. “We are smack dab in the middle of the eye of Helene and it is so quiet, you can hear the crickets chirping and frogs croaking,” our reporter, Judson Jones, wrote. THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Elections Donald Trump still leads Kamala Harris on the economy. But her plans — including an 82-page booklet of housing, tax and health care proposals — are shrinking that gap, some polls suggest. A nonpartisan analysis found that Trump’s pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and impose higher tariffs would hurt the economy and spur inflation. Democrats plan to spend millions on this year’s Senate races in Texas and Florida. Both are long shots, but wins there would help Democrats hold their majority. JD Vance’s memoir describes a rough childhood under the care of his drug-addicted mother. These days, she is almost a decade sober and rooting for her son. Eric Adams Indictment Eric Adams Todd Heisler/The New York Times Federal prosecutors charged New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams, with bribery, conspiracy, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. Adams spent years accepting free airline tickets, lavish overseas accommodation and illegal campaign donations from Turkey, prosecutors said. In exchange, they said he pushed officials to approve a new Turkish consulate. The indictment details Adams’s heavy use of Turkish Airlines, which gave him free or discounted tickets. In one exchange, an Adams aide rebuked an airline employee for making the gift tickets too obvious, saying, “His every step is being watched right now.” Adams denied the charges and said he wouldn’t quit. At a press conference, hecklers called him a “disgrace” and chanted for him to resign. Our reporters highlighted the most important, and damning, parts of the indictment. You can read the annotated version here. Late night hosts roasted Adams. More on Politics Migrants on the Mexican side of the border in June. Paul Ratje for The New York Times The Biden administration plans to make it harder to lift its limits on asylum, which have reduced illegal border crossings. President Biden signed executive orders meant to make school-shooter drills less traumatic for students and to reduce the threat of so-called ghost guns. The special counsel investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the election submitted a sealed briefing outlining his findings. The judge must now decide how much of it to make public. Smartmatic, a voting-machine company, settled its defamation suit against Newsmax, a right-wing channel that spread false claims about the 2020 election. War in Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President Biden. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Biden pledged another $8 billion in aid to Ukraine, including bombs for F-16 fighters and another Patriot missile battery. Harris, meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, suggested that Trump’s plans to end the war were “proposals for surrender.” Trump is set to meet Zelensky today. U.S. intelligence is stressing the risk of allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with long-range Western missiles. Officials said it would likely bring retaliation without meaningfully improving Kyiv’s chances of success. Other Big Stories World leaders are urging a pause in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Benjamin Netanyahu will speak soon at the U.N. General Assembly. Finland returned two pandas to China eight years before they were due back, citing high costs and low visitor traffic. U.S. colleges are reporting the racial makeup of their first post-affirmative action classes. But schools calculate the numbers in different ways, The Upshot explains, making the data hard to compare. The F.D.A. approved the first new treatment for schizophrenia in decades. Opinions If Mayor Adams truly wants to serve New York City, he should resign, the editorial board writes. The women who have accused Trump of sexual assault may never be able to draw attention to their stories. They keep trying anyway, Jessica Bennett writes. Here’s a column by Paul Krugman on the crypto industry’s money in politics. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. MORNING READS At Milan Fashion Week. Simbarashe Cha/The New York Times Dressing confidently: Signs of self-assurance were apparent in outfits at Milan Fashion Week, on and off the runways. See the best looks. Test your focus: Can you look at this work of art for 10 minutes? Geoengineering: These Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are trying to cool the planet by releasing pollutants in the sky. Lives Lived: Frank Coppa, the first member of the Bonanno crime family to flip, fed the F.B.I. information about gruesome murders — including two that Coppa helped to set up. He died at 83. SPORTS At the Oakland Coliseum. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images M.L.B.: The Oakland Athletics played the final game of their 57-year tenure in the city. N.F.L.: The Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants on the road, 20-15. N.B.A.: Derrick Rose, the 2011 M.V.P. and 16-year veteran, announced his retirement. ARTS AND IDEAS Say, “Cheese!” Graham Dickie/The New York Times Crowds of people are lining up outside a suitcase shop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to get their turn with an exciting piece of technology: an analog photo booth from the 1970s. The booth, called Old Friend, snaps four photos, which take about three minutes to develop. The throwback has resonated particularly with members of a younger generation. “It’s cool to think that this is how our parents took their photos,” one visitor told The Times. More on culture Hoda Kotb, who has hosted NBC’s “Today” show for the past 17 years, plans to step down next year. The Pulitzer-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri declined an award from the Noguchi Museum in Queens after it banned employees from wearing kaffiyehs to signal solidarity with Palestinians. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Armando Rafael for The New York Times Make a weeknight version of this classic Chinese noodle dish. Read one of the new books our editors love. Find the perfect white T-shirt. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was individual. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 29, 2024 Author Members Posted September 29, 2024 September 28, 2024 SUPPORTED BY AVOCADO By Melissa Kirsch Good morning. If we can’t remember the things we’ve read and watched and even loved, do they still “count”? María Jesús Contreras At capacity Everyone I know seems to be talking about their memory lately, how it isn’t what it used to be. Mine isn’t, and there’s some comfort in commiseration. Yes, we’re getting older, isn’t it something to observe, how we can no longer so easily recall names or events or what it was we were just about to say. My memory used to be so good I’d have to hide it so it didn’t weird people out. I’d pretend not to remember someone’s full name and their kids’ names and how they used to own a coffee shop outside Albany, lest they think I’d freakishly compiled a dossier on them after our brief conversation at a party three years ago. Now, I’m rewatching a TV series I remember liking in 2022 because I can’t remember even the broadest outline of the plot. I constantly jot notes on stuff that used to surface in the normal churn of my brain’s functioning: funny remarks people make, bits of gossip, summaries of conversations. I take minutes on my own life. Sure, age probably has a lot to do with it. For a while, I blamed quarantine and stress for dulling my edge (one friend suggested I might be in my “butter knife era”). But lately the metaphor that seems most apt is that of a computer: It feels as if my hard drive is full. I’m reading and watching and listening to so much content — in addition to living life and having actual experiences, never mind daydreams and nightmares and extended reveries — that it seems I’m running out of disk space. I can’t count on things to auto-save anymore. Since I can’t selectively delete stuff the way I would with an actual hard drive, I’m left creating backups in notebooks, mistrusting my own outmoded technology. I’m particularly interested in how a full hard drive is affecting my consumption of culture. Cultural omnivores keep lists of the books they’ve read and the movies they’ve watched, adding to their knowledge and fluency with each item checked off. As I went through The Times’s recent list of the 100 best books of the century, I was gratified by how many I’d read but wondered if a book still counted if I couldn’t remember much about it. What does it mean for a book, a show, an experience to “count,” anyway? Do you need to be able to recall the plot in detail? Should you be able to describe scenes or bits of dialogue, larger themes, cultural relevance? Or is it enough to just remember enjoying a book, or to be able to conjure a feeling it inspired? I was mulling these questions when I came across this essay by James Collins from 2010. In it, he describes books that he loved about which he remembers nothing: “All I associate with them is an atmosphere and a stray image or two, like memories of trips I took as a child.” Collins suspected, as I do, that the books he can’t remember must have had an effect on his brain anyway, that the experience of reading and engaging with the texts must have changed him in some deeper way, leaving “a kind of mental radiation — that continues to affect me even if I can’t detect it.” I want to believe that my immersion in the fascinating characters and rich plot of “Creation Lake” by Rachel Kushner are performing some kind of alchemy in my brain even if — and it seems unthinkable, halfway through the book — I am likely to forget it all. Maryanne Wolf, a neuroscientist, confirmed for Collins that inability to recall a book’s details shouldn’t be taken as evidence that we didn’t assimilate it in some way. “We can’t retrieve the specifics, but to adapt a phrase of William James’s, there is a wraith of memory,” she told him. “The information you get from a book is stored in networks. We have an extraordinary capacity for storage, and much more is there than you realize. It is in some way working on you even though you aren’t thinking about it.” More computer parallels! After reading Collins’s essay, I did what I always do when someone’s writing resonates with me — I looked him up. I found a charming 2008 article about him and his home in Virginia, learned about a book he wrote, which the Times review called “a great big sunny lemon chiffon pie of a novel,” and reserved it from the library. This, I realized, 15 minutes and six open tabs into my digression, is why my brain’s coffers are bursting. There’s too much information, and I’m absolutely helpless to resist it. I look forward to reading Collins’s novel, and I look forward to remembering absolutely none of it. For more How to prevent memory loss. Certain aspects of memory actually get better as we age, according to a neuroscientist. Some memory lapses are a normal part of brain function. “People believe that memory should be effortless, but their expectations for how much they should remember are totally out of whack with how much they’re capable of remembering.” A memory researcher on how to make precious moments last. A MESSAGE FROM AVOCADO 10% Off Eco Organic Mattress Enjoy naturally cooling sleep on the Eco Organic Mattress. Complete your sleep oasis with 10% off cozy bedding. Sale ends 9/30. Shop Now THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Maggie Smith in “Downton Abbey.” Nick Briggs/PBS, via Associated Press Maggie Smith died at 89. She had an illustrious career, winning Oscars and Tonys, but maintained a relatively quiet life until “Downton Abbey” made her a megastar in her mid-70s. Read her Times obituary. “Megalopolis,” Francis Ford Coppola’s $120 million passion project, is now in theaters. If audiences don’t turn out, it could go down as a hall-of-fame flop. Our critic calls “Megalopolis” a daring, strange hallucination of a movie. “It’s a little nuts, but our movies could use more craziness,” she writes. “The Wild Robot,” a new animated family film, has dazzling visuals and frank ideas about the circle of life. Disney paused production of a movie adaptation of a Neil Gaiman book over allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Gaiman, the noted British author, has denied wrongdoing. Other Big Stories The Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan. Shiho Fukada for The New York Times A new Nintendo Museum in Japan is a shrine to the company’s joy and creativity. Our reporter traveled there to interview Shigeru Miyamoto, the soft-spoken creator of Super Mario. Yard art is a uniquely American form of expression. T Magazine collected some of the most impressive works on lawns around the U.S. Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a compulsive gambler who often wagered, and lost, in Germany’s opulent spa towns. A writer retraced his path to see what remained. It’s gala season in New York. See inside the fund-raising parties, which have drawn Hollywood luminaries and philanthropists including George and Amal Clooney, Sting and Alec Baldwin. The “Bridgerton Ball” in Detroit promised fans of the steamy Netflix series “an evening of sophistication, grace and historical charm.” Instead, attendees said, their $150 tickets got them a buffet dinner and a pole dancer. THE LATEST NEWS 2024 Election Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh, Pa., this week. Erin Schaff/The New York Times Kamala Harris narrowly leads Donald Trump in Michigan and Wisconsin and is ahead in Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, New York Times/Siena College polls find. The polls point to a very close presidential election, Nate Cohn explains, even as Democratic Senate candidates in Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio are ahead. Trump met with Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, who looked on grimly as Trump claimed that Vladimir Putin wanted the war in Ukraine to stop. Harris, visiting the southern border in Arizona, pledged to continue President Biden’s asylum restrictions. Her campaign said she supported tougher limits than he’s put in place. The Justice Department accused three members of an Iranian cyberespionage unit of hacking the Trump campaign. Other Big Stories Israel said it killed the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike in Lebanon. Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the claim. Helene weakened to a post-tropical cyclone but wreaked destruction from South Florida to Appalachia, leaving millions of people without power and more than 40 dead. Eric Adams, New York’s mayor, pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges in a Manhattan courtroom. Federal and state agents also seized his chief adviser’s phone. Readers of The Morning: Don’t miss out on a full year of savings. From in-depth coverage of Decision 2024 to unlimited news and analysis, Games, Cooking, The Athletic and more, subscribe now for only $1 a week for your first year. CULTURE CALENDAR By Andrew LaVallee 📺 “Saturday Night Live” (you know when): The 50th season starts tonight. Making their “S.N.L.” debuts are the host, Jean Smart, fresh off her Emmy win for “Hacks”; the musical guest, Jelly Roll; and three new featured players. Maybe we’ll see Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris? 🏦 “Industry” (Sunday): Count me among those who slept on this bracing, stressful HBO drama during its first two seasons, but over the summer it seemed like everyone was watching it, so I binged until I was caught up, and it’s not too late for you to do the same. The Season 3 finale on Sunday picks up after an epic fight between two of the lead characters and the Lehman-like implosion of the bank that once employed them. (Watch with captions on so you don’t miss a single Sagar Radia zinger.) A MESSAGE FROM AVOCADO 10% Off Eco Organic Mattress Enjoy naturally cooling sleep on the Eco Organic Mattress. Complete your sleep oasis with 10% off cozy bedding. Sale ends 9/30. Shop Now BOOK OF THE WEEK By Elisabeth Egan “Intermezzo,” by Sally Rooney: Regardless of what you think of Sally Rooney, the Irish novelist who brought us “Conversations With Friends,” “Normal People” and “Beautiful World, Where Are You,” now is her time to shine. If you have no idea who I’m talking about, picture the Taylor Swift of the literary world, complete with midnight release parties, coveted merch and legions of fans poring over carefully meted out biographical information. Like Swift, Rooney has the goods, though the hoopla around her can be exhausting. Enter the “Intermezzo” era, in which two very different brothers grieve their father in opposite directions, with complicated love lives as their common denominator. It’s possible that we’ve reached peak Rooney (and it would be nice if she used quotation marks), but this novel still contains simple, true sentences worth knowing by heart. Read our review here. More on books Looking for a comprehensive collection of “Intermezzo” reviews? Start here. Sally Rooney explains why she has no plans for another one of her books to be adapted for a screen of any size. T MAGAZINE Philippe Braquenier Click the cover image above to read this weekend’s issue of T, The Times’s style magazine. REAL ESTATE Mark Dougherty in St. Paul, Minn. Jenn Ackerman for The New York Times The Hunt: A recent retiree hoped to start a new chapter in the Twin Cities, with a budget under $180,000. Which home did he choose? Play our game. What you get for $1.1 million: A 19th-century brick house in Maine; an 1830s home with Greek Revival elements in North Carolina; a home near the shore in Asbury Park, N.J. Nicholas Sparks: Take a tour of the best-selling author’s palatial home in North Carolina. LIVING Ard Su T.M.I.: Some health care systems have started putting therapists’ notes on their online patient portals — much to the surprise (and anger) of patients. Health: Americans can once again order free Covid tests from the government. Tiny buttons: If you find typing on a smartphone keyboard to be a pain, our columnist has some tips to make it easier. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER Start your holiday shopping early As one of Wirecutter’s gifting experts, it’s my duty to inform you that, yes, it’s time to start “soft shopping” for the holidays. For me, this means adding items to my cart, bookmarking sites, jotting down notes about my recipients and making a plan, all at a leisurely pace. I like really thinking about gifts — and ultimately give better ones — when it’s not frenetic. They tend to be more thoughtful and personal, and cheaper. If you need inspiration, we’ve spent thousands of hours researching and testing to find the best gifts under $100. And if you want to be a better gift giver: We’re hoping our new newsletter, The Gift, full of handpicked gems, can help. —Hannah Morrill GAME OF THE WEEK Kelsey Plum of the Aces, right, driving to the basket against the Liberty. Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty, W.N.B.A. playoffs: When these two teams met last year in the finals, the Aces were the favorites — defending champions, No. 1 seed. Now the Liberty are on top. They were the best team in the league this year, and they swept the Aces in the regular season. Keep an eye on the guards in this series: The Aces veteran Chelsea Gray is returning to prime form, while the Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu is hitting a new level, as evidenced by her 36-point performance in the last round. Game 1 is Sunday at 3 p.m. Eastern on ABC. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was throwaway. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. —Melissa P.S. The most popular story in The Morning this week was about a Russian soldier who deserted the front lines. It is one of The New York Times Magazine’s most ambitious stories ever. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
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