February 26, 2022

Chris Licht, a Creator of 'Morning Joe' and 'Colbert' Producer, Is Set to Run CNN

Source: New York Times

He will take over CNN as the network gets a new corporate owner. He replaces Jeff Zucker, the network president who abruptly resigned this month.

Chris Licht, a veteran television producer who helped create “Morning Joe” at MSNBC and later successfully retooled morning and late-night programming at CBS, is set to be the next leader of CNN, according to three people with direct knowledge of the decision.

Mr. Licht, 50, who is currently the executive producer of “Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” is poised to succeed Jeff Zucker, the CNN president whose nine-year tenure abruptly ended this month when he resigned over an undisclosed romantic relationship with a colleague.

He is expected to join the network once its parent company, WarnerMedia, completes a merger with Discovery Inc., a deal that could close by April. Mr. Licht and David Zaslav, the chief executive of Discovery, are professional and social friends who have known each other for more than a decade.

Discussions between Mr. Licht and Mr. Zaslav began shortly after Mr. Zucker’s departure, and accelerated over the past two weeks, one of the people said. A formal announcement is expected as soon as this coming week. Puck first reported the news of Mr. Licht’s selection.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/business/media/cnn-chris-licht.html

February 25, 2022

Curtis Reeves trial: It's true, jurors hear, 'Man killed over popcorn toss'

Today, attorneys deliver closing arguments before the Pasco movie theater shooting case goes to the six-member jury for deliberation.

Attorneys for the prosecution and defense make their closing arguments today at the trial of retired Tampa police captain Curtis Reeves, charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting a man eight years ago during a confrontation inside a Wesley Chapel movie theater.

Then, during its third week, the case goes to a six-member jury for a verdict.

Reeves, 71 at the time, is arguing he fired in self-defense, saying he feared harm from fellow movie-goer Chad Oulson, 43, in part because Reeves’ health was deteriorating with age. Prosecutors countered the claim with testimony that Reeves had gone hunting in the days before the fatal shooting.

The confrontation began when Reeves noticed Oulson texting during the movie previews and told him to stop. The two argued and Reeves left to complain to a manager. He returned and informed Oulson what he had done. Oulson grabbed Reeves’ popcorn and threw it in his face and Reeves pulled the handgun and fired. The defense has raised questions about whether Oulson also threw his cell phone at Reeves.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/pasco/2022/02/25/curtis-reeves-trial-its-true-jurors-hear-man-killed-over-popcorn-toss/

February 24, 2022

Engineer, law firm agree to settlements in Surfside collapse lawsuit. Terms undisclosed.

Two of the major defendants in the lawsuit over the Surfside condominium collapse — an engineering company hired to repair structural problems and a law firm that represented the condo association — have agreed to tentative settlements in the tragedy that left 98 people dead.

Lawyers for the survivors and families of victims in the lawsuit announced the breakthrough at a Wednesday status hearing in the case. Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman, who is overseeing the complicated suit against multiple defendants and deciding how to allot compensation for the surviving condo owners and relatives of those who died, applauded the deal though the terms were undisclosed.

“This is great news,” Hanzman said. “Looks like the lawyers did an excellent job. We’ve settled two.”

Morabito Consulting, the Maryland-based engineering company that performed a 2018 structural analysis of Champlain Towers South and was supervising its restoration plan, and Becker, the law firm that represented the condo association, have agreed to pay an undisclosed sum and avoid a trial on accusations of negligence in the June 24 disaster.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article258695718.html

February 23, 2022

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo confirmed by Florida Senate

Source: Tampa Bay Times

Republicans made the case for the doctor Wednesday over objections from Democrats.

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ pick to be the state’s surgeon general.

The party-line 24-15 vote was the culmination of a contentious approval process for Ladapo, who faced hours of questions from two different Senate committees in recent weeks.

In a brief debate session Wednesday, Republican senators made the case for Ladapo as a maverick thinker who won’t let politics or media narratives get in the way of doing what’s best for Florida.

“We get a man who literally looks at the data. Who, yes, follows the science, and questions it. That’s what I want. I want the best,” said Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach. “I want a nationally recognized, not only a doctor, but a researcher who’s going to be there when the going gets tough.”

Read more: https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/02/23/florida-surgeon-general-joseph-ladapo-confirmed-by-florida-senate/

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The rampant arrogance of Florida Republicans remains unabated.

February 23, 2022

Trump Fears Putin Is Too Distracted by Ukraine to Help Him with 2024 Campaign

PALM BEACH (The Borowitz Report)—In what appears to be a rift between two long-standing political partners, Donald J. Trump has blasted Vladimir Putin for being “too distracted” by the situation in Ukraine to help him with his 2024 campaign for President.

“He gave a long speech the other night, and was going on and on about Ukraine and didn’t mention me once,” Trump said. “This should never be allowed to happen in this country.”

Calling Putin “too low-energy” to deal with Ukraine and the 2024 U.S. election at the same time, Trump said that his erstwhile ally had “priorities that are very, very bad.”

“He’s spending all his time spreading disinformation about Ukraine when he could be spreading disinformation about Sleepy Joe Biden,” Trump said. “Quite frankly, Vladimir Putin is a disgrace.”

Trump revealed that he had called the Russian President several times in recent days but that his calls went straight to voice mail.

“When I was President, I could’ve spent all my time invading Canada, but I always took his calls,” Trump said.

https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-fears-putin-is-too-distracted-by-ukraine-to-help-him-with-2024-campaign

February 23, 2022

On Ukraine, Republicans are united on criticizing Biden, but not on how to counter Russian threat

The Ukraine crisis has served to highlight the growing divisions among Republicans on foreign policy that began with Donald Trump’s presidency and continues after his electoral defeat as adherents to his “America First” approach clash with the party’s remaining hawks who for several decades rallied the party around the idea of projecting a muscular U.S. presence abroad.

This divide has been on stark display over the last 24 hours as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ordered incursion into Ukraine creates chaos in Eastern Europe and Republicans rally around the idea that it is Biden’s fault, calling him weak, but failing to provide a coherent party position on what the White House should to counter Moscow’s aggression.

Some want stiffer sanctions and said they should have been put in place ahead of the invasion as a deterrent. Others question why the United States needs to be involved at all. Regardless, in their telling, it’s Biden’s fault.

Trump and some of his supporters and former aides have even offered odd forms of praise for Putin, a ruthless autocrat, as they seek to tear down Biden.

“There were more army tanks than I’ve ever seen. They’re going to keep peace all right. No, but think of it, here’s a guy who’s very savvy,” Trump said during an interview Tuesday with a conservative news outlet, praising Putin’s moves and suggesting the Russian troops would serve as peacekeepers.

https://wapo.st/3Hgd2Cf

Party of Putin.

February 23, 2022

San Diego home prices up 26% in a year, key housing index says

San Diego closed out 2021 with home prices up 25.9 percent in a year, near a record high.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices reported Tuesday that San Diego metro had the fifth-highest price increases in the nation on an annual basis. The top markets were Phoenix, up 32.5 percent, and Tampa, up 29.4 percent.

San Diego metro, which includes all of the county, has seen big price increases before — but it has been a while since a runup in prices has lasted so long. Annual prices have increased at double-digit rates on a monthly basis since October 2020.

But nothing touched the record set in July 2004 when San Diego saw prices increase 33.4 percent in a year. The highest in 2021 was in July when the price increased 27.8 percent annually.

Nationwide prices were up 18.8 percent in a year, its highest in 34 years of data, with experts pointing to a surge in buying to end the year as mortgage rates rose. Similar to what has been reported by San Diego real estate agents, higher rates only pushed buyers to get off the fence before rates go up even more.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2022-02-22/san-diego-home-price

Ain't getting any cheaper in SoCal.

February 22, 2022

Woman Desperately Seeking Excuse To Assault Retail Workers Now That Mask Mandate Lifted

ALBANY, NY—Staring down the store’s staff as she wracked her brain, local woman Monica Hadwin was reportedly desperately seeking an excuse to assault retail workers Tuesday now that the state’s mask mandate had been lifted.

“I walked in without a mask and all I got was a ‘Hi, how are you today?’—what the hell am I supposed to do with that?” said Hadwin, who flexed her hands achingly as she surveyed the shop’s maskless staff and customers, longing for the perceived slight that would allow her to justify lunging across a counter to claw at a teenager’s face.

“I guess no one offered me a free sample when I walked in, I could run with that. Or I could step out of the dressing room in a new outfit and then start screaming if nobody compliments me? No, that’s stupid. Even a ‘Masks Recommended’ sign or a bottle of hand sanitizer would be enough, but Jesus Christ. They just have to make this difficult.”

At press time, Hadwin perked up immediately upon overhearing a worker speaking Spanish.

https://www.theonion.com/woman-desperately-seeking-excuse-to-assault-retail-work-1848556638

February 22, 2022

When Even Hannity Is Pumping The Brakes On Your Pro-Putin Propaganda, You Are Tulsi Gabbard We Guess

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine began last night — and to be clear, it has begun, regardless of what precise terminology different parties are using at the moment — Fox News was ready to let its viewers know what was going on in the world. That's why their longtime slogan is "Here is the news." Haha just kidding, that is not Fox News's slogan.

If you rely on Fox News for your news, we honestly have no idea what you think is going on in the world right now, but we'll hazard a guess based on last night's coverage. You might think Russia, an innocent actor, is being unfairly targeted and threatened by Ukraine, a violent autocracy that is guilty of "Hunter Biden." You might think it's ridiculous that we're spending so much time talking about a regional conflict in Europe (or wherever Ukraine is), considering how our neighbor to the north has literally overnight become the most brutal dictatorship in human history, because "trucker." It's turning into North Korea, said Lara Trump!

Here are some highlights of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine as seen on Fox News last night.

We don't know why Tulsi Gabbard is just suddenly in front of our face every five seconds, speaking at CPAC and appearing on Fox News every time we turn around, but we guess it's timely (for the Kremlin) having her voice out there right now.

Here is Gabbard telling Sean Hannity that "Putin has made very clear all along" that this is about Russia's security. She just really needs you to know what Dear Leader Putin has been making clear all along. In response, Hannity was like OK yes but Putin also says Ukraine isn't a real country and has been saying he's going to do this for a really long freaking time. Gabbard responded, "I want to stay focused on the security component."

She wants to stay focused on the security component, Sean.

https://www.wonkette.com/fox-news-russia-ukraine

February 22, 2022

'Stop the Steal' Congressman Suddenly Worried About Will of the Voters

Madison Cawthorn, who voted against certifying the 2020 election Donald Trump lost, is losing it over a lawsuit designed to kick him off the ballot.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) on Monday took to Fox News to complain about a lawsuit that cites his “Stop the Steal” rhetoric and appearance at a rally preceding the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in hopes of preventing him from running for re-election.

That a far-right blowhard would vent on Tucker Carlson Tonight is, of course, less than shocking. But it’s how the MAGA cheerleader—who voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump—went after his home-state critics that veered into the stuff of parody.

Cawthorn told Carlson that the lawsuit was anti-democratic because, if successful, it would “subvert the will of” hundreds of thousands of Americans. Presumably those hundreds of thousands are not among the tens of millions whose will would have been subverted were the 2020 election awarded to the man who lost it.

“I’m sure that you were as puzzled as I was following Jan. 6 when they started saying that we were insurrectionists, seditionists, traitors. I thought they were just trying to get a flashy headline,” Cawthorn said.

But apparently, he explained, this was all part of a “plan” that’s now staring him in the face in the form of legal action.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/madison-cawthorn-of-north-carolina-suddenly-worried-about-will-of-the-voters