Day: May 1, 2023

May Day Surprise

Today is the International Day of the Worker….

Do you enjoy your TV?

You may have a sad time coming…….

Hollywood is now hours away from a strike that would affect scores of TV shows and films—as well the people who watch them. And the main sentiment in coverage is that a deal looks unlikely before the midnight deadline. Details:

  • Two sides: On one side is the Writers Guild of America, and on the other is the studios who pay them, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. In broad strokes, the guild is seeking about $600 million in pay increases, along with other demands, per the Los Angeles Times. But the main sticking point is an extremely complicated one—how to fairly pay writers in an age when streaming has upended the traditional production model.
  • Hope fades: Both the LA Times and CNN report that the two sides are far apart. No temporary extension appears to be in the works, either. If no deal is reached, the writers will go on strike at 12:01am Tuesday (West Coast time). The last such strike 15 years ago lasted 100 days.
  • The impact: The first shows to go dark would likely be the late-night talk shows, as well as ones such as Saturday Night Live and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver that rely heavily on writers, per the BBC. Soap operas would quickly be in trouble, too. “If this goes on, we’ll see more reality, news, and sports,” Jonathan Handel, an entertainment attorney, tells CNN.
  • Impact, II: Scripted shows and films will see a different impact, depending on how far along they are in production. The BBC notes that some projects might be able to theoretically continue shooting, but actors who support the strike may balk at participating.
  • The arguments: This isn’t about posh lifestyles, argues screenwriter Zack Stentz in a New York Times essay: “At stake is nothing less than the survival of film and television writing as a viable middle-class career for the majority of our membership.” On the flip side, studios are under intense pressure from Wall Street to cut costs and make money from their streaming businesses, notes the LA Times.
  • Nitty-gritty: Deadline has a comprehensive look at the details and the main players. One modern wrinkle is how to handle the advent of artificial intelligence when it comes to crediting (and paying) writers.

There is an outside chance that you American Idol, Masked Singer and the Bachelor will not be interrupted…..but do not hold your breath.

Me?   I could care less for I know how to read.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Advertisement

Victory At All Costs

Happy May Day!

That seems to be the attitude of those deep in the Ukraine conflict……and that includes some within our Congress and the president has basically given an open end commitment to fund the war for Ukraine.

A few in the Congress have made their commitment known through their offering of bills……

A bipartisan group of hawks in Congress announced a new resolution on Tuesday that calls for the U.S. to seek the restoration of Ukraine’s 1991 borders and to bring Ukraine into NATO after the war is over. 

Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) are co-sponsoring what they call the Ukrainian Victory Resolution, and have been framing it, perhaps not surprisingly, with the lofty rhetoric of World War II. So far the bill has 18 bipartisan co-sponsors.

“We must not repeat the error of Sept. 1, 1939,” Wilson told Yahoo News, referencing what is now held by many as the “Munich moment” and appeasement of Adolf Hitler before the Nazi invasion of Poland.

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have also introduced their own, similar resolution in the Senate. This comes after three Senators and 16 House Republicans last week sent a letter to President Biden saying they would not support any new Ukraine aid if it was not paired with a clear.

This week’s resolutions are sure to stir debate over the extent of U.S. Ukraine policy and support ahead of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive this spring. Furthermore, a signal from Congress that the U.S. is fully behind the retaking of Crimea and the Donbas would be exactly what the Ukrainian government wants to hear, but it is a dangerous message to send when Ukraine lacks the ability to achieve those goals on the ground.

In fact, setting overly ambitious, unrealistic goals as the definition of “victory” seems more likely to blow up in the faces of both Washington and Kyiv. Instead of backing war aims that promise to prolong the conflict, the U.S. should be encouraging Ukraine to settle for a return to the pre-2022 lines.

Lawmakers deploy ‘Munich’ trope to push dangerously hawkish Ukraine resolutions

This will eventually bite the US in the ass….as always.

Another point here where will the US get the funds to pay for the massive build-up for a possible mash-up with China?  Nations like South Korea, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan…..that will stretch things a bit far.

But as long as the profits keep coming….who f*cking cares?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”