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American Bald Eagles Are Having a Moment (Maria)
The author writes, “Along the long road from American icon to endangered species and back again, the bald eagle — the national bird of the U.S., often seen against a clear blue sky — is having a moment. The eagles have found themselves in an environmental updraft of sorts since the early 2000s, when the federal government took the thriving birds off its endangered species list with more states following suit. Culturally, too, the animals are soaring.”
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover (Dana)
From Wired: “Wired has identified six young men — all apparently between the ages of 19 and 24, according to public databases, their online presences, and other records — who have little to no government experience and are now playing critical roles in Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project, tasked by executive order with ‘modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.’ The engineers all hold nebulous job titles within DOGE, and at least one appears to be working as a volunteer.”
Why Musk’s Access to the Treasury Payment System Is So Dangerous (Sean)
From The Independent: “The system, run by non-political staff, is also responsible for paying out tax credits for individuals and businesses, and, crucially, grants and payments to government contractors. Some of those include organizations that compete with Musk’s companies. Musk and his Doge team ‘think the payment system should be overseen by political appointees selected by President Trump,’ according to the Wall Street Journal. Now, he has control of the payment system which is a vital lifeline to millions of Americans.”
Top ‘60 Minutes’ Producer Says He Will Not Apologize Over Trump Lawsuit (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “The comments by Bill Owens, the executive producer who oversees the long-running news program, came as CBS’s parent company, Paramount, continued to pursue settlement talks with Mr. Trump. The president is accusing the network of deceptively editing an interview with his rival, the Democratic candidate for president, Kamala Harris. Many legal experts have described the lawsuit as far-fetched and baseless.”
‘Headed for Technofascism’: the Rightwing Roots of Silicon Valley (Sean)
From The Guardian: “The entrepreneurial hype of the 90s rarely mentioned gender or overt rightwing politics. But the reactionary elements of the entrepreneurial ideal became visible whenever the growing power of tech entrepreneurs was challenged. In this way, Silicon Valley was part of a broader trend of fighting against “political correctness” – that is, a focus on inclusion and avoiding offense to people who had traditionally been marginalized. Throughout the decade, Silicon Valley not only became a leading space for a war on the ‘PC police,’ but entrepreneurs also came to represent some of the biggest anti-PC culture warriors. It was often the most enthusiastically pro-entrepreneurial voices who were also the biggest anti-diversity fighters.”
Who Gets More Disaster Aid? Republican States. Experts Explain That and More About FEMA (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Federal disaster aid is nearly everywhere. About 94% of Americans live in a county that has gotten Federal Emergency Management Agency help for disasters since 2011. But disaster aid — for decades a mostly bipartisan issue — is suddenly a political hot button after Hurricane Helene last year and this year’s California wildfires. President Donald Trump and a conservative think tank have floated the possibility of shifting disaster response to the states, including eliminating FEMA or curtailing federal handouts.”
He’s the First Black American to Compose a Full Opera. It’s Finally Being Staged After 138 Years (Mili)
The author writes, “The score was thought to have been lost, but a chance discovery of the manuscript in Harvard University’s archives presented an opportunity to add Dédé’s name to the canon of American composers. The opening notes of the opera’s overture filled the same cathedral where Dédé was baptized in 1828 during a preview performance last Friday, as a part of The Historic New Orleans Collections’ Musical Louisiana series.”
