Beyond the Mug Shot

Today’s top news: Trump’s new attorney in the Georgia case appears to be a serious departure from the wackos Trump often associates with. Steven H. Sadow has offered free representation to abortion providers who run afoul of the states’ anti-abortion restrictions.

“If a doctor believes that it is appropriate to violate the law, at least as written, I want to be there to defend them because they need somebody in their corner and that is what I do,” he said after the Trump-packed Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Strange bedfellows indeed.

But while it’s true that the four Trump indictments effectively help to make the point that no one is above the law in America, gaining a conviction against the former Reality TV star may prove difficult if not impossible.

The complications of any potential trials disrupting the 2024 election cycle is one factor but the real issue is what group of 12 jurors can be found that is going to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?

Somewhere around a quarter of the population so rapidly supports him that they buy his lie that the 2020 election was rigged. And that is his excuse for almost everything he did that led to many of the charges he faces.

That means that we should reasonably expect three of any random 12 adults to be Trump sympathizers. It would only take one of them to hang a jury.

I hope I am wrong about this and that in the jurisdictions where he is likely to be tried, 12 fully unbiased individuals can be assembled to hear the evidence and render an honest verdict, free of politics.

And that if he is then judged innocent he can go free but if judged guilty he will be punished. Only then can we confirm that in America no one is above the law.

LINKS:

• Trump arrest full recap: Mugshot, surrender, what’s next in Georgia election case (CNBC)

• Atlanta lawyers will rep anyone prosecuted for abortions for free (A J-C)

• Donald Trump's 18 other co-defendants have a tough choice to make (MSNBC)

• At First Debate, a Glimpse of Trumpism Without Trump (NYT)

• Sabotage likely behind Prigozhin’s presumed death in plane crash, U.S. officials say (NBC)

• Rule No. 1 in Putin’s Russia: Defy Him at Your Peril (NYT)

• Russia says Ukraine fired missile towards Moscow, hit Crimea with drones (Reuters)

• F-18 military jet crashes near San Diego (ABC)

• Nearly 400 remain unaccounted for in Maui after deadly wildfires, FBI-curated list shows (CNN)

• Teacher vacancies grew by 35% last year, according to a new analysis of 37 states and Washington, D.C. (WP)

• The Devilish Change Uber and Lyft Made to Surge Pricing (Slate)

• A Startup in the New Jersey Suburbs Is Battling the Giants of Silicon Valley (WSJ)

• Powell says Fed 'prepared to raise rates further' to bring inflation down (Yahoo)

• Scientists uncover the secret of the deep-sea ‘octopus garden’ (WP)

• Taliban Leader Considers New Afghan Media Law (VoA)

• Taliban Says Huawei to Install Cameras to Locate Militants (Bloomberg)

• Can A.I. Detect Wildfires Faster Than Humans? California Is Trying to Find Out. (NYT)

• AI Researchers Are Teaching Robots to Mimic Human Dexterity (DeCrypt)

• Young professionals are turning to AI to create headshots. But there are catches (NPR)

• Where generative AI can make headway in healthcare (HealthcareITNews)

• For Shohei Ohtani, recapturing pitching greatness may mean no hitting in 2024 (The Athletic)

• How Jennifer Aniston Went From Sitcom Star to Hollywood Power Player (WSJ)

• Writing for Friends Was No Dream Job (Time)

• Self-Centered Child Blames Divorce Entirely On Himself (The Onion)

 

The Purge

When it comes to the question of why it took Putin so long to kill Prigozhin after his failed coup, two months to the day, it might be helpful to think about it from Putin’s perspective.

He has long been a ruthless dictator, with the state’s vast surveillance network under his control. Although he was no doubt shocked by Prigozhin’s June 23rd rebellion, once he had quelled that uprising, and branded Prigozhin a traitor, he could have eliminated him immediately.

But Putin is a smart guy. He knew Prigozhin had to have collaborators inside the state power structure to get as close to success as he did, so simply arresting and punishing the ringleader might have left those co-conspirators or enablers in place where they could strike again in the future.

Instead, Putin apparently chose a far more elaborate plan of action. He met with Prigozhin in person and then let him go. He then tracked the traitor’s movements and contacts for the next two months before killing him off in dramatic fashion in Tuesday’s plane crash.

There are reports of other purges and disappearances within Putin’s circle these days as well. No doubt the victims were those who Putin had determined were Prigozhin’s most important allies or sympathizers.

In this way, the dictator maximized his chances of ridding himself of those most actively disloyal to him personally and sent a message to everyone else about the cost of betrayal in the future.

That, at least, is my best guess about what happened.

LINKS;

• Trump replaces top Georgia lawyer ahead of surrender (CNN)

• Trump surrenders at Fulton County jail in Georgia election case (CBS)

• Trump suggests in Carlson interview that U.S. could see more political violence (WP)

• Judge denies Meadows, Clark attempts to block arrest in Georgia (The Hill)

• Putin appears to eulogize Prigozhin in first remarks since plane crash (WP)

• Early Intelligence Suggests Prigozhin Was Assassinated, U.S. Officials Say (WSJ)

• Russia expert: What timing of Prigozhin’s purported death may mean (CNN)

• Female Afghan students stopped by Taliban on way to Dubai (ABC)

• Why China’s economy won’t be fixed (Economist)

• T-Mobile to lay off 5,000 employees (CNN)

• Rising tree temperatures could lead to 'severe consequences' (BBC)

• Bacteria that ‘eat’ methane could slow global heating, study finds (Guardian)

• Greece Battles Its Most Widespread Wildfires on Record (NYT)

• ‘Rare’ Grand Canyon flooding forces 100 to evacuate near park (WP)

• You can now train ChatGPT on your own documents via API (Ars Technica)

• AI helps robots manipulate objects with their whole bodies (MIT)

• M.F.A. vs. GPT — How to push the art of writing out of a computer’s reach (Atlantic)

• How Schools Can Survive (and Maybe Even Thrive) With A.I. This Fall (NYT)

• Can generative AI master emotional intelligence? (Fast Company)

• AI’s carbon emissions are about to be a problem. (Atlantic)

• New MTA Train Operator Ends Up Lost On Back-Road Tracks In Middle Of Nowhere (The Onion)

 

The R's Are Coming

One thing I couldn’t get out of my mind yesterday as news broke of the plane crash in Russia that reportedly killed Prigozhin, the guy who led the attempted coup against Putin two months ago, is how Donald Trump has so often praised Putin as the kind of strong leader he admires.

How can millions of Americans continue to support a man who — it’s quite clear — admires someone who assassinates his rivals? Is Russia’s oppressive autocracy the kind of society they want ours to become?

When in the past I’ve raised the specter of an authoritarian future should Trump successfully return to power, I am not being theoretical. I am being literal.

The awful sight of Prigozhin’s plane falling to earth was hardly a reason for mourning because the Wagner boss was a vicious war criminal in his own right. Just like Putin.

And although he can’t say it out loud, Trump no doubt thinks it was a perfectly appropriate action for Putin to order.

When I was young, the absurdist satirical film “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming” became a kind of cult favorite. 

Today I fear the film that may need airtime would be a documentary called “The Republicans Are Coming.”

***

Speaking of the GOP, last night’s debate between the eight candidates not named Trump appears to have failed to clarify the race for the party’s nomination. If anyone prevailed on the merits, it may have been Nikki Haley, who I’ve thought at times would be the party’s best pick to top its ticket in 2024.

Still, she probably will not get a bump in the polls and remains a long shot as Trump remains far-out the clear front-runner.

As such, the clear and present danger to our democracy remains. Remember these words.

LINKS:

• A remarkable day at Fulton County jail as Trump’s surrender looms (CNN)

• Rudy Giuliani bond set at $150,000 in Trump Georgia election case (CNBC)

• How Mark Meadows Pursued a High-Wire Legal Strategy in Trump Inquiries (NYT)

• Why John Eastman was no ordinary lawyer (MSNBC)

• Trump campaign attorney Kenneth Chesebro surrenders to Fulton jail (AJ-C)

• Trump employees lied to D.C. grand jury on classified documents, filing alleges (WP)

• Fury at Michigan officials charged in 2020 false electors scheme: ‘This isn’t who we are’ (Guardian)

• Hunter Biden’s access-peddling business — Not Illegal, but Clearly Wrong (Atlantic)

• In his new book 'The Fall,' author Michael Wolff foresees the demise of Fox News (AP)

• Wagner boss Prigozhin listed among passengers of crashed plane, Russian state media reports (CNN)

• Ukraine’s Forces and Firepower Are Misallocated, U.S. Officials Say (NYT)

• The west must stop playing the ‘Great Game’ in Afghanistan once and for all (FT)

• It’s Been Two Years. Why Are Afghan Refugees Like Me Still in Legal Limbo? (Slate)

• The Afghanistan Girls Soccer Team’s Daring Escape From the Taliban (Rolling Stone)

• Springtime for Europe’s fascists (Politico)

• Some of the Thorniest Questions About AI Will Be Answered in Court (WSJ)

• Elon Musk was reportedly working on his AI company while publicly calling for a pause on AI development (Insider)

• Stephen King: My Books Were Used to Train AI (Atlantic)

• Meet Apollo, the ‘iPhone’ of humanoid robots (CNN)

• The 'Human or not' game is over: Here's what the latest Turing Test tells us (ZDNet)

• Man Wonders If Speeding Ticket Just Karma For Going 120 MPH (The Onion)

 

Simpler Things

When not worrying about the state of the global environment, the rise of authoritarianism, and the existential threat posed by AI, my focus these days is often on gardening, observing my grandchildren grow up, and sorting old family photographs.

As cherry tomatoes, carrots and peppers ripen in my sun-soaked planter box, strawberries and lemons fatten in another spot nearby. These are the hottest weeks in Northern California’s harvest season. Our most plentiful crop — plums — are already done.

My three youngest grandchildren recently showed off their the-dyed T-shirts made at camp under the redwood trees. Sometimes it seems like they are growing taller while I look at them.. Their voices are like music and I can see their parents in their gestures.

And while going through some old boxes, I found a photo (below) from about 18 years ago. It’s of my six kids all together. In it, they are gathered in my kitchen in my old apartment on Hampshire Street in San Francisco.

I miss those times.Three of them are parents themselves now and it’s rare they’re all under one roof even for a moment.

LINKS:

• NY Times puts pressure on OpenAI by threatening to sue over copyright (NYT)

• Why we should all be rooting for boring AI (MIT TR)

• The human costs of the AI boom (TC)

• Why AI Is On The ‘Edge’ (Forbes)

• India is the first country to land at the Moon's south pole (Engadget)

• Prosecutors: Trump Mar-a-Lago security aide flipped after changing lawyers (Politico)

• Trump co-defendants in Fulton County case begin surrendering ahead of Friday deadline (CBS)

• Trump says he will surrender Thursday on Georgia charges (MSNBC)

• Trump vows massive new tariffs if elected, risking global economic war (WP)

• 'Sung Like A Canary': Ex-GOP Lawmaker Names Trump Insider Who Flipped (HuffPost)

• In Trump cases, experts say defendant’s rhetoric will be hard to police (WP)

• We Are Witnessing the First Stages of Civilization’s Collapse (Nation)

• So How Did That Flagrantly Illegal Raid on a Kansas Newspaper Happen? (Slate)

• ‘Get out of my house!’: Kansas paper co-owner confronted police during raid, video shows (Guardian)

• America’s corporate giants are getting harder to topple (Economist)

• California Evades Catastrophic Damage From Rare Tropical Storm (NYT)

• San Francisco archdiocese files for bankruptcy amid child abuse lawsuits (WP)

• It's Time to Confront Afghanistan's Taliban, Not Butter It Up (Newsweek)

• China’s economy is in trouble. Here’s what’s gone wrong (CNN)

• Radioactive Water Is Complicating Japan and Korea’s New Friendship (NYT)

• Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said to be recruiting Wagner ‘strongmen’ for Africa (AP)

• CEO Has Big Ideas To Grow Company’s Problems (The Onion)
  

 

Trump's Mouth

In his Georgia indictment, Trump may face his most serious legal peril yet. While out on bond in the case, Trump is strictly prohibited from doing what he has been doing all along — threatening or intimidating fellow defendants, witnesses, prosecutors, judges or others involved in the matter.

It is difficult to imagine him just shutting up due to these prohibitions, but should he be found in violation of those terms, he could wind up in the Fulton County jail, although I’m sure no judge wants to send him there.

Nevertheless, Trump may finally have met his match in the authorities in Georgia. The terms of the restrictions he faces are no joking matter. For his own good, he needs to finally stop acting like a Mob boss and behave respectfully toward the criminal justice system that has him cornered.

Otherwise, if he cannot develop some self-control, he may ultimately prove his own theory that that system is out to get him as he finds himself behind bars for contempt of court.

LINKS:

• Storm Hilary slams Southwest US with heavy rain (Reuters)

• California Is Free of Extreme Drought Conditions for the First Time in 3 Years (NYT)

• California hit with flooding, mudslides from storm (WP)

• Massive mental health toll in Maui wildfires: 'They've lost everything' (NPR)

• Wildfire survivors face not only trauma, but also cognitive challenges (WP)

• Lahaina Fire Prompts a Shift in Maui’s Long-Running Water Fights (NYT)

• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has been promoting her state as a place that respects freedom ― and taking her message directly to a half-dozen mostly Southern states where Republicans are in charge and have passed laws restricting abortion, LGBTQ+ rights or both. It’s a pitch to lure employers and workers to Michigan ― and a pretty major bet about the public’s state of mind. [HuffPost]

• Judge approves $200,000 bond that includes strict witness-intimidation rules for Trump in Georgia case (WP)

• Former White House lawyer on Trump’s expected surrender in Georgia: ‘He won’t enjoy it’ (The Hill)

• Trump touts authoritarian vision for second term: ‘I am your justice’ (WP)

• How Ron DeSantis Joined the ‘Ruling Class’ — and Turned Against It (NYT)

• The persistence of American poverty. (Nation)

• The police chief who led the raid of a Kansas newspaper alleged in previously unreleased court documents that a reporter either impersonated someone else or lied about her intentions when she obtained the driving records of a local business owner. But the reporter and the newspaper’s attorney said no laws were broken. [AP]

• EU deforestation rules risk ‘catastrophic’ impact on global trade, says ITC chief (Financial Times)

• On the Front Line, Ukrainian Commanders Are Buoyed to Be on the Offensive (NYT)

• Ukraine gets the fighter jets it coveted, but will F-16s come too late for the counteroffensive? (NBC)

• Ukraine may use new Black Sea route for grain shipments -producers (Reuters)

• Why China is still on the sidelines in Afghanistan, 2 years after messy US troop pull-out (SCMP)

• Social media algorithms warp how people learn from each other, research shows (The Conversation)

• Did this 1978 film mark a cultural turning point in America? Film critic says yes (CNN)

• The Lawlessness of Large Numbers (Wired)

• Team Creates First Humanoid Robot Pilot, That Can Really Fly Planes (IFLScience)

• ‘Very wonderful, very toxic’: how AI became the culture war’s new frontier (Guardian)

• Improve your chances of getting noticed by AI on job sites with these tips (WP)

• We Can’t Escape Our AI Future (Bloomberg)

• Using Generative AI to Resurrect the Dead Will Create a Burden for the Living (Wired)

• Job Recruiter Combs Through Exciting Pool Of CEO’s Nephews (The Onion)

 

Monday Links

 LINKS:

• Georgia indictment reminds voters of the Republicans who stood up to Trump (The Hill)

• What the Polls May Be Getting Wrong About Trump — New research suggests that the criminal charges against Trump aren’t actually helping him in the GOP primary race. (Atlantic)

• DeSantis campaign lays out debate strategy to donors and supporters (CNN)

• Lived Like Mike Pence for a Week — For seven days, I acted like every woman was a succubus plotting to ruin my life. I learned something strange about myself in the process. (Slate)

• Inside the Collapse of Hunter Biden’s Plea Deal (NYT)

• As fires rage in British Columbia, more residents prepare for evacuations (Reuters)

• Maui Fire Lays Bare Utility Missteps Mirrored Across the Country (Bloomberg)

• How 10,000 years of plagues left their mark on our DNA (WP)

• Service robots making strides into Chinese homes (Xinhua)

• China’s 40-Year Boom Is Over. What Comes Next? (WSJ)

• Brazil Found the Last Survivors of an Amazon Tribe. Now What? (NYT)

• Ukraine running out of options to retake significant territory (WP)

• Ukraine’s sluggish counter-offensive is souring the public mood (Economist)

• Taliban bringing water to Afghanistan’s parched plains via massive canal (WP)

• 40% of workers will have to reskill in the next three years due to AI, says IBM study (ZDNet)

• The end of work: which jobs will survive the AI revolution? (Guardian)

• Delusional Man Considers Self Important Enough To Be Cog In Machine (The Onion)

Surprises

 A recent conversation in the Comments section beneath these essays reminded me of a factor in some of my greatest breakthroughs as a journalist. This will take a minute to explain so please bear with me.

It was when I got surprised.

Journalists — like scientists, prosecutors, historians and most everyone conducting any kind of sincere inquiry — operate on the basis of a hypothesis. We construct it based on whatever bits of information we’ve gathered to date, and it helps guide us in our work.

Normally, if your assumptions are sound, the more data you gather gradually confirms your hypothesis. But sometimes you get surprised. Someone or something upends your theory and you are forced to reconsider.

Although this may throw a wrench into your plans to publish and therefore upset your colleagues, such surprises are gifts.

Because they help you avoid making mistakes, which is a big part of what honest journalism is about.

LINKS:

• Hurricane Hilary prompts historic tropical storm warning for California as Southwest braces for dangerous rain, flooding (CNN)

• Canada's western province of British Columbia declared a state of emergency as firefighters battled wildfires, forcing thousands of evacuations. (Reuters)

• Georgia indictment and post-Civil War history make it clear: Trump's actions have already disqualified him from the presidency (The Conversation)

• The Constitution Prohibits Trump From Ever Being President Again (Atlantic)

• FBI joins investigation of threats to grand jurors in Trump Georgia case (WP)

• Trump expected to skip debate and do interview with Tucker Carlson instead (CNN)

• Small Kansas paper raided by police has a history of hard-hitting reporting (NPR)

• Confidential affidavits detail reasoning for police raid of Kansas newspaper (WP)

• Troop Deaths and Injuries in Ukraine War Near 500,000, U.S. Officials Say (NYT)

• Chernihiv: Russian missile strike kills seven and injures 129, Ukraine says (BBC)

• ‘My goals in life vanished’: Afghan students rocked by US visa denials (Guardian)

• Who is the Taliban’s de facto leader? (Economist)

• The Taliban has destroyed education for women – but an underground ‘University of the People’ is fighting back (Independent)

• AI-Created Art Isn’t Copyrightable, Judge Says in Ruling That Could Give Hollywood Studios Pause (Hollywood Reporter)

• Human-Like Robots Steal the Show at Beijing Conference (NowThisNews)

• AI Expert Max Tegmark Warns That Humanity Is Failing the New Technology’s Challenge (WSJ)

• Sparse Models, The Math, And A New Theory For Ground-Breaking AI (Forbes)

• From Mad Men to machines? Big advertisers shift to AI (Reuters)

• What normal Americans — not AI companies — want for AI (Vox)

• AI is coming for your audiobooks. You’re right to be worried. (WP)

• Man Needs Emotional Support Only A Woman Can Feign (The Onion)