Mid-Strike Link Sausage Platter

Before getting to the link sausages, consider that the H'wood strikes may be winding down. There's still a long way to go before we can get new scripts, let alone new performances, though; we're gonna be stuck with unreality TV for at least a few more months. Fortunately, it's football season so there's plenty of more-real unreality stuff to keep us befuddled. (Really, guys: They're adults. They get to make their own choices about dating, or not, or whatever. Back to your lives, citizens, nothing to see here.)

• I note that the Supremes rejected the proud white establishment Confederate-legacy state of Alabama's request for a stay in the redistricting battle (pdf; companion case same with separate order). This is typical and expected: Alabama had no legal entitlement to a stay and no valid argument that as a matter of law (as distinct from "on these facts") the three-judge panel below had so clearly erred that there would be irreparable harm to the state itself (as distinct from the persons forming its government… at present, anyway). As noted last time, the six white male Alabama congresscritters objected, apparently feeling that their seats may be in jeopardy (on the theory, I suppose, that once elected they're entitled to them — forever). The only thing that surprises me is that this guy didn't file an amicus brief supporting the motion for stay — he couldn't intervene (Georgia, not Alabama).
• Speaking of white supremacy movements, consider the white male auditor of the State of Mississippi's proposal to cut funding for non-white-male cultural studies. He's, umm, not a member of a relevant group. Or we could just declare all media not controlled through inheritance as "treasonous" when they don't agree with us (the dysfunctional NBC "family" is the one that isn't controlled through, or at least identified with, inheritance).
• So Sen Menendez (D-NJ) has been indicted on corruption charges. Again. Hint, Bob: A stash of gold bars is not "for personal use" by a government official — not even by the child of Cuban refugees. Some of your colleagues (including your same-party counterpart from the same state) think you should resign, as "innocent until proven guilty" is not the standard for "ability and right to govern." The most damning position from a fellow Congresscritter, though, is that at least one of them thinks you shouldn't resign — and this is one of those times when "evaluating based upon the identity of the source" is nowhere near an ad hominem argument.

  Corruption in national, or New Jersey, or Congressional, politics? I'm not outraged; I'm barely surprised. Some of us (but not any of the current "debatable" Heffalump candidates for the Presidency) put our butts on the line for a government not based on entitlement through divine right of kings et alia. That Menendez was chair of Foreign Relations just makes matters worse; at least he resigned from that without forcing action under the existing rules. Of course, in contemporary politics actual governance is not a very high priority…

• Or I suppose one could just set off real fireworks for a private party viewed from the deck of rented yachts (whose passengers are hiding behind as many privacy shields as they can conjure). Without regard to collateral damage, like scaring the crap out of endangered marine mammals or fire risk (and although I don't wish the years of distress upon the child, karma would result in the child going through gender reassignment — a possibility that should give pause to gender-reveal stunts, but won't).
• I'm all in favor of parents being actually involved in their kids' choices of entertainment, especially reading materials. I'm not at all in favor of other kids' parents getting involved in my kids' (or my!) choices of entertainment. Especially not at public libraries, or even school libraries. The entire point of an open-stacks library is exploration/discovery of the unknown — and if you're that worried that your kids may be "contaminated" by "icky stuff," that says a lot more about your parenting (or lack thereof) than about the icky stuff they might find. But don't impose your own incomptence on me or my kids, or demand ideological or cultural purity. (And these links? Far from the most interesting stuff — merely a sample.)