Harry Crews

It’s great to see someone write about Harry Crews. He wrote terrific outrageous and violent novels about the South. I especially recommend Body (about bodybuilding which I have no interest in but loved the book). Also try A Feast of Snakes, All We Need of Hell, and Car.

Crews also taught Michael Connolly whose fine mystery novels have no resemblance to Crews’s work.

Although the novelist Harry Crews lived until 2012, he and his books—16 novels, two essay collections, and a memoir—recall a bygone era. https://t.co/3mIb6FvBEg
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) March 31, 2022

It’s great to see Harry Crews picked up by Penguin Classics. pic.twitter.com/mfzvjkrYMD
— Nathan Ballingrud (@NBallingrud) March 25, 2022

Update on gerrymandering in New York

Early read on NY lower court judge blocking Dems’ 22D-4R gerrymander: ruling likely to be stayed on appeal, so Dems believe map will remain in place, at least for 2022.

Huge stakes here, as a “neutral” map could cost Dems 3-4 seats and erase their nationwide remap gains. pic.twitter.com/qeAjHeWZ5z
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) March 31, 2022

A judge has ordered New York's Democrat-controlled Legislature to redraw the state's congressional and legislative districts after finding they were unconstitutional and gerrymandered to benefit Democrats. Legislative leaders plan to appeal.https://t.co/xzeMuLnLiI
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 31, 2022

Probably means you can kiss the Dem redistricting advantage goodbye.

To their credit, Dem-appointed judges acting on principle > partisan politics. First Maryland, now New York. Undoing some of the most egregious gerrymanders of the cycle.
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) March 31, 2022

New York lawmakers draw redistricting map that boosts Democrats https://t.co/awHPIznStU
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 31, 2022

Covers: I’ve Lost You

“I’ve Lost You”, Elvis Presley’s follow-up to The Wonder of You in 1970 only got to #85 on the charts. The original version was by Matthews’ Southern Comfort which was released earlier in 1970.

Covers: The Wonder of You

Elvis Presley’s 1970 “The Wonder of You” is an over-the-top slab of sentiment but I must admit I enjoy it. Like some of his other records, others recorded it earlier but not nearly as successfully.

The 1958 original by Vince Edwards was not released. The 1959 version by Ray Peterson reached #25 on the charts. Presley’s version reached #9

Covers: Kentucky Rain

“Kentucky Rain” is a lesser Elvis Presley single, only reaching #16 on the charts in 1970. The song’s co-author Eddie Rabbit recorded his version in 1978.

One more reason to dislike Facebook

I only use it for birthdays and checking on news about people I worked with and went to school with.

A “bug” in Facebook’s News Feed ranking algorithm injected a “surge of misinformation” and other harmful content into users’ News Feeds between last October and March, according to an internal memo. https://t.co/Q7Fn3omwpB
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) March 31, 2022

A new report ahead of the Jan 6th anniversary shows Facebook still has a militia problem.

“Content associated with the Three Percenters—whose followers have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot—continues to circulate widely on Facebook.” https://t.co/uoDs7GDwUL
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) January 6, 2022

A damning report.

"Facebook groups swelled with at least 650,000 posts attacking the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s victory between Election Day and the Jan. 6 siege… with many calling for executions or other political violence…" https://t.co/JCFeoQWdL0
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) January 4, 2022

Found these ads running last night that Facebook said last week broke its rules. https://t.co/JKiEUvqbeg
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) December 8, 2021

Facebook’s race-blind policies around hate speech came at the expense of Black users, new documents show https://t.co/oAiaU8qYpr
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 21, 2021

Why Facebook won’t let you control your own news feed https://t.co/nwS3xpNbBd
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) November 13, 2021

JUST NOW: 70% of frequent Facebook users say the company harms U.S. society!

These are people who use it several times a week.

100% of me wonders– if they think it is damaging the world– why they keep using it!!!!!

A brand new @cnn pollhttps://t.co/dHBhWftwC3
— John Berman (@JohnBerman) November 10, 2021

Lying to your boss is not a good idea

I spent most of my career as an analyst working for management in the government. I found (somewhat surprisingly) that bosses appreciate it when you give them bad news. There are several reasons:

It gives them a chance to react and make the situation better
They should hear it from someone who works for them rather than an outsider. They don’t want to be caught offguard.

This applies to this situation. Putin’s employees should have told him the truth. If he discourages people from giving him bad news, that’s going to harm him in the long run (which is fine with me).

Analysis: U.S. says Putin aides lie to him. Big, if true.https://t.co/o2b7d6P6bC
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 31, 2022

Fighting back against USPS plan to buy trucks fueled by gas

This was a terrible idea by DeJoy. Many Republicans don’t believe in climate change.

A key House panel announced plans to question senior U.S. Postal Service officials about the agency’s decision to buy as many as 148,000 gas-guzzling mail delivery trucks despite directives from the Biden administration to green the federal fleet https://t.co/PUKxmLQWIc
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 31, 2022

You can also ask him why he holds stock in the test kits he’s distributing:https://t.co/daTPTpwy7O
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) March 31, 2022

The Post Office Is Buying Gas-Powered Trucks, Despite Biden Climate Order. The president wants an electric federal fleet, but Postmaster Louis DeJoy is spending billions on gas-powered vehicles. That’s prompted scrutiny and calls for his resignation. https://t.co/TM5pCVYZIa pic.twitter.com/g0qiru5t7x
— ProgressivePower (@OurProgressive) February 3, 2022

“Electric vehicles are generally more mechanically reliable than gas-powered vehicles & would require less maintenance,” the report said. “Energy costs will be lower for EVs, as using electricity to power an electric vehicle is cheaper than using gasoline” https://t.co/IH8xSH7sjf
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) April 3, 2022

Great tweet on immigration

Bad news for the US. I blame Trump and his cult.

Immigration is America's superpower, so this should be raising alarm bells for policymakers:

The United States is no longer the top choice of foreign talent when asked where they would move for work. pic.twitter.com/HLsuh2Ngxb
— Alec Stapp (@AlecStapp) March 30, 2022

Update on gerrymandering in Louisiana

Louisiana becomes the 40th state to complete congressional redistricting (if you count Ohio's GOP map), with GOP legislators overriding Gov. Edwards (D) veto to enact a 5R-1D map maintaining just one Black majority seat. Lawsuit filed, but after Alabama, it's a long shot. https://t.co/2v7iVZATei
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) March 30, 2022

Fun fact: This is likely only the third successful veto override in Louisiana history! https://t.co/wXaHnOE1FN
— Nathaniel Rakich (@baseballot) March 30, 2022

It is shameful that the first vote overriding a Louisiana governor’s veto in a generation—which happened just today—was to deny black Louisianans fair representation in Congress.

We are proud to stand on the side of the voters. We will never waver in our pursuit of justice. https://t.co/dz3K2uCjbL
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) March 31, 2022

🚨BREAKING: Black voters challenge new Louisiana map as violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Asks court to order the creation of a second majority-Black district. @EliasLawGroup @RedistrictFdn https://t.co/wO9wWKzkvL
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) March 31, 2022