Blogs

By Giancarla Sambo

Edited by Elissa D. Hecker

Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News:

Entertainment

Florida Officials Ask Supreme Court to Block Rulings Limiting Anti-Drag Show Law

Florida is asking the Supreme Court to block lower court rulings that prohibit the enforcement of a new law targeting drag shows.

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/florida-officials-us-supreme-court-block-rulings-limiting-104263140

Reaction to Hamas Attack Leaves Some Jews in Hollywood Feeling Unmoored

The response to the Oct. 7 assault, and to Israel’s retaliation, has revealed a schism in the entertainment world that many did not realize was there.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/29/business/hamas-attack-hollywood-jews.html

Writers Guild Faces Backlash for Not Condemning Hamas Attack

A union leader told members that the board’s viewpoints were varied and that a consensus could not be reached.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/business/media/writers-guild-israel-hamas.html

Lizzo’s Touring Company Comes to Her Defense in Motion to Dismiss Sexual Harassment Lawsuit, Describes Allegations as ‘Fabricated’

A total of 18 of Lizzo’s employees have written lengthy declarations in dispute of the claims first filed by a trio of former dancers. 

https://variety.com/2023/music/news/lizzo-touring-company-defends-dimiss-sexual-harrassment-lawsuit-1235771047/

 

Dave Chappelle and the Perils of Button-Pushing Comedy

His comments on the Mideast conflict have been the subject of news reports, but the polarizing coverage has ignored how comics have treated the situation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/26/arts/television/dave-chappelle-button-pushing-comedy.html

Legendary Racing Commentator Suing Netflix for Using His Voice in Episode of The Crown

Dave Johnson is seeking damages alleging that his race calls were used without permission in an episode about Queen Elizabeth’s love of horse racing.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/netflix-the-crown-dave-johnson-31259653#google_vignette

Arts

Inside Kanye West’s Fraught Relationship With Adidas: 7 Takeaways

The runaway success of the Yeezy collaboration between Kanye West and Adidas came at a price as the company tolerated egregious misconduct by him for nearly a decade.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/business/adidas-kanye-west-yeezy-takeaways.html

Artist Owes $1.5 Million in Damages for Fake Bored Ape NFTs

U.S. District Judge John Walter said that artist Ryder Ripps and partner Jeremy Cahen must pay Yuga all of their profits from their copies, which they have defended as an art project meant to criticize racist "dog whistles" in Yuga's works.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/artist-owes-15-mln-damages-fake-bored-ape-nfts-judge-says-2023-10-26/

Abercrombie & Fitch Sued for Sex-Trafficking

A former model for Abercrombie & Fitch sued the fashion retailer, alleging that it allowed its former CEO Mike Jeffries to run a sex-trafficking organization during his 22-year tenure.

https://www.businessinsider.com/abercrombie-and-fitch-ceo-sex-trafficking-lawsuit-mike-jeffries-2023-10

Dick’s Sporting Goods Sued Over Logo Similarities

A Staten Island, New York-based sportswear company says that Dick’s Sporting Goods’ Calia brand logo infringes on their infinity symbol logo.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/dick-sporting-goods-sued-over-121905512.html

Hipgnosis Made Mega Deals for Song Catalogs. Its Future Is Unclear.

The company’s shareholders rejected a $440 million divestment plan and voted against maintaining its current structure.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/26/arts/music/hipgnosis-songs-fund-shareholder-rejection.html

Sports

Minor Leagues Present Major Challenge to MLB's Antitrust Exemption

Two minor league baseball teams have gone to the Supreme Court with a simple request: Put an end to the rules that have protected Major League Baseball from antitrust liability for over a century.

https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/legally-weird/minor-leagues-present-major-challenge-to-mlbs-antitrust-exemption/

NCAA Request for Athlete ‘Special Status’ Could Backfire in Court

NCAA president Charlie Baker hopes Congress can stop college athletes from being recognized as employees, but what is said before Congress could be used in court.

https://www.sportico.com/law/analysis/2023/ncaa-congressional-request-special-status-charlie-baker-1234742807/

Federal Appeals Court Wrestles With Zion Williamson Agent Dispute

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals will decide in the weeks or months ahead whether to uphold a lower court’s ruling favoring pro basketball star Zion Williamson over his former sports marketing agency.

https://www.carolinajournal.com/federal-appeals-court-wrestles-with-zion-williamson-agent-dispute/

California’s Noncompete Ban Expansion Reaches Sports

Two new laws in California expand the state’s ban on noncompete agreements in ways that will impact athletes, teams, and sports companies doing business in the Golden State.

https://sports.yahoo.com/california-national-expansion-noncompete-ban-120000051.html

 

What Brands Should Know About Using NFTs in the Sports Industry – WEF Report

NFTs are no longer foreign to the world of sports. Why? Several top sports brands and events have seen the importance of incorporating this new class of assets into their operations.

https://cryptotvplus.com/2023/10/what-brands-should-know-about-using-nfts-in-the-sports-industry-wef-report/

As Users Abandon X, Sports Twitter Endures

Many users have migrated to other platforms since Elon Musk bought Twitter, but sports fans still find it indispensable.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/sports/sports-twitter-x-elon-musk.html

Justine Lindsay, NFL’s First Openly Trans Cheerleader, is ‘Changing the World’

The TopCats phenom spoke out about her journey since coming out in the most public way.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/justine-lindsay-nfl-trans-cheerleader_n_650b06b3e4b08fb14bc3910f

Technology/Media

What the U.S. Has Argued in the Google Antitrust Trial

As the government wraps up its case in the landmark monopoly trial, it has built a picture of how Google became dominant in online search — and the harms that it says resulted.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/technology/google-antitrust-trial.html

Meta Accused by States of Using Features to Lure Children to Instagram and Facebook

Meta was sued by more than three dozen states for knowingly using features on Instagram and Facebook to hook children to its platforms, even as the company said its social media sites were safe for young people.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/technology/states-lawsuit-children-instagram-facebook.html

Face Search Engine PimEyes Blocks Searches of Children’s Faces

The change came in response to worries that the service could be used nefariously by a stranger.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/technology/pimeyes-blocks-searches-childrens-faces.html

If Trump Trial Isn’t Broadcast Live, a Plea to Record It for Posterity

A request to broadcast one of Donald Trump’s federal trials made an intriguing backup argument, one rooted not in the news cycle but in ensuring a complete historical record.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/us/politics/trump-trial-tv.html

Sam Bankman-Fried Testifies That He Made ‘Larger Mistakes’ at FTX

Speaking in his own defense at his criminal trial, the FTX founder denied he had committed fraud but acknowledged missteps that hurt the cryptocurrency exchange’s customers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/technology/sam-bankman-fried-testifies-ftx.html

The Consequences of Elon Musk’s Ownership of X

Dozens of studies from multiple organizations have demonstrated on issue after issue a similar trend: an increase in harmful content on X during Mr. Musk’s tenure.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/27/technology/twitter-x-elon-musk-anniversary.html

Las Vegas Hotels Defeat Lawsuit Over Room Rental Fees For Now

In a 13-page order, Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda Du in Nevada said the consumer lawsuit against the hotel companies and a pricing software platform suffered from "ambiguity" and "numerous deficiencies." 

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/las-vegas-hotels-defeat-lawsuit-over-room-rental-fees-now-2023-10-25/

As China Looks to Broker Gaza Peace, Antisemitism Surges Online

China’s state-run media has blamed the United States for deepening the crisis, while perpetuating tropes of Jewish control of American politics.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/28/world/asia/china-israel-hamas-antisemitism.html

General News

G.O.P. Nominates Mike Johnson for Speaker

The selection of the ultraconservative and low-profile Louisianian capped a topsy-turvy day and gave Republicans hope of ending the weekslong deadlock that has paralyzed the House.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/us/politics/house-speaker-election.html

 

For Mike Johnson, Religion Is at the Forefront of Politics and Policy

The new House Speaker has put his faith at the center of his political career, and aligned himself with a newer cohort of conservative Christianity that some describe as Christian nationalism.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/us/politics/mike-johnson-speaker-religion.html

Trump Lawsuits

Jenna Ellis, Former Trump Lawyer, Pleads Guilty in Georgia Election Case

Three lawyers indicted with Donald Trump for trying to overturn the 2020 election results will now cooperate with prosecutors in the racketeering case.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/us/jenna-ellis-guilty-trump-georgia.html

 

Latest Figure to Flip in Election Case Had Direct Ties to Trump and Giuliani

Jenna Ellis, the lawyer who pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the authorities in the Georgia prosecution, was closely involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/us/politics/jenna-ellis-georgia-election-trump-giuliani.html

 

With Plea Deals in Georgia Trump Case, Fani Willis Is Building Momentum

The Fulton County district attorney often uses her state’s racketeering law to pressure lower-rung defendants to cooperate and exert pressure on her main targets.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/us/fani-willis-trump-georgia.html

A President, a Billionaire, and Questions About Access and National Security

Anthony Pratt, one of Australia’s wealthiest men, made his way into Donald Trump’s inner circle with money and flattery. What he heard there has become of interest to federal prosecutors.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/22/us/politics/anthony-pratt-donald-trump.html

 

Cohen Denounces Trump During Courtroom Face-Off

Michael D. Cohen accused his onetime boss of manipulating his net worth, as Trump stared blankly ahead. It was their first interaction in five years.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/nyregion/trump-michael-cohen-fraud-trial.html

Trump Files More Motions to Derail Federal Jan. 6 Case

The former president’s lawyers made a series of arguments seeking dismissal of the federal charges that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/us/politics/trump-jan-6-charges-dismiss.html

 

Three Trump Family Members Set to Testify at Civil Fraud Trial Next Week

Trump’s two adult sons and daughter Ivanka are expected to take the witness stand starting on Wednesday. The former president is set to testify on Nov. 6.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/nyregion/trump-family-trial-testimony.html

 

Biden Administration Moves to Ban a Solvent Linked to Cancer

The chemical, trichloroethylene, is used in some adhesives and cleaning products.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/climate/epa-trichloroethylene-tce-cancer.html

Despite State Bans, Legal Abortions Didn’t Fall Nationwide in Year After Dobbs

The first full-year census of U.S. abortion providers shows significant increases in abortion in states where it is legal.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/upshot/abortion-numbers-dobbs.html

Menendez Pleads Not Guilty to Plotting to Be an Agent of Egypt

Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat, was arraigned on Monday in Manhattan federal court. It was his second appearance there in a month.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/nyregion/menendez-arraignment-egypt-plot.html

Gunman in Maine Mass Shooting Had Paranoid Beliefs, Officials Say

The man was found dead on Friday night, ending a two-day manhunt. The police said he had legally purchased several guns, including in recent days.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/28/us/maine-lewiston-shooting-suspect.html

Migrants Search for Beds as New York Quietly Stops Offering Them to All

“They want you to get tired, so you give up, and they are achieving it,” said one migrant who has been searching for a place to stay in New York City for several days.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/28/nyregion/nyc-migrant-crisis-shelter.html

Pleas for Aid and a Scramble for Supplies in Acapulco After Hurricane Otis

Days after the storm, the death toll rose to 39 and residents were navigating broken glass, searching for water and food, and trying to find loved ones. Many said the government was not doing enough.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/28/world/americas/acapulco-mexico-hurricane-otis.html

A New Place to Learn Civics: The Workplace

Fearing that rising distrust could spell doom for businesses, some companies are offering employees lessons in democracy.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/29/world/europe/businesses-civics-education.html

Gaza’s Tunnels Loom Large for Israel’s Ground Forces

Hamas is believed to hide weapons, fighters and even command centers in miles of subterranean pathways and chambers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/28/us/politics/gazas-tunnels-israel-ground-war.html