Random Notes, October 2019

This blog hasn't been political in a hot minute:

+ Yes, I support impeachment. Perhaps its an attempt to take the moral high road by House Democrats. I suppose to compared to other allegations against President Trump, the Ukraine situation ranks somewhere in the middle. Regardless, an inquiry had to happen. My endorsement comes with concern, though. It's unlikely there will be enough Republican senators to "flip" and vote Trump out, and that if impeachment fails Trump's frothing base will double down for him in 2020.

+ With that said, the 2020 race is shaping up to be the Baby Boom generation's last stand. I know I've railed on the Democrats' perceived age problem, but the top three candidates for their party's nomination --Biden, Warren, and Sanders-- are all north of 70, potentially going head to head with a 73-year-old draft dodger. Younger candidates with strong, articulated platforms (read: Kamala Harris), regardless of how progressive they are, are being left in the dust. My parents' generation won't let go of the football.

+ Adam Silver learned the hard way that marketing anything in China comes with some tight strings attached.  The Daryl Morey situation is a reminder that the NBA is far more vocal and conscious of social issues than the other major sports leagues, and that their views are beyond incompatible with a country that bristles at the idea of freedom of speech. As such, NBA expansion outside of North America remains a pipe dream.

+ I was set to write another draft of my long-gestating eulogy for TV.com, but it appears that the login works again. It remains unclear what CNet intends to do with the site. I don't know if I've ever been in such a prolonged funeral procession. It is especially frustrating seeing episode guides for new shows 2015 to the present with no information on them, or person pages where their last credit is from mid-2016. Between the old TV Tome and now, a site that I've put toil and energy into for 16 1/2 isn't necessarily dead, but remains in some kind of comatose state.

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