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Remembering Norman Lear: Television Pioneer and Social Activist

Norman Lear: Television pioneer who revolutionized comedy, challenged social norms, and left a lasting legacy of activism.

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On December 6, 2023, the world bid farewell to a true television icon, Norman Lear, who passed away at the age of 101. Lear, a writer, director, and producer, revolutionized the landscape of prime time television with groundbreaking shows like “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” and “Maude.” His comedies tackled political and social issues head-on, challenging the norms of the time and leaving an indelible mark on the medium. Lear’s passing marks the end of an era, but his legacy as a visionary and liberal activist will live on.


Norman Lear 2017
Norman Lear. (2023, December 6). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Lear

A Legacy of Bold and Controversial Comedies:
Norman Lear’s contribution to television cannot be overstated. His shows were known for their fearless approach in addressing societal issues, providing a platform for open discussions on topics such as racism, feminism, and the Vietnam War. Lear’s most iconic creation, “All in the Family,” centered around the clash between conservative Archie Bunker and his liberal son-in-law, Mike Stivic. The show fearlessly confronted the prejudices and concerns of its time, challenging viewers to reevaluate their own beliefs while using humor as a powerful tool for social commentary.

Defining Prime Time Comedy in the 1970s:
During the 1970s, Lear’s shows dominated prime time television and captivated audiences across the nation. “All in the Family” was a cultural phenomenon that truly reflected the era’s political and social turmoil. Lear’s ability to infuse humor into controversial subjects resonated with viewers, and the success of the show paved the way for other groundbreaking sitcoms like “The Jeffersons” and “Maude.” These shows not only entertained but also opened doors for discussions on race, gender, and socioeconomic issues.

Launching Careers and Elevating Stars:
Lear’s impact extended beyond the storylines and themes of his shows. He served as a launching pad for talented actors and actresses, propelling their careers to new heights. Stars like Rob Reiner, Valerie Bertinelli, Carroll O’Connor, Bea Arthur, and Redd Foxx found fame and recognition through their roles in Lear’s iconic series. Lear’s keen eye for talent and his ability to create relatable characters played a significant role in shaping the careers of these individuals.

A Life Committed to Social Activism:
Norman Lear’s commitment to social activism was deeply ingrained in both his personal and professional life. Drawing inspiration from his own experiences and family dynamics, Lear used his platform in the entertainment industry to challenge societal norms and promote progressive values. His political activism began at a young age and continued throughout his life. Lear’s involvement in various organizations, such as The Business Enterprise Trust and the Norman Lear Center, showcased his dedication to using media and entertainment as vehicles for positive change.

A Lasting Legacy:
Norman Lear’s contributions to television and society will continue to resonate for generations to come. His groundbreaking comedies not only entertained but also challenged viewers to examine their own biases and prejudices. Lear’s legacy serves as a reminder of the power of storytelling to incite social change and encourage empathy. As fans mourn the loss of a television pioneer, they can take solace in the fact that his work will forever be remembered and celebrated.

Norman Lear’s passing signifies the conclusion of a transformative era in television history. His ability to bring political and social issues to the forefront of prime time comedy revolutionized the medium. Lear’s legacy will continue to inspire future creators to use television as a platform for meaningful discussions and societal reflection. As we say goodbye to this iconic television show creator, we honor Norman contributions and celebrate the indelible mark he left on the entertainment industry and the world.

https://apnews.com/article/norman-lear-died-87300f0e49b54c05803ab315dfdf9933

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Supreme Court Reverses Lower Court Decision Shielding Officers Who Arrested Texas Citizen Journalist

The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned protections for Texas officers in citizen journalist Priscilla Villarreal’s case, emphasizing the need for accountability in press freedom.

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In a pivotal move for press freedom, the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a lower court’s ruling that previously granted legal protections to Texas law enforcement officers involved in the arrest of citizen journalist Priscilla Villarreal, widely known as “Lagordiloca.” This decision underscores the ongoing tension between the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press and the doctrine of qualified immunity that often shields government officials from accountability.

Citizen Journalist

Villarreal, a prominent figure in Laredo, Texas, has gained significant attention for her reporting on local issues, including crime and public affairs, through her Facebook page, “Lagordiloca News.” Her interactions with police sources, however, led to her arrest, sparking a legal battle that raised important questions about the rights of journalists—especially those operating outside traditional media structures.

The Supreme Court’s brief order not only nullified the lower court’s protective ruling for the officers but also mandated further proceedings, indicating the need for a deeper examination of the case. Villarreal expressed her gratitude for the ruling, noting that it represents a significant stride towards addressing the injustices she has faced.

JT Morris, an attorney representing Villarreal through The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, praised the decision as a crucial win for free speech and press freedom. He emphasized the importance of holding officials accountable when they infringe upon First Amendment rights, reinforcing the idea that the ability to seek information from public officials is a fundamental aspect of journalistic practice.

Villarreal’s status as one of the most influential journalists in Laredo is notable, especially considering her ability to engage the community and report on issues that often go unaddressed. However, her work has not come without challenges, as her reporting has occasionally drawn the ire of local officials, including the Laredo Police Department. This case serves as a reminder of the critical role that citizen journalists play in our media landscape, particularly in local communities where traditional news outlets may fall short.

The Supreme Court’s decision is likely to resonate beyond Texas, setting a precedent that could impact similar cases across the country. As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome will undoubtedly shape the conversation around press freedom, accountability, and the rights of citizen journalists in the digital age. For Villarreal and her supporters, this ruling not only serves as a validation of her work but also as a beacon of hope for journalists striving to uphold the First Amendment in the face of adversity.

Related Link: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-qualified-immunity-texas-citizen-journalist/

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Will the exploding pager attack be the spark that ignites an Israel-Hezbollah war?

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Civil Defense first-responders carry a man who was wounded after his handheld pager exploded, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.(AP Photo)

Amin Saikal, Australian National University

Exploding Pager

The alleged Israeli attack on members of Hezbollah via their pagers is another ominous development propelling the Middle East towards a full-scale regional war. It leaves Hezbollah with little option but to retaliate with the full support of the Iran-led “axis of resistance”.

The sophistication and impact of targeting the pagers is unprecedented. The attack resulted in at least 11 deaths, including some of Hezbollah’s fighters, and up to 3,000 people wounded.

The main aim of the attack, which US officials have reportedly said was carried out by Israel, was intended to disrupt Hezbollah’s means of communication and its command and control system in Lebanon.

Since Hezbollah has reduced the use of mobile phones by its forces because Israel can easily detect and target them, pagers have increasingly become the preferred messaging device within the group.

The attack may have also been designed to cause panic within the group and among the Lebanese public, many of whom do not support Hezbollah, given the political divisions in the country.

Since Hamas’ October 7 attacks on southern Israel, the Israeli leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said it is determined to remove the threat of Hezbollah, which has operated in solidarity with Hamas.

Hours before the pager attack, Netanyahu’s government clarified that Israel’s war goals would expand to include a return of the tens of thousands of residents to their homes in northern Israel, which they have fled due to constant rocket fire from Hezbollah. Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said the only way to do this was through military action.

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The simultaneous pager explosions on Tuesday, then, may be a prelude to an all-out Israeli offensive against Hezbollah.

The consequences of war with Hezbollah

Hezbollah has already declared it will retaliate. What form this will take remains to be seen. The group has a massive military capability to not only to pound northern Israel with drones and missiles, but also attack other parts of the Jewish state, including heavily populated cities such as Tel Aviv.

Hezbollah showed this capability in its 2006 war with Israel. The war lasted 34 days, during which 165 Israelis were killed (121 IDF soldiers and 44 civilians) and Israel’s economy and tourist industry were markedly damaged. Hezbollah and Lebanese losses were far greater, with at least 1,100 deaths. However, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) failed to destroy or incapacitate the group.

Any successful retaliatory attack on Israel’s cities could result in serious civilian casualties, giving Israel a further pretext to pursue its long-held aim of destroying Hezbollah and punishing its main backer, the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In a wider conflict, the United States is committed to defending Israel, while Iran would support Hezbollah in whatever way necessary. If Israeli and US leaders think Iran will continue to refrain from any action that could propel it into war with Israel and the US, they are mistaken.

Hezbollah is a central piece in the regime’s national and regional security paradigm. Tehran has invested heavily in the group, along with other regional affiliates – Iraqi militias, the Yemeni Houthis and the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, in particular. The aim of this “axis of resistance” has been to build a strong deterrent against Israel and the US.

Ever since its foundation 45 years ago, the Iranian regime has viewed Israel and its main backer, the US, as an existential threat, just as Israel has regarded Iran in the same way. For this, the regime has reoriented its foreign relations towards America’s major adversaries, especially Russia and China. Russo-Iranian military cooperation has grown so strong, in fact, that Moscow will have little hesitation in backing Iran and its affiliates in any war.

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Tehran is fully cognisant of Israel’s nuclear prowess. To guard against it, Iran has developed its own nuclear program to the threshold level of developing a weapon. Iranian leaders may have also gained Russia’s assurances it would help defend Iran should Israel resort to the use of its nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, it is important to remember that after nearly a year of demolishing Gaza and devastating its inhabitants, Israel has not been able to wipe out Hamas.

Its own actions speak to this. It has constantly forced Gazans to relocate so IDF soldiers can operate in areas they had previously declared to be cleared of fighters.

The task of defeating Hezbollah and its backers would be a far greater objective to achieve. It carries the serious risk of a war that all parties have been saying that they do not want, yet all are preparing for.

The pager attack is just the latest in a string of operations that keeps imperilling any chances of a permanent Gaza ceasefire that could stabilise the region and contribute to the causes of peace rather than war.

Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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NASA Decides to Bring Starliner Spacecraft Back to Earth Without Crew 

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NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and leadership participate in a live news conference on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston where they provided an update about NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Credit: NASA

Bringing Starliner Home

NASA will return Boeing’s Starliner to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard the spacecraft, the agency announced Saturday. The uncrewed return allows NASA and Boeing to continue gathering testing data on Starliner during its upcoming flight home, while also not accepting more risk than necessary for its crew.

Wilmore and Williams, who flew to the International Space Station in June aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, have been busy supporting station research, maintenance, and Starliner system testing and data analysis, among other activities.

“Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work.”

Wilmore and Williams will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025. They will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. Starliner is expected to depart from the space station and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing in early September.

NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters on June 6 as Starliner approached the space station. Since then, engineering teams have completed a significant amount of work, including reviewing a collection of data, conducting flight and ground testing, hosting independent reviews with agency propulsion experts, and developing various return contingency plans. The uncertainty and lack of expert concurrence does not meet the agency’s safety and performance requirements for human spaceflight, thus prompting NASA leadership to move the astronauts to the Crew-9 mission.

“Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. “We’ve learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations. We also will continue to gather more data about Starliner during the uncrewed return and improve the system for future flights to the space station.”

Boeing Starliner
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (from top) Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose on June 13, 2024 for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station’s Harmony module and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Credit: NASA

Starliner is designed to operate autonomously and previously completed two uncrewed flights. NASA and Boeing will work together to adjust end-of-mission planning and Starliner’s systems to set up for the uncrewed return in the coming weeks. Starliner must return to Earth before the Crew-9 mission launches to ensure a docking port is available on station.

“Starliner is a very capable spacecraft and, ultimately, this comes down to needing a higher level of certainty to perform a crewed return,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “The NASA and Boeing teams have completed a tremendous amount of testing and analysis, and this flight test is providing critical information on Starliner’s performance in space. Our efforts will help prepare for the uncrewed return and will greatly benefit future corrective actions for the spacecraft.”

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program requires spacecraft fly a crewed test flight to prove the system is ready for regular flights to and from the space station. Following Starliner’s return, the agency will review all mission-related data to inform what additional actions are required to meet NASA’s certification requirements.

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The agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, originally slated with four crew members, will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24. The agency will share more information about the Crew-9 complement when details are finalized. 

NASA and SpaceX currently are working several items before launch, including reconfiguring seats on the Crew-9 Dragon, and adjusting the manifest to carry additional cargo, personal effects, and Dragon-specific spacesuits for Wilmore and Williams. In addition, NASA and SpaceX now will use new facilities at Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to launch Crew-9, which provides increased operational flexibility around NASA’s planned Europa Clipper launch.

The Crew-9 mission will be the ninth rotational mission to the space station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which works with the American aerospace industry to meet the goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the orbital outpost on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.

For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low Earth orbit economy, NASA’s Artemis campaign is underway at the Moon where the agency is preparing for future human exploration of Mars.

Find more information on NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Source: NASA

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