Afternoon Tea 12.15.2020 - The Day The Music Died

Barr didn’t make it, Iran is down to play nice, Newsmax has scored on Fox, and there’s a battery of info on music, what’s been happening with artists, and how you can help. Because we’ve spent the last year relying on their creations, while leaving them in the wind. It’s Tuesday, December 15th 2020, and this is the Tea.

Barr’s Exit Leaves Deputy Rosen Running Trump’s Justice Department (Bloomberg) & UNSPEAKABLE BRAVERY: These Senate Republicans Declared Joe Biden May Have Possibly, Technically Won The Election (BuzzfeedNews) AG Barr was fired by tweet after the Electoral College was called for Biden. As the GOP is rewarded for stating that the sun came up this morning, Trump’s tantrums will get worse. Barr is the latest in the stupendously long line of people who bent over backwards to break laws and destroy norms to please Trump. Who left in disgrace and humiliation anyway.

Newsmax TV scores a ratings win over Fox News for the first time ever (CNN Business) Watch this space. Fox News being taken down by Trump allying with Newsmax has gone from the realm of “impossible” to a race. As Trump erodes & finally leaves office, Newsmax, not Fox will be there to catch him.

Iran says it would rejoin nuclear deal within an hour of US doing so (The Guardian) Given that the USA left the nuclear deal years before Iran did, it’s so funny to watch center/right-of-center reporting on this. They try so hard to pretend Iran acted worse than Trump & his temper tantrums. And news like this just cements that as fact.

With Gigs Canceled and No Relief, Musicians Form a Nationwide Union (In These Times) & Senate Introduces HITS Act Companion Bill to Provide Tax Breaks for Music Creators (Billboard) & Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical Streaming Concert to Benefit the Actors Fund (Playbill) This salvo of links gets at really how witheringly bad this year has been for creatives and creative-adjacent industry workers. Stage managers, event producers, and everyone else that makes sure the show goes on have been hurting. So we need to get past the idea that DJs or actors need focused help, and remember that bartenders, house staff, roadies, sound engineers, and a whole universe of humans who get art made, need structural support and organized advocacy.

Meet Ricky Desktop, the Most Viral Beatmaker on Tiktok (The Verge) & Building an interdependent music scene: A list of resources (Crack Mag) & How the Dance Music Industry Failed Black Artists (Mixmag) To be clear, the world of music is entirely different now. Did you know that the era of the Soundcloud rapper & IG mix is gone? The beat maker on TikTok is king. This era requires an entirely different set of skills, and has completely failed to enrich or even recognize a generation of black artists.

They Will Kill Your Library, Too (Current Affairs) Can you imagine suggesting a public library today? The essential public service is heavily under attack. Honestly, all countries should compete on libraries. We should have a Library of Alexandria Olympics, and give out Golden Lighthouses for the pinnacle of stewardship, research, and respect for knowledge & wisdom. I’m such fun at parties, can’t you tell?

Game Devs Are Real People - You Can't Send Them Death Threats Just Because You're An Overgrown Toddler (TheGamer) Kind of shocked I have to say this, but don’t send death threats to game developers because you’re disappointed about Cyberpunk 2077. I can’t say it gives me messy orgasms every time I play, but it’s a game y’all. A fake reality you spent under $100 to experience. Go do some push ups or take a cold shower or something, sort yourselves out.

There Was A 1200% Increase in Journalist Arrests in 2020 (Gen) This is bad y’all. Violence against the press, especially by officers of the law is a worrying canary in the coal mine that is America’s battle for freedom.

Loyalty (The Beinart Notebook) Peter Beinart meditates on being told he’s betraying his tribe and religion by agreeing to be on a panel with Marc Lamont Hill and Rashida Tlaib. A deeply important perspective from a voice who is fast becoming a must-read.

Humans navigate with stereo olfaction (PNAS) Your brain creates a map of 3D space by using the slight differences between what either eye sees. Apparently, brains do the same thing with smell, using the two different nostrils?

Song of the Tea: DJ Rashad died way too early. His blend of high energy footwork and sunny, rolling bass was a linchpin of my sonic landscape for a few years. The riff that smooths along 50 seconds is one of the reasons why.

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Yours,T