Afternoon Tea 3.25.2021 - High Ground

Broadway could be back by the Fall, TikTok might the IRS doesn’t go after the rich enough, the walls are starting to close in around Cuomo, and New York State just might legalize it right. It’s Thursday, March 25th, 2021, and this is the Tea. (Editor’s Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, no Afternoon Tea next week. We’ll be back April 5th. Management apologizes for this unscheduled holiday.) 

Breaking: NYC Mayor De Blasio Announces Plans for Sites to Vaccinate Theatre Workers; Plans to Re-Open Broadway This Fall (Broadway World) If they can legitimately immunize Broadway, I’ll wager the city will be jumping much faster than anyone thought.

IRS misses ‘substantial’ tax evasion by the wealthiest Americans - far more than average worker (MarketWatch) I’m just going to start putting “Shocked” into gif search engines and post what I come back with.

 Top health officials told to prioritize COVID testing for Cuomo's relatives (Times Union) & FBI Cuomo Probe Seeks Details on Deal to Shield Nursing Homes from COVID Lawsuits (TheCity) & Legislature repeals Cuomo's immunity measure for health care facilities (Newsday) As I said, without the fog of Trump, the actions of Cuomo would not survive scrutiny. If he’s forced to repeal his own immunity measure, defend himself against a FBI probe, and now has to answer for ensuring his family cut the line to get tests last Spring? Even if he’s not impeached, he’s politically dead in the water.

New York Reaches a Deal to Legalize Recreational Marijuana (NY Times) & New York Lawmakers Reach Deal to Legalize Marijuana (WSJ) While I won’t believe it until the ink is dry and it’s on the books, the deal is promising. Lower tax rates than other liberal states, and ostensible legs up for BIPOC, disabled, and previously-busted-for-pot licensing. If they’re not stupid about this, the state’s farmland could be quite profitably used. There are some kinks to work out, and if you put a gun to my head, I’d say this is only happening because of just how bad the budget situation is and focus fire Cuomo is taking. But hell, progress.

Republican who demanded Cuomo resign quits politics over sexual misconduct claims (Brisbane Times) Something something casting the first stones?

Don’t Confuse Being Canceled with Being Held Publicly Accountable (Where’s Your Ed At) & The Powerful Blame “Cancel Culture” to Deflect Responsibility (WNYC Podcast) For the seven squillionth time, it’s not Cancel Culture, it’s Accountability. If you did a bunch of crap but didn’t face consequences because of your station, family, or privilege, you’re not being canceled. You’re being held to account. Cope with it, you’re rich.

TikTok is repeating Facebook’s mistakes in Myanmar (RestOfWorld) Hey Bytedance, can we not? Causing a genocide is not proof your company is a sweet big tech unicorn.

Most People Don’t Actively Seek to Share Fake News (Scientific American) Little behavioral nudges go a long way. Not every one in your FB circle is a supervillain.

From Bowie Bonds to Pipe: Financing Recurring Revenue (Net Interest) & Zig Brother: When David Bowie Tried to Turn George Orwell’s 1984 Into a Musical (Mental Floss) Bowie not only produced one of the first convertible schemes to make money from his future royalties, but also tried to make a musical out of 1984. Let this be a lesson to you: Keep creating, not all of your ideas will take off, but one or two might change the world.

Britney Spears has 'requested the resignation' of her father as her permanent conservator (Entertainment Weekly) #FreeBritney For Serious, it’s been so damn long.

Song of the Tea: All we can do is act. Thoughts help form those actions, but ultimately, thoughts and dreams don’t change the world. Only actions do.

Who are you when no one is watching? Who were you? Who do you want to be?

Yours,