MORE NO MORE
Addressing our falling skies, losing George Santos and an invitation for you.
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Hey Friends,
This week I have something a little different than the normal quick opener leading right into the news. Today I want to invite you to join me in something very important.
But first, I'll start with a confession.
I'm a terrible runner. Not just because I hate it. For lots of reasons. It hurts my knees. It doesn't taste like a burger. I don't like the way I look when my hands flail off to the sides. Besides, how can I get somewhere faster if I faceplant at the halfway mark? And if my ultimate destination is "right back here," then sitting here seems more efficient.
I've spent the better part of a half-century doing everything I can to avoid it. But today I'm going to ask you to run with me. Together.
Over the last ten years, I've been involved with a worldwide organization called NO MORE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault.
NO MORE raises the profile of vital conversations by producing work like this Super Bowl commercial in 2015 or by partnering with companies like Uber to create safer rides. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it.
Many community leaders, celebrities, business people, and newsletter writers (🙋‍) have joined together to change the narrative around issues that were taboo for so long. Personally, I'm no Ike Turner. I've never taken a swing at a woman. But I've known too many that have, under a false banner of love (but what's love got to do with it?), and that is not the only form that abuse takes.
Since shortly after it was established, I've been involved with NO MORE as a consultant, volunteer, and board member. I'm told I'm also serving as voice-over talent for a new video because I'm classically known as a guy with a dramatic voice who can deliver any line as long as it's not politely declining to do literally anything you ask him to do.
I'll happily loan my voice to a cause as important as this one.
MORE NO MORE
Since its founding ten years ago, so much progress has been made on the topic of domestic and sexual violence. After all, you can talk about it today without your house getting egged for it. But it's not time to relax just yet. Domestic and sexual violence remain at epidemic levels, and human rights, especially women's rights, are at risk in many parts of the world.
10 Years is Not Enough. We need more.
- More Commitment
- More Action
- More Inclusion
- More Respect
- More Unity
- More Progress
For the 10th year of NO MORE Week, (March 5th to March 12th), I'm inviting you to join our annual 5K race to end domestic and sexual violence, sponsored by the NFL and State Farm.
Just drop a cool $15 donation and run at your own pace (which includes really fast walking and really slow sitting) during the week.
If you join me in the race to end domestic violence, I would like to feature your story in this newsletter. And if you mention that you heard about it here, I'll do an extra kilometer just for you.
After signing up, please share with me (reply to this email) why you chose to support NO MORE. Maybe it's a family story, a personal one, or your vision for a better future. Share as little or as much as you wish to share.
Please join me. Click below to sign up or donate.
Take all of NO MORE Week— March 5th - March 12th— to complete your run or walk on the route, day, and time that works best for you. Register from anywhere worldwide, track your progress and compete with others to reach your goal. And if you run the race from the couch, I won't tell a soul.
I'll see you there...
Now, let's get to The News.
Hot Takes
Week 07 of 2023
Falling Skies
The US and Canada have shot down at least four things out of the sky this week, ranging from large transnational spy aircraft to a Starbucks gift card (which still hasn't been recovered, but experts say they believe it still has money on it). The Biden administration is practicing an abundance of caution by taking down airborne objects more swiftly after the Chinese Spy Balloon generated widespread concern and media coverage.
To be clear, the nature of each of the other three objects shot down over the last weekend has still not been identified, and it's unclear how much money is left on the Starbucks card. These items were shot down without being fully identified. This means that we're either protecting ourselves from espionage or we're downing trash and spending millions of dollars to dive into lakes, oceans, and Alaska to get them. One was described as an octagonal object the size of a small car with strings hanging off it, which to me sounds like a discarded grocery sack, but it might also be some kind of malicious drone. Biden explained that we still do not know what was shot down, but if a threat is perceived, "we will take it down." Since Sunday, when the fourth object was downed, nothing else has made the news, but experts, the military, and the media are more aware of the activity going on above us, which may have been happening all along. (more)
Losing George Santos
George Santos loses a lot of things. He loses his certifications, loses notes indicating the names of his previous jobs. He loses his shit when being confronted by other members of Congress, especially the Mormon ones. Well, this week, George is getting fingers pointed at him for over $365k of funds for which he simply lost the receipt. The funds unaccounted for roughly 12% of his campaign funds and are not the only dollars in question. (more)
Hope You Feel Fetterman
Here's hoping Senator John Fetterman feels better after a couple of rough days. You may recall he had a stroke on the campaign trail but won with one hand tied behind his back (and some cognitive issues as well). He was hospitalized last week after feeling light-headed, but revealed yesterday that he checked in to receive treatment for clinical depression. Doctors have ruled out another stroke, but one of the nurses did ask if he wears that hoodie in Congress too. (more)
Circling the Drain
The Justice dept is closing in on Trump, still under Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation. There's not much new to report other than a slew of subpoenas, including one mentioned last week to former Vice President Mike Pence, which he is prepared to contest, and Trump's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Trump lawyer Evan Corcoran, and other members of Trump's cabinet. Like Pence, nearly all the subpoenas are being challenged in court. It's still unclear when the swamp will be finished draining, but it seems obvious who's clogged it up. (more)
Being Presidential
Nikki Haley, a former Trump cabinet member, is running for president. She says the Republican Party needs a new generation of leadership – but she decided to run anyway. (more)
"Those Aren't Buoys"
Raquel Welch died on Wednesday this week at the age of 82. The star showed off her curves in 30 films and 50 television shows from 1964 to 2017, making her one of the longest consecutively operating thirst traps in history, but clearly one of the most iconic names in Hollywood. (more)
Quickly
- The CBO said we'll likely add $19 trillion in national debt over ten years.
- A Georgia grand jury investigating Trump claimed signs of perjury in a report.
That's it for this week.
Thanks for making it through an extra long issue of The Weekly, which I've reliably sent every Friday morning for the past 77 weeks. It's a pleasure to have you here with me.
Have a great weekend!
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