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Gretchen Carlson Becomes Chairwoman of the Miss America Org.
Gretchen Carlson named chair of Miss America organization
Former Fox News Channel anchor and 1989 Miss America Gretchen Carlson was named chairwoman of the Miss America Organization's board of directors Monday, and three other past pageant winners will join her on the board.
The new leadership comes less than two weeks after leaked emails surfaced showing CEO Sam Haskell and others disparaging the appearance, intellect and sex lives of former Miss Americas. Haskell resigned Dec. 23, along with two other top leaders.
The selection of Carlson marks the first time a former pageant winner has served as the leader of the nearly 100-year-old organization. The organization also announced the appointments of three other past Miss Americas: 2012 winner Laura Kaeppeler Fleiss, 2000 winner Heather French Henry and Kate Shindle, who won in 1998 and now serves as president of the Actors' Equity Association. Their appointments take effect immediately, as does Carlson's.
Previously: Miss America on Life Support
Bernard Kouchner: Ban/Boycott Austria EU Presidency
Italy Plans to Send Anti-Migrant Military Mission to Niger
Welcome to Your Future: An Inspiring Holiday Message
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Out of boredom, I did a Google News search for "arcology". This was the lone result:
Paolo Soleri accused of sexual abuse by daughter
No serious arcologies have been built despite decades of research/advocacy. Various projects have been proposed but not realized:
Crystal Island
Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid
Dubai City Tower
Sky City 1000
X-Seed 4000
But the dead stiff Paolo Soleri is now just another #MeToo rapist. Is disinterment on the table?
In the future, there will be no arcologies. Soleri's ideas have been celebrated and studied, and others have proposed arcologies, but there will always be pesky obstacles like a global financial crisis, lack of lengthy carbon nanotubes, or the threat of terrorism. If you put one million people in a single building, the incentive to find the one or handful of weak spots becomes that much greater. Because more kills = higher score. Instead of arcologies, expect more apps and socially-conscious VR.
If we don't see nukes flying in every direction, we'll get to experience new and exciting wars soon. Perhaps right here on American soil. They'll be fought with bioweapons, maybe some directed energy weapons, and Hackaday-chique explosives powered by 3D printing and Raspberry Pis. American ingenuity is not dead: it has to kill America first.
A select few elites may be able to escape the carnage. The Musky One will soon have four spaceports from which to launch his escape vehicle to Mars. Why else would he plan for 2024 when everyone else is talking about 2035? He saw the writing on the wall and wants to print his "Get Out of Judgment Day Free" card ASAP. Assuming Muskman survives the journey, he will live in a cave on the side of a cliff as the free market's chosen God-Emperor of the Red Planet. The ratio of women to men will be around 10 to 1, if not 50 to 1. You can guess what comes next. Homo sapiens sapiens erectus muskii.
So as you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or New Year's this season, take a look at the people around you. Look for the pressure points, the joints, and any visible signs of weakness that could be exploited. Do so reflexively. Make a higher level of paranoia your new normal. Become more ascerbically cynical and distrustful than you already were as a SoylentNews reader. Get ready for mankind's final adventure, a global battle royale with no winners.
Miss America on Life Support
The Miss America Emails: How The Pageant’s CEO Really Talks About The Winners
In late August 2014, the CEO of the Miss America Organization, Sam Haskell, sent an email to the lead writer of the Miss America pageant telecast, Lewis Friedman, informing him of a change he wanted to make in the script: “I have decided that when referring to a woman who was once Miss America, we are no longer going to call them Forever Miss Americas....please change all script copy to reflect that they are Former Miss Americas!” Friedman replied, “I’d already changed “Forevers” to “Cunts.” Does that work for you?” Haskell’s short reply came quickly: “Perfect...bahahaha.”
[...] In December 2014, Friedman emailed Haskell to offer his condolences on the death of former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley, writing, “So sorry to hear about Mary Ann Mobley” The subject line of Friedman’s email read: “It should have been Kate Shindle.” Haskell replied, “Thanks so much Coach...even in my sadness you can make me laugh...how was the Kennedy Center Honors? Love you and appreciate you! Sam.”
[...] Haskell and Haddad also appeared to dislike Gretchen Carlson, who won the Miss America title in 1989 and was on the organization’s board of directors for many years. The root cause of their disdain, according to three sources, was Carlson’s push to modernize the organization and her refusal to attack former Miss Americas.
Haskell told Carlson not to have Hagan on her program, according to three sources familiar with the conversation. Carlson refused.
On Aug. 15, 2014, Weidner sent an email to a group of former Miss Americas, including Carlson, about Shindle’s book, saying, “Is it possible for each of you to speak out in defense of Sam and the organization?” Carlson replied, “It’s one thing to talk about your own personal experience as Miss America … but totally different to attack people individually.” Haskell forwarded Carlson’s response to Haddad, who replied to Haskell, “Snake but now u have not doubts as to her loyalty. Makes it easy not to respond. Right?”
Just before Shindle’s book came out, Haddad emailed Haskell and said, “Why don’t u read susan POWELL’s [former Miss America] email on the board call and say it’s a shame that only one miss america who has come forward to offer help in any way.” Haddad was referring to an email Powell had written that was supportive of Haskell. Haskell replied, “Brilliant…..fucking Brilliant!!!! That will drive Gretchen INFUCKINGSANE.” After the email exchange, Haskell did not feature Carlson in the next Miss America broadcast ― an unusual decision given her prominence.
[...] Adams recalled an encounter with Haskell at his home in which Haskell attempted to convince Adams to break up with Hagan and instead date his daughter. Haskell stretched out his arms and told Adams, “All of this can be yours,” ostensibly referring to his Oxford mansion and the family’s money. “You don’t need a piece of trash like Mallory. You need someone with class and money like my daughter,” he said, according to Adams.
[...] In August 2014, Haskell received an email from someone he knew, who said Hagan’s hairdresser in New York had been commenting on Hagan’s sex life while Hagan was living in Los Angeles, as well as her recent weight gain.
Haskell forwarded the email to Friedman saying, “Not a single day passes that I am not told some horrible story about Mallory.” Friedman replied, “Mallory’s preparing for her new career … as a blimp in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade As she continues to destroy her own credibility, her voice will attract less and less notice while she continues her descent to an unhappy pathetic footnote.” Friedman ended the email with, “Ps. Are we four the only ones not to have fucked Mallory?” Haskell replied and said, “It appears we are the only ones!”
Miss America CEO suspended over leaked emails revealed in story he calls 'unkind and untrue'
rDT summoned.
Holiday Recipes
Humanoid Robot Can Exercise and Break a "Sweat"
[Put here because it isn't substantially different than when the story ran last year.]
A robot designed to resemble the anatomy of a human boy can perform actions such as push-ups and sit-ups, and uses "sweat" to cool its motors:
The design of a new life-size bot named Kengoro closely resembles the anatomy of a teenage boy in body proportion, skeletal and muscular structure, and joint flexibility, researchers report online December 20 in Science Robotics. Compared with previous humanoid robots with more rigid, bulky bodies, Kengoro's anatomically inspired design [open, DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aaq0899] [DX] gives the bot a wide range of motion to perform humanlike, full-body exercises.
Video (37s).
Also at Motherboard.
Previously: "Sweating" Robot can do More Push-Ups
Sexual Harassment in Indonesia's Cosplay Scene
And in other Indonesian news:
Gay Crackdown Continues in Indonesia Despite Court Ruling
Indonesia court jails men for two years over 'gay sex party'
Australian, American, Malaysian arrested in Indonesia's Bali for drugs
Vigilantes Stalk Indonesian Transgender Women
Indonesia is the world's 4th most populous country, behind the United States.
Sex Harassment and the Office Christmas* Party
Holiday Parties Gone Wrong: Careful Where You Hang The Mistletoe
*Holiday Party #WarOnChristmas
Chamath Palihapitiya Threatened?
Previously: Another Former Facebook Exec Speaks Out
Palihapitiya's initial remarks included the statement that Facebook "overwhelmingly does good in the world". Maybe that wasn't good enough for somezucky?
Former Facebook Exec Who Suggested Social Media Was Destroying Society: I Love Facebook
He's already rich. He can feed his kids. But can he protect them from the reach of Facebook?
