The Case of Caroline Calloway and the Influencer Economy

Every semester I have students read this Cal Newport op-ed at the New York Times, "Quit Social Media. Your Career May Depend on It."

When I announce this as required first week's readings I usually see a few frowns and long faces, and one semester a student challenged me about the article, saying that people make money as "influencers," or some such thing.

The influencer thing was new to me at the time, but I got it. Nowadays it's a big thing.

I really like Sally Fitzgibbons, for example, but she's so into the product promotions, she never even likes a tweet from a follower. (I like interaction. I've had likes from television stars [Angie Harmon, for example] and lots of interaction with hot sports media and television personalities [like Liz Habib, who's the local Fox 11 sports anchor and a smokin' hottie].)

In any case, you can see why I'm not so sold on the "influencer economy." And after reading this bombshell from Kayleigh Donaldson, it's case closed.

See, "The Empty Mason Jar of the Influencer Economy: The Case of Caroline Calloway and her Creativity Workshop Tour."

Mind-boggling, really. (*SMH.*)

For the full story in excruciating detail, here is my piece on @pajiba on Caroline Calloway, her brief creativity workshop & the hollowness of "authenticity" as a brand.https://t.co/GxezF5WytL

— Kayleigh Donaldson (@Ceilidhann) January 14, 2019

Nina Agdal Takes It Off

At Drunken Stepfather, "NINA AGDAL NAKED OF THE DAY."

And at the Sun U.K., "Supermodel Nina Agdal shows off sensational figure as she poses in white bikini."

Supermodel Nina Agdal shows off sensational figure as she poses in white bikini https://t.co/jjv0iq5lpe

— The Sun (@TheSun) January 15, 2019

Still more at the New York Post, "Nina Agdal says she wouldn’t date Jack Brinkley-Cook if he were broke."

BONUS: Nina Agdal Topless.

Caroline Vreeland Bikini Photos

At Drunken Stepfather, "CAROLINE VREELAND MASSIVE TITS SUCKING IT IN OF THE DAY.

Kevin Powers, A Shout in the Ruins

At Amazon, Kevin Powers, A Shout in the Ruins.

Mesha Maren, Sugar Run

At Amazon, Mesha Maren, Sugar Run: A Novel.

Barry Meier, Pain Killer

At Amazon, Barry Meier, Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic.

Sophie Mackintosh, The Water Cure

At Amazon, Sophie Mackintosh, The Water Cure: A Novel.

Helen Flanagan in Yellow Bikini

At Taxi Driver:

Helen Flanagan Yellow Bikini Pokies - https://t.co/BZ4v5arcKh - pic.twitter.com/bLXJW1caUa

— Taxi Driver (@TaxiDriverMovie) January 9, 2019

Diarmaid MacCulloch, Thomas Cromwell

At Amazon, Diarmaid MacCulloch, Thomas Cromwell: A Revolutionary Life.

'This is Communism'

It is.

See David Horowitz on Twitter:

This is communism. I suspect Eleanor had something to do with this. The American idea of rights is limits to government power, freedom for the individual. https://t.co/NGbWg2t6zT

— David Horowitz (@horowitz39) January 12, 2019

Myla Dalbesio Up Close with Flamingos (VIDEO)

At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit:

Democrats Look to Clamp Down Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (VIDEO)

Norms? What norms?

Well, she didn't get an assignment to the Ways and Means Committee, but she won't stop shaking things up on the Hill.

Wait 'till next year. If she backs primary challenges against centrist Democrat incumbents, you know she's going all out to overturn the entire centrist-seniority system in the House.

At Politico, "Exasperated Democrats try to rein in Ocasio-Cortez: The effort is part carrot, part stick. But it's far from clear the anti-establishment political novice can be made to play ball":

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is already making enemies in the House Democratic Caucus — and some of its members are mounting an operation to bring the anti-establishment, democratic socialist with 2.2 million Twitter followers into the fold.

The effort, described by nearly 20 lawmakers and aides, is part carrot, part stick: Some lawmakers with ties to Ocasio-Cortez are hoping to coax her into using her star power to unite Democrats and turn her fire on Republicans. Others simultaneously warn Ocasio-Cortez is destined for a lonely, ineffectual career in Congress if she continues to treat her own party as the enemy.

“I’m sure Ms. Cortez means well, but there’s almost an outstanding rule: Don’t attack your own people,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.). “We just don’t need sniping in our Democratic Caucus.”

Incumbent Democrats are most annoyed by Ocasio-Cortez’s threat to back primary opponents against members of their ranks she deems too moderate. But their frustration goes beyond that: Democratic leaders are upset that she railed against their new set of House rules on Twitter the first week of the new Congress. Rank and file are peeved that there’s a grassroots movement to try to win her a top committee post they feel she doesn’t deserve.

Even some progressives who admire AOC, as she’s nicknamed, told POLITICO that they worry she’s not using her notoriety effectively.

“She needs to decide: Does she want to be an effective legislator or just continue being a Twitter star?” said one House Democrat who’s in lockstep with Ocasio Cortez’s ideology. “There’s a difference between being an activist and a lawmaker in Congress.”

It’s an open question whether Ocasio-Cortez can be checked. She’s barely been in Congress a week and is better known than almost any other House member other than Nancy Pelosi and John Lewis. A media throng follows her every move, and she can command a national audience practically at will.

None of that came playing by the usual rules: Indeed, Ocasio-Cortez’s willingness to take on her party establishment with unconventional guerrilla tactics is what got her here. It’s earned her icon status on the progressive left, it’s where the 29-year-old freshman derives her power — and, by every indication, it’s how she thinks she can pull the Democratic Party in her direction.

The Freedom Caucus didn’t win many popularity contests in Congress the past four years, but it’s hard to dispute the hard-liners’ success dragging the GOP to the right.

Still, fellow Democrats are giving it their best, or planning to in the near future.

So far, most of them have kept their criticism of Ocasio-Cortez private, fearful she’ll sic her massive following on them by firing off a tweet. But a few are engaging with her in the hopes she’ll opt for a different M.O., especially when it comes to trying to take out Democrats in primaries.

Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) is playing a key role. Like Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez knocked off a longtime Democratic incumbent to win her seat, and they share Puerto Rican roots.

In private conversations with Ocasio-Cortez over the past few months, Velázquez counseled Ocasio-Cortez against targeting her Democratic colleagues in future elections. The two had a “long, long conversation” about the dynamics of Congress and Washington, and how there shouldn’t be a “litmus test” for every district, Velázquez said in a recent interview.

After she defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley in shocking fashion last year, Ocasio-Cortez supported primary challengers to Democratic Reps. Stephanie Murphy of Florida, William Lacy Clay of Missouri and Mike Capuano of Massachusetts.

Only Capuano lost. But Velázquez told Ocasio-Cortez she should think twice in the future before backing primaries against her colleagues. Murphy, the first Vietnamese woman elected to Congress, represents a swing district and could lose her seat if she’s forced to move left in a primary, Velázquez said during the talk...

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."

And at Theo's, "Cartoon Roundup..."

And at Legal Insurrection, "Branco Cartoon – That Was Then."

Danielle Gersh's Sunday Forecast

Here's the fabulous Ms. Danielle, "Increasing cloud cover and colder temperatures expected Sunday before several storms move into the Southland this week..."

PG&E Prepares for Bankruptcy

This is big! At LAT, "PG&E may notify its employees this week of potential bankruptcy."

PG&E Corp., facing billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities, may notify employees as soon as Monday that it’s preparing a potential bankruptcy filing. https://t.co/jaJeXCBUX8

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 13, 2019

Bella Thorne Promotes 'F*** Me' Lip Stain (VIDEO)

She's still crazy, heh.

Bella Thorne dons red latex bikini to promote her new 'F*** Me Firetruck' lip stain https://t.co/eppzcXTPIa

— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) January 13, 2019

Rams Bring Back Football Glory Days to Los Angeles

It's Bill Plaschke, at LAT, "Rams’ glory days, and a city’s Super Bowl dreams, return in win over Dallas Cowboys":

Rams reintroduce roaring Coliseum to winning playoff football https://t.co/WQ8616JFM3

— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) January 13, 2019

After more than two decades of midwinter silence, a city’s football soul came alive again, cutting through the winter chill with a roar that shook the Coliseum down to its soggy ankles.

The Rams are 60 minutes from a Super Bowl.

In only their third season back, the city’s prodigal football sons brought winning playoff football home again, delighting awed witnesses with a frenetic, fireworks-blasting feast.

The Rams are one win from a Super Bowl.

In the greatest, latest football game played around here in many seasons, the Rams spent more than three hours on a soggy field Saturday giving thousands of yellow flag-waving fans a refresher course in January greatness.

This is what a playoff victory looks like. This is how a team survives football’s toughest tournament. This is how the Super Bowl becomes close enough to touch.

“This,” tackle Rob Havenstein said, “was electric.”

This was the Rams’ 30-22 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in a divisional playoff game that sent them to the NFC championship game next week in one of two places.

If the New Orleans Saints defeat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, the Rams will take their toughness to the Big Easy. If the Eagles win, the conference title game will be back in the Coliseum, and won’t that be a hoot?

The winner of that championship game goes to the Super Bowl. Of course that’s how this works, but it never hurts to remind everyone because it’s been a while.

No matter who they play next week, I’m picking the Rams because, as a crowd delightfully dominated by the locals Saturday night, they are once again the Rams.

“That’s a big-time win for us,” coach Sean McVay said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”

With a soggy field underneath them from the day’s early rains, with lingering smoke above their helmets from the midgame pyrotechnics, the Rams appeared in the Coliseum as if ghosts from the recent past.

They gained 459 total yards. They rushed for 273 of those yards. They didn’t commit a turnover. They barely made any mistakes. And they held the Cowboys’ great Ezekiel Elliott to 47 yards rushing.

“Our focus was to shut him down,” said Ndamukong Suh, who didn’t need to say anything else.

This was the team that started the season 11-1, not the team that finished it 2-2.

This was the Jared Goff who dominated defenses early, not the one who struggled late. He completed only 15 of 28 passes for 186 yards but managed the game to near perfection.

“This week was a big game, but next week will be a big game as well,” the ever-circumspect quarterback said...

More.

And from former L.A.T. sports reporter Lindsey Thiry, not at ESPN:

Jared Goff and the Rams will play for a trip to the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/gMHeuSLuRm

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) January 13, 2019

Aaron Donald celebrates with his kids. pic.twitter.com/LBRJbSf4Pq

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) January 13, 2019

Jared Goff hollers out, “Fat back!” as CJ Anderson meets with the media. pic.twitter.com/6c35R92GoJ

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) January 13, 2019

“This ain’t shit. We still got one more. Got to keep winning,” — Todd Gurley. pic.twitter.com/RMtTojHET8

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) January 13, 2019

Jan. 12, 2017: 30-head-old Sean McVay becomes youngest head coach hired in modern NFL history.
Jan. 12, 2019: 32-year-old McVay becomes youngest head coach to win a playoff game in NFL history, per Elias Sports Bureau. https://t.co/R7yLNgCeYw pic.twitter.com/3HWfv6j35P

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) January 13, 2019

It was Super Bowl or bust from the start. Now the Rams are one win away. https://t.co/qgxrv02Pyw

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) January 13, 2019

Ben Winters, Golden State

Well, this one ought to be really interesting.

At Amazon, Ben Winters, Golden State.

From award-winning, New York Times bestselling novelist Ben H. Winters comes a mind-bending novel set in a world governed by absolute truth, where lies are as dangerous as murder.

In a strange alternate society that values law and truth above all else, Laszlo Ratesic is a nineteen-year veteran of the Speculative Service. He lives in the Golden State, a nation standing where California once did, a place where like-minded Americans retreated after the erosion of truth and the spread of lies made public life and governance impossible.

In the Golden State, knowingly contradicting the truth is the greatest crime--and stopping those crimes is Laz's job. In its service, he is one of the few individuals permitted to harbor untruths, to "speculate" on what might have happened.

But the Golden State is less a paradise than its name might suggest. To monitor, verify, and enforce the truth requires a veritable panopticon of surveillance and recording. And when those in control of the facts twist them for nefarious means, the Speculators are the only ones with the power to fight back.

Evelyn Taft's Sunday Forecast

The fabulous Ms. Evelyn is back!

At CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Jenna Dewan for Women's Health Magazine (PHOTOS)

This is from last year, but it's nice.

At TMZ, "JENNA DEWAN: NAKED & NOT AFRAID OF HER NEW SINGLE LIFE --- Roaming Hottie Goes Fully Nude for Women's Health Magazine (PHOTOS)."

Jenna Dewan Goes Fully Nude for Women's Health https://t.co/RRu5a6ZAtV

— TMZ (@TMZ) July 28, 2018