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Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Their political futures uncertain, Newsom and Harris go on the road to Compton to feed young dreams
California's two most prominent Democrats remain mum on their future plans, but former Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Gavin Newsom both took time to tend to their political personas in Compton Thursday, attending separate events at local schools. As hundreds of graduating seniors crossed the stage in their blue and white regalia early that morning at Compton High School, many paused to shake hands and take selfies with an honored guest on the dais: the former vice president herself, who'd made a surprise appearance after being invited by a graduating student. Several hours later, Newsom read to young students at Compton's Clinton Elementary School before standing with local leaders in front of a cheery, cartoon mural to launch a new state literacy plan. The issue is one of deep importance to the governor, whose own educational career was often defined by his dyslexia. The adjacent appearances, which occurred a few miles apart, were 'coincidental,' Newsom said. But they come at a moment when both the high-octane Democrats are in a political limbo of sorts. The pair are viewed as potential 2028 presidential candidates, but the California political world is also waiting on tenterhooks to see if Harris enters California's 2026 race for governor – a move that would almost certainly preclude a 2028 presidential bid. Harris is expected to make a decision by summer, and her entrance would upend the already crowded race. With just 19 months left in his second and final term, the lame duck governor is scrambling to cement his gubernatorial legacy while also positioning himself as a pragmatic leader capable of steering his national party out of the wilderness. Harris, meanwhile, must decide if she actually wants to govern a famously unwieldy state and, if she does, whether California voters feel the same. Both Harris and Newsom were notably absent at the state party convention last weekend, as thousands of party delegates, activists, donors and labor leaders convened in Anaheim. Newsom was a famously loyal surrogate to then-President Biden. But in recent months with his 'This Is Gavin Newsom' podcast and its long list of Democratic bête noire guests, the governor has worked to publicly differentiate his own brand from that of his bedraggled party, one controversial interview at a time. Meanwhile, Newsom — who previously scoffed at the speculation and said he wasn't considering a bid for the White House, despite his manifest ambitions — is more openly acknowledging that he could run for the country's top job in the future. 'I might,' Newsom said in an interview last month. 'I don't know, but I have to have a burning why, and I have to have a compelling vision that distinguishes myself from anybody else. Without that, without both, and, I don't deserve to even be in the conversation.' Newsom demurred Thursday when asked whether he thought Harris would run for governor. 'Look, I got someone right behind me running for governor, so I'm going to be very careful here,' Newsom said to laughter, as California Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond — who announced his 2026 gubernatorial bid back in September 2023 — smiled behind him. Harris attended the Compton High graduation at the invitation of Compton Unified School District Student Board Member MyShay Causey, a student athlete and graduating senior. She did not speak at the ceremony, though she received an honorary diploma. Staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Psychedelics, Mystical Experiencing, And Organized Religion
Having been prone to so-called mystical experiences since before I knew what they were, I've never sought altered states, or used psychedelics to have one. So I wonder, is the use of psychedelics to have mystical experiences a mistake, or can they open the door? A long, carefully crafted but ridiculously entitled essay in the New Yorker, 'This Is Your Priest on Drugs,' purportedly answers this and other questions, though it leaves basic assumptions unexamined and unquestioned. The questions at the core of a 2015 program at John Hopkins, 'Seeking Clergy to Take Part in a Research Study of Psilocybin and Sacred Experience' were: 'Would a high-dose psilocybin trip enhance the well-being and vocation of religious leaders? Would the experience renew their faith, or make them question it? Would a bunch of religious professionals taking mushrooms reveal a common core shared by all religions?' The disturbing subtext of the New Yorker essay, and the push by the well-funded John Hopkins researchers to get religious leaders to experiment with psychedelics, is the unexamined need to preserve and reanimate organized religion. No one asked, then or now: How responsible is organized religion for bringing humanity to this hellish pass? And should religious belief, theology, dogma, ritual and intermediation be preserved at all? The author of the New Yorker essay, Michael Pollan, summarized his untroubled takeaways from the study: 'I was struck by the fact that these people regarded mystical experiences as authentic—not simply as a drug experience. Several people had encounters so transformative that the course of their careers have been altered. Three of them have started separate psychedelic organizations. So, in a way, they've had a conversion experience— but it was conversion to the value of psychedelics, within their faiths.' The conclusions of the study are as dubious as the attempt to place mystical experiences in the context of organized religion. For example, Pollen says, 'I think it's ironic, and somewhat humorous, that under the influence of psychedelics God turns out to be more female than male. I enjoyed finding that out.' Only that's not exactly what the study found out. The only Muslim and one of the few women in a study (which skewed 97% white and nearly 70% male), Sughra Ahmed, reported after her psilocybin trip that God was neither masculine nor feminine. 'God was above gender, above everything . . . an existence, not a figure.' 'And God was love,' she said, adding, 'It was just mind-blowingly clear how wrong we have it as human beings, and how we need to nurture love, to put it at the center of our engagement with humanity and animals and the planet.' One clergyman gave the game away when he said: 'We need to be cautious about theologically prescribing psychedelics, because you don't want to mess too quickly with the institutional structures that support the entire culture.' What culture, this utterly diseased and dysfunctional one in America? Or the inchoate, capitalistic, consumer and entertainment-driven global culture, tinged locally with dying remnants of the geographically distinct cultures in which people formerly lived? Elaine Pagels, an historian and professor of religions at Princeton, was not being ironic when she stated, 'Traditions can become fossilized.' The truth is that traditions, removed from the contexts of formerly intact cultures, inevitably become empty, meaningless, hollow and irrelevant to the individual and humanity. With respect to the study, as a rabbi said, 'I guess the punchline is that if you enroll people in a study and tell them they're gonna have a sacred experience, then some people will have a sacred experience.' The experiences the participants had on psilocybin varied greatly. As reported, 'a Catholic priest from Mexico heard directly from Jesus, but a Protestant minister said with a shrug that 'there was nothing particularly Christian about it.' One needs to be careful, and not because you'll discover that all belief systems are impediments to mystical experiencing, but because it's not all sweetness and light. Despite the glowing reports of ecstatic experiences and visions, one woman, Rita Powell, the Episcopal chaplain at Harvard, declined a second session because her first brought her face to face with 'the abyss.' Powell said that her facilitators had not prepared her for something so dark. 'One of them kept trying to reassure me that experiences of psilocybin were good, and beautiful, and unitive,' she said. 'It seemed like kind of sloppy hippie stuff about love and harmony.' There's a saying: 'Be careful opening the door; Darkness finds it much easier to enter than Light.' The project of leading desperately thirsty religious leaders to the holy waters of mystical experience through psychedelics will not satisfy the thirst of the dwindling flocks they're trying to lead. And if the remedy of partaking in sacramental psychedelics is for everyone, what in God's name do we need priests, pastors, rabbis and imams for? As far as psychedelics as a means for the individual to initially experience the sacred, I remain agnostic. Perhaps they can open the door, but there are no shortcuts to transformation. Besides, directly experiencing the immanent sacredness of life isn't just about the individual having 'mystical experiences;' it's about the transmutation of the individual and humankind. What we call 'mystical experiences' are essentially precursor states of a higher order, painfully and haltingly emerging consciousness of human beings. There is nothing 'mystical' about them actually. So-called mystical experiences are normal when the norm is not the noise of thought, and one learns the art of allowing stillness and silence to be the baseline state of the brain. For me (and it cannot be just for me), stillness of mind comes naturally through passive watchfulness of the inner movement of thought and emotion in the mirror of nature. Without seeking anything 'more,' I see meditation as a daily cleansing of the brain's palate and palette. The intent is not to have a mystical experience, or reach a state of insight, much less 'attain enlightenment,' but simply to cleanse and order the mind and brain. The numinous, or the immanent, or whatever one calls it, appears as it will. A pastor said, 'I was able to experience what the mystics were for some reason able to experience spontaneously…I don't think that my experience was less than theirs.' Yes it was, because it was artificially induced, and because he compared it. Comparison, with others or one's own previous experiences, must be completely negated for experiencing the sacred to occur. Less than a kilometer's hike from the locked gate at the end of the gravel road into Upper Park, there's a stupendous volcanic gorge that even many people in town have never seen. A huge fire was intentionally started near there last year, so the first sight of the unmarred beauty of the gorge since then was a shock. In previous years, I'd take a meditation overlooking the gorge once a week. After a few minutes, the sense of familiarity with the scene returned, given my many meditations at the stunning spot in the past. However, familiarity is the enemy of beauty, and memory is the enemy of meditation. Watching memories arise in the same way I watched the vultures soar overhead, the past dissolved in awareness. Sensory acuity deepened, and effortlessly, the brain and body became fully present. The door to a deepening meditative state opened, and the unknown, which is the essence of beauty, obliterated the known. The steep, volcanic walls of the gorge, and the browning grass on the slopes of the canyon that surrounds it, were seen again as if the first time, allowing the ineffable sacredness of life to be.
New York Times
12-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Newsom Tries to Understand ‘Bro Culture.' Will It Change Him in the Process?
It was a surprising revelation at the start of Gov. Gavin Newsom's new podcast. His son had become a fan of Charlie Kirk, the right-wing influencer who mobilized young voters for Donald J. Trump. Mr. Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, said that 13-year-old Hunter was such an admirer that he argued his father should let him attend the taping with Mr. Kirk. ''What time? What time is Charlie going to be here?'' Mr. Newsom recounted his son saying at bedtime. 'And I'm like, 'Dude, you're in school tomorrow.'' That Mr. Kirk had captivated the son of a leading Democrat and a feminist documentarian, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was an indication of just how popular conservative podcasters had become with young men. Many expected Mr. Newsom to respond to Mr. Trump's presidential victory by seizing the mantle as the voice of the resistance. Instead, he has become a different kind of voice entirely — the one on the podcast. The governor has been using his new platform to explore what Democrats need to do to win back young men. Along the way, he has tried to charm far-right figures, angering many in his own party and inspiring critiques that he's attempting to remake his image as a member of the liberal elite with well-coifed hair as he eyes a potential run for president in 2028. The first three guests on Mr. Newsom's show — officially titled 'This Is Gavin Newsom' — were conservative men who have enraged Democrats in the past. Besides Mr. Kirk, who has criticized gay marriage and diversity programs, there was also Steve Bannon, an architect of the MAGA movement, and Michael Savage, a conservative talk show firebrand. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Circulose Taps Longtime Cellulosic Collaborator to Drive Circularity
Circulose is inching closer to commercialization. The Swedish sustain-tech firm established a 'strong strategic partnership' with longtime backer Tangshan Sanyou, a 'close collaborator' of the recycled pulp's former puppeteer, Renewcell, since 2019. More from Sourcing Journal 'This Isn't About Competition': Why Textile-to-Textile Recyclers Are Teaming Up Challenge the Fabric Secures Fifth Edition Circulose Joins Forces With Canopy to Promote Responsible Man-Made Cellulosic Fibers In fact, the Chinese man-made cellulosic fiber (MMFC) manufacturer was the first commercial producer of Circulose-based fibers in the world—and the first to commit to sourcing significant volumes from the textile-to-textile recycler, former CEO Patrik Lundström said in March 2023. Now, Tangshan Sanyou adds another milestone to its track record, becoming the first heavyweight partner to back the born-again Circulose. By combining the latter's textile recycling technology with China's large-scale supply chain, the former's fibers will 'not only meet the growing market demand for sustainable textiles,' the partners said, but 'drive a transformative shift from raw materials to fabrics on a global scale' as well. 'This represents a crucial step forward in our global expansion strategy, fostering closer, more in-depth collaborations with innovative fiber producers and like-minded brands,' said Jonatan Janmark, CEO of Circulose. 'As the first major strategic partnership since the restructuring of Circulose, this collaboration will serve as a cornerstone of our success.' Rescued from bankruptcy by Swedish private equity firm Altor in June 2024, the resulting, rechristened Circulose continued bolstering its then-nascent supplier network (CSN) following cautions that sales failed to perform up to snuff. As a partner since Renewcell's salad days, Tangshan Sanyou remains the world's largest user of Circulose pulp for fiber production, per the duo. The manufacturer—which claims annual export volumes accounting for more than 40 percent of China's total viscose exports—previously shared goals of becoming the first to commercialize 100 percent Circulose content fibers, as underscored by the sheer volume of Circulose that the Hong-Kong based fiber producer purchased between over the years. Renewcell signed a five-year deal with Tangshan Sanyou in October 2020 for 175,000 metric tons of materials made from discarded textiles. This 'industry first' agreement was crucial in securing the funds for Renewcell 1: the first-ever industrial-scale chemical textile-to-textile recycling facility in Sundsvall, Sweden. The viscose powerhouse later upped the ante and committed to 200,000 metric tons of Circulose in August 2023; a move lauded by Canopy, which then lauded Tangshan Sanyou as a top-tier company in its annual Hot Button Report. That October, Inditex inked an 'inflection-point pledge' Circulose commitment with Tangshan Sanyou, given its status as one of several Chinese fiber producers plugged into Renewcell's sprawling supplier network. Per the terms of the deal, The initiator—and member—of the Collaboration for Sustainable Development of Viscose (VC) was to produce a fiber blending Circulose with a forest-friendly cellulosic for Inditex's suppliers. 'Together with Tangshan Sanyou and our brand partners, we will ensure the scalable development of ReVisco fibers by using Circulose pulp in a predictable and controlled manner,' Janmark said. 'We highly value our long-term partnership with Tangshan Sanyou and look forward to achieving mutual success as we shape the future of the industry.' Tangshan Sanyou, for the record, has 'always believed' in the potential of recycling cotton textile waste as it's 'essential for fostering' a green industry. The green developer's ReVisco fibers, produced using Circulose pulp, will work to fulfill the holy trinity of market demand—quality, capacity and cost—in turn, advancing both brands' status in the space. 'We have unwavering confidence in the market potential of Circulose and its new strategic direction, and we are excited about our future collaboration,' said Zhang Dongbin, executive vice president of Tangshan Sanyou Chemical Fiber. 'With the long-term investment support of Altor Capital and the market-driven, brand-focused strategies led by Helena and Jonatan, we believe Circulose will bridge the gap between brands and suppliers, pioneering a new era for the circular textile industry.'
New York Times
29-03-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Democratic Brand Is Toxic, Governor Newsome of California Says
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California said on Friday that the Democratic brand was 'toxic' and that his party had to admit its own mistakes, delivering tough love as Democrats struggle in their fight against the Trump administration. Mr. Newsom, once considered a liberal combatant, has embarked on a political soul search in the months since President Trump won the White House and Republicans won both houses of Congress. On Friday, he used his strongest language yet to criticize his own party during an appearance on 'Real Time With Bill Maher.' 'The Democratic brand is toxic right now,' he said, pointing to a recent NBC News poll that showed Democrats with a 27 percent favorability rating, the lowest in at least a generation. Mr. Newsom, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, blamed his fellow Democrats for his party's woes. He criticized Democrats for being judgmental, staying in an echo chamber and resorting to 'cancel culture' to ostracize people whose views they find abhorrent. 'We talk down to people,' he said. 'We talk past people.' The governor found in Mr. Maher a sympathetic figure who for decades has questioned Democratic orthodoxy despite his liberal leanings. Mr. Newsom this month launched a new podcast, 'This Is Gavin Newsom,' on which he has interviewed guests from across the political spectrum to discuss, in part, what went wrong for Democrats in the 2024 elections. Early episodes featured conversations with Charlie Kirk, who leads the youth organization Turning Point USA, and Steve Bannon, an architect of President Trump's 'Make America Great Again' movement. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
