Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Tom Danehy: Teachers deserve our respect; a new documentary deserves scorn (tucsonweekly.com)
While sitting through the excruciatingly manipulative documentary Waiting for "Superman," I thought back to one of the first teachers' strikes in America, the one involving teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Myriam Miedzian: Capitalism Uber Alles: How the American Working Class Got Brainwashed (huffingtonpost.com)
. . . Our country has long been admired for its extraordinary social mobility, but as Arianna Huffington points out in Third World America, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and France now have greater social mobility -- university education is free, or at minimal cost in Western Europe. Compared to other advanced industrialized countries which all provide universal health care, we are at the bottom in life expectancy and infant mortality. Americans have three months unpaid parental leave -- Swedes have 13 months, paid. Unlike Western Europeans, we have no government legislated paid vacations. In Germany, the world's largest exporter after China, workers get 6 weeks a year off. Americans average 13 days.
Tim Dickinson: The Case for Obama (rollingstone.com)
The charges are familiar: He's a compromiser who hasn't stood up to the GOP or Wall Street. But a look at his record reveals something even more startling - a truly historic presidency.
Hadley Freeman: Anger has poisoned the midterm elections (guardian.co.uk)
America will look back on the 2010 elections as the crossover point between CNN and WWE.
Connie Schultz: Demand Better Coverage of Female Candidates (creators.com)
As we near the end of the latest round in political coverage of female candidates, let's consider what we've learned. About the coverage, I mean. Not the women.
Clarence Page: After the vote: More sanity, please (chicagotribune.com)
You might think that Comedy Central stars Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, founding fathers of "fake news" and "truthiness," chose a controversy-free theme in staging their "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" on the Washington Mall. After all, who could be opposed to sanity?
Jim Hightower: HIDING WORKER INJURIES
According to the latest safety reports, workplace injuries are on the decline in our country. Great! Only... it's untrue.
Julie Hinds: "Stan Lee: master of the comic(s) universe" (Detroit Free Press)
Stan Lee has many titles. Comic book icon. The man synonymous with Marvel Comics. The creative genius behind Spider-Man, X-Men, the Hulk and the Fantastic Four. So how should one address him during an interview? "With great respect and reverence," says Lee with a laugh. "I don't know. Just call me Stan."
Yvonne Villarreal: Kathy Griffin takes aim, fires (Los Angeles Times)
Nothing is sacred for the 'D-List' comedian, and that's the secret to her success. Her Bravo special airs Tuesday.
Julie Hinds: Tina Fey talks about Will Ferrell, her new movie and the Twain Prize (Detroit Free Press)
Tina Fey sounds impressed by the talent of her cartoon alter ego in the upcoming 3D movie "Megamind."
Farhad Manjoo: Will Netflix Destroy the Internet? (slate.com)
American broadband capacity might not be able to keep up with everyone who wants to stream movies.
Sir Peter Hall: 'Politicians don't grasp the case for the arts' (guardian.co.uk)
More than any other director, Sir Peter Hall shaped British theatre. As he turns 80, he tells Michael Billington about his doubts about the new RSC building and his dismay at fighting arts cuts again.
David Bruce has 39 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $39 you can buy 9,750 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," and "Maximum Cool."
Hubert's Poetry Corner
"George W's Eight Year One Night Stand"
The Weekly Poll
Current Question
The 'Conspiracy Theory... or Fact?' Edition...
"The Vietnam War was fought over a bet that Howard Hughes lost to Aristotle Onassis."
--Jerry Fletcher (Mel 'Sugar Tits' Gibson) - Conspiracy Theory
As you will see at the following website... Conspiracy Planet - The Alternative News & History Network
There's no end to the topics covered. Some are new, some not so much. Some are interesting. Some are outrageous. Some are frightening. Some are merely entertaining... but, make no mistake, each one is believed by someone, somewhere.
Do you have a favorite 'Conspiracy Theory' that you believe in, find hilarious or just would like to know more about?
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From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
BadtotheboneBob
Save the (tasty) Frogs!
Detroit Zoo trying to save frogs from extinction
Tastes like chicken. That's not only how the mountain chicken frog got its name, but it's also one of the big reasons why the creatures have been nearly wiped out in the Caribbean... The Detroit Zoo is one of only five U.S. zoos that has mountain chicken frogs, and is trying to preserve the species designated as "critically endangered" from extinction through breeding... On Wednesday, zoo officials announced that three more frogs were born on Oct. 21. It is the zoo's second successful breeding, bringing the total number of the species there to eight...
(Who sez there's no 'Good News' these days, eh?)
Detroit Zoo trying to save frogs from extinction | freep.com | Detroit Free Press
Go, Frogs, Grow!
BadtotheboneBob
Thanks, B2tbBob!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Really, really hot.
Sirius XM Mum On Contract Talks
Howard Stern
Sirius XM Radio reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as more customers hung onto their satellite radio subscriptions after promotions ended, but it had little news of Howard Stern's contract talks.
"We do not have any update today, other than to say discussions continue," chief executive Mel Karmazin said during a conference call on Thursday.
Radio shock-jock Stern's five-year, $500 million contract with Sirius XM Radio expires in December and investors have expressed concern that subscribers would abandon the service if Stern were to move on.
Karmazin called Stern a "great partner," but said Sirius XM attracts subscribers "every day because of the content we have on our 130-plus channels" and not just because of Stern.
Howard Stern
UK Honors
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey has received a royal honor from Prince Charles for his role in reviving London's Old Vic Theatre.
The Academy Award-winning actor was named an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, for services to drama.
Spacey said he was "hugely delighted" to receive the medal in a ceremony Wednesday at Charles' London residence, Clarence House.
Spacey has led the Old Vic since 2003, and has been praised for restoring the fortunes of the 200-year-old venue.
Kevin Spacey
Feeding America
Tim McGraw
When Tim McGraw was a kid, he didn't always know where he'd get his next meal.
"I remember my mom being a single mom and working," said McGraw in a recent interview. "I also remember not really having enough money for food sometimes."
Those memories are part of the reason he taped public service announcements that begin airing this month to raise awareness of hunger in America.
The charity Feeding America says one in six Americans struggle to find enough food to eat, and approximately 5.7 million people receive emergency food assistance from them on any given week.
Tim McGraw
Paris Honors
Toni Morrison
Nobel-winning US novelist Toni Morrison told Thursday of her love affair with Paris -- its cafes, its feisty "arrogance" and its role in fostering a generation of post-colonial French-African thinkers.
The author of "Beloved" was awarded Thursday a city of Paris medal honouring thinkers and artists with strong ties to the capital -- a day after receiving France's highest decoration, the Legion of Honour.
The writer, whose poetic novels on slavery and the African-American experience earned her the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes, in 1988 and 1993, told AFP afterwards of "the comfort I've always felt in this extraordinary city."
"I like the arrogance of Paris, how it loves itself," said Morrison, who once spent a summer teaching in the French capital and came close to buying a small apartment here a decade ago.
Toni Morrison
Eight For Madame Tussauds
Lady Gagas
Pop singer Lady Gaga is to be immortalized in eight Madame Tussauds locations worldwide on December 9, with each wax figure sporting a different flamboyant outfit.
Teams in London are working on the $2.4 million project, replicating such looks as the lace body stocking outfit worn to the Brit Awards this year, a towering purple hair piece used in Denmark, and a telephone hat and costume she donned for a London TV show.
The wax likenesses will be installed at Madame Tussauds in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, New York, Hollywood, Las Vegas, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Details of which city will get which look are being kept under wraps until launch day.
Lady Gaga, 24, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, has dominated the music world for the past two years, turning out dance hits like "Bad Romance", and "Telephone" and amassing more than 20 million followers on Facebook.
Lady Gagas
Cancels Appearances
Aretha Franklin
retha Franklin is canceling all concert dates and personal appearances through May.
A spokeswoman for the legendary singer told The Associated Press on Thursday that Franklin's doctors "have required her to do so."
The news comes several days after publicist Tracey Jordan announced that the 68-year-old Franklin had been released from a Detroit hospital following a brief stay. Jordan wouldn't say whether the events are related and didn't offer any details about Franklin's condition.
One of the shows being canceled is a Christmas concert scheduled for Detroit's Fox Theatre on Dec. 9. Theater operator Olympia Entertainment says the show is being called off "due to medical reasons."
Aretha Franklin
Forbes List
Overpaid Actors
For the second consecutive year, Will Ferrell is the most overpaid actor in the world, and not far behind are a slew of other male comedic actors.
According to Forbes magazine, Ferrell's movies earned only $3.35 for each $1 the star was paid. "Transformers" star Shia LaBeouf, on the other hand, is paid $1 for every $81 his movies earned, so he's the actor determined by Forbes to give the most box office bang for his salary buck.
The second-most overpaid actor is Eddie Murphy, who was paid $1 for every $4.45 his movies earned. But Forbes' rule against cartoons meant that instead of a couple of hit "Shrek" movies, it looked at "Imagine That," "Meet Dave" and "Norbit."
Other funnymen on the Top 10 list of overpaid actors are Seth Rogen, Vince Vaughn, Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey. If one considers Drew Barrymore a comic actor -- and her past three films were, in fact, comedies -- then seven of the Top 10 overpaid actors are paid specifically to make audiences laugh.
Overpaid Actors
Charged With DUI
David Cassidy
Former "Partridge Family" heartthrob David Cassidy has been charged with driving under the influence in Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol says his car was stopped around 6 p.m. Wednesday for weaving and nearly causing an accident.
Cassidy told a trooper that he had a glass of wine at lunch and a pain pill at 3:30 p.m. Troopers reported finding a half-empty bottle of bourbon in the back seat.
The FHP says Cassidy failed a field sobriety test and two breath tests. He was released from jail early Thursday.
David Cassidy
Subscribers Flee
Cable
Cable companies have been losing TV subscribers at an ever faster rate in the last few months, and satellite TV isn't picking up the slack.
That could be a sign that Internet TV services such as Netflix and Hulu are finally starting to entice people to cancel cable, though company executives are pointing to the weak economy and housing market for now.
Third-quarter results reported Thursday by major cable TV companies show major losses, but don't settle the question of what's causing them.
Time Warner Cable lost 155,000 video subscribers in the July-September quarter, compared with 64,000 a year ago.
Cable
Warrant Prepared For Arrest
Gary Collins
Police in Mississippi were preparing an arrest warrant Thursday for actor and former TV host Gary Collins for leaving the scene of a car accident.
Jackson officer Colendula Green said police were waiting for a judge to sign off on the warrant. She said there's no indication Collins was drinking when his Jeep rear-ended a Ford Focus at a stop light Tuesday afternoon in Jackson.
Green said the 72-year-old Collins exchanged information with the other driver, but allegedly said it was taking too long for police to arrive and left. An officer went to his house and wrote him a ticket. The warrant was being prepared because the other driver pressed charges for him allegedly leaving the scene.
Collins was sentenced in 2007 to four days in jail over a car wreck in California. Police blamed that accident on the driver of the other car, but Collins pleaded no contest to misdemeanor driving under the influence.
Gary Collins
Lawsuit Against Kanye West Tossed
Marion "Suge" Knight
A federal judge in Miami has tossed out a lawsuit filed by rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight against hip-hop star Kanye West over a 2005 shooting.
Knight was seeking more than $1 million in damages from West. Knight was shot in the leg at a 2005 Miami Beach party hosted by West. Knight blames West for lax security.
The shooter has never been identified.
In Thursday's order, the judge concluded there's no evidence that a shooting at the party was foreseeable. The case was set for trial next month.
Marion "Suge" Knight
Drug Dealer Loses Bizarre Case
Rick Ross
A federal judge in Los Angeles has rejected a $10 million claim by a convicted drug kingpin who shares the same name as rapper Ricky Ross.
"Freeway" Ricky Ross filed the lawsuit in June alleging that the hip-hop star had stolen his name and identity and that rap mogul Jay-Z had led a commercial conspiracy that traded upon the notorious exploits of the inner-city crime legend.
The plaintiff was convicted of running a drug empire that covered Los Angeles in the 1980s and 1990s. He became nationally known when he was linked to the CIA's "Iran-Contra" political scandal and had been the object of scorn for many prominent politicians.
In 1995, he was released from prison, and claims that his name has gained value and goodwill since then. He also asserted a trademark over his name since his celebrity has conferred it with a secondary meaning. In an amended complaint, Ross also pointed out that he had licensed his name for the film "100 Kilos."
Rick Ross
NBC Cancels
"Undercovers"
NBC says it's pulling the plug on its new fall television drama series "Undercovers."
NBC said Thursday that it won't be ordering any new episodes of the Wednesday night series about a couple in the catering business who are lured back into their former jobs as spies. Seven episodes have aired so far.
For now, its last scheduled appearance will be on Dec. 1, although NBC says it has three more episodes that have been shot that will be seen sometime after that.
Other new series that have been canceled so far this season include "Lone Star" on Fox and ABC's "My Generation."
"Undercovers"
Bronze Sets Record
Matisse
A monumental Matisse sculpture broke the artist's auction record on Wednesday, drawing $48.8 million at Christie's sale of Impressionist and modern art.
The auction's $231.4 million total, comfortably within its estimate range, came despite persistent economic uncertainty, as global bidding helped drive one of Christie's biggest Impressionist sales since the financial crisis hit in 2008.
"We saw huge demand from collectors worldwide," particularly for such trophy pieces as Matisse's 'Nu de dos, 4 etat (Back IV),'" Conor Jordan, Christie's head of Impressionist and modern art, told Reuters.
Multiple bidders drove the price to $48.8 million including commission for the iconic bronze. The price eclipsed the old record for Matisse by nearly $3 million.
Matisse
What?
Don Draper
What?
On "Mad Men," the Don Draper character has said it tersely, exasperatedly and tiredly.
Now a popular new online video has edited together all the times Golden Globe-winning actor Jon Hamm has said "What?" on the AMC show. More than 117,000 viewers have watched the clip on YouTube.
The video description claims Draper uses the word "as Van Gogh used color or Beethoven used sound."
Don Draper
In Memory
George "Sparky" Anderson
Reds fans were taken aback when Sparky Anderson showed up in Cincinnati for his first day as a big league manager, an unknown taking over baseball's first professional team.
By the time he was done, this man with the shock of white hair and schoolboy nickname would produce a mighty list of achievements that featured three World Series titles - including crowns in each league - and a Hall of Fame entry on his resume.
Anderson, who directed the Big Red Machine to back-to-back championships and won another in Detroit, died Thursday from complications of dementia in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He was 76. A day earlier, his family said he'd been placed in hospice care.
Anderson was the first manager to win World Series titles in both leagues and the only manager to lead two franchises in career wins.
"Sparky was, by far, the best manager I ever played for," said former Reds star Pete Rose, the game's career hits leader. "He understood people better than anyone I ever met. His players loved him, he loved his players, and he loved the game of baseball. There isn't another person in baseball like Sparky Anderson. He gave his whole life to the game."
Anderson's teams in Cincinnati - featuring Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Rose - won crowns in 1975 and 1976 and rank among the most powerful of all time. Led by Kirk Gibson and Alan Trammell, Anderson won with the Tigers in 1984.
Anderson never tried to overshadow his teams, giving his stars great leeway while trying to stay in the background. At Anderson's request, there will be no funeral or memorial service.
Always affable, ever talkative and known for a self-deprecating demeanor, Anderson was equally popular among players, fans and media.
Anderson's win total of 2,194 was the third highest when he retired after the 1995 season, trailing only Connie Mack and John McGraw. He's still sixth on the career list - he won 863 games in nine years with the Reds and 1,331 in 17 seasons with the Tigers.
He'll be remembered as much for the little things that made him beloved as for the big numbers that made him a Hall of Famer.
George "Sparky" Anderson got his nickname in the minor leagues because of his spirited play. He made it to the majors for only one season, batting .218 for the Phillies in 1959.
Anderson learned to control a temper that nearly scuttled his fledgling career as a manager in the minors, and went on to become one of baseball's best at running a team. And he won with a humility that couldn't obscure his unique ability to manage people.
Of course, there was a lot more to him. He liked to twist the language, using double-negatives to make a roundabout point. He also reassessed things constantly.
Survivors include his wife, Carol; sons Lee and Albert; daughter Shirley Englebrecht; and nine grandchildren.
George "Sparky" Anderson
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