Tom Danehy: Tom used to think America would mature and reject mindless gun violence (Tucson Weekly)
The other night on a local news broadcast, there was a woman talking about gun violence. They identified her by name and said that her daughter had been a victim of gun violence. She had a sadness in her eyes as she said, "Something has to be done. But first we need to stop shouting at each other."
Rachel E. Gross: Why That Study About How Vegetarians Are Killing the Environment Is Ridiculously Wrong (Slate)
I've seen a lot of misleading nutrition studies in my time, but this one really takes the cake. Let's start at the beginning. The study rests on the premise that "going vegetarian" means replacing meat with large amounts of vegetables, fruits, and dairy, which is what the USDA recommends for a healthy diet. Ergo, the authors spend most of their time hating on specific vegetables: "Eating lettuce is over three times worse in greenhouse gas emissions than eating bacon," says Paul Fischbeck, one of the study's authors.
Zachary Frey: 6 Real People Who Lived Absurd Double Lives (Cracked)
We're fascinated by stories of people leading double lives, because it's always fun to discover that people you know and respect have a completely different side of their personalities that you never imagined and can now use to make fun of them.
"Jingle Bells", by James Lord Pierpont, was actually written for Thanksgiving. When it was first published in 1857 it had a different title. What was the original title?
Roger Ramjet is an animated American children's television comedy series that first ran in 1965 and has aired in syndication since. Starring Roger Ramjet and the American Eagle Squadron, the show was known for its crude animation, frenetic pace, and frequent references to popular culture, which allowed the show to entertain various age groups.
Roger Ramjet is a patriotic and highly moral - if not very bright - hero, who is typically out to save the world, with help from his Proton Energy Pills ("PEP"), which give him "the strength of twenty atom bombs for a period of twenty seconds". The world is invariably saved by defeating the various recurring criminals who populated the series.
Source
Randall wrote:
The first thing that popped into my mind was
Roger Ramjet
No Lois Left Behind In Oregon said:
1965. A Cartoon. Roger Ramjet. Great American Hero. His PEP PILLS gave him the strength of 20 Atom Bombs for a period of 20 seconds. After a hard day at school practicing their drop and cover techniques, what could delight children more?
mj replied:
Roger Ramjet
He's our hero, fighting for our nation. For his adventures, just be sure
and stay tuned to this station.
Deborah responded:
I was surprised I didn't recognize this character, since I lived in Lompoc 1986-1998. However, I looked it up - it's Roger Ramjet. Still didn't ring a bell.
Seasonal, with more rain moving in. May the land not dry between now and the end of the season of rain.
Kenneth replied:
Roger Ramjet...When he takes a proton energy pill the crooks begin to worry!
Dale of Diamond Springs, Norfallcali answered:
Roger Ramjet, Speed Freak. Never could get into this cartoon. Wiki says it was poorly animated. I don't give a fuck what Wiki says.
Jim from CA, retired to ID, responded:
Roger Ramjet
DJ Useo said:
Took no time at all to recognize that laughable loony, Roger Ramjet.
I never knew of him as a lad, but watching some left a favorable impression.
I judge these matter by how many times I laugh.
Currently, nothing makes me laugh more frequently than Rifftrax.
MAM wrote:
Joe S answered:
Roger Ramjet? Is that you?
(Never heard of him, really)
Charlie took the day off.
Sally has retired, but still pays attention.
BttbBob has returned to semi-retired status.
~~~~~
Patriot Act NSA Spying Unconstitutional Section 215 National Security Letters Must End
My name is Marc Perkel and I have decided to announce that I will not comply with the so called "Patriot Act" laws requiring me to disclose information about my customers. If I receive a national security letter I will immediately photograph it, post it online everywhere I can, and then make a video of me burning it. I will then await my arrest. If you want to put me in jail then come get me mother fucker.
CBS begins the night with the chestnut 'Frosty The Snowman', followed by 'Frosty Returns', then the FRESH'A Home For The Holidays', followed by a RERUN'Blue Bloods'.
Scheduled on a FRESHStephen Colbert are Mandy Patinkin, Kayvon Beykpour, and Leon Bridges.
On a RERUNJames Corden, OBE, (from 11/9/15) are LL Cool J and Alanis Morissette.
NBC starts the night with a FRESH'Caught On Camera With Nick Cannon', followed by 'Dateline'.
Scheduled on a FRESHJimmy Fallon are Channing Tatum, John Boyega, and Young People's Chorus of New York City.
On a RERUNSeth Meyers (from 12/10/15) are Hillary Clinton, Samantha Bee, and Andrea Bocelli.
On a RERUNCarson 'The Scab' Daly (from 10/26/15) are Mike Rowe, Wolf Alice, and "Welcome To Leith".
ABC opens the night with a RERUN'Last Man Standing', followed by 'Yes, Virginia', then a RERUN'Shark Tank', followed by '20/20'.
On a RERUNJimmy Kimmel (from 11/23/15) are J.J. Abrams, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Carrie Fisher.
The CW offers the chestnut 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer', followed by a RERUN'Penn & Teller: Fool Us'.
Faux has a FRESH'MasterChef Junior', followed by a FRESH'World's Funniest'.
MY has 'TMZ (Not So) Live', followed by 'Hollywood Today (Not So) Live'.
A&E has 'Criminal Minds', followed by a FRESH'Unforgettable', 'What Would You Do?', and another 'What Would You Do?'.
AMC offers the movie 'Miracle On 34th Street', followed by the movie 'A Christmas Carol'.
BBC -
[6:00AM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 12-13 - SEASON 1, Ep 1 - Lego
[7:00AM] TOP GEAR: THE PERFECT ROAD TRIP: ITALY - SEASON 1, Ep 2 - Slotcar Racetrack
[8:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES US - SEASON 7, Ep 9 - Bella Luna
[9:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES US - SEASON 5, Ep 10 - Park's Edge
[10:00AM] DOCTOR WHO - SEASON 7, Ep 11 - The Crimson Horror
[11:00AM] DOCTOR WHO - SEASON 7, Ep 12 - Nightmare in Silver
[12:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 4, Ep 17 - Night Terrors
[1:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 4, Ep 18 - Identity Crisis
[2:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 6 - Booby Trap
[3:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 7 - The Enemy
[4:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 8 - The Price
[5:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 9 - The Vengeance Factor
[6:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 10 - The Defector
[7:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 11 - The Hunted
[8:00PM] THE PATRIOT
[11:30PM] THE PATRIOT
[3:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 7 - The Enemy
[4:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 8 - The Price
[5:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3, Ep 9 - The Vengeance Factor (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Vanderpump Rules', 'Vanderpump Rules After Show', followed by the movie 'Stepmom', then the movie 'Stepmom', again.
Comedy Central has an old 'SNL' (05/12/12 - Will Ferrell & Usher), another old 'SNL' (09/25/10 - Amy Poehler & Katy Perry ), still another old 'SNL' (09/28/13 - Tina Fey & Arcade Fire), followed by the movie 'Coming To America'.
FX has the movie 'The Guilt Trip', followed by the movie 'Just Go With It'.
IFC -
[6:00AM] COMEDY BANG! BANG!-Joel McHale
[6:15AM] FROM DUSK TILL DAWN
[8:45AM] HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION
[10:45AM] SILENT HILL
[1:30PM] FROM DUSK TILL DAWN
[4:00PM] HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION
[6:00PM] A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
[8:00PM] A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY'S REVENGE
[10:00PM] A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS
[12:15AM] A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER
[2:15AM] A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD
[4:15AM] THE MONKEES-Alias Micky Dolenz
[4:50AM] THE MONKEES-Monkee Chow Mein
[5:25AM] THE MONKEES-Monkee Mother (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[6:00AM] Love Lust-Love Lust & Sex Symbols
[6:15AM] The Perfect Storm
[9:15AM] Mystic River
[12:15PM] The Exorcist
[3:00PM] Law & Order-Equal Rights
[4:00PM] Law & Order-Slaughter
[5:00PM] Law & Order-Dazzled
[6:00PM] Law & Order-Foul Play
[7:00PM] Law & Order-Attorney Client
[8:00PM] Law & Order-Oxymoron
[9:00PM] Law & Order-Patriot
[10:00PM] Law & Order-White Rabbit
[11:00PM] Law & Order-Competence
[12:00AM] Law & Order-Precious
[1:00AM] The Returned
[2:15AM] Sling Blade
[5:15AM] American Psycho (ALL TIMES EST)
SyFy has 3 hours of old 'Z Nation', followed by a FRESH'Z Nation'.
Jennifer Lawrence, right, and director David O. Russell pose for photographers upon arrival at the screening for the film 'Joy ' in London, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015.
Photo by Joel Ryan
With the induction of Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple and Steve Miller - along with relative rookies N.W.A - as its class of 2016, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is bringing some pre-holiday joy to fans who have felt those acts have been slighted and deserving recognition sooner than this.
The five acts, along with other honorees to be announced later, will be feted at the 31st annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on April 8 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the second time the event has been held at the arena. HBO will again film the ceremony for broadcast later in the spring, most likely in May.
The four classic rock acts have been among those often cited by critics who have charged the Rock Hall with being too elitist and dismissive of some of rock's massively popular groups - particularly from the '70s. The class of 2016 begins to fill in some of those perceived "holes" in the Hall's ranks, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation president-CEO Joel Peresman tells Billboard that changes made in the nominating process, particularly cutting the nominating committee in about half, may have created more of a portal for these acts.
Despite being eligible before, it was the first year on the ballot for Cheap Trick, Chicago (which won the public fan vote, tallying nearly 37.7 million nods) and Miller, while Deep Purple and N.W.A have appeared before. The original quartet and septet lineups of Cheap Trick and Chicago, respectively, are being inducted, while the Deep Purple roster will encompass the group's first three lineups, including three teams of singers and bass players. Some of the intriguing reunion possibilities for the ceremony include Chicago with singer/bassist Peter Cetera for the first time since 1985 and with drummer Danny Seraphine since 1990, Cheap Trick with estranged drummer Bun E. Carlos and Deep Purple with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who's been gone since 1993.
Actor Liam Neeson attends a special screening of "Concussion" at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015, in New York.
Photo by Evan Agostini
Madonna says that claims that Sean Penn physically assaulted or struck her during their marriage are "completely outrageous, malicious, reckless and false."
The statements come in a filing in Penn's $10 million defamation suit against Lee Daniels, who Penn says falsely accused him of hitting women.
In an amended complaint filed in New York Superior Court on Thursday, Penn also challenges Daniels' contention that what he said was protected by the First Amendment.
At issue is a comment that Daniels, co-creator of Fox's hit series "Empire," gave to the Hollywood Reporter in which he compared legal troubles faced by "Empire" star Terrence Howard to those faced by other actors.
Daniels said Howard "ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of the sudden he's some f-in' demon. That's a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America."
Parrottheads, rejoice - there's a Jimmy Buffett musical in the works.
Producers said Thursday that the show will have Buffett's blend of rock and country tunes and an original story by writers Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley. Christopher Ashley will direct.
A world premiere production is expected to be announced for 2017.
"The idea of turning Margaritaville into a musical has been percolating for quite a while, but finding the right people to tell the right kind of story to go with the right songs from my catalogue took some time," Buffett said in a statement. "Now we have found our crew and I am happy to sail with them to Margaritaville. It's going to be a fun voyage."
The producers of the musical are Frank Marshall, Mindy Rich, Anita Waxman and Beth Williams.
Actor David Morse attends a special screening of "Concussion" at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015, in New York.
Photo by Evan Agostini
More school districts around the U.S. are heeding the advice of scientists who have long said that expecting teens to show up to class before 8 a.m. isn't good for their health or their report cards.
The Seattle school board voted last month to adopt an 8:45 a.m. start time beginning next year for all of its high schools and most of its middle schools, joining 70 districts across the nation who adopted a later start time in recent years.
The movement still has a long way to go: There are more than 24,000 U.S. high schools. Supporters expect that such decisions will be made more quickly now that people have mostly stopped debating the underlying science.
Proponents of later start times got a boost last year when the American Academy of Pediatrics said that while starting later isn't a panacea for teen health and academic problems, it can improve students' lives in many other ways.
Research studies have shown later start times help combat sleep deprivation in teens, who naturally fall asleep later than their parents would like, and improve academic success, attendance, mental health and cut sleep-related car accidents.
The family of billionaire casino mogul and GOP kingmaker Sheldon Adelson (R-Sugar Daddy) revealed that it bought the Las Vegas Review-Journal, ending a week of speculation and demands by staff, media watchdogs and politicians to know the identity of the new boss.
A statement printed on page 2 of Thursday's edition follows the announcement last week that the paper was sold for a second time this year to an unidentified buyer and at a markup, prompting scrutiny about the lack of transparency.
The Adelsons say they held back because they didn't want an announcement to distract from Tuesday's Republican presidential debate held at the Venetian, the casino-hotel on the Las Vegas Strip that is part of Adelson's empire. Adelson, a major GOP donor, said at the debate that he had "no personal interest" in owning the paper.
The timing of the sale and the purchase price had pundits theorizing that Adelson bought the largest newspaper in a swing state to influence the presidential election. Nevada is fourth in the primary process, with balloting in February. In the 2012 campaign, the Adelson family spent more than any other donor - about $90 million.
The case captured the attention of the media and political worlds, as the paper's own staff took to social media to express frustration and raise transparency and ethical concerns. Ken Doctor, a media analyst, said the previous owner effectively flipped the newspaper for a profit and that its reporters' own criticism of the deal could have long-term repercussions for the paper.
"Star Wars" movie character R2-D2 wears a black bow tie with gold wedding bands for the wedding of Star Wars fans, Caroline Ritter and Andrew Porters, from Australia, getting married at the forecourt of Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015. The new film, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" begins screening tonight.
Photo by Damian Dovarganes
Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman has been released from solitary confinement after spending eight weeks in isolation at a federal prison in Louisiana, his son said Thursday.
Siegelman's son, Joseph Siegelman, said his father was released from solitary last week, but will not be able to make phone calls or see his family until after the Christmas holidays.
The son said Siegelman was placed in solitary after calling a talk show in October. Siegelman phoned a liberal talk show and discussed his ideas on prison reform and his allegations that he's a Democratic political prisoner wrongly prosecuted by Republicans. Siegelman also talked about the judge who presided at his trial. The judge has since resigned after being arrested on a spousal abuse charge.
Joseph Siegelman said his father's punishment includes not having visitors or phone calls for 60 days, a period that will not end until Dec. 30. He said the family had hoped to visit him for Christmas but will not be able to do so.
The 69-year-old ex-governor is serving a 6 ½ year sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice. A jury convicted him of selling a seat on a state health board to former HealthSouth Corp. CEO Richard Scrushy in exchange for campaign contributions to Siegelman's 1999 effort to establish a state lottery.
A worker carves a large snow sculpture at Sun Island Park during the 28th China Harbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China, Dec. 17, 2015. The expo displays will official open Dec. 20, 2015.
Photo by Tao Zhang
A security guard has been arrested for stealing $5 million in diamonds from a New York jeweler after a construction worker accidentally threw the precious stones in the trash, police said.
Wilfred Martinez was charged with the theft after police said he was caught on surveillance video from inside J Birnbach Inc, a jewelry maker located in the heart of New York's diamond district.
Jonathan Birnbach had told police last week that he kept the diamonds inside three wooden boxes in an unlocked safe for easier access and didn't notice they were missing because he rarely handled them.
Workers renovating the interior of the business threw the boxes out without realizing they contained diamonds, Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said at a press conference on Thursday.
Martinez saw the boxes and took them into the bathroom, where he consolidated the diamonds into a single box before leaving with them, Boyce said.
Sri Lankan farmers in traditional outfits march during a protest against "budget 2016" in Colombo, Sri Lanka December 17, 2015. The protest organized farmers of Sri Lanka against reducing the fertilizer subsidiary and reducing the guaranteed price for rice as well as against the budget proposal to reduce the farmers' pension by Sri Lankan Rupees 50.
Photo by Dinuka Liyanawatte
An all-girls Catholic prep school in Massachusetts violated state anti-discrimination law by rescinding a job offer to a man in a same-sex marriage, a judge ruled.
Matthew Barrett was offered a job as Fontbonne Academy's food services director in 2013, but the offer was withdrawn days later after he listed his husband as his emergency contact.
Barrett sued, alleging that the Milton school discriminated against him based on sexual orientation and gender. Norfolk Superior Court Judge Douglas Wilkins agreed, rejecting Fontbonne's claim that hiring Barrett would infringe on its constitutional rights because it views his marriage to a man as incompatible with its religious mission.
The judge said Barrett's duties as a food services director did not include presenting the teachings of the Catholic church.
The judge also found that a religious exemption to the state anti-discrimination law applies only if a religious organization limits admission to people of a certain religion. Fontbonne is open to students and employees of all faiths, with the exception of its administration and theology faculty.
Photo released by the precise, purpose-built, planet-hunting High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory's 3.6-meter telescope in La Silla, Chile, Dec. 17, 2015. It was used by University of New South Wales researchers to discover a potentially habitable planet 14 light years away. Aussie astronomers have found the closest potentially habitable planet that's four times the size of earth just outside our solar system.
Construction equipment and vehicles that have sat idle since protesters blocked crews from building a giant telescope are being removed from a mountain that's considered sacred to some Native Hawaiians.
Protesters who oppose the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope have been calling for the machinery to be removed after the state Supreme Court earlier this month invalidated the project's permit to build on conservation land of the Big Island volcano.
After the Dec. 2 court ruling voiding the permit, the state attorney general's office said telescope equipment could remain on the mountain.
The court sent the matter back for a new contested-case hearing. Telescope officials haven't indicated whether they will pursue a new hearing, which could mean a construction delay of several years.
Astronomers revere Mauna Kea because its summit high summit provides a clear view of the sky for 300 days a year, with little air and light pollution. It's expected to enable scientists to see 13 billion light years away for a glimpse into the early years of the universe.
A cat sits between the legs of a sphinx sculpture at the Egyption Museum near Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, December 16, 2015.
Photo by Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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wrote:
answered:
has returned to semi-retired status.
