Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Marc Dion: Where Do the Doves Go?
On Wednesday, I went to a 9/11 memorial in the midsized city where I work as a reporter.
Budget Control
You balance the budget.
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan won't answer the most basic questions (YouTube)
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan won't answer the most basic questions about their tax plan.
Jonathan Chait: Obama's Non-Disappointing Presidency (New York Magazine)
I may be the only person in America to think this way, but here goes: I'm not disappointed in Obama at all. His first term has actually exceeded my expectations.
Roger Ebert: "A statement and a 'film'"
Set aside for a moment all of the controversy. Do me the favor of reading the actual words of the statement released by our Egyptian Embassy six hours before it was attacked by radicals, and before a similar attack in Libya that took four lives. Here it is: …
Europeana: Explore Europe's cultural collections
Many public domain works.
Europeana opens up data on 20 million cultural items
Jonathan Gray from the Open Knowledge Foundation looks at the significance of today's release of open data from Europeana.
Froma Harrop: Close the Mortgage-deduction Loophole (Creators Syndicate)
Letting homeowners deduct interest paid on their mortgages from taxable income makes no sense. It encourages taking on more debt, discriminates against renters, subsidizes one kind of spending over others and favors the upper incomes. It advances the questionable public goal of making more Americans into homeowners. And it costs the Treasury about $100 billion a year.
Connie Schultz: Oh, Those Pesky Truth Tellers (Creators Syndicate)
During a breakfast at the Republican National Convention, Neil Newhouse, pollster for Mitt Romney, made public what a lot of journalists already had figured out. "We're not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact checkers," Newhouse said.
Andrew Tobias: They Caught One!
If what Mitt is proposing worked, George W. Bush would have been the keynote speaker at the Republican convention.
David Bruce's Amazon Author Page
David Bruce's Lulu Storefront
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog
David Bruce has 42 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $42 you can buy 10,500 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," "Maximum Cool," and "Resist Psychic Death."
"Doug's Most Shared Facebook Post" Today
wrote:
answered:
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
BadtotheboneBob
Tragedies in the Wilderness...
Tragedies in the Wilderness...
The Manistique River looking upstream from the "High Banks" area where it drops off almost vertically about 50 feet into very deep water. The 'Barcia Camp' is about a 1/4 mile away in that direction. The "High Banks" are all sand. The river is brownish appearing in this deep area from the drainage of forest tannin and talconite (iron ore). It is otherwise exceeding clean and in the shallows very clear...
On June 10, 2001, two persons went missing here. They were out there training their bear hunting hounds and the hounds and their car was found here. The bodies were found in the river. It was surmised that the men had gone over the edge in the dark into the river and drowned. One of the men was a well-known and liked local businessman and the other his nephew. The locals were greatly affected by the loss and at this site embedded a monument into the ground dedicated to them...
Note the metal plaque is a hound baying up a tree trunk... at a bear. That's how it's done. The hunters take to the forest with the hounds, find a scent trail and then chase the bear with hounds baying until the bear finally decides to take to a tree. It's then shot if it meets the standards of the hunters...
Now, many people are appalled at this type of hunting. I understand and appreciate their opposition to it because sometimes the bear doesn't 'tree' and decides to stand its ground when caught and fights the hounds before the hunters arrive. Hounds are maimed and killed and bears mauled by the hounds before the hunters can kill the bear. They could say that there's two tragedies here. Perhaps, they're right...
But, this type of hunting is not new and has been done for ages here and elsewhere around the world. Indeed, the season is open now and I talked to a bear guide at the 'Jack Pine Bar and Grill' the night before we left (we were returning from a day trip to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Lake Superior) and he had two hunters in the woods sitting over bait (another method). I will say hound hunting bears is not something that I'd ever do. I am a hunter (retired now except for the occasional ruffed grouse - 'Pats' for those in the know - foray), but not that... Never...
However, I will not condemn those that do because it's part of their culture... and Michigan's Upper Peninsula "Yoopers" definitely have their own.
BadtotheboneBob
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Oh boy, jury duty!
Here's a complete list of the Creative Arts Emmy Award Winners - 2012
Creative Arts Winners
Emmy Awards
The fantasy series "Game of Thrones" was the big winner Saturday at the creative arts Emmy Awards.
The HBO saga received a leading six trophies at the ceremony that recognizes technical and other achievements. Best special visual effects and best costumes for a series were among the trophies claimed by "Game of Thrones."
Others honored at the ceremony were four TV series guest stars, including Kathy Bates for CBS' "Two and a Half Men" and Jimmy Fallon as host of NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
On the drama side, Emmys went to Jeremy Davies for his guest appearance on FX's "Justified" and Martha Plimpton for her turn on CBS' "The Good Wife."
Among networks, HBO earned a leading 17 creative arts Emmys, followed by CBS with 13 and PBS with 11. Discovery received six awards, NBC got five and ABC and the Cartoon Network won four each. Fox won two trophies.
Emmys in 26 categories including acting, writing and directing will be presented at the upcoming ceremony, which will air live on ABC at 8 p.m. EDT next Sunday.
Emmy Awards
Winners Announced
Toronto International Film Festival
"Silver Linings Playbook," a dramatic comedy about a man who returns to his family home after eight months in a mental institution, won the top prize at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday.
The film, by "The Fighter" director David O. Russell and starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, took home the BlackBerry People's Choice award for best film at the 37th edition of the festival.
The runner-up for the prize was Ben Affleck's "Argo," a fact-based thriller about an outlandish plan to get six stranded Americans out of Tehran after the 1979 invasion of the American Embassy by having them masquerade as a Canadian film crew.
The People's Choice award for top documentary went to "Artifact," which follows actor Jared Letoand his band Thirty Seconds to Mars as they record their album "This Is War," while waging a legal battle against their label.
The People's Choice award for top Midnight Madness film went to Bartholomew Cubbins' "Seven Psychopaths," a blood-spattered comedy starring Colin Farrell as a screenwriter struggling to complete the script for a serial-killer movie, and featuring audience favorites Christopher Walken and Woody Harrelson.
Toronto International Film Festival
$12 Million For 'Idol'
Nicki Minaj
A person familiar with the situation says Nicki Minaj is getting $12 million to be a judge on "American Idol."
A person in the music industry with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Sunday that the singer-rapper will receive $12 million for a one-year contract with the hit Fox singing series. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the contract had not been made public.
Fox announced earlier Sunday that Minaj and country singer Keith Urban will be judges on "Idol" when the show returns in January. They will join Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson. A representative for Urban wouldn't disclose the singer's compensation for "Idol."
The AP reported in July that Carey is receiving just shy of $18 million for a one-year contract with a renewal option.
Nicki Minaj
Athlete Speaks Out
Chris Kluwe
NFL punters are only seen on fourth down and heard from less than that. But with Minnesota voters weighing whether to ban gay marriage this fall, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has emerged as a high-profile gay rights champion - and a symbol of changing attitudes toward homosexuality in the sports world.
Kluwe, a colorful 30-year-old with political science and history degrees from UCLA, is known for his love of video games, for getting a perfect score on the verbal portion of the SAT test and for his liberal political views. He agreed some time ago to speak out against Minnesota's amendment and headlined a long-planned fundraiser against the amendment Friday night.
But Kluwe got a massive new audience for his views after he penned a blistering open letter to a Maryland state lawmaker who criticized another NFL player, Brendon Ayanbadejo of the Baltimore Ravens, for supporting gay marriage with the issue also on Maryland's ballot.
"Why do you hate the fact that other people want a chance to live their lives and be happy, even though they may believe in something different than you or act different than you?" Kluwe wrote to Delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr. The full letter, posted by the sports website Deadspin.com, was laced with profanity and sarcasm.
Chris Kluwe
News Shows Competition
Sunday Morning
CBS' Sunday morning public affairs television show "Face the Nation" has clearly gotten under the skin of its rivals at NBC's "Meet the Press."
NBC accuses CBS of some trickery in the Nielsen ratings and in scheduling designed to make its show seem more popular than it actually is. CBS detects the aroma of sour grapes. The incident is a vivid illustration of a newly competitive era on Sundays.
As recently as last year, David Gregory's "Meet the Press" was the clear leader among these programs, averaging 3.21 million viewers per week, according to Nielsen, a company that measures media consumption. "Face the Nation" had 2.68 million viewers and ABC's "This Week" was at 2.32 million, with "Fox News Sunday" in fourth.
Things are much tighter so far this year. "Meet the Press" has dropped to an average of 2.91 million, CBS has climbed to 2.82 million and "This Week" has 2.39 million, Nielsen said.
To NBC, those numbers present an incomplete picture.
Sunday Morning
Played Hide The Perv
Boy Scouts
The Boy Scouts of America could face a wave of bad publicity as decades of records of confirmed or alleged child molesters within the U.S. organization are expected to be released in coming weeks.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reported the organization failed to report allegations of sex abuseof scouts by adult leaders and volunteers to police in hundreds of cases from 1970 to 1991. In some cases, the Boy Scouts helped the accused "cover their tracks," the paper said.
The story was based on a review of 1,600 internal Boy Scouts case files the newspaper said it obtained that detailed accusations against confirmed or alleged child molesters within the youth organization.
About 1,200 "ineligible volunteer" files dating from 1965 to 1985 are set to be publicly released under a June order by the Oregon Supreme Court, including some already reviewed by the newspaper.
Boy Scouts
Evolution Ad Creates Controversy on Facebook
Dr Pepper
Increasingly, businesses are taking advantage of the vast reach that social media offers to connect with consumers. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter provide a free platform with which to advertise and engage an audience. While using social media can be a useful tool, some companies are finding it to be a double-edged sword. One wrong post on a company's official Facebook page can become a lightning rod for controversy.
This is what seems to have taken place with soft drink maker Dr Pepper. The company posted a graphic on its Facebook page Thursday titled "Evolution of Flavor." The image parodies the popular "March of Progress" diagram, which shows the evolution of human beings from lower forms to present-day people. The Dr Pepper version evolves from "pre-pepper" to "Pepper Discovery" to "Post Pepper."
The post made quite a splash, but maybe not for the reason that Dr Pepper intended. Purported creationists started commenting with complaints about what they thought was Dr Pepper's endorsement of evolutionary theory. One person wrote, "I love Dr Pepper but hate this photo. Forget evolution." Another person wrote, "Well, there goes my support for this company." It's unclear how many of the entries were sarcastic, but the post now has more than 3,000 comments, with most of them debating evolution. Among those supporting evolution were people encouraging everyone to calm down. One person wrote, "It's just a joke. People gotta lighten up and just live life."
The post has received more than 25,000 likes so far, and the company does not seem to be in any rush to remove the graphic. Guess this controversy proves that this saying holds true: "There's no such thing as bad publicity." People are still talking about Dr Pepper.
Dr Pepper
Another Trial
Jeffrey MacDonald
Jeffrey MacDonald, a clean-cut Green Beret and doctor convicted of killing of his pregnant wife and their two daughters, is getting another chance to try proving his innocence - more than four decades after the nation was gripped by his tales of Charles Manson-like hippies doped up on acid slaughtering his family.
The case now hinges on something that wasn't available when he was first put on trial: DNA evidence. A federal judge planned to hold a hearing Monday to consider new DNA evidence and witness testimony that MacDonald and his supporters say will finally clear him of a crime that became the basis of Joe McGinniss' best-selling book "Fatal Vision" and a made-for-TV drama.
It's the latest twist in a case that has been the subject of military and civilian courts, intense legal wrangling and shifting alliances.
"This is Jeff's opportunity to be back in court almost 33 years to the day of his conviction," said Kathryn MacDonald, who married him a decade ago while he has been in prison.
Jeffrey MacDonald
Tightens Some Building Codes
Virginia
The Virginia state health board voted on Friday to require existing abortion clinics to meet stricter hospital building codes, a move clinic supporters say could force facilities to make expensive changes or close.
The board in June had exempted existing abortion clinics from meeting the building code rules for new hospitals that can require modifications such as wider hallways and additional parking. It voted 13 to 2 on Friday to reverse that decision.
Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, a sanctimonious Republican known for his conservative social views, had argued against that earlier decision, saying the health board did not have the authority to challenge the intent of a 2011 law that treats abortion clinics as hospitals.
The board typically has exempted existing medical facilities from new construction codes approved by state lawmakers, limiting them to additions, renovations and new building.
Virginia
Extra Page Shown In Public For First Time
The Constitution
The National Archives put on public display on Friday the "fifth page" of the Constitution, a document that hasn't been seen in public before.
The Constitution we all learned about in school and read about today has four pages, and it contains the basic articles that led to the formation of the current U.S. government.
The fifth page is known as the transmittal page of the Constitution and the Resolutions of the Constitutional Convention, and the National Archives will make it available to public viewing for a week in Washington, D.C., starting today.
The document also includes the instructions for how the first presidential election should be conducted, as well as the critical process of how the new government should replace the one established by the Articles Of Confederation.
The Constitution
Weekend Box Office
"Resident Evil: Retribution"
Paul Thomas Anderson's cult drama "The Master" commanded a huge following in its opening weekend, smashing records on just a handful of screens.
The Weinstein Co. release made $729,745 in five theaters in New York and Los Angeles for a record-setting per-screen average of $145,949, according to Sunday studio estimates. The hugely anticipated film, which just won several of the top awards at the Venice Film Festival and will open in more cities in upcoming weeks, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a charismatic cult leader and Joaquin Phoenix as his wayward protege.
The No. 1 film at the box office was "Resident Evil: Retribution," which took in an estimated $21.1 million in its debut. This is the fifth film in the Sony Screen Gems action franchise, starring Milla Jovovich.
That topped the 3-D re-release of the Disney Pixar animated favorite "Finding Nemo," which opened in second place with $17.5 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Resident Evil: Retribution," $21.1 million ($50 million international).
2. "Finding Nemo," $17.5 million.
3. "The Possession," $5.8 million.
4. "Lawless," $4.2 million.
5. "ParaNorman," $3 million.
6. "The Expendables 2," $3 million ($7.5 million international).
7. "The Words," $2.88 million.
8. "The Bourne Legacy," $2.875 million ($9.1 million international).
9. "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," $2.5 million.
10. "The Campaign," $2.4 million.
"Resident Evil: Retribution"
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