Paul Krugman: The Oz Effect (NY Times)
So more than half of the health advice Dr. Oz gives is either baseless - there's no evidence for his claims - or wrong - there is evidence, and it contradicts what he says. Julia Belluz tells us not to be surprised: "He is, after all, in the business of entertainment." But the thing is, there are a lot of Ozzes out there, including in areas you might not consider the entertainment business.
26 True Stories That Prove Humanity Is Not All Bad (Cracked)
There's a lot of crazy shit going on in the world, and a lot of folks are quick to say that humanity is in a bad way right now. But is that really accurate? With the help of the Amazing AuntieMeme, we present a small sampling of stories that prove that, hey, there is some good going on around this pale blue dot.
Henry Rollins: Beauty and Sadness in Uzbekistan (LA Weekly)
The main reasons I travel are to learn, to grow and, most important, to be broken down and made stronger by the daily grind of it. Being off the road makes me feel as though I am not living life nearly to the fullest. As wonderful as L.A. is, after a few weeks there without demanding employment to keep me occupied, I feel that I am blowing it.
Henry Rollins: How the Soviets Nearly Ruined Central Asia (LA Weekly)
On the day I was to cross into Tajikistan, I was warned by my Uzbek guide that the questioning and searches could be extreme. … She asked me why I was in Uzbekistan and wanted to go to Tajikistan. I gave her my whole rap about the only way to know about any place is to go, so here I was. She and all the other heavily uniformed officers simultaneously lit up. They enthusiastically thanked me for coming all the way out to visit and fairly tossed me through the back of the building.
When this actor and comedian collapsed face down while performing on stage at UC San Diego, the audience thought it was part of his act, unaware that he had actually suffered a massive heart attack. What is his name?
Dick Shawn (December 1, 1923 - April 17, 1987) was an American actor and comedian.
Shawn was born as Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York and raised in adjacent Lackawanna. The best known roles of his career were that of the hot-headed Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus (Ethel Merman), in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and easygoing Lorenzo St. DuBois/Adolf Hitler in the musical Springtime for Hitler, the play within Mel Brooks's movie The Producers.
On April 17, 1987, Shawn died while performing at UC San Diego's Mandeville Hall. When he collapsed face down on the stage, the audience thought it was part of his act unaware that he had actually suffered a massive heart attack. During his final comedy routine, Shawn portrayed a politician reciting campaign clichés including: "If elected, I will not lay down on the job."
After five minutes of the actor lying motionless on the stage, during which time there had been catcalls like "take his wallet", a stage hand came on, examined Shawn, stood up and asked: "Is there a doctor in the house?" Another person appeared, turned him over and began administering CPR.
The audience was asked to leave the auditorium but almost no one left since many thought it was all part of Shawn's act. Bewildered audience members only began leaving - still unsure of what they had witnessed - after paramedics arrived. A notice in the following day's San Diego Union newspaper clarified that Shawn had indeed died during the performance. Dick Shawn was 63. He is laid to rest in Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery, in Culver City, California.
Source
Deborah said:
I feel as though I should know the answer, yet after 42 totally fun and soul-enriching miles on my bike in the sun, my brain is stuck.
So, I have no idea.
And I'm too busy singing to "The Sound of Music" (screw the lyrics; I've been singing these songs since I saw it on the big screen, in stereo, in 1965) (yeah, I'm old. GTF off my lawn, whippersnapper).
/rant over/
Randall took the day off.
mj took the day off.
Dale of Diamond Springs, Noraincali took the day off.
As you all know the untimely passing of Terry was unexpected, even by
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CBS opens the night with a RERUN'Big Bang Theory', followed by a FRESH'Mike & Molly', then a RERUN'Scorpion', then a RERUN'NCIS: The Expendable One'.
On a RERUNDave (from 11/11/14) are Steve Carell, Martha Stewart, and OK Go.
On a RERUNCraig (from 10/13/14) are Carson Kressley and Rampage Jackson.
NBC begins the night with a RERUN'SNL - An SNL Christmas', followed by a FRESH'State Of Affairs'.
Scheduled on a FRESHJimmy Fallon are Chris Pine, David Oyelowo, and Bobby Flay.
On a RERUNSeth Meyers (from 11/18/14) are Shaquille O'Neal, Eddie Redmayne, and Gary Vaynerchuk.
On a RERUNCarson 'The Scab' Daly (from 11/10/14) are Lisa Ling, Self, and Nick Youssef.
ABC starts the night with a FRESH'The Great Christmas Light Fight', followed by a RERUN'Castle'.
On a RERUNJimmy Kimmel (from 12/4/14) are Ryan Seacrest, Rebecca Romijn, and Vintage Trouble.
The CW offers a RERUN'iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2014'.
Faux has a RERUN'Gotham', followed by a RERUN'Sleepy Hollow'.
MY here fills the night with LIVE'NHL Hockey' (Flames visit the Kings).
AMC offers the movie 'Miracle On 34th Street' (1947), followed by the movie 'Miracle On 34th Street' (1994).
BBC -
[6:00AM] BBC World News
[7:00AM] BBC World News
[8:00AM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 1
[9:00AM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 2
[10:00AM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 3
[11:00AM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 4
[12:00PM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 5
[1:00PM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 6
[2:00PM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 7
[3:00PM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 8
[4:00PM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 9
[5:00PM] Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip-Part 1
[6:00PM] Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip-Part 2
[7:00PM] Top Gear - Season 9 - Episode 3
[8:00PM] Top Gear - Season 10 - Episode 4 - Botswana Special
[9:00PM] Top Gear: Best of British-Episode 3 NEW
[10:00PM] Top Gear: Season 16 Special
[11:30PM] Top Gear: Best of British-Episode 3
[12:30AM] Top Gear: Apocalypse
[2:00AM] Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip-Part 1
[3:00AM] Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip-Part 2
[4:00AM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 2
[5:00AM] Top Gear: Top 41-Episode 3 (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Vanderpump Rules', another 'Vanderpump Rules', followed by a FRESHVanderpump Rules', and 'Girlfriends' Guide To Divorce', followed by a FRESH'Watch What Happens Live'.
FX has the movie 'The Watch', followed by the movie '21 Jump Street', then a FRESH'Anger Management', followed by another FRESH'Anger Management'.
History has 'Pawn Stars', another 'Pawn Stars', still another 'Pawn Stars', yet another 'Pawn Stars', followed by a FRESH'Pawn Stars', then another FRESH'Pawn Stars', and another 'Pawn Stars'.
IFC -
[6:00AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-BOYS AT THE RANCH
[6:30AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-GRANDMA SUES
[7:00AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-IF BOYS WERE GIRLS
[7:30AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-LONG DRIVE
[8:00AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-KICKED OUT
[8:30AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-STEREO STORE
[9:00AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-HAL'S FRIEND
[9:30AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-GARAGE SALE
[10:00AM] MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE-ACADEMIC OCTATHALON
[10:30AM] THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE
[12:15PM] HOUSE PARTY
[2:30PM] THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE
[4:15PM] LOVE, WEDDING, MARRIAGE
[6:15PM] THE BIG LEBOWSKI
[9:00PM] SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
[11:30PM] THE BIG LEBOWSKI
[2:15AM] HOUSE PARTY
[4:30AM] THE BIRTHDAY BOYS-THE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
[5:00AM] THE BIRTHDAY BOYS-CERF'S FOLLY
[5:30AM] THE BIRTHDAY BOYS-SEASON FINALE (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[6:00AM] Elizabeth: The Golden Age
[8:30AM] A Mighty Wind
[10:30AM] Best in Show
[12:30PM] Courage Under Fire
[3:00PM] Law & Order-Bait
[4:00PM] Law & Order-Flight
[5:00PM] Law & Order-Agony
[6:00PM] Exiled: A Law & Order Movie
[8:00PM] Law & Order-Scrambled
[9:00PM] Law & Order-Venom
[10:00PM] Law & Order-Punk
[11:00PM] Law & Order-True North
[12:00AM] Law & Order-Hate
[1:00AM] Law & Order-Ramparts
[2:00AM] Law & Order-Hunters
[3:00AM] The Red Road-Arise My Love, Shake Off This Dream
[4:00AM] The Red Road-The Wolf and the Dog
[5:00AM] The Red Road-The Woman Who Fell From the Sky (ALL TIMES EST)
A traditional Mexican masked dancer called "Tlacololeros" performs during the "Paseo del Pendon", a traditional artistic march in Chilpancingo December 21, 2014. The "Paseo del Pendon" (walk banner) is a traditional celebration in the streets of Chilpancingo to mark the begin of the the year-end festivities in the city.
Photo by Jorge Dan Lopez
Delighted Dish Network subscribers were unable to watch Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network on Sunday when the channels were taken down as part of contract negotiations.
The Fox blackout is just the latest skirmish as cable and satellite TV providers fight with networks over subscription fees. Dish Network just settled disputes that led to the temporary blackout of some local CBS stations and a separate blackout related to Turner Broadcasting channels - including Cartoon Network, CNN, Boomerang and Turner Classic Movies.
Dish has more than 14 million satellite TV customers. Fox is urging viewers with emails and tweets to switch to another TV provider.
Dish blamed Fox for introducing other channels into negotiations despite those not being included in the contract up for renewal.
More than 250 minor tremors have rattled the Florence region over the past three days, sparking alarm in Italy over the safety of Michelangelo's "David" statue.
According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the two strongest shocks in the Chianti region between Florence and Siena Friday measured 3.8. and 4.1 on the Richter scale, though many others recorded early Saturday reached three to 3.5.
No one was hurt in the quakes, and fire fighters reported only minor structural damage near the epicentre about 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) south of Florence.
The multitude of shocks has raised concerns for Florence's invaluable architectural and cultural patrimony.
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has been hospitalized with pneumonia and is expected to recover because the illness was caught early, a spokesman said on Saturday.
Ali, 72, was admitted to a hospital in an undisclosed location Saturday morning and is being treated by a team of doctors and remains in stable condition, spokesman Bob Gunnell said.
"Because the pneumonia was caught early, his prognosis is good with a short hospital stay expected," Gunnell said in a statement.
He declined to give any further details of the boxer's condition and said Ali's family was asking for privacy.
A demonstrator carries a banner reading "do not be silent" during a protest against Spanish Citizens Security Law in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014. Thousands of people have gathered in several Spanish cities to protest against a new law that sets hefty fines for offenses such as burning the national flag and holding demonstrations outside parliament buildings or strategic installations. Protesters who prevent authorities from carrying out evictions, insulting a police officer and disseminating photographs of police officers that endanger them or police operations can also be fined. The legislation also allows for the summary expulsion of migrants entering the country's North African enclaves illegally.
Photo by Andres Kudacki
British musician Elton John on Sunday married his long-term partner David Furnish, converting their civil partnership after laws allowing gay marriage in Britain came into force this year.
John, one of Britain's most prominent musicians and gay celebrities, announced the wedding by posting an invitation on the social networking site Instagram.
John and Furnish later posted pictures from the wedding, including the exchange of vows and the menu, which featured beef short rib and caramelised onion pie, and wedding cake.
Local media reported the ceremony was taking place at John's home in Windsor, 25 miles west of London.
WikiLeaks on Sunday released two CIA documents that offered tips to help spies maintain their cover while using false documents as they crossed international borders.
The two documents, dating from 2011 and 2012, are marked classified and "NOFORN," which means they were not meant to be shared with allied intelligence agencies, WikiLeaks said.
The documents outline a number of strategies for agents to avoid secondary screening at airports and borders.
Some are obvious: don't buy a one-way ticket with cash the day before flying. Others perhaps less so: don't look scruffy while traveling on a diplomatic passport.
Guatemalan firefighter Hector Chacon, wearing a Santa Claus outfit, rappels down the Belize bridge to give toys to children living under the bridge, in Guatemala City, December 21, 2014. Chacon has arranged for firefighters to dress as Santa Claus and give out toys during Christmas to children living in the poor neighbourhood under the bridge for the past 17 years.
Photo by Josue Decavele
How do you joke about the Sony hacking story? After all, it was an attempt at comedy that launched this whole sobering mess.
If you're Chris Rock, you joke about it cleverly but carefully. Promoting his new movie "Top Five" this week, he noted an added bonus: "My movie's very Korean-friendly. There are no jokes about North Korea in 'Top Five.' If you're Korean, go out and see 'Top Five.' You will enjoy it."
And so, NBC's "Saturday Night Live" didn't wait long to bring up the scandal - in fact, it didn't wait one second. The show opened with Mike Myers returning as Dr. Evil from the "Austin Powers" movies, taking jabs at Sony, North Korea AND Hollywood. Oh, and Republicans, and "The Interview" actor James Franco's Oscar-hosting skills.
"There's already a GOP," Myers said, referring to the hackers who call themselves Guardians of Peace, "and they're already an evil organization." Referring to hackers' threats of terrorism over the movie, he said that wasn't necessary: "It's easy to kill a movie. Just move it to January." As for Franco, whose character in the film is tasked with assassinating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, he noted: "The man singlehandedly almost killed the Oscars!"
Later, though, the show played with the idea that maybe it's all a little soon. Comic Bobby Moynihan appeared as Kim Jong Un on "Weekend Update," declaring he wasn't afraid. But then red target marks appeared on his torso, and he reversed course: "I'm Seth Rogen, everybody!" he said, trying to quickly mimic Rogen, a star and director of the film, before skedaddling off the set.
Two environmental groups have sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for what the groups said was failing to comply with a court order requiring the agency to strengthen regulations preventing pollution from stormwater runoff.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) said in a statement that they filed the suit on Thursday in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
The groups said EPA has not obeyed a 2003 ruling from the 9th circuit in EDC v. EPA that required the agency to redo portions of its 1999 stormwater regulations dealing with urban runoff because they were not in line with the Clean Water Act.
In response to the lawsuit, EPA said it was working to strengthen its existing stormwater pollution program by requiring more environmental protections when renewing storm sewer permits and working with states and municipalities to reduce water pollution.
View of a Christmas sand crib in Gdansk-Oliwa, Poland, 21 December 2014. Four Polish artists from the Academy of Fine Arts: Maciej Krause, Mariusz Otta, Marek Elsner and Michal Seczawa worked seven days to build the sculpture designed by Ewa Topolan. The sculpture is 4 meters high and 3.6 meters wide and 60 tons of sand were used.
Photo by Adam Warzawa
An orangutan held in an Argentine zoo can be freed and transferred to a sanctuary after a court recognized the ape as a "non-human person" unlawfully deprived of its freedom, local media reported on Sunday.
Animal rights campaigners filed a habeas corpus petition - a document more typically used to challenge the legality of a person's detention or imprisonment - in November on behalf of Sandra, a 29-year-old Sumatran orangutan at the Buenos Aires zoo.
In a landmark ruling that could pave the way for more lawsuits, the Association of Officials and Lawyers for Animal Rights (AFADA) argued the ape had sufficient cognitive functions and should not be treated as an object.
The court agreed Sandra, born into captivity in Germany before being transferred to Argentina two decades ago, deserved the basic rights of a "non-human person."
Christians and Satanists put up competing displays Sunday on the Michigan Capitol grounds as Christmas week got underway.
The Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple set up its "Snaketivity Scene" featuring a snake offering a book called "Revolt of the Angels" as a gift. The snake is wrapped around the Satanic cross on the 3-feet-by-3-feet display. Capitol rules require that displays have to be taken down each night.
In a videotaped interview with the Lansing State Journal, Satanic Temple spokeswoman Jex Blackmore said her group doesn't worship Satan but does promote individuality, compassion and views that differ from Christian and conservative beliefs.
Blackmore said that the "holiday season is a time of year that is celebrated in many different ways."
Indian women make mud stoves for sale in Allahabad, India, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014. The stoves are made especially for pilgrims who make temporary homes in Sangam, the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, during the month-long Magh Mela festival where hundreds of thousands of devout Hindus bathe at the confluence.
Photo by Rajesh Kumar Singh
Michelin-star food and vintage champagne: airlines are pulling out all the stops to cater to their top-tier passengers' tastes, as they seek a larger slice of the highly profitable market.
"Business class has become the main battleground for all companies because the market in this very profitable sector is highly competitive and the clients very demanding," said Bertrand Mouly-Aigrot, aviation expert at Archery strategy consulting.
A dish in economy tends to cost between five and nine euros, business class between 15 and 30 euros and for first class, the sky is -- literally -- the limit.
Singapore Airlines touts itself as "the only company to offer the world's two most prestigious champagnes: Dom Perignon and Krug Grande Cuvee".
The airline spends around 18.4 million euros ($22.5 million) every year just on champagne and wine, with catering amounting to 5.5 percent of its total costs.
While Hollywood continued to wrestle with the fallout of the Sony hacking scandal, the weekend box office offered the solace of a moviegoing truism: Hobbits sell.
Peter Jackson's final installment of his six J.R.R. Tolkien adventures, "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," debuted with $56.2 million over the weekend and $90.6 million since opening Wednesday, according to studio estimates Sunday. For an industry reeling from the cancellation of "The Interview" and terrorist threats against moviegoers, Middle-earth provided reliable refuge.
Last week's top film, Ridley Scott's Moses epic, "Exodus: Gods and Kings," tumbled to fourth place with $8.1 million in its second week. The Fox release slid a dramatic 67 percent.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, the latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies," $56.2 million ($105.5 million international).
2. "Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb," $17.3 million ($10.8 million international).
3. "Annie," $16.3 million ($1 million international).
4. "Exodus: Gods and Kings," $8.1 million ($7.6 million international).
5. "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1," $7.8 million. ($9.3 million international).
6. "Wild," $4.2 million.
7. "Top Five," $3.6 million.
8. "Big Hero 6," $3.6 million ($11.5 million international).
9. "Penguins of Madagascar," $3.5 million ($16.5 million international).
10. "P.K.," $3.5 million ($22.1 million international).
A paper panda wearing a Santa Claus hat is displayed in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad building, a Malaysian iconic building, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 21 December 2014. The Paper pandas were created by French artist Paulo Grangeon, who crafted 1,600 pandas. The creations, which were made in six different shape and size, will visit more than 15 iconic landmarks in Malaysia under the theme 'Initiating the Culture of Creative Conservation'. The tour will run from 21 December 2014 to 25 January 2015 to promote the message of panda conservation and sustainable development. The 1,600 paper pandas mark the number of the current living pandas left in the wild.
Photo by Azhar Rahim
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