Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Paul Krugman: Trump's Big Libertarian Experiment (NY Times)
Does contaminated food smell like freedom?
Elizabeth Goitein: What the President Could Do If He Declares a State of Emergency (The Atlantic)
From seizing control of the internet to declaring martial law, President Trump may legally do all kinds of extraordinary things.
Paul Waldman: Donald Trump is the world's worst negotiator (Washington Post)
Trump says he 'probably' will declare an emergency if there's no wall deal.
Andrew Tobias: 1958 Clairvoyance
Carl sent a cartoon showing the Statue of Liberty with a donkey head (i.e.: a Democrat) saying: "Give me your undetected, undocumented, and unchecked masses yearning for free stuff." He seemed to like that. Yet it seems such an insult to his fellow human beings. They walk thousands of miles seeking asylum from horrible circumstances, hoping to scrub Carl's motel toilet, pick his lettuce, or trim his hedges . . . hoping to give their kids a decent life. So turning them away, if that's what Carl and the cartoonist decide must be done, should at least be a subject of heartbreak - not mockery - don't you think?
Mary Beard: Grudge matches (TLS)
All this brought to mind a funny occasion a few months ago when I was writing a very favourable recommendation for a younger scholar for a prestigious award (which they didn't know they were in for). In the middle of this, I glanced at Twitter only to discover that the person I was writing for had just eagerly retweeted a particularly poisonous tweet against me. What did I do? I carried on just as before, of course. What would it have been to change your professional judgement in mid-stream, just because they had made it clear they didn't like you very much.
Mary Beard: Conferencing (TLS)
What is more, there is almost a parallel occasion going on at the same time, because this is where most US classics departments conduct their preliminary interviews for academic jobs. … I imagine that there are already numerous PhDs on the whole mega-conference phenomenon. How is it sustained? How does the economics work on either side - from the hotel side or the punter side. And who loses out? (I think that the expense for graduate students to attend must put it almost out of the league for anyone not at a rich university or who can't pick up some of the grants available . . )
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Presenting
Michael Egan
took the day off.
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
from Bruce
Anecdotes
• Jessica Stam, legally blind and aged 25 in July 2005, owes her life to her guide dog, Joan, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, who engaged in what is called "intelligent disobedience," which is disobeying the owner when there is a good reason for disobeying the owner. Jessica and Joan were walking together when Joan suddenly stopped even though Jessica wanted to continue walking forward. Just then a car came down a driveway. Jessica said, "The woman didn't see us. She said, 'Oh, my God, I am so sorry.' Joan saved my life. With just my cane, I would have been road kill." Jessica, who lives in Eustis, Florida, is grateful to have Joan. She said, "There's so much I can do now that I couldn't do before. I was always nervous even when I would go to the grocery store. I would knock over displays. Joan stops and goes around it. She stops for obstacles. She looks to see what's there." The guide dog also has another advantage for Jessica, who said, "The general public is much more sensitive to a handicap when you have a guide dog. With my cane, most people would avoid me. I hated it. I felt self-conscious. There's nothing I can't do now, except drive. I really have that much self-confidence." She added, "Before I used my cane, and now it's so much different. It's so much easier to have my dog. Joan is just perfect. She is my miracle."
• When Maureen Porter, a 69-year-old grandmother, fell and broke her hip in Cenarth, Ceredigion, Wales, in May 2005, no humans were close enough to hear her cries for help. Fortunately, Pedro, her 15-year-old border collie, stayed with her for 18 hours, keeping her warm all night and prodding her with his paw to keep her awake. The next morning, Mrs. Porter's husband, Eric Porter, who was visiting Essex, telephoned her. When she did not answer, Mr. Porter telephoned a neighbor, Pat Milner, who checked up on and found Mrs. Porter. Mr. Porter, age 70, said, "Maureen had dirt under her fingernails from trying to move. It was very dark and cold throughout the night, and she could hear owls and foxes. But Pedro made sure she was safe and warm." Ten years previously, Mrs. Porter had adopted Pedro from a dog's rescue home. Mr. Milner said about Mrs. Porter, "She was cold and unwell. I dread to think what would have happened but for him [Pedro]." Mr. Porter said, "Someone in the village shop asked me the other day if I was going to play the lottery this week and I said, 'No, I think I've already won because I've still got Maureen.'"
• On 23 February 2005, Neena Saloiya, who lives independently, has been blind from birth, and was a student at Woodsworth College in the University of Toronto, brushed a hot electric element with her oven mitt, which caught on fire and started a big blaze in her apartment. She called 911 and then let her guide dog, Ziggy, lead her to safety down 20 flights of stairs. She said about Ziggy, "He pushed me with his head as if to say, 'Go this way.'" Her apartment was gutted and she had no insurance, but people rallied to help her. All she had was a cell phone, the clothing she was wearing at the time of the fire, and Ziggy, but officials at the University of Toronto got her a place in a suite that she shared with three other students. She said, "It's going OK. It's a change for them too, especially having Ziggy there, but they're handling it well, so it's nice." Ms. Saloiya received other help as well and was looking forward to going back to her apartment after its renovation. She said, "I would like to say thank you to people."
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© Copyright Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved
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Reader Comment
Current Events
Jeebus! Look at his ugly face!
The POTUS makeup person is pissed at predator today! Red streaks over his eyes on his forehead (as if someone smeared rouge cream), and the brown highlights in his orange cheeks are prominent and awful looking--not blended into his orange foundation at all. I've seen 5-year-olds do a better job of putting makeup on!
Linda >^..^<
We are all only temporarily able bodied.
Thanks, Linda!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
JD is on vacation.
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Rainy night.
8th Grade Teacher
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Dr. Rembert Herbert is the man who first told "Hamilton" creator and Broadway superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda that he "could be good" at writing musicals. Ahead of the show's debut in Puerto Rico, Dr. Herbert shared a message with Miranda that brought him to tears.
"Lin, this is your old English teacher, Dr. Herbert, here. I'm sure you didn't imagine when you were in the eighth grade and set some of 'The Chosen' to music that it would lead you where you are today but congratulations. I've heard a lot about what you're doing in Puerto Rico, and I wish you well in those endeavors and continued great success down there," Herbert said.
Miranda is reprising his role as Alexander Hamilton for a three-week run of his Tony Award-winning musical in Puerto Rico as part of an effort to raise money and awareness for the U.S. territory after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. Miranda's family has deep roots in Puerto Rico, the island where his parents where born and where he also spent summers growing up. This is the first time in more than two years that he will play the role he originated on Broadway.
"Dr. Herbert's the reason I'm sitting here talking to you," a tearful Miranda told CBS News' David Begnaud after watching his former teacher's message.
"I wrote a musical instead of doing my homework for his class in eighth grade. He said, 'You could be good at this, and you should stop hibernating in my class, and you should be doing this.' Because we had a student-written theater club at my high school and Rembert's the one who nudged me in that direction and he sort of changed my life forever with that," Miranda said.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Cameo In 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
Adam Lambert
Yes, that was Adam Lambert at the truck stop in Bohemian Rhapsody.
The singer with Queen ties confirmed Friday that he had a brief but pivotal role in the film about Freddie Mercury, which picked up the Best Drama award at Sunday's Golden Globes. "Who is he!?" he wrote alongside a photo of himself in character as a trucker. He also touted the film's digital release date.
Lambert was uncredited in the movie, but appeared briefly in a scene where Mercury, played by Rami Malek, is at a truck stop on the band's first North American tour. While making a call to his fiancée, Mary Austin (played by Lucy Boynton), Mercury notices the bearded trucker heading into the men's room, suggesting they are about to hook up. That moment in the film is the first that implies Mercury, who died of complications from AIDS at the age of 45 in 1991, was struggling with his sexuality.
Lambert had teased to Access Hollywood at the film's premiere in November that he had a "very, very mysterious" role in the film. Glamberts quickly noticed him in the role, but Lambert himself hasn't confirmed it until now.
After Lambert shared the photo, his fans were thrilled he was finally confirming the news:
Adam Lambert
Border Wall
Howard Stern
While Howard Stern "can't find anything more boring" than having a political discussion, he broke his rule Wednesday to discuss President Trump's immigration and border security address that was broadcast the night before.
The men go way back, and you may recall their conversations about "piece of ass" Ivanka Trump on Stern's show, so the self-proclaimed King of All Media had many notes on Trump's primetime performance: Skip the teleprompter, work on the "heavy breathing" and stop with the spray tan. ("I never saw him this orange or with those rings around his eyes.") But while Stern said he expected Trump's speech to be "full of s***," it topped his expectations.
After saying "there's no crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico border, Stern went on to talk about Trump's proposed border wall - which is behind the ongoing partial government shutdown - saying it won't solve any of the country's immigration problems. He brushed it off as being just a campaign tactic that "morons can get behind."
"The wall's a problem because it's a waste of money, even Donald knows that," Stern said. "You gotta know Donald a bit to understand what's going on here. The wall's a simplistic answer to our problems with immigration. It's something that, you know, morons can get behind because they're like, 'Oh, yeah, if you build a wall no one can get over it.' But it's not that simple."
While Stern admitted that he's "all about keeping f***ing illegal aliens out because it's f***ing not fair - it's not fair to people who apply legally," he added, "At the same point, you can't be hypocritical and be hiring illegal aliens," referring to undocumented immigrants reportedly working at Trump's golf resort in New Jersey.
Howard Stern
Agreement on Exit
Megyn Kelly
Megyn Kelly's NBC program ended in October, but she has now truly signed off from the network.
The colorful anchor and NBCUniversal have officially come to terms on her exit from the company, ending a frenetic chapter in TV-industry history and starting, perhaps, a new round of speculation about what she might do next.
"The parties have resolved their differences, and Megyn Kelly is no longer an employee of NBC," NBC News said in a statement Friday.
NBC in October cancelled her morning talk program, "Megyn Kelly Today" after she opened one broadcast that month with a discussion of Halloween costumes and wearing blackface that drew criticism not only on social media, but also from NBC Newscolleagues including Al Roker and Craig Melvin. The decision brought to an end a fizzling experiment that matched the former Fox News anchor known for an outsized on-screen presence to a format best known for lighter fare.
Kelly leaves NBCUniversal free to talk to other companies about employment, according to people familiar with the agreement. And she is believed to be walking away from the deal with the amount she was promised when first joined. Various reports have put her annual salary at anywhere from $17 million to something in the low $20-million range. Her three-year deal was previously expected to end in early 2020.
Megyn Kelly
Legal Victory
Sandy Hook
Six families of victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School won a legal victory Friday in their fight against controversial radio and internet personality Alex Jones.
A judge in Connecticut has granted the families' discovery requests, allowing them access to, among other things, Infowars' internal marketing and financial documents.
The plaintiffs include the parents of five children who went to the school as well as family members of first-grade teacher Victoria Leigh Soto and Principal Dawn Hochsprung, according to a statement from the plaintiff's attorneys.
According to the statement, the plaintiffs allege a "years-long campaign of abusive and outrageous false statements in which Jones and the other defendants have developed, amplified and perpetuated claims that the Sandy Hook massacre was staged and that the 26 families who lost loved ones that day are paid actors who faked their relative's deaths."
The judge's ruling on discovery gives the plaintiffs access to any communication Jones had about the Newtown massacre and to documents that could point to the inner workings of Infowars.
Sandy Hook
U.S. Approved Thousands
Child Brides
Thousands of requests by men to bring in child and adolescent brides to live in the United States were approved over the past decade, according to government data obtained by The Associated Press. In one case, a 49-year-old man applied for admission for a 15-year-old girl.
The approvals are legal: The Immigration and Nationality Act does not set minimum age requirements. And in weighing petitions for spouses or fiancees, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services goes by whether the marriage is legal in the home country and then whether the marriage would be legal in the state where the petitioner lives.
But the data raises questions about whether the immigration system may be enabling forced marriage and about how U.S. laws may be compounding the problem despite efforts to limit child and forced marriage. Marriage between adults and minors is not uncommon in the United States, and most states allow children to marry with some restrictions.
There were more than 5,000 cases of adults petitioning on behalf of minors and nearly 3,000 examples of minors seeking to bring in older spouses or fiances, according to the data requested by the Senate Homeland Security Committee in 2017 and compiled into a report.
There are no nationwide statistics on child marriage, but data from a few states suggests it is far from rare. State laws generally set 18 as the minimum age for marriage, yet every state allows exceptions. Most states let 16- and 17-year-olds marry if they have parental consent, and several states - including New York, Virginia and Maryland - allow children under 16 to marry with court permission.
Child Brides
New Claims
Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Barr is still not over Roseanne getting canceled. After first blaming Ambien and then her pro-Trump views for ABC's decision to ax her hit series, the comedian now says she was fired due to anti-Semitism.
"I feel that what happened to me, a large part of it is anti-Semitism," Barr told the Jerusalem Post in a phone interview from Hawaii on Thursday. "I think it played a part - the fact that I was never allowed to explain what I meant - and what I meant was a commentary on Iran - so they purposely mischaracterized what I said and wouldn't let me explain."
Barr continued, "And in haste they did something unprecedented that they've never done to any other artist. And at the base of that I think it's because I am the most vocal person about Israel and BDS [the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement]."
The 66-year-old Jewish actress saw Roseanne abruptly canceled in May 2018 after her tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a former adviser in the Obama administration. Barr insists that the tweet, which equated Jarrett with "Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes," wasn't racist and said her firing "had a lot to do with identifying with Israel."
"What I said was mischaracterized purposely and repeatedly, so they didn't even know what I meant, but they wanted to shape it and they did - they said it was something racial, when it was actually something political," she said. "And I have never in my life done anything racist, and I think my career proves that. And they did it so quickly - to fire and label and slander my name. I think it had a lot to do with identifying with Israel."
Roseanne Barr
Ending After 15th Season
Criminal Minds
After 15 seasons - and 325 episodes - Criminal Minds is coming to an end.
The long-running crime drama is currently airing its 14th season on CBS, but the US network announced on Thursday (January 10) that it's coming back later this year for a 15th and final run of 10 episodes.
There was no reason given for the show's eventual farewell, although ratings have slipped somewhat over time, according to The Wrap.
Criminal Minds reached its 300th episode at the start of season 14 with the aptly-titled '300'. By the time the series finishes, there will have been 325 episodes - making it one of the longest-running TV dramas.
The 15th season is expected to shoot immediately after the latest season, to air across the 2019/20 broadcast schedule.
Criminal Minds
One Mystery Finally Solved
Easter Island
When it comes to Easter Island's towering stone heads, there's now one fewer mystery to solve.
Researchers have long puzzled over why the huge statues were placed where they are. However, anew study says the people of Rapa Nui, as the island is called in the local language, positioned them near sources of humanity's most vital resource: fresh water.
Archaeologists studied the location of the statues, or moai, and the platforms on which many of them stand, known as ahu. Polynesian seafarers first arrived on Rapa Nui, 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile, approximately 900 years ago.
They then went on to construct more than 300 ahu and almost 1,000 moai, which are believed to represent significant ancestors.
Researchers from six US institutions isolated an eastern area of Rapa Nui, containing 93 ahu. They analyzed the natural resources near the ahu, focusing on rock mulch gardens in which crops like sweet potatoes were grown, marine resources including sites for fishing, and sources of fresh water.
Easter Island
In Memory
Verna Bloom
Verna Bloom, best-known for her role in Animal House, has died aged 80.
Although she was also prolific both on television and on the stage, she gained the most recognition for her film work. In 1978's Animal House, she starred as the drunken, debauched wife of Dean Wormer. She starred in three films by Martin Scorsese: 1970's Street Scenes, 1985's After House, and 1988's The Last Temptation of Christ.
She also starred in two Clint Eastwood films, playing Sarah Belding in 1973's High Plains Drifter and Emmy in 1982's Honkytonk Man.
Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Bloom graduated from Boston University before she moved to Denver and started a local theatre.
In the mid-1960s, she moved to New York, starring as Charlotte Corday in the Broadway revival of Marat/Sade and making her film debut in 1969's Medium Cool, in which she played an Appalachian mother caught up in the riots surrounding the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.
Bloom died on 9 January in Bar Harbor, Maine, her representative confirmed to Variety. Her family has stated the cause was complications from dementia.
She is survived by her husband of 49 years, screenwriter Jay Cocks, and her son Sam.
Verna Bloom
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