Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Paul Krugman: Dumbing Deficits Down (New York Times)
Having a "what were they thinking?" moment recently.
Ted Rall: Unions? What Unions? (Scroll Down)
I will never understand why the people who are jealous of unionized workers who earn $50,000 a year give a pass to the incompetent bank executives who get $5,000,000. Resentment is a terrible thing to waste.
Susan Estrich: March 7 (Creators Syndicate)
March 7th is just about the worst day of the year for me. Not really just about - just is. On March 7, 1977, my father died at the age of 53. On March 7, 2000, my best friend, Judy Jarvis, died at almost the same age.
Patrick Kingsley: How a sandwich franchise ousted McDonald's (Guardian)
Limited seating, dreary lighting, a lot of sarnies - how Subway became the leading fast-food chain.
Jim Hightower: Governor Walker Got Stung
The most revealing comments by politicians are rarely revealed. This is because they're made in unrecorded conversations, when politicos let their guard down.
Transcript of prank call to Walker
Here's a complete transcript of the 'Buffalo Beast' prank conversation with Gov. Scott Walker Tuesday, from recordings by the Beast. Ian Murphy of the 'Beast' poses in the call as David Koch, a billionaire contributor of Walker's.
Amy Julia Harris, Ryan Mac: Stanford drops list of 'easy' classes for athletes (SFGate)
A drama class in Beginning Improvising and another in Social Dances of North America III were among dozens of classes on a closely guarded quarterly list distributed only to Stanford athletes to help them choose classes. The list, which has existed since at least 2001, was widely regarded by athletes as an easy class list. More than a quarter of the courses on the list did not fulfill university general education requirements.
Matthew Dolan: If You Take Street Art Off the Street, Is It Still Art? (Wall Street Journal)
A mural attributed to the mysterious Banksy that an art gallery moved from a decaying industrial site to a warehouse has spurred a spirited discussion in Detroit art circles.
Star Crazy: "Interview with Lisa Lampanelli (aka the Queen of Mean)" (San Antonio Current)
Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the meanest one of all? Since starting her stand-up comedy career in the early 90s, the answer has always been as harsh as a swift kick in the balls: Lisa Lampanelli.
Carla Meyer: "Amy Bloom: Writing at the speed of life" (McClatchy Newspapers)
Amy Bloom's characters might conduct extramarital affairs, latch on too fiercely to acquaintances, sleep with a teacher, or, in a bout of misplaced grief, with a grown stepson.
Marian Liu: "Q&A: William Shatner on 'Star Trek,' acting and (wink) his enviable physique" (The Seattle Times)
As Captain James T. Kirk on the original 1960s TV series "Star Trek," William Shatner charted a course for a career playing brash and over-the-top types.
Joe Holleman: Kris Kristofferson's broad career just keeps happening (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Singer-songwriters? There's a million of them. Ones that do some acting? The list probably shrinks to a thousand or so. Throw in rugby player, Rhodes scholar, boxer, helicopter pilot, airborne ranger, Army officer and college professor, and the roster rapidly narrows to one name: Kris Kristofferson.
David Bruce has 41 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $41 you can buy 10,250 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," and "Maximum Cool."
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Reader Suggestions
Michelle in AZ
Fan Mail
Kudos for David Bruce
Hello, M...
I would like to take a moment to thank David Bruce for the eclectic collection of links that he provides daily. I do not read them all, however, I do find every day at least two or three that pique my interest and will take the time to peruse them.
Being retired and somewhat disabled, I have the time and inclination to extensively read news and political web sites from around the world. But, I can't read it all! Bruce often fills in the many gaps that I miss and I greatly appreciate his efforts. His feature is, far and away, my favorite and deserves the lead position on your page. Bravo Zulu, David!
BadtotheboneBob
Thanks, B2tbBob!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Back to sunny and seasonal.
Flees South Pacific Due To Tsunami
Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel was forced to flee the South Pacific Friday after a 8.9 magnitude earthquake and Tsunami rocked Japan.
"Suddenly, relaxing on an island in the South Pacific isn't so relaxing anymore," he first Tweeted early Friday morning. "Good thing I brought my aqua stilts."
Later, when asked how scared he was on a scale of 1-10, he wrote, "A good solid 7. on a small island, with no high ground."
As fans relayed their worries, he Tweeted, "Thanks again for the concern I am now worried others will worry if I don't tweet but if I don't, don't."
He then updated that he is fleeing the region: "We are evacuating the island. dogspeed."
Jimmy Kimmel
Censors Clear For China Debut
Bob Dylan
Censors have cleared Bob Dylan to make his China debut despite worries that the country's authoritarian government would block his planned shows given the American folk icon's antiestablishment reputation.
China's Ministry of Culture said in a notice posted on its website Thursday that Dylan will be allowed to perform in Beijing between March 30 and April 12.
The website of the Dylan fan magazine ISIS reported earlier that Dylan was scheduled to perform in Beijing on April 6 and Shanghai on April 8, although Dylan's official website doesn't list those tour dates.
The Chinese Ministry of Culture did not immediately post approval for the Shanghai show. A press official for the ministry declined comment on whether approval was imminent, asking a reporter to keep checking the ministry's website for updates. He would only give his surname as Zhou.
Bob Dylan
Creates Show For Cartoon Network
Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo has written many hit songs - and now he's taking writing to a new level.
The Grammy winner told The Associated Press in an interview Friday that he closed a deal with Cartoon Network to produce his own show.
The cartoon is called "I Heart Tuesdays" and Ne-Yo said production starts soon.
He said the show is about "a 16-year-old girl that inherits the curse of her bloodline and she's forced to save the world from the unknown evil every Tuesday for the rest of her life."
Ne-Yo
Hospital News
Gallagher
Comedian Gallagher is hospitalized in Minnesota after collapsing during a performance.
Todd Powers, owner of Whiskey Bone's Roadhouse in Rochester, said the 64-year-old Gallagher collapsed in the middle of a show there Thursday night.
Gallagher's manager, Craig Marquardo, says the comedian is in stable condition and will be hospitalized overnight. He says he doesn't yet know what caused Gallagher to collapse.
A witness, Chris Blade, told the Rochester Post-Bulletin that Gallagher had complained of pain in his left arm and shortness of breath earlier in the evening. Blade said Gallagher was responsive when emergency crews were taking him out of the club.
Gallagher, whose real name is Leo Anthony Gallagher, is best known for smashing watermelons with a sledgehammer.
Gallagher
Setting Records
'Spider-Man'
Broadway's stunt-heavy, $65 million "Spider-Man" musical will shut down for more than three weeks this spring to overhaul the troubled production, a show that has been in previews for a record 102 performances.
Lead producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris said in a statement Friday that "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" would officially open June 14. The show's opening, delayed an astounding six times, was to have opened last on March 15.
The final preview performance before the shut down will be April 17. Performances will be canceled from April 19-May 11, with previews resuming on May 12.
On Wednesday, producers announced that Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor would no longer direct the show, and a new creative team was brought in to change and polish the flawed musical, which has also been plagued with a series of injuries to cast members.
It was a stunning development for the heralded director of "The Lion King," a megahit that is No. 3 at the box office more than a decade after it opened. Taymor, known for her bold and creative artistic vision, is believed to have been pushed aside because she wouldn't accept the need for outside help and significant changes to "Spider-Man," which she co-wrote with Glen Berger.
'Spider-Man'
Pleads No Contest To Battery Charge
Mel "Sugar Tits" Gibson
Mel "Sugar Tits" Gibson used some lightning legal moves Friday to abruptly end a domestic violence case involving a fight last year with his then-girlfriend.
Within hours, Gibson was charged with misdemeanor spousal battery and pleaded no contest in a deal with prosecutors that kept him out of jail.
As part of the plea deal, Gibson will spend three years on probation, undergo a year of domestic violence counseling, and perform 16 hours of community service.
If he complies and doesn't get into further trouble, he won't have to make another court appearance in the case.
Mel "Sugar Tits" Gibson
No Extortion Charge
Oksana Grigorieva
Prosecutors say they will not charge Mel Gibson's ex-girlfriend with extortion after they found insufficient evidence to prove the allegation by the actor.
Attorneys for Oksana Grigorieva say she cooperated fully with the investigation into extortion allegations by Gibson.
Attorneys Daniel Horowitz, Ronald Litz and Martin Garbus said in a statement released to The Associated Press that the Russian musician never invoked her Fifth Amendment rights during several interviews with authorities.
Gibson claimed Grigorieva attempted to extort him during custody negotiations involving their infant daughter after their breakup last year.
Oksana Grigorieva
Gets 9 Months
Richard Hatch
Reality TV star Richard Hatch was ordered back to prison Friday to serve a nine-month sentence for failing to pay taxes on the $1 million he won on the first season of the hit CBS show "Survivor."
Hatch, who is currently appearing on NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice," spent more than three years in prison for tax evasion before being released in 2009, and has been serving a three-year term of supervised release. During that period, he was supposed to refile his 2000 and 2001 taxes and pay what he owed, but he never did.
U.S. District Court Judge William Smith on Friday said Hatch, who has strenuously maintained his innocence, had exhibited no remorse and had made no effort to comply with an order that he straighten out and pay his taxes. He imposed a sentence three months longer than what was recommended by prosecutors: six months - the maximum in the federal sentencing guidelines.
He said the term of supervised release, which is supposed to be a time of rehabilitation, did not appear to be doing any good in Hatch's case. He said a substantial sentence was required to send a message to Hatch and others who flout the court's orders.
He also ordered Hatch serve 26 months supervised release, during which time 25 percent of Hatch's gross income would be garnished and paid to the Internal Revenue Service. Prosecutor Andrew Reich said Friday that Hatch now owes an estimated $2 million to the IRS on the Survivor winnings and other income, including penalties.
Richard Hatch
Sues Alan Ball Over Birds
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino is suing his neighbor, "True Blood" creator Alan Ball, over a personal matter.
Tarantino, director of "Pulp Fiction" and the "Kill Bill" movies, is suing Ball over the "blood-curdling screams" emitted by his exotic birds.
Tarantino claims in his lawsuit, filed Thursday in L.A. County Superior Court, that the "obnoxious pterodactyl-like screams" coming from Ball's "exotic bird menagerie" have "seriously disrupted ability to work as a writer in his home."
He adds that he's also tried to resolve the matter with Ball -- who also created the TV series Six Feet Under and won an Oscar for writing American Beauty -- to no avail.
Quentin Tarantino
Strikes Custody Pact
Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen and his estranged wife have struck an accord that settles any custody issues and ends the pursuit of a restraining order against the actor, according to their attorneys.
Sheen and Brooke Mueller "reached an agreement that resolves their differences," lawyers for the pair said Thursday night.
The statement said the details of the arrangement were being kept confidential for the benefit of their twin sons.
Mueller obtained a temporary restraining order against Sheen earlier this month, claiming he threatened her on a recent trip to the Bahamas. A hearing had been scheduled for March 22.
In a related development, Los Angeles police say they have searched Charlie Sheen's home for guns that might be in violation of the restraining order.
Charlie Sheen
Photos Stir The Web
Eva Braun
Adolf Hitler is one of the darkest figures of the 20th century. But less is known about his girlfriend, Eva Braun, who he kept secret from Nazi Germany for years.
Pictures of the girlfriend and then wife have recently surfaced through Life Magazine, brought to light through collector and curator Reinhard Schulz.
The cache of photos from the young model's personal album was confiscated in 1945 by the American army. The newly released pictures have caused searches on the Web for "eva braun" to rise over 300% in one day.
So who was the woman by Hitler's side? Young Eva first met Hitler in 1929 when he was a rising star in the Nazi party. He was introduced to the 17-year-old as Herr Wolff, while she modeled for the official Nazi photographer Heinrich Hoffmann in Munich.
Eva Braun
In Memory
Hugh Martin
Hugh Martin, the composer-songwriter whose works included "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Trolley Song," died Friday. He was 96.
He died from natural causes at his home in Encinitas, Calif., said Martin's niece Suzanne Hanners.
Martin and songwriting partner Ralph Blane co-wrote such catchy tunes as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Trolley Song" and "The Boy Next Door" from the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis."
Martin, who hailed from Birmingham, Ala., also crafted songs for several other film and Broadway musicals, including "Best Foot Forward," "Make a Wish," "High Spirits" and "Hooray for What!"
He was nominated for best original song Academy Awards for "The Trolley Song" in 1944 and "Pass the Peace Pipe" from "Good News" in 1947. He wrote about his exploits in show business in his 2010 autobiography, "Hugh Martin: The Boy Next Door."
Martin is survived by his brother Gordon Martin; nephews Gordon Martin Jr. and Hugh Martin III; and nieces Hanners and Lua Martin Wells.
Hugh Martin
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