from Bruce
Anecdotes
Fathers
• Joe Garagiola led a very busy life in broadcasting for a long time. How busy was he? He walked into the door of his house one day, and his wife told their three-year-old daughter, “It’s Daddy!” His daughter asked, “What channel?” Mr. Garagiola says, “When your own kids only recognize you when you’re on TV, it’s time to do some thinking.”
• Meredith Willson’s father, whose favorite movie actress was Anita Stewart, was as stubborn as only a person from Iowa can be. Mr. Willson’s father referred to her as “An-eye-ta,” and when Mr. Willson told him that she called herself “An-ee-ta,” he replied, “She’s mistaken.”
• A good father had a bad son who gave him trouble and heartbreak. The son even abandoned God. When the father complained to the founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov, and asked what he should do, the Baal Shem Tov replied, “Love him more than ever.”
• A contestant on the old TV show Name That Tune was trying to guess a song that was titled “Christopher Columbus.” The host of the show gave her a hint: “If he didn’t do what he did, you wouldn’t be here today.” The contestant answered, “My father.”
• Comedian Sam Kinison’s father was a preacher. Whenever word of Sam’s often wild and crazy lifestyle came back home, his father would tell his congregation, “I’ve been praying for your children for years. Now it’s time for you to pray for one of mine.”
Food
• This is a story told by Irving Cramer, the Executive Director of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. A kindergarten teacher once asked her students how many of them had eaten breakfast that morning. About half had, so the teacher asked those who hadn’t eaten, why not. Some didn’t eat breakfast because they didn’t like what was served or because they had gotten up late, but one child said, “It wasn’t my turn.” The teacher asked the child to explain, and he said, “There are five kids in my family. But we don’t have enough money to buy enough food so that everybody can eat breakfast every day. We take turns eating breakfast, and today, it wasn’t my turn.”
• In 1994, ice dancers Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh competed at the World Championships, finishing a respectable 13th. However, the next year this married couple had trouble finding enough food to eat and enough training time in their native Russia and so finished 15th at the 1995 World Championships. Therefore, they moved to Delaware in the United States where they found plenty of food and training time, enabling them to finish 6th at the 1996 World Championships. They kept improving and finally got on the medals stand by finishing 3rd at the 2001 World Championships.
• When Aung San Suu Kyi was a little girl in Burma, she was afraid of the dark, but she wanted to overcome her fear. Each evening, her mother made hot milk for each of the children to drink, but Suu Kyi didn’t like her milk hot, so she would leave it to cool, and later each evening, she would drink the milk alone in the dark. She says, “The first few days my heart would go ‘thump, thump, thump,’ but after five or six days I got quite used to it.” In 1991, she won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring freedom to the people of Burma.
• Actor Walter Matthau’s mother didn’t know to cook. One of the things she didn’t know how to cook was meat loaf — which she steamed along with assorted vegetables. One day, Mr. Matthau and Jennie, his nine-year-old daughter, went to her house for dinner. After dinner, Mr. Matthau noticed that Jennie’s back pocket had a large wet spot, and he asked her about it. She answered, ”Don’t tell grandma. Please, don’t tell grandma.” She had stuffed the meatloaf and steamed vegetables in her back pocket.
• A large family — with seven children between age three to age 13 — walked into a restaurant. Because so many young children were in the family, the waitresses and management were worried that they would be rowdy and disturb the other patrons of the restaurant. However, the children knew their manners and behaved correctly — no yelling, no fighting, no playing. When the family had finished eating, the waitress presented them with their bill — with 10 percent deducted for good behavior!
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Presenting
Michael Egan
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
BANDCAMP MUSIC
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION OF BANDCAMP MUSIC
Track: "Five Past Ten"
Album: RUMOURS OF LIGHT: A 60 SONG DIGITAL BOXSET IN SUPPORT OF THE DISASTERS EMERGENCY COMMITTEE AND THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE
Artist: Bamboozle
Artist Location: Canterbury, UK
Record Company: Aldora Britain Records
Record Company Location: Rothley, UK
Info:
“Dynamic. Different. Unique. Known for their world-class musicianship and high-energy performances, Bamboozle seamlessly combine the vibe of the swinging 1950's with the sounds of today, in a way that mesmerises both retro-loving and modern audiences.”
Vocals/Double Bass: Serena Sykes
Vocals/Guitar: Jim Knowler
Drums/Vocals: Shaun o'Keeffe
Pedal Steel/Vocals: Dave Kirk
“Aldora Britain Records presents RUMOURS OF LIGHT, a 60-song digital boxset in support of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the people of Ukraine. We feel that it is our duty to use the power of music to help in any way we can. The project features 60 artists from eight different countries and is in aid of the DEC's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.”
“All compositions featured here are originals* and have been used by permission of the artist or associated record label. Thank you to all for your kindness and hard work.”
Price: £7.15 (GBP) for 60 tracks by various artists.
The track “Five Past Ten” is also on the Bamboozles’ album RETROgrade. Price: £7 (BGP) for 10-track album.
Genre: Rockabilly. Various.
Links:
RUMOURS OF LIGHT: A 60 SONG DIGITAL BOXSET IN SUPPORT OF THE DISASTERS EMERGENCY COMMITTEE AND THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE
RETROgrade
Bamboozle on Bandcamp
Bamboozle on YouTube
Bamboozle Official Website
Aldora Britain Records on Bandcamp
Aldora Britain Records on YouTube
Other Links:
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David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog #1
David Bruce's Blog #2
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David Bruce's Apple iBookstore
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Stephen Suggests
TwoFer
New Venture
Michael Egan
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
TFG (The Former Guy)
Other Links:
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog #1
David Bruce's Blog #2
David Bruce's Blog #3
davidbrucebooks: EDUCATE YOURSELF - Free PDFs
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Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
Reader Comment
Current Events
What she said!
After watching three of the House January 6 Select Committee's hearings on the Capitol Riot, we get it. They are carefully casting Republicans as the heroes here to rebut any charge that this is a Democratic Witch Hunt...
this is a particularly bitter pill because so many of the characters being set up as heroes here are lawyers. They have a duty of candor and an obligation to uphold the law, and they deserve no prizes because they failed to descend into depravity and madness with Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell.
that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Yep, late again.
Detained By U.S. Capitol Police
‘Late Show’ Staffers
Seven people believed to be part of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show were arrested Thursday night in the Longworth House Office Building by U.S. Capitol Police.
The arrested were escorted out of the Jan. 6 committee hearing earlier in the day for lack of proper press credentials, reports indicate. The same group was found in the Capitol complex later on Thursday after it was closed to the public.
Reports indicate they took videos and pictures around the offices of two Republican members of Congress, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO).
Among the arrested was Robert Smigel, who is known for being the voice of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Associated Press reported. The others are reportedly show producers.
In a statement Friday night, CBS confirmed that Triumph the Insult Comic Dog was “on-site at the Capitol with a production team” June 15 and 16, recording interview.
‘Late Show’ Staffers
Class Of 2023
Hollywood Walk O'Fame
Actor Paul Walker and singer Jenni Rivera will be posthumously honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said Friday.
The news was revealed in a statement that announced next year’s two dozen honorees. The selectees were chosen from among hundreds of nominations and ratified by the chamber on Wednesday. Being named doesn’t automatically mean a star will be granted. Honorees have two years to take action on accepting the award, which carries a fee.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2023 includes:
Uma Thurman, John Waters, Mindy Kaling, Garrett Morris, Sheila E, Lenny Kravitz, Melba Moore, and Pentatonix.
Hollywood Walk O'Fame
To Be Extradited
Julian Assange
Julian Assange is set to be extradited to the U.S. to face espionage charges.
The WikiLeaks founder’s fate was sealed by U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel Thursday after she signed an order that will see Assange face American authorities, ending a battle against extradition that he has staged for over a decade.
After consideration by Westminster Magistrates Court and the High Court, the decision was passed to Patel; Assange now has 14 days to appeal. In a statement, WikiLeaks described the move as marking a “dark day for press freedom and British democracy”. They confirmed their founder’s intention to lodge an appeal.
“Anyone in this country who cares about freedom of expression should be deeply ashamed that the Home Secretary has approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States, the country that plotted his assassination,” continued the statement from the whistleblowing organization. “Julian did nothing wrong. He has committed no crime and is not a criminal. He is a journalist and a publisher, and he is being punished for doing his job.
Julian Assange
The Cure For Baseball’s Ills?
Savannah Bananas
More than 90 minutes before the first pitch, it’s already clear this isn’t just any ol’ baseball game.
The crowd queued up outside the main gate slowly begins to part, clearing the way for a pep band to guide the home team — adorned in bright yellow uniforms — through a rollicking, high-fiving gauntlet.
Once the players reach the concourse outside historic Grayson Stadium, they break into a hastily choreographed dance routine accompanied by the tune “Hey! Baby.”
“You guys ready to have some fun?” Bananas owner Jesse Cole, decked out in yellow from head to toe, asked a group of fans on their way into the ballpark for a recent game. “Enjoy the show.”
There’s the Banana Baby, an infant who is presented to the crowd like Simba in the “The Lion King,” lifted toward the sky by a parent while the entire team kneels in reverence around home plate.
Savannah Bananas
Wildfire Reaches Kitt Peak National Observatory
Arizona
The Contreras Fire, which has been raging through the Arizona mountains since last week, has reached Kitt Peak National Observatory, threatening the site’s telescopes.
Kitt Peak National Observatory is an astronomical research facility located on the land of the Tohono O’odham Nation in the mountains of Tuscon, Arizona, and the observatory is run by the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab—the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory. Wildfires have been burning across the American Southwest recently, and the Contreras Fire has made its way to the observatory. NOIRLab said in a press release that the fire started as a lightning strike, while the mountainous terrain and high winds in the area have made firefighting difficult. According to the Arizona Emergency Information Network, the Contreras Fire has scorched nearly 11,500 acres as of June 16 with no signs of slowing.
“The Contreras Fire reached the Observatory early Friday morning. We are working with firefighters at the site to assess possible damage,” the observatory tweeted today. “NSF’s NOIRLab is deeply grateful to the firefighters working at the site and for the support of the Tohono O’odham community at this challenging time. Safety remains our top priority.”
According to the observatory’s press release, areas of dry brush and trees were cleared at the southern ridge of the mountain in order to prevent the fire from spreading up toward the facility. Likewise, planes dropped fire-retardant on the area in the hope of protecting the observatory, which was founded in 1958, and power was shutoff this morning. Fire crested the southwest ridge of the mountain at 2 a.m. MST, threatening four telescopes: the Hiltner 2.4-meter Telescope, the McGraw-Hill 1.3-meter Telescope, the Very Long Baseline Array Dish, and the UArizona 12-meter Telescope. The latter is operated by the University of Arizona and is part of the Event Horizon Telescope, which produced the first image of a black hole.
Arizona
Won't Explain Why
Navy
The Navy has fired nearly a dozen officers in leadership positions in less than three months, including five in one week, due to a “loss of confidence” in their ability to command — an unusual string of terminations across land, air and sea teams, experts said.
At least nine commanding officers and two senior advisers have been relieved of their duties since April, when a cluster of suicides on the USS George Washington warship sparked widespread concerns of a mental health crisis.
A total of 13 commanding officers have been fired so far this year, including 12 in the Navy and one in the Marine Corps, the Navy said. Most recently, four Naval commanding officers and a top leader were ousted from June 8 to June 14.
It’s unclear what prompted the personnel changes, which the Navy said were unrelated to each other. The Navy did not elaborate further on specific conditions that led to the firings, but stressed the importance of "trust and confidence" across all levels of the chain of command.
None of the leaders served the George Washington, where at least five crew members died by suicide in the last year, angering some sailors and advocates who work to reduce military suicides.
Navy
Sheriff's Department
Los Angeles
About a year after Los Angeles County Deputy Doug Johnson took graphic photos of Kobe Bryant's helicopter crash scene that were then passed around, he was caught up in another scandal.
Johnson knelt on the head of a handcuffed inmate for several minutes — another incident sheriff's officials tried to keep quiet because they feared it would bring “negative light” to the Sheriff's Department.
They have become two of the most highly publicized scandals in the Sheriff's Department during Sheriff Alex Villanueva's term — and they're now colliding in the courtroom.
L.A. County lawyers are trying to block Vanessa Bryant, who is suing the Sheriff's Department for negligence and invasion of privacy over the photo sharing, from introducing the cover-up of the violent detention by Johnson as evidence in her trial, which is set for next month.
The county attorneys are arguing that the force incident and cover-up have "nothing to do with" Bryant's claims. But they said Bryant's attorneys would not agree to exclude questions about it during the trial. So they want a judge to decide.
Los Angeles
Strange, Isolated Group Discovered in Greenland
Polar Bears
Researchers have identified a previously unknown population of polar bears living in isolation Southeast Greenland. The bears hunt for seals in fjords, on freshwater ice shelves, instead of on rapidly receding sea ice like other polar bear species.
A new report in the journal Science describes the population, which now brings the total number of known polar bear groups from 19 to 20. Scientists were aware that some polar bears could be in this area based on historical records and knowledge from Indigenous communities in the Arctic, and they were finally able to confirm that this is a separate population. The group consists of a few hundred bears, and the females tend to be smaller than those in other populations.
“Polar bears in SE Greenland are the most genetically isolated polar bears on the planet. They are distinct from all other 19 polar bear subpopulations in the Arctic and more diverged from neighboring subpopulations than any other pair,” Kristin Laidre, University of Washington polar scientist and lead author of the study, said in an email to Earther. “They have been separate for a few hundred years, and likely always have been a small population.”
The scientists worked for years to establish research posts out in Greenland, collar the bears, and monitor them to confirm their adaptability and isolation. Laidre said this new group was tracked from 2015 to 2021.
Polar Bears
'Very Exciting' Anomaly Detected
Physics
A strange gap between theoretical predictions and experimental results in a major neutrino research project could be a sign of the elusive 'sterile' neutrino – a particle so quiet, it can only be detected by the silence it leaves in its wake.
It's not the first time the anomaly has been seen, adding to previous experimental data hinting at something odd in the world of neutrino research. This time around, it's been detected at the Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST).
Unambiguous evidence of the hypothetical sterile neutrino could provide physicists with a solid candidate for the Universe's mysterious supply of dark matter. On the other hand, it could simply all come down to a problem in the models used to describe the quirky behaviors of old school neutrinos.
Which would also make for a significant moment in the history of physics.
Physics
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