Froma Harrop: Health Reform Will Happen, and None Too Soon (Creators Syndicate)
Our health care system has been milking the taxpayers, the government and individuals for decades. The United States spends two times the rich-country average per person on health care. We're talking rich countries - the Switzerlands and the Germanys. And this average spending is enormous, given that it includes millions of Americans with no health insurance at all.
Tom Danehy: "Ignore the bloviating by right-wing lawmakers, people; Arizona's traditional public schools still outperform charter schools" (Tucson Weekly)
According to the updated Stanford study, what once was abysmal is now simply really bad. Hurrah! Among the findings in the new report is that while the 2009 study showed that 37 percent of charter schools were providing a substantially worse education than local public schools, that figure is now 31 percent. That would be cause for celebration were it not for the fact that, in the years between the two studies, 8 percent of all charter schools closed due to bad performance.
Mark Morford: 15 Things Apple Won't Let You See (SF Gate)
It's like being dipped in bittersweet chocolate and run over by five million very bored army ants. It's like sinning against a strange and indifferent God and then realizing there is no god and sin is just an overweight, scared Labradoodle that's afraid of the water. It's like banging your head repeatedly against a wall made of cotton balls and heavy sighs and lead. It is, in turns, a fascinating and infuriating process, getting an innocuous little iOS app approved by Apple's overburdened team of App Store approvers, …
Julian Baggini: In praise of cynicism (Guardian)
It's claimed that at the age of 44 our cynicism starts to grow. But being cynical isn't necessarily a bad thing, argues Julian Baggini. It's at the heart of great satire and, perhaps more importantly, leads us to question what is wrong with the world - and strive to make it better.
Gladstone: 4 Things that Weren't Always This Terrible (Cracked)
Corporate rock is a much maligned genre describing music generated from businessmen instead of artists. So often corporate rock today is just what you'd think it is: half-talent pretty boys and girls backed by producers and marketing.
The Magic 8 Ball is a toy used for fortune-telling or seeking advice, manufactured by Mattel.
The Magic 8 Ball is a hollow plastic sphere resembling an oversized, black and white 8-ball. Inside is a cylindrical reservoir containing a white, plastic, icosahedral die floating in alcohol with dissolved dark blue dye. Each of the 20 faces of the die has an affirmative, negative, or non-committal statement printed on it in raised letters. There is a transparent window on the bottom of the Magic 8 Ball through which these messages can be read.
10 of the possible answers are affirmative, 5 are negative, and 5 are non-committal. Using the Coupon collector's problem in probability theory, it can be shown that it takes, on average, 72 outcomes of the Magic 8 Ball for all 20 of its answers to appear at least once.
Source
Alan J was first, and correct, with:
Twenty
mj wrote:
Guessing here
But I think the inner object is a dodecahedron. That would be 12 answers.
Charlie responded:
The answers are on the 20 equilateral triangular faces of a regular icosahedron.
@BttbBob: I saw Fleetwood Mac at Richfield Coliseum, south of Cleveland (since destroyed), during the same tour (The Rumours tour). Yes Christine (whom I also love), was in better form than Stevie, (who was suffering from throat problems). Let's not shortchange Lindsay Buckingham though, he was the real star of that show!
Jim from CA, retired to ID, replied:
Each of the 20 faces of the die has an affirmative, negative, or
non-committal statement printed on it in raised letters
Sally said:
Question: How many different answers are possible with a Magic 8 Ball?
Wait! Let me consult my Magic 8 Ball...
Answer: 20!
PS: Finally, the heat has broken, but is due back by Sunday...
I wonder what Vic from Alaska is doing, and if he wants some company...
Adam answered:
20- 10 are affirmative, 5 are negative, and 5 are non-committal.
Marian replied:
20
Dale of a getting warmer Diamond Springs, Norcali responded:
The answer is 20. This is "Behind the Eight Ball"
MAM wrote:
20 answers ~ 10 of the possible answers are affirmative, 5 are negative, and 5 are non-committal.
The 20 answers inside a Magic 8 Ball are:
* It is certain
* It is decidedly so
* Without a doubt
* Yes definitely
* You may rely on it
* As I see it yes
* Most likely
* Outlook good
* Yes
* Signs point to yes
* Reply hazy try again
* Ask again later
* Better not tell you now
* Cannot predict now
* Concentrate and ask again
* Don't count on it
* My reply is no
* My sources say no
* Outlook not so good
* Very doubtful
BttbBob answered:
Well, all righty, then... Seein's that the die (that has all the answers upon it) within said ball is a icosahedron that can only mean that there's 20 answers...
Oh, by-the-by, Boss... I'm thinkin' ya gots the idea fer this question from ol' Buckmeister's geodesic dome from yesterday which is based on the same geometric figure... Hmmm?
~~~~~
Memo to JoeS: Great photo... Thanks!
~~~~~
Happy Birthday this day to:
(70) Ya want a hero? This character is a hero... big time, I'm sayin'...
(72) I could never figure out why a character that's French spoke with an English accent... Any thoughts?
This photo is for you Sally, it demonstrates how large Lake Michigan is. If you can locate the little red X along the shoreline, near the center of the picture, you can see where I used to live.
CBS begins the night with a RERUN'Elementary', followed by '48 Hours'.
NBC opens the night with the movie 'An American Girl: Paige Paints The Sky', then a FRESH'Do No Harm'.
Of course, 'SNL' is a RERUN, with Kristen Wiig hosting, music by Vampire Weekend (from 05/11/13).
ABC begins the night with a FRESH'Zero Hour', followed by a FRESH'666 Park Avenue', then '20/20'.
The CW offers an old '2½ Men', followed by another old '2½ Men', then an old 'Family Guy', followed by another old 'Family Guy'.
Faux fills the night with LIVE'MLB Baseball', then pads the left coast with local crap.
MY has an old 'Burn Notice', followed by another old 'Burn Notice'.
AMC offers the movie 'Death Wish 3', followed by the movie 'Death Wish 4: The Crackdown'.
BBC -
[6:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES UK - Season 3 - Ep 3 - Rococo
[7:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES REVISITED US - Season 3 - Ep 1 - Mojito's, The Junction, Bazzini
[8:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES UK - Season 5 - Ep 1 - The Runaway Girl
[9:00AM] BANG GOES THE THEORY - Season 5 - Episode 8
[9:40AM] BANG GOES THE THEORY - Season 4 - Episode 1
[10:20AM] BANG GOES THE THEORY - Season 4 - Episode 3
[11:00AM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 06-07 - Episode 1
[12:00PM] TOP GEAR - Season 20 - Episode 1
[1:00PM] DANGERMAN: THE INCREDIBLE MR. GOODWIN - Season 1 - Episode 1
[2:00PM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 06-07 - Episode 2
[3:00PM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 06-07 - Episode 3
[4:00PM] TOP GEAR: BEST OF 06-07 - Episode 4
[5:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 9 - The Quality of Life
[6:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 10 - Chain of Command, Part 1
[7:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 11 - Chain of Command, Part 2
[8:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 12 - Ship in a Bottle
[9:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 13 - Aquiel
[10:00PM] BEING HUMAN - Season 5 - Ep 1 - The Trinity NEW
[11:15PM] TIME BANDITS
[2:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 10 - Chain of Command, Part 1
[3:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 11 - Chain of Command, Part 2
[4:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 12 - Ship in a Bottle
[5:00AM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - Season 6 - Ep 13 - Aquiel (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Real Housewives Of OC', 'Real Housewives Of NJ', another 'Real Housewives Of NJ', and still another 'Real Housewives Of NJ'.
Comedy Central has the movie'The Ringer', 'Tosh.0', another 'Tosh.0', still another 'Tosh.0', followed by the movie 'Grandma's Boy'.
FX has the movie 'True Grit', followed by the movie 'The Waterboy', then the movie 'Just Go With It'.
IFC -
[6:00AM] Bunk
[6:30AM] Bunk
[7:00AM] Whitest Kids U'Know
[7:15AM] Robin Hood: Men in Tights
[9:30AM] The Three Stooges-Three Arabian Nuts
[9:55AM] The Three Stooges-Three Dark Horses
[10:20AM] The Three Stooges-Three Hams on Rye
[10:45AM] The Three Stooges-The Tooth Will Out
[11:10AM] The Three Stooges-Vagabond Loafers
[11:35AM] The Three Stooges-Wham-Bam-Slam
[12:00PM] Malcolm in the Middle-Therapy
[12:30PM] Malcolm in the Middle-High School Play
[1:00PM] Malcolm in the Middle-Bully
[1:30PM] Malcolm in the Middle-Old Mrs. Old
[2:00PM] Comedy Bang! Bang!-Andy Samberg Wears a Plaid Shirt and Glasses
[2:30PM] Bad Boys
[5:15PM] Fallen
[8:00PM] Scarface
[11:45PM] Escape From Alcatraz
[2:15AM] Scarface (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[6:00AM] Top of the Lake-Episode 4
[7:00AM] Top of the Lake-Episode 5
[8:00AM] Top of the Lake-Episode 6
[9:00AM] Top of the Lake-Episode 7
[10:00AM] In America
[12:00PM] Inventing the Abbotts
[2:00PM] Stealing Beauty
[4:00PM] In America
[6:00PM] Gods and Monsters
[8:00PM] Kinsey
[10:00PM] Choke
[12:00AM] Inside Deep Throat
[1:30AM] Kinsey
[3:30AM] Choke
[5:30AM] Man Shops Globe-Holland/Belgium (ALL TIMES EST)
SyFy has the movie 'The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian', 'Sinbad', followed by a FRESH'Sinbad', then a FRESH'Primeval: New World'.
Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker and Catherine Zeta-Jones arrive on the red carpet at the LA premiere of "Red 2" at the Westwood Village on Thursday, July 11, 2013 in Los Angeles.
Photo by Todd Williamson
For months, questions have swirled about whether developers, activists or tribes would be willing to plunk down millions to buy a portion of the Wounded Knee National Historic Landmark. Now there's a new potential buyer in the mix: Johnny Depp.
But is the star of "The Lone Ranger" really preparing to be the one who buys the property where hundreds of Native Americans were killed? Or is it just the latest rumor in the contentious debate over the landmark's future?
Depp touched off the story when he told London's Daily Mail newspaper that he is working to buy a piece of the landmark on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to give back to the tribe because it's important to their culture. The site is where 300 Native American men, women and children were killed by the 7th Cavalry in 1890.
The possibility of the celebrity purchase is generating debate in Native American communities. Some question Depp's motives due to the timing of "The Lone Ranger" release, which debuted with a dismal $19.5 million in ticket sales on its opening weekend in early July. Depp, who plays the part of the Native American character Tonto in the film, has been accused of playing into stereotypes and misappropriating Native American culture. Tonto speaks broken English, wears a stuffed crow on his head and has a face painted with white and black stripes. Some Native Americans view the character as a parody.
Snoop Lion, formerly known as Snoop Dogg, performs during the 13th EXIT music festival at Petrovaradin Fortress, in Novi Sad July 11, 2013.
Photo by Marko Djurica
Soul music superstar Aretha Franklin on Friday canceled an upcoming concert in Michigan, citing recovery from health issues that forced her to postpone concerts earlier this year.
Franklin, 71, said in an open letter to her fans that she was canceling her July 27 show at the DTE Energy Pine Knob Theater in Clarkston, Michigan, due to "miscalculation" of the end of her treatment.
"It would be totally disruptive to stop them now and go into concert with total success right at the door," Franklin said.
The "Queen of Soul" had postponed the same Michigan concert in June, along with other shows in Chicago, Connecticut, Ottawa and Montreal, Canada. The other shows had not been rescheduled.
Former New York Knicks guard Baron Davis has been a lot of places thanks to his professional career. He's been able to tour all over the United States and has traveled the world as an NBA player. He's translated a lucrative career with six franchises into incredible artistic opportunities with gaming and with the entertainment industry.
According to Davis during a podcast interview with THE CHAMPS, he might have also been to a spaceship recently. At the very least, he says he was with aliens when he was abducted on a drive from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Via the New York Post:
"I was actually abducted by aliens two weeks ago," Davis said.
When probed for details, he explained he was driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles in the early morning recently and this is what happened:
"I see this light and it's a big a-truck. And I said, oh f---- this is going to be traffic," Davis said. Driving, driving and the next thing you know there's a steel thing and these crazy looking people - half human, half ugly-looking mother f-----s.
"They were poking me on the nose, looking at my eyes, they had my hands tied and the next thing you know I was in Montebello dude, burning rubber on the way back to L.A. at 4 o'clock in the morning."
Actress Nicole Kidman (R) and Deputy Executive Director of U.N. Women Lakshmi Puri pose on the red carpet as they arrive for a reception of "Cinema for Peace" in Berlin July 12, 2013.
Photo by Tobias Schwarz
Archaeologists in Poland believe they've made a startling discovery: a group of vampire graves.
The graves were discovered during the construction of a roadway near the Polish town of Gliwice, where archaeologists are more accustomed to finding the remains of World War II soldiers, according to The Telegraph.
But instead of soldiers, the graves contained skeletons whose heads had been severed and placed on their legs. This indicated to the archaeologists that the bodies had been subject to a ritualized execution designed to ensure the dead stayed dead, The Telegraph reports.
By keeping the head separated from the body, according to ancient superstition, the "undead" wouldn't be able to rise from the grave to terrorize the living. Decapitation was one way of achieving that; another way was hanging the person by a rope attached to the neck until, over time, the decaying body simply separated from the head.
Bay Area news station KTVU just reported that the pilots of Asiana's disastrous flight 214 were the crack team of "Sum Ting Wong," "Wi Tu Lo," "Ho Lee Fuk," and "Bang Ding Ow."
Despite the names obviously being just a bunch of racist jokes, KTVU, which has since apologized for the report, says in a statement given to Gawker-and read on the air-that an NTSB official confirmed the names to them earlier today.
Update: NTSB Public Affairs Officer Peter Knudson just told Gawker that the NTSB's policy is to never give out pilot names in these situations, which contradicts KTVU's claims. "I don't know who [KTVU] got that from, but we do not release names," he said.
Update #2: KTVU has issued another apology on its website. In it, the station maintains that an NTSB official confirmed the fake names: "Prior to air, the names were confirmed by an NTSB official in the agency's Washington, D.C. office."
Update #3: The NTSB is now reportedly blaming one of its summer interns for today's screw-up.
However, in a subsequent phone interview with the SFGate's Jeff Elder, NTSB spokeswoman Kelly Nantel made clear that the names "originated at the media outlet" and that the intern - unaware of the offensive names - was "acting in good faith and trying to be helpful" by confirming names he didn't know.
"The NTSB does not release or confirm the names of crew members or people involved in transportation accidents to the media," Nantel said.
Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador and former actress Bianca Jagger arrives for a reception of "Cinema for Peace" in Berlin July 12, 2013.
Photo by Tobias Schwarz
Hollywood actor Kevin Costner is asking $14 million for 1,000 acres of land he owns near the Old West gambling town of Deadwood in western South Dakota's Black Hills.
The property includes the site of the ill-fated Dunbar casino resort, a $100 million project that would have included a golf course and a steam-powered passenger train. It never materialized.
The listing does not include Costner's Midnight Star casino and restaurant, the tallest building on Deadwood's Main Street, or the $6 million visitor attraction he owns on the town's north edge called Tatanka: Story of the Bison.
There are separate listings for three pieces of property, with asking prices of $7.4 million, $1.2 million and $5.4 million.
Lord Michael Philip Des Barres attends the after party for the LA premiere of "Red 2" at the Westwood Village on Thursday, July 11, 2013 in Los Angeles.
Photo by Todd Williamson
A dentist acted legally when he fired a longtime assistant because he had grown too attracted to her and worried he would try to start an affair, the Iowa Supreme Court reaffirmed Friday in its second crack at the controversial case.
Coming to the same outcome as it did in December, but clarifying its rationale, the court found that bosses can fire employees that they and their spouses see as threats to their marriages. The court said such firings do not count as sex discrimination because they are motivated by feelings, not gender.
The ruling upholds a judge's dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit filed by Melissa Nelson against James Knight. The Fort Dodge dentist fired the 33-year-old Nelson - two decades his junior - after his wife learned of text messages between the two. The married mother of two had worked for Knight for 10 years, and he considered her his best assistant.
Nelson's attorney, Paige Fiedler, had asked the court to reconsider its December decision, calling it a blow for gender equity in the workplace. The all-male court took the unusual step last month of withdrawing its opinion, granting a motion to reconsider for just the fifth time in the last decade.
In December, the justices said the key issue was "whether an employee who has not engaged in flirtatious conduct may be lawfully terminated simply because the boss views the employee as an irresistible attraction." Justice Edward Mansfield removed that language from Friday's opinion and emphasized the ruling's scope was limited, noting that Nelson did not bring a sexual harassment or hostile work environment claim.
Weird Al Yankovic and Psy arrive on the red carpet at the LA premiere of "Red 2" at the Westwood Village on Thursday, July 11, 2013 in Los Angeles.
Photo by Todd Williamson
State troopers confiscated tampons and maxi pads from people entering the Texas Senate gallery on Friday afternoon as senators began debating a controversial new abortion regulations that are almost certain to pass. However, folks with conceal-and-carry permits are allowed in with their guns, as state law allows. It seems like an unusual threat analysis, but things are different in Texas.
The tampon confiscations were initially reported by the liberal Texas blog Burnt Orange Report and others entering the state Senate. State troopers said they were taking anything that could be thrown at legislators, which included tampons, maxi pads, sugar packets, and condoms. But guns are still a go. When state Sen. Wendy Davis filibustered the abortion bill during the previous special session, uproar from the crowd helped prevent Republicans from passing the bill before deadline. They took several measures to prevent that from happening again. This time, the vote is happening with weeks to spare in the special session, and on Thursday, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said, "We're going to have strict enforcement. If there are any demonstrations, we are going to clear the gallery."
Opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa performs at the Coronation Festival Gala in the garden of Buckingham Palace, in central London July 11, 2013. The four-day Coronation Festival which includes tonight's musical gala, takes place in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace and celebrates the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's coronation.
Photo by Suzanne Plunkett
A freelance photographer on assignment for National Geographic was arrested in Finney County, Kansas, on June 28, after snapping aerial photographs of a cattle feedlot as part of a series on food issues scheduled for next year.
According to the Hutchinson News, Steinmetz was spotted in the air by a feedlot employee who reported the sighting to the sheriff's office, noting that Steinmetz's SUV was parked on ranch property. After Steinmetz and his ground support, Wei Zhang (described as a self-employed paraglide instructor), moved to another location, the feedlot executives insisted the men be arrested.
To be clear, George Steinmetz, who took the aerial photos from a paraglider, was not charged with breaking the state's Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act (we'll get to that in a minute). Finney County Sheriff Kevin Bascue tells us that Steinmetz and Zhang were "arrested for having allegedly driven their vehicle onto private property that was clearly posted 'No Trespassing.' "
While the call to police was about a trespassing charge, it's easy to jump to the underlying conclusion-this is really about Kansas' ag-gag statue.
But Steinmetz didn't enter the facility; he flew through the air above it. Had he not been arrested for trespassing, would he have been crossing the legal line by taking photos from above? The answer is unclear.
Visitors look on in anticipation of the blossoming of the Titan Arum, nicknamed the "corpse flower" for its stench, at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, July 12, 2013. The flower, which is native to Sumatra and blossoms as infrequently as once every several years or even several decades, is one of fourteen being raised in the Botanic Garden's collection.
Photo by Jonathan Ernst
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Bay Area news station KTVU just reported that the pilots of Asiana's disastrous flight 214 were the crack team of "Sum Ting Wong," "Wi Tu Lo," "Ho Lee Fuk," and "Bang Ding Ow."
