Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Paul Krugman: For Trump, Failure Is the Only Option (NY Times Column)
He doesn't want to fix international institutions, just destroy them.
Andrew Tobias: Agent Strzok
Peter Strzok was fired from the Mueller probe for damning texts he exchanged with his girlfriend. (Like Colin Powell, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Barbara Bush, Karl Rove and so many others, they thought it would be a disaster if Trump won.) Turns out, he sent damning texts about Hillary and Bernie, too. And especially damning texts about the Russians. Turns out, further, that the FX series, The Americans, is based on a counter-espionage case he successfully oversaw.
Andrew Chan: "Dragon Inn: Poised for Battle" (Criterion)
A way station in the middle of an empty desert, the Dragon Gate Inn isn't much to look at. […] And yet, the first time it appears in King Hu's 1967 Dragon Inn, a band of mysterious men are approaching its door, boding trouble. As with the taverns in westerns and the suburban houses in slasher movies, the inn's very plainness provides the ideal backdrop for the impending struggle between good and evil, forces that its ramshackle walls and paper windows will be helpless to keep out.
Hadley Freeman: "Jodie Foster: 'I wasn't very good at playing the girlfriend'" (the Guardian)
Five years after her last acting role, the double Oscar-winner is back with Hotel Artemis. She talks about always playing tough characters, the lack of roles for older women and her friendship with Mel Gibson.
Mary Beard: Inside the Bank of England (TLS)
Until [July 5], I had never been inside the Bank of England before. And indeed I was one of those architectural refuseniks who felt that the demolition of Soane's great 19th century masterpiece for a bit of Herbert Baker's 20th century pastiche was a big blot on British architectural history. I didn't think I needed to see it to know!
Mary Beard: Academic progress (TLS)
I have begun to find myself explaining to students quite how far academic life has changed over the last 40 or so years (viz over my career). My favourite examples are first: computerized concordances.
Mary Beard: University ceremonial meets the football (TLS)
And now, anyway, we are out. I was so very keen that we should beat Croatia. But I will also confess that I was rather dreading the prospect of loads of Brexiteers greeting an English victory in the World Cup as some spurious proof that we could go it alone in the world in our new 'buccaneering' and independent spirit. Maybe a lucky escape.
Dr. Michael Gregor: The Eskimo Myth (NutritionFracts.org)
"Considering the dismal health status of Eskimos, it is remarkable that instead of labelling their diet as dangerous to health," they just accepted and echoed the myth, and tried to come up with a reason to explain the false premise. The Eskimo had such dismal health that the Westernization of their diets actually lowered their rates of ischemic heart disease. You know your diet's bad when the arrival of Twinkies improves your health.
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Presenting
Michael Egan
answered:
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
David E Suggests
Roof Leaks
David
Thanks, Dave!
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
Reader Comment
Current Events
Bette Middler tweet
Janet shared the attached tweet.
Wonkette on Predator today
"This sexist sack of crap had his feelings hurt because May, an Oxford-educated longtime member of Parliament, didn't act on the savvy political advice of a guy who was hosting a reality TV show three years ago."
"This somehow qualifies Trump to moronsplain to May, who probably just nodded in polite horror and silently wondered what the "bloody hell" was on his head."
"Trump's pathological misogyny complicates US relations abroad because two of our major allies (Britain and Germany) have women leaders whom Trump publicly insults, and two of our major geopolitical foes (Russia and North Korea) are led by dickish dictators with dicks."
"Trump is such a small man that he confuses popularity with greatness, when he's got neither."
Trump Gives 'Fake' Interview Where He Blames Lady For Ruining Brexit And The Muslim For Breaking London - Wonkette
From the comments section:
"I don't feel welcome in London" is possibly the single most perceptive thing the man has ever said. So now we know what it takes to get a message into his tiny brain.
BBC radio did a funny thing where they played the tape of Trumpf saying "I didn't say any of those things, and we record all our stuff now so you can listen to it and see for yourself" and then they played the tape of Trumpf saying all the dumb shit he just denied.
As for the Baby Predator balloon--"It flew for two hours in London, it is banned from Trump's golf course and the Scottish Parliament but the word is that it will be in Edinburgh tomorrow."
"So he does an interview with the Sun. They don't just get transcripts of the interview, they video tape it. So does the White House comes team. Then he calls the interview fake and complains that he didn't say what he said.
Gaslighting aside, it almost seems like he does not have object or temporal permanence anymore. That the interview only existed as long as it was going on and ceased to exist as soon as it was over."
from Marc Perkel
Marc's Guide to Curing Cancer
So far so good on beating cancer for now. I'm doing fine. At the end of the month I'll be 16 months into an 8 month mean lifespan. And yesterday I went on a 7 mile hike and managed to keep up with the hiking group I was with. So, doing something right.
Still waiting for future test results and should see things headed in the right direction. I can say that it's not likely that anything dire happens in the short term so that means that I should have time to make several more attempts at this. So even if it doesn't work the first time there are a lot of variations to try. So if there's bad news it will help me pick the next radiation target.
I have written a "how to" guide for oncologists to perform the treatment that I got. I'm convinced that I'm definitely onto something and whether it works for me or not isn't the definitive test. I know if other people tried this that it would work for some of them, and if they improve it that it will work for a lot of them.
The guide is quite detailed and any doctor reading this can understand the procedure at every level. I also go into detail as to how it works, how I figured it out, and variations and improvements that could be tried to enhance it. I also introduce new ways to look at the problem. There is a lot of room for improvement and I think that doctors reading it will see what I'm talking about and want to build on it. And it's written so that if you're not a doctor you can still follow it. It also has a personal story revealing that I'm the class clown of cancer support group. I give great interviews and I look pretty hot in a lab coat.
So, feel free to read this and see what I'm talking about. But if any of you want to help then pass this around to both doctors and cancer patients. I need some media coverage. I'm looking for as many eyeballs as possible to read these ideas. Even if this isn't the solution, it's definitely on the right track. After all, I did hike 7 miles yesterday. And this hiking group wasn't moving slow. So if this isn't working then, why am I still here?
I also see curing cancer as more of an engineering problem that a medical problem. So if you are good at solving problems and most of what you know about medicine was watching the Dr. House MD TV show, then you're at the level I was at when I started. So anyone can jump in and be part of the solution.
Here is a link to my guide: Oncologists Guide to Curing Cancer using Abscopal Effect
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
CIVIL WAR!
BANANA REPUBLICANS.
BANANA REPUBLICANS. PART TWO.
"NOT ENOUGH!"
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Not quite as humid.
Sci-Fi Drama Ordered
Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon is returning to television.
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum has landed a straight-to-series order at HBO for Victorian drama The Nevers. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the drama landed at the premium cable network amid a competitive situation with multiple bidders, including streaming giant Netflix. An episode count and premiere date have not yet been determined.
The Nevers is described as an epic science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies and a mission that might change the world. Whedon will serve as writer, director, exec producer and showrunner on The Nevers.
The Whedon show comes a day after Netflix snapped HBO's 18-year streak as the most-nominated outlet at the Emmys, and as new corporate parent AT&T is eyeing a larger and broader expansion to better compete with media behemoths including Netflix, Apple and Amazon, among others. HBO will now have the first original series from genre favorites Whedon and J.J. Abrams. The latter has HBO sci-fi drama Demimonde, which is the first show he's written since Alias. The cabler is also developing Alan Moore's beloved graphic novel Watchmen with Damon Lindelof, with the pilot fully expected to be picked up to series.
While a premiere date remains unclear, HBO has a stacked 2019 with the returns of Big Little Lies, True Detective and Veep joining a slate that includes the final season of Game of Thrones, J.J. Abrams' new show Demimonde and Lovecraft Country (from Jordan Peele), Westworld, Barry, Ballers, Crashing, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Deuce, Insecure, Silicon Valley, Succession, Camping and Nicole Kidman's The Undoing.
Joss Whedon
Returns To Twitter
Stan Lee
Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee has officially returned to Twitter after a month-long absence, telling fans that he wants to "start reaching out again".
In a new clip shared to social media on Thursday (July 12), Stan addressed his followers, saying: "I hope you've haven't forgotten me. You better not have forgotten me.
"It's been a while since I've done a soapbox. It's taken me a while to get used to being 79-years-old. I found 78 - that was easy."
Promising that the relationship he has with fans will not stop, Stan continued: "I figured no sacrifice is too great for my fans, so I want to start reaching out again. We've been together for so many generations, I don't want that to stop.
Stan Lee
Found Incredibly Rare Fossil And Kept It Secret
French Farmer
Quick question - if you found a strange-looking fossil on your property, would you a) call the press, b) call the experts, or c) do neither because, well, who needs that kind of attention?
For those who went with c, you have a kindred spirit in a farmer who stumbled on a giant four-tusked skull near the French town of Toulouse back in 2014, and decided he didn't want his land overrun by amateur fossil hunters. Fair enough, too.
Either curiosity or civic duty got the better of him in the end. After keeping quiet for a couple of years he finally got in touch with the Toulouse Natural History Museum, who were amazed at the finding.
The bones belonged to a long-extinct relative of the elephant - Gomphotherium pyrenaicum - which roamed the area roughly 11 to 13 million years ago.
This particular species of Gomphotherium isn't well-represented in the fossil record, with only a few teeth uncovered around 150 years ago in the same area.
French Farmer
Giant Iceberg Drifting Towards Village
Greenland
A massive iceberg has drifted dangerously close to a tiny Greenlandcommunity, sparking widespread panic as residents fear it could trigger a tsunami.
Local authorities have declared a state of emergency and told people to move further up the steep slope on which the village is built.
The iceberg now looms over houses on the edge of Innaarsuit, a small island settlement in northwestern Greenland, but it has become grounded and appears to have stopped moving.
Residents are now afraid that if the iceberg "calves" and a huge chunk of ice falls into the water it will create waves that could destroy the village.
Heavy rain is expected in the region until Saturday, and may increase the chances of a major calving event.
Greenland
Failed Gas Stations Cost Taxpayers $20M+
Pence Family
Vice President Mike Pence (R-Mother) turns nostalgic when he talks about growing up in small-town Columbus, Indiana, where his father helped build an empire of more than 200 gas stations that provided an upbringing on the "front row of the American dream."
The collapse of Kiel Bros. Oil Co. in 2004 was widely publicized. Less known is that the state of Indiana - and, to a smaller extent, Kentucky and Illinois - are still on the hook for millions of dollars to clean up more than 85 contaminated sites across the three states, including underground tanks that leaked toxic chemicals into soil, streams and wells.
Indiana alone has spent at least $21 million on the cleanup thus far, or an average of about $500,000 per site, according an analysis of records by The Associated Press. And the work is nowhere near complete.
The federal government, meanwhile, plans to clean up a plume of cancer-causing solvent discovered beneath a former Kiel Bros. station that threatens drinking water near the Pence family's hometown.
Kiel Bros. has paid for only a fraction of the overall effort. In court documents , the company cited a payment of $8.8 million in "indemnity and defense costs," but also noted that $4.5 million of that amount came from the state.
Pence Family
Biscayne Park
Florida
A former police chief and two officers in Florida were charged with federal civil rights violations after pinning a series of burglaries on an innocent black teenager.
Biscayne Park police department's former chief Ray Atesanio, as well as officers Raul Fernandez and Charlie Dayoub, plead not guilty this week to falsely charging a black Haitian-American teenager with burglary. But an internal probe of the department in 2014 found that, under the ex-police chief, officers were encouraged to charge nearby blacks with reported crimes.
Documents reviewed by the Miami Herald reveal how Mr Atesanio was allegedly hoping to bolster data surrounding successful convictions for crimes in Biscayne Park by charging innocent minorities who may have past criminal records.
"If they have burglaries that are open cases that are not solved yet, if you see anybody black walking through our streets and they have somewhat of a record, arrest them so we can pin them for all the burglaries," Anthony De La Torre, who worked in the department under Mr Atesanio, told outside investigators conducting the probe. "They were basically doing this to have a 100 per cent clearance rate for the city."
A third of the police department told investigators they were regularly encouraged to file false charges and felt pressure to oblige with such demands.
Florida
Eight Die After Move
Black Rhinos
Eight critically endangered black rhinos died after being moved to a new reserve in southern Kenya, the government said Friday, doubling the number of deaths from similar operations in the previous dozen years.
Kenya's Tourism and Wildlife Minister Najib Balala ordered the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to "immediately suspend the ongoing translocation of black rhinos following the death of eight of them," according to a ministry statement.
KWS, the government body responsible for the country's wildlife, has not commented on the deaths.
The relocation of endangered animals -- known as translocation -- involves putting them to sleep for the journey and then reviving them in a process which carries risks.
But the loss of so many in one go is unprecedented.
Black Rhinos
Removing Stadium Name
University Of Louisville
The University of Louisville announced that it will remove Papa John's from the name of its football stadium after Papa John's founder John Schnatter admitted he used a racial slur during a business meeting.
The stadium's name will be changed from Papa John's Cardinal Stadium to simply Cardinal Stadium.
"In moments of crisis, the best communities find a way to come together," University of Louisville President Neeli Bendapudi said. "Over the last 24 hours our community has been fractured by the comments made by former UofL trustee John Schnatter."
Bendapudi called Schnatter's remarks "hurtful and unacceptable," adding that they "do not reflect the values of our university."
The university also plans to remove Schnatter's name from the Center for Free Enterprise at its business school.
University Of Louisville
Gated Beach
California
A neighborhood group in California rejected a potential compromise that would have allowed public access to a gated beach popular with surfers and nudists that it charges a fee to use, saying it is willing to take the fight to court instead.
Santa Cruz County officials first allowed the Opal Cliffs Recreation District to manage the beach that leads to a sandy cove in Opal Cliffs Park 69 years ago, and it put up a fence and began charging an entrance fee by 1963.
Elected volunteers who run the group have since installed a 9-foot (3-meter) iron fence, hired guards and charge $100 a year to enter so-called Privates Beach near a winding road dotted with multimillion-dollar homes.
The California Coastal Commission proposed changes in line with a new state law that asks it to consider not only environmental effects but also the impact of its decisions on underrepresented communities.
California
In Memory
Roger Perry
Roger Perry, an actor who has appeared in shows such as "Star Trek," "The Facts of Life" and "Ironside," has died at the age of 85.
A frequent guest star on TV shows throughout the 1950s and '60s, Perry's credits include "The Andy Griffith Show," "Ironside," "The F.B.I.," "The Munsters," "The Facts of Life" and "Falcon Crest." He also co-starred in the shortlived series "Harrigan and Son" alongside Georgine Darcy and Pat O'Brien.
His film credits include "Follow The Boys," "Rollerboogie," "The Thing With Two Heads," "The Cat" and "Count Yorga, Vampire."
Perry also guest starred on the original "Star Trek" as Captain John Christopher, an Air Force pilot who comes aboard the Enterprise when it is transported through time back to 1960s Earth.
He is survived by his wife, "Mary Tyler Moore" actress Joyce Bulifant, daughter Dana Perry McNerney, brother Nick, as well as several children and grandchildren.
Roger Perry
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