from Bruce
Anecdotes
Games
• As a young man, Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Gustinin decided to learn to play chess. However, he immediately quit after learning that one of the rules of chess was that a move, once made, cannot be taken back. Rabbi Michel explained that such a rule went against Judaism, which believes that no act is final. After one commits a sin, one can repent.
Golf
• Even early in his career, golfer Sam Snead was able to drive the ball very well and very far. He once played Duke Gibson. On the first hole, Sam’s ball went 25 yards further than Duke’s ball, and Sam explained, “It must have hit a rock and bounced.” The same result occurred on the second hole, and the third, and the fourth, and on each hole Sam made the same “explanation.” An exasperated Duke finally asked Sam, “What the h*ll are you doing? Aiming at those d*mn rocks?”
• In 1997, Tiger Woods won the Master’s golf tournament and broke Jack Nicklaus’ old record, becoming the first African-American and Asian-American to win the Master’s. In 1975, the first African-American golfer ever to play in the Master’s was Lee Elder, who was present in 1997 when Tiger won. Tiger saw Mr. Elder and walked up to him to say, “Thanks for making this possible.”
• The caddies at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews in Scotland weren’t always literate. One caddy was seen “reading” a book at the caddie shelter, but another caddie pointed out that the book was upside down. The caddie with the book replied, “Any fool can read a book the right way up. It takes a good man to read it upside down.”
• Golfer Ben Hogan was famous for his powers of concentration on his own game. At the 1948 Masters, he played Claude Harmon. Playing the 12th hole, Mr. Hogan made a two, but Mr. Harmon made a hole in one. Afterward, Mr. Hogan said to Mr. Harmon, “That’s the first time I’ve ever made a two there. What did you have, Charlie?”
• A friend once took TV broadcaster Jim Burke to Kansas City’s Hillcrest Country Club to play a round of golf, but Mr. Burke got off to a poor start. On the very first tee, he swung at the ball — and he missed. Then he adjusted his stand, took a swing at the ball — and he missed again. At this point, he told his friend, “Tough course!”
• After Julie Foudy won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the United States women’s national soccer team, she became a celebrity. One young girl wrote her, “I hope this is Julie Foudy the soccer player. You are my hero. Finally, I have a role model. If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably have to play golf. I hate golf.”
Good Deeds
• A woman who calls herself “Moral12” when posting online at Helpothers.org wrote about a young woman — a foreign student — who had rented an unfurnished apartment and had nothing to put in it because of a lack of money. She even slept on the floor with only her coat to cover her. Moral12 telephoned the student and asked if she could bring over some free furniture and household items. The foreign student thanked her, and Moral12 began telephoning her friends. She writes, “One cleaned out her kitchen cabinets and provided pots and pans, some glassware, a jacket, a blanket. My mother raided her cabinets for items. My husband graciously consented to help play ‘moving man’ to transport our TV room loveseat, furniture cover, my daughter’s twin bed, mattress, box springs, and more. My colleague here at work went out and purchased a brand-new comforter set, a small set of silverware, dishes and glasses.” She and her husband then made three trips in their minivan and took the items to the foreign student. Moral12 writes, “She thanked me over and over again and could not believe that all these people whom she had not even met had given her all these things. I explained that people liked to help and that others had helped us in the past. She asked if there was anything she could do to repay us. I told her, ‘Yes, there is one thing you can do for us: when you are in a position to help others, please remember to try and help.’ With a smile on her face, she assured me that she would.”
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© Copyright Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved
***
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Presenting
Michael Egan
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
BANDCAMP MUSIC
A TWOFER
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION OF BANDCAMP MUSIC
Music: "Grinch Baby Jazzy"
Single: This is a one-sided single.
Artist: Didi Wray
Artist Location: Argentina
Info:
Female guitar player and composer from Argentina.
Didi is the creator of Tango Surf Music, a strong Surf Rock infused with Argentinian Tango.
Price: Name Your Price (Includes FREE)
Genre: Christmas. Surf.
Links:
“Grinch Baby Jazzy”
Didi Wray on Bandcamp
Didi Wray on YouTube
Didi Wray Official Website
~~~
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION OF BANDCAMP MUSIC
Music: "Christmas Island"
Single: This is a one-sided single.
Artist: The Space Cossacks
Artist Location: Washington, DC
Info:
Cover art & design: Rockin' Eugene, drummer of Messer Chups
Washington, DC cosmic surf rock.
“Fiery double-picking, great melodies … this fiery quartet blazes with raw energy while incorporating flavors of Latin, Caribbean and Russian dance surf music." - JUXTAPOZ MAGAZINE
Kahuna Cole, a fan, wrote, “Even on a planet light years away, the Hawaiian's have influenced this culture with their music as well as he' e nalu. The sport of Hawaiian Kings is now enjoyed by both na kane a me na wahine! Nice cover of the 1960 version! Just picture the swaying palms in the tropical tradewinds!”
Price: Name Your Price (Includes FREE)
Genre: Christmas. Surf.
Links:
"Christmas Island"
The Space Cossacks on Bandcamp
Other Links:
Bruce’s Music Recommendations: FREE pdfs
David Bruce's Amazon Author Page
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog #1
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David Bruce's Blog #3
David Bruce's Apple iBookstore
David Bruce has over 140 Kindle books on Amazon.com.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Stephen Suggests
Twofer
New Venture
Michael Egan
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
Reader Comment
Current Events
Linda >^..^<
We are all only temporarily able bodied.
Thanks, Linda!
that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Showers off & on all day - Frankie the shitten has been extra vocal expressing his disapproval.
‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest’
Not Impacted
As New York has emerged as an epicenter of a new Covid wave driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant, the city has been gripped by skyrocketing infection rates that have shut down Broadway and have led to the cancellation of most in-person events.
That includes Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022. The network earlier this week pulled the plug on the special, noting that, even with strict health protocols, “the recent velocity of the spread of Omicron cases has made it impossible to produce a live special in Times Square that meets our standards.”
In light of the decision by the city to keep the celebration on, ABC is proceeding with Rockin’ Eve 2022 while adhering to CDC/local protocols regarding audience attendees in Times Square. Last year, the special went on with just small pods of first responders in attendance.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. The show, hosted by Seacrest from Times Square, will feature Rockin’ Eve‘s first Spanish language countdown, with Puerto Rico as the inaugural host destination. The special is produced by MRC Live and Alternative.
Not Impacted
Not Happy
Paul Feig
Paul Feig’s 2016 female-led “Ghostbusters” movie is not among the titles included in the franchise’s soon-to-be-released “ultimate” box set from Sony — and the filmmaker would like an answer as to why.
“Um … @SonyPictures, I know this must be a mistake,” Feig tweeted Wednesday, sharing an article published on SlashFilm.com that day noting the exclusion of Feig’s “Ghostbusters” from the upcoming gift set. “We do have a lot of fans and Bill, Dan and Ernie were in it and it won the Kids Choice Award for Best Feature Film the year it came out. So, I guess this was just an oversight? #weareallghostbusters”
Feig’s 2016 “Ghostbusters” movie starred Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth, and, as Feig noted, included appearances by original “Ghostbusters” stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson.
It is unclear why Feig’s “Ghostbusters,” which was a poor performer at the box office, didn’t make the cut for the set and representatives for Sony did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment Thursday. However, several people on social media have used the fact that the film takes place in a different universe and is therefore not “canon” to the franchise as the biggest reason they can think of for its exclusion.
Paul Feig
Cell Key To Auction
Nelson Mandela
A South African Cabinet minister on Friday urged the cancellation of an upcoming U.S. auction of a key to the Robben Island prison cell where Nelson Mandela, the country’s first Black president, was long jailed for his opposition to apartheid.
The key is among Mandela memorabilia being sold by Guernsey’s auction house in New York on Jan. 28. Most of the items were provided by members of Mandela’s family to raise funds for a planned museum and garden around his grave, while the key is being sold by Mandela’s former jailer who became his friend.
“It is unfathomable for Guernsey’s, which is clearly aware of the painful history of our country and the symbolism of the key, to consider auctioning the key without any consultation with the South African government, the heritage authorities in South Africa and Robben Island Museum,” Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Nathi Mthethwa said in a statement.
In response, the auction house said the proceeds of the sale are to raise funds to build a 24-acre memorial garden and museum around Mandela’s burial site. Mandela’s oldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela-Amuah, approached Guernsey’s to hold an auction of Mandela memorabilia to help build the garden, Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey’s, told The Associated Press.
The key to his former jail cell is one of three items put up for sale by Christo Brand, Mandela’s Robben Island jailer.
Nelson Mandela
“Thoughts of a Colored Man”
Broadway
Keenan Scott II made his Broadway acting debut this week in “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” which is a remarkable milestone. It’s even more remarkable when you consider he also wrote it.
The actor-turned-playwright was pressed into acting duties at the last moment Tuesday night to keep his show open while all around Broadway battles spikes in COVID-19. He saved at least one performance.
“Like any other actor, I’ve always wanted to make my Broadway acting debut in whatever show wanted to hire me,” Scott says. “I did not know it was going to happen like this and on my show during the same season.”
His heroic efforts saved the night but it wasn’t enough. Late Thursday, COVID-19 claimed “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” joining “Waitress” and “Jagged Little Pill” as shows closed this winter due in part to rising infection rates.
Broadway
187-Minute Silence
Outtakes
President Donald Trump (R-Lock Him Up) had to reshoot a video during the Capitol riot because "he wouldn't say the right thing" to tell his supporters to go home, the chair of the January 6 committee said.
Publicly, Trump remained silent for 187 minutes after his supporters breached the Capitol on January 6. The committee investigating the riot is trying to understand why the former president took so long to speak as it weighs recommending criminal charges against him.
Thompson's comments follow increasing speculation that Trump's behavior during the riot could mean he illegally obstructed Congress.
In the video he eventually put out on January 6, Trump told his supporters at the Capitol to go home and called the mob "very special people."
Thompson told The Post that the fact that Trump had to keep retaping the video was of interest to the committee because it could help explain why he took so long to speak.
Outtakes
Breaking Point
Collective Trauma
An airplane passenger is accused of attacking a flight attendant and breaking bones in her face. Three New York City tourists assaulted a restaurant host who asked them for proof of vaccination against the coronavirus, prosecutors say. Eleven people were charged with misdemeanors after they allegedly chanted "No more masks!" and some moved to the front of the room during a Utah school board meeting.
Across the United States, an alarming number of people are lashing out in aggressive and often cruel ways in response to policies or behavior they dislike.
The Federal Aviation Administration has initiated over 1,000 unruly-passenger investigations this year, more than five times as many as in all of 2020. Health and elections officials have expressed fear for their safety amid public vitriol. As school board meetings have become cultural battlegrounds, Attorney General Merrick Garland has asked the Justice Department to investigate what he called a "disturbing spike" in threats against educators. Some American shoppers, long used to getting their way, have unleashed their worst behavior in recent months.
In some of these circumstances, it's unclear whether aggressive behavior has actually increased this year or whether the public has simply trained more focus on it. But mental health experts said it's likely that the worldwide state of perpetual crisis has truly spurred more frequent instances of inappropriate and abusive behavior.
Nearly two years into a pandemic coexistent with several national crises, many Americans are profoundly tense. They're snapping at each other more frequently, suffering from physical symptoms of stress and seeking methods of self-care. In the most extreme cases, they're acting out their anger in public - bringing their internal struggles to bear on interactions with strangers, mental health experts said.
Collective Trauma
Considered Breakup
Rupert
In the weeks before the 2020 election, as Fox News executives and luminaries came to terms with its possible outcome, some began to see in it a long-awaited opportunity - a chance to break up with Donald Trump (R-Lock Him Up).
Even the president sensed a growing distance from the network that was once so closely aligned with him. "What's the biggest difference between this and four years ago?" he asked rhetorically during an Election Day appearance on "Fox & Friends," skipping over obvious choices such as U.S. foreign relations, immigration policy or the makeup of the federal courts. "I say Fox," he answered. "It's much different now."
The sentiment was held most fervently on Fox's news side and in its Washington bureau, according to current and former Fox News personalities familiar with the dynamic who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations. Many felt the network's identity had become too tightly bound up with its opinion hosts - some of whom had become not just on-air cheerleaders but behind-the-scenes advisers for a president adored by their viewers - at the expense of its old self-forged image as a "fair and balanced" news operation.
Yet the post-Trump era opened for Fox with a ratings drop that quickly prompted a recalibration of those 2021 visions.
Now, one year later, the dream some harbored of distancing from Trump is long over. The biggest threat Fox now faces is a pair of looming lawsuits from two voting technology companies that claim the network, far from turning away from him, allowed Trump-allied personalities - including on-air hosts as well as guests - to falsely malign them with bogus conspiracy theories about widespread election fraud.
Rupert
Water Settlements
$2.5B
For over a decade, residents of the rural Fort Apache Reservation in eastern Arizona have been promised miles of pipeline that would bring clean drinking water to their communities.
The federal infrastructure bill signed last month includes $2.5 billion for Native American water rights settlements, a tool tribes have used to define their rights to water from rivers and other sources and get federal funding to deliver it to residents.
The federal government has not disclosed how the money will be divvied up. But tribes involved in more than 30 settlements — many in the U.S. West, including the White Mountain Apache of the Fort Apache Reservation — are eligible and eagerly awaiting specifics.
Access to reliable, clean water and basic sanitation facilities on tribal lands remains a challenge for hundreds of thousands of people. The funding for settlements is part of about $11 billion from the infrastructure law headed to Indian Country to expand broadband coverage, fix roads and provide basic needs like running water.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1908 that tribes have rights to as much water as they need to establish a permanent homeland, and those rights stretch back at least as long as any given reservation has existed. As a result, tribal water rights often are more senior to others in the West, where competition over the scarce resource is often fierce.
$2.5B
On The ISS
Tide Detergent
SpaceX ferried a festive shipment of items up to astronauts on the International Space Station on Wednesday including Christmas presents, roast turkey, and laundry detergent.
The detergent was made by Proctor and Gamble, the company that owns Tide, and is for a serious scientific experiment.
The astronauts aboard the ISS will be experimenting on the specially-developed detergent to see how well it launders clothes in space.
The partnership with Tide was announced back in June, and according to Proctor and Gamble, astronauts on the ISS currently wear clothing several times before just replacing it with a new set. New clothing is delivered to them via shipments from Earth.
Per Space.com, NASA estimates that without laundry, astronauts would need 500 pounds of clothing each to make the trip to Mars.
Tide Detergent
| CURRENT MOON lunar phases |
