Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Justin Stover: There Is No Case for the Humanities (American Affairs Journal)
The cure proposed for the crisis of the humanities is worse than the disease: it seeks to save the humanities by destroying the conditions under which they thrive. If scholars in the humanities stopped researching arcane topics, stopped publishing them in obscure journals nobody reads, and spent all their time teaching instead, the university itself would cease to exist. We would just have high schools, perhaps good high schools, but high schools nonetheless.
Josh Marshall: Devin Nunes' Latest Scam, Explained (TPM)
There's no evidence or reason to believe the Steele Dossier was the product of disinformation from Russian intelligence. But even if it were, it would count more as irony than any discrediting smoking gun since it played a part in triggering investigations which uncovered numerous instances of Trump family members and associates trying to work with Russian intelligence officials and cut outs to defeat Hillary Clinton. We don't need the Steele dossier for those. We have emails, testimony, wire intercepts, admissions.
Allegra Kirkland: 5 Points On The Threat Of Trump Issuing Pardons In The Russia Probe (TPM)
The most significant workaround for law enforcement is the President's inability to pardon individuals found guilty of state crimes. "That's the lynchpin of all of this," Shugerman told TPM. "[Mueller's strategy] seems to be to make sure the indictments he brings and the guilty pleas he obtains preserve for state prosecutors the backup plan against pardons."
Josh Marshall: The Political Consequences of the End of 'SALT' [State and Local Tax] Deductions (TPM)
Say you're a doctor or lawyer in New Jersey or Pennsylvania who makes well into 6 figures a year. You get a nice tax break from the GOP tax law but it's largely balanced out by the end of the SALT deductions. Are you likely to say well, I'm still marginally ahead so I think this is great? I don't think so. Especially, if you're inclined to see the larger political environment in a negative light. That usually means you're looking for ways you were treated unfairly.
Henry Grabar: How Memphis Toppled Its Confederate Statues (Slate)
By outsmarting Tennessee's conservative Legislature.
Allegra Kirkland: Court Docs Reveal Brutal Editor's Notes On Milo Book Nixed By Publisher (TPM)
It's unclear why Simon & Schuster thought Yiannopoulos-whose views on women, gay people, minorities, and Muslims were well-known long before his concerted attempts to mainstream white nationalism were uncovered-was the best person to author a "serious work addressing political correctness and related free speech issues," as they referred to the initial publication deal in a court document.
Amelia Tait: All the actually good things that happened on the internet in 2017 (New Statesman)
Here's a bit of the cesspool that's fuzzy and warm!
David Bruce's Amazon Author Page
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog
David Bruce's Lulu Storefront
David Bruce's Apple iBookstore
David Bruce has over 80 Kindle books on Amazon.com.
Presenting
Michael Egan
said:
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
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
"MONEY FOR NOTHING AND CHICKS FOR FREE."
"…BOTH FOOL AND LEAR IN ONE HOWLING FIGURE…"
"THE MAN WHO JUMPED"
"EVERYBODY MUST GET STONED."
"…TRUMP YOU IDIOT."
KING OF THE FOOLS.
THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING!
HORSE TWITTER.
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Shooting at a law office a block away from the grocery store.
12 hours later, the streets are still closed off.
Knighthood In 2018
Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr reportedly believed he'd never be knighted, but it seems his time is almost here.
According to the queen's New Year honors list, the drummer, who, as a member of the Beatles, was previously made a member of the Order of the British Empire, is among those who will be knighted by Queen Elizabeth II next year, as is former Bee Gees singer Barry Gibb.
Actor Hugh Laurie, who was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire by the queen in 2007, was named one of the commanders of the Order of the British Empire.
Starr, 77, will receive the honor about 21 years later after his former bandmate, Sir Paul McCartney, and Gibb, 71, reportedly told the U.K.'s Press Association that he shares the honor with his late brothers and bandmates, Robin and Maurice Gibb.
Others who will be knighted next year: "War Horse" author Michael Morpurgo, former "Voice" contestant and British actor Matt Henry, and playwright Peter Nichols.
Ringo Starr
Partners With Jack in the Box For $4.20 'Merry Meal'
Snoop Dogg
Jack in the Box and Snoop Dogg are giving California's stoners a little more to celebrate when recreational marijuana becomes legal there next month.
Pot smokers in California will have another reason to 'park it like it's hot' at Jack in the Box in 2018 once recreational marijuana becomes legalized.
Snoop Dogg's cannabis-centered media site, Merry Jane, announced Thursday a partnership with Jack himself -- the Merry Munchie Meal. Weighing in at obvious $4.20, the combo will include "the most craveable and snackable products that Jack in the Box has to offer," including halfsies (a mixture of curly fries and onion rings), two tacos, five mini churros, three chicken strips and a drink.
Merry Jane said the campaign commemorates the legalization of recreational cannabis in California with the limited-edition offer. However, if you want to be a part of this blazing deal you'll have to move fast -- it's only being offered from Jan. 18 to Jan. 25 in three locations in Snoop Dogg's hometown of Long Beach.
According to Merry Jane, the fast food chain has had a history of lighting up cannabis culture over a decade, noting the company's two-taco deal for 99 cents as well as its Munchie Meal product line.
Snoop Dogg
Female Comedian Sued
Iliza Shlesinger
A man is suing comedian Iliza Shlesinger for waging a "War On Men" after he was denied entry to her November show, "Girls Night In With Iliza - No Boys Allowed."
Shlesinger, a winner of the show "Last Comic Standing," was fairly clear about her target audience in her Instagram announcement for the show. But George St. George says Shlesinger and the theater hosting her performance broke California state laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender by telling him and a male friend they couldn't come in.
St. George and his friend purchased tickets for Shlesinger's performance for $30 and $25 respectively, according to the complaint, filed by attorney Alfred G. Rava. When they arrived at the Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles, California, for the show, the lawsuit says they were told they'd need to sit in the "back row of the Theater for the show because of their sex."
After the men left the theater and returned, the same employee said they actually couldn't see the show at all, and refunded their money.
St. George and his guest believe the injustices they endured were on par with those leading up to the civil rights movement. What happened was "akin to the Montgomery City Lines bus company in Montgomery, Alabama circa 1955 morphing into the Woolworth's department store lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1960," their lawsuit reads.
Iliza Shlesinger
Abandons Quest
Ben Saunders
The British Polar explorer Ben Saunders gave up his quest to cross the South Pole echoing Sir Ernest Shackleton's words that it was better to return home as a 'live donkey' than a 'dead lion'.
Mr Saunders, 40, was forced to abandon his mission to cross Antarctica unassisted after 'ferocious' weather conditions left him without enough food to complete his journey.
He had attempted the trek in memory of his friend Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley, who died on an expedition to traverse the Antarctic alone last year.
Mr Saunders aimed to spend 65 days travelling more than 1,000 miles across Antarctica, but was forced to cancel the trip when he arrived at the South Pole on Thursday, after 52 days.
He had just 13 days of food for the remainder of the expedition, which he expected to last a minimum of 17 days if conditions were perfect.
Ben Saunders
All Members Terminated Without Explanation
HIV/AIDS Council
The White House has reportedly fired the members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) without explanation.
Six members of the council resigned in June due to "a president who simply does not care," according to one member in a Newsweek op-ed entitled "Trump doesn't care about HIV. We're outta here."
The council, which still had 16 members, was then completely decimated with a letter sent through FedEx on Wednesday, the Washington Blade reported.
One source with knowledge of PACHA told the newspaper that "many council members were terminated even though additional time remained on their terms as advisers."
PACHA is a federal advisory committee created in 1995 with the goal of "providing information, advice, and recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding programs, policies, and research to promote effective treatment, prevention, and cure of HIV disease and AIDS."
HIV/AIDS Council
Appeals Court Upholds Damages
Oregon
An Oregon state appeals court on Thursday let stand $135,000 in damages levied against the owners of a Portland-area bakery for discrimination after they refused on religious grounds to prepare a wedding cake for a local lesbian couple.
A three-judge panel of the Oregon Court of Appeals rejected a petition by Melissa and Aaron Klein, former owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, to overturn the ruling by the state's labor commissioner as a violation of their rights under the U.S. Constitution to freedom of religion and expression.
An attorney for the Kleins, who closed their bakery not long after being ordered to pay the heavy fine, could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.
"Today's ruling sends a strong signal that Oregon remains open to all," Brad Avakian, the state's labor commissioner, said in a written statement.
The case stems from Aaron Klein's refusal to bake a wedding cake for Rachel Bowman-Cryer in January 2013 because she was planning a same-sex wedding to her partner Laurel, which he said violated his religious convictions.
Oregon
'Absolute Right' To Control
The Justice Department
President-for-now Donald Trump (R-Corrupt) on Thursday said he believes he holds ultimate authority to direct the Department of Justice as he sees fit, while noting the ongoing inquiry into Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential election has made the country "look very bad."
Trump, speaking in an impromptu interview with The New York Times from his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, said more than a dozen times that no collusion had been uncovered during the sweeping probe by special counsel Robert Mueller. While he noted that the sooner the inquiry was completed, "the better it is for the country," Trump also broke with his most ardent supporters and said he believed Mueller would treat him fairly.
"I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department," he told the Times. "But for purposes of hopefully thinking I'm going to be treated fairly, I've stayed uninvolved with this particular matter."
The president's comments, made without any aides present, once again appear to undermine the DOJ's ability to operate as an entity independent of the political whims of the White House.
Trump's surrogates have moved in recent months to discredit Mueller's investigation, and rumors have swirled for weeks that the president may fire the special counsel. The president ? who has denied he planned to remove Mueller ? has repeatedly called the probe a "witch hunt" and insisted on his innocence, saying there was no collusion with the Russian government by members of his presidential campaign.
The Justice Department
Resigns As UC Regent
Norm Pattiz
Radio mogul Norm Pattiz announced on Thursday that he will resign from his post as University of California regent, weeks after state and education leaders called for the public university system to look into sexual harassment claims against him.
Pattiz wrote in his resignation letter that he would be retiring as UC regent and chair of the Regents Oversight Committee and National Laboratories, effective Feb. 16, 2018, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
In the letter, Pattiz told Board of Regents Chairman George Kieffer that it was a privilege working for the University of California, but made no mention of the workplace misconduct accusations that have haunted him for over a year.
Kieffer accepted Pattiz's resignation in a follow-up letter the same day, thanking the media executive for his service.
Pattiz has only admitted to misconduct in one case - in which he was caught asking to hold comedian Heather McDonald's breasts. The moment was recorded and published by McDonald in November 2016, forcing Pattiz to apologize publicly that year.
Norm Pattiz
Move To Eliminate
Offshore Safety Rules
The Trump administration moved on Thursday to eliminate key offshore safety regulations adopted in the wake of the deadly Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the biggest in the nation's history.
The move to cut the safety regulations came just hours before President-for-now Donald Trump (R-Charlatan) said in a tweet that "we could use a little bit of that good old global warming" to counteract winter temperatures.
Dropping the rules is intended to "reduce certain unnecessary regulatory burdens," stated the document outlining the changes by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
Some of the proposals for relaxing the regulations were released Thursday by the BSEE, which estimates it would save companies $288 million over 10 years.
Changes involve loosened rules for safety and pollution prevention equipment, undersea safety devices and device testing, according to BSEE's statement. Among the most significant of the proposed changes is dropping a requirement that safety and pollution prevention equipment be inspected by certified independent auditors.
Offshore Safety Rules
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