Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Garrison Keillor: "News bulletin: offensive joke ahead"
I have a small mind and I don't mind admitting it. Friends of mine are concerned about the future of democracy in America and thank goodness for them, meanwhile I get a thrill out of sticking a fork into the toaster to retrieve the toasted bread, which I was warned against as a child. Mother saw me do it and imagined sparks flying and the sizzle of her middle child, like a murderer in the electric chair. And now I do it (very carefully) and I'm still here. This is me writing these words, not a ghostwriter.
Jonathan Jones: How The Scream became the ultimate image for our political age (The Guardian)
The face is a greenish sock of sickly flesh stretched tight over the skull. Its features have been burned away by pain. All that remain in the elongated mask are two wide round eyes with dots for pupils, a pair of black nostrils and a mouth open in an oval scream. We've all been there. The Scream was created by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893 but it has become a masterpiece - the masterpiece - for our time. […] The Scream is ugly and brutal and belongs in the here and now. It is a symbol we reach for as we might for a strong word, to express what we're feeling this minute.
Sian Cain: "The prince of punching up: why Stephen King rules Twitter" (The Guardian)
The 71-year-old Harley-driving novelist saved a newspaper with a tweet when he heard it was closing its books section - and when he takes on Trump, he doesn't hold back.
Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett: Are we really going to let the super-rich take all the art? (The Guardian)
A London art adviser has been bulk-buying Picassos. The 0.01% are welcome to their tacky yachts, but not humanity's masterpieces. Plus: Does David Willetts practise what he preaches?
Louise Wise: "Vibrators and chill: how Netflix is targeting older viewers" (The Guardian)
The streaming giant is trying to corner the market in 'elder entertainment' - and with shows packed with sex toys and jaw-dropping Danny DeVito scenes, they're having a blast doing it.
Sam Jordison: Good Omens isn't funny? That's hilarious (The Guardian)
Some early critics of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's novel said it was short of good lines. But we could spend all day citing prize zingers …
These 4 Lifestyle Changes Improve Heart Health, Sexual Health, and Alzheimer's Risk (Blue Zones)
D Buettner: "Do either of you have a personal mantra?" Dean Ornish, MD: "Eat well, move more, stress less, love more."
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Presenting
Michael Egan
said:
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Reader Comment
Current Events
Payday loans
Maybe the unpaid Federal Workers could try here?
some guy
Thanks, Guy!
Helluva a way to learn about compounding interest rates.
Not at all like loan sharks in suits with the weight of the law behind 'em.
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
from Bruce
Anecdotes
• On April 28, 2009, Tierney Tredo, 19, of Penhook, Virginia, was walking her two dogs when they encountered a black bear. Her Shetland sheepdog, whose name is Sophie, saved her from being attacked by the bear. Her other dog, a large, long-haired, mixed-breed dog named Cheyenne, who is two or three years old, first encountered the bear. Ms. Tredo said, "Cheyenne was in the thicket about five minutes before she came running out, tail tucked between her legs. She was hollering. Then I saw a shadow behind her and thought it was another dog. In a minute or so, I heard footsteps coming down toward me […]. It was then I saw the face break through the thicket and realized it was a bear." Her dog Sophie was beside her as she yelled, "Get away, bear!" She said, "I could have touched it if I had wanted. I felt his breath on my legs." The bear swiped at Cheyenne, glancing it, and Cheyenne ran away. However, Sophie stayed with Ms. Tredo, barking at the bear and positioning herself between the bear and Ms. Tredo. Ms. Tredo said about the bear, "I knew it wanted to get at me." Ms. Tredo said that after a five-minute standoff, "Finally, Sophie ran the bear back into the thicket where it came from. I could see the bear in the woods walking back and forth. I could also see Sophie. Sophie looked back at me and barked like she was telling me to leave." Ms. Tredo said, "I ran a little way, and I heard the dog holler. I knew then the bear had gotten hold of her." Mary Plunkett, Ms. Tredo's grandmother, heard Sophie barking. Ms. Plunkett got into her pickup truck and drove toward the bear, honking the horn to scare the bear away. Ms. Plunkett and Ms. Tredo then took Sophie to the vet for treatment. Possibly, the black bear was a female with cubs. Lt. Karl Martin of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries said, "Normally the black bear is shy and not aggressive with humans. The big dog [Cheyenne] may have posed a threat when it entered the woods, causing the bear to follow it into the open." Fortunately, Sophie recovered from the wounds the bear inflicted on her.
• On February 16, 2004, flooding developed on the North Island of New Zealand. Kim Riley and her husband had a dairy farm near the Manatawa River gorge, and the flooding river was threatening their livestock. Kim got on a tractor and started herding cows away from the flooded area, but the tractor got stuck, and cows were being swept away downstream toward the dangerous gorge. Kim tried to swim, but the current was too strong for her to make headway, and she was afraid that she would be swept into the gorge, tossed against rocks, and killed. Fortunately, she noticed Cow 569 swimming out of the flood. Kim knew Cow 569, who was a strong-willed animal. She said, "I could see even now how determined she looked, and I figured she was going to make it out of the river." Kim was able to throw her arms around Cow 569 and hitch a ride to safety. The Rileys lost 15 cows to the flood, but they did not lose Cow 569, and Kim did not lose her life. For three more years, Cow 569 worked as a dairy cow, and then she retired. Most cows end their careers by being made into hamburger, but out of gratitude the Rileys are letting Cow 569 live the rest of her life the way a cow likes to live: eating grass and sleeping.
• When a fire broke out in the utility room of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Carlson's home in Granite Falls, Washington, their German Shepherd mix, named King, came to the rescue. King could have escaped by going out some open sliding glass doors, but instead he chewed through the wooden door leading to the utility room. King first woke up 16-year-old Pearl Carlson by nudging her and whining. Then he and Pearl ran into the Carlsons' master bedroom. The fire destroyed the house, but the family made it to safety. King had splinters in his mouth, a gash on his back, and burned paws, but he recovered fully. Mrs. Carlson says, "When King joined our family five years ago, we never dreamed that he would someday save our lives. King was named the Ken-L Ration Dog Hero of the Year for 1981.
• In December of 2007, a couple of family dogs apparently saved a two-year-old boy from drowning. The boy had wandered from home and gotten onto a neighbor's property near Mackay, Queensland, Australia. The neighbor had a dam, and hearing a noise, the neighbor ran down to the dam, where she found the two-year-old boy covered in mud and lying on the embankment, with the two dogs - a Rottweiler cross and a Staffordshire bull terrier -lying by him. From the water to where the boy was lying were drag marks; in addition, the boy's arms had scratch marks that were apparently made by the dogs. A police officer said, "We are certain the dogs pulled him out of the dam. It is an amazing story."
***
© Copyright Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved
***
Reader Comment
Current Events
Hi, Marty!
It becomes more apparent each day how this shutdown affects so many other
people beyond those on furlough, costing the US economy over $1Billion/per day
according to "CBS Sunday Morning w/ Jane Pauley"!
My sister is one who's been furloughed without pay, she works for the
E.E.O.C., processing folk's claims of job-related discrimination based on age, race,
gender, etc. Now, anyone with such a claim no longer has such an agency to help
them.
The shock to my sister's system over this, Trump's latest 'psychotic episode',
beginning 4 days before Christmas, has put her into absolute 'panic' mode! She lives
in a rental home, has school loans she's responsible for, in addition to all the
other costs of living. Trump's comments to those furloughed, such as 'they can ask
their landlords if they can do any work for them, such as cleaning,' is tantamount
to Marie Antoinette's comment, when told the poor couldn't even afford bread, to
"let them eat cake"! Because my sister IS a furloughed worker, she's having some
difficulties qualifying for unemployment, with that agency arguing that she's
technically NOT 'unemployed'.
I think Trump should be the one wearing the coat that
says, "I really don't care, do U?", because it's obvious he doesn't give a f***!
Your faithful reader,
Tiera from SD
Thanks, Tiera!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
JD is on vacation.
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
More rain, and more to come.
Space Force
Steve Carell
Steve Carell is set to star in a new Netflix show called Space Force, inspired by none other than Donald Trump and his proposed Space Force.
Netflix revealed that the series, titled , would "soon" debut on its platform.
As well as starring in the show, Carell is co-creating it with Greg Daniels, who developed the US adaptation of The Office.
Space Force is being marketed as "brought to you by the same guys who brought you The Office".
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Carell is to earn a record-breaking salary for his performance in the show, in addition to executive producer and co-creator fees.
Steve Carell
Appears To Not Agree
Colin Kaepernick
There are new developments coming from Colin Kaepernick's camp regarding Travis Scott's agreement to perform in the Super Bowl halftime show.
The former 49ers quarterback has been on social media confirming that there is not mutual understanding or respect between the two.
Kaepernick's girlfriend Nessa Diab, and others close to the former quarterback, have been vocal on social media refuting Variety's original report that both Scott and Kaepernick had reached an understanding about the performance. Kaepernick has not made a statement of his own but has retweeted their comments on his own account.
Several artists have boycotted performing at the Super Bowl including Jay-Z, Rhianna and Cardi B. as a result of Kaepernick remaining unemployed by the league since the end of the 2016 season.
Colin Kaepernick
Homes For Sale
Sambuca
If the thought of views of the Mediterranean, wine vineyards and sunny beaches off the Italian coast sounds appealing, the town of Sambuca may be the perfect destination - as homes are selling for just €1.
Although it may sound too good to be true, local officials are offering the homes on the hilltop town in an effort to repopulate the rural city.
And buyers will more than get their money's worth as the dozens of homes for sale are built on land referred to as the "Earthly Paradise" on the southern island of Sicily.
However, the deal does have one condition - new owners must invest €15,000 ($17,000, £13,000) into refurbishing their new home within three years, as most of the abandoned homes are run down and dilapidated.
There is also a €5,000 ($5,700, £4,400) security deposit to consider, which will be returned once the renovations on the houses, ranging from 40 to 150 sq metres, have been completed.
Sambuca
Gets His Own Mug Shot
Chris Hansen
A television journalist made famous for hosting a controversial investigative series that targeted would-be predators found himself in the hot seat this week after he was arrested in Connecticut.
Chris Hansen, 59, of Shippan, was charged Monday with issuing a bad check to a Stamford business for several thousand dollars in marketing merchandise. He was released without bond after signing a written promise to appear in court.
According to a four-page arrest affidavit obtained by the Stamford Advocate, Hansen placed an order with Promotional Sales Limited of Summer Street in 2017 for several hundred ceramic mugs, T-shirts and decals. The order totaled $12,998.05.
In September 2017, the company allegedly turned over the goods after receiving a check issued by Hansen News LLC ? a company reportedly led by Hansen - for the entire amount. It bounced.
The timing of the order appears to coincide with Hansen attempting to keep promises he'd made during a Kickstarter campaign aimed at funding "Hansen vs. Predator," a spinoff of the "To Catch a Predator" series Hansen hosted on "Dateline NBC" from 2004 to 2007.
Chris Hansen
Watchdog Faults Handling
"Serious Shortcomings"
An internal U.S. government watchdog on Wednesday found "serious shortcomings" in federal officials' handling of a lease by President Donald Trump's company of a historic government building in Washington now home to a Trump International Hotel.
Amid intensifying scrutiny of possible conflicts of interest involving Trump's businesses, the inspector general of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) found fault with the agency's review of the lease of the Old Post Office Pavilion.
The Romanesque Revival landmark on Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from the White House, was leased by the Trump Organization in 2013 for 60 years and now houses a luxury Trump hotel often frequented by government officials.
Some Democrats have charged that Trump's businesses, now managed by his sons, have profited from his presidency, saying that foreign dignitaries sometimes stay at the hotel in part to curry favour with him.
"GSA's decision-making process related to Tenant's possible breach of the lease included serious shortcomings," the report said. "GSA had an obligation to uphold and enforce the Constitution. However, GSA opted not to seek any guidance from OLC (Office of Legal Counsel) and did not address the constitutional issues related to the management of the lease."
"Serious Shortcomings"
ICE 'Oopsy'
Grand Rapids
A Marine veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder was held for three days for possible deportation before federal authorities learned that he was a U.S. citizen born in Michigan, lawyers said Wednesday.
Jilmar Ramos-Gomez, 27, lives in the Grand Rapids area. He was released on Dec. 17 from a detention center in Calhoun County after personal records were provided to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan.
"Why did they think he was a noncitizen? Did they get him confused with someone else? Who knows," ACLU attorney Miriam Aukerman said. "This is an individual who's incredibly vulnerable with a mental illness."
Ramos-Gomez was in the Kent County jail after being accused of trespassing and damaging a fire alarm at a Grand Rapids hospital on Nov. 21. The ACLU said he pleaded guilty and was supposed to be released on Dec. 14 while awaiting a sentence.
But ICE contacted the jail and requested that Ramos-Gomez be held for pickup. Kent County Undersheriff Chuck DeWitt said ICE, like other law enforcement agencies, has access to fingerprint records.
Grand Rapids
Hotter Than Ever
Ocean Temperatures
The ocean is the hottest it's ever been, and no, this is not normal.
A new report released in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences on Jan. 15 reveals that ocean temperatures in 2018 reached their highest point since accurate measurements first began in the 1950s.
The heat increase in the world's oceans from 2017 (the previous record holder) to 2018 is equivalent to about 388 times the total electricity generation of China in 2017, according to a statement about the research released by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in China.
Ocean temperatures down to 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) were calculated using data from various measurement devices. Those includes Argo, a set of free-floating devices that measure temperature and salt concentration in the waters.
After 2018 and 2017, the third warmest year for ocean temperatures was 2015, followed by 2016 and finally 2014. And, not surprisingly, this is all our fault.
Ocean Temperatures
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