Recommended Reading
from Bruce
David Bruce: Wise Up! Books (Athens News)
When fantasy author Tamora Pierce was in the seventh grade, her teacher, Mary Jacobsen, introduced her to Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings." One Friday afternoon, Tamora complained that she didn't have anything to read, and so Ms. Jacobsen gave her "The Fellowship of the Ring" to take home. On Saturday morning, Tamora sat down to read the book, and at 2 a.m. she finished reading it, then she started crying because she thought that was the end. Fortunately, on Monday her teacher gave her the other two volumes of "The Lord of the Rings" to read.
Mark Morford: 10,000 secrets for a perfect marriage (SF Gate)
Don't do the same old thing. Don't assume. Don't predict. This is a big one. Huge. Do you want to guarantee the imminent soul death of just about any relationship, marriage, long-term love connection? Do this: Assume you know the person, through and through. Assume you have them all figured out, all likes and dislikes, quirks and habits, positions and reactions, all tied up neat in a little box. Allow no room to change, evolve, surprise. Build lots of rules and walls and limitations. Watch your hearts wither and die.
Jim Hightower: Obama Stands up, knocks GOP down
Obama nailed the GOP's whine for the poppycock it is, noting that his proposal "is not class warfare. It's math." Yes - and it's something else, too, something essential for a democratic society. It's basic fairness.
Andrew Tobias: THE $16 MUFFIN MYTH
They say climate change is a myth - that 7 billion people spewing pollutants into the atmosphere couldn't possibly have an effect on the atmosphere. We say the $16 muffin is a myth. There are two differences here. First, what they deny is really important. Second, they're wrong. The $16 muffin is a myth. The Department of Justice held a conference and spent $14.74 per day per attendee on food and beverages. Whoopdedoo.
Kevin Drum: The Great $16 Muffin Myth (Mother Jones)
So did DOJ really pay $16 for muffins? Of course not. In fact, it's obvious that someone quite carefully calculated the amount they were allowed to spend and then gave the hotel a budget. The hotel agreed, but for some reason decided to divide up the charges into just a few categories instead of writing a detailed invoice for every single piece of food they provided.
Paul Krugman's Blog: Who Will Techno the Technocrats? (New York Times)
Madmen in authority come in all forms, and the dignified men in suits are often no better than the rabble-rousers.
Elizabeth Warren on Debt Crisis, Fair Taxation (YouTube)
Elizabeth Warren on the debt crisis and fair taxation. To support her Massachusetts Senate Campaign, visit ?http://www.ElizabethWarren.com
Tennessee State Senator Roy Herron: GOP's photo ID law is more voter suppression (Commercial Appeal)
Ironically, legislators from the party that supposedly favors less government and more privacy passed a law requiring my [94-year-old] mother to obtain a "big-government" photo identity card in order to vote. When the law goes into effect with the March 2012 presidential primary elections, poll workers will no longer accept her voter registration card as sufficient proof of identity.
Dan DeLuca: Punk-rocker John Doe growing older and happier (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
John Doe has a couple of good things going.
Bill Wyman: R.E.M.'s Revolution (Slate)
How a post-punk band from Georgia changed rock 'n' roll forever.
David Bruce has 42 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $42 you can buy 10,500 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," "Maximum Cool," and "Resist Psychic Death."
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Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
Reader Comment
"Third Age" of BCE
Subject: Lord(s) of the Bling (much as if Harry Potter met Paul Volcker, et-al at the gates of Mordor)
Marty;
Just a quick note. You do realize that we are entering into the first
days of the "Third Age" of BCE?
The First Age of BCE lasted (if I remember correctly) around six or
seven hundred days.
Around 1525 days ago began the Second Age of BCE, as the Orcs of the
Republican cult, and the Goblins of its Democratic sibling
organization within the CAPITALIST political party exponentially run
roughshod over the fabled middle-class of the American continent, as
well as the vaster planet beyond.
In the meantime, we, the faithful (and also us red-headed
stepchildren) of BCE follow the internet listings of the Great BC
Wizard Marty, in order to try and make sense of it all. And since day
"0" is in kind-of an ether-world of improbable likelihoods, today
seems to be the first (official) day of the Third Age.
tens-of-thousands of years from now, future literary quasi-theologians
of the Earth's post-religious insanity period will be composing
encyclopedic volumes on the metaphysical ramifications of it all!
Perhaps at the beginning of the page, just as you prevalently start
this daily e-tale with the current date of the Age, you may even list
the past official time-expanses of the two previous Ages (the Second
Age being, of course, being between "X"date and 9/20/11 at 1,518
days).
Faithfully,
DanD
Thanks, Dan!
Interesting. Gonna have to do some thinking.
Reader Comment
Thoughts on Doritos
Marty, this news of the passing of Arch West - the creator of Doritos - has given my something to think about.
I'll admit that I like a good bag of Doritos from time to time, sometimes I'll eat a whole bag when I have no one to share it with. Still, these make for a very good snack.
I can still think of an ad the Philadelphia-area Frito-Lay distributor placed in the 1985-86 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders calendar. The ad was part of the layout for the month of March 1986, back when the Eagles Cheerleader uniform was a sleeveless leotard - white top half, green bottom portion - French cut, of course, with an eagle on the front. The leotard was paired with white western boots with green trim.
As I recall, the ad featured two Eagles Cheerleaders sharing a bag of Doritos. I can still recall the names of the two cheerleaders - Brooke Gunther and Erin Stetser. I was especially fond of Erin, as I had read of her exploits in a sports magazine the prior October, and she stole my heart. I still think of her from time to time - especially when i see a Doritos delivery truck.
Keep rockin', Marty, for you still offer some very good stuff!
George M
Thanks, George!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Thick marine layer hung around til late afternoon.
Fewer Gay Characters
Network TV
The number of gay and bisexual characters on scripted broadcast network TV has dipped slightly this season to 19 out of nearly 650 roles, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
The 16th annual "Where We Are on TV" report released Wednesday by GLAAD found that 2.9 percent of actors appearing regularly on prime-time network drama and comedy series in the 2011-12 season will portray gay, lesbian or bisexual characters.
That's down from 3 percent in the 2009-10 season and 3.9 percent last season, when there were 23 out of a total of nearly 600 roles.
Only five of the 19 gay and lesbian characters this season are nonwhite, GLAAD found.
Using information provided by ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW, the group reviewed 91 scripted series announced to air this season.
Network TV
Presidential Fundraiser
Lady Gaga
Hollywood may be feeling meh about President Barack Obama, but Lady Gaga considers the commander in chief to be among her "little monsters."
The "Born This Way" singer was a guest at a $35,800 per couple Obama fundraiser on Sunday at the Atherton, Calif., home of Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg.
According to White House pool reports, Gaga towered over the president, standing a good two feet taller than the 6 ft., 1 inch Obama.
That's not a typo. Gaga's exalted vantage point was reportedly due to a pair of "sky-high heels."
Lady Gaga
Honored For Environmental Efforts
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake has been lauded for his work in music, TV and film. Now he's about to get an accolade for trying to better the environment.
The Environmental Media Association says Timberlake will receive its Futures Award, which represents future environmental leaders in entertainment.
The group cited Timberlake's attempts to reduce his carbon footprint during his tours, his advocacy for environmental issues and his eco-friendly golf course outside of Memphis, Tenn.
Justin Timberlake
UCLA Scholarship
Mariska Hargitay
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star Mariska Hargitay has bestowed her alma mater with a $100,000 gift, which will go toward a new scholarship in her name.
Teri Schwartz, dean of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT), announced the gift Tuesday. She added that the endowment will go toward the new Mariska Hargitay Scholarship for Acting Students, which will be awarded to students based on need and merit, in both undergraduate and graduate studies.
Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson on NBC's long-running crime procedural, is an alumnus of UCLA's acting program and a recipient of UCLA's TFT 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award, Theater.
"After all I have received from TFT for my journey as an actor; I am so excited to give back," Hargitay said of the gift. "My education there not only gave me an invaluable foundation for my craft, but also lit the fire of enthusiasm, perseverance and pursuit of excellence that has fueled me ever since. I cheer for the students now receiving those gifts at TFT, and to play a part in their journey as artists is hugely gratifying."
Mariska Hargitay
Sarts 3-Year Run At Caesars
Elton John
Elton John is returning to Las Vegas for a three-year headlining gig at Caesars Palace.
The five-time Grammy winner was set to perform Wednesday night for the first of 16 shows scheduled through October, the first performances of a new show titled "The Million Dollar Piano."
The remainder of the shows during the three-year run have not yet been announced.
John says it's named for the instrument he'll play during the show - a piano that took manufacturer Yamaha four years to build.
Elton John
Bluegrass World Celebrates Centennial
Bill Monroe
Ricky Skaggs can imagine the look his old friend Bill Monroe might have had on his face if he were alive today to see the bluegrass world celebrate his legacy.
"He would get out of the car and have that back straight as an arrow, and he'd have that hat on, and he'd be pulling it off and thanking people," Skaggs said. "He'd really be happy about people celebrating his life."
As members of the International Bluegrass Music Association gather for their annual awards and conference in Nashville this week, Monroe and the message of his music are foremost on their minds. Monroe, the architect of bluegrass and a patron saint of country music, would have turned 100 on Sept. 13. He died in 1996 at the age of 84. Monroe is being honored with concerts in his memory and historical discussions this week, and he'll play a prominent role during the Bluegrass Awards on Thursday as well.
He left behind a legacy that's more vital and thriving than ever and a diaspora of former players and acolytes who continue to spread his music today. Bluegrass, developed from roots deep in the soil of his native Kentucky, has spread around the world. It's evolved with each generation that's passed since that mythic "birth of bluegrass" concert in December 1945 at The Ryman Auditorium that featured the debut of pioneering banjo player Earl Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt.
Monroe will be a featured presence at The Ryman on Thursday night when lead nominees The Boxcars, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, The Gibson Brothers and Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas join most of the genre's biggest names for the annual IBMA Bluegrass Awards. He's always been revered in Nashville, but the centennial gives those who knew him a welcome chance to talk about their memories and tell stories about a man who was larger than life.
Bill Monroe
Moles & Spies
Rupert
No one suspected the secretary.
Efficient, well-dressed and well-liked, Sue Harris was at the heart of the Sunday People, the smallest of Britain's weekly tabloids. She booked flights, reserved accommodation, and tallied expenses for the populist paper's dozen or so full-time reporters. These journalists implicitly trusted the petite, 40-something south Londoner who'd spent most if not all of her working life at the tabloid.
Maybe they shouldn't have.
In 1995 Harris was dismissed over an allegation that she'd been feeding her paper's juiciest scoops to the Piers Morgan-edited News of the World, betraying her co-workers for a weekly payoff of 250 pounds - then worth about $375. Although People journalists had long believed there was a traitor in their midst, they were shocked when Harris was exposed.
"Everybody knew there was a mole," said a former senior journalist with the People. "We never thought the person we were looking for was her."
Rupert
Donates Gadhafi Money
Nelly Furtado
Canadian pop singer Nelly Furtado says she is donating the $1 million she earned to perform for members of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's family to the Free the Children charity.
Furtado said in February she would donate the money from a 2007 show in Italy for members of Gadhafi's family.
She made this latest announcement Tuesday at a youth empowerment day organized by Canadian co-founders of Free the Children. Her donation will go toward building a girls school in Kenya and a Free the Children program supporting girls in the Middle East and North Africa.
Usher, Mariah Carey, Beyonce have all also promised to give the fees from their performances at private concerts later revealed to be linked to the Gadhafi family to charity or have said they have already done so.
Nelly Furtado
Wants Movie Theaters To Pay For 3D Glasses
Sony
Sony Pictures doesn't want to pay for 3D glasses anymore, and is telling movie theaters that starting next May, they'll have to cough up the cash, TheWrap has confirmed.
With glasses costing studios at least 50 cents per admission, costs for 3D eyewear can consume $5 million or more for a movie that grosses over $100 million.
The National Association of Theater Owners did not respond to comment.
However, this is not the first time a major studio has tried to move the cost burden of 3D eyewear to exhibition.
Sony
Rupert Sues
Dodgers
Fox Sports, a division of Rupert's News Corp, sued the Los Angeles Dodgers late on Tuesday to stop a proposed sale of television rights that the team has said is key to emerging from bankruptcy protection.
The Fox complaint was largely expected but it opens another legal front for the team, which is already battling Major League Baseball for control of the team.
In a filing with a bankruptcy court in Delaware, Fox Sports said any steps taken by the team to sell media rights would be in violation of its current broadcast agreement with Fox.
Earlier this month, the Dodgers proposed an auction of the rights to broadcast the baseball team's games. The auction is expected to bring in billions of dollars to stabilize the team's long-term finances and allow it to emerge from bankruptcy.
In order to conduct the auction, the team had to break its current broadcast agreement with Fox, which grants Fox exclusive negotiating rights till November 2012.
Dodgers
Hoof In Mouth
Alabama
A powerful Republican leader in the Alabama Senate apologized Tuesday for referring to blacks as "aborigines" on recordings played during a federal gambling corruption trial.
Sen. Scott Beason (R-Racist) of Gardendale said his comments "were careless and unnecessary" and he wants to set things right. Democrats said he ought to step down as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, even though the Republican Caucus has said he would remain.
Beason was recorded making the remarks about gamblers in predominantly black Greene County. He made the recordings while helping the FBI investigate claims of lawmakers being bribed by gambling interests to pass a bill legalizing video poker games.
"That's y'all's Indians," one Republican said.
"They're aborigines, but they're not Indians," Beason replied.
Alabama
Unofficial "Autobiography"
Julian Assange
He laid bare the secrets of governments and corporations. But until now, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange fiercely fought demands for more transparency in his own personal and financial affairs.
But a bizarre dispute between Assange and a Scottish publisher who last week released an "unauthorized" version of Assange's autobiography has prompted the WikiLeaks frontman to make public some of his own secrets.
Late on Tuesday, WikiLeaks published a sheaf of e-mail correspondence and transcripts of phone conversations between Assange, his literary agent and lawyers, and Canongate, an independent publisher based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The publisher signed a book deal with Assange shortly after he was released last December from the London prison where he was briefly held following a Swedish request for his extradition for questioning in a sexual misconduct case.
The correspondence, published as an appendix to an earlier Assange statement complaining bitterly about Canongate's release last week of "Julian Assange: The Unauthorized Autobiography", offers rare disclosures by Assange about his personal finances and well-being, and those of WikiLeaks.
Julian Assange
Wants To Ban Books
Russian Orthodox Church
A senior Russian Orthodox official claimed Wednesday that novels by Vladimir Nabokov and Gabriel Garcia Marquez justify pedophilia and said they should be banned in the nation's high schools.
Father Vsevolod Chaplin's demand that Russia's government investigate and limit the use of the books was his church's latest attempt to impose religious norms in a country that once rejected religion altogether.
Chaplin, who heads the Moscow Patriarchate's public relations department, discussed Nabokov's "Lolita" and Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" on Ekho Moskvy radio, accusing both of "justifying pedophilia."
The priest later elaborated in comments carried by Interfax, saying the authors' works should not be included in high school curriculums as they "romanticize perverted passions that make people unhappy."
Russian Orthodox Church
Expert Reconstructs "Missing" Movement
Beethoven
A movement from a Beethoven string quartet which was discarded by the composer and replaced by a new version has been reconstructed by a musical expert in Manchester, northern England.
The piece, originally composed by the German maestro in 1799, will be performed by Manchester University's resident string quartet on Thursday, when the academic involved, Professor Barry Cooper, will also give a seminar.
The "lost" piece of music was part of the "String Quartet in G, Opus 18 Number 2", and Thursday's recital will "almost certainly" be the first time it has been performed since Beethoven's lifetime, said Cooper, the university's professor of music.
He reconstructed the movement based on surviving detailed "sketches" for every one of its 74 bars.
Beethoven
Scientist: Sky Confirms "Shining Moon"
Frankenstein
A Texas astronomer has used science to confirm one of the most famous tales in western literature, the "bright and shining moon" over Lake Geneva that inspired an 18-year-old Mary Shelley to write "Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus."
Shelley has long been doubted for her version of events that led to the writing of one of the most beloved Gothic tales in the English language: That she wrote it on a challenge one night in June 1816 during a "waking dream" as the moon shone through her window.
But Donald Olson, an astronomy professor at Texas State University in San Marcos, told Reuters on Monday that the night sky would argue that she was telling the truth.
"Some scholars are very skeptical, they even call her a liar," Olson said. "But we see no reason, either in the science or in the primary sources, to doubt Mary Shelley's account."
Olson has made a hobby out of using the sky to solve the mysteries of many of the world's most famous works of art and historical accounts.
Frankenstein
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