Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Helaine Olen: Freshman Democrats are wrong. Voters are very concerned about Trump's corruption. (Washington Post)
The Miami Herald reports Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, while serving as a U.S. attorney a decade ago, likely played a role in arranging a plea deal that allowed multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein to spend a little more than a year in jail on minor charges when copious evidence existed that he had abused multitudes of underage teens. … Left unchecked, corruption undermines faith in government and society. It implicates everyone it touches. If Democrats decide to let this go, it's quite possible that voters will think they were once again had by politicians. On a pragmatic level, that's not a recommended path to reelection. On a national level, the results could be devastating.
Helaine Olen: Why a lousy dispute between two health-care giants could cost Americans (Washington Post)
Buying health care is not like buying a dress for a holiday party or a new car. Not only can you not do without it, it's often purchased under duress. Insurance company directories listing in-network providers are frequently out-of-date, something the government rarely punishes. Doctors and hospitals rarely list prices in advance. Consumers and insurers frequently disagree on the definition of an emergency.
Paul Waldman: Why Republicans pretend that Google searches are biased against them (Washington Post)
[House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy] was applying an old technique to a new phantom problem, a technique sometimes referred to as "working the refs." It has worked effectively for conservatives for decades in their confrontations with the news media, so why not try to use it against Internet companies, too? It's pretty simple. Conservatives make unceasing, angry accusations of liberal bias, no matter what the content of news (or Google searches) actually is. Sometimes they might have a legitimate complaint and sometimes they don't, but it doesn't matter, because the accusation never changes.
Garrison Keillor: Time passes except when it suddenly leaps backward (Satire)
The other morning at the coffee shop, I said, "Good morning, dear" to the barista. I knew I shouldn't say it but she had given me such a sweet smile, I thought maybe she is the granddaughter of an old classmate, maybe she loves my writing. She stiffened when I deared her. She said, "You are using your power position as a customer to imply an intimate relationship that doesn't exist and thereby enjoy a fantasy that is demeaning to me." I said, "Your smile implied a personal relationship and made me think I might know you and simply had forgotten your name." She said, "You're out of your mind." And I showed her my Autist card. She said, "I am so sorry. I had no idea you were mentally handicapped." And then she recognized her mistake, using the forbidden h-word. I told the manager and she was fired. I got a gift certificate for two dozen lattes. Cool.
Jonathan Jones: Penises of the ancient world: phallus found in Roman toilet was far from the first (The Guardian)
A mosaic of a young man holding his erect penis has been found in a Roman toilet in Turkey. But portraying the male member is a tradition that stretches much further back in human history.
Alison Flood: Brazilian booksellers face wave of closures that leave sector in crisis (The Guardian)
Recession and rising prices have left the book trade fighting for its life, with one publisher appealing to readers for help by buying books at Christmas.
"It's a Pretty Good Start (Blame Game)" (Wordpress)
Written & performed by George J. Raymond.
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Presenting
Michael Egan
took the day off.
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Reader Comment
Memories
A lot of people in trouble the last few days. Reminds me of these dudes from the past. ;)
DJ Useo
Thanks, Konrad!
And then they could hire "Dewey, Cheatem, & Howe".
from Bruce
Anecdotes
• A controversy arose in 2010 about a mosque being erected near Ground Zero-that is, near the site of the former World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the infamous September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. Actually, the "mosque" would have been a community center with a prayer room rather than a mosque, but most people railing against the "mosque" did not know that. In the United States, of course, the First Amendment guarantees the freedom of religion, but many people railing against the "mosque" seem not to know that. Two women who do understand that, and who understand something that Roger Ebert writes ("Where one religion can build a church, so can all religions") are a couple of strippers near the 9-11 site. Cassandra is a stripper at New York Dolls. At first, she was concerned that the call to the five daily prayers of Islam would annoy the neighbors, but once she learned that no loudspeakers would be used, she said, "I don't know what the big deal is. It's freedom of religion, you know?" And Chris, a stripper at the Pussycat Lounge (and a Red Cross volunteer who helped 9-11 survivors, and a woman who lost eight firefighter friends and neighbors on 9-11) said, "They're not building a mosque in the World Trade Center. It's all good. You have your synagogues and your churches. And you have a mosque." Mr. Ebert writes, "Cassandra and Chris reflect American values more instinctively and correctly on this issue, let it be said, than Sarah Palin, Howard Dean, Newt Gingrich, Harry Reid and Rudy Giuliani, who should know better."
• Jello Biafra, the lead singer of the Dead Kennedys, once ran a satirical campaign for mayor of San Francisco, during which his platform included such planks as 1) making everyone who worked in the business section wear clown costumes during business hours, 2) hiring back 7,000 city employees who had been laid off and making their job panhandling in rich neighborhoods at a 50% commission, 3) making police officers run campaigns to be rehired in the neighborhoods they patrol (residents in those neighborhoods would cast votes) and 4) legalizing squatting in buildings that were vacant because of tax reasons. As is the case with satire, his humor had a point. For example, he says, "In San Francisco, land of the homeless, there are so many buildings left empty for tax write-off purposes-it's obscene."
• After Dan White, a former police officer and city supervisor, murdered San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and city supervisor Harvey Milk, he used the Twinkie defense (he claimed that eating junk food had diminished his ability to use his reason) to get only a 5-year sentence as punishment for committing the two murders. Jello Biafra, lead singer of the Dead Kennedys, regarded this as outrageous, and when he ran for Mayor of San Francisco, he ran on a platform one of whose planks advocated the erection of many Dan White statues in San Francisco-along with concession stands where people could buy eggs and tomatoes to throw at the statues.
• As a politician running for the office of President of the United States, John F. Kennedy shook many, many hands (sometimes using both of his hands), and his own hands were often sore. In addition, overeager fans reaching into his car sometimes tore off the buttons of his coat. Often, the cuffs of his shirts became shredded from his interactions with voters and fans, and so his aides carried around spare cuffs for him. By the way, Mr. Kennedy was not like some modern politicians who wished to avoid active service in the military. Mr. Kennedy tried to enlist twice in the United States armed forces during World War II, but he failed the physical examination both times. He used his family connections to get into the United States Navy, a branch of the armed forces in which he became a war hero.
• Gore Vidal tells this story about John "Jack" F. Kennedy: John's father was Joseph Kennedy, a very wealthy man who spent large amounts of money getting John elected to public offices, including the Presidency. After John was elected President in 1960, Joe took all nine of his children, including John, to Palm Beach, where he told them, "All you read about the Kennedy fortune is untrue. It's non-existent. We've spent so much getting Jack elected, and not one of you is living within your income." Joe then turned to John and asked, "Mr. President, what's the solution?" John answered, "The solution is simple. You all gotta work harder."
• In France (at least until recently), politicians and civil-service workers were expected to be well read. In 2006, French President Nicholas Sarkozy got book lovers angry at him when he suggested that civil service entrance exams should not include questions about such things as the 17th-century French novel La Princesse de Clèves by Madame de La Fayette. Lovers of the works of La Fayette immediately did such things as arrange public readings of La Princesse de Clèves. In addition, the writer Jacques Drillon suggested that since Mr. Sarkozy is not well read, citizens of France should perform the good deed of mailing him books.
• On December 1, 1854, a national referendum was held in Mexico to determine whether Antonio López de Santa Anna should continue in office as President of Mexico. Voters signed their names in one of two books: one book recorded votes favorable to Santa Anna, and the other recorded votes against Santa Anna. After the referendum, in which the citizens of Mexico overwhelming voted that he continue in office, Santa Anna arrested everyone who had signed the book that recorded votes against him.
• Even back when he was a stand-up comic, Minnesota Senator Al Franken was interested in politics. Henry Kissinger once personally telephoned the offices of Saturday Night Live to request tickets to the show. Mr. Franken answered the phone and told him, "No." When Mr. Kissinger asked why he couldn't get the tickets, Mr. Franken told him, "Because of the bombing of Cambodia."
• "Politics: the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other." - Oscar Ameringer
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© Copyright Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved
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Reader Suggestion
Edward Gorey
For Edward Gorey Fans
So when I lived in Glenwood Springs, CO, in the mid- to late-70s a good friend introduced me to Edward Gorey. We bought and read and laughed and puzzled over his books, and his wonderful pen and ink and watercolor drawings (one of my favorite media in high school art class). So I stumbled onto this article, maybe through Flipboard or California Sun or some other news subscription to which I subscribe and rarely engage (sometimes I don't have the time to read everything that shows up in my inboxes). Anyway, for those looking for ironic, slightly unsettling and occasionally truly funny moments, enjoy Edward Gorey.
Between you and me: I'm fighting off a cold/flu thing and since Monday have felt like warmed-over crap.Hence my late submission: too sick to be more timely. Hope you're running on time, Marty.
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
Reader Comment
Current Events
Linda >^..^<
We are all only temporarily able bodied.
Thanks, Linda!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
JD is on vacation.
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Mostly sunny.
First Homeless Character
'Sesame Street'
Sesame Street continues to tackle important issues.
With its young audience in mind, the children's show has educated about AIDS, incarceration and autism. Now it will be exploring homelessness in an online storyline involving the Muppet Lily. The character was first introduced in 2011 when it was explained that her family was experiencing food insecurity. In new clips posted online, the character now reveals her family is living with friends on Sesame Street because they lost their home.
"Now we don't have our own place to live, and sometimes I wonder if we'll ever have our own home again," Lily says in one clip.
"Lily is the first Muppet we've created whose storyline includes that she is experiencing homelessness," said Sherrie Westin, the president of global impact and philanthropy for Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street. "When Lily was first launched, she came out as part of the food insecurity initiative. So she's not brand new, but this seemed like a really perfect extension of her story, so that we could use her to help children identify with."
Interestingly, the storyline won't appear on televised episodes of the show. Instead, it's part of Sesame Workshop's Sesame Street in Communities program - and it will be featured online in videos, stories and other resources.
'Sesame Street'
'Episode IX' Script
Mark Hamill
The security measures for the next "Star Wars" movie are tighter and thornier than a Sarlacc pit. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mark Hamill compared obtaining pages for the as of yet untitled "Episode IX" like being in the CIA.
Hamill said that while measures to make sure nothing leaks about the new "Star Wars" films have always been tight, they've been strengthened even more for this film, so much so that he isn't allowed to hang on to a paper script of the movie.
"They're going to fly [the rewrites] over with somebody from the company," Hamill told EW. "They're going to come and give it to me and wait for me to read it before I give it back. So no pressure! You can't even keep it overnight. But that's the way it is now."
Hamill is currently on set in Prague filming the History show "Knightfall," and said he received his pages for the script on hard-to-read dark red paper, a security measure that was used on "The Last Jedi" to prevent anyone from attempting to copy the pages, as a copy machine would render the pages black and unreadable.
On that film, Hamill was allowed to keep the pages so he could make hand-written notes, but he was forced to lock it in a safe overnight and never let it out of his sight when he carried it around. Now they can't even trust the Luke Skywalker actor to do that.
Mark Hamill
Settles With Accusers
CBS News
CBS News has reached a settlement with three women who accuse former TV host Charlie Rose of sexual harassment.
Business Insiderreports last night that the suit against the news division was ended late last week but the civil suit against Rose continues. "The matter has been resolved," a CBS spokesperson told Deadline today, adding that the amount the matter was settled for by the company is to remain confidential at the request of the plaintiffs.
Katherine Brooks Harris, Chelsea Wei and Sydney McNeal worked with Rose between 2016 and this year. Brooks Harris and Wei were staffers at CBS This Morning, which Rose co-hosted, and McNeal was an assistant to Rose at PBS, where he hosted an eponymous program.
The trio, all of whom are in their 20s, sued against CBS and Rose in May in the New York Supreme Court, claiming sexual harassment and retailiation. According to the suit, they were assigned jobs where they were "were required to spend a substantial amount of time working with Mr. Rose," who is in his mid-70s. The suit says he "subjected Plaintiffs to repeated, ongoing and unlawful physical and verbal sexual harassment, including without limitation: (a) sexual touching; (b) sexual comments; and (c) sexual advances."
CBS News
Most Modern Robot
Russia
A robot hailed as the most advanced created in Russia was actually just a man in a suit.
The android - known as Boris - took to the stage at a Russian technology conference to delight the world with its entirely lifelike moving and dancing. It was so impressive that it appeared on Russian state television, celebrated as the most modern robot, and produced by a team of students.
Video of the event went around the world, showing him taking part in banter with people on stage and being led through a series of dances. Its success was used to encourage children to explore robotics, and as proof of a technological breakthrough.
It was clear that if the robot was real it would be one of the most advanced examples of robotics in the world. Soon after that celebration, however, it became clear that it was so lifelike because it was literally alive, with a man standing inside its body controlling its functions.
Local reports straight away noted a variety of things wrong with the robot.
Russia
Sex Harassment Deal
Congress
After months of negotiations, lawmakers in the House and Senate have reached an agreement on Wednesday on legislation that would address how sexual harassment claims are dealt with in Congress, it was announced Wednesday.
The legislation would hold members of Congress personally liable for awards and settlements stemming from harassment and related retaliation they personally commit, including those who leave office. They can no longer pay out settlements with taxpayer funds and would be required to foot the bill within 90 days or their wages could be garnished.
The legislation is a major reform of the reporting and adjudication process for congressional employees. It comes as a reaction to a significant number of current and former congressional aides - mostly women - who revealed that they were harassed by a member of Congress or a high-ranking aide. In just this Congress, it led to the resignation of at half a dozen members after allegations surfaced.
The 11th-hour agreement before the congressional session is set to end in just one week is the product of a months-long negotiation between the House and Senate who passed their own bills earlier this year.
In addition to holding lawmakers personally accountable, it would also require the public reporting of a settlement, including naming the member of Congress who paid the settlement.
Congress
13 'Yule Lads'
Iceland
The people of northern Iceland have had their travel plans disrupted with a record high snowfall this December. Roads have been shut, flights cancelled and school suspended.
But for the children of this isolated North Atlantic island nation, the main worry is how the waist-high snow might affect the Icelandic Santa, Stekkjastaur, who comes to town Wednesday.
Stekkjastaur, after all, has a stiff peg-leg. He is one of 13 mischievous troll brothers, called the Yule Lads, who have entertained and also frightened Icelandic children for hundreds of years.
Instead of a friendly Santa Claus, children in Iceland enjoy favors from the brothers, who come down from their mountain cave 13 days before Christmas according to folklore.
The brothers are loud, reckless, and have names like Door-Slammer, Window-Peeper, Meat-Hook, Candle-Stealer - reflecting their preferred method of pranks or criminal behavior. But they claim to be mostly rehabilitated, and Sausage-Swiper is now keen to host barbecues.
Iceland
Streets Paved After Factory Leak
Chocolate
There was one sweet mess in the German town of Werl on Monday, when liquid chocolate seeped out of a factory and onto the street. A storage tank overflowed at DreiMeister's chocolate factory, and the molten candy seeped through the gates, freezing on the cold pavement and leaving firefighters with one big headache.
"About a ton of chocolate ran out into the yard and from there onto the street, " a spokesman for the Werl Fire Brigade said in a statement, translated from German. "A ten-square-meter choco-pancake formed."
The flood of chocolate became quite a traffic hazard, leaving firefighters with no choice but to break out their tools. They "eliminated the sweet danger with shovels and muscle power," the department said.
But chocolate lovers don't have to worry - despite the mishap, there's apparently plenty more chocolate left.
Or as the fire official put it: "Despite the heartbreaking incident, it is unlikely that a chocolate-free Christmas is imminent in Werl."
Chocolate
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