Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Cartoon: Bin Laden's 72 Virgins (allhatnocattle.net)
Richard Roeper: Me generation could learn from the SEALs (suntimes.com)
But as of right now, we don't know the name of the man who took out bin Laden. Odds are we never will know that name.
Paul Krugman's Blog: Shadow of the Torturers (New York Times)
From day one of the War on Terror (TM), it was clear that the Bush people reveled in the notion that they were tough guys, willing to Do What Needs to be Done. They were all wannabe Kiefer Sutherlands. … And so they are, inevitably, deeply upset that someone who isn't a tough guy by their standards seems to be doing a better job of getting the terrorists than they did.
Bill Press: "Killing Osama bin Laden: Promise Made, Promise Kept" (Tribune Media Services)
From the Navy SEALs' daring raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, we learned a lot about the world's most wanted man. We learned he wasn't such a macho guy, after all. No cave for him. He was living in a mansion, he sent out for Pepsi and biscuits, he had money sewn into his clothes for a quick getaway. And there was no sign of a kidney dialysis machine. Yes, we learned a lot about Osama bin Laden. But we learned even more about Barack Obama.
Paul Krugman's Blog: Federal Tax Chutzpah (New York Times)
Chutzpah, according to the traditional definition, is when you murder your mother and father, then plead for mercy from the court on the grounds that you're an orphan. Something like that is now happening in the tax debate.
Scott Burns: Our Prius at 8 (assetbuilder.com)
The Burns family Prius, which we treat like an adored child, is now 8 years old. It will turn 100,000 miles before year end.
PETER CATAPANO: A Matter of Degrees (New York Times)
In 1940, a Brooklyn woman named Jean Kay filed a suit with the State Supreme Court against the her city's Board of Higher Education claiming that the renowned mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell was morally unfit to teach at the City College of New York, where he had been offered a professorship.
Rachel Kaufman: 'Desperate And Hungry' Cartoonist Sells Work On eBay, Profits (mediabistro.com)
Award-winning syndicated cartoonist Ted Rall had just lost a client.?So he did what any red-blooded capitalist would do: auctioned off his services on eBay.
Keith Stuart: "LA Noire: The interactive detective" (Guardian)
The makers of Grand Theft Auto are set to revolutionise gaming by exploring the noir crime genre. Here the aim is to interrogate criminals - not kill them
Connie Schultz: Hey. Mom: When Will I Stop Missing You? (Creators Syndicate)
If I could snap my fingers and travel back in time, I'd be 11-year-old me standing on third base in the field behind our house, cupping my hands around my mouth and yelling for Mom to hit me home.
David Bruce has 41 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $41 you can buy 10,250 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," and "Maximum Cool."
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Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
BadtotheboneBob
Saginaw Lumber Baron
From the 'You can't take it with ya, but ya can still call the shots' File
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny and windy, then a little unexpected rain.
Announce Separation
Shriver - $chwarzenegger
Former California Gov. Arnold $chwarzenegger and his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver, announced Monday that they are separating.
The statement, issued by a spokesman for $chwarzenegger, said the two were working on the future of their relationship while living apart and would continue to parent their four children together.
$chwarzenegger, a Republican, finished his seven-year run as governor in January and has been travelling the speech circuit and pursuing various entertainment projects.
Shriver, a member of the Kennedy political dynasty and the daughter of the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, left her job as an NBC reporter when $chwarzenegger took office. As the state's first lady, she ran an annual women's conference that attracted a long list of business, political and entertainment luminaries, along with an audience of thousands.
Shriver - $chwarzenegger
Named UNICEF Ambassador
Kadhim al-Sahir
UNICEF named Iraqi singer Kadhim al-Sahir, known as the "Czar of Arab Song," as a goodwill ambassador to Iraq on Monday.
Sahir, whose song "Me and Layla" is one of the most popular in Middle East music, was introduced by the United Nations Children's Fund at a news conference inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone on his first trip back to his homeland in 14 years.
Sahir, born in 1957 in the northern city of Mosul, started his career in the 1980s and gained a reputation for performing poems by prominent Arab poets.
UNICEF said he would focus on raising awareness and mobilizing support to respond to the needs of the most deprived and vulnerable of Iraq's 15 million children.
Kadhim al-Sahir
Gets Political
Sean Astin
Sean Astin helped save Middle-earth in "The Lord of the Rings" series. But can the actor who played good-hearted "Sam" in the big-screen trilogy save a first-time congressional candidate in California?
Astin is serving as campaign manager for entertainment industry executive Daniel H. Adler, who is one of 16 candidates in a special election next week in the coastal 36th Congressional District along the western edge of Los Angeles County..
Adler is waging an outsider's campaign against better-known and better-funded rivals, including Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn and California Secretary of State Deborah Bowen.
Astin says in a statement Monday that his longtime friend is the straight-talking alternative to career politicians.
Sean Astin
Two Dresses Sold
Princess Diana
Two dresses worn by the late princess Diana have been sold at an auction house in Beverly Hills for a total of $276,000, the seller has announced.
According to Julien's auction house, the first dress -- a black crepe evening gown with diamante paste embroidery on the short-sleeved top inspired by Indian motifs -- went for $144,000 on Sunday.
It was purchased for Diana's 1992 visit to India, when she accompanied her then-husband, Prince Charles on the trip.
The second dress -- a light blue silk chiffon, strapless, floor-length gown and accompanying stole -- was sold for $132,000.
It was worn by Diana three times, including at the Cannes film festival in 1987.
Princess Diana
Voluntarily Enters Rehab
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston is back in rehab.
A representative for the superstar singer confirmed Monday that Houston is undergoing treatment. Kristen Foster says Houston is in an out-patient program for drug and alcohol treatment. She says it is a voluntary measure and part of Houston's "long-standing" recovery process.
The 47-year-old, one of the most successful singers in pop music history, has battled problems with drug addiction for years. But in 2009, as she released a comeback album, she declared herself healthy and clean.
However, her 2010 tour overseas was troubled: Houston canceled some dates due to illness and received negative reviews from fans who were disappointed in the quality of her voice and performance. Earlier this year, she gave an uneven performance in tribute to cousin Dionne Warwick at music mogul Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy gala.
Whitney Houston
Gets TV Reality Series
Bristol Palin
The Bio Channel is giving Bristol Palin (R-Professional Hypocrite) a reality series.
The network said Monday that Palin will star in a 10-episode series. She is the daughter of former half-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Quitter) and a former contestant on the totally unrigged (cough, cough) "Dancing With the Stars."
The new series will follow her move from Alaska to Los Angeles with her son, Tripp, to work at a small charity.
The single mom will live with actor brothers Kyle and Christopher Massey. The network says Kyle Massey is a fellow "Dancing" contestant and good friend.
Bristol Palin
Plans Fall Arts Festival
PBS
PBS is planning a fall arts festival starting in October to highlight an area of programming where its executives say it can offer something different.
The arts programming will run on Friday nights for nine straight weeks. PBS said Monday it includes a special on women rock 'n' rollers, an exploration of American roots music narrated by Steve Martin called "Give Me the Banjo" and the San Francisco ballet performing "The Little Mermaid."
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger says that although "American Idol" remains popular on broadcast TV, there are relatively few outlets that show the breadth of arts that PBS is planning.
PBS' fall season will also include a documentary on the Prohibition by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.
PBS
Lays Off US Pros After Indictments
Absolute Poker
The parent company of online poker websites Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet said Monday it laid off 11 sponsored poker professionals in the United States as two of its executives face charges of tricking banks into processing illegal gambling payments.
Antigua-based Blanca Games said it has severed ties to players including Joe Sebok, Prahlad Friedman, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and "Real World" reality star Trishelle Cannatella.
The company said the indictments unsealed April 15 mean the company can't pay players to play poker. The legal actions in federal court in New York targeted 11 executives and alleged associates of Absolute, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, including Scott Tom and Brent Beckley of Absolute.
Full Tilt and PokerStars have announced agreements with the Department of Justice to return money to players, and PokerStars says its process has begun. But Absolute has said that while paying players is its top priority, it's reviewing the legal actions with its lawyers before moving ahead to make payments.
Absolute Poker
Returns Maori Head To New Zealand
France
France on Monday handed back the tattooed, mummified head of a Maori tribesman to New Zealand authorities, marking the end of a years-long struggle by the Maori people to bring home their dead and lay them to rest.
Spiritual leaders chanted traditional laments to celebrate the restitution and rubbed noses with officials in Rouen, where the relic or "Toi Moko" had been kept since 1875 when it was given to the Natural History Museum by a private collector.
The head, believed to be that of a Maori warrior killed in battle, is the first of 16 that are to be sent back to New Zealand by next year after France passed a law in 2010 stating the remains should be allowed to return home.
"While Toi Moko have been curiosities for the public to enjoy, they are still our ancestors," said Michelle Hippolyte, a Maori spiritual leader and co-director of the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum in Wellington where the head will now be transported.
France
Adds Hollywood Movies For Rental
YouTubes
YouTube is adding more than 3,000 mainstream movies for users to rent starting on Monday, along with the millions of free user-created videos the popular website is best known for.
Google Inc-owned YouTube is offering a mix of recent Hollywood blockbusters, independent and foreign movies for 99 cents up to $3.99 each. These include last year's Oscar winners "The King's Speech" and "Inception" alongside classics including "Scarface" and "Taxi Driver." Most of the movies on the site are priced around $2.99.
In addition, hundreds of movies, including some offered before the latest launch, are available for free viewing as with other clips.
Once users have upgraded their YouTube accounts they can pay to watch a movie, which they have 30 days to begin viewing. Once users begin watching the movie, they typically have 24 hours to finish.
YouTubes
Shifting Back West Of International Dateline
Samoa
The South Pacific island nation of Samoa announced plans Monday to jump forward in time by one day by switching to the west side of the international dateline - 119 years after it moved the other way in a bid to boost its trade and economy.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi cited the same reasons for shifting back, saying moving forward a day will make doing business with key partners Australia and New Zealand "far, far easier and more convenient."
The move will see the independent Polynesian nation share the same date and a similar time as its Pacific neighbors, including Australia and New Zealand.
Samoa and neighboring American Samoa lied west of the international dateline until 1892, when a U.S. business trader convinced both to switch to the east, moving back to the previous day's date. Samoa has long marketed itself as the last place on earth to see the sun each day.
Samoa
Armies Of Volunteers Aid Research
Citizen Science
Environmental scientist Chris Bowser pulled a tiny shrimp-like creature from the muck in an eel trap as teenagers in chest waders surrounded him in the rushing Fall Kill, where they were collecting transparent baby eels.
Besides being a researcher in the state's Hudson River Estuary Program, Bowser leads citizen projects that collect reams of data for scientists and resource management agencies while engaging volunteers in hands-on science and teaching them something about the world around them. His Steve Irwin-style exuberance and enthusiasm for his subject matter make Bowser an ideal leader in the rapidly expanding world of citizen science.
Once restricted mainly to counting birds - most famously, in Audubon's 111-year-old Christmas Bird Count - citizen science has expanded rapidly in recent years, both in number and variety of projects. Some projects count things - fireflies, ladybugs, frogs, herring. Others record data on water quality, weather, flower budding and other phenomena. Still others already have the data but need a lot of people to sort through it.
Darlene Cavalier, whose ScienceForCitizens website brings together volunteers and research projects, said she started the site when she was a graduate student writing a thesis on promoting citizen science. The site's growth from a blog listing about 40 projects in 2006 to a busy portal with more than 400 projects in its database today mirrors the expansion of citizen science in the U.S., Cavalier said.
Citizen Science
In Memory
John Walker
John Walker, the American-born musician who was the frontman for the Walker Brothers, one of the most successful bands of Britain's Golden Age of rock `n' roll, has died at age 67.
Walker died Saturday of liver cancer, his personal assistant, Polly Klemmer, told The Associated Press. He had continued to work until just a few weeks ago, making his last concert appearance in Los Angeles in March, Klemmer said Sunday.
He had his greatest success as the guitarist and vocalist for the Walker Brothers, which produced such 1960s hits as "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," "Love Her," "Make it Easy on Yourself" and "My Ship Is Comin' In."
While the Beatles and other British groups were remaking the face of rock `n' roll during the so-called British invasion of America in the mid-1960s, Walker moved from the United States to England instead.
There, he and two other Americans, bassist Scott Engel and drummer Gary Leeds, called themselves the Walker Brothers and each adopted Walker as his surname, although they were not related. They had instant success with their first British recording, 1964's "Love Her," and a string of hits quickly followed.
Walker, who was born John Maus, had begun using the name Walker professionally when he was 17, adopting it, according to some accounts, so he could obtain a fake I.D. that allowed him to play at nightclubs he was too young to legally enter.
He, Engel and drummer Al "Tiny" Schneider, first used the name Walker Brothers when they worked as the house band at the Hollywood nightclub Gazzari's, shortly before he and Engel moved to Britain and joined Leeds.
As part of the Walker Brothers, he toured the world and sold more than 23 million records, according to his website.
The group also appeared on numerous British television shows in the 1960s, including the popular music programs "Ready, Steady, Go," "Top of the Pops" and the "Billy Cotton Band Show." He also appeared in the film "Beach Ball," the German music series "Beat Club" and other shows.
Walker, who took up the guitar at age 14, began performing professionally in the late 1950s. By the early 1960s he was a regular at such popular Hollywood clubs as Pandora's Box on the Sunset Strip and on the college circuit.
During those years, he worked with such musicians as Ritchie Valens and Glen Campbell, with producer Phil Spector and songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, who wrote for the Monkees and other groups.
Although he returned to the United States in the 1980s, Klemmer said Sunday that Walker continued to tour England every year as part of a "Silver 60s" show until his health declined last year. He was diagnosed with cancer in December.
Walker is survived by his wife, Cynthia; a sister, Judy Hoyt; children Jamie Maus Anderson, Nickoletta Drew Maus, Adam Sarrazin and Heather Stewart, as well as several grandchildren.
John Walker
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