from Bruce
Anecdotes
Death
• In 1986, nurse anesthetist Kathleen Hanna assisted in an operation on a 47-year-old man who had suffered from an acute myocardial infarction. He was nervous about the necessary upcoming operation and talked to nurse Hanna about his 13-year-old daughter and how much he loved her and the other members of his family. The operation went badly, and the physician realized that the patient needed to be made unconscious for the rest of the operation. The patient then told nurse Hanna, “Please tell my family I love them.” The patient died on the operation table, but nurse Hanna wrote later, “I went to his family after the surgeon had spoken with them and gave them [the patient’s] message. These were the last words he said — his final thought. The family said it gave them some comfort, and I was glad to be able to deliver it to them.”
• Wisdom can be ancient, or modern. This ancient wisdom comes from the Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5:14: A fox wanted to eat some grapes in a vineyard, but he was unable to squeeze through a narrow opening in the fence. Therefore, he fasted for three days, and once he had slimmed down, he ate his fill of grapes. However, the fox discovered that he was unable to get out of the vineyard because he was too fat to squeeze through the narrow opening in the fence. Therefore, the fox again fasted for three days so he could get outside the vineyard. Once outside of the vineyard, the fox turned around and said, “Vineyard, vineyard, how good is your fruit! All that is within you is beautiful and worthy of praise. But of what use are you? Just as one enters you, one must come out.” As one enters and leaves the vineyard, so one enters and leaves life.
• In 1975, nurse Kelly Gaul had an elderly patient who was dying of lung cancer and who often had radiation treatment. However, one day he said that he did not want to have the radiation treatment: Being moved was painful, and the table he was put on for radiation treatment was hard. He wanted to get cleaned up, wear clean pajamas, and spend time with his wife. Nurse Kelly told him that he could skip the radiation treatment — although the radiologist was furious — and she got him cleaned up and put clean pajamas on him. He spent time with his wife and died that afternoon. She then sat quietly with his wife, who held her hand. Nurse Kelly writes, “Somewhere, somehow, I, like so many other nurses, decided that patients and moments were what mattered.”
• Henry Rollins says that he is not especially brave, but that he does not have much fear. While he was in Iraq, he was in a building signing autographs for the troops. Bombs started hitting the building, and a soldier told him, “Sir! You’re in a fortified building! You’re in no danger!” Mr. Rollins said, “Cool!” Then he signed more autographs. The soldier asked him, “Sir! You’re not scared?” Mr. Rollins replied, “Oh, I’m scared. I just don’t really care when I die.” He made an impression on the soldier, who said to him, “Sir? Uh … that’s really f**ked up.”
• In the Old cemetery in Washington, New Hampshire, is a grave monument that says, “Capt. Samuel Jones’ Leg which was amputated July 7 1804.” The rest of Captain Jones is buried on Rhode Island, where he moved after having his leg amputated.
• As a newspaper reporter in the early 20th century, Ben Hecht witnessed many executions — all hangings. He remembers at one hanging, a condemned man was asked if he had any last words. The condemned man replied, “Not at this time.”
***
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Presenting
Michael Egan
answered:
In memory.
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
BANDCAMP MUSIC
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION OF BANDCAMP MUSIC
Music: "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"
Album: MOSRITE REBIRTH
Artist: Kerry Marx
Info:
“The Mosrite Rebirth album features songs originally played by The Ventures, Iron Butterfly, Joe Maphis, Ramones, Jimi Hendrix and other great artists in music history. Now, these unforgettable tunes are returning with performances by world well-known musicians.”
This mostly instrumental album features Mosrite guitars.
C.J. Ramone plays two Ramones songs on this album.
This album appears on the Bandcamp Web page of Jiro / Kamikazi (Los Angeles, California.” Jiro was Riche Ramone’s ex-bassist and he plays in the all-Japanese band Kamikazi.
Price: $1 (USD) for track; $10 for 17-track album
Genre: Mostly Instrumental.
Links:
MOSRITE REBIRTH
Jiro/Kamikazi on Bandcamp
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Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Stephen Suggests
Holiday Ride
This commercial caught my eye on Saturday
Yea, it got me.
New Venture
Michael Egan
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
Recommended
Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki
.
Senator Manchin’s comments this morning on FOX are at odds with his discussions this week with the President, with White House staff, and with his own public utterances. Weeks ago, Senator Manchin committed to the President, at his home in Wilmington, to support the Build Back Better framework that the President then subsequently announced. Senator Manchin pledged repeatedly to negotiate on finalizing that framework “in good faith.”
On Tuesday of this week, Senator Manchin came to the White House and submitted—to the President, in person, directly—a written outline for a Build Back Better bill that was the same size and scope as the President’s framework, and covered many of the same priorities. While that framework was missing key priorities, we believed it could lead to a compromise acceptable to all. Senator Manchin promised to continue conversations in the days ahead, and to work with us to reach that common ground. If his comments on FOX and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position, and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate.
Senator Manchin claims that this change of position is related to inflation, but the think tank he often cites on Build Back Better—the Penn Wharton Budget Institute—issued a report less than 48 hours ago that noted the Build Back Better Act will have virtually no impact on inflation in the short term, and, in the long run, the policies it includes will ease inflationary pressures. Many leading economists with whom Senator Manchin frequently consults also support Build Back Better.
Build Back Better lowers costs that families pay. It will reduce what families pay for child care. It will reduce what they pay for prescription drugs. It will lower health care premiums. And it puts a tax cut in the pockets of families with kids. If someone is concerned about the impact that higher prices are having on families, this bill gives them a break.
Senator Manchin cited deficit concerns in his statement. But the plan is fully paid for, is the most fiscally responsible major bill that Congress has considered in years, and reduces the deficit in the long run. The Congressional Budget Office report that the Senator cites analyzed an unfunded extension of Build Back Better. That’s not what the President has proposed, not the bill the Senate would vote on, and not what the President would support. Senator Manchin knows that: The President has told him that repeatedly, including this week, face to face.
Likewise, Senator Manchin’s statement about the climate provisions in Build Back Better are wrong. Build Back Better will produce a job-creating clean energy future for this country—including West Virginia.
Just as Senator Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word.
In the meantime, Senator Manchin will have to explain to those families paying $1,000 a month for insulin why they need to keep paying that, instead of $35 for that vital medicine. He will have to explain to the nearly two million women who would get the affordable day care they need to return to work why he opposes a plan to get them the help they need. Maybe Senator Manchin can explain to the millions of children who have been lifted out of poverty, in part due to the Child Tax Credit, why he wants to end a program that is helping achieve this milestone—we cannot.
We are proud of what we have gotten done in 2021: the American Rescue Plan, the fastest decrease in unemployment in U.S. history, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, over 200 million Americans vaccinated, schools reopened, the fastest rollout of vaccines to children anywhere in the world, and historic appointments to the Federal judiciary.
But we will not relent in the fight to help Americans with their child care, health care, prescription drug costs, and elder care—and to combat climate change. The fight for Build Back Better is too important to give up. We will find a way to move forward next year.
Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki
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Reader Comment
Current Events
Of course
Lying liar continues non-stop lying. F***er! WHY does no one blame him for killing all the people who've needlessly died from covid?! The blood of all those hundreds of thousands of Americans is on HIS tiny hands! He makes Caligula look like an amateur. From this afternoon's Axios:
Former President Trump revealed on Bill O'Reilly's "History Tour" that he has received a booster, while speaking out against vaccine mandates.
* Back in September, Trump told the Wall Street Journal that getting boosted was "probably not for me."
The big picture: Trump often downplayed the pandemic and delivered mixed signals on the shot.
Linda >^..^<
We are all only temporarily able bodied.
Thanks, Linda!
that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
I need to retrieve some stuff from the East coast, and sooner rather than later.
My car is too small - there're about 40 old decanters, some glassware, some china, and a painting.
Thought about replacing my little car, but would rather not - a station wagon or van should be adequate.
So, that means:
1. Flying back east (I loathe flying, especially in a pandemic), pick up a rent-a-something in Pittsburgh, find packing stuff there, then drive north, pack up & load up, and return west.
Or
2. Rent-a-something here (avoid the airports altogether), drive east, load up, then drive west. If I drive both ways I can take along the packing stuff and other things that will probably come in handy.
Or
?
Any ideas/suggestions/recommendations?
One suggestion was to take the train, but the nearest stop is in New York state, and it's further than Pittsburgh.
Might Retire
Lorne Michaels
It’s been nearly 50 years since Lorne Michaels created Saturday Night Live, and he’s been running it and executive producing it ever since—save for a stretch when he left to do other things in the ‘80s that was so infamously disastrous it seemingly proved that he’s never allowed to leave ever again. NBC better start coming up with a better plan to replace him than last time, though, because Michaels might be ready to retire from the show fairly soon.
This comes from an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, during which Michaels suggested the show’s 50th anniversary could be a “really good time to leave.” That’s three years away still, so NBC doesn’t need to panic yet about finding a replacement or losing its direct line to Michaels’ best friend Paul Simon, but Michaels did note to King that he has “a sense of where we’re headed” in terms of who might serve as showrunner/executive producer after him. Maybe they could have a long “audition” process like Jeopardy! did and then choose the worst option and then a back-up option that is also bad when the first one doesn’t work out?
One thing that weighs on Michaels’ mind when it comes to contemplating his departure is that he “won’t want the show ever to be bad,” because it’s been his “life’s work” and he intends to do what we can to “see it carry on and carry on well.” As for the show ever being bad, we have some unfortunate news for him: Everyone thinks the show was better when they were younger, just like how everyone thinks everything was better when they were younger, so he probably doesn’t need to worry that much.
In the lead-up to season 100, old people will be talking about how much better season 50 was and how it’s weird to think of President Pete Davidson being on a comedy show. (We assume that Pete Davidson will become president in the next few decades, alongside Secretary Of State Machine Gun Kelly.)
Lorne Michaels
Files Lawsuit
Trevor Noah
The Daily Show and forthcoming Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah has filed a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court against a hospital and an orthopedic surgeon after what he calls a “botched procedure.”
According to the complaint, Noah was under the care of surgeon Dr. Riley Williams III from August 25, 2020 through approximately Dec. 17, 2020 for an undisclosed surgery and other various treatments.
In the suit, Noah alleges all care he was given at the Hospital for Special Surgery under Williams’ watch “was performed and rendered in a negligent and careless manner, and constituted professional negligence. The complaint accuses the surgeon of “failing to use approved methods in general use in the care and treatment.”
The complaint alleges Noah endured “sustained permanent, severe and grievous injuries” following the cited surgery on November 23, 2020.
Williams specializes in knee, elbow, and shoulder surgery and serves as the medical director and head team orthopedic surgeon for NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, WNBA’s New York Liberty, and the New York Red Bulls. He also works as a team physician for USA Basketball.
Trevor Noah
Rules Changes
Emmy
The Television Academy has announced rules changes for the 74th Emmy Awards.
The adjustment addresses the longstanding issue of comedy and drama genres’ evolution on television that has led to hourlong comedies, dramedies as well as half-hour series that are more dramatic than comedic, with series like Shameless and Orange Is the New Black changing categorization during their runs. A program’s length has now been eliminated as criteria for comedy and drama series categorization
Additionally, the TV Academy has extended the “no double Oscar-Emmy dipping” rule they imposed for documentaries in June to original movies. Any film placed on the viewing platform for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will now be deemed a theatrical motion picture and thus ineligible for the Emmy competition. That would prevent streamers to give some of their movies Emmy consideration if they didn’t land Oscar nominations.
The Academy’s Board of Governors affirmed the 2022 Emmy Awards rules and procedures, as recommended by the Awards Committee, which also include changes in the stunts and voice-over categories and expanded entry eligibility for various professionals working on reality programming, animation and special visual effects.
Emmy
Postponed
AFI Awards
For the second year in a row, the AFI Awards luncheon — a major stop on the film and TV awards circuit — has been impacted by a surge in COVID cases. The event, at which AFI’s picks for the year’s 10 best films and 10 best TV shows are honored, was set to take place on Friday, Jan 7, 2022.
“In response to the rising concerns over current health conditions, the organization will reschedule the much-anticipated event for a later date,” AFI said in a statement.
Added AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale, “The goal of AFI Awards is to bring together the creative community at a private event founded in hugs and handshakes. Because that goal is not achievable at this time, we will be postponing the event until we can properly celebrate the artists in a manner worthy of the gifts they have given the world.”
This announcement comes just hours after the cancelation of the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s awards gala, which was set for Jan. 6, and the postponement of the BAFTA Tea, which was set for Jan. 8.
AFI Awards
Issues Rules
Pentagon
Warning that extremism in the ranks is increasing, Pentagon officials issued detailed new rules Monday prohibiting service members from actively engaging in extremist activities. The new guidelines come nearly a year after some current and former service members participated in the riot at the U.S. Capitol, triggering a broad department review.
According to the Pentagon, fewer than 100 military members are known to have been involved in substantiated cases of extremist activity in the past year. But they warn that the number may grow given recent spikes in domestic violent extremism, particularly among veterans.
Officials said the new policy doesn’t largely change what is prohibited but is more of an effort to make sure troops are clear on what they can and can’t do, while still protecting their First Amendment right to free speech. And for the first time, it is far more specific about social media.
The new policy lays out in detail the banned activities, which range from advocating terrorism or supporting the overthrow of the government to fundraising or rallying on behalf of an extremist group or “liking” or reposting extremist views on social media. The rules also specify that commanders must determine two things in order for someone to be held accountable: that the action was an extremist activity, as defined in the rules, and that the service member “actively participated” in that prohibited activity.
The risk of extremism in the military can be more dangerous because many service members have access to classified information about sensitive military operations or other national security information that could help adversaries. And extremist groups routinely recruit former and current service members because of their familiarity with weapons and combat tactics.
Pentagon
Boy Named
The Exorcist
The boy whose case inspired the portrayal of a demon-possessed child in the 1973 horror movie classic The Exorcist has been named.
The US magazine the Skeptical Inquirer named the then 14-year-old boy, previously known as Roland Doe, who underwent exorcisms in Cottage City, Maryland, and St Louis, Missouri, in 1949.
Ronald Edwin Hunkeler died last year, a month before his 86th birthday, after suffering a stroke at home in Marriottsville, Maryland.
In adult life, Hunkeler was a Nasa engineer whose work contributed to the Apollo space missions of the 1960s and who patented a technology that helped space shuttle panels withstand extreme heat.
William Peter Blatty, who wrote the 1971 novel and the film based on the same name, first heard about Hunkeler’s apparent demonic possession when he was a senior at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
The Exorcist
Stolen Bridge Found
Ohio
A 58-foot-long (18-meter) pedestrian bridge stolen from an Ohio city last month has been found and a man is facing charges, police said.
Akron police said investigators acting on tips and other information Friday afternoon found the missing span partially disassembled on property in Sharon Township in neighboring Medina County. A man has been arrested and charged with felony theft, police said.
The Akron bridge, described as a Lego-like structure, once crossed a river in Akron’s Middlebury Run Park near Goodyear’s world headquarters. It was taken down in 2003-04 as part of a wetland restoration project and was stored on park property with plans for it to be reused for a Battered Women’s shelter project.
Police discovered on Nov. 3 that someone had removed the treated deck boards of the 10-foot-wide (3-meter-wide), 6-foot-tall (2-meter-tall) structure. On Nov. 11, they found that the metal frame had been taken.
A 63-year-old man was charged with felony theft, according to Akron police and court records. Authorities allege that he paid a trucking company for crane service and the firm picked up the bridge and took it to Medina County.
Ohio
Quantum Entangled A With A Qubit?
Tardigrade
A team of physicists claims to have entangled a superconducting qubit and a tardigrade, moving the freezing, tiny, and well-controlled world of quantum into the "hot and wet" systems of life.
However, the results described in this preprint paper are not quite so cut and dried, and many quantum researchers are arguing that the poor tardigrade wasn't entangled in a meaningful way.
"I also don't know how [serious] the authors were about this – it could be a tongue-in-cheek piece," writes Rice University physics professor Douglas Natelson.
"That said, it's important to point out that the authors did not entangle a tardigrade with a qubit in any meaningful sense. This is not 'quantum biology'."
In this new preprint paper made available on arXiv, the researchers took a tardigrade species called Ramazzottius varieornatus, and placed it into a dehydrated cryptobiosis. They then cooled it down to just 10 millikelvin over absolute zero, and put it under extremely low pressure of just 0.000006 millibars.
Tardigrade
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