You don’t know who Nellie Bly is, do you? She pioneered investigative journalism. — Sorkin Dialogue (@sorkinese) May 5, 2015 Google is celebrating Nellie Bly today with a little cartoony thing. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s has written a song in her honor, which is featured in the lovely Google Doodle created by artist Katy Wu. Why Nellie Bly? Today … Read More
Texas Hits A New Level Of Misogyny
Texas actually passed a bill which would require women to carry fetuses to term even if the fetus is suffering from a painful irreversible condition. Slate reports: Republican State Representative Matt Schaefer has recently proposed an amendment to the Health and Safety Code for medical facilities that would “prohibit the performance of an abortion at the facility on the basis that … Read More
Ryan Gosling Eats His Cereal
This is sweet. In 2013, a Scotsman and Vine creator named Ryan McHenry started posting a series called “Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal.” The series played off Gosling’s extremely serious mien in so many of his movies; in each Vine, McHenry held a spoonful of cereal up to a televised image of Gosling’s stone face. It was simple and … Read More
Guy Who Filmed Cops When They Arrested Gray Is Detained By Police For No Reason It Seems
The pushback is starting: Kevin Moore, the man who filmed police arresting Freddie Gray and dragging him on the ground was arrested on Thursday night, along with two other cop watchers from Ferguson. “The man who recorded one of two videos showing Baltimore cops dragging a screaming Freddie Gray into the back of a police van was arrested Thursday night, … Read More
Charges Brought Against Baltimore Police Officers In Death Of Freddie Gray
Breaking now: The death of Freddie Gray was a homicide, and there is “probable cause” for criminal charges, State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby says, citing her office’s “thorough and independent” investigation and the medical examiner’s report on Gray’s death. Mosby announced a range of charges against several Baltimore police officers, ranging from second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter to assault and … Read More
40 Years Ago: The End Of The Vietnam War
I don’t have much to say about this, even though it happened in my lifetime. It is hard to discuss, not only because it did not entire my psyche (I was only 12 when South Vietnam declared unconditional surrender), but also because the subject is so big. What to talk about — what angle? The fact that America lost a … Read More
The Orioles-White Sox Game At Camden Yards
Attendance: 0 The first time in major league baseball history where there are no fans, due to ongoing riots (well, not so much anymore) in Baltimore. The players take the field. Overheard in the press box: “This is like an Expos game”. You can look in on the first inning Missed your window of opportunity. Your browser does not … Read More
The Battle For Same Sex Marriage: A Timeline Graph
I love this graph from an article in today’s New York Times. It shows what states did for and against the idea of same-sex marriage. You can see that the anti-SSM movement got out ahead of the issue in the mid 1990s by enacting laws banning same-sex marriage. I have no way of proving this, but I think that by making … Read More
40 Years Ago: The Fall Of Saigon
Hubert Vanes: I was fortunate enough to take a photograph that has become perhaps the most recognizable image of the fall of Saigon – you know it, the one that is always described as showing an American helicopter evacuating people from the roof of the United States Embassy. Well, like so many things about the Vietnam War, it’s not exactly … Read More
Much To The Disappointment Of The Media, Not Much Happened In Baltimore Last Night
You could almost hear the desperation in Wolf Blitzer’s voice. They really wanted something to break out. There was a single incident where someone threw a bottle of water at a line of policeman, and the guy was quickly subdued and pepper spray was dispersed. CNN ran that 30 second clip over and over again for hours while nothing else happened. Well, this happened…. … Read More
Same-Sex Marriage Case Being Heard In Supreme Court Today
Today, the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Obergefell v. Hodges, one of several same-sex marriage cases brought to the Court. Obergefell v. Hodges requires the Court to answer: “1) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex? 2) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to recognize … Read More
Bullet Points On The Baltimore Riots
The catalyst, ostensibly, was the death of Freddie Gray — who died of a spinal cord injury sustained while in police custody. His funeral service was yesterday morning. There were peaceful protests throughout the day, but as high school kids left school, the protests became violent. 15 officers were injured — six seriously — from thrown bottles, rocks and bricks, as … Read More
2015 Tony Nominations
Not much to say about these. No Gigi, No It’s Only A Play, no Larry David’s Fish In the Dark, no Side Show, no Finding Neverland, no Honeymoon in Vegas… There aren’t too many surprises, although I am pleased that The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time got a nod for Best Choreography, even though it is a … Read More