Dying Up There: Comedian Louis C.K. issued a surprisingly blunt admission that that stories about his sexual misconduct published in the NY Times are true.

“I want to address the stories told to The New York Times by five women named Abby, Rebecca, Dana, Julia who felt able to name themselves and one who did not.”

He continued, “These stories are true.”

For the squeamish, blunt language ahead. C.K. said in his statement, “At the time, I said to myself that what I did was O.K. because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them.”

He said, “The power I had over these women is that they admired me,” he added. “And I wielded that power irresponsibly.”

Executed: Villagers in Niger told the Washington Post that the body of a fourth Green Beret who died after a firefight was found two days later by children who said his arms were bound and that he had a wound in the back of his head. Sgt. La David Johnson’s body was found about a half mile from the location of the firefight. The military has yet to explain how Johnson was separated from his unit and the cause of his death.

The Tax Man: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted yesterday that the Republican tax reforms they claim are designed to relieve the middle class might actually result in higher taxes for some people in the middle class.

“You can’t guarantee that absolutely no one sees a tax increase,” McConnell said,  “but what we are doing is targeting levels of income and looking at the average in those levels and the average will be tax relief for the average taxpayer in each of those segments.”

A NY Times evaluation says the tax plan will increase taxes for millions of middle class payers while benefitting big earners and corporations.

The Sandbox: The Prime Minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, took a quick trip to Saudi Arabia last week, announced his resignation from there, and has not returned home in what has become a Middle East political mystery.

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the tough guys who are part of Hariri’s coalition, say he’s being held against his will. The Saudis say they are protecting him from an assassination plot.

Saudi Crown Prince Salman is consolidating his power, recently arresting a dozen princes and accusing them of corruption. Whether the Hariri mystery is linked remains to be seen.

Hometown USA: A Massachusetts Court has blocked the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield from conducting an art auction the museum says is necessary for its survival. Among the works they want to sell is Norman Rockwell’s “Shuffleton’s Barbershop,” which could go for $20-30 million. Rockwell’s family has been trying to stop the sale of “Shuffleton’s” and other Rockwell pieces the artist gave to the museum.

Blue: Blue jeans are an American invention that have clothed the world, but now the iconic Cone Denim White Oak plant in Greensboro, N.C., the last major manufacturer of selvage denim in the US, is closing.

Selvage, which is traditionally made on old looms, is named for the finish of its edge that won’t unravel. It’s the best denim, but a pair of pants can cost $200 or more. They don’t sell them at The Gap.

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