Spy Craft, Heartless, and Stefon Steps Out

National: Russia detained a CIA officer they claim is a spy caught in the act of trying to flip a Russian operative. When he was arrested Ryan Fogle was wearing a blonde wig with a baseball cap and carried a letter of instructions to the Russian contact. He also had a Moscow map, compass, microphone, several pairs of sunglasses and a combat knife. Officially, Fogle is third secretary in the political section at the US Embassy in Moscow, not an uncommon position for a spy. In general, the wigs and spy craft in the FX series “The Americans” are more professional than Fogle’s.

  • Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called for the head of Attorney General Eric Holder for allowing the Justice Department to examine phone records of Associated Press reporters. Priebus said, “The president should ask for his immediate resignation.”
  • Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, 72, was sentenced to life in prison for his conviction of murdering live-born babies.

World: The growing brutality of the Syrian civil war was revealed in an Internet video showing a rebel leader cutting out the heart of a dead government soldier and taking a bite out of it. The rebel, Khalid Al Hamad, says, “I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog.”

  • The French economy has slipped into recession after two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Unemployment is 10.5%
  • Warmer weather in England and Ireland is causing migratory ducks to spend summers further north, scientists report. Between 45% and 60% of the ducks have abandoned their traditional summer homes for Sweden and Finland where it’s cooler.

Jersey Shore: Demolition crews have removed the remains of the iconic Seaside Heights roller coaster wrecked in last fall’s Hurricane Sandy. The twisted skeleton of the coaster had become the symbolic image of the devastation, like the last fragment of façade at the World Trade Center.

Moving On: Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader is leaving after eight years. Departing with him will be James Carville, Julian Assange, “Stefon” the nightclub reporter, and Vinny Vedecci the Italian talk show host.

Wheels: Some New Yorkers are angry about the racks for the city’s new short-term bike rental program, similar to those in London and Paris. They say the racks take up too much space and are covered with advertising. The NY Times reports that London Mayor Boris Johnson told NY authorities, “You’ll be hated for six months and then you’ll be loved.” He doesn’t live in New York.

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Thursday, November 14, 2024

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The Most Corrupt Justice

Monday, October 2, 2023

Democracy and Video in the Dark

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Page Two: Do the Right Thing

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Page Two: Sound Recall

Monday, September 13, 2021

Page Two: Cuomo Must Go

Friday, August 13, 2021

Trump and the Truth

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The “Great” President

Monday, March 30, 2020

It's Been Said

"Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians. I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again, we'll have it fixed so good you're not going to have to vote."

  • Donald Trump courting the vote of the Christian right

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