Fun4U: December 2018

Monday, 31 December 2018

Cowboys Send Giants to Another Late Loss

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2QVaF2l

Alabama and Clemson Are Putting a Trademark on the Title Game

By MARC TRACY from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2QXVEgb

No Corrections: December 31, 2018

By Unknown Author from NYT Corrections https://nyti.ms/2BOloBb

A Closed Brooklyn Bridge and 40,000 Pounds of Deli Meat: New York Is That Crowded

By TYLER PAGER from NYT New York https://nyti.ms/2CHhv2E

Shutdown, McKinsey, Gaza: Your Monday Briefing

By REMY TUMIN from NYT Briefing https://nyti.ms/2LIPH0A

‘Outlander’ Season 4, Episode 9: Fraser Hospitality

By GENEVIEVE VALENTINE from NYT Arts https://nyti.ms/2EWOnH6

Hector Xtravaganza Dies: New York Ball Culture Icon And ‘Pose’ Consultant Was 60

Hector Xtravaganza, a founding member of the House of Xtravaganza, one of the most recognizable houses in New York’s ball and vogueing scene died Sunday. He was 60. Also known as the house Grandfather, the news of his death was announced on the official House of Xtravaganza Facebook page: “It is with profound sadness the House of Xtravaganza family announce the passing of our beloved Grandfather Hector. He was a friend to everyone he met, a source of inspiration for all…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2RrDDGs

Tribune And Charter At Odds As Carriage Deal Deadline Looms

Tribune Media and Charter Communications have had an exchange of words Sunday as the deadline for a new carriage deal that expires at 12:01 am ET on New Year’s Day. If a deal is not reached to renew the contract 33 Tribune stations in 24 markets could go dark across Spectrum systems. The Tribune’s Gary Weitman said in a statement given to Deadline: “Despite our best efforts, Charter-Spectrum has not engaged in meaningful negotiations with us, and we have not heard from…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2Sv6Yxc

Comcast Drops Fuse After A Decade, Says Decision Is “Suprising And Troubling”

Comcast has announced today that they have decided to drop Fuse, which focuses on multicultural programming. The news was announced today by Michael Schwimmer, President and CEO of Fuse Media. "Despite Comcast's publicly-stated commitment to support diverse and independently operated networks, Comcast has elected to drop Fuse, a multicultural-focused television network, on December 31, after more than a decade of carriage. This decision is both surprising and troubling…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2R2ZLYA

CNN ‘State Of The Union’ Anchor Dana Bash Draws Expletive From Sen. Lindsey Graham

CNN anchor Dana Bash was told her line of inquiry was “a bunch of bullshit” by Sen. Lindsey Graham during an interview on violence in the Middle East. Graham, appearing on CNN’s State of the Union today, was exasperated by Bash’s leading questions on the recent decision by President Donald Trump to pull US troops out of Syria. Bash asked Graham whether Trump would be to blame if the Islamic State terrorist group became more powerful after troops left. Graham initially…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2SuYV3s

Animal Planet Global President Susanna Dinnage To Stay At Discovery After Premier League Soccer U-Turn

Animal Planet's Global President Susanna Dinnage is set to stay at Discovery after deciding not to take up the position of CEO of the English Premier League. Dinnage has reportedly changed her mind as to take up the role, which she secured in November, and stay at the international factual giant. It's not clear whether she will continue in her current role or take on another position within the company, although it is a rare move to eschew such a high profile promotion…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2TgRhJV

Facebook Rescinds Ban On Evangelist Franklin Graham Post And Apologizes

Social media giant Facebook has apologized to evangelist Franklin Graham for its 24-hour ban related to his 2016 post on North Carolina’s controversial law that restricted same-sex bathroom use, among other issues. A member of Facebook’s content review team banned Graham, the son of the late Rev. Billy Graham, because the post was determined to violate Facebook's policy on "dehumanizing language" and excluding people based on sexual orientation, race and other…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2CGDl6E

‘On The Basis of Sex’ Best Of Holiday Weekend Start for Newcomers; ‘Beale Street’ Surges: Specialty Box Office

It won't be a holiday week to remember for the specialties, unfortunately. Q4 of 2018 has generally not mirrored last year's burst of audience excitement, save for a few titles (at best), and this holiday week and weekend has not given much of a boost. Focus Features/Participant's Ruth Bader Ginsburg narrative, On The Basis of Sex, which came on the heels of the documentary box office champ, RBG from earlier this year, took the weekend's best opening per-theater…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2EWO9yX

‘Aquaman’ Heading For $200M+; ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ Flying To $100M+; 2018 Domestic B.O. Hits $11.8B Record: Sunday Final

4th Update Sunday 9:35AM final after Sunday 8AM and previous weekend posts w/chart: Warner Bros. is calling the pre-New Year’s weekend of Aquaman at $51.6M, -24%, for a 10-day running of $188.8M. That’s 10% ahead of Justice League at the same point in time (which ended its run at $229M), 24% ahead of the ten-day cume of Doctor Strange (final B.O. $232.6M), and 7% ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy (final B.O. $333.1M). The DC superhero is expected to hit $200M by EOD tomorro…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2CCvo1Y

President Donald Trump Tweetstorm – The Sunday Edition

The master of nicknames – who can forget such classics as “Crooked Hillary” and “Little Marco” – has a new one for the partial government closure: it’s now the “Schumer Shutdown,” complete with hashtag, reflecting President Donald Trump’s belief that Democratic leadership intransigence is the main cause of 800,000 federal workers not receiving their regular paychecks. The Commander-in-Tweet rubbed it in during his early Sunday Twitter messages, accusing his rivals of not…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2EUmqQl

Disney And Verizon Reach New Carriage Deal For Fios, Avoiding Blackout

Verizon Communications and the Walt Disney Co. have reached a new agreement that will keep ESPN and ABC-TV on the Fios service. The deal replaces one that expires tomorrow and comes following Verizon warning its customers last week that they were in danger of losing Disney-owned properties on the service. Disney also ran ads warning of the possible blackout. News of the new agreement did not offer specifics. “Verizon and The Walt Disney Company have reached a…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2SrIHbf

Mrinal Sen Dies: Acclaimed Director Won India’s Top Film Honor, Was 95

Mrinal Sen, the filmmaker who won India’s highest film honor, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, has died. He was 95 and passed from natural causes at his home in Kolkata. Sen is known for his contributions to Bengali parallel cinema, a movement originating in West Bengal that took a serious approach to filmmaking, rejecting mainstream Indian commercial cinema and its dance-and-song routines. The movement was known for serious content, realism and the sociopolitical climate of…

from Deadline http://bit.ly/2ViKKAd

Obamacare, Ruled Invalid by Federal Judge, Will Remain in Effect During Appeal

By SARAH MERVOSH from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2GQ7rIL

Lindsey Graham Suggests Syrian Troop Drawdown Will Take Longer Than 30 Days

By MAGGIE HABERMAN from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2GIQ7p0

Quotation of the Day: C.I.A.-Led Afghan Forces Leave Grim Trail of Abuse

By Unknown Author from NYT Today’s Paper https://nyti.ms/2GMzf0B

Ravens and Eagles Claw Their Way to the N.F.L. Playoffs

By BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2Als4qM

Cowboys Send Giants to Another Late Loss

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2QVaF2l

Alabama and Clemson Are Putting a Trademark on the Title Game

By MARC TRACY from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2QXVEgb

No Corrections: December 31, 2018

By Unknown Author from NYT Corrections https://nyti.ms/2BOloBb

A Closed Brooklyn Bridge and 40,000 Pounds of Deli Meat: New York Is That Crowded

By TYLER PAGER from NYT New York https://nyti.ms/2CHhv2E

Shutdown, McKinsey, Gaza: Your Monday Briefing

By REMY TUMIN from NYT Briefing https://nyti.ms/2LIPH0A

‘Outlander’ Season 4, Episode 9: Fraser Hospitality

By GENEVIEVE VALENTINE from NYT Arts https://nyti.ms/2EWOnH6

Donald Trump's worst weeks of 2018 – the definitive list

The administration’s base-level awfulness has made this a competitive category but some weeks stood out as truly dire

It would be safe to say Donald Trump hasn’t had the best year. From his longtime adviser flipping on him, to inside revelations about the level of his ineptitude, to being named in court filings as having allegedly directed illegal campaign payments, the president has faced a barrage of scandals.

Trump also lost the House of Representatives, held a number of bizarre press conferences and demonstrated his lack of familiarity with umbrellas. The president did, however, score one recent success, when his neologism “smocking” proved popular.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2SsV5rz

Democrat-controlled House faces question: what not to investigate?

After two years of a compliant Congress, Trump can expect scrutiny into alleged collusion, obstruction and corruption

When Democrats formally assume the US House majority in January for the first time in eight years, they will contend with a president long dubbed by most members of their party as unfit and unqualified to serve.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ApdSgq

Terry McAuliffe turned a red state blue – but is he the face of the future for Democrats?

The Virginia governor is looking at a run for president but more diverse candidates may flourish in a quickly swelling field

Riding a wave of election victories driven by women and minority candidates and voters, the Democratic party now must choose its next standard-bearer, the candidate who would defeat Donald Trump in a 2020 presidential showdown.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2SsV3Qt

Lion kills worker at North Carolina conservation centre

The lion escaped from a locked area and killed staff member as enclosure was being cleaned

A lion has killed a worker at a wildlife conservatory in North Carolina after it escaped from a locked space, the center said.

The lion was shot and killed after it attacked an employee of the Conservators’ Center in Burlington in an enclosure that was being cleaned, the center said in a statement.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2rZ7fg5

Trump refuses to budge on border wall demand as shutdown continues

Trump tweet blaming Democrats stokes controversy
Opinion: It’s important to remember: this isn’t normal

With time dwindling before a new Congress is sworn in, Donald Trump refused to budge in his demand for billions for a border wall, narrowing prospects for a swift end to an increasingly damaging government shutdown.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2QafcsA

Trump ally Graham: president 'thinking long and hard about Syria'

Senator had said withdrawal was ‘the way toward second 9/11’
Former Afghanistan commander calls Trump ‘immoral’

A close ally of Donald Trump said on Sunday the president was “thinking long and hard” about his plan to withdraw US troops from Syria and his commitment to defeating Islamic State, and had provided reassurance in a White House meeting.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2GKmUKt

John Kelly: judge me on what Trump didn't do while I was chief of staff

Retired general gives interview to Los Angeles Times
Statements on immigration and more likely to anger president

As Donald Trump attracted criticism for blaming the deaths of children in US custody on Democrats opposed to his demands for a border wall, outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly said he had “nothing but compassion” for migrants attempting to enter the US without documentation.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2CGhWKQ

Michigan Republicans’ lame-duck drive to hobble Democrats fails – mostly

Bills to strip power from incoming officials failed or were vetoed, but the GOP still made changes that will affect liberal voters

A frantic lame-duck month in which the Republican-controlled Michigan legislature floated hundreds of bills concluded with the GOP largely failing to pass controversial laws that would have stripped power from incoming Democrats.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EWIkRS

How Nancy Pelosi signaled the end of Donald Trump's easy ride

In one deft performance the top Democrat in the House owned the president, having faced down Republicans’ scare tactics and attacks from her own side

Nancy Pelosi was perched on the end of a sofa in the Oval Office when the balance of power in Donald Trump’s Washington decisively shifted in her favour.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2LHCrcL

El Paso aid agencies overwhelmed as 1,600 migrants are cast on to streets

US authorities leave families to fend for themselves, a practice local bishop calls ‘inhumane and unconscionable’

The US government has released more than 1,600 migrants on to the streets of El Paso, Texas, this week, overwhelming aid agencies that have scrambled to find shelter for families left to fend for themselves.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Rj12tK

In Trump's America, it's important to remember: this isn't normal | Michael H Fuchs

The breakdown of norms at home undermines democracy, in foreign affairs it undermines security. Americans must hold the president to account

This is not normal.

In the age of President Donald Trump, it is necessary to repeat this mantra constantly. The ways in which Trump breaks norms and shocks the conscience overwhelm America’s capacity to process each event with the appropriate level of outrage and accountability. America’s attention too often moves from one story to the next like sports highlights. Slowly, surely, America’s norms are stripped away.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Sr1cwj

America’s new year’s resolution: impeach Trump and remove him | Robert Reich

The shutdown, attacks on the judiciary, the politicization of the military. All confirm it: Congress must impeach. Now

After his first bizarre year, Donald Trump’s apologists told us he was growing into the job and that in his second year he would be more restrained and respectful of democratic institutions.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EXsLue

The year in patriarchy: from Kavanaugh's fury to Serena William's catsuit | Arwa Mahdawi

From pop culture to politics, 2018 was a year of extraordinary firsts for women. But the past year also proved progress isn’t linear with a deeply anti-feminist thread

Support journalism that supports women. We’re trying to raise $1m by the new year. Make a contribution now and help us reach our goal

The Week in Patriarchy is a weekly roundup of what’s happening in the world of feminism and sexism. If you’re not already receiving it by email, make sure to subscribe.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EVzJz9

The US government deliberately made the desert deadly for migrants | Natascha Elena Uhlmann

The deaths of two Guatemalan child migrants in US custody highlights the perilousness of a journey that is no accident

This month, Jakelin Caal Maquin, a seven-year-old Guatemalan girl, died less than 48 hours after being detained at a remote New Mexico border crossing. Felipe Gómez Alonzo, an eight-year old Guatemalan boy, spent his final days in custody before tragically passing on Christmas Eve. Both were brought to the United States by families seeking a better life for their children. In the United States, all they found was death.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have been quick to deflect the blame. “[Jakelin’s] family chose to cross illegally,” Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen asserted. In the case of Felipe, the DHS pointed to migrant shelters in Mexico as possible sources of disease. These desperate attempts do little to obscure the full weight of US culpability.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2BKbosM

Employers must prepare for an aging workforce – or face unexpected costs | Gene Marks

Strategies for transitioning older workers towards retirement such as flexible hours and positions are critical for small businesses

The American workforce is getting older. In fact, by 2024 the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 25% of the US workforce will be composed of workers over the age of 55, and a third of those workers will be older than 65. The reasons, for the most part, are due to the country’s overall ageing population as a result of declining birth rates and better life expectancy. But there’s also something else going on. Employees are not only working longer because they can. They’re working longer because they have to. Retirement savings are just not keeping up.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2QUy2Je

Reconnecting with an ex’s family member isn’t always a taboo | Krista Burton

Sometimes, there’s a family member we really loved, and in rare cases, an ex becomes the bridge connecting two old friends

A few months ago, my ex-girlfriend’s mother sent me a Facebook message.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Vg7mBj

New England Patriots earn another bye as Houston Texans clinch AFC South

Patriots earn ninth straight playoff bye with win over Jets
Texans win division after overcoming losses in first three

The Houston Texans clinched the AFC South title as Deshaun Watson threw for 234 yards and ran for a touchdown, and DeAndre Hopkins had 147 yards receiving in a 20-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Texans (11-5) won nine in a row after starting 0-3 to save their season and will make their fifth playoff appearance after winning the division for the fifth time in franchise history.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Solc2x

The eagle has landed: Clark the Cotton Bowl mascot descends on fans

Bird fails to complete mission before big college football game
AT&T Stadium roof was closed with 90,000 fans present

A bald eagle that flew during the national anthem before Saturday’s college football playoff semifinal between Notre Dame and Clemson never made it to his designated landing spot, on the opposite end of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EVanBf

The UFC is persevering as it always has: by leaning into the chaos

The final event of the UFC’s 25th anniversary year served as a proper example of how the promotion has made it this far

When it opened for business in 1993 the Ultimate Fighting Championship was designed to disrupt.

Challenging basic conventions about traditional martial arts this is exactly what the UFC did in its opening act, and from that point forward the company has operated at its best approaching the margins where most people would see only chaos and controversy.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EYaQ5Y

UFC 232: Jon Jones stops Alexander Gustafsson to regain light heavyweight title – as it happened

Bloomberg slams Trump on climate change, which Brown likens to Nazism

Billionaire and retiring California governor demand action
America’s year of extreme weather – in pictures

Michael Bloomberg slammed Donald Trump’s inaction on climate change on Sunday and said any candidate for president in 2020 – he himself might be one – must have a plan to deal with the problem.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2BOmKvX

Trump blames Democrats for deaths of children as shutdown grinds on

President: deaths at border are result of ‘pathetic’ policies
What have two years of Trump’s wrecking ball done?

As the US government shutdown rolled through its eighth day with no resolution in sight, Donald Trump stayed hunkered down in the White House, talking at Democrats but not with them in a series of confrontational tweets about his demand for a border wall.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ESddaY

'War on transparency': US agency plans crackdown on information requests

Trump administration criticized for trying to make it harder to obtain records of interior department dealings

Trump administration officials took steps on Friday to crack down on transparency at one of the largest US federal agencies, proposing a slew of changes that could make it harder for the public and media to obtain records of agency dealings.

The proposal is part of an effort to grapple with what the interior department describes as an “unprecedented surge” in requests under the Freedom of Information Act (Foia), the United States’ pre-eminent open government law, since 2016 when Donald Trump took office.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Q4Drbz

China's Xi Jinping calls on Donald Trump for trade compromise

Presidents express willingness to stick to G20 agreement in phone call, says news agency

China’s president, Xi Jinping, has called for Donald Trump to reach a compromise on trade, as discussions continue in an attempt to avert the imposition of heavy tariffs on goods.

Xinhua, a Chinese state-controlled news organisation, reported on Sunday that Xi told Trump in a telephone call that he had “hopes that both teams can meet each other halfway and reach an agreement beneficial to both countries and the world as early as possible”.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2rYsqyX

Things to watch out for in 2019? Doom and plenty of gloom Larry Elliott

Years ending in ‘9’ always seem to bring upheaval … and it looks like we are in for a hot one in 2019

Call it coincidence if you like but years that end in a “9” have a habit of being eventful. More particularly, they tend to be years of upheaval. There’s 1789, of course, the year of the French Revolution. The Peterloo massacre, which eventually led to the launch of the Guardian, took place in 1819 and a century later there were fears that Bolshevism would spread from Russia westwards.

The year 1939 requires no further explanation while 1979 encompassed the Iranian Revolution and the arrival of Margaret Thatcher in Downing Street. A decade after that, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall heralded the collapse of communism. In 2009, central banks had to pull out all the stops to prevent the deepest recession since the second world war turning into a second Great Depression. The slump against which all others are measured began with the Wall Street crash of October 1929.

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from US news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Sppg2E