Weekly Sift explains the US polarized body politic: Small-government Freedom vs. Big-government Rights. Plus the Yearly Sift.
New York Times: For the Wealthiest, a Private Tax System That Saves Them Billions.
Deadliest U.S. mass shootings | 1984-2015.
Short video: A Conversation With Police on Race. Also, the Ferguson cop says life is ‘ruined’ after pointing AR-15 at journalists.
No Charges in the Murder of Tamir Rice and Why white people see black boys like him as older, bigger, and guiltier than they really are.
A girl narrates a letter to her dad as she grows up, and it makes rape culture obvious.
Shooting Parrots is blogging again! Why we’re hard-wired to believe conspiracy theories?
Latest Sunrise and Sunset Forecast in the US.
The city of Albany’s budget crisis.
Everyone on Earth is actually your cousin.
George Clayton Johnson, R.I.P. He was known for writing on the original Twilight Zone TV series, for co-writing the novel Logan’s Run and for writing the first-aired episode of the original Star Trek, among many things.
TEDx Grand Rapids talk: ”Valuable Bodies” by artist Riva Lehrer.
Second impressions By Tara Whittle.
Now I Know: The Jumping Frenchmen of Maine and How Panama United Great Britain and the derivation of the word “dude”.
The grilled cheese sandwich; you’re probably making it wrong.
Explain to me how it is that people who’ve been dead, usually exactly three years, seem to cycle up again in FB as recently deceased? Ravi Shankar and Dave Brubeck, just this month. Before that Andy Griffith. With Bob Denver, it was 7 years, so the feedback loop is shrinking.
Wide receiver Edgar Allan Poe.
Instagram Journalism, Internet Fame, & How to Think About Exercise, the former with Jeff Sharlet.
I wrote “Heaven forfend” to someone. My spellcheck does not like forfend?!
Kickstarter: The Official Famous Monsters of Filmland Chronicles Book from FantaCo.
Arthur celebrates the end of the year in search and words and phrases.
I LOVED to watch Meadowlark Lemon play with the Harlem Globetrotters.
The passing of Berowne of Savage Reflections at the age of 94, one of our regular ABC Wednesday contributors. He had a very rich life, but I’ll miss his weekly reflections.
A legendary Jerry Lewis film is reportedly about to join the National Film Registry.
Why West Coast Drivers Add ‘The’ to Their Freeway Numbers. “It’s not an affectation of the car-obsessed—it’s history.”
Satire
How to Misrepresent Global Warming in One Graph, for Dummies.
Lawyer for Martin Shkreli Hikes Fees Five Thousand Per Cent.
Parents Outraged Schools “Indoctrinating” Students Into Islam With Arabic Numerals.
Single Woman With 3 Young Children Unaware She Subject Of 984 Judgments Today.
Chuck Miller
Seven Star Wars movies in one day. And the British weather forecast.
What’s Japanese for “You’re so stupid”?
A TV show I barely heard of called Galavant returns; clips of the musical numbers makes me want to check it out.
Music!
The niece! Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact – Gonna Be Alright.
From imgur: Hosanna in Excel Sheets
The Carole King tribute at the Kennedy Center Honors.
End of year musical mashups.
The Coverville Countdown: Best Covers of 2015, Part 1 and Part 2.
Pantheon Songs is dead. In its ashes: The Great Songs – “Overlooked tracks from artists you know, obscure tracks from artists you may not know, masterpieces, and other curios I’d play if I were an overnight DJ.”
The Sound of Silence- Disturbed.
The Artist Formerly Known As Terence Trent D’Arby.
At 90, Dick Van Dyke sings “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” with Conan O’Brien and The Vantastix.
NPR: In memoriam, 2015.
Frank Sinatra’s Drummer Tells the Story of His Final Concert.
New Yorker: The Discovery of Roscoe Holcomb and the “High Lonesome Sound”.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. No YES? NO!
Animated
New group I joined on Facebook: Stephen R. Bissette, writer-artist. NOT started by Steve, BTW.
Evanier on Mel Blanc. Mark has been blogging for 15 years.
Extinct Attractions: Thurl Ravenscroft Documentary (2004) – Grinch, Haunted Mansion, Tony the Tiger.
Trouble with Comics: Favorite Holiday Comics.
I supported the Kickstarter for the documentary I Am Big Bird, but I did NOT know the BINGHAMTON connection of the early career of Caroll Spinney.
Google alerts (me)
Like any rational person, Dustbury LOVES Pet Sounds. I’d love to see Brian Wilson at Tanglewood in June 2016.
Google alert (not me)
Roger Alin Green, 74, died Sunday, December 13, 2015, at his home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.