A blog about societal, cultural, and civilizational collapse, and how to stave it off or survive it. Named after the legendary character "Crazy Eddie" in Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "The Mote in God's Eye." Expect news and views about culture, politics, economics, technology, and science fiction.
ABC News just uploaded a video on the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Anchorage. Watch Large earthquake rocks Alaska.
The earthquake was reported by the USGS.
While I'm sure that injuries and perhaps some fatalities will be reported later, that none have been reported so far is extremely fortunate. In addition, the cancellation of the tsunami warning is good news. According to Wikipedia, 124 of the 139 deaths from the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake were the result of the tsunami, which killed people in three states, Alaska, California, and Oregon. No tsunami, no death and destruction outside of the Anchorage area.
I plan on following up over the course of the weekend so that I can discuss the earthquake and its aftermath with my students next week. I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about. In the meantime, that's it for November. Stay tuned for the first post of December at midnight Eastern Standard Time.
It turns out America’s top used car salesman sold General Motors workers a lemon. GM cuts 15,000 jobs amid slumping sales even after Trump’s insistence that the corporation was making a comeback.
Despite the Trump administration’s most recent report on man-made climate change, the president continues to deny the science behind global warming; meanwhile, cable news outlets continue to bring on non-scientists to share their personal opinions on the situation.
LOL, Rick Santorum. I thought I was done with him. Nope, Frothy is still not taking climate change seriously. Furthermore, I find his line about the scientists being in it for the money really insulting and ignorant, as well as a step backwards for him.
It’s a turbulent week for Team Trump as Paul Manafort violates his cooperation agreement with Robert Mueller, the president continues to clumsily refute startling climate change reports, and Ivanka is confronted about her use of a private email.
Ha! That's the best comedic use of "Arrival" I have ever seen. As for the use of Trump clips, it reminds me of both Trump is coming and he's building a wall and Darth Trump. Trump out of context is so much funnier and much less dangerous.
NASA celebrates Mars landing with an epic handshake. CNN's Jeanne Moos reports on the touchdown that inspired lots of touching.
Moos did a great job of chronicling the human reaction. For a more detailed look by someone who was there at the launch, watch Verge Science reporting NASA’s InSight Mars landing: what it really took.
After a six-month long journey, NASA’s InSight spacecraft successfully landed on Mars. The probe will now begin to collect data on Mars’ crust, mantle, and core, providing a never-before-seen look at the red planet’s inner workings. Getting a new spacecraft on the surface of the red planet is no easy feat – The Verge’s Loren Grush talks to engineers about how they prepared for this landing.
This video did a much better job of explaining the science than the launch coverage. In addition, it looks like I'm going to get my wish.
That looks like great science that I can use in my geology classes — next year. Here's to Mars InSight succeeding so the wait is worth it.
I already talked about Mars InSight in one of my geology classes yesterday, so I'm using the probe ahead of schedule. Here's to more interesting findings about the interior of Mars that I can teach to my students.
We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. Now, we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Quite simply, take advantage of all the holiday deals to add to your charitable giving. Combined with your family, friends, local and national organizations and through the power of social media, National Day of Giving can become a tradition worth passing on. Use #GivingTuesday to post on social media.
HISTORY
In 2012, 92nd Street Y in New York City created National Day of Giving to bring focus to the charitable season in the wake of the commercialized Black Friday and Cyber Monday. More commonly referred to as #GivingTuesday, National Day of Giving harnesses the power of social media to give back around the world and throughout the year.
If donating is not enough, my readers can become a member or volunteer. Coffee Party USA needs people to help with all the projects listed above and then some, as we plan on doing even more to empower and connect communities to reclaim our government for the people in the future.
Oliver Chen, senior research analyst at Cowen, and Steve Sadove, former Saks CEO, discuss their retail outlook for the 2018 holiday season.
I knew I couldn't report on online retail without mentioning Amazon. Also, I shouldn't be surprised about the effects of the demise of ToysRUs showing up as well.
Liz Dunn, founder and CEO of Proforma, and Jerry Storch, former CEO of Hudson’s Bay, discuss retail trends on Black Friday.
Amazon has a narrow profit margin, but I don't know if that's entirely because of its online sales; other activities of the company, such as buying the Washington Post as well as Bezos's space ventures, might contribute to that as well. Still, I'm glad sales are up. Enjoy it while it lasts. The next recessionis coming.
That's it for Cyber Monday. Stay tuned for Giving Tuesday.
Sometimes it feels like Disney World is its own small country. So it’s no surprise to learn that Walt Disney World has its own government. It’s called the Reedy Creek Improvement District. How did it come about, why did it come about, and should it continue to exist? ... Back in May of 1967, Florida Governor Claude Kirk Jr signed new chapters of the Laws of Florida that simultaneously created the city of Bay Lake, the city of Reedy Creek, and the Reedy Creek Improvement District which would hold jurisdiction over both. This district has far more governing power than normal, allowing for their own building codes, called the EPCOT codes. The district is also responsible for running their own services, such as fire stations, EMS, power distribution, water treatment, waste disposal, and road maintenance.
The district is governed by a five person board of supervisors who are elected into their position by the landowners within the district. Who again, is Disney. Or specifically, it’s a set of trusted and loyal residents that Disney allows to live on property. This means that Disney is able to elect a board who will govern the district in a way that benefits their needs as a resort. On paper, Disney and the Reedy Creek Improvement District are two separate entities, but realistically speaking, they’re one in the same. The district was designed by Disney to operate in a way such that Disney would be able to steer its direction unopposed.
So why did they go through all that trouble? After all, Disneyland doesn’t need its own government to be successful. Universal Studios Florida doesn’t. So why does Disney World?
The answer was the original EPCOT, a real "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow," not the theme park that exists today. Disney actually tried the concept in Celebration, the subject of two videos that I plan on posting in the future. Still, it has been very useful, not only for Disney, but also for examining sustainability issues related to the parks. I plan on sharing those videos in a future entry as well. All of the videos examine issues with cities and tourism as well as some solutions to them, so they are on-topic for this blog.
Subscriber Philip asks “Can you do a video about the colors of the Walt Disney World traffic signs? Are they special colors that relate to colors from particular characters or movies?” Great question Philip! Let’s talk about those famous purple signs at Walt Disney World! ... So if you’ve never been to Walt Disney World, the signs Philip is referring to aren’t signs around the parks themselves, but the road signs scattered all along Walt Disney World property. These signs are the work of Sussman/Prejza & Co, a Los Angeles design firm that was hired in 1989 to tackle the design for the wayfinding and traffic signs of Walt Disney World and EuroDisney.
As for the colors, according to the firm, they drew inspiration from the mouse himself, Mickey! The black, red, and yellow colors used on the signs were chosen to mimic the color palette of Mickey Mouse. The signs were further fleshed out with complimentary colors which are colors that lie on the opposite side of the color wheel. Red’s complementary color is green, and yellow’s complementary color? Purple. ... So know we know why the Disney traffic signs are purple, red, yellow, and black, but how are they those colors? How could Disney control the colors of road signs outside of the parks?
Well the answer to that is that Disney has their own governing jurisdiction at Walt Disney World, and it’s called the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The district is responsible for overseeing the public services of the property, including the fire department, EMS, water treatment, electric and roadways and bridges. The Reedy Creek Improvement district is a fascinating part of Disney World’s history and a crucial element in what allowed the resort to become what it is today. It’s a topic deserving of its own whole video, and it’s one I plan to create later this year.
Rob Plays didn't waste any time. His next video was the one I posted first and he uploaded it four days later.
American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help businesses with their most pressing need — getting more customers. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The single day has grown into a powerful movement, and more people are taking part than ever before.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Support a small business and use #SmallBusinessSaturday to post on social media.
HISTORY
American Express founded Small Business Saturday in 2010.
To help celebrate, I have videos relevant to the occasion from CNBC and Retail Archeology. First, CNBC reported yesterday Small Business Saturday gets a big boost.
The kickoff to the holiday shopping isn’t just for major national retailers. It’s also a crucial sales time for neighborhood retailers. Reporter Kate Rogers meets small biz owners gearing up for the season both in store and in online Etsy stores.
"Shopping Small" has become a big deal.
Follow over the jump for the two most recent videos from Retail Archeology, which are about small businesses in and around Phoenix, Arizona. Sorry, no Michigan businesses this time.
Bon-Ton is shutting down. It's a bigger story than many may realize because they're also the owner of 6 other department store chains. This video talks about how all these stores came together, where they stand now, and theorizes what caused their demise.
Out of the seven chains, I'd heard of two of them, The Bon-Ton and Carson's AKA Carson Pirie Scott. My wife is from Illinois and she wondered where the nearest Carson's was. There had been one at Laurel Park Place in Livonia, Closure of Northland Mall approved" TARGET="">where I used to mall walk
, a half hour away, but we never found it in time for her to go shopping there. However, all is not lost, as USA Today reported in September: After closing its stores, Bon-Ton is ready for its comeback as new company buys its brand.
Bon-Ton, the bankrupt retailer that shut its stores last week after being in business for over 100 years, is poised to reopen now that a new owner has scooped up its brand.
A subsidiary of the tech company CSC Generation Holdings told USA TODAY that it has signed a deal giving it the rights to Bon-Ton and its subsidiary department store chains, Boston Store, Bergner's, Carson’s, Elder Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers. The agreement will need to get the green light from the Delaware Bankruptcy Court to become final.
The new Bon-Ton will emphasize its online shopping experience. But CSC says it is "also in advanced discussions with landlords about reopening stores in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.'' Those locations would likely be staffed by former Bon-Ton employees.
By focusing on e-commerce, and making plans to reinvent its physical stores with personal styling services and extended hours on the days when more people might be inclined to shop, Bon-Ton is attempting to be more competitive in a retail environment transformed by Amazon and fast-fashion chains like Zara.
Here's to hoping that the new ownership is able to succeed in a post-Retail Apocalypse environment, including hiring former Bon-Ton employees the way Macy's claims it did. If true, at least the creative destruction of the company didn't result in their prolonged unemployment.
That's it for the Retail Apocalypse/Black Friday/Buy Nothing Day. Stay tuned for SmallBusinessSaturday.
Macy’s was once the largest department store in the world. But its size is now a burden. It’s closing stores and rethinking its strategy going into its most critical period of the year.
Macy's is testing smaller stores to slash expenses on staffing and inventory. Currently, the department store chain is trying the idea at four locations, including at Stamford Town Center in Connecticut, to cut its real estate by as much as a fifth there and turn those shops into "neighborhood stores." It mimics similar initiatives already taken by rivals Kohl's and Nordstrom. Kohl's is dividing some of its bigger stores to allow room for new tenants like grocer Aldi, while Nordstrom is trying a small-shop concept known as Nordstrom Local in Los Angeles. Even mall operators like Macerich are looking at store space in a new way, rolling out stores that showcase a number of brands for a short period.
"If your store is too big and your dollars per square feet are too low and you can't lease the space to someone else, then you've got to hive off a floor," Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette told the Journal in an interview. "If we were building stores today, we'd build them smaller."
Not needing so many locations — and with some being unprofitable — Macy's in early 2017 shut 100 stores as it's been working to whittle down its real estate. It's also been working with Brookfield Asset Management to allow the real estate firm to redevelop all or part of 50 select properties. Macy's had roughly 690 locations, including those under the Bloomingdale's banner, still open as of the latest quarter.
Ironically, Macy's was one of the first store closings I covered in writing about the Retail Apocalypse even before I knew about the phrase in Closure of Northland Mall approved. Back then, I treated it as a failure of the mall, which had been a long time coming, not as a failure of the chain or of brick-and-mortar retail. Now, I know better.
While CNBC had a skeptical, if not downright pessimistic, take on Macy's performance and prospects, Bloomberg Markets and Finance's reporting was much more upbeat in Macy's CEO on Black Friday, Holiday Shopping Season.
Jeff Gennette, chairman and chief executive officer at Macy's, discusses consumer traffic in-store and online for Black Friday, holiday hiring, and investing in stores and digital sales. He speaks with Bloomberg's Emma Chandra on "Bloomberg Markets: The Open."
Here's to hoping that Gennette is correct about his assessment, and not just putting the most positive spin on the situation.
Speaking of positive spin, he talked a lot about how the demise of Bon Ton was good for Macy's, including hiring their former employees. I think I might cover the end of Bon Ton next. I also have videos about Macy's by Wochit Business and Retail Archeology to share. Stay tuned.
For the last song in today's entry, I'm sharing Thanksgiving Theme by Vince Guaraldi from the Peanuts specials.
I had to have some music for Snoopy to dance to.
This year's Thanksgiving drink from Tipsy Bartender is Pumpkin Pie Shots.
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy these shots and say hello to Natalie!
PUMPKIN PIE SHOTS
1 Part Whipped Cream Vodka
1 Part Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
1 Part Rum Cream
1 Spoon Pumpkin Puree
Garnish: Graham Cracker Crumbs/Whipped Cream/Pumpkin Spice
That's it for this year's drink recipes. I'm saving the five recipes I didn't use last year for future entries. Not only do I recycle, I conserve my resources.
Disney is no stranger to parades, since they run daily Disney parades at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, but did you know that the Walt Disney Company has a history with the Macy's Thanksgiving parade that dates all the way back to1934 with the first Mickey Mouse balloon? The Macy's parade, formerly known as the Macy's Christmas Parade, has become known for its giant balloons so sit back as we go through a little Disney history and countdown the Top 10 Disney Balloons and Floats from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Cicero-North Syracuse High School Northstars Marching Band, New York
Grants Pass High School Marching Band and Color Guard, Oregon
Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band, Alabama
James Madison University Marching Royal Dukes, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Keller High School Marching Band, Texas
Lafayette High School Mighty Lion Marching Band, Louisiana
The Ohio State University Marching Band, Columbus, Ohio
Park Vista High School Marching Band, Lake Worth, Florida
Riverside City College Marching Tigers, Riverside, California
Woodland High School Wildcat Marching Band, Cartersville, Georgia
Macy's Great American Marching Band, USA
NYPD Marching Band, New York
Out of all the marching bands, the most famous is almost certainly The Ohio State University Marching Band, but I'm not featuring them, as I'm a Michigan alum and I'm almost certain they will march in the Rose Parade, so I'll have a chance to feature them then. Instead, my favorite band in the parade is the Riverside City College Marching Tigers from Riverside, California. Follow over the jump for them plus my picks for this year's WDIV Battle of the Bands.
The Thanksgiving travel rush is underway. AAA predicts more than 54 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles away by Sunday. The holiday weekend is predicted to be the busiest for Thanksgiving travel since 2005. Kris Van Cleave reports.
Dan McTeague of GasBuddy.com discusses the landscape for gas prices as we head into the holiday season, and the lag time between falling oil prices and prices at the pump.
Neither the experts nor I expected oil and gas prices to fall, especially not as steeply as they did. All of us expected sanctionsonIran to drive prices up or at least support them. Instead, the Administration has granted so many waivers that the sanctions have had very little effect. That's a point brought up in Bloomberg's Trump, Saudis Make Fundamental Oil Analysis Impossible, Analyst Sen Says.
Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Emery Aspects, examines President Donald Trump's influence on oil prices. She speaks with Bloomberg's Jonathan Ferro on "Bloomberg Markets: The Open."
Once again, Trump is creating chaos. At least this time, it's helping U.S. consumers. Give thanks for that silver lining in the cloud of Trump.
Seth takes a break from breaking news to check in on the instances of voter suppression during the midterm elections that have been plaguing minority communities across the country.
Florida voters have restored the rights to vote for felons with its approval of Amendment 4 to its state constitution. The amendment, which passed with at least a 2 million-plus margin, paves the way for potentially millions of convicted felons in the state to vote.
Seth takes a closer look at President Trump making up another weird thing about a foreign country while attacking a retired admiral for not getting Osama bin Laden sooner.
Trump so badly wants to make this about forest management instead of climate change that he will make stuff up, although I suspect he conflated what he saw the firefighters doing with his conversation with the President of Finland. That may explain his comment, but does not excuse it.
Enough laughs. For a more serious rebuttal of Trump's remarks, read Finnish Biologist Corrects Trump On Rakes at Talking Points Memo. Ignore the spelling errors and weird grammar, as English is not the man's first language; his explanation of the Finnish environment and forestry practices looks to me, who is also a biologist, to be correct.
Donald Trump promised to “drain the swamp.” But considering the culture of corruption inside of his administration, Washington is looking awfully...swampy.
I've written about ScottPruitt and his ethics scandals before, but I have only mentioned Interior Secretary RyanZinke for his policy decisions, not his potential for corruption. Since I used to be a NationalParkRanger and so was an employee in the Department of the Interior, I'm surprised that I haven't. Thank you, John Oliver, for doing my work for me. Now that I have the opening, I'll be sure to follow up.
As for the phrase "drain the swamp," I'm not sure that it means the same thing to Trump and his supporters that it means to everyone else. It looks more like his administration is draining the swamp of the bureaucrats and experts who actually try to regulate the swamp than the actual corrupt swamp creatures they are trying to police. That reminds me of the famous line from "The Princess Bride," "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."*
November 18th is a very special day. Mickey Mouse turns 90 years old, and I figured what better way to celebrate than to follow the mouse himself through his entire life. From Plane Crazy to the Runaway Railway, we'll talk about it all.
While I've been busy with national and Michigan stories, I've been avoiding writing about a major story that is taking place where I grew up, the latest destructive fires in California. No more, as I found out last week that the home where I grew up was in a mandatory evacuation zone. In the 25 years I lived there, that never happened. In addition, I don't recall my family ever telling me that had happened during the three decades I've lived in Michigan until this past week.* When I write that this story hits close to home, I mean it!
Satellites have captured images the wildfires currently devastating California. The Camp fire is the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state's history. Meanwhile, the Woolsey and Hill fires are raging in southern California. The size and destructiveness of the blazes can be seen by NASA satellites.
When I wrote 2018 on track to be fourth-warmest ever, I quoted Newsy observing "The heat certainly contributed to California's intense wildfire season." Popular Science agrees with that assessment, as do I. I have no patience for views that deny that, including the President's.
Follow over the jump for video reports about each of the fires currently or recently burning, beginning with the Camp Fire.
Last April, I observed that then-EPA Adminstrator Scott Pruitt was in a precarious position.
Scott Pruitt is in the middle of an ethics scandal over a sweetheart deal with an energy lobbyist over renting a room for cheap. He might be fired. He could instead replace Jeff Sessions as Attorney General. This is a fluid situation, so stay tuned.
President Donald Trump announced Friday he plans to nominate the acting chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler, to permanently lead the agency.
Trump announced the move during a Medal of Freedom ceremony at the White House, where he introduced Wheeler along with other top administration officials in attendance.
"Acting administrator -- who, I will tell you, is going to be made permanent," Trump said. "He's done a fantastic job. And I want to congratulate him. EPA, Andrew Wheeler."
Seth takes a break from breaking news to check in on the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler.
I'm with Seth; going from someone who drank organic juice with kale to someone who drinks Coke does not look like a step up environmentally, but that's just trivial optics, if good comedy. More important is the take of the Sierra Club, who was quoted by CNN.
"Putting a coal lobbyist like Andrew Wheeler in charge of the EPA is like giving a thief the keys to a bank vault," said Michael Brune of the Sierra Club. "As Acting EPA Administrator, Wheeler has kept his door open to coal, gas, oil and toxic chemical corporations, prioritizing their profits over the health and safety of our families."
Looks like the Sierra Club agrees with Meyers that Wheeler is just as bad for the environment as Pruitt, he's just more patient.
CNN also quoted a Democratic senator on the prospects of Wheeler's confirmation.
"Mr. Wheeler must come before our committee so that members can look at his record as acting administrator objectively to see if any improvements have been made at the agency since he took the helm," Delaware Sen. Tom Carper, the top Democrat on the committee overseeing EPA.
Normally, I'd wish Wheeler good luck, but I don't think he deserves it.
A District Court judge granted a motion made by CNN and White House reporter Jim Acosta on Friday, temporarily returning the reporter's suspended press pass while the case proceeds.
Note that THR reported that the judge is a Trump appointee and that this was about due process as much as it was about press freedom. That does show that at least courts are still functioning as institutions protecting the rule of law. That's a point that also appears in CNN's analysis of the breaking story, Judge orders White House to return Jim Acosta's press pass.
Federal judge Timothy J. Kelly sided with CNN on Friday, ordering the White House to reinstate chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass.
While CNN is hardly a neutral source, being a party to the action, I think it did a good job of reporting and analysis.
I'll do my best to continue following this story, which is an important one for press freedom and holding government accountable. Stay tuned.
Between incompetent election officials, poorly designed ballots and outdated machinery, it’s no wonder the Florida recount is a huge mess.
Good lord, what's with Florida and recounts made worse by incompetence, partisanship, and poor technical support? Don't answer; it's one of my rare rhetorical questions.
A machine recount that ended Thursday showed Republican Gov. Rick Scott narrowly leading.
I expect Rick Scott will eventually win. In the meantime, I anticipate more bizarre news out of Florida. That's normal. I wrote six years ago "this is Florida, which is known for the crazy news it produces. As an expatriate Californian, I'm perversely glad that it had the insane reputation that it does; it makes California, especially southern California, look good." I'd say "Florida, stay crazy" except that this is one of those cases where The Sunshine State is causing trouble for the rest of us and not just being entertainingly weird.
Each year on November 15, millions of people across the United States take part in America Recycles Day, a day which was created to raise awareness about recycling and the purchasing of recycled products.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Recycle, buy recycled goods and help teach others the benefits of recycling and continue to do so each day! Use #AmericaRecyclesDay to post on social media.
HISTORY
America Recycles Day was started in 1997 by the National Recycling Coalition and is declared each year by Presidential Proclamation, encouraging Americans to commit to recycling. Since 2009, this day has been a program of Keep America Beautiful. There are thousands of events that are held across the United States to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and offering personal pledges that can be signed, committing to recycling and buying products made from recycled materials.
Just as I did for World Diabetes Day yesterday, I have videos about the day and recycling to share. Follow over the jump!
Around the globe on November 14, World Diabetes Day raises awareness and provides education concerning a disease that affects over 400 million adults internationally.
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), by 2040 approximately 642 million adults will have diabetes. With diabetes causing 5 million deaths in 2015, this projection is a source of concern. Awareness, education, action and research all can make a difference.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Visit www.worlddiabetes.org to learn more about both type 1 & 2 diabetes. Find out how to get screened, to prevent type 2 diabetes and more about treatment. Use #WorldDiabetesDay to share on social media.
HISTORY
The International Diabetes Federation & the World Health Organization created World Diabetes Day in 1991 to raise awareness of the rising threat of diabetes around the world. In 2006, the day became one of the official United Nations Days.
Continuing on, I'm sharing three videos from World Diabetes Day on YouTube. First, What is diabetes?
415 million people worldwide, or 9% of adults aged 20-79, are estimated to have diabetes. If these trends continue, by 2040 some 642 million people will have diabetes.
The development of type 1 diabetes is usually sudden while the symptoms can often be mild in people with type 2 diabetes, making type 2 of diabetes hard to detect. If you show these signs and symptoms, consult a health professional.
I had sudden onset of all these symptoms except the lack of energy on August 21, 2017, the day of the Great American Eclipse. That certainly made the day even more memorable, although not in a good way.
On November 13 as part of World Kindness Day, we are encouraged to spread kindness like an infectious cold. We want to share it more than usual because studies show when others observe kindness in action they are more likely to carry out an act of kindness, too.
So, imagine if you head out for the day and your neighbor’s garbage can has tipped over. Instead of ignoring it and letting the wind make a mess, you pick it up and return it to the corner. Three other neighbors notice and give you a smile and a nod on their way to work.
One of those neighbors notices a stranded driver on the side of the road on his commute to work. He remembers your thoughtfulness and offers assistance to the stranded driver. Several passersby take notice.
At a business office, a woman struggles with a paper jam. She’s had a horrible day. The customer has been waiting, but she remembers the stranded driver she passed earlier in the day. The customer lets the office worker know to take her time. Everyone has a bad day.
We each have the potential to improve each others lives through understanding and kindness. Whether it’s a friend, family member, coworker or stranger, our ability to show our humanity should have no limit.
HOW TO OBSERVE
On World Kindness Day, let your compassion shine brightly. Get caught showing as much kindness as possible.
Last year, I documented the World Dance for Kindness. Today, I follow WKYC reporter Jasmine Monroe as she picks up and delivers donuts to public workers who make the world a better, safer place. First, Monroe picks up the donuts in World Kindness Day 2018: How to make the world a better place.
Nov. 13, 2018: We take part in World Kindness Day throughout Cleveland.
Nov. 13, 2018: In honor of World Kindness Day, we sent Jasmine Monroe out to thank some school bus drivers in Rocky River.
These videos made being kind look fun. I hope my readers follow Monroe's example. Just don't give any donuts to me. I can't have any because of my diabetes. Speaking of which, World Diabetes Day is tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Stan Lee, the legendary Marvel Comics co-creator and publisher, has died at 95. Gamespot Editor-in-Chief Randolph Ramsay joins CBSN to discuss Lee's legacy.
We remember Stan Lee, writer and editor of Marvel Comics and creator of iconic characters as Spider-Man, the X-Men, Black Panther and the Fantastic Four. William Brangham has the story of this pop culture legend.
That's about Lee as a comics creator. Beyond the Trailer discusses his effect on the movies as well in Stan Lee dead at 95 - Tribute.
Stan Lee Tribute today. Beyond The Trailer's breakdown of Stan Lee's history and legacy at Marvel on his death at 95. Excelsior! ... Stan Lee Dead at 95, Tribute today. Beyond The Trailer host Grace Randolph's breakdown of Stan Lee's legacy and his history at Marvel. Why Stan Lee was a comic book legend and figurehead. Share your own reaction to Stan Lee's death and his history at Marvel.
Thank you, Grace, for pointing out how Stan Lee made comics an accepted staple of American culture. It was exactly the angle I was looking for.
Speaking of angles, Grace asked for the personal reactions of her viewers. Mine was that I was never a fan of Marvel Comics — I preferred DC Comics — but I became a fan of Marvel movies, enough so that I have a Marvel label on this blog. That's in large part because of the commercial success of Marvel movies, as Deadline pointed out.
In lieu of moving upward to a more respectable medium, Lee helped transform the four-color American comic book into a powerhouse of pop culture creation and a major concept factory for Hollywood.
In fact Marvel’s three most recent blockbusters, all released over a mere five months, were adaptations of Lee creations — Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp — and have grossed more than $3.7 billion, nearly matching the price Disney paid for Marvel in 2009. Since that purchase, Marvel has generated six of the top 20 global-grossing films, topped this summer by Infinity War crossing the $2 billion mark. On television, Marvel heroes are featured in 10 live-action series (spread across ABC, Fox, Netflix, FX, Hulu and Freeform) as well as five more animated franchises.
Marvel conquered the film side with Avengers: Infinity War winning Movie of 2018...The Marvel Cinematic Universe saw multiple wins with Scarlett Johansson winning Female Movie Star of 2018 and Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman and Danai Guriria winning Male Movie Star and Action Movie Star of 2018 respectively.
It has been a rocky run for Sears and its sister store, Kmart. In October, parent company Sears Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced it would be closing more than 100 stores before the end of the year.
But it's not giving up without a fight. The beleaguered chain is ramping up for the holiday shopping season and reminding customers that it's still very much open for business.
This year, Kmart stores will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving, before reopening at 6 a.m. on Black Friday — a slight extension on last year's opening hours. Most Sears stores will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving and close at midnight, then reopen at 5 a.m. on Black Friday.
Shoppers should expect to see some big discounts, especially as the company looks to clear inventory from the 142 stores that it said it would be closing before year-end.
Oh, my, the stink ofretail desperation is strong with this one — not that I blame Sears Holdings. The company and its creditors need every dime they can get. They just won't get any from me, as Black Friday is BuyNothing Day for me.
Out of this field, the most nominated entries are "Dark Money" and "Hitler's Hollywood" with four nominations each. "Dark Money" earned nominations for Best Documentary, Best Director for Kimberly Reed, and Best Editing in addition to Best Political Documentary. The nominations for "Hitler’s Hollywood" are Best Documentary, Best Political Documentary, Best Director for Rüdiger Suchsland, and Most Innovative Documentary. For this award, I suspect the contest will end up being between these two and "RBG," which is the third nominee for Best Political Documentary also nominated for Best Documentary.
"RBG" won this award. I was rooting for it and wasn't surprised, as Box Office Mojo shows "RBG" being currently the second highest grossing documentary of 2018 with $14,017,361. The critics do pay attention to box office. In addition, the press release also reported on its other award.
Host Bill Nye lead the celebration of this year’s honorees for Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary — Scotty Bowers (Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood), Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG), Alex Honnold (Free Solo), Joan Jett (Bad Reputation), Quincy Jones (Quincy), David Kellman and Bobby Shafran (Three Identical Strangers), John McEnroe (John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection) and Leon Vitali (Filmworker).
To celebrate these awards for both the movie and Ginsberg herself, I am sharing RBG - Official Trailer
At the age of 84, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But without a definitive Ginsburg biography, the unique personal journey of this diminutive, quiet warrior's rise to the nation's highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her biggest fans – until now. RBG is a revelatory documentary exploring Ginsburg 's exceptional life and career from Betsy West and Julie Cohen, and co-produced by Storyville Films and CNN Films.
Congratulations and good luck on earning more nominations for the film. In particular, I am rooting for it to earn an Oscar nod for Best Documentary Feature.
Now to review my predictions for Best Documentary.
Based on the number of nominations, "Free Solo" looks like the favorite for this award. However, Box Office Mojo identifies the three most popular based on ticket receipts. "Won’t You Be My Neighbor?" the biography of Fred Rogers, earned $22,609,437 to be the top grossing documentary of 2018 so far. "RBG" is currently in second among documentaries with $14,017,361, while "Three Identical Strangers" is close behind at $12,320,845.* Because of that, I think the contest is really among these four movies plus "Minding the Gap," which is on Hulu, so it doesn't have a box office to compare, unless the winner of the next category sneaks past them.
The award went to "Won’t You Be My Neighbor?" along with Best Director for Morgan Neville and the award for Best Editing. At least I sort of called Best Documentary, as I thought box office would be a major factor, but I completely blew my predictions for Best Director.
Based on the number of nominations and type of nominations, I think this will be among Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi for "Free Solo," Bing Liu for "Minding the Gap," and Chapman Way and Maclain Way for "Wild Wild Country" with Chin and Vasarhelyi favored.
Um, no. At least I spared myself the embarrassment of calling Best Editing wrong, as I did not make a prediction for that award.
From Academy Award® -winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom), Won’t You Be My Neighbor? takes an intimate look at America’s favorite neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A portrait of a man whom we all think we know, this emotional and moving film takes us beyond the zip-up cardigans and the land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination.
Oh, my, that trailier left me in tears. I can't imagine what the movie itself would do.
Follow over the jump for the rest of the winners along with a comparison to my predictions when I made them.
On March 11, 2018, the Marine Band presented a Living History program titled Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Band Tribute. The program told the story of the talented and adventurous women who served our country in a most unique and unprecedented manner. Author of the book Bands of Sisters: U.S. Women’s Military Bands During World War II, Dr. Jill Sullivan served as a guide through the personal accounts of those very women who blazed a trail for many to follow. The Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Band of Camp Lejeune was established under the watch of “The President’s Own” to support bond drives and was active during World War II from 1943–45. In 1944, the ensemble even sat in for one of the Marine Band’s popular “Dream Hour” broadcasts, a program that will be reenacted in its entirety as part of this concert. The performance took place in Schlesinger Concert Hall at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Va. Conducted by Capt. Michelle A. Rakers.
Sears is closing another 40 stores Sears and Kmart stores, reports Business Insider. The closings are in addition to the 142 stores planned to close before the end of the year. The new list of closings, scheduled for February, will bring Sears' store count to around 500. Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month, after years of closing stores and selling assets. This will bring Sears' total store count down to around 500, down from nearly 2,000 stores in 2013.
In this episode we return to Paradise Valley Mall a year later to see how things are going there.
He expressed surprise that the store was as well-maintained as it was while still having so little business and expected it would be on a store closing list soon. Sure enough, it was. I left a comment on the video reporting the closure and told him I was looking forward to his coverage of the liquidation sale.
Another store on the list is in the Lakeview Square Mall in Battle Creek, Michigan. Its closure does not come as a surprise, either, as WOOD-TV reported in March of last year Sears struggles may mean trouble for Battle Creek mall.
Lakeview Square Mall in Battle Creek is looking at losing all three of its anchor stores.
City leaders admit the loss of Sears is a problem, but they are not giving up hope and have a unique plan they think will help Lakeview Square Mall grow. ... "Obviously we are very disappointed to see Sears depart the mall. It's been a long time anchor there," said Battle Creek Assistant City Manager Ted Dearing.
Dearing knows the score and has been working on a plan to change Lakeview Square. To keep it viable, he thinks there needs to be more specialty mom-and-pop shops that you can see from the outside. He also thinks the mall needs to open itself up to more non traditional uses.
"That's some of what we've been working on with the mall. We brought them a skate park that we thought was a good fit there. It seems to have worked out really well but it isn't a traditional retail use," Dearing said.
Dearing said the city is working to bring a hotel to the mall, but some hurdles need to be addressed.
I wish this group of Crazy Eddies luck; they're going to need it.
Pot scores big political victories. And pot stocks soar on Jeff Sessions' resignation. With CNBC's Aditi Roy and Melissa Lee, and the Fast Money traders, Tim Seymour, Karen Finerman, Steve Grasso and Dan Nathan.
