- Riot Watch! Riot Watch! Dueling uprisings have taken root
in Germany, spurred by anti-Islamic demonstrations that have been
taking place for months in the eastern German city of Dresden. After seeing
those gatherings go on and on, tens of thousands of people in Dresden decided
they needed to respond in a nation with, let’s just say a history of racism and
intolerance of minority groups. Thus, tens of thousands of people turned out on
a frigid day to speak out and speak up against bigotry and hate. The weekly
rallies that started this mess are organized by a group calling itself
Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or Pegida. It’s a
sh*tty acronym and possibly a big part of the reason the movement hasn’t really
taken off outside Dresden’s city limits. The Pegida rallies have drawn as many
as 18,000 hatemongering souls, but Saturday’s response brought out nearly twice
as many people, with 35,000 estimated to be in attendance. Dresden mayor Helma
Orosz addressed the dueling rallies by telling protesters that their city
"won't be split apart by hatred." The event should also be a
pick-me-up for Chancellor Angela Merkel, who previously called on Germans to
not participate in Pegida rallies on account of them being the very sort of
thinking that Germany is trying to not be known for in the 21st century. At
the very least, both sides in this battle look poised to slug it out for a long
time and with the terrorist attack that struck neighboring France last week,
there’s even more fuel for the fight………..
- “Fargo” is getting crowded – and more talented. The TV
series loosely based on the movie of the same name, is stocking its talent pool
for its second season and after announcing the addition of Kirsten Dunst
and Jesse Plemons for the next run of the show, it has been revealed that Ted Danson and
Patrick Wilson are also on board, along with former “Frasier” and “Designing
Women” star Jean Smart, who will be one of the principal cast members this
season. Oh, and toss in “Parks and Recreation” star Nick Offerman, who has
signed on for a recurring role, as well as “Burn Notice” action man Jeffrey
Donovan and Kieran Culkin, younger brother of Macauley Culkin. Add it all up and
you have a ton of name value for a show that did well in its first season. Dunst
and Plemons will play husband and wife Peggy and Ed Blomquist, while Danson
will play sheriff Hank Larsson and Smart filling a role as a family matriarch named
Floyd Gerhard. Season One starred Keith Carradine, Billy Bob Thornton, Martin
Freeman, Colin Hanks and Allison Tolman, none of whom will be returning. Wilson
will play former state trooper Lou Solverson, the role originated by Carradine
.Of course, the caveat in all of this is that a huge chunk of the cast from the
first season won’t be back and their roles will be recast by newcomers, meaning
continuity will be a big factor as the story line shifts back to 1979.
According to series creator Noah Hawley Season Two will deal with an incident
that occurred in 1979 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which somewhat defeats the
purpose of naming a show after the capital of North Dakota. But hey, TV is all
about the idea of suspending reality and buying into the myth, so here it
goes………
- At least something colorful happened last week to warm and
brighten up a dreary Michigan winter. Amidst piles of snow, mountains of
financial ruin, plateaus of despair, stockpiles of bankruptcy and general
depression, with chilly temperatures and stiff winds mixed in, a burst of color
exploded – quite literally – onto the scene when a truck carrying 44,000 pounds
of fireworks went boom during a massive pile-up on I-94 in Kalamazoo County. It
was one hell of a mess on the interstate, as there was also another truck
involved and this one was carrying hazardous materials. That means anyone
living within a one-mile radius of mile marker 90 on the highway not only got a
great fireworks show and plenty of pizzazz on what would otherwise have been a
typically bland and forgettable Midwestern day also got the thrill of being
ordered by authorities to take shelter as a precaution, lest they be exposed to
something semi-dangerous that might semi-imperil their health and well-being. With
a few hours, all of the hazardous materials were burned off and the fireworks
had all been burned up as well, leaving behind a 120-vehicle pile-up that
resulted in at least 20 injuries and further proof that when winter weather
strikes, there is an alarmingly large portion of the populace that is incapable
of executing even passably decent automobile operation. Unfortunately, it’s
rare that their incompetence produces an impromptu fireworks show for the
masses to enjoy………
- How bad are the Cleveland Browns, from top to bottom? Bad
enough that they may have blatantly broken the NFL’s rules prohibiting electronic communication
during games and seemingly derived no discernable benefits from their
chicanery. The NFL is investigating whether text messages were sent to the Browns'
sideline during games after reports surfaced about the rogue messaging. The
league confirmed its investigation, while the Browns released a canned
statement saying nothing of value. "We are reviewing internally and will
fully cooperate with the NFL on this matter," the Browns said in the
statement. The sender and recipients of the alleged messages is unclear, but
multiple sources have suggested that they were discussed by some players and
coaches late in the season. The messages are also reportedly one of the reason former
offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan decide to hit the eject button and seek a
new gig once the season ended. Shanahan reportedly saw the text messages as
interference from the front office regarding coaching decisions, as they
pertained to personnel decisions and play calls. The league's electronic
devices rule states: "This prohibition ... applies to the use of any
electronic communication devices, including but not limited to a cell phone,
smart phone, tablet device, or any type of computer, whether online or
stand-alone, including laptop and hand-held computers, in the coaches' booths,
on the sidelines, in the locker room (after kickoff), or in any other
club-controlled area on game day beginning ninety (90) minutes prior to kickoff
and continuing through the end of the game.” Only the Browns could pick
a pointless way of violating that rule which then leaves them with a) a
possible fine and discipline from the league and b) no edge on the field……….
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