- His
reign of terror has been over for decades, but much of Spain is not yet ready
to let go of the tyrannical reign of the late Gen. Francisco Franco. Franco, a
despised dictator who was sympathetic to Adolf Hitler and did various things to
aid the Nazi cause behind the scenes despite promises of neutrality, led an
army uprising that crushed the republican Spanish government in 1939. He ruled
by force for more than three decades and while republican atrocities were
"processed" by Franco's regime — with many summary executions taking
place — those within his government who allegedly committed crimes were covered
by an amnesty granted in 1975. Yet this week, Zaragoza has become the second
city in Spain to call for an investigation into crimes allegedly committed
within its boundaries by his dictatorship, which came to abrupt and welcome end
with Franco’s death in 1975. The northern city's council approved a resolution
asking a local magistrates court to investigate "crimes against
humanity" by Franco's regime, one month after Pamplona - best known as the
site of the San Fermin festival and the running of the bulls - became the first
city to push for a probe. The reason cities feel the need to launch this push
is because Spain never officially investigated crimes under the rule of Franco,
preferring to act as if his death pretty much swept everything under the rug
and allowed it to move forward as if nothing bad actually happened. Good on you,
Pamplona and Zarazoga, for doing what your national government should have done
long ago…….
- The
buzz for the upcoming “Full House” reboot on Netflix may not
have Star Wars-worthy levels of hype, but it’s safe to say that fans of 1990s
TV sitcoms are excited to see the Tanner family and their wacky San Francisco
existence brought back to life. “Fuller House” may be good or it may be
terrible with original cast members Jodie Sweetin, Andrea Barber, Candace
Cameron Bure, Bob Saget, John Stamos, Dave Coulier and Lori Laughlin back to
reprise their roles, but fans’ re-introduction to the show will begin with the
show’s theme song. That theme song won't be the series' iconic original opening
track, "Everywhere You Look," which featured scenic shots of San
Francisco during the show's run from 1987 to 1995. The revived show will get a
redone title track and it will be sung by none other than pop singer Carly Rae
Jepsen, best known for the irritating, gimmicky and borderline stalker-ish
track “Call Me Maybe.” Jepsen broke the news of her involvement with the
project on Twitter, writing, "Butch Walker and I re-did the theme song for
@FullerHouse together and I can't wait for you to hear it! Check it out on
Netflix Feb. 26th!!" Netflix has cranked out several critically acclaimed
original shows and revived a few old shows as well, so its ability to do justice to the “Full House”
franchise - decidedly campy and cheesy in its original existence - isn't really
in question, even if its choice of theme song singers is a bit shaky……..
- Aren't
martial arts teachers supposed to be the wise, responsible masters of the dojo,
the men and women who explain to those eager to channel their inner Bruce Lee
that they’re training not to kick ass, but to learn self-discipline, how to
avoid fights and only use their fighting skills if they absolutely need to
defend themselves? No one communicated that message to Justin Patrick Branick,
who doesn’t appear to possess the necessary patience quotient to instruct those
new to martial arts, at least not based on his act last week. According to Prince
William police spokesman Nathan Probus, Branick was teaching a taekwondo class
in Bristow, Va. when he became angry with one of his students. That student
happened to be a 5-year-old boy who was probably doing what overly energetic,
immature 5-year-old boys do, making noise, goofing off and failing to follow
directions. Whatever the boy did, it sent Branick over the edge and the
instructor responded not by F-bombing the poor kid or even kicking him out of
the class, but by picking the boy up by the ankle and throwing him over his
shoulder. Probus said the boy fell and lost consciousness after being hoisted
and hurled by his teacher and it didn’t take long for authorities to arrest Branick
on a charge of felony child abuse. Branick better be damn good at using martial
arts to defend himself whenever he’s a free man again because it’s not hard to
imagine the boy’s parents tracking him down and looking to administer some corporal
punishment of their own to the ass hat who nearly killed their child……..
- The
NFL season can't end soon enough for the Atlanta Falcons. A 5-0 start to the
year has careened over a cliff and tumbled downward for the past two months,
leaving the ATL 7-7 and barely hanging on in the NFC playoff race as it awaits
the inevitable finality of its downfall ending in a fiery ball of failure seven
days from now when the Falcons miss the postseason entirely. No one embodies
the ignominy of how the season has gone more than rookie running back Tevin
Coleman, who has entered the NFL's concussion protocol not because he got his melon
cracked by a 250-pound linebacker running the ball up the middle, but be he was
done in by Moen. Yes, that Moen. The one that manufactures hardware for
showers, as in the shower in which Coleman slipped and hit his head, leaving
the third-round draft pick with a brain bruise that could sideline him for the
rest of the season. Like his team, Coleman’s season started on a high note as
he tallied 80 yards on 20 carries in a
Week 1 win against the Philadelphia Eagles. Also just like his team, his
mountaintop moment was short-lived as he suffered a fractured rib the following
week against the New York Giants, causing him to miss two games. Even after Devonta
Freeman became a breakout star for the Falcons in Coleman's absence, scoring
six rushing touchdowns in the two games Coleman missed, the rookie roared back
in Week 12 with first career 100-yard rushing game in a 20-10 loss. That, as it
turns out, may have been the last good moment of Coleman’s season and his
inability to successfully navigate a simply personal hygiene task that millions
of ordinary people complete safely every day is the reason Coleman can get a
one-week head start on his teammates when it comes to his offseason plans……….
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