Motley Moose – Archive

I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in “Cheers & Jeers”. For example …..

WHO WOULDA THUNK that one of the GOP senators who voted to override President Reagan’s 1986 veto of sanctions against apartheid was a freshman named … Mitch McConnell … probably viewed as a ‘youthful indiscretion’ today.

OK, you’ve been warned – here is this week’s tomfoolery material that I posted.

ART NOTES – the exhibition Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Hals is on display at the Frick Collection in New York City through January 19th.

POLITICAL NOTES – Chile’s presidential runoff election takes place December 15th, as former left-of-center president Michelle Bachelet takes on her conservative challenger Evelyn Matthei …….. her childhood playmate.

THURSDAY’s CHILD is Mazy May the Cat – an Oregon kitteh who had gone missing on a camping trip 16 months ago …. yet was spotted and caught with a live trap, then sent home thanks to posters placed at the campsite.

AS A CHILD I wanted to be a steam locomotive engineer …. and now come to find that the world’s largest concentration of active service steam trains are in northwest China ….. perhaps it’s not too late for a career change?

HAIL and FAREWELL to the 1960’s iconic artist Martin Sharp who has died in his native Australia at the age of 71.

He spent time in London in the 60’s and – as I am a big fan of the band Cream – he did the cover art for their hit albums Disraeli Gears as well as Wheels of Fire …. and was the co-author of the band’s song Tales of Brave Ulysses – A major loss, indeed.

BRAIN TEASER – try this Quiz of the Week’s News from the BBC.

FRIDAY’s CHILD is Bluey the Cat – a Vermont kitteh who went missing eighteen months ago ….. before being spotted by his family on a Petfinder listing.

THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a look at the very strange past twelve months for Canadian mayors – it isn’t just Rob Ford, I am sorry to say.

SEPARATED at BIRTH – former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant as well as the professional golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez from Spain.

   

……and finally, for a song of the week ……………  I once heard a description of the R&B/rock music of Gary US Bonds this way: “like opening the door to a fantastic dance party”. That after more than 50 years the analogy still holds … is a testament to his ability: never truly going out-of-style but falling out of mass appeal at times … before returning again.

Born as Gary Anderson in Jacksonville, Florida: his family moved to Norfolk, Virginia in the mid-1950’s (as his father became a professor at Hampton University nearby). Gary began to sing in church and later as a member of a band called The Turks.

Fortunately, the talented record producer Frank Guida happened to live in Norfolk and heard the not-quite age 21 Anderson sing. In signing him, Guida released a single of Gary’s in 1960 and used some subterfuge in promoting it: changing Anderson’s name to U.S. Bonds (hoping that DJ’s would play it in the belief that it was a public service announcement). Whatever effect that had: the single “New Orleans” reached #6 on the pop charts. Afterwards, the name Gary was appended onto U.S. Bonds …. which is what it remains to this day.

This was followed-up in 1961 by Quarter to Three – which remains his signature tune. Guida often double and triple-tracked Bonds’ voice (not unlike some of the technique that Phil Spector was doing around the same time across-the-country) helping to create a unique sound especially on this tune. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame includes “Quarter to Three” on its list of 500 Songs that shaped rock & roll.

By 1962, Bonds had five more Top 40 hits, including “School is Out”, “School is In” and “Twist, Twist, Señora“. A sign of his star power came when a 1963 British tour saw him headlining … above The Beatles. And therein was the problem: the rise of the British Invasion and Motown sidelined many performers like Gary, and while a song that he co-wrote She’s All I Got was nominated for a 1972 Country Music Association “Song of the Year” award after Johnny Paycheck had success with it: Gary US Bonds toiled in obscurity for several years.

Fast-forward to 1980: a chance encounter with Bruce Springsteen and members of his E Street Band (who had grown up on Bonds’ music) led to them backing up Bonds on his 1981 comeback album Dedication that helped Bonds reach the singles charts again with “This Little Girl” and “Out of Work” and regain the limelight for a few years. But once again, this faded over time and Bonds resumed a career on the oldies circuit.

Now jump ahead to 2004 – and the release of his album Back in 20 – the title denoting that his popularity works in twenty-year cycle – and interestingly, he says that the album started as a blues recording but which in time morphed into a party album. This time the guest performers include former Allmans’ guitarist Dickey Betts (on “She Just Wants to Dance”) as well as Phoebe Snow (“Bitch/Dumb Ass”). Bonds followed-up with the 2009 album Let Them Talk and also has a 2012 Christmas album as well as a Best Of compilation from his early days.

Gary US Bonds has several achievements to-date (besides the awards that “Quarter to Three” and “She’s All I Got” had previously garnered). Having been a long-time resident, he has been inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame as well as a Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award in 1997.

An avid golfer, he regularly plays in celebrity pro-am tournaments. And when he toured in Britain in 2009: instead of the Beatles, his tour partners were the former Stones bassist Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings band – in a sort of coming full-circle. Finally, just this year he released his autobiography entitled “By U.S. Bonds – That’s My Story”.

At age 74, Gary U.S. Bonds has two shows in New Jersey this month and in January will appear in Philadelphia in a showcase of popular 1960’s singers. While he’s apparently slowed down … he shows no signs of shutting down the party.

My favorite tune of his dates back to 1962: Seven Day Weekend was a #27 hit for him, and in many ways captures the spirit of his music. And at this link you can hear it.

… nor is being required to sell a cake to same-sex couples (or their friends and family) “trampling” a baker’s religious freedom.

During my morning news reading, I came across this story in ThinkProgress reporting on a Colorado judge’s ruling against the baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex couple.

Colorado Judge: Bakery That Refused Wedding Cake To Same-Sex Couple Broke The Law

In July of 2012, the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado refused to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple who were planning to celebrate with friends and family the marriage they had received in Massachusetts. The couple, Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig, filed a complaint, and the Colorado Attorney General proceeded to do the same, and Friday, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Robert Spencer ruled against Jack Phillips, the owner of the bakery.

The complaint had been filed on behalf of the couple by the ACLU who had this to say about the ruling:

“Masterpiece Cakeshop has willfully and repeatedly considered itself above the law when it comes to discriminating against customers, and the state has rightly determined otherwise,” said Sara R. Neel, staff attorney with the ACLU of Colorado. “It’s important for all Coloradans to be treated fairly by every business that is open to the public – that’s good for business and good for the community.”

The ThinkProgress article included quotes from the judge (PDF) that highlighted some of the “flaws” in the cake shop’s “reasoning”. What struck me was that the cake shop owner was actually making these claims, apparently with the expectation that the constitution protected him from “things which made him uncomfortable”.

Here is some of what was thrown up against the wall to see if it would stick and the judge’s rebuttal:

One of the bakery’s arguments was that it still served gay clients – the owner only objected to a wedding cake that would celebrate a same-sex marriage. Spencer argued that since only gay couples would participate in same-sex marriage, it’s a “distinction without a difference”:    

Respondents deny that they hold any animus toward homosexuals or gay couples, and would willingly provide other types of baked goods to Complainants or any other gay customer. On the other hand, Respondents would refuse to provide a wedding cake to a heterosexual customer if it was for a same-sex wedding.

… it makes little sense to argue that refusal to provide a cake to a same-sex couple for use at their wedding is not “because of” their sexual orientation.

The cake shop owner further claimed that baking the cake would have compelled him to recognize same-sex marriage, something that is illegal in Colorado. However, during the oral arguments, apparently he admitted that he would not sell a cake for a “commitment ceremony or civil union” neither of which was illegal. Ooops!!

From the judge:

Because Respondents’ objection goes beyond just the act of “marriage,” and extends to any union of a same-sex couple, it is apparent that Respondents’ real objection is to the couple’s sexual orientation and not simply their marriage.

Next up: creating a cake is “free speech”.

The judge suggests otherwise:

The ALJ, however, rejects Respondents’ argument that preparing a wedding cake is necessarily a medium of expression amounting to protected “speech,” or that compelling Respondents to treat same-sex and heterosexual couples equally is the equivalent of forcing Respondents to adhere to “an ideological point of view.” There is no doubt that decorating a wedding cake involves considerable skill and artistry. However, the finished product does not necessarily qualify as “speech,” as would saluting a flag, marching in a parade, or displaying a motto.

What’s left? Religion!! “They are trampling on my religious freedoms”, which apparently now includes the right to refuse to obey any laws if you don’t like them.

Er, no:

Conceptually, Respondents’ refusal to serve a same-sex couple due to religious objection to same-sex weddings is no different from refusing to serve a biracial couple because of religious objection to biracial marriage. However, that argument was struck down long ago in Bob Jones Univ. v. United States.

Thank you, Administrative Law Judge Robert Spencer! As the right-wing’s perversion of the first amendment continues unabated, it is good to know that there are still judges who understand this (from the judge’s ruling):

Compelling a bakery that sells wedding cakes to heterosexual couples to also sell wedding cakes to same-sex couples is incidental to the state’s right to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and is not the same as forcing a person to pledge allegiance to the government or to display a motto with which they disagree. To say otherwise trivializes the right to free speech.

I am sure that some organization (“Colorado Citizens Against Reading The First Amendment Properly” … or maybe “Colorado Citizens Against Reading”?) will file an appeal to take this to the next level.

Let’s hope that there are more judges who, like Judge Spencer, refuse to trivialize the right to free speech.

  Make sure you let your peeps

  know where to find you!  

The morning check-in is an open thread posted to give you a place to visit with the meeses. Feel free to chat about your weather, share a bit of your life, grump (if you must), rave (if you can). The diarist du jour sometimes posts and runs, other times sticks around for a bit, often returns throughout the day and always cares that meeses are happy … or at least contented.

On weekends (and holidays), you may find the check-in thread earlier or later than normal because … it is the weekend! Moosies need their beauty rest:

For those new to the Moose, Kysen left a Moose Welcome Mat (Part Deux) so, please, wipe your feet before you walk in the front door start posting.

The important stuff to get you started:

– Comments do not Auto-refresh. Click the refresh/reload on your tab to see new ones. Only click Post once for comments. When a diary’s comment threads grow, the page takes longer to refresh and the comment may not display right away.

– To check for replies to your comments, click the “My Comments” link in the right-hand column (or go to “My Moose”). Comments will be listed and a link to Recent Replies will be shown. (Note: Tending comments builds community)

– Ratings: Fierce means Thumbs Up, Fail means Thumbs Down, Meh means one of three things: I am unFailing you but I can’t Fierce you, I am unFiercing after a mistaken Fierce … or Meh. Just Meh. (p.s. Ratings don’t bestow mojo, online behaviour does).

– The Recommended list has a prominent place on the Front Page because it reflects the interests of the Moose. When people drive-by, we want them to see what we are talking about: news, politics, science, history, personal stories, culture. The list is based on number of recs and days on the list. Per Kysen: “The best way to control Rec List content is to ONLY rec diaries you WANT to see ON the list.”

– Finally, the posting rules for a new diary: “Be excellent to each other… or else”

(Some other commenting/posting/tending notes for newbies can be found in this past check-in and, of course, consult Meese Mehta for all your questions on meesely decorum.)

You can follow the daily moosetrails here: Motley Moose Recent Comments.

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Let the greetings begin!

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This has been a bizarre past twelve months as far as mayoralties go in our northern neighbor, as we will see after the jump ……

We here in the USA tend to bemoan all of our cast of bad actor politicians (Bob Filner, Duke Cunningham, Trey Radel, New York’s Chris Lee, Anthony Weiner, et al) in addition to the simply reactionary types. And even if you followed the advice of our friend Bill Scher, some of us have cast a wistful eye towards the upstanding elected officials of Canada.

Well, the London (Ontario) Free Press’ Larry Cornies decided to weigh-in on the upcoming 2013 newsmakers of the year a tad early: suggesting that corrupt politicians might be the overall winner. And while the list of losers runs into the Canadian Senate and prime minister Stephen Harper’s camp …. it seems the past twelve months has particularly had a rogue’s gallery of mayors on Canada’s dishonor list – with the mayor of Toronto as only the most glaring example.

As someone who has included several of these names in my recurring “Who Lost the Week?!?!” poll …. let’s take an overview, to place things in perspective.

And we begin in the province of Québec, which seems to have had a particularly tough year. In November of last year, the mayor of Montreal – the second largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris – resigned after months of scrutiny over corruption that resulted in arrests of several close associates, allegations of widespread kickbacks and which resulted in construction contracts having to be frozen and a budget that required property tax increases had to be abandoned.

Gérald Tremblay had been in office for over ten years; a former provincial minister who had both a law degree and a Harvard MBA. He rose to power as the result of widespread anger over the city annexing various suburbs and won two additional terms. But he was accused of (at best) turning a blind eye to corruption and (by others) of being indifferent about it.

Because he quit less than a year before the 2013 mayoral election, his scandal-plagued party was able to choose his successor. Yet he pleaded ignorance to what was going on, saying:

“My father always told me not to go into politics because it was dirty and people would destroy me,” he said, adding that his love of Quebec and Montreal drew him to provincial and municipal politics over a 25-year career. “I dedicated myself fully to the success of Montreal – with Judeo-Christian values of charity, solidarity, integrity, respect, openness.”

So far, he has not faced any criminal charges, since no evidence has yet surfaced that he personally profited from the corruption alleged. The same could not be said about his appointed successor, Michael Applebaum – who resigned after being arrested this past June on fourteen counts of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes over real estate deals. Montreal just elected a new mayor who – presumably – has nowhere to go but up.

Another Québec city that hit the ‘daily double’ was that of nearby Laval – whose mayor Gilles Vaillancourt (photo left – perhaps a future ‘Separated at Birth’ with Dennis Hastert?) left office after police raided his home over charges that he pocketed kickbacks from construction contracts and offered provincial officials cash bribes. He faces twelve charges including influence peddling and breach of trust.

His successor Alexandre Duplessis (photo right) resigned in the wake of a scandal allegedly involving prostitutes and extortion. Similarly, the city of Laval’s newly-elected mayor has nowhere to go but up.

   

Finally, a former mayor who was not charged with corruption yet wore out his welcome with his public utterances was Stéphane Gendron – the mayor of Huntingdon, a small town 45 miles south of Montreal (and just north of the New York state border). He had a part-time job as a radio station shock jock – a blueprint for trouble, methinks. He had gotten himself into hot water with some of his prior statements (which caused him to be taken off a TV station years ago) and last year called Israel ‘an apartheid state that didn’t deserve to exist’.

This year, he was placed under investigation by Canada’s SPCA after he claimed on-air that he enjoyed … running his truck over pooties.

‘When I see a cat in the street, I accelerate. Stray cats have no business on the street. So bang! I accelerate.’ The other day I backed up over a newborn and I’m sure it didn’t feel a thing. The pickup passed over him like it was nothing.’

He later apologized for his ‘dark humor’, saying he was trying to raise a debate about stray cats. Yet the fact that he did not deny his stories spurred on the SPCA investigation. He, too, did not seek re-election last month.

We next venture to the province of Ontario, where the sitting mayor of the city of London is set to stand trial in 2014 (albeit not for his actions as mayor, but prior actions while a member of the Canadian Parliament). Joe Fontana is being charged with forging documents (and breach of trust by a public official) over allegations that he deposited a Public Works check to help pay for his son’s wedding reception in 2005.

Even though the show’s producer (Lorne Michaels) is a Canadian native …. let’s face it, when a Canadian public official is lampooned on Saturday Night Live …. you know they have hit the big-time. You probably don’t need a reminder of what Rob Ford has been accused of, but he actually does have a predecessor in office that – consciously or unconsciously – served as a sort of role model.

Mel Lastman served as Toronto’s mayor (or parts of it, as its borders were re-drawn in 1998) from 1972-2003. He became wealthy running a chain of Bad Boy furniture stores, ignoring a cease-and-desist letter specifying that he not use likenesses of Bill & Hillary Clinton in his 1993 advertisements. Yet it was his public pronouncements that one essayist feels led Rob Ford to believe he would suffer no pain … as long as he satisfied his political base.  

During the SARS outbreak a decade ago, he denounced the World Health Organization’s travel advisory for Toronto by saying “This group doesn’t know what they’re talking about” …(while 44 city residents wound up dying from the virus). He sparred with reporters looking into his womanizing and failed to pay child support (as a multi-millionaire) for two offspring he had in an adulterous affair.

About female office workers, he said:

“These pretty little things in miniskirts are cheerful and beautiful in the office, but they are not workers. They spend most of their time talking about last night and the other half talking about tonight.”

What I do recall making international news – the first time I had ever heard of him – was during Toronto’s bid in 2001 to host a future Olympic Games … where an important meeting to choose a host city took place in Kenya:

“What the hell do I want to go to a place like Mombasa? Snakes just scare the hell out of me. I’m sort of scared about going there, but the wife is really nervous. I just see myself in a pot of boiling water with all these natives dancing around me.”

Hence, there are all sorts of articles pointing out how Rob Ford seems to be following the playbook of a man re-elected eleven times. But not so that Mel Lastman is altogether supportive of Rob Ford, you see:

“I’m not a genius, obviously, but he (Ford) makes me look like one.”

There may be other tales-of-woe from citizens with corrupt mayors, but we’ll leave it here. That is, of course, after we finish with a look at Mayor Ford’s #1 supporter … and some words he probably wishes he never uttered.

Those of you who are non-hockey fans may not know him, but progressive Canadians have long endured the retrograde former NHL coach (and now broadcaster) Don Cherry for years. I have lived in New Hampshire for twenty-five years, but when Don Cherry was coach of the Boston Bruins a few years earlier: many New Englanders from that era have still never forgiven him for one act.

Just as the Boston Red Sox long had to endure their status as always losing to the New York Yankees (before this past decade) … so did the Boston Bruins, who always seemed to lose to the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL playoffs – over a 45-year stretch ending in 1988. As a kid growing up in the New York metro area before the NHL began expanding in the late 60’s, I considered the Bruins to be the New York Rangers’ natural rivals. Not so Bruins fans: who always saw the Canadiens to be their prime rival.

And one example was in 1979: where in Game 7 of a semi-final series against Montreal, the Bruins had a 4-3 lead with just three minutes left to go … when coach Don Cherry messed-up his line change … and drew a penalty for too-many-men-on-the-ice. Naturally, the Canadiens tied the game with only 74 seconds left, and won in overtime … on their way to yet another Stanley Cup. Don Cherry was fired several weeks later.

Now, he has been a long-time announcer on Hockey Night in Canada, and has a laundry list of utterances that define his status. These include: complaints against (most) French-speaking and (nearly all) European players, ‘left-wing bleeding hearts’, female reporters (which caused his TV sidekick Ron McLean to wince visibly on TV), those who advocate against fighting in the NHL, the expansion of bike lanes in Toronto and in 1989 referring to the Finnish-born assistant coach of the Winnipeg Jets (Alpo Suhonen) … as a brand of dog food.

Don Cherry has always been an extremely stylish dresser, but (as in the first photo) it was more restrained during his coaching days. Today as a broadcaster, he often takes to far-more flamboyant suits (for someone with his political views) and introduced Rob Ford at his swearing-in wearing a pink suit. Extolling the new mayor (who we subsequently learned smoked crack cocaine), Don Cherry uttered this sentence which he’ll be forever known for:

“Rob’s honest, he’s truthful…I say he’s going to be the greatest mayor this city has ever seen as far as I’m concerned. And put that in your pipe, you left-wing kooks”.

Let’s clear the air with one of Canada’s greatest musicians, Oscar Peterson – with his classic tune Hymn To Freedom to mark the death of Nelson Mandela. And, obviously, feel free to add your tributes to Madiba in the comments section.

From the White House – Weekly Address

In this week’s address, President Obama said that before Congress leaves for vacation, they should extend unemployment benefits for 1.3 million hardworking Americans who will lose this lifeline at the end of the year. For families, unemployment benefits can mean the difference between hardship and catastrophe, and it is also one of the most effective ways to boost our economy. This holiday season, Congress should do the right thing for the American people and make it easier for our economy to keep growing and adding jobs.  

Transcript: Calling on Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits this Holiday Season

Hi, everybody.  The holiday season is a time for remembering the bonds we share, and our obligations to one another as human beings.

But right now, more than one million of our fellow Americans are poised to lose a vital economic lifeline just a few days after Christmas if Congress doesn’t do something about it.

Our top priority as a country should be restoring opportunity and broad-based economic growth for all Americans.  And yesterday, we learned that our businesses created about 200,000 jobs in the month of November.  That’s more than 8 million new jobs in the last 45 months.  And the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in five years.

But we need to do everything we can to help businesses create more good jobs that pay good wages even faster.  Because the hole that we’re still digging out of means that there are still millions of Americans looking for work – often because they’ve been laid off through no fault of their own.

We also have to look out for the Americans working hard to get those jobs.  That’s why, as a country, we offer temporary unemployment insurance – so that job-seekers don’t fall into poverty, and so that when they get that job, they bounce back more quickly.

For many families, it can be the difference between hardship and catastrophe.  It makes a difference for a mother who suddenly doesn’t know if she’ll be able to put food on the table for her kids.  It makes a difference for a father who lost his job and is looking for a new one.  Last year alone, it lifted 2.5 million people out of poverty, and cushioned the blow for many more.

But here’s the thing: if Members of Congress don’t act before they leave on their vacations, 1.3 million Americans will lose this lifeline.  These are people we know.  They’re our friends and neighbors; they sit next to us in church and volunteer in our communities; their kids play with our kids.  And they include 20,000 veterans who’ve served this country with honor.

If Congress refuses to act, it won’t just hurt families already struggling – it will actually harm our economy.  Unemployment insurance is one of the most effective ways there is to boost our economy.  When people have money to spend on basic necessities, that means more customers for our businesses and, ultimately, more jobs.  And the evidence shows that unemployment insurance doesn’t stop people from trying hard to find work.

Just this week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicted that allowing benefits to expire will be a drag on our economic growth next year. A report by the Department of Labor and my Council of Economic Advisors estimated that it could cost businesses 240,000 jobs.  And without the ability to feed their families or pay the bills, many people currently looking for work could stop looking for good.

So extending unemployment insurance isn’t just the right thing to do for our families – it’s the smart thing to do for our economy.  And it shouldn’t be a partisan issue.  For decades, Congress has voted to offer relief to job-seekers – including when the unemployment rate was lower than it is today.

But now that economic lifeline is in jeopardy.  All because Republicans in this Congress – which is on track to be the most unproductive in history – have so far refused to extend it.

So this holiday season, let’s give our fellow Americans who are desperately looking for work the help they need to keep on looking.  Let’s make it easier for businesses to attract more customers, and our economy to grow.  And together, let’s keep doing everything we can to make this country a place where anyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Bolding added.

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Editor’s Note: The President’s Weekly Address diary is also the weekend open news thread. Feel free to leave links to other news items in the comment threads.

  Make sure you let your peeps

  know where to find you!  

The morning check-in is an open thread posted to give you a place to visit with the meeses. Feel free to chat about your weather, share a bit of your life, grump (if you must), rave (if you can). The diarist du jour sometimes posts and runs, other times sticks around for a bit, often returns throughout the day and always cares that meeses are happy … or at least contented.

On weekends (and holidays), you may find the check-in thread earlier or later than normal because … it is the weekend! Moosies need their beauty rest:

For those new to the Moose, Kysen left a Moose Welcome Mat (Part Deux) so, please, wipe your feet before you walk in the front door start posting.

The important stuff to get you started:

– Comments do not Auto-refresh. Click the refresh/reload on your tab to see new ones. Only click Post once for comments. When a diary’s comment threads grow, the page takes longer to refresh and the comment may not display right away.

– To check for replies to your comments, click the “My Comments” link in the right-hand column (or go to “My Moose”). Comments will be listed and a link to Recent Replies will be shown. (Note: Tending comments builds community)

– Ratings: Fierce means Thumbs Up, Fail means Thumbs Down, Meh means one of three things: I am unFailing you but I can’t Fierce you, I am unFiercing after a mistaken Fierce, or Meh. Just Meh. (p.s. Ratings don’t bestow mojo, online behaviour does).

– The Recommended list has a prominent place on the Front Page because it reflects the interests of the Moose. When people drive-by, we want them to see what we are talking about: news, politics, science, history, personal stories, culture. The list is based on number of recs and days on the list. Per Kysen: “The best way to control Rec List content is to ONLY rec diaries you WANT to see ON the list.”

– Finally, the posting rules for a new diary: “Be excellent to each other… or else”

(Some other commenting/posting/tending notes for newbies can be found in this past check-in and, of course, consult Meese Mehta for all your questions on meesely decorum.)

You can follow the daily moosetrails here: Motley Moose Recent Comments.

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Let the greetings begin!

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Good morning, Moosekind. TGIF! Hope it has been a good week for everyone.

Friday Coffee Hour and check-in is an open thread and general social hour. Come back when time allows through the day – the conversation continues.

It’s traditional but not obligatory to give us a weather check where you are and let us know what’s new, interesting, challenging or even routine in your life lately. Nothing is particularly obligatory here except:

Always remember the Moose Golden (Purple?) Rule:

Be kind to each other… or else.

What could be simpler than that, right?