George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo

*BUMPED.*

Saunders just won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction for 2017 (an award for the best work of fiction published in the U.K.).

At Amazon, George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo.

Paradise Papers

The world's elite shelter their assets. Well, that's not going to fuel the fires of populist revolt, or anything.

At the Guardian U.K., "Paradise Papers leak reveals secrets of the world elite's hidden wealth: Files from offshore law firm show financial dealings of the Queen, big multinationals and members of Donald Trump’s cabinet."

Huge leak reveals secrets of world elite's hidden wealth #paradisepapers https://t.co/KhkIQyz3qs

— The Guardian (@guardian) November 5, 2017

Shop Deals

At Amazon, Shop Today.

See especially, Coleman Camping Classics.

And, Coleman North Rim 0 Degree Sleeping Bag.

More, Gatorade Variety Pack, Limited Edition, 20 Oz Bottle (Pack of 12).

Also, KIND Breakfast Bars, Peanut Butter, Gluten Free, 1.8 Ounce, 32 Count.

And, CLIF BAR - Energy Bar - Crunchy Peanut Butter - (2.4 Ounce Protein Bar, 12 Count).

Still more, AmazonBasics AA Performance Alkaline Batteries (48 Count) - Packaging May Vary.

Here, AmazonBasics Lightning to USB A Cable - Apple MFi Certified - Black - 6 Feet /1.8 Meters.

BONUS: Joachim Fest, Inside Hitler's Bunker: The Last Days of the Third Reich.

Nathan Hill, The Nix

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Nathan Hill, The Nix: A Novel.

Why Dems Aren't Winning Against Trump

At U.S. News and World Report, "You Can't Beat Something With Nothing":

The Democrats seem to enjoy gloating about the hot mess that is the Republican Party these days. Former GOP presidents warning the president about the people he surrounds himself with; sitting Republican U.S. senators calling the president unstable and unqualified; and a former GOP speaker of the house saying "there is no Republican Party. The president isn't a Republican." And Democrats' friends in the mainstream media have kindly created an echo chamber that makes them think that they are always right and the Republicans are a bunch of sexist, racist, whack jobs.

So why aren't they winning?

They must be longing for the halcyon days of the Obama election in 2008. They were so eager to lay all of America's troubles entirely at the feet of President George W. Bush: The Iraq War (which most of their party voted to support), Hurricane Katrina response (ignoring any involvement by Democratic local officials) and the financial collapse (which had little to do with Washington – although President Bush and President Barack Obama worked hand in hand to bail the country out of it). They were so full of hope! They were ushering in a new America. A post-racial America where everyone has health care and a good middle-class job. Stories written in the wake of the November election wrote the obituary on the Republican Party (too white, too rich, too old and on top of that, technology morons who can't turn out the vote). The Democrats were here to stay – or so they thought.

That arrogance caused them to nominate Hillary Clinton to be their party's standard bearer. Possibly the only candidate who could lose to Trump. (It's generally accepted that, had Vice President Joe Biden been the nominee, he would have won. And just this week, Trump's pollster posited that Sanders would have beaten Trump, too.) Her major primary opponent was a bit nutty, but that was largely because the Democratic establishment had crowned Clinton early on and crowded everyone else out. She was a fairly strong candidate in the Democratic Party: a well-known former first lady to a very popular president, former U.S. senator, former secretary of state. It was her turn.

Never mind that there is no figure in American politics as guaranteed to unite the GOP base in opposition as the person who coined the term "vast right-wing conspiracy" in an effort to deflect from her husband's misdeeds (which everyone in the country seemed to find plausible, except for her). Never mind her inability to connect with working-class voters in the same folksy way as her husband. Never mind her reputation for refusing to take responsibility for things that happened on her watch (like Benghazi). Everyone should ignore all that. Because it's time for us to shatter that glass ceiling, and no one but Hillary can do it.

The Democrats seemed shocked the race between Clinton and Trump remained relatively close because they seemed to stop talking to the white working-class voters who, for decades, had defined their base.

So when they lost the election, there was a reckoning. The leadership of the Democratic Party was drummed up and new, forward-looking leaders took the reins and offered an alternative to what they saw as the disaster of Donald Trump. Wait, no. That isn't what happened. Instead, they re-elected Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the house. They elected Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader and completely sold out to the New York and California wings of the Democratic Party.

Instead of talking about middle-class tax cuts, they talked about transgender bathroom access. Instead of talking about fixing Obamacare, which was crushing many in the middle class with high premiums and complicated doctor selections, they walked right into the trap of the alt-right and began tearing down Civil War statues.

In the first big test of party strength: the Virginia governor's race, they have thrown up all over themselves. Virginia should be easy for them. Clinton won it in 2016. Trump's numbers are completely under water. The Republican candidate has awkwardly embraced Trump and some of his controversial positions while trying not to hug him too close. But somehow they ended up with one of the least inspiring Democratic candidates Virginia has seen in a long time. And they backed an ad that seemed to depict Virginians who drive pickup trucks as a bunch of rednecks looking to plow down children of color...

More.

Here the now-pulled Latino Victory Fund ad from the Virginia governor's race. For shame:

Jennifer Delacruz's Cloudy and Overnight Showers Forecast

It's cool and cloudy out right now in Irvine, although it doesn't look like it rained. [UPDATE: My wife says it rained, and my son left the passenger-side window down on his new Jetta. Ooops!]

Either way, here's the beautiful Ms. Jennifer with today's forecast, from last night, at ABC News 10 San Diego:

Trump Voters Are Still Optimistic

At the Irish Times, "Trump has made many Americans feel connected again: Trump – one year on: Those who voted for him are still optimistic – and in Erie, Pennsylvania, a former Obama stronghold, they would do so again":

Frank Victor sits at the head of the conference table at Fralo Industries, the high-tech sheet metal manufacturing plant in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, he owns with his brother Mike – who is now the president of Mercyhurst University – a prestigious private Catholic university located within the city limits.

Across from him is John Bauman, the president of the manufacturing company and a minority owner. Both men are highly educated, successful businessmen who have left this city – which has arguably seen better days – throughout their careers, but returned to invest and be part of pushing its renewal.

A process both men admit will be long.

They both voted for Donald Trump last November and were part of the movement in Pennsylvania and across the Rust Belt that flipped traditional Democratic counties like Erie from Democrat to Republican; a flip which helped push Trump over the top to win the presidency.

And they would do it again.

“In a heartbeat,” said Victor, 54, as he gives a tour of his factory that employs 68 locals in well-paying jobs, something hard to come by in America’s Rust Belt.

Victor and Bauman are the type of American voters who were hiding in plain sight for the American news media and political strategists to see – but didn’t. Not because they weren’t available, not because they would not have admitted they were going to vote for him – but because much of the media and political class, both Democrat and Republican, could not understand why they would, so they didn’t ask.

Twelve months later they still don’t understand why they did.

In fact much of the US is still stuck in a singular moment in politics; for the most part it is still November 8th, 2016 around midnight. If you voted for Trump, you are still excited and still optimistic about his presidency. If you didn’t? You still believe it must be illegitimate; you either still believe the only reason Trump won was because of Russian interference or because former FBI director James Comey’s late actions cast doubt...

More.

'It’s Okay to Be White'

Well, it should be. It should be okay to be whatever natural color or ethnicity you are.

But not on the left. The left hates whiteness. And it hates anyone who doesn't toe the hateful race-bating white supremacy line.

At Instapundit, "SO I GUESS IT’S NOT OKAY. GOOD TO KNOW. ‘It’s Okay To Be White’ Signs Posted At Harvard Law School, Denounced by Dean."

Journalists Spreading Lies and Degrading Democracy

It's Glenn Greenwald, at the Intercept, "Four Viral Claims Spread by Journalists on Twitter in the Last Week Alone That are False":

Four viral claims spread by journalists on Twitter in the last week alone that are false: https://t.co/KrkOFYztQH by @ggreenwald

— The Intercept (@theintercept) November 5, 2017

There is ample talk, particularly of late, about the threats posed by social media to democracy and political discourse. Yet one of the primary ways that democracy is degraded by platforms such and Facebook and Twitter is, for obvious reasons, typically ignored in such discussions: the way they are used by American journalists to endorse factually false claims that quickly spread and become viral, entrenched into narratives, and thus can never be adequately corrected.

The design of Twitter, where many political journalists spend their time, is in large part responsible for this damage. Its space constraints mean that tweeted headlines or tiny summaries of reporting are often assumed to be true with no critical analysis of their accuracy, and are easily spread. Claims from journalists that people want to believe are shared like wildfire, while less popular, subsequent corrections or nuanced debunking are easily ignored. Whatever one’s views are on the actual impact of Twitter Russian bots, surely the propensity of journalistic falsehoods to spread far and wide is at least as significant.

Just in the last week alone, there have been four major factually false claims that have gone viral because journalists on Twitter endorsed and spread them: three about the controversy involving Donna Brazile and the DNC, and one about documents and emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign. It’s well worth examining them, both to document what the actual truth is as well as to understand how often and easily this online journalistic misleading occurs...

Keep reading.

Anxiety is High in Hollywood

Rape allegations rocking Tinseltown.

At LAT, "Who's next? High anxiety in Hollywood":

To women and men in the industry, it would be wise of you to not promote Alec Baldwin. Fair warning. #ROSEARMY pic.twitter.com/x1I9Rti3LX

— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) November 5, 2017

The curtain has been pulled back, and, oh, is it messy.

Hollywood has always reveled in scandal. The rumor. The whisper. The unfortunate photograph. The apology and return to grace. But the recent sex abuse stories have turned into a parade of tawdry violations and twisted passions, the stuff of movies acted out in real lives against the unglamorous air of disgrace, endless transgressions that even Ray Donovan, Showtime's half-shaven mercurial fixer, couldn't clean up with all his hush money and muscle.

The rape and sexual abuse allegations surrounding Harvey Weinstein, Brett Ratner, James Toback and others have shattered the awards-season aplomb in a town that imagines itself bold and freewheeling but prefers the tempered and scripted. The entertainment industry has slipped into a multi-polar catharsis of emboldened women, nervous men, threatening lawyers, broken deals, spoiled careers and the uncertainty that comes when cracks run like lightning through facades.

“I think the industry is forever changed,” said Marcel Pariseau, a publicist whose clients include Scarlett Johansson and Olivia Munn, one of six women who accused Ratner of sexual misconduct in The Times last week. “Every morning we wake up and we don’t know what’s going to be next. You’re almost afraid to get on your gadget to see what the new story is.

"No one is going to be going to a producer or director's hotel suite anymore," he added. "All meetings will be done with somebody else in the room for protection for both sides. It's a defining moment. It's vigilance."

Instagram accounts are being scrubbed, Facebook pages edited, publicists consulted and memories jogged about what might have happened where and with whom on that blurry night years ago. The cocktail circuit is jittery; the Oscar buzz feels a bit listless. Talent agencies are dropping clients and scouring their own houses. Studios are pruning relationships, firing executives hours after an allegation is made public.

In every pitch or development meeting, “people want to talk about it,” said a female television writer who preferred to remain anonymous. “It’s like everyone needs a little bit of therapy. It’s preoccupying people’s minds because they either have a direct connection to it or it’s like driving by a car crash; you’re just riveted. In the way Trump stuff used to lead a lot of things, now this stuff leads every single sit-down.”

This is the new Hollywood. Restless, unsure, demanding justice, looking for cover and wondering how to move beyond a long history of discrimination and sexual harassment and toward the kind of enlightened world it so often supposes in its art.

“We’re all having a conversation now about whether or not we are protecting people in our industry from people committing violent crimes against them,” said comedian and producer Judd Apatow. “I personally would not be comfortable making it a big part of my business trying to keep rapists and people who commit sexual assaults on the street. We all decide how we want to make money. We all decide what’s ethical. I’m well aware that all criminals deserve representation, but at the same time sometimes we’re putting other people in danger.”

It's hard to fix things when even hallowed names are in the headlines: Dustin Hoffman has apologized after being accused of sexually harassing a 17-year-old intern in 1985. Kevin Spacey said he was seeking "evaluation and treatment" after allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

The consequences against the accused have been swift: Netflix canceled Spacey's "House of Cards" and Warner Brothers cut ties with Ratner, who has denied claims of sexual harassment and misconduct from a number of women.

"When the Dustin Hoffman thing broke I was like, my gosh, now there's going to be a library of great movies that I can't watch anymore because of the ick factor. The ick factor is real," said the TV writer.

Audiences and critics have already begun reevaluating Weinstein's films, many of which were nominated for and won Academy Awards, including "Shakespeare in Love," whose star Gwyneth Paltrow says that the producer assaulted her in a hotel suite when she was 22...

More.

Philip Roth, The Human Stain

At Amazon, Philip Roth, The Human Stain: American Trilogy (3).

Philipp Meyer, American Rust

At Amazon, Philipp Meyer, American Rust: A Novel.

Democrats Poised for Complete Dominance in the West

And what good's it done for us in California? Now I'm afraid to get a blood transfusion, should I ever need one, God forbid, because the state's Democrats have passed legislation allowing AIDS-infected homosexuals to give blood without disclosure. (It doesn't matter if all blood donations are tested; sometimes those tests fail.)

So, all you do is move East, I guess. The West is pretty much fucked.

At NYT (safe link), "Poised for West Coast Dominance, Democrats Eye Grand Agenda":

It's the stuff of liberal fantasies: a vast, defiant territory governed by Democrats resisting Trump at every turn https://t.co/rvaaX90ZlI

— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 4, 2017

SAMMAMISH, Wash. — It is the stuff of liberal fantasies: a vast, defiant territory, sweeping along the country’s Pacific coastline, governed by Democrats and resisting President Trump at every turn.

A single election in a wealthy Seattle suburb on Tuesday could make that scenario a reality, handing the party full control of government in Washington State — and extinguishing Republicans’ last fragile claim on power on the West Coast. The region has been a rare Democratic stronghold on an electoral map now dominated by vast swaths of red, and Republicans’ only toehold on power there has been a one-seat majority in the Washington State Senate.

The prospect of such far-reaching autonomy for Democrats, who already hold all three governors’ offices as well as both houses of the legislatures in Oregon and California, has infused extraordinary energy into what might have been a low-key special election. The race is on track to draw more than $9 million in campaign spending, a record-breaking sum for Washington State. National environmental and abortion rights groups have mobilized, business associations and oil companies have poured in money, and a former vice president, Joseph R. Biden Jr., has intervened on the Democratic side.

Sharon Nelson, the Democratic leader in the Washington State Senate, conveyed the party’s grand aspirations in an almost Trump-like phrase: “A blue wall,” Ms. Nelson enthused, “from the Canadian border to the Mexican border.”

Leading in the polls and anticipating victory, Democrats have sketched an aggressive agenda on issues where strong consensus appears to exist in the party, including new laws on gun control, contraception and environmental regulation. Ms. Nelson said she had met with the speaker of the Oregon Statehouse about enacting policy across state lines. The three states’ Democratic governors have spoken regularly about policy collaboration, and over the summer began coordinated talks on climate change with foreign heads of state.

Perhaps most ambitious of all, Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, harbors dreams of enacting a muscular carbon pricing plan along with California, Oregon and officials in Canada. In an interview, Mr. Inslee said the special election in Eastside Seattle could open the way for broad action, including taxing carbon but also joint initiatives on energy efficiency, research and clean water.

“We intend to make a full-scale effort in the next session of the Legislature if we win,” he said. “It will be a bell in the night, showing hope for the country, rejecting the Trump agenda of denying climate science.”

A coastal alliance, Mr. Inslee added, especially when cities such as Seattle and Portland, Ore., and throughout California are booming economically, would help make the case to a national audience that addressing climate change through energy policy is good for business and job creation.

“The more we can have uniformity in a carbon pricing system or regulatory system, the better,” he said.

Both parties see Democrats as favored to win the district, which voted heavily for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Republicans held the area’s State Senate seat largely because of the personal popularity of an incumbent lawmaker, Andy Hill, who died of lung cancer last fall.

Despite their dominance at the federal level and in most state capitals, West Coast Republicans have been driven to the point of extinction as the party’s standing has plummeted in prosperous cities and suburbs, from San Diego to Seattle. Their candidate in the State Senate race, Jinyoung Lee Englund, a polished former political operative, has strained to set herself apart from the national party, declaring that she did not vote for Mr. Trump in 2016 and pleading with voters to embrace divided government in Olympia.

Ms. Englund, 33, has campaigned explicitly against the “blue wall” scenario, warning that voters should not let Washington “go the way of California” and other one-party states. She expressed deep skepticism of Mr. Inslee’s climate proposals and suggested Democrats were mainly focused on trying to raise general revenue by another name. Republican groups have aired commercials saying that “Seattle liberals” could wreak havoc on the state’s finances if Democrats are allowed to govern unchecked.

“You don’t want to go the way of Oregon,” Ms. Englund said in an interview. “Washingtonians are more independent.”

Ms. Englund rebuked Democrats for what she characterized as using the state government as a partisan bludgeon. “I think that’s wrong,” she said. “The role of a state senator is not to go and lambaste what’s happening nationally.”

But the 45th District, a diverse suburban patchwork that stretches across the high-tech haven of Redmond and into more rural territory beyond — north and east of Bellevue — is emblematic of the territory that has lurched away from the Republican Party over the last year, recoiling from Mr. Trump’s brand of hard nationalism. Manka Dhingra, the Democratic candidate, has led in the polls by a comfortable but not overwhelming margin...

More.

Truth About New York City Terror

Political correctness is literally killing us.

Here's Paul Joseph Watson:

Uma Thurman Too Angry to Talk About Sexual Assault Allegations Right Now

She looks genuinely upset and angry.

She's a good lady. I don't care if she's a leftist. It's leftists who've been raping Hollywood's women for a century.

Uma Thurman's response when asked about the flood of sexual misconduct allegations....wow. pic.twitter.com/Sw5Br1GwFg

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 4, 2017

Peter McLoughlin and Tommy Robinson, Mohammed's Koran

At Amazon, Peter McLoughlin and Tommy Robinson, Mohammed's Koran: Why Muslims Kill for Islam.

Pamela Geller, Fatwa

At Amazon, Pamela Geller, Fatwa: Hunted in America.

Cristina De Stefano, Oriana Fallaci

At Amazon, Cristina De Stefano, Oriana Fallaci: The Journalist, the Agitator, the Legend.

Evelyn Taft's Mostly Cloudy and Cooler Forecast

Well, we're into November now, after that very hot October, and it's nice and cool.

Here's the lovely Ms. Evelyn, for CBS News 2 Los Angeles, from last night:

David Horowitz, Unholy Alliance

At Amazon, David Horowitz, Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam And the American Left.

How Leftists Aid the Jihadis' Deadly Cause

Great, great piece, from Sultan Knish, at FrontPage Magazine, "The Unholy Alliance's central role in the Halloween Massacre":

As Robert Spencer noted, vehicular jihad has come to Manhattan, after stops in Nice, London, Edmonton and other places. The Muslim Sayfullo Saipov killed eight and wounded a dozen innocents by running them over with a rental truck, the first fatalities in that area since other jihadists crashed hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center, claiming some 3,000 lives.

That prompted cheers from Muslims living in New Jersey, also home to Sayfullo Saipov.  The jubilant jihadist, a 29-year-old Uzbek, acted on behalf of the Islamic State, which in turn is part of something much larger. Call it the Islamschluss, a global surge that should put things in perspective.

The West and the United States are dealing with a supremacist, expansionist religion that seeks to annex the entire world by any means necessary, especially violence. As in Austria, which the Nazis took over in 1938, the Islamschluss finds willing collaborators, like the weasely Herr Zeller in The Sound of Music. In America, the collaborators bring in Muslims by any means necessary, such as the “diversity visa” of Sayfullo Saipov.

The Diversity Visa program, launched by New York Senator Chuck Schumer in 1990, makes 50,000 visas available, on a random basis, to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Sayfullo Saipov is one of the lottery winners, though what he has to do with “diversity” is a mystery. Uzbekistan is part of the Caucuses region, so he’s a genuine Caucasian, like the Tsarnaev brothers who bombed the Boston Marathon.

Saipov had no skill America needs, but the Diversity Visa program is all about bringing in people America doesn’t need. The United States abounds in truck drivers and cab drivers, and has no need for Uzbek jihadists to perform those tasks.

Likewise, the United States abounds in Information Technology specialists, but congressional Democrats such as Debbie Wasserman Schultz chose to bring in Pakistani-born Muslim Imran Awan. He wasn’t very good at his job but Awan did prove adept at ripping off massive amounts of data from Democrats on the House Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees, and stashing it on a server controlled by Xavier Becerra, once on Hillary Clinton’s short list as a running mate.

Nobody seems to know what became of the data. Even so, the Democrats not only kept paying Imran Awan but brought in other members of his family, not exactly models of competence and propriety. So it’s clear that the Islamschluss has already annexed strategic territory in Congress and also made inroads in the military.

Those who join the United States Army pledge to defend the United States against all enemies. Major Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, openly identified himself as a “Soldier of Allah,” but nobody saw that as a reason to boot him out, even though he was communicating with jihadist Anwar al-Awlaki about killing Americans.

The authorities had his communications with the terrorist but did nothing to stop Hasan from killing 13 and wounding more than 30 at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009. Like Sayfullo Saipov, Hasan yelled “Allahu Akbar,” as he killed. Even so, the 44th President of the United States called the mass murder “workplace violence,” not even gun violence. He declined to meet with wounded victims of Hasan’s attack, such as Sgt. Alonzo Lunsford, who took seven bullets from the “Soldier of Allah.” Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013 but still awaits execution.

The President Formerly Known as Barry Soetoro also traded jihadis Khirullah Said Wali Khairkhwa, Mullah Mohammad Fazi, Mullah Norullah Noori, Abdul Haq Wasiq, and Mohammed Nabi Omari, all Taliban commanders, for deserter Bowe Bergdahl. It was like trading Private Slovik for the German high command, but no surprise.

In the ongoing Islamschluss, the previous president shapes up as collaborator-in-chief. He went to a “predominantly Muslim” school in Indonesia and told the world the future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam. So no surprise he can’t say “Islamic” and “terrorism” in the same sentence.

Likewise, the politically correct lack the guts to criticize Islamic savagery of the kind on display in New York. Their intellectual self-beheading renders them unable to distinguish fact from fiction, friends from enemies, and sensible immigration policies from what amounts to an Islamschluss.

Uzbekistan, a huge former Soviet republic, should be only a destination for Muslims, particularly Muslim refugees. As jihadist Sayfullo Saipov’s murder spree confirms, Uzbekistan is not a good source for immigrants to the United States. For the time being, a good ballpark figure for visas would be zero.

President Trump would do well to toughen vetting and extend the travel ban. The president should also end the Diversity Visa program, the collaborators’ highway for troops of the Islamschluss like Sayfullo Saipov. The time has come to take back the territory they have already annexed in government, the military and on the streets of America.

Epic Police Partnership Ends

This is really cool.

At LAT, "After nearly 30 years patrolling together, these two LAPD officers end an epic partnership":

The cops have patrolled together for more than 28 years, one behind the wheel, the other riding shotgun, scanning the streets of northeast Los Angeles for signs of trouble.

Both are bald with mustaches, as set in their ways as a married couple. Duarte, the smoother talker, is first to approach a suspect or defuse a tense situation. Marinelli, whose "aw shucks" demeanor masks a sly wit, hangs back to stand guard.

They are friendly or fearsome, depending on what they think you deserve. Homeless people and street vendors get a pass. Car thieves do not. Their adversaries call them Los Dobermans, the Doublemint Twins, Heckle and Jeckle.

In the Los Angeles Police Department, partners typically last a year or two in the same car. Sometimes, working styles clash. More often, someone gets transferred or promoted. A decade together is long, three unheard of.

Patrolling in Cypress Park on a late afternoon last fall, they recall the tragedy and mayhem they have seen on these streets. They point to the alley where Marinelli fatally shot an armed man in 1993. Around the corner on Bank Street two years later, a 3-year-old girl was killed by gang members.

This is one of the last days Harold Marinelli and J.C. Duarte will work together. Marinelli is leaving for knee surgery, then retirement.

"I'm always right, and he's always wrong," Marinelli says.

"I always let him think he's right — just like my wife," Duarte responds.

In June 1988, when the two young police officers climbed into a black-and-white for the first time, their chemistry was immediate. They were the same kind of cop, itching for a caper, obsessed with catching car thieves. No need for promotions or to check out other stations. All they wanted was to work Northeast Division together.

Supervisors tried to break them up. They resisted. Once, they joined a vice squad to avoid being paired with novice cops. When they returned to patrol, they took a demotion, losing two stripes and 5% of their pay to stay together.

Spending all day, every day cooped up in a car with the wrong person can be hellish. One officer wants to run after a suspect while the other insists on summoning reinforcements. One may power through a whole shift without a break, while the other gets cranky without his customary burger stop. In a dangerous situation, partners move in an improvised choreography, wordlessly reading each other's intentions.

"If you don't gel, you can hardly wait for that day to get done," says Jack Richter, a sergeant in media relations, whose longest pairing lasted two years.

Like a good marriage, a good police partnership can thrive off differences. Duarte, 53, speaks Spanish and is better at writing reports. Marinelli, 58, is the quiet one who notices the detail others miss — the one that leads to the bad guy.

Duarte is a meticulous record-keeper, jotting down every hour of overtime the partners have worked. A black binder holds mug shots of every person they have arrested — page after page of scowling photographs, a rogues' gallery of northeast Los Angeles.

There was the suspected robber who led them on a car chase in 1998; the woman they arrested almost a dozen times for drug offenses in the early 2000s before she turned her life around; the boxer known as "Eddie the Animal," whose freedom ended when the partners spotted him in Highland Park on Jan. 3, 2006, and arrested him on a burglary and robbery warrant.

At the station, they are the Baldies, who pepper roll calls with jokes and are admired for their old-fashioned "obs skills" — the ability to size up a situation at a glance.

A few years ago, the partners were driving around Cypress Park, looking to pick up some overtime, when they spotted a man molesting his niece in a parked car. They later took the girl to Disneyland...

More.

Disney Bans Los Angeles Times from Film Screenings in Retaliation for Newspaper's Coverage of Disney's Relationship with City of Anaheim

Here's the September story on the Disney Company's cozy relationship with Anaheim, "Is Disney paying its fair share in Anaheim?"

Disney's retaliating against the paper. See, at Deadline, "Disney Putting Hammer Down on Los Angeles Times Writers."

And today, at LAT, "A note to readers":

The annual Holiday Movie Sneaks section published by the Los Angeles Times typically includes features on movies from all major studios, reflecting the diversity of films Hollywood offers during the holidays, one of the busiest box-office periods of the year. This year, Walt Disney Co. studios declined to offer The Times advance screenings, citing what it called unfair coverage of its business ties with Anaheim. The Times will continue to review and cover Disney movies and programs when they are available to the public.

Also at WaPo, via Mediagaze (safe link), "Disney declined to offer LA Times entertainment writers advance film screenings claiming unfair coverage of its ties with Anaheim."

It's hard out there, lol.

Adam Johnson, The Orphan Master's Son

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Adam Johnson, The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction).

Paul Beatty, The Sellout

At Amazon, Paul Beatty, The Sellout: A Novel.

Shop Deals

At Amazon, Today's Deals.

And especially, AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Kit, LED Light, 35% Carbamide Peroxide, (2) 5ml Gel.

More, Electric Toothbrush, Oral-B Pro 7000 SmartSeries Black Electronic Power Rechargeable Toothbrush with Bluetooth Connectivity.

Also, Black & Decker WP900 6-Inch Random Orbit Waxer/Polisher.

Here, Meguiar's G18216 Ultimate Liquid Wax - 16 oz. Size: 16 Ounce.

Still more, Paul Mitchell Super Strong Daily Shampoo and Conditioner Liter Duo Set 33.8 Oz.

And, Java Planet - Good Morning USDA Organic Coffee Beans, Medium Roast, Arabica Gourmet Coffee Grade A, packaged in two 1 LB bags.

Plus, Sweet Sweat Performance Jump Rope by Sports Research | Adjustable-length rope for fitness and speed training - Includes bonus Sweet Sweat Gel Sample!

More here, Aquafina Water, 16.9 oz (Pack of 24).

BONUS: Victor Sebestyen, Lenin: The Man, the Dictator, and the Master of Terror (out Tuesday).

For the Dodgers, Lots of Talent But No Guarantees

The latest on the loser Dodgers. Oh, what a bummer was Game 7.

At the Los Angeles Times, "Dodgers have decisions to make in quest for World Series return":

Dodgers have decisions to make in quest for World Series return https://t.co/hOqCsqkbIA pic.twitter.com/7edYGvmW3h

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 3, 2017

His eyes gleaming, his season over, Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen stood before a crowd of reporters and issued a declaration.

"This team is not going to give up," Jansen said. "We're going to bring a championship back to L.A. I promise you that."

On any day before Wednesday — on Feb. 1 or July 1 or Oct. 1 — the words would have sounded like a pledge. But Jansen spoke on Nov. 1, minutes after his team lost to the Houston Astros in the seventh game of the World Series. In moments like these, all proclamations ring hollow.

The 2017 Dodgers won 104 regular-season games and accumulated enough accolades to fill a trophy case — a fifth National League West title, the best regular-season record since leaving Brooklyn, the team’s first National League pennant since 1988 — yet they headed into the winter without reaching the last goal on their checklist. They stood at the base of the summit, but could not reach the top. As the players packed for the winter, they struggled to acknowledge how difficult it might be to get back.

“I’m not really thinking about next year,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. “We all know the team we’re going to have coming back.”
The collection of talent does not guarantee a return to the Fall Classic. Houston assembled a similarly youthful roster. There will be healthy challenges from the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals in the National League, while the New York Yankees appear to be a budding force in the American League, along with the Cleveland Indians. And history does not appear to be on the Dodgers’ side.

No team has won back-to-back championships since the Yankees captured three in a row from 1998 to 2000. Since 2000, four teams have appeared in the World Series in consecutive seasons: the 2000-2001 Yankees, 2008-2009 Philadelphia Phillies, 2010-2011 Texas Rangers and the 2014-2015 Kansas City Royals.

Only the Royals won a title in their return engagement — after falling in Game 7 the year before to San Francisco. Kansas City leaned on that agony throughout the following season. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested his players could find similar motivation.

"I know our guys and I know that there won't be a hangover," Roberts said. "They will be more incentivized, and I think they'll be hungrier."

Except baseball does not always reward its best. The Indians blew a 3-1 lead in the World Series to the Cubs last October. Focused on atoning, the Indians raced to the best record in the American League this season. Yet they still fell in the first round to the Yankees.

When the heartache subsides, the Dodgers will still enter the offseason in an enviable position. They support the game's largest payroll and run a well-stocked farm system. The overwhelming majority of their roster can return for 2018, and the front office may choose to make only cosmetic changes to the composition of this group...

More.

Hailey Clauson in Paradise (VIDEO)

At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit:

Today's Shopping

At Amazon, Gold Box Deals.

And especially, Samsung Electronics UN65MU8000 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model).

Plus, KIND Breakfast Bars, Peanut Butter, Gluten Free, 1.8 Ounce, 32 Count.

Still more, CLIF BAR - Energy Bar - Crunchy Peanut Butter - (2.4 Ounce Protein Bar, 12 Count).

Also, Westmark Germany Multipurpose Stainless Steel Cheese and Food Slicer with Board and Adjustable Thickness Dial (White).

Here, Koffee Kult Medium Roast Coffee Beans, Highest Quality Delicious Coffee, Artisan Blend Freshly Roasted, Whole Bean, 16oz Packaging May Vary.

BONUS: Gordon Wood, Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Eight Slaughtered in Islamic Jihad Truck Attack in New York (VIDEO)

At CBS News 2 New York, at the video, and from Pamela Geller below:

NYC jihad mass murderer entered US via Diversity Visa Program – despite YEARS OF WARNINGS https://t.co/YkSSpMf3SL pic.twitter.com/06KDK7KopA

— Pamela Geller (@PamelaGeller) November 1, 2017

Trump Orders More Extreme Vetting In Wake Of Fatal NYC Jihad Terrorist Attack https://t.co/lhOa1ljmFb pic.twitter.com/ve22UzUPDu

— Pamela Geller (@PamelaGeller) November 1, 2017

Sharia-compliant NBC News reports on non-existent “backlash” against Muslim Americans in wake of NYC Islamic attack https://t.co/AiUBCj6OsN pic.twitter.com/kHOvczowuI

— Pamela Geller (@PamelaGeller) November 1, 2017

Media Outlets Bury ‘Allahu Akbar’ In Reports On NYC Terror Attack https://t.co/BBpb2wxfhj pic.twitter.com/8rGwn15DLp

— Pamela Geller (@PamelaGeller) November 1, 2017

Halloween Candy

Just in case, for those not heading out for trick-or-treat.

At Amazon, Deals on Halloween Candy.

And especially, Hershey's Halloween Trunk or Treat Variety Bag, 250 ct, 81.1 oz.

ICYMI: Ken Davenport, The Two Gates

This book is worth your time. I'm plugging away on it, although my teaching and grading is cutting into my leisure time, heh.

I'll finish it up soon.

Get yours at Amazon, Ken Davenport, The Two Gates: A Novel.

Liz Habib Chillin'

She took a Hawaiian vacation a few weeks back. Sweet lady, full of life.

#Umbrelladrink ⛱🍷#waikikibeach pic.twitter.com/FKmWQMX31D

— Liz Habib (@LizHabib) October 10, 2017

Alt-Hero Posters

A Vox Day joint, on Twitter:

Coming later today, Alt★Hero posters. Help us Make Comics Great Again!https://t.co/Szc274yaiW pic.twitter.com/LVBJoNfQ1P

— Supreme Dark Lord (@voxday) October 18, 2017

Six Seconds to Live

This is astonishing.

Here, on Twitter.

Wow. Read this. pic.twitter.com/gg4pkFL23Y

— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) October 23, 2017

Nice Sweater

Seen on Twitter:

pic.twitter.com/bQLtD7EUqJ

— Haywood⁉️ (@h20kogi) October 7, 2017

Lindsey Pelas

Seen on Twitter. (NSFW at the click-through.)

Lindsey Pelas + en https://t.co/PU9xNST9fC pic.twitter.com/NKUGwe6kai

— Fotos de Famosas (@fotosdefamosas) October 1, 2017

Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Crime and Punishment in the Russian Revolution

At Amazon, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Crime and Punishment in the Russian Revolution: Mob Justice and Police in Petrograd.

Shop Today

At Amazon, Gold Box Deals.

Here, EGO Power+ 20-Inch 56-Volt Lithium-ion Cordless Lawn Mower - 4.0Ah Battery and Charger Kit.

Plus, Philips Norelco Multigroom 5100 Grooming Kit - 18 Length Settings.

And, Real Good Coffee Co 2LB, Whole Bean Coffee, French Roast Dark, 2 Pound Bag.

More, AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable - 10 Feet (3 Meters) - White.

Also, DONCO Kids 760-CP Low Study Loft Bed, Dark Cappuccino.

Still more, Nestle - Pure Life Purified Bottled Water, 1/2 Liter (16.9 Oz) - 78 Case Pallet.

And, Honeywell HCE100 Heat Bud Ceramic Portable-Mini Heater, Black.

BONUS: Marc J. Hetherington and Jonathan D. Weiler, Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics.

Astros Beat Dodgers 13-12 in Game 5 of #WorldSeries

Oh boy, what a game!

At LAT:

Astros are one win from World Series title after outslugging Dodgers 13-12 in Game 5 https://t.co/zqjxVOKgpe

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) October 30, 2017

Fright night for Dodgers, who will be haunted by blown leads https://t.co/nDJjO0vDJe

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) October 30, 2017

Astros pitchers say World Series baseballs are fueling homer binge https://t.co/lEGR73jDWj

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) October 30, 2017

RECAP: #Dodgers score three in the ninth to tie it up but come up short in extras, 13-12.

🔗: https://t.co/AXkIsJ5RnY pic.twitter.com/VWpnqoahrF

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 30, 2017

Marisa Miller, Bar Refaeli, Anne V, and More (VIDEO)

At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit:

Laura Ingraham Brings Populist Fire to Fox

At the Guardian U.K., "‘Trump before Trump’: Laura Ingraham brings populist fire to Fox News lineup."

I love this. I'm all in for @IngrahamAngle -- she brings consistency to the conversation. https://t.co/1X7RANoaPx

— AWR Hawkins (@AWRHawkins) October 29, 2017

Tonight's the night! @IngrahamAngle https://t.co/kt4ggZ4eUX

— LifeZette (@LifeZette) October 30, 2017

Rash of 'Knockout' Attacks Has New York City on Edge (VIDEO)

At CBS News 2 New York:

Artistic Jack-o'-lanterns

At the O.C. Register, "Incredibly artistic Halloween pumpkins by OCSA students on auction to benefit nonprofits."

Incredibly artistic Halloween pumpkins by OCSA students on auction to benefit nonprofits https://t.co/UUUno5MsxH pic.twitter.com/AOvBvQ9k8y

— O.C. Register (@ocregister) October 25, 2017

Jennifer Delacruz's Monday Forecast

On the eve of Halloween, it's quite lovely.

Here's the lovely Ms. Jennifer:

Don DeLillo, Underworld

At Amazon, Don DeLillo, Underworld: A Novel.

Paul Manafort Surrenders to F.B.I.

Well, here's your lead story for the day.

At the New York Post, "Manafort first to fall in Russia probe":

Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign manger, and his former business partner surrendered to federal authorities on Monday as the first charges are filed in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Manafort and Rick Gates were charged with conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading FARA statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and official records, according to the indictment, referring to the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

They were indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday, and the charges were unsealed after they turned themselves in on Monday morning.

Gates is a long time business associate of Manafort’s and his name appears on documents connected to companies created by Manafort in Cyprus to receive payments from politicians and businesses in Eastern Europe, the newspaper reported.

Manafort was hired to run Trump’s campaign in May 2016 but he was forced out just three months later when news reports began questioning his work for Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He has reportedly been a focus of Mueller’s investigation, and gun-toting federal agents burst into his Alexandria, Va., home in July to execute a search warrant.

They retrieved documents and materials a day after he voluntarily appeared before staff members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Manafort’s shadowy work for Yanukovych has drawn recent scrutiny from Mueller’s team of investigators.

They were examining wire transfers made by off-shore companies linked to Manafort that moved $3 million around the globe between 2012 and 2013, BuzzFeed News reported on Sunday.

The transactions were being probed to determine whether Manafort was hiding money from tax authorities or helping clients in Ukraine launder money...

More.

And at Memeorandum, "Paul Manafort, Who Once Ran Trump Campaign, Told to Surrender."

Read the charges against Paul Manafort and Rick Gates https://t.co/s09DhauwWE

— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 30, 2017

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun

I'm gonna read this woman's books. She's interesting. Her books are interesting.

At Amazon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun.

With effortless grace, celebrated author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie illuminates a seminal moment in modern African history: Biafra's impassioned struggle to establish an independent republic in southeastern Nigeria during the late 1960s. We experience this tumultuous decade alongside five unforgettable characters: Ugwu, a thirteen-year-old houseboy who works for Odenigbo, a university professor full of revolutionary zeal; Olanna, the professor’s beautiful young mistress who has abandoned her life in Lagos for a dusty town and her lover’s charm; and Richard, a shy young Englishman infatuated with Olanna’s willful twin sister Kainene. Half of a Yellow Sun is a tremendously evocative novel of the promise, hope, and disappointment of the Biafran war.

Jennifer Delacruz's Sunday Weather

I meant to post this last night but it wasn't available at YouTube.

Here's the lovely Ms. Jennifer, for ABC News 10 San Diego:

Today's Deals

At Amazon, Gold Box Deals.

Also, especially, Apple 12" Macbooks (Certified Refurbished).

More, MARS Chocolate and More Favorites Halloween Candy Variety Mix 95.1-Ounce 250-Piece Bag.

Plus, Philips Norelco Multigroom 5100 Grooming Kit - 18 Length Settings.

And, Real Good Coffee Co 2LB, Whole Bean Coffee, French Roast Dark, 2 Pound Bag.

More, AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable - 10 Feet (3 Meters) - White.

Also, Samsung Electronics UN65MU6300 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model).

BONUS: John Green, Turtles All the Way Down.

Nadeea Volianova in West Hollywood

At Taxi Driver, "Nadeea Volianova Topless Covering Her Nipples.

And at the Daily Star, "Russian pop babe strips topless to protest 'no boobs allowed' hotel rule."

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."

And at Theo's, "Cartoon Roundup..."

Cartoon Credit: A.F. Branco.

Barbara Palvin Uncovered for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 (VIDEO)

Nice.

Rose McGowan on the Red Carpet at MTV Music Video Awards in 1998 (VIDEO)

Following-up, "Refusing Harvey Weinstein’s Hush Money."

I've seen reference to the 1998 MTV video awards, although I missed the part about her dating Marilyn Manson, eww.

It's at YouTube, though, naturally: "Rose McGowan at the1998 MTV Awards."

PREVIOUSLY: "Rose McGowan Escaped a Polygamy Cult When She Was Nine-Years-Old."

Yuli Gurriel's Offensive Gesture

Following-up, "Dodgers Get Even: #WorldSeries."

This is bad. This is really bad.

I gotta say, though. Yu Darvish was classy in response.

On the front-page today, at LAT, "Yuli Gurriel's offensive gesture unleashes World Series debate about racism and political correctness":

Yuli Gurriel's offensive gesture unleashes World Series debate about racism and political correctness https://t.co/p71n15vpp9 pic.twitter.com/qIZ2QLjAa7

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 29, 2017

The world was watching when Yuli Gurriel made a racially charged gesture during Friday’s World Series game.

It came after a moment of triumph: The Houston Astros first baseman had just hit a home run off of Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish. He returned to the Astros’ dugout, where he put his fingers to the sides of his face and lifted the corners of his eyes — a “slanted eyes” gesture widely regarded as a racist mockery of Asians.

Gurriel also used the word “chinito,” or “Chinese boy,” in reference to Darvish, who is of Iranian and Japanese descent.

The episode, caught on video and repeated endlessly on television and social media, opened up a new heated conversation about race and identity in professional sports, which has already been grappling with NFL players taking knees during the national anthem.

Many found Gurriel’s antics as juvenile and insulting as they were sadly familiar.

“It just felt like, ‘Man, again?’ Like, we’re so used to this,” Jason Chu, a Chinese American rapper based in Los Angeles. “People don’t even pause. They think that this is acceptable, socially, to target Asian Americans in this way, or Asians in general.”

Chu said trash talk is a routine part of competition, but Gurriel’s behavior was offensive because it mocked Darvish for being Asian.

Well-known Asian Americans, including Los Angeles chef Roy Choi and actor Daniel Dae Kim, spoke out against Gurriel. Kim pointed out that the Gurriel incident was not the first time that slurs and stereotypes have been used against players in Major League Baseball.

“Maybe Gurriel will change that,” Kim said in a tweet to a Times reporter.

On Saturday, Gurriel apologized for his behavior, saying in a statement that he made “ an offensive gesture that was indefensible…. I deeply regret it. I would particularly like to apologize to Yu Darvish, a pitcher that I admire and respect.”

Major League Baseball acted swiftly: Gurriel will be suspended without pay for five games at the start of the 2018 season and will have to undergo sensitivity training. He won’t miss any games in the World Series.

Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the suspension Saturday after he met with Gurriel before the Astros were to play the Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series. There is precedent for such a suspension: Matt Joyce of the Oakland Athletics and Kevin Pillar of the Toronto Blue Jays each were suspended two games this season for using anti-gay slurs.

The controversy resonated in both Los Angeles and Houston, which are among the most racially diverse cities in the nation and have prided themselves as being melting pots that welcome immigration and celebrate tolerance. There was debate in both cities about how seriously Gurriel’s behavior should be taken.

In Koreatown, Maria Rizo, who is Cuban American, said she didn’t see anything wrong with it. “It’s like saying African American or Hispanic,” she said.

In Houston, Britny Cuellar and her husband said the gesture made them groan because they worried it would overshadow all the team has accomplished. Cuellar, a 27-year-old schoolteacher, was pushing their 2-year-old daughter in a stroller outside Minute Maid Park on Saturday, decked out in Astros gear...

More.

Dodgers Get Even: #WorldSeries

What a game!

At the Los Angeles Times, "Dodgers pull even in World Series by defeating Astros 6-2 in Game 4":

"You like that?! You like that?!" #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/JYYoeYrcxf

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 29, 2017

That feeling when you even up the #WorldSeries. #TMGS pic.twitter.com/dRjqLIWgRs

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 29, 2017

Cody Bellinger skidded into second base like a kid on a slip-and-slide, a 22-year-old rookie enjoying the World Series for the first time in four games. He leapt to his feet and banged his hands together. Inside the Dodgers dugout, moments after Bellinger’s ninth-inning double paved the way for a 6-2 victory over the Astros in Game 4 of the World Series, his teammates responded with glee.

Bellinger looked stoic. Dirt caked his uniform. Lost for so long, he found himself at an opportune time for the Dodgers, who have evened this series at 2-2. A double by Bellinger in the seventh led to his team’s first run. His next hit put his team ahead and opened the door for a five-run flood.

“Every day you see him grow a little more,” starting pitcher Alex Wood said. “To see him break through was awesome.”

After a sacrifice fly by Austin Barnes padded the lead, Joc Pederson thundered a three-run homer to mute the 43,322 fans at Minute Maid Park. In his first outing since blowing a save in Game 2, closer Kenley Jansen surrendered a solo home run to Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. It was only the second hit of the game for the Astros.

A pitcher’s duel ratcheted up the tension beneath the roof of this ballpark. Wood did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, when Astros outfielder George Springer homered. Houston starter Charlie Morton suppressed the Dodgers until the seventh, when Bellinger recorded his first hit of the World Series and Logan Forsythe tied the game with an RBI single.

Wood pulled his team out of a pit dug by Yu Darvish in Game 3, shielded a tired bullpen from overexposure and kept the Dodgers from falling two games behind the Astros. The offense slumbered at the outset before awakening late. The team turns to Clayton Kershaw for Game 5 on Sunday in a Game 1 rematch with Astros ace Dallas Keuchel. No matter what, the Series will return to Los Angeles on Tuesday for Game 6.

“We’ve got a three-game series now, and we’ve got our guy on the mound tomorrow,” outfielder Chris Taylor said. “We’re right where we want to be.”

The confidence stems from more than Kershaw. The emergence of Bellinger adds to the equation. Bellinger revitalized the Dodgers offense when he was called up in April. He boomed 39 home runs and earned a spot on the All-Star team. As he slumped through this World Series, his teammates and coaches simplified the message directed his way.

More.

A Movie Critical of Female Genital Mutilation?

Well, if the film doesn't criticize Islam it's no good, although this is interesting nevertheless.

At Women and Hollywood, "Aja Naomi King Toplining Drama About Activist Who Fights Against Female Genital Mutilation."

Aja Naomi King Toplining Drama About Activist Who Fights Against Female Genital Mutilation https://t.co/TSpB9kNN4A pic.twitter.com/kRYqehF1X1

— Women and Hollywood (@WomenaHollywood) October 26, 2017

'Suburbicon' is Worst Release in the History of Paramount Pictures

Heh, serves him right. It just serves radical left-wing hypocrite George Clooney right.

At the Wrap, "With ‘Suburbicon,’ George Clooney’s Box Office Struggles Continue."

And at NYT:

Clooney's "Suburbicon" gave Paramount Pictures the worst wide-release opening total in its history https://t.co/C89rZ6H5l1

— Brooks Barnes (@brooksbarnesNYT) October 29, 2017

Refusing Harvey Weinstein’s Hush Money

Rose McGowan's a radical leftist. She really is. She's about the resistance, lol.

But I like her anyway. I'm cutting her some slack. Politics is messed up as it is. It's tribal. I hate Democrats. But she's becoming an iconic presence, speaking out, and speaking way ahead of everyone else. It's empowering. Of course, she's taking down the left while she's at it, so that's particularly interesting, heh.

In any case, at NYT, "Refusing Weinstein’s Hush Money, Rose McGowan Calls Out Hollywood":

Just before our Weinstein investigation was published, his camp offered Rose McGowan a million bucks in hush money. https://t.co/QkYJlCX1Lo

— jodikantor (@jodikantor) October 29, 2017

In late September, just as multiple women were days away from going on the record with reports of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct, one of his alleged assault victims, Rose McGowan, considered an offer that suggested just how desperate the Hollywood producer had become.

Ms. McGowan, who was working on a memoir called “Brave,” had spoken privately over the years about a 1997 hotel room encounter with Mr. Weinstein and hinted at it publicly. Through her lawyer, she said, someone close to Mr. Weinstein offered her hush money: $1 million, in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement.

In 1997, Ms. McGowan had reached a $100,000 settlement with Mr. Weinstein, but that agreement, she learned this summer, had never included a confidentiality clause. Ms. McGowan, who was most widely known for her role as a witch on the WB show “Charmed,” had recently developed a massive following as a fiery feminist on Twitter, but she was now, at 44, a multimedia artist, no longer acting, her funds depleted by health care costs for her father, who died eight years ago.

“I had all these people I’m paying telling me to take it so that I could fund my art,” Ms. McGowan said in an interview. She responded by asking for $6 million, part counteroffer, part slow torture of her former tormentor, she said. “I figured I could probably have gotten him up to three,” she said. “But I was like — ew, gross, you’re disgusting, I don’t want your money, that would make me feel disgusting.”

She said she told her lawyer to pull the offer within a day of The New York Times publishing an article that detailed decades of Mr. Weinstein’s alleged sexual harassment, aggression and misconduct toward women, as well as at least seven other settlements he had reached with accusers. After that, the dam burst, with The New Yorker, The Times and other news outlets reporting on dozens of other women’s experiences with Mr. Weinstein.

Mr. Weinstein, his accusers say, built his long history of abusing women on a risky gamble that worked for him over and over — the assumption that money or threats could buy women’s silence on a subject so intimate and painful that most would prefer not to go public anyway. While Ms. McGowan was the rare voice suggesting that the cover-up was not fail-safe, even she considered not naming him, having already, she believes, paid a career price for that long-ago episode and its aftermath.

A Weinstein spokeswoman, Sallie Hofmeister, said that “Mr. Weinstein unequivocally denies any allegations of nonconsensual sex.” Ms. McGowan’s lawyer, Paul Coggins, confirmed that Ms. McGowan received the offer.

By 2015, Ms. McGowan, who felt alienated by the industry, started using her sizable platform on Twitter to maximize her status as both insider and outsider — someone with enough Hollywood experience to speak with authority about sexism within it, and someone liberated enough from its compromises to unleash the fury in her that had been building for years. Only now does the scope of the news about Mr. Weinstein — and the public conversation about what’s wrong with Hollywood — seem to match the scale of her outrage, giving her the clout of a contrarian at last proven right.

On Friday, at the inaugural Women’s Convention in Detroit, she was a featured speaker — a new, combative face of feminism, endowed with Hollywood charisma yet anything but slick. “I have been silenced for 20 years,” she told the gathering. “I have been slut-shamed. I have been harassed. I have been maligned. And you know what? I’m just like you.”

More.