December 19, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/peter-falk-tvs-columbo-is-dead-at-83/

Peter Falk, TV's "Columbo," is dead at 83
CBS NEWS
June 24, 2011

Photograph -- Peter Falk as Detective Columbo. UNIVERSAL/NBC
Photograph -- Peter Falk AP
Pictures -- Peter Falk 1927-2011


(CBS/AP) A family spokesman confirmed to CBS News that actor Peter Falk died at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif., Thursday night. He was 83.

The "Columbo" star won four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the cigar-chomping detective who always looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed. Falk played Columbo on television regularly from 1971 to 1978 and then sporadically from 1989 until 2003. He won his first Emmy in 1962 for outstanding single performance by an actor in a leading role for an episode of "The Dick Powell Theatre" (1961).

Falk also had starring roles in his friend John Cassavetes' films "Husbands" and "A Woman Under the Influence" and starred with Cassavetes in Elaine May's 1976 film "Mikey and Nicky." He was nominated twice for the best supporting actor Oscar, for "Murder, Inc." and "Pocketful of Miracles."

In a court document filed in December 2008, Falk's daughter Catherine Falk said her father was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

"Columbo" began its history in 1971 as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie series, appearing every third week. The show became by far the most popular of the three mysteries, the others being "McCloud" and "McMillan and Wife."

Falk was reportedly paid $250,000 a movie and could have made much more if he had accepted an offer to convert "Columbo" into a weekly series. He declined, reasoning that carrying a weekly detective series would be too great a burden.

Columbo -- he never had a first name -- presented a contrast to other TV detectives. "He looks like a flood victim," Falk once said. "You feel sorry for him. He appears to be seeing nothing, but he's seeing everything. Underneath his dishevelment, a good mind is at work."

NBC canceled the three series in 1977. In 1989 ABC offered "Columbo" in a two-hour format usually appearing once or twice a season. The movies continued into the 21st century. "Columbo" appeared in 26 foreign countries and was a particular favorite in France and Iran.

Columbo's trademark was an ancient raincoat Falk had once bought for himself. After 25 years on television, the coat became so tattered it had to be replaced.

Peter Michael Falk was born Sept. 16, 1927, in New York City and grew up in Ossining, N.Y., where his parents ran a clothing store. At 3 he had one eye removed because of cancer. "When something like that happens early," he said in a 1963 Associated Press interview, "you learn to live with it. It became the joke of the neighborhood. If the umpire ruled me out on a bad call, I'd take the fake eye out and hand it to him."

When Falk was starting as an actor in New York, an agent told him, "Of course, you won't be able to work in movies or TV because of your eye."

After serving as a cook in the merchant marine and receiving a master's degree in public administration from Syracuse University, he worked as an efficiency expert for the budget bureau of the state of Connecticut. He also acted in amateur theater and was encouraged to become a professional by actress-teacher Eva La Gallienne.

An appearance in "The Iceman Cometh" off-Broadway led to other classical parts, notably as Joseph Stalin in "The Passion of Joseph D." In 1971 Falk scored a hit in Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue."

Falk made his film debut in 1958 with "Wind Across the Everglades" and established himself as a talented character actor with his performance as the vicious killer Abe Reles in "Murder, Inc." Among his other movies: "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "Robin and the Seven Hoods," "The Great Race," "Luv," "Castle Keep," "The Cheap Detective," "The Brinks Job," "The In-Laws," "The Princess Bride."

Falk also appeared in a number of art house favorites, including the semi-improvisational films "Husbands" and "A Woman Under the Influence," directed by his friend John Cassavetes, and Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire," in which he played himself. Falk became prominent in television movies, beginning with his first Emmy for "The Price of Tomatoes" in 1961. His four other Emmys were for "Columbo."

He was married to pianist Alyce Mayo in 1960; they had two daughters, Jackie and Catherine, and divorced in 1976. The following year he married actress Shera Danese. They filed for divorce twice and reconciled each time.

When not working, Falk spent time in the garage of his Beverly Hills home. He had converted it into a studio where he created charcoal drawings. He took up art in New York when he was in the Simon play and one day happened into the Art Students League.

He recalled: "I opened a door and there she was, a nude model, shoulders back, a light from above, buck-ass naked. The female body is awesome. Believe me, I signed up right away."

Falk is survived by his wife Shera and his two daughters.



“The "Columbo" star won four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the cigar-chomping detective who always looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed. Falk played Columbo on television regularly from 1971 to 1978 and then sporadically from 1989 until 2003. He won his first Emmy in 1962 for outstanding single performance by an actor in a leading role for an episode of "The Dick Powell Theatre" (1961). Falk also had starring roles in his friend John Cassavetes' films "Husbands" and "A Woman Under the Influence" and starred with Cassavetes in Elaine May's 1976 film "Mikey and Nicky." He was nominated twice for the best supporting actor Oscar, for "Murder, Inc." and "Pocketful of Miracles." …. NBC canceled the three series in 1977. In 1989 ABC offered "Columbo" in a two-hour format usually appearing once or twice a season. The movies continued into the 21st century. "Columbo" appeared in 26 foreign countries and was a particular favorite in France and Iran. …. After serving as a cook in the merchant marine and receiving a master's degree in public administration from Syracuse University, he worked as an efficiency expert for the budget bureau of the state of Connecticut. He also acted in amateur theater and was encouraged to become a professional by actress-teacher Eva La Gallienne. An appearance in "The Iceman Cometh" off-Broadway led to other classical parts, notably as Joseph Stalin in "The Passion of Joseph D." In 1971 Falk scored a hit in Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue." …. When not working, Falk spent time in the garage of his Beverly Hills home. He had converted it into a studio where he created charcoal drawings. He took up art in New York when he was in the Simon play and one day happened into the Art Students League. He recalled: "I opened a door and there she was, a nude model, shoulders back, a light from above, buck-ass naked. The female body is awesome. Believe me, I signed up right away."


Peter Falk is one of my favorite actors, though I knew him mainly from Columbo. I’m sorry to see these older actors dying. I still watch Columbo on Sunday nights on my MeTV network. I love the way his face looked, mischievous and humorous, but handsome. I never heard any negative stories about him in his personal life. May he rest in peace.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/maine-native-vincent-canfield-at-center-of-school-threat-hoax-probe/

Maine native at center of school threat hoax probe
By JEFF PEGUES CBS NEWS
December 18, 2015

Photograph -- EN_121815_Pegues, CBS NEWS, The Dallas emails detail plans of "46 jihad affiliates" for a "massacre of epic proportion," with mass shootings and napalm, propane and pressure cooker explosives "for maximum casualty."
Photograph -- EN PEGUES 121815, Vincent Canfield CBS NEWS
Play VIDEO -- Police investigating email account that sent school threat


They're turning into an epidemic -- e-mailed terror threats that are rattling the nerves of children, parents and teachers in some of America's largest school districts.

The list of school districts receiving the threatening emails includes Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas and now Clark County in Nevada. The district, which includes Las Vegas schools, received the emails yesterday and officials determined they were a hoax.

These emails differ slightly from the one received in Los Angeles which talked of 32 comrades and bombs set to "detonate via cell phone."

While investigators do not know who sent the messages, they say all of the emails were routed through a server in Germany run by Vincent Canfield. The 21-year-old native of Maine and college drop-out says he's been living in Romania as of last week.

Canfield received a subpoena from New York City police, which was followed by a call with a detective, which Canfield recorded.

"The reason you got three days to respond is because of the severity of it," the NYPD detective told him.

"I do understand the severity of it. There's some stuff I don't understand on the subpoena and I'd like to understand it before I follow through," Canfield responded.

Canfield says he can trace the source of the email and that he has complied with the New York subpoena, but has yet to respond to one he just received from Clark County. He has also consulted with a lawyer who has represented Edward Snowden.



“While investigators do not know who sent the messages, they say all of the emails were routed through a server in Germany run by Vincent Canfield. The 21-year-old native of Maine and college drop-out says he's been living in Romania as of last week. …. Canfield says he can trace the source of the email and that he has complied with the New York subpoena, but has yet to respond to one he just received from Clark County. He has also consulted with a lawyer who has represented Edward Snowden.”


Canfield sounds a bit like a wealthy ne’er do well who did one thing too many and now is in hot water. I wonder if he will use the “affluenza” defense. In old classic novels that is called “sowing wild oats.” People who do these hoaxes somehow never expect to be caught.



http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/19/460395849/u-s-bomber-s-flight-a-serious-military-provocation-china-says

U.S. Bomber's Flight A 'Serious Military Provocation,' China Says
Bill Chappell
December 19, 2015

Photograph -- Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around a reef in the disputed Spratly Islands, in a still image from video taken by a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft in May. China says a U.S. bomber got too close to one of the islands. Reuters/Landov


Complaining that an American B-52 bomber flew near disputed islands in the South China Sea, China's defense ministry calls the flight "a serious military provocation" that put Chinese military personnel on high alert.

The plane was flying close to the contested Spratly Islands, parts of which are known as Nansha in China and Kalayaan in the Philippines. The U.S. says it's investigating the matter.

The U.S. jet was warned to leave the area, China says, with a report from state media saying the defense ministry "demanded the United States immediately adopt measures to prevent such dangerous actions."

From Beijing, NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports:

"The incident occurred on Dec. 10, near Cuarteron Reef in the Spratly Islands. The reef is claimed by both China and the Philippines, but China controls it and has reclaimed land on it.

"The Wall Street Journal quotes Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Bill Urban as saying that the B-52 was not on a so-called freedom of navigation operation, intended to assert the plane's right to transit the area.

"The report suggested that the plane may have had to fly near the reef to avoid bad weather."



“Complaining that an American B-52 bomber flew near disputed islands in the South China Sea, China's defense ministry calls the flight "a serious military provocation" that put Chinese military personnel on high alert. The plane was flying close to the contested Spratly Islands, parts of which are known as Nansha in China and Kalayaan in the Philippines. The U.S. says it's investigating the matter. …. Bill Urban as saying that the B-52 was not on a so-called freedom of navigation operation, intended to assert the plane's right to transit the area. "The report suggested that the plane may have had to fly near the reef to avoid bad weather."


This the second article about the disputed coral reefs which are claimed by both China and the Philippines. China has been building a military base on one of them, I understand. China has challenged US planes more than once this last year. Of course, our flying too near their (disputed) island is a provocation like that of Russia when it flew over Turkey. Presumably China won’t shoot down one of our planes, though.



http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/19/460380252/brain-surgery-serenade-man-plays-saxophone-during-tumor-removal

Brain Surgery Serenade: Man Plays Saxophone During Tumor Removal
Bill Chappell
December 19, 2015

Photograph -- Carlos Aguilera recently discussed how he played the saxophone during surgery to remove a brain tumor at Regional Hospital of Malaga, in Andalusia, Spain.
Jorge Zapata/EPA /LANDOV


The team of doctors who recently operated on Spanish musician Carlos Aguilera's brain wanted to be sure they didn't affect his ability to play the saxophone – so they had him play songs during a 12-hour surgery.

A partially sedated Aguilera obliged, playing "Misty" and other songs, in addition to reading sheet music. In a video of the procedure, the mellow tones of Aguilera's saxophone blend in with the normal sounds of an operating room.


YouTube
From Madrid, Lauren Frayer reports:

"The 27-year-old was sedated, on painkillers, but remained conscious during the entire multi-hour operation.

"Doctors were removing a brain tumor, and wanted to ensure the surgery wouldn't damage Aguilera's musical ability. It was the first such surgery of its kind in Europe.

"The operation took place in October, and Aguilera recently went public to say he's been cured — and continues playing his sax with an orchestra in the southern city of Malaga."

At a news conference this week, Aguilera's father told journalists that when his son was diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this year, he feared the worst – including the possibility that he might never play music again.

"Two months ago I was on the table, and now I have a life in front of me," Aguilera said, according to La Opinion of Malaga. "I've been reborn."

Such procedures are meant to protect musicians' primary audio cortex and other parts of the brain that can affect their ability to play. (A story on NPR's Weekend Edition today looks at The Neuroscience Of Musical Perception, Bass Guitars And Drake.)

It's the first time such a case has been reported in Spain; similar measures were taken during recent brain surgeries in the U.S. and elsewhere — including last summer, when Slovenian opera singer Ambroz Bajec-Lapajne sang portions of Franz Schubert's Gute Nacht during surgery for a brain tumor.

In August, Bajec-Lapajne posted a video of his performance in the operating theater.

"All is fine until min. 2:40 when things start to get very interesting," Bajec-Lapajne said of the video. "It's been more than a year since and I'm doing fine, continuing my professional singing career."

YouTube
Other recent cases include:

In June, guitarist Kulkamp Anthony Dias played the Beatles' "Yesterday" and other songs during a surgery to remove a tumor in Brazil.

Last year, former Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra violinist Naomi Elishuv played during a procedure in Tel Aviv to correct tremors that ended her career.

Also in 2014, American concert violinist Roger Frisch underwent a procedure similar to Elishuv's to free him from essential tremors.

In 2008, bluegrass legend Eddie Adcock played banjo during neurosurgery to correct similar involuntary tremors.



“The team of doctors who recently operated on Spanish musician Carlos Aguilera's brain wanted to be sure they didn't affect his ability to play the saxophone – so they had him play songs during a 12-hour surgery. A partially sedated Aguilera obliged, playing "Misty" and other songs, in addition to reading sheet music.”


I had heard before that doctors do often want the patient awake during brain surgery. I can’t imagine that wouldn’t hurt terribly, but this man was able to play a number of songs, including reading sheet music. I wish this article had said how his being awake helps the doctors to avoid damaging that part of his brain. That would have been really interesting.



REPUBLICANS HAVING FUN


http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/19/460400856/n-m-governor-apologizes-over-attempt-to-quash-noise-complaints-cites-snowballs


N.M. Governor Apologizes Over Attempt To Quash Noise Complaints, Cites Snowballs
Bill Chappell
December 19, 2015

Photograph -- New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, seen here speaking Monday, has apologized for her handling of complaints against her hotel room after a staff holiday party in Santa Fe.
Russell Contreras/AP


The fallout from Gov. Susana Martinez's office holiday party at a hotel in downtown Santa Fe has resulted in an apology, a week after she intervened with local police to try to quash a noise complaint made against her hotel room.

Audio recordings of Martinez speaking with police and dispatchers became public Friday; hours later, she issued an apology for her own and her staff's behavior.

"In the tapes the governor can be heard telling dispatchers there was no need to send officers," member station KUNM reports.

"There's no necessary — no necessity to your officers to be here," she says in the recording, adding, "Thank you. You can call them off."

It all began, KUNM says, in the very early hours of last Sunday, when police were called "after the hotel's front desk reported a complaint about noise and someone throwing bottles off the balcony."

From the station:

"Martinez said whoever had been making noise had been there several hours before and there was no need for police. The governor also demanded to know who made the complaint."
In the recording, Martinez asks a Santa Fe Police dispatcher to identify the person who made the complaint.

When the dispatcher tells her he can't provide the information, she responds by sharply saying, "Why can you not? It's public record. Give it to me."

As for the reports of thrown bottles, the governor and her spokesman later said someone had thrown snowballs from a balcony at the hotel, and that the behavior was unacceptable. She says that when she was in the room, some of her relatives and staff were there, eating pizza.

The recordings were obtained by NM Political Report, which says someone from the front desk of the Eldorado Hotel & Spa "called the police after midnight to have the people in the room 'escorted off the property.' "

NM Political Report says that after the police dispatcher tells Martinez that someone complained about bottles being thrown, the governor 'responds that no one is throwing bottles off the balcony "and if there were, it was about six hours ago." ' "

The recordings include a portion of a call Martinez made from the front desk, in which the police dispatcher put her on hold to consult with his supervisor. During the delay, the governor repeatedly asks a hotel employee for the room number of the people who complained. The employee refuses to divulge the information.

In an interview Friday evening, Martinez insisted that she hadn't abused her powers when she intervened.

"I just wanted to know, what was the situation, how could we resolve it," Martinez tells local news KOB-TV.

KOB adds that Martinez acknowledged having "one and a half cocktails" over four to five hours on the night in question.



“Audio recordings of Martinez speaking with police and dispatchers became public Friday; hours later, she issued an apology for her own and her staff's behavior. "In the tapes the governor can be heard telling dispatchers there was no need to send officers," member station KUNM reports. "There's no necessary — no necessity to your officers to be here," she says in the recording, adding, "Thank you. You can call them off." It all began, KUNM says, in the very early hours of last Sunday, when police were called "after the hotel's front desk reported a complaint about noise and someone throwing bottles off the balcony."


Bottles off the balcony – that sounds like a pretty lively party. The Governor apparently planned to take the matter up with whoever called in the complaint, but the dispatcher wouldn’t give her that information. Not surprisingly she backed down when the incident was reported on the news media, and she probably received some angry Internet hits. She did apologize. That’s good.



http://www.npr.org/2015/12/19/460361192/dnc-restores-sanders-campaigns-access-to-voter-files-after-data-breach

DNC Restores Sanders Campaign's Access To Voter Files After Data Breach
Jessica Taylor
Updated December 19, 2015

Photograph -- Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign sued the DNC on Friday to regain access to its voter data files. But access was restored out of court after the DNC says the campaign provided them with information about data they had breached from rival Hillary Clinton's files due to a software glitch. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP


The Democratic National Committee and the presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders have reached an agreement to restore the campaign's access to the DNC's massive voter file.

The decision, announced just after midnight Saturday, capped off a chaotic day in which the DNC blocked the Sanders campaign from accessing the national database, which plays a critical role in campaigns' strategies and daily operations.

The party took that step after it discovered that staffers for the Vermont senator had accessed and saved data collected by rival Hillary Clinton's campaign, made briefly accessible due to a software glitch.

In response to the harsh rebuke, the Sanders campaign charged Friday morning that the DNC was "actively attempting to undermine our campaign" in favor of Clinton. The campaign filed a lawsuit in federal court that evening to stop the DNC from blocking access to the data, saying they stood to lose $600,000 in donations per day without access to the data, which is critical to identifying and contacting voters.

According to Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver, the agreement was reached before a hearing on the emergency injunction.

"We are extremely pleased that the DNC has reversed its outrageous decision to take Sen. Sanders' data. The information we provided tonight is essentially the same information we already sent them by email on Thursday," Weaver said in a statement.

"Clearly, they were very concerned about their prospects in court. Now what we need to restore confidence in the DNC's ability to secure data is an independent audit that encompasses the DNC's record this entire campaign. Transparency at the DNC is essential. We trust they have nothing to hide," he continued.

But a DNC statement told a different side of the story, saying that the committee restored access only after the Sanders campaign provided more information to them about the breach.

"The Sanders campaign has now complied with the DNC's request to provide the information that we have requested of them. Based on this information, we are restoring the Sanders campaign's access to the voter file, but will continue to investigate to ensure that the data that was inappropriately accessed has been deleted and is no longer in possession of the Sanders campaign," DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement.

"The Sanders campaign has agreed to fully cooperate with the continuing DNC investigation of this breach. The fact that data was accessed inappropriately is completely unacceptable, and the DNC expects each campaign to operate with integrity going forward with respect to the voter file," she continued.

According to the Sanders campaign, access to the voter information should be restored by Saturday morning. The massive database is one that all candidates, from the federal down to the local level, have access to in order to build contact lists, voter models and more. Candidates then add their own information about voters, but that proprietary information is supposed to be blocked from other candidates.

The Clinton campaign issued a stinging response Friday evening in response to the news that the Sanders campaign had accessed their data. In a conference call with reporters, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said their rival's actions were "totally unacceptable."

"This was a very egregious breach and our data was stolen," Mook said. "We need to be sure that the Sanders campaign no longer has access to our data."

The Clinton campaign said in a statement after the DNC's decision early Saturday they were "pleased" that the Sanders campaign was cooperating with the DNC.

"We are pleased that the Sanders campaign has agreed to submit to an independent audit to determine the full extent of the intrusion its staff carried out earlier this week, and also to ensure that Sanders' voter file no longer contains any of the proprietary data that was taken from us," Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said. "We believe this audit should proceed immediately, and, pending its findings, we expect further disciplinary action to be taken as appropriate."

The Sanders campaign had originally said that one staffer accessed the data and that he had since been let go. But according to audit documents obtained and reviewed by NPR, at least four people accessed the data 24 times during the window it was unprotected and saved it to their own folders. Data breached included information on specific voters in the early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

The feud between the DNC, the Sanders and the Clinton campaigns occurred a day before the third presidential debate is set to take place Saturday evening in New Hampshire. And while the Sanders campaign's access has been restored for now, expect the clash to resurface during the prime-time debate — which Sanders supporters already believed was being buried on a Saturday evening right before Christmas to help Clinton.



“But according to audit documents obtained and reviewed by NPR, at least four people accessed the data 24 times during the window it was unprotected and saved it to their own folders. Data breached included information on specific voters in the early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The feud between the DNC, the Sanders and the Clinton campaigns occurred a day before the third presidential debate is set to take place Saturday evening in New Hampshire.”


I notice the DNC did not comment on the fact that the firewall was temporarily removed by the company that the DNC hired, so that someone could go into the Clinton file in the first place. Sanders said that the company should be fired and a new one put in its’ place. That was one of the subjects of yesterday’s article. Another thing in today’s report which I didn’t see in an article before yesterday, is that the DNC is apparently behaving in a way that seems biased toward Clinton. They really should not do that. They should serve all Democratic candidates equally.