Blanket nappers get theirs

The co-Bellends of the Month for December 2016 are several members of the Denver Police Department who were caught on video taking blankets and survival gear from homeless people in the freezing cold. Footage was widely circulated earlier this month showing as many as nine officers standing over a group of homeless people, pulling blankets off them as they slept and sat on the sidewalk. In the video, two officers stacked the blankets in piles and then carried them away. The blankets were taken as 'evidence' the homeless people in the video were committing a crime by violating the city's urban camping ban. This is just cruel, especially in the freezing winter weather. And besides, even if they were technically in violation of such a ban, the blankets are more useful as evidence of intent rather than the crime itself.

GOOD IDEA OF THE WEEK SO FAR: Leap seconds

Here's a timely reminder for all you would-be revelers out there: Be careful with your countdowns this New Year's Eve. There will be a little extra time to bask in the glow of a retreating 2016 - or curse its name, as the case may be. Whatever your inclination, one thing is certain: before the year is out, the world's foremost authority on time will be adding one more second to the clock. In a bulletin released this summer, the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service, or IERS, said it would be necessary to introduce a "leap second" at the end of December. Timekeepers use this added second much as leap years are used - to bring the world's atomic clocks in sync with the Earth's own distinctive rhythm, which in this case is determined by its rotation. That's right, people. Not only will we have 366 days this year, the last one will be 86,401 seconds long. The leap second will strike at 23:59:60 UTC, so depending on where in the world you are, it could already be 2017 by the time it comes.

In other celebrity news...

 

So be it: that's how Leia died

 

Reds end 2016 on the up and up

Manchester United's growing confidence and momentum were enhanced further on Boxing Day as Sunderland were dismantled in a fourth successive Premier League victory for Jose Mourinho's men. Daley Blind, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored the goals to secure the comfortable 3-1 win (with Borini being the one), while also extending the Reds' unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches. Bigger challenges will come, of course, but there is no doubt that United are capable of climbing the table and reclaiming the silverware in the process.

The man who went went before he woke up on his last Christmas

Merry Christmas to all

And to all a good night. Oh, and be on your best behaviour for the next 365 days or else expect a huge lump of coal is your stocking.

Opinions from the Dark Side

Can't find the picture again, but basically what they're saying is that Rogue One should be the new Episode III, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith should move down one, and The Phantom Menace should be done away with.

BAD IDEA OF THE WEEK SO FAR: Being a racist

A woman’s racist tirade against two Latina women in a mall in Louisville, Kentucky begins with a cacophony of tired slurs against immigrants. Caught on tape and posted on social media Tuesday, the incident has prompted a search for the woman — who faces a lifetime ban from the mall. In the lineup at a JCPenney store in Jefferson Mall, two Latina women, in front of the woman who went on the racist rant, added some last-minute items to their cart. That, according to the now-deleted Facebook video bystander Renee Buckner posted, instigated the woman to begin shouting her anti-immigrant views at the two women. The woman tells the customers to “go back to wherever the f*** you came from, lady," continuing: “They come here to live, then act like everybody else. You’re nobodies. Just because you come from another country, it don’t make you nobody. You’re nobody, as far as I’m concerned. You’re probably on welfare. The taxpayers probably paid for all that stuff.” The woman then turns to tell the other customers in line: “It’s true. We probably pay for every bit of that stuff. You know that. Probably all the food they get and everything else. I’m sorry, but that’s the way I feel." While the two Latina women ignore her racist speech, the video ends after the woman tells them to “speak English. You’re in America. If you don’t know it, learn it.” Once the video garnered nearly 6 million views, Jefferson Mall authorities decried the woman’s outburst and said they are working to identify her and ban her from the mall. JC Penney also issued a similar statement Wednesday, asking the public to help them find the victims so they can be given a formal apology and a full reimbursement for their purchases that day. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer also posted some tweets expressing his regret and disappointment about the situation, but here's my spin: don't be a dick. You never know who's going to be watching.

And where do ISIS stand on the scale?

The weapons will all be shrimps on the barbie

It's official: Trump is in the White House!

Come 2021 or 2025, America will be Donald Trump's third ex-wife, as the Electoral College has affirmed him as the nation’s 45th president, pushing him past the 270-vote threshold for election, with scant evidence of the anti-Trump revolt among electors that some of his critics had hoped would occur. Republican electors in Texas vaulted Mr. Trump past the 270 mark, granting him all but two of their 38 ballots in a ceremony in the State Capitol in Austin. In the House chamber, where the electors met, the vote was greeted with a standing ovation by citizens and Republican officials who had come to witness the event. Outside, perhaps 100 protesters waved placards and chanted “Save our democracy” in a vain effort to persuade electors to reject the Republican nominee. Normally a political footnote, the electoral vote acquired an unexpected element of drama this winter after Mr. Trump’s upset of Hillary Clinton, who received 2.86 million more popular votes but won in states that totaled only 232 electoral votes. The states Mr. Trump won held 306 electoral votes. His electoral victory spawned a determined effort to block his path to the presidency by grass-roots advocates who saw him as unfit for the White House and by some who saw him as a threat to the political system. Presidential electors — and particularly Republican electors, who are bound by tradition and often state law to support Mr. Trump — were inundated with phone calls, emails, even threats demanding that they vote for someone else. Leaders of groups that were lobbying the electors had privately believed they had a chance to persuade enough Republican electors to defect, denying him an Electoral College majority and throwing the election to the House of Representatives. But by late Monday, only a handful of electors had broken ranks. A full vote tracker is here. While Mr. Trump’s opponents needed 37 Republican defectors to bring his electoral-vote tally below 270, the bulk of electors who broke ranks — four in Washington State — were Democrats who otherwise would have voted for Ms. Clinton. Instead, they voted for the former Republican secretary of state Colin L. Powell and Faith Spotted Eagle, a Native American tribal leader who has led opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline.

Zlatan brace = three points

Two Zlatan Ibrahimovic goals, one in each half, set up another Manchester United victory as a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion was fully merited for an authoritative display from the first whistle to the last. The Reds made a lightning start in surprisingly mild December conditions with Jesse Lingard having an early penalty claim refused after a tangle with Allan Nyom. Within five minutes, a first goal had arrived, though, with Lingard the provider as his cross from the right left Ibrahimovic with a straightforward header past Ben Foster from close range for his 15th goal of the season. Antonio Valencia set up another opportunity from a similar area of the pitch but Wayne Rooney was unable to profit as Jose Mourinho's men swarmed all over the hosts. Albion's first moment of danger was supplied by their Swede, Jonas Olsson, who got a touch to a Chris Brunt corner but the ball drifted wide of the far post. But it's not the missed opportunities, it's the two that made it what won it.

Strong with the bias young Stormtrooper is

 

I have but one thing to say to Trump's cabinet picks

 

Titanic meets Trump

Reds deliver a Kristallnacht worthy of Crystal Palace

A late strike from Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave Manchester United a vital victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, as the Reds ran out 2-1 winners at Selhurst Park. The Swede fired home with just two minutes of normal time remaining to secure the three points, after James McArthur had cancelled out Paul Pogba's first-half opener. Ahead of the game – United’s third in the space of six days – Jose Mourinho delivered on his promise to rotate players during a busy December, making four changes to the side that beat Tottenham. Wayne Rooney was among those recalled to the starting line-up, and the captain had an early opportunity to break the deadlock, but couldn’t direct his header on target from Juan Mata’s cross after five minutes. In truth, the hosts were hardly afforded a touch of the ball during the opening stages, with an eventual string of passes being greeted by cheers from the home fans. As has been the theme in recent weeks, Mourinho’s men were well on top, and went close again when Pogba curled a long-range effort over the bar. Last-ditch defending then denied Rooney a clear goalscoring chance on 24 minutes, as Eric Bailly – slotting in at right-back in the absence of the suspended Antonio Valencia - burst forward from defence to provide an inviting low cross. But two wins ain't gonna cut it - the Reds have lost some of their form in the post-Fergie era and need to really get their butts in gear if they want the silverware this season.

THE MIDWEEK REVIEW: Putting the antis in their place

 

Why this post is really 24 hours late

The iPhone app I use to publish posts stopped working properly, and it's not letting me access my photos for the purpose of putting them in my posts. In fact, my newest photos aren't even showing up. There may be just token posts here until I can find a new app that can give me meaningful access to all my photos.

Who knew a Reds side could have so much win?

Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored for the second successive match as Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham at Old Trafford. The Armenian followed up his first Reds goal against Zorya Luhansk on Thursday by firing home a thunderous drive just before the half-hour mark after Ander Herrera’s pass cut open the Spurs defence. Paul Pogba was unfortunate not to add to the lead in the second half with a sensational free-kick from distance which struck the woodwork, but after three consecutive draws in the league, it was a welcome three points and a resilient display from Jose Mourinho’s men, who cut the gap behind Spurs in the table to three points with a repeat scoreline of last season’s corresponding fixture. Both sides had booked their place in the last 32 of the Europa League during the week but crucial league points were on the agenda as they sought to maintain the pressure on the teams above them, which the Reds don't seem to have been doing as of late. Just to clarify, the silverware is on offer for consistency over a total of 38 games - one home game and one away against each of the other 19 sides. But the Red Devils can still make it to the top again.

The Black Male's Guide to Getting Shot in the Hood

There is but one among the four that nobody expects

This is how to remind them of who you really are

Well played, Time. Well played.

THE MIDWEEK REVIEW: The eventual cost of greed

So come on and let them know, should they stop or should they go now?

Moyes' old club draws against Moyes' old club

John Key has resigned as Prime Minister of New Zealand, the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline is to be re-routed away from the Standing Rock reservation, and Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first-half opener was cancelled out by a late Leighton Baines penalty at Goodison Park. The Reds had controlled much of the game, both in terms of possession and chances created, but the frustrating result leaves Jose Mourinho's sixth in the Premier League table on 21 points, just above the eighth-placed Toffees. A positive to note before the match was the return of summer signing Eric Bailly, who was named on the bench and in the squad for the first time since suffering an injury at Chelsea on 23 October. A period of silence preceded the match as respects were paid to the 75 people, including members of Brazilian football team Chapecoense, who were tragically killed in a plane crash in Colombia earlier in the week. The travelling Reds supporters also displayed a banner that emphasised the club’s support. But seriously, Mourinho, you need to improve your team. Don't be another Moyes.

Or you could have just fed everyone in Africa for the cost of the car

The new American church doesn't even begin to describe these arches

These are the same arches that have been keeping Americans obese for 76 years - and it's not just open on Sundays, boys.

Even in Turkey the people raku disciprine

A warning for the elites going into the last month of 2016 - the storm is coming