More than a dozen high-profile DC restaurants have pledged to donate a portion of their inauguration weekend profits to charity and aid organizations, including Planned Parenthood and an organization benefitting immigrants.

Sarah Massey of All In Service, the group organizing the inauguration weekend donations said that the 14 restaurants, bars, and cafes currently listed on the website are just the beginning.

"The team is talking to another dozen businesses right now," she told BuzzFeed News. "We would love to see the entire DC service industry participate."

https://www.buzzfeed.com/emaoconnor/all-in-service-inauguration?utm_term=.dnnEQJ7d4J#.rqxaZ7QVd7

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia state lawmaker wants to have pornography declared a public health hazard, calling it a moral scourge that leads to infidelity, the "hypersexualization of teenagers" and the objectification of women.

The Washington Post (http://wapo.st/2iMEP29) reports that Del. Robert G. Marshall of Prince William County has proposed a resolution stating that pornography leads to many social problems and that the General Assembly needs to address it. The legislature's annual session convenes Jan. 11.

The resolution does not call for a ban but rather urges lawmakers to recognize the need for education and research to address what Marshall called an epidemic.

He says such a declaration could help pave the way for future limits, similar to how a 1964 federal government report linking cigarettes to disease spurred future restrictions.


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/robert-marshall-porn-delcared-heatlh-hazard

A defiant couple disrupted a Delta flight Wednesday evening soon after it left the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for Los Angeles, and the upheaval sent the airliner back to MSP, where the man and woman were led off by police as fellow passengers jeered them.

Flight 2565 left about 6:20 p.m. only to show up back at the Twin Cities airport at 7:35 p.m., said MSP spokesman Patrick Hogan.

Delta spokesman Ashton Morrow added that the couple “became aggressive and created a disruption in the cabin.”

Neither spokesman was able to reveal what got the man and woman riled up in the first place, but a passenger who shot video of the episode said the woman wanted to use the bathroom but was being ordered back to her seat.


http://m.startribune.com/disruption-during-delta-flight-sends-plane-back-to-msp-couple-arrested/408597955/

I'm in Michigan to visit dad for the holidays and had an interesting talk with his next door neighbor who happens to be a Skilled Trades UAW member. Over the course of the conversation, he mentioned that many of his coworkers ("all the ones who aren't black) voted from Trump despite the fact everyone is working all the overtime and double time they can handle. And my jaw dropped when he said even unionized teachers voted for Agent Orange as well (he coaches at a local school). So please, someone remind me about the "left behind" that Democrats forgot?

Just coming over the wires.

President-elect Donald Trump claims he could have defeated President Barrack Obama in a head-to-head matchup.

“President Obama said that he thinks he would have won against me. He should say that but I say NO WAY! - jobs leaving, ISIS, OCare, etc.” Trump tweeted on Monday afternoon.

In a CNN podcast hosted by David Axelrod on Monday, Obama said a message of optimism, like his in 2008, could have defeated Trumps more divisive brand of populism.

Axelrod, who served as a senior adviser to Obama in his first term, tweeted about the president-elect's response on Monday evening.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/311844-trump-i-could-have-beaten-obama

https://m.

There’s been endless speculation about Rey’s big secret in Star Wars. In fact, searching for answers about our new favorite scavenger is probably the biggest talking point coming out of The Force Awakens: Why was she left on Jakku? Who are her parents? Why did that lightsaber like her so much? Does Luke know her? Is she Obi Wan’s granddaughter? If so, when did Obi Wan date anyone? Did he ever take them to Dexter Jettster’s diner for a quick dinner before going to see a creepy bubble play?

It’s high time I tossed myself into the sarlacc pit of Rey speculation, because I too have nerdy dork thoughts about all of these nerdy dork things. Not only that, but I am a writer on the internet, and that practically makes me a Knight of Ren. If this makes the front page of Reddit, they give me my cool black mask.

So. Who is Rey? Well, they’ve already told us: she’s no one. And man, I really hope that’s true. I want Rey to be some force sensitive orphan that got dumped in the desert for reasons we’ll never find out until the Force Awakened and tossed her into a hero’s journey.

Why? Because pulp needs mystery. Wolverine was cool because he had no memories, for instance. Star Wars especially needs mystery- in fact, it thrives on it. The galaxy far, far away soars when it makes us accept information while we strap in for a fun ride, and falls on it’s face when it pumps the brakes to explain things to us. Obi Wan is a master of the Force, and because he understands this weird space magic better than we do, he is special and interesting. I don’t want Qui Gon’s explanation about the Force. I want to be a slack jawed farm boy that dares to believe in space telekinesis, just like Luke. I want the mystery so that I can appreciate Hans’ skepticism. When Star Wars explains the Force, it makes Han dumb. How could you not believe in the Force? It’s microscopic organisms that are in your cells. Did you not go to school? Do you not believe in germs, either? Han, do you wash your hands after you use the bathroom? Han, be honest.

Explaining Star Wars is usually the worst part of Star Wars- and for most pulp adventure, to be honest. Darth Vader is a terrifying man in a black mask until you explain that he used to be a totally wizard little boy that grew up to be a creepy man baby that hates sand because it’s so coarse.

http://www.pajiba.com/star_wars/no-there-is-another-the-best-possible-backstory-for-rey.php

Personal Note: I have to caution that it sounds like the kind of massive heart attack that killed my mom. I didn't kill her right away but it caused so much damage to her body that it eventually shut down. positive vibes form someone who's been a Fisher man since I was seven years old.



Carrie Fisher is being treated in an intensive care unit after a serious medical emergency on a flight, according to her brother.

On Friday night, Todd Fisher told The Associated Press that his sister was receiving excellent care, but said that he could not classify her condition. He had earlier told the AP that she had been stabilized and was out of the emergency room.

In a subsequent interview, he said many details about her condition or what caused the medical emergency are unknown, and much of what had been reported was speculation.

"We have to wait and be patient," he said. "We have so little information ourselves."

TMZ and the Los Angeles Times reported that the actress, best known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars film franchise, was on a flight from London to Los Angeles when she went into cardiac arrest. TMZ reports that the emergency occurred about 15 minutes before landing, and an EMT on the plane administered CPR before landing. The plane arrived just after noon PT and Fisher, 60, was rushed by paramedics to the UCLA Medical Center.


http://www.pnj.com/story/life/people/2016/12/23/carrie-fisher-heart-attack/95806310/

Is it me, or does it always look like one just kicked the other's ass?