He Just Wanted to Play Catch. They Got Relief From Troubled Times. – The New York Times:
By confessing his own need, Frank had unwittingly tapped into a longing in others. Not knowing what else to do, Alice welcomed all comers: “How about 3 p.m. Wednesday at Cole Park near the tennis courts?”
Mazzarella was asked why he came.
“Fountain of Youth,” he said. “The opportunity to do something that I never expected to do again in my life.”’
*Worth a read. Touching.’
Michael Apted, Versatile Director Known for ‘Up’ Series, Dies at 79 – The New York Times:
Michael Apted, a versatile director whose films were as varied as the James Bond picture “The World Is Not Enough” and the biographical dramas “Gorillas in the Mist” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” and who made his most lasting mark with the “Up” documentary series, which followed the lives of a group of British people in seven-year intervals for more than a half century, died on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 79.
What Is Most Popular on Streaming Platforms? Old Network TV Shows – The New York Times:
“The Office,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Criminal Minds” represent three genres that have been mainstays in American entertainment — workplace comedies, and medical and crime dramas. They also feature a combined library of 830 episodes, which significantly boosted them in the Nielsen lists, which ranked shows based on total minutes watched. (“Grey’s Anatomy” is still running on ABC and is in its 17th season.)
The list seemed to confirm earlier findings that Americans favored comfort and escapist entertainment, in addition to news, as the nation confronted a public health emergency, massive social unrest and a searing presidential election.
*The text above is in reverse order.
How Neil Sheehan Got the Pentagon Papers – The New York Times:
He asked the bureau chief to get him several hundred dollars in expense money for a secret project he declined to explain. When the bureau chief called the Times newsroom and reached the editors on duty that night, they declined the request. So he called the national editor at home.
“Give it to him,” the editor said, according to Mr. Sheehan. No questions asked.
Opinion | Eviction Records May Haunt Tenants After the Covid-19 Pandemic Ends – The New York Times:
Just as criminal records carry collateral consequences — preventing people from getting jobs, renting apartments and so on — blemishes on a person’s financial history can have far-ranging effects. Records of evictions can prevent Americans from renting new places to live, and debts and lawsuits related to unpaid rent can follow people as they apply for jobs, take out insurance policies, apply for mortgages and more.
www.nytimes.com/2020/12/24/business/small-business-coronvirus.html
“… for some industries, it has been a banner year. Small-business owners serving customers who are trapped at home, shopping online and seeking outdoor adventures have tallied record sales.“
Pierre Cardin, Visionary Fashion Designer, Dies at 98 – The New York Times:
His ability to sculpt fabric with an architectural sensibility was his real signature,” he added.
Mr. Cardin drew inspiration from everywhere, be it the pagodas he visited in China, Op Art painting or automotive design.
“I’m always inspired by something outside, not by the body itself,” he told The New York Times in 1985. Clothing, he said, was meant “to give the body its shape, the way a glass gives shape to the water poured into it.”
What 2020 Was Like for People in the Retail Industry – The New York Times:
In New York City, retail jobs make up 9 percent of private-sector employment, and many have been slow to return. At stores selling clothing and clothing accessories, employment is down more than 40 percent from a year ago, according to a recent report by the state comptroller’s office.
First Case of British Coronavirus Variant Has Been Confirmed in the U.S. – The New York Times:
Discovery of the variant led to a harsher lockdown across London and the surrounding areas around Christmas, and cases of the variant have been identified in France, Spain and other European nations. Health officials in Ontario, Canada, said on Saturday they had identified two cases of the variant in a couple with no known travel history or exposure.
Early Vaccine Doubters Now Show a Willingness to Roll Up Their Sleeves – The New York Times:
The lure of the vaccines’ modest quantities also can’t be underestimated as a driver of desire, somewhat like the must-have frenzy generated by a limited-edition Christmas gift, according to public opinion experts.
… the grim reality of the pandemic — with more than 200,000 new cases and some 3,000 deaths daily — and the wanness of this holiday season are perhaps among the biggest factors.
D.L. Damore 