Weekend link dump for October 4

What TV executives think about the new fall shows.

Some football physics for your game-watching Sunday.

“An experimental glider that could eventually reach the edge of space without the power of an engine had a successful first test flight over Oregon this week, winning applause on Thursday from Airbus, a major backer of the project.”

How might single payer health care be paid for?

“To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note, and now is the time to honor it.”

Combating obesity in US veterans.

Some helpful hints for (allegedly) racist nightclubs.

“Will Latinos become Republicans? Not if it depends on being religious.”

We are all (branded) individuals. Unless we’re not.

From the Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics department.

“Of the 11 states investigating Planned Parenthood’s alleged mishandling of fetal remains, seven have concluded in a whimper.” Texas is one of the other four. You can be sure that if it had something, we’d have known it by now.

“But there are a lot of things that make me squeamish whose legality I am comfortable with — childbirth, veal, and professional football, to name just a few. Ultimately, when it comes to a legal right, I trust women to choose what’s best for themselves.”

RIP, Phil Woods, legendary jazz saxophonist. You’ve heard him even if you hadn’t heard of him – he did the sax solos on Billy Joel’s “Just The Way You Are” and Paul Simon’s “Have A Good Time”.

I’d love to see a revival of The 4400, though I’d definitely have to re-watch the whole thing first to remind myself of what had happened and where they were in the story.

Congratulations to Justine Siegal, the first female coach in MLB history.

Three cheers for Susan Berger and AManda Scarpinati and the lifelong friendship they finally got to celebrate.

Look on the bright side. You’re probably having a better day than this guy did.

Better read the fine print on that one.

The Taylor Swift sports curse is a thing that appears to be happening.

“What happens when a state with a tough voter ID law suddenly makes it much harder for minorities to get driver’s licenses? We are about to find out in Alabama.”

RIP, Carolyn Lynch, champion bridge player.

“Here’s an idea: Maybe instead of fundraisers for new band instruments or football uniforms, school kids should hire lobbyists to look after their interests in Congress and state legislatures. I’d bet the kids lobby could get some attention, if they funneled money to the right candidate.”

“Having a group of women taken to task by the broadcast booth during a meaningless game in late September for enjoying themselves is pretty silly.” All I know is that most of my 40-something friends seem to take a lot of pictures of themselves at baseball games, too, often with their kids. Should we all be taken to task for that as well?

The next time someone tells you that the real problem isn’t guns but mental illness, remind them that expanding Medicaid would do more to address the problem of mental illness than anything else.

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