SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 9:55 P.M. ET: 

THE CLASS SYSTEM RETURNS – FROM DAILY MAIL:   Passengers will soon be boarding British Airways planes according to how much they paid for their flights.  From next month, those who pay the lowest fares will have to wait at the departure gate and board after everyone else.  The carrier will introduce a ‘group boarding’ system on all its flights from December 12.  When passengers check in they will be assigned a group number between one and five which will be printed on their boarding pass.The lower the number, the earlier the passenger will be allowed to board.  Number one will be assigned First Class passengers on long-haul flights and short-haul travellers on BA’s business class, Club Europe, as well as Gold members of the BA Executive Club  Next will be business class Club World passengers on long-haul flights, and Silver members of the Executive Club.  Group three will be passengers in World Traveller Plus, which is BA’s premium economy, as well as Bronze members.  Normal economy passengers will be in group four.  The indignity of boarding the plane last will be given to those travelling on the cheapest, hand-baggage only fares.  Well, the Brits have always had a kind of class system anyway.  And all this for the privilege of flying in a tube with passengers who are dressed for a bus ride.  Forget elegance.

NFL DISASTER CONTINUES – FROM BREITBART:   With the NFL’s Week 11 action wrapping up, it quickly became clear that football fans had found other things to do as thousands of empty seats could be seen in stadiums from coast to coast.  With TV ratings off nearly 20 percent over all and the networks already known to have lost up to $500 million in ad revenue, it is becoming clear that last year’s 12 percent decline wasn’t because of the raucous political season, a claim that served as the excuse for the 2016 season’s ratings loss.  The ratings slide is reflected in the skimpy attendance at the stadiums, too, with Week 11 photos showing that there are still empty seats galore.  The NFL is getting what it deserves.  Or at least the management is getting it.  They've got to clean up their messes, make rules that stick, and show respect for the fans.

THE FRANKEN WATCH – FROM DAILY MAIL:    A spokesperson for Sen. Al Franken, a Democrat from Minnesota, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that 'no' the embattled senator would not resign over allegations that he fondled and kissed a woman without her permission 11 years ago.  'He is spending time with his family in Washington, D.C., and will be through the Thanksgiving holiday,' the aide told the newspaper. 'And he's doing a lot of reflecting.'   On Thursday, Franken became the latest high-profile man whose career is now in jeopardy over bad behavior with a woman.   Radio host Leeann Tweeden said in 2006, when performing alongside Franken at a traveling USO tour, the then-comedian grabbed her breasts without her permission when Tweeden was sleeping and kissed her against her will.  I wonder how one "reflects" on something like this, and how long it takes.  Do you do it yourself, or hire a reflection coach?  Do you call Gloria Allred and ask for advice?  Or Bill Clinton? 

November 19,  2017