SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

FILM HISTORY – FROM PAGE SIX:  Michael Jackson did a lot as an entertainer, but there was one thing he wanted to do that he was never able to — play James Bond.  In his new memoir, “Who is Michael Ovitz?,” longtime Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz recalls a meeting when the King of Pop told him he wanted to play British Secret Agent 007.  “As he talked, his hat fell into the guacamole in front of him, and he picked it out and put it back on – unfortunately, with a blob of guacamole attached, which began to slide down the brim. Ron Meyer tapped my leg to draw my attention to it, and we all watched in horrified fascination as it slid lower and lower while Michael was pitching us hard on how he was America’s next action hero.  In a Hollywood agent meeting someone would say, "Yeah, hey Michael, that's a cool idea.  You'd blow 'em all away – Sean Connery, Roger Moore – all the white bread.  Let me get started on that."  Then all the suits would have a crisis meeting to decide how to tell Michael that he wasn't going to be
007.  Maybe 003.

ANOTHER NON-NEWS DAY:  Anyone have any real stories?  To me, the big story of the day was the splash that Melania Trump made in Africa.  But the purveyors of news showed little interest.  They'll notice her only if she wears an IMPEACH TRUMP sweater.  They were more interested in the endless speculation over whether Brett Kavanaugh threw ice at someone in a college food fight.  The usual leaks from the FBI investigation were posted, not one of them with any corroboration.  We're now told the probe might wind up tomorrow.  On the other hand it might not.  The new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico hasn't moved the interest needle at all, even though it will affect all of us for years to come.  Maybe tomorrow we'll get from actual news stories.  I'm for change, always change.

GREAT MOMENTS IN SCHOLARSHIP – FROM PJ MEDIA:  Nearly 100 students at the University of Southern California attended a rally at noon on Monday demanding a tenured professor be fired after he sent a reply-all email last Thursday to the student body noting that “accusers sometimes lie.”  “If the day comes you are accused of some crime or tort of which you are not guilty, and you find your peers automatically believing your accuser, I expect you find yourself a stronger proponent of due process than you are now,” emailed Professor James Moore.  The email — in response to a reply-all email that urged students to “Believe Survivors” on the day of Christine Ford’s testimony  — triggered what one school admin said was “hundreds” of emails from concerned students and alumni since Thursday.  USC students Audrey Mechling and Joelle Montier then organized a Facebook rally against the engineering professor, entitled “Times Up for James Moore.” Monday at noon at the USC Argue Plaza, nearly 100 students yelled, “Times Up, No Moore!” dozens of times.  Ah Germany.  Ah 1930s.

October 2, 2018