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

BUZZ COMES THROUGH – FROM DAILY MAIL:  Buzz Aldrin appeared to criticise Neil Armstrong biopic First Man for leaving out the planting of the American flag on the moon.  The 88-year-old, who was the second man to set foot on the moon after his late crew-mate, tweeted a picture of the flag planted after their landing in 1969.   He captioned the photo: 'Proud to be an American.' Aldrin also re-tweeted a photo of him saluting next to the same picture.  First Man – from the Oscar-winning director of La La Land Damian Chazelle – opened the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday to criticism that it deliberately downplayed American patriotism.  Starring Ryan Gosling as Armstrong, the film begins in 1961 as the US trails the Soviet Union in the space race and takes viewers up to the Moon landing in 1969.   But it came under fire for not including the moment the astronauts planted the American flag, with Gosling defending the decision by saying the achievement 'transcended countries and borders.'  The critics are correct.  It was an American moment.  It was our mission, our astronauts took the risks, and no one else participated.  Americans deserve to see their flag planted in the new movie.  Otherwise, no ticket purchase and no popcorn.

THE HYPOCRISY FLOWS – FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES:   Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum on Sunday thanked billionaires George Soros and Tom Steyer for helping him score his upset win in last week’s Florida Democratic gubernatorial primary.  “I’ll tell you, I’m obviously deeply appreciative of Mr. Soros, as well as Mr. Steyer, both men whom I’ve known for some time,” Mr. Gillum said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”  The Democratic megadonors and their associated groups directed millions to the campaign of Mr. Gillum, who edged out former Rep. Gwen Graham in the crowded Democratic primary. He faces Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis in the November election.  At the same time, Mr. Gillum insisted that his gubernatorial campaign was driven by small donations from “everyday folks.”  I wonder if the candidate knows the name of just one of those everyday folks. 

CUBA INTRIGUE – FROM FOX:  A team of scientists has singled out what it claims left U.S. diplomats in Cuba sickened by mysterious ailments and symptoms in recent months, according to a new report.  Douglas H. Smith, director of the Center for Brain Injury and Repair at the University of Pennsylvania, told The New York Times that microwaves, which can trick the brain into perceiving what seem to be ordinary sounds — known as the Frey effect, named after American scientist Allan H. Frey — most likely caused the trauma.  The Times reported that scientists have known for decades that the brain can perceive some microwaves as sound.  “Everybody was relatively skeptical at first, and everyone now agrees there’s something there,” Smith told the Times.  The State Department told Fox News that the investigation into the embassy attacks is still ongoing.  I'll never look at my microwave oven in the same way again.

September 3, 2018