• The United States Federal Communications Commission Thursday voted to repeal a set of regulations enforcing a scheme known commonly as Net Neutrality.  The rules restricted internet service providers from either blocking or prioritizing particular sites or apps. Congress may step in and prevent the repeal under the Congressional Review Act; otherwise, the repeal will take effect following review by the Office of Management and Budget in the coming weeks.  [NPR]
  • A report on Weapons of the Islamic State reported that, of over 40,000 items found on battlefields believed to be property of ISIL, 10% were Western-made products that had fallen into the hands of the radical terrorist group.  The remaining 90% originated from China, Russia and Eastern Europe, with Russian-made weapons outnumbering those of any other nation. [Al Jazeera]
  • In a stunning upset, Democrat Doug Jones defeated Republican and alleged pedophile Roy Moore in Tuesday’s Senate special election in Alabama.  Moore under-performed President Trump throughout the notoriously red state, where Trump sailed to victory at nearly two votes to every one earned by Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016. [Washington Post]

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    Image Credit: The Independent
  • A pilot testing a new Airbus380 used his flight path to draw a Christmas tree over most of Germany this week.  The wholesome expression of holiday cheer stands in stark contrast to the approach of a U.S. Navy pilot who last month used contrails to trace an enormous phallus over the state of Washington. [BBC]
  • Popular and much-loved Internet sensation The Sidebar this week debuted on social media to the adulation of its enthusiastic audience.  The rising star in news, comedy, reviews and All Sorts of Other Stuff, I Guess™ can now be liked on Facebook or followed on Twitter (@sidebarkeep). [The Sidebar]

FACT OF THE WEEK: The last known widow of a Confederate soldier died in 2008.  Other Confederate widows were alive at that time, but refused to be publicly identified. It is unknown (but unlikely) whether any survive in 2017.  [L.A. Times]