Lots of stuff goes viral in the ether, and viral is a relative term. So here’s David Frum’s piece for The Atlantic, The Great Republican Revolt. (I heard or saw at least 10 reference to the story in emails or on FB.) Mr. Frum, who passes for a Republican moderate because, well, think of how far those goal posts moved in 1995 when the Rams moved from Anaheim to St. Louis and you get the picture. Anyway, Mr. Frum—and that other R writer named David, the Brooks fellow, both of whom surely have bubbes who kvelled over them—write very rational words about a political party which is, today, dominated by people whose stock in trade has nothing to do with anything more than playing to our darkest angels. Read the piece, for sure, for Mr. Frum’s history is spot on. His four possible outcomes? Not so much.

From the other side, I listened to bits and pieces of Steve Inskeep’s Morning Edition interview of President Obama. Best line, in response to some questions which amounted to, in simple terms, why do you think so many people don’t like you, Mr. President? “Well, keep in mind, Steve, I was elected twice by decent majorities.” Uh, yah! (The interview is worth a listen and, actually, I found reading it more interesting. President Obama sounds cranky. It’s understandable, but it’s not easy to hear the tone.

The New Yorker arrived yesterday. I’m enjoying very much Negotiating the Whirlwind, David Remnick’s profile of Secretary of State John Kerry. Secretary Kerry is a serious, hard-working, dedicated public servant. What a shame it is that our political system turns people like him into silly caricatures. Mr. Remnick is a great writer, and his subject is worthy of his talent.

Truly, the New Yorker archives are amazing. Here’s The Duke in His Domain, from the November 9, 1957 issue, written by Truman Capote. The subject? Marlon Brando at the Miyako Hotel in Kyoto, Japan.

I know it’s the holiday season and all of that, but who can resist an article titled How the Mast Brothers fooled the world into paying $10 a bar for crappy hipster chocolate. Written by Deena Shanker for Quartz on line, it’s quite the expose, and it caught my eye because I’m the guy with a chocolate drawer in his fridge. (Storing chocolate in a 37° refrigerator is surely a major no-no, but I buy cheap at World Market and only splurge when I buy the Vosges Mo’s Dark Chocolate Bacon Bar. No $10 crappy hipster chocolate bars for this choco-holic!

I’ll be at Tucson International Airport for the third time in about 41 hours in a little while. Two drop-offs so far, and I’m picking up my daughter, Cate Rubin, at 11:15 p.m. Her question when I called, earlier, to see if she wanted anything while she’s here: Do you have any dough? “No,” but it’s only 3 p.m. And here’s the finished product, lacking only a regulation pizza box.