Outside the Beltway

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney’s choices in home decor raise an interesting question.

I’m going to put in a good word for my son Josh’s new album “Shame of Tones,” a parody compilation based on HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

An opportunist ruins a good joke and hijacks an important discussion.

Apple’s “1984” Super Bowl commercial ran only once, but it remains in a class by itself.

Many of America’s great writers were alcoholics.

Lest we forget what the entire “Duck Dynasty” brouhaha is really all about.

“Reality” TV star says something dumb about gay people, gets suspended, usual pointless outrage ensues.

In which we ponder the great questions of the day………

WSJ’s Marc Myers has a fascinating chat with Keith Richards on the making of one of the Stones’ iconic tracks.

Best holiday wishes to you and yours

PBS NewsHour quiz “Do You Live in a Bubble?”

From the Pete Holmes show

Tom Clancy, author of dozens of bestselling military thriller novels, has died aged 66.

Timothy Blaise explains string theory to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody.

The Emmys will honor Cory Monteith but not Jack Klugman or Larry Hagman. Where in that sentence you said “Who?” will tell us how old you are.

Bluegrass band Iron Horse presents their take on the Metallica classic “Enter Sandman.”

Jimmy Fallon’s 13 minute tribute to “Breaking Bad” is exceedingly well done

Author Elmore Leonard has died at the age of 87.

Erstwhile country music legend Garth Brooks has become a grandfather.

J.J. Cale, the Grammy-winning songwriter of such classics as “Cocaine” and “Call Me the Breeze,” has died aged 74.

There’s no such thing as “sex addiction.”