Fries with that

But no word on McRib’s return: McDonald’s in Japan says it has resolved a potato shortage caused by labor strife in the U.S., and will resume sales of super-size french fry portions Jan. 5 (Page A9).

In the meantime, the small order of fries still contains more calories than the noon meal consumed by North Koreans (Kim Jong-un excepted, of course).

For voters who think McDermott is too conservative: Vermont’s Bernie Sanders, the only Socialist in the U.S. Senate, says he’ll decide by March whether to run for president.

In the meantime, Sanders will be keeping an eye on several key indicators of the viability of his candidacy. These include hell freezing over, pigs sprouting wings and flying and Seattle getting that tunneling machine working.

Don’t know much about history: On this day in 1831, naturalist Charles Darwin began an around-the-world cruise aboard the HMS Beagle.

Darwin’s fieldwork and observations during the voyage led to his later evolutionary theories, one of which holds that anyone who can survive five years aboard a 90-foot sailing ship with 75 other people is highly evolved, indeed.

— Mark Carlson, Herald staff