Odds & Ends: News/Humor (with a "Who Lost the Week?" poll)

I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".

OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.

CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti (going to the DNC in Philadelphia) and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous holiday weekend .... and week ahead.

ART NOTES — lithographs by the famed sculptor Louise Nevelson are at the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas through July 31st.

Louise Nevelson (1899-1998)

ALTHOUGH the French have long referred to the English as les rosbifs— for their supposed lack of culinary skills — French men and women consume the most beef in Europe (and fully a third more than the British).

THURSDAY's CHILD is named Tux the Cat— a kitteh who escaped the devastating wildfires of Fort McMurray, Canada by hiding in …… a stove.

           Tux the Cat

AN INTERESTING TAKE on the NeverTrump camp was spotted by the nonpareil Digby …. who was fascinated by Jonah Goldberg’s categorizing of the GOP response to the Trumpster, sub-dividing their responses into various groups.

JEERS to the national police force in Indonesia, who were supposed to eliminate virginity tests for female recruits …. but have procedures that still come close.

FRIDAY's CHILD is named Kevin the Permanently Surprised Cat— a four-year-old Prussian Blue whose water-on-the-brain was expected to lead to a very short life … but who, despite hardships, is carrying on.

         Kevin the Cat

BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.

THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a look at Conservative Insults through the years — that I had a blast writing — and with reader suggestions a-plenty.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER? — the late Canadian long-distance swimmer (and later politician) Cindy Nicholas and Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon.

Cindy Nicholas (1957-2016) Kate McKinnon (born 1984)

...... and finally, for a song of the week ..........................… very busy this week, just not enough time for a proper music profile. So I will leave you with two videos:

The first is from my Top Comments diary …. while not an insult restricted to conservatives, the late wrestling manager Fred Blassie’s insult song rings true:

x YouTube Video

And finally, a tune from the Grateful Dead’s very first album, which gave no indication of the bluegrass/jam sound later to come … it was not played much in its time, yet was performed at their reunion concerts last year.

x YouTube Video