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 Laramie, Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— an exhibition entitled The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming— with exhibits and works depicting the events of 1692 — is at the NYC Historical Society through January 22nd.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is a Tale of Two States— how voters in two red states (Oklahoma & Missouri) approved expanding Medicaid in referendums… yet one has implemented what the voters wanted while the other … ummm ... (which has relevance: as voters in South Dakota have a referendum on their Tuesday ballots).
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is a BBC account of how an increasing number of young men living in red states that ban abortion … are now opting to have vasectomies; fearing that their families may be in legal jeopardy otherwise.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Arsenii the Cat— a Ukranian kitteh who had to be left-behind by a family fleeing to the United States …. but now reunited.
YUK for today (from The Economist daily newsletter, earlier this week):
In a recent self-promotional video Rishi Sunak, Britain’s new prime minister, appears to be modelling himself on the clean-cut, shirt-sleeved occupant of 10 Downing Street played by Hugh Grant in “Love Actually”, a romantic comedy. The slickly produced clip has been mocked online, but there are not many other fictional role models for Mr Sunak to choose from.
Whereas cinema’s American presidents are often noble and brave, British prime ministers on screen are usually self-serving schemers.
Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson) in “House Of Cards” is a Machiavellian murderer; Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) in “The Ghost Writer” is a CIA stooge; Vivienne Rook (Emma Thompson) in “Years And Years” is a fascist; and in “Doctor Who” Harold Saxon (John Simm) is the Doctor’s arch-enemy, the Master.
A more benign example is Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) in “Yes, Prime Minister” …. he was merely an amiable bungler.
British screenwriters rarely make their prime ministers heroes. Given the scandals and upheavals of recent months, that is not likely to change.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Fudge the Cat— an English kitteh who went missing for five years (and was not micro-chipped) yet reunited when a shelter noted the distinct markings (including his “mustache”).
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a mixed bag: a story (on Ben Bernanke at the National Spelling Bee), a rant (hotels only using small pillows) and a relief (a dog hoarding/puppy mill situation partially resolved).
SEPARATED at BIRTH— GOP “pundits” of a sort: Lee Atwater and Steve Bannon.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… time is fleeting, again. So here is a rendition of the 1985 break-out song for the band Simply Red, Holding Back the Years.
Here it is performed (backed by a big band) by the jazz singer “Little” Jimmy Scott (1925-2014), whom I have profiled before in this space. He was born with Kallmann syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that limited his height to 4 feet 11 until the age of 37 (when he grew by 8 inches). The syndrome prevented him from reaching classic puberty and left him with a high voice (contralto). I would sometimes hear a nice ballad sung on the radio years ago, wondering who she was … only to learn it was Jimmy Scott.