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 Bonnard’s Worlds— a career retrospective of French painter Pierre Bonnard (1867–1947), reuniting seventy of his best works — will open at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas to January 28th.
PROGRAMMING NOTE— I will be travelling next weekend: and thus do not plan on either a Friday post in Cheers & Jeers, nor a wrap-up Odds & Ends diary. Instead, I will post a “Who Lost the Month in MAGA World?” poll next weekend.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this essay by Tim Miller in The Bulwark— to understand how Brandon Presley has made next week’s Mississippi governor’s race surprisingly competitive (with an assist from Brett Favre).
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Mamoa the Cat— who escaped the wildfires in Maui (despite being covered in ash) and will be up for adoption.
YOUR WEEKEND READS #2 and #3 are these short essays in Salon by Amanda Marcotte — #2 is that the new Speaker of the House carries a torch for the incel movement … and #3 that the three congressional Ladies of MAGA are bumping-up against the limitations ... that the men of MAGA have placed in their way.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Nala the Cat— an English kitteh who spends part of her day at a suburban London commuter rail station, becoming a favorite of commuters, staff and commercial tenants at the station.
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 look at the final Beatles song ever to be released (where many weighed-in with their opinions) and also noting the famous New Zealand film director whose technological (rather than pure artistic) skills helped make-it-happen.
FATHER-SON?— former University of Michigan and Columbia University president Lee Bollinger— and former British prime minister Boris Johnson.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ........................ just time for two quick ones.
For those who haven’t heard it …...
… and this 1971 song by Mick Abrahams, the original guitarist in Jethro Tull, who left to form his own band (Blodwyn Pig) — who turned age eighty this year.