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 and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— an exhibition entitled Matisse and the Sea— the first exhibition to examine the significance of the sea across Modernist artist Henri Matisse’s career, which included artwork in coastal locations on the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Pacific — is at the St. Louis, Missouri Art Museum to May 12th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ is this essay (on dynastic wealth) by the former Labor Secretary Robert Reich— positing that should TFG regain the presidency, “He’ll owe his victory in no small part to one of the richest Americans alive — in 1920”.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named is named Leonard the Cat— a super-friendly Philadelphia shelter kitteh who was always passed by (due to benign mast-cell tumors on his face) and now after seven years ... has been adopted.
THEN and NOW—
LAST NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a biography of the (recently deceased) long-time National Public Radio morning host, Bob Edwards.
FRIDAY's CHILD is a reminder (especially now) that not all stories from Russia are bad — in 2015, Masha the Hero Cat alerted a neighbor that she was keeping warm an infant boy left outside in a box in freezing temperatures (and the child's life was saved).
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
SEPARATED at BIRTH— (Armstrong born 1930, Gagarin born 1934).
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… though I have not seen this confirmed on any major news site (albeit numerous music blogs have reported it) — the British singer/guitarist Bobby Tench may have died this past week at the age of seventy-nine.
Though little-known by most North Americans, he got around: with stints (either as a vocalist or guitarist/vocalist) as a sideman for Freddie King, Eric Burdon, Ginger Baker and Van Morrison, plus as a member of bands such as Humble Pie. Yet it was his role as a vocalist (in the early 70’s) with the Jeff Beck Group that was his greatest fame world-wide.
This was the lead-off song on the first of the two Jeff Beck Group albums … and right away, one hears the voice of Bobby Tench. If he is indeed no longer of-this-Earth … Hail and Farewell.
The day is right, my friends Live life as full as you can It would do you no harm Do what you want yourself There's a spark down inside I would like to die
Don’t let sadness collide It's a future you don't want to hide Put sadness straight out of your mind Leave all your troubles behind And I bring you the sweet Right where we all want to be
Ain't no good when you’re all alone Life's a never-ending road If you feel like running You better slow down; what's your hurry? We’ve got the feeling
Bobby Tench — lower left-hand photo.