An update to previous stories I’ve covered, after-the-jump ………
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Later this month will mark the 34th anniversary of not only the largest art heist of all time — it’s also the single largest property theft in the world. In the wee hours of March 18, 1990, thieves stole 13 treasured artworks on display at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston smashing the protective glass of two Rembrandt paintings and cutting the canvases from their gilded frames. (Today empty frames remain hanging in the Museum as a placeholder for the missing works, and as symbols of hope awaiting their return).
Just over an hour later, the thieves made off with art that was valued in 2020 at $500 million. Despite a flurry of press attention—and the $10 million reward offered by the museum for the items’ safe return—the stolen works have never been recovered. In 2018, yours truly profiled the story in detail at this link.
Now …... an update
One of the two young security guards that night (who were found tied-up the next morning) named Rick Abath has died at the age of fifty-seven. Suspicions always focused on the possibility that he was in-on the heist, yet his attorney always cited the museum’s unpreparedness. Abath lived in Brattleboro, Vermont where he worked as a teacher's aide and lived a quiet life with his wife, Diana.
Kelly Horan, who reported the public radio station WBUR and Boston Globe podcast Last Seenabout the heist noted the continuing suspicions yet added, “In the decades since the robbery, Abath did not live the life of someone who had been let in on a multi-million dollar deal in exchange for his silence”.
Easily the subject matter with the most subsequent material is that of e-bikes— and I won’t pursue the subject past this week. My original post looked at the pitfalls of battery explosion last summer, which can be read at this link.
Now …... an update
Two recent stories did catch-my-eye recently … one from a cycling publication:
E-bikes are involved in thousands of head injuries a year, with injury rates increasing disproportionately compared with the number of e-bikes imported into the US. The study also revealed only 44% of the hospitalized e-bike riders were wearing helmets, and riders without a helmet were almost twice as likely to suffer head injuries than ones wearing a helmet.
The second related to the main aspect of my original post: the danger of re-charging lithium-ion batteries in a safe way. Manhattan is the epicenter of e-bikes (in no small part due to the number of bike messengers there) and this may be the beginning of a way to cut down on the battery explosion hazards:
New York City presented last week its first suite of new, public e-bike charging stations aiming to provide a safe, reliable place for delivery workers to power up their bike before their shift. All three of the companies (providing these machines) are capable of shutting off an overheating battery before it explodes.
In the past few weeks, I’ve profiled two recently deceased news hosts I admired: Charles Osgood (of CBS) and Bob Edwards (former NPR Morning Edition host). You can read my original posts at these links: Charles Osgood and also Bob Edwards.
Now …... an update
It turned out that the two men (with Osgood having an even longer radio tenure) admired each other. And on the April 30, 2004 final Morning Edition show Bob Edwards was the host of: he invited Charles Osgood to talk about his upcoming book Defending Baltimore Against Enemy Attack, a memoir of one childhood year living in the city during World War II. Yours truly was touched by this exchange:
“Do you know why we’re (talking this morning)?” Bob asked Osgood. “You were the first person I interviewed for Morning Edition (in 1979) and I wanted you to be the last."
Osgood — “My goodness … how many years ago was that?”
Edwards — “Twenty-four and a half.”
Osgood — “My goodness … well, time does fly”.
Edwards — “You’re the alpha and omega.”
Finally, back in 2016 yours truly noted the book that changed Young Adult fiction — The Outsiders, published in 1967 by a teenager, with the publisher insisting upon listing the author as S.E. Hinton so as to not to dissuade young boys from reading it. Which they might have had they known it was … Susan Eloise Hinton. The book was made into a successful 1983 film by Francis Ford Coppola— with stars such as Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise and others. You can read the comprehensive post of mine at this link.
Now …... an update
Next week will see the opening preview of The Outsiders— now as a Broadway musical (with the premiere set for April 11th). Angelina Jolie is one of the play’s lead producers, which will be directed by Danya Taymor, who directed Broadway’s Pass Over in 2021 (and who is the niece of director Julie Taymor, winner of a Tony for The Lion King and who also directed the film Frida).
The play has a diverse cast, and the cast made a January trip to visit S.E. Hinton in her native Tulsa, Oklahoma (where the story is set) who is still active at age seventy-five.
Four years ago, this was my favorite anti-Trump advertisement. I would love to see Sully make another for this November.
And, of course: please post your SOTU comments.
Now, on to Top Comments:
(Alas, nothing came in from the field today).
From Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the diary by exlrrp about the revelation of a prior demotion for Trump doctor (and now congressman) Ronny Jackson— some background information (on his case) was provided by Captain Frogbert.
Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful (and now eternal) *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment featuring that photo.
TOP PHOTOSMarch 6th, 2024
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And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
3) I’m inclined to agree by polecat +10010) The maga tribe is very, very sick. by pines of rome +8713) Feel Free to Use This in Your Diary by JekyllnHyde +7916) I really liked Bernie’s mittens more. by MissKT +7722) SCOTUS by Denise Oliver Velez +7130) Excellent news! Thanks Eric! by itzadryheat +66