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 Gilded Age Newport in Color— with photographs, portraits and other items highlighting the Black experience during this era (including businesses, social and political groups) — is at the Rosecliff Mansion museum in Newport, Rhode Island to June 30th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this short essay in The American Prospect by Prof. Robert Kuttner, positing that Joe Biden’s near-vetoing of Nippon Steel acquiring US Steel not only could mean American employees being spared job cuts — but may lead to it being acquired by the union-friendly firm Cleveland-Cliffs.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Cosmo the Library Cat— who kept coming to the public library in Moab, Utah after his family moved away and left him behind ... and is a favorite of children (tolerating being picked up and carried by them).
CHEERS to four Nigerian teenage girls who — with guidance from their science teacher — invented a generator which can use a liter of urine to produce six hours of electricity. The impetus was reading about a family who perished due to CO fumes from their generator, determined to find an alternative source.
WITH the Conservative Party in Britain facing a shellacking whenever the next general election is called (which must be by the end of the year) …. this UK tabloid headline from the other day when he visited Larry the Cat … was stone cold:
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this rather lengthy yet compelling book review in Democracy: A Journal of Ideas of the book written by Naomi Klein, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World— where she not only addresses being mistaken for author Naomi Wolf (who abandoned mainstream feminism for the world of Steve Bannon) but also offers ideas in combating conspiracy theories.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Brian the Sad Cat— who arrived at a Philadelphia shelter underweight, covered in fleas, had a heart murmur, asthma and respiratory infection. After a few months at the shelter, another medical condition led to his increasingly sad face - but via social media post, has now been adopted.
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— some political humor (and optimism) plus two stories of racial progress in the NCAA tournaments of both 1963 and 1966.
OLDER-YOUNGER SISTERS?— former therapist Patric(ia) Gagne— pseudonym author of a new memoir about being a sociopath — and the (now imprisoned) former CEO of Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… once again, time-is-my-enemy this week … just enough time to feature a song from the 1944 film Christmas Holiday— and written by the prolific songwriter Frank Loesser.
Though the vernal equinox came earlier this week … this tune goes out to all those for whom winter … is not willing to go …. just yet …. from their region.