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. Glad to be back on Fridays after a two-week absence. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— an exhibition entitled (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art— with more than forty works over two centuries — is at the Mobile, Alabama Museum of Art through February 2nd.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this Financial Times story of how vineyards are emerging in places one would not expect — in this particular case, Ireland.
SPORTING NOTES #1 — the FBI released a warning to high profile athletes to beef-up their home security due to burglaries — with Chris Hayes devoting a segment to it (and ESPN’s text report at this link) — as their travel schedules are known and players are often shown on social media and TV with their valuables.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Goldie the Cat— who survived jumping out of a 3rd story window in NYC to escape a fire— and while believed to have suffered a broken jaw, is expected to fully recover and be reunited with its family.
SPORTING NOTES #2 — a variant of the traditional game of chess is now usually referred to as freestyle chess — where the pawns are initially placed traditionally, but the back-row pieces are mixed-up — and Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian newly-married men’s champion (2013-2023) is among its leading proponents.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 — written in advance of Judge Merchan’s sentencing — is by legal analyst Jay Kuo, surmising that the judge’s advance indication of a symbolic discharge severely undercuts the appeal process, leaving the 34 convictions much more difficult to set aside (on appeal) in the future.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Spice the Cat— an Ohio kitteh stuck in a tree for three days (after chasing a squirrel) and after a tree service owner found Spice too hissy to be rescued by him: guided the cat’s owner to use his equipment to rescue him.
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 three topics: a favorite book published this past year, the passing of one of the co-authors of One Toke Over the Line and a follow-up to my nephew’s wedding last week that went well … with only concerns over his bride’s green card process.
SEPARATED at BIRTH— film star Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Mississippi Burning) and comic/actor Denis Leary (Wag the Dog, Amazing Spider-Man).
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… no time this hectic week for a full profile … and thus will reprise the song from my Top Comments diary, referencing my nephew’s wedding and delightful reception.
While their 1979 marriage only lasted eleven years: my favorite song showing a (comically re-enacted) wedding has to be Nick Lowe’s Cruel to Be Kind— also an international wedding (UK/USA) — to Carlene Carter, the stepdaughter of Johnny Cash. Their divorce was amicable and the couple have remained friends.