Who invited the Grim Reaper to yesterday’s Coronation in Westminster Abbey?
May 072023
SoINeedAName
May 052023
[1]
No – the Titanic was NOT carrying 12,000 jars of Hellmann’s mayonnaise when she sank.
Did Lost Cargo on the Titanic Lead to the Creation of Cinco de Mayo? | Snopes.com
[2]
Yes – Cinco de Mayo is MUCH MORE WIDELY CELEBRATED in the USA than Mexico.
So, is it strange that Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico?
No — because Cinco de Mayo is a celebration created by and for Latino communities in the United States. And the celebration of Cinco de Mayo is more about U.S. Latino history and culture than Mexican history.
Cinco de Mayo is not a Mexican holiday. It’s an American one. – The Washington Post
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Apr 092023
Let me introduce you to today’s central character: Stumpy, the Forlorn Cherry Tree. It’s located with his much grander and better-known brethren at Washington’s Tidal Basin. And since this is the time of year for the National Cherry Tree Festival, I thought it’d be fun to take a look at some of the lesser-known players.
(NOTE: The above seasonal photos are by Kevin Ambrose, who has been taking pictures of Stumpy since 2017.)
Stumpy is now a hollow cherry tree found on the southeast bank of the Tidal Basin. Because of his less than ideal location, throughout the year Stumpy’s roots are subjected to flooding from the brackish tide waters of the Potomac River. This excess moisture deprives Stumpy of the oxygen it needs to survive along damaging its fine root hairs required to transfer nutrients to the tree.
To add insult to injury, in 1999 the tree was struck by lightning causing a major loss of its trunk. It now only has a rather narrow strip of bark left to transport the tree’s required nutrients.
And yet the little tree survives.
I recently acquired the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, ChatGPT and thought it’d be fun to see what it would produce by asking it some questions about Stumpy. So, I’m going to share the results with you.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Anyone can have access to the Artificial Intelligence service of ChatGPT – and it is FREE. You just have to sign up for it by creating an account at:
https://chat.openai.com/auth/login
I was blown away by what it almost instantaneously produced!
I’ll note that I did ask ChatGPT to expand on a couple of points, and I’ll just add those in italicized brackets.]
Here’s my initial experience dealing with Artificial Intelligence:
[1]
ME:
Tell me about the forlorn cherry tree in Washington, DC that refuses to die.
AI:
The forlorn cherry tree in Washington, DC that refuses to die is a symbol of hope and resilience. The tree [is a Yoshino cherry tree that] was planted in 1912 as part of a gift [of over 3,000 Yoshino cherry trees from the Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki] to the United States. The tree was located on the grounds of the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, and became famous for its beautiful pink blossoms that attract thousands of visitors each year during the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Over the years, the tree has endured a number of challenges, including damage from weather, disease, and even vandalism. In 1999, the tree was struck by lightning, causing a significant portion of it to split and fall off. Despite these setbacks, the tree has continued to survive and even thrive.
The tree’s tenacity has made it a beloved symbol of hope and resilience, particularly in the wake of difficult times. In recent years, the tree has become a popular attraction for visitors seeking inspiration and solace.
In 2020, the tree faced a new challenge when it was damaged by a storm just before the National Cherry Blossom Festival. However, thanks to the efforts of a team of arborists and other experts, the tree was able to recover and continue to bloom.
In conclusion, Stumpy, the Forlorn cherry tree in Washington, DC, is a unique and beloved part of the city’s cherry blossom festival. Its struggles have made it a powerful symbol and reminder of the resilience of nature and the hope of the human spirit. Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoyed learning about this fascinating piece of history.
[2]
ME:
What can you tell me about Stumpy – the cherry tree in Washington, DC that has won the hearts of many?
AI
Stumpy, also known as the “Forlorn Cherry Tree,” is a Yoshino cherry tree located near the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. that has become somewhat of a local legend and a beloved symbol of resilience.
The tree is believed to be a descendant of the original [3,000 Yoshino] cherry trees that were gifted to the United States [by the Mayor of Tokyo] in 1912, and which have since become a major tourist attraction in the nation’s capital. However, unlike its famous counterparts, Stumpy is small, stunted, and gnarled, with a twisted trunk and only a few branches.
Despite its less-than-ideal appearance, Stumpy has captured the hearts of many Washingtonians, who admire its tenacity and determination to survive despite the odds. The tree has been the subject of numerous news stories, social media posts, and even a children’s book [“Stumpy, the Cherry Tree”], and has become a popular destination for visitors to the National Cherry Blossom Festival held in Washington, DC, want to see a glimpse of its unique beauty.
Despite its numerous challenges from storms, floods, disease and pests, Stumpy continues to stand as a testament to the power of nature. It provides a unique and fascinating part of the city’s National Cherry Blossom Festival. Its gnarled appearance has made it a beloved part of the festival and its struggles have made it a symbol of resilience and hope.
Let’s enjoy some of Stumpy’s better recognized cherry tree brethren from different focal points around the Tidal Basin:
WASHINGTON MONUMENT
GENERAL PHOTOS OF STUMPY BY THE PUBLIC
MISCELLANEOUS
(NOTE: the black and white photo is from 1945)
JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you’re so inclined, you can donate to help protect Stumpy – or adopt another one of Washington’s famous cherry trees at the below site:
https://donorbox.org/save-stumpy
Apr 052023
We can all enjoy the good news being spread across America via today’s headlines in a sampling of major newspapers.
They’re arranged alphabetically mostly by geography.
Mar 252023
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~ Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)
As someone who takes Dylan Thomas’ advice to heart, I’m please to let centenarian and “Craftivist” Grace Linn introduce herself to us all:
“I am Grace Linn. I am a hundred years young. I’m here to protest our school’s district book-banning policy. My husband, Robert Nicoll, was killed in action in World War II at a very young age. He was only 26, defending our democracy, Constitution, and freedoms.”
And with that opening salvo clearly aimed at DeSantis earlier this week, Grace Linn brought the house down at the latest Martin County School Board meeting in Florida! Most of the 500-plus overflow crowd was there to show their support for Ms. Linn’s personal and heartfelt protest of Ron DeSantis’ fascist book banning obsession.
She continued:
“One of the freedoms that the Nazis crushed was the freedom to read the books they banned. They stopped the free press and banned and burned books. The freedom to read, which is protected by the First Amendment, is our essential right and duty of our democracy. Even so, it is continually under attack by both the public and private groups who think they hold the truth.”
While addressing the crowd comfortably seated on her walker, a friend of hers displayed the quilt she made last year of just some of the books that have been banned. At DeSantis’ goading, Florida’s public schools’ libraries have now banned close to 200 “offensive” tomes from their shelves.
Each square of Linn’s quilt shows a stack of books that have been banned and targeted – many of which have been penned by authors honored with numerous literary awards, including several by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison.
Linn said that burning books and banning books is done for the same reason: fear of knowledge.
She made clear she was there to oppose Florida’s schools that are being goaded by DeSantis to ban books that irritate right-wingers and evangelical fundamentalists – a danger she compares to the evil her first husband fought and died for fighting against Nazism in WWII.
“Banning books and burning books are the same. Both are done for the same reason. Fear of knowledge. Fear is not freedom. Fear is not liberty. Fear is control. My husband died as a father of freedom. I am a mother of liberty. Banned books need to be proudly displayed and protected from school boards like this. Thank you very much.”
On her departure, Ms. Linn was greeted as the hero she truly is …
During a later interview Ms. Linn explained the purpose of her quilt:
“To remind all of us that these few of so many more books that are banned and targeted need to be proudly displayed and protected—and read, if you choose to.”
Having lost her first husband in WWII’s battle against Nazis and Fascists, along with two brothers (one who was wounded while battling Hitler’s forces and the other suffering PTSD from personally participating in the liberation of Auschwitz), Ms. Linn (who still drives and lives by herself) promised to continue the good fight.
“I always feel that it’s my duty. When history is forgotten or not used and not allowed to be used, history will repeat itself and we had enough of that during the Nazism that occurred in Germany.”
Mar 172023
It’s DYE me a river … in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day!
And yes, the dye is safe:
“The dye used is a food grade dye also used in medicine … Illinois EPA found that at the concentration used in the Chicago River, it is completely non-toxic.”
What Is the Chicago River Dyed With? Behind the Annual Tradition (greenmatters.com)
So let’s enjoy a time-lapse of the process:
Mar 122023
It’s always been a rite of passage for any politician hoping to become president to make a pilgrimage to Iowa in the dead of winter. And Ron DeSantis was no exception this weekend when he began that journey in Davenport, IA – one of the towns straddling the Mississippi River comprising the Quad-Cities (Moline & Rock Island in Illinois and Davenport & Bettendorf in Iowa). That’s where I grew up.
[SIDEBAR: Moline is the corporate headquarters of John Deere.]
DeSantis was hoping to get a warm welcome, and it seems the right-wing GQP base accommodated him. As we all are familiar with, part of that presidential campaign ritual requires candidates to mingle with the crowd and press the flesh of the attendees. And Ronnie was no exception.
On that cold February Saturday, DeSantis accompanied by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was absolutely delighted when an attendee gifted both of them with handcrafted snowflake silhouettes. They giddily grinned from ear-to-ear for the cameras while displaying their bespoke snowflakes.
But as the saying goes: The Devil is in the details.
If you look closely at the snowflake, you’ll note the mastermind creator has craftily and cryptically embedded mirror images of the word “FASCIST” that form each of the snowflake’s six dendrites.
This incomparable trolling became an instant viral sensation in the Twitterverse when someone with the nom de plume “MidlifeMisfit” or “IowaCaptive” (not sure how Twitter handles handles) Tweeted out the first photo – which has now garnered over 1.4 MILLION views!
My friend makes snowflakes to give to politicians who come to Iowa – there are special messages for odious Republicans- please look at the snowflake carefully 🤣😉 pic.twitter.com/Iilha9Wxn1
— IowaCaptive (@MidlifeMisfit) March 10, 2023
It got even wider coverage when Washington Post reporter Steve Goffman joined in the fun of sharing this masterpiece – gaining over 2.7 MILLION views!
At a Republican political rally in Davenport, Iowa today someone gave @GovRonDeSantis and @IAGovernor Kim Reynolds a handmade “snowflake” with the word "Fascist" secretly embedded in it. pic.twitter.com/as8UN3WRsp
— Steven Goffman (@SteveGoffman) March 11, 2023
I’ve put together a handy-dandy GIF of the pics I’ve seen of it for your viewing pleasure:
And someone at TikTok created a cute snow globe version of Ronnie enjoying his custom craft snowflake:
I haven’t found any identifying information WRT the lady in glasses who posed with DeSantis and Reynolds for the photos. She could be the creator – but I just don’t know. Then again, she might have decided to remain anonymous. (And given the type of people the GQP draws, that’s probably a wise decision.)
But I am hoping to see some T-shirts that incorporate her clever “Fascist Snowflake” theme – especially because it’s so fitting. Hell, even I threw together a mockup for a book cover that I’d likely buy:
In all honesty, Ronnie is a fascist at heart, and he truly frightens me. But in the meantime – let the fun begin!
Feb 262023
“SLAVA UKRAINI!” – “Glory to Ukraine!”
On the anniversary of Putin’s ill-advised invasion there have been many accolades paying tribute to the resolve and bravery of Ukraine and its people. Out of the many options commemorating this sad day I wanted to be as inclusive as possible. I decided by sharing the many wonderful lightings in Ukraine’s colors of landmarks around the world would be a good format.
But the problem that ensued was where to draw the line. That’s why I’m late getting this posted: It was hard to stop downloading them – and I’m still leaving many out.
Some of the GIFs are of a landmark or landmarks in a single region, while others are of varied locations. I’ll try to very briefly identify them below the GIFs, so look for an easily recognizable one as a marker to determine the order.
Empire State Building
Eiffel Tower
Memphis Bridge, Copenhagen Castle, Denver City Hall, Stenbock House (Estonia), French Embassy and Ludwigsburg Palace (Germany)
Colosseum
Los Angeles: 2nd Street Tunnel and City Hall
(SIDEBAR: The 2nd Street Tunnel has played a pivotal role in many movies: Blade Runner, Flashdance, Terminator, Rocky IV, Lethal Weapon 2, etc.)
Helsinki Town Hall, Kyiv Opera House, Parliament Building – Lisbon, Lviv Opera House – Ukraine, Cibeles Fountain – Madrid, Flinders Street – Melbourne, Metropolitan Opera House – NYC
San Francisco City Hall
UK Sites: St. George Hall – Liverpool, 10 Downing Street, The Eye – London, Trafalgar Square – London, St. Albans Cathedral
Niagara Falls, Oslo City Hall, Peace Tower – Ottawa, Sarajevo City Hall (Bosnia), Parliament Building – Madrid, Sydney Opera House, Toulouse City Hall (France)
Chicago: Chicago City Hall, the Rest Are of Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, Featuring “Art on the Mart”
Washington, DC: Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Kennedy Center and National Cathedral