The recent incident at the Cincinnati Zoo put my city into the spotlight. All I will say at this time is that the situation put zoo officials into a lose-lose situation. However, I’m hoping to put a post together very soon.
Did you see the news about the Cincinnati policeman and the goose? Here’s a short version.
My signs that summer has arrived: volunteering in English Second Language (ESL) is over – volunteering ushering at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is over – Golf league is in full swing – and my part-time job at the golf course is getting more hectic – but we are still dancing.
Colors: The Musical returns next week featuring songs with a Color Shade in the title. Curtain time will be at 9:30 pm (Eastern US) on Tuesday, June 7th June 14th. Here are the key rules.
- No songs with any of the following colors in the title: Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, Purple, or White in the title.
- Shades should be an acceptable shade name, therefore caution should be used when selecting a shade. Just because the shade is used as a paint color doesn’t automatically qualify the entree. To make matters worse, The Producer has the final say on if the submitted shade is acceptable.
- No duplicate shades can be used. In other words, once an acceptable song with Puce in the title has been submitted, no other songs with Puce in the title will be acceptable.
- No duplicate songs.
- NOTE: After considering my work schedule for next week, hosting a blog musical isn’t a good idea … so I’m delaying the next act one week (as noted by the strikethrough).
There will be an Explore post this weekend.
Embed from Getty ImagesRegardless of their rhetoric, I continue to believe politicians are “party-first” in their efforts. This USA Today article is interesting.
Cheers to columnist Kathleen Parker for her column about voter discontent.
This week’s aFa Power Ranking for Donald Trump’s running mate: 5) Scott Walker, 4) John Kasich, 3) Jeff Sessions, 2) Bob Corker, 1) Newt Gingrich
The strong candidate from the Never Trump wing of the Republicans … LOL.
Given the high negatives of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, it will be interesting to see if the Libertarian Party can get any traction. On the other hand, having a party chairman strip to his underwear isn’t the best way to gain respect and acceptance.
Some are wondering about potential Democratic VP candidates. It’s coming, but let’s get the primaries over.
To me, a government official having a private server is a sign of arrogance, poor judgment, and a lack of government oversight in growing technology. Therefore, the Clinton email scandal bores me. Maybe that’s a reason I enjoyed this article from The Hill.
Coming soon! I’m on the final stages of a political post on a topic that has been building up within me for some time.
To lead you into your weekly dose of satire, The Onion is using the event from the Cincinnati Zoo to provide this pros-and-cons list for and against zoos.
Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)
Origami Foundation announces they won’t accept any more swan proposals
New Study From National Family And Parenting Institute Finds Stigmas Persist Against Stay-At-Bar Dads
Ice Cube Thrown Into Sink Flies Up Side Like Skateboarder Shredding Half-Pipe
New Uber Update Allows Users To File Lawsuit Against Company Directly In App
Family Chooses Different Dog Than Reincarnated Grandfather
Ice Machine Reaches Deep Within Itself To Give Man One More Cube
Interesting Reads
Relating ancient trade routes and camel genes
The climate-nuclear-security triangle
Berlin: Then and now
Mastering the British method for put-downs
About a jazz legend – Peter Brötzmann (Thank to Tim for the article)
Because I know many of my readers enjoy The Piano Guys, here’s their latest video to send you into the weekend. It’s about less than a month old. Have a safe weekend and in the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.
What a full post, Frank! I have to come back to read some of the stories.
But thanks for the Goose story. I had heard it but didn’t believe it. The video made me almost believe it!
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Elyse,
I haven’t seen a video of the pecking, but I’ve seen the video of the officer freely the youngster with Mama Goose nearby.
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That’s good enough for me!
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I sympathize with the zoo officials. I seem to be the only person in the world who isn’t an expert on gorilla body language. When was this taught in school? Maybe I was sick that day.
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Greatsby,
That act must have been extremely difficult for zoo officials. For me, my heart is heavy for many in this situation. Interestingly, an editorial in an out-of-town paper condemned the zoo, stated the director should be fired, and people should boycott Cincinnati.
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I had seen something about the goose story, but didn’t know the details. Thanks. Sometimes it’s nice just to read/hear a happy story.
Your summer sounds busy! I had forgotten you worked part-time at a golf course. That’s my husband’s retirement part-time job, too. (Working on the grounds.) He should be starting back at it again soon. He’s always there anyway though. 🙂
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Merril,
We can’t get enough good stories, and that one came just ahead of our zoo story.
Cheers to hubby working on the grounds. Hope he gets free golf out of the deal.
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He definitely does, Frank. Hope you do, too. 🙂
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Good for him … So do I, but because of the amount of play, it’s not unlimited at any time.
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Yep, the Harambe story has become a headliner worldwide. Ever since I was a child I felt that zoos shouldn’t exist. Caged animals are not my cup of tea. They belong to their natural habitat.
Loved that goose story! 🙂
Happy June, my friend! 🙂 Sounds like it’s going to be a busy one. Hope all is well.
Enjoy a lovely weekend. 🙂
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Marina,
I appreciate your long-time consistency on the zoo issue. Meanwhile, the story is still very much a big new item here in many ways. Meanwhile, cheers to the new month … which means you have another post on the way (or maybe up by now).
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…to be posted on the 6th! 😉
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Shades is the next act of the musical? But this is discrimination against males, because we only see 16 basic colors!
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X,
Now there’s an angle I hadn’t considered!
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Super Post, Frank. I was hoping for your perspective on the zoo tragedy, but will have to wait. I liken The Hill article to the logic used on the Bill Clinton-Monica scandal. “No laws were broken, so it’s okay and is politics as usual.” To me, both situations demonstrate how the Clinton folks think about rules and proprietary behavior.
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John,
Thanks for the kind words. As a whole, political behavior from both sides of the aisle causes me to shake my head more often than not.
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Me too.
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I’ve been wondering what it’s been like for you in the midst of this Cincinnati Zoo nonsense… so far, it’s felt like the further removed people are from the situation, the stronger their opinions have been on the matter.
I enjoyed the piece on this year’s election quandary… interestingly, I had a great discussion recently with a hard-core Republican who is officially advocating for the opposite — voting in line with one’s conscience, even if that means not voting (or, rather, voting down-ticket only). Most people I speak to on all sides of the aisle seem be stuck having to decide, “Well who’s WORSE?” Which, personally, makes me question the psychology behind our primary voting process, because it’s not as if we started with a limited selection.
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Alisha,
For the most part, I sense the city is stunned by the zoo event, thus taking it all in. Sure, we have our cranks pointing fingers in every possible direction – nonetheless, many interesting stories are coming forth. On the other hand, check out this editorial from another city in Ohio http://tinyurl.com/javfhrc
This election cycle has been a bit different in many ways. Absolutely crazy. One thing that our voting system doesn’t register is of the number of votes a candidate receives, how many are FOR the candidate vs. how many are AGAINST the other … and odds are high my vote will be in the latter group.
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The article from The Hill on the Clinton email flap confirms what I already thought about it. It may be boring, but it’s hard to ignore the issue when so many people have bought into the conspiracy theory that it’s somehow sinister. Thanks for including it.
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Jim,
Conspiracy and repeating the talking heads drives me batty … which is a reason I included it.
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Today’s combo – a very frivolous lawsuit indeed: Dads file lawsuit against dog shredding origami swan.
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Loved the Piano Guys as always. I’ve been to Chichen Itza but it wasn’t nearly as exciting as this video. 😯 My word, you do sound like you’re going to have a really busy summer. Sweet and heartwarming Mother Goose story. 🙂
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Sylvia,
I will stay steadily busy this summer, but the plan is to swamped very seldom. There will be times at the course when events will require more hours, but I think that won’t be very often. Cheers to your love for The Piano Guys!
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I love that goose video, Frank – those geese certainly know how to look after their young!
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Tom,
Mother Goose is very protective, so the fact that she let the officer handle her little one for minutes is amazing!
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Considering how evil Geese can actually be, that is pretty darn amazing it went up to a squad car and pecked for help.
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Catherine,
Yep … definitely one of the odd things about this event.
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The complexity of “THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE & SECURITY EXPLORING THE SECURITY RISKS OF CLIMATE CHANGE” points out the urgency of electing national leaders who’s goal isn’t to offer the American people simplistic solutions.
The complexity of the unfitness of Donald Trump to become President of the United States makes it exactly right for you to be bored by Hillary Clinton’s choice of email providers.
Three more cheers for your volunteering in English Second Language!
All six onions had me bobbing and weaving but I was unable to duck the sting like a bee splat of “New Uber Update Allows Users To File Lawsuit Against Company Directly In App.”
Kathleen Parker nails it again.
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Tim,
Yes, climate change is a complex issue, and I’m not sure we’ve elected anyone who has addressed the issue in its complexity. Too much of Washington works around sound bites and taglines that don’t explain anything.
I thought the Uber headline had the potential for a splat.
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I will be seeing the Piano Guys perform this August, Frank. Not at the Hollywood Bowl, but at another outdoor amphitheater. I’m looking forward to that. What I am NOT looking forward to is the November election. I mailed in my absentee ballot in advance of California’s Tuesday primary, and I have never felt less enthusiasm. I’m a registered Democrat and I honestly let my pen hover in the air for several minutes wondering what in the world I was going to do even within my own party.I look forward to your political post…and of course, the next musical!
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Debra,
The hovering pen is not a good feeling, so thanks for sharing. When it comes to November, I strongly believe the majority of votes will be casting a vote against one candidate that actually isn’t intended to be a vote for the other candidate.
On a lighter note, horray for you getting tickets for The Piano Guys … so I look forward to your post about the concert.
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Loved the goose vid, Frank. Last year, I had a robin tap on my front door. When I looked outside, he and his buds were by the ground bird bath, which was empty, and they all were looking at me. I filled it up and they gathered around to drink as soon as I went inside – unforgettable!
I like the Piano Guys but they need to rename the song – a Sarabande is always in a triple meter, with the accented beat on 2. Their piece is in 4/4 – drove me crazy! Sorry, it’s just me 🙂
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Lynn,
Great story of the robins … thanks for sharing. … and the way The Piano Guys song drives you crazy made me laugh.
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It was just beautiful!! Thank you so much for sharing, exactly something I needed during the exams☺
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Mithai,
Wonderful that I was able to provide a positive spark as you head into exams. Good luck!
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Yess thank you so much for that 😀 😀
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so beautiful dear Frank, the video, piano guys… fascinated me. Thank you, have a nice day and new week, Love, nia
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Nia,
Glad The Piano Guys made you smile.
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