Smithsonian Magazine’s Annual Photo Contest
This is just one of the finalists in the magazine’s 21st annual photo contest:
Click here… and enjoy all 60!
Here’s something we see too little of…
… a government official sincerely apologizing for a mistake. Click here.
“The Old Philosopher” by Eddie Lawrence
From JM: Life bumming you out? Listen to this pep talk by Eddie Lawrence from 1956. (Stay with it to the end. It gets funnier as it goes.)
Is Beyoncé a Real Country Singer?
On Feb. 12, in the middle of the Super Bowl, Beyoncé debuted two songs. One of them, “Texas Hold ’Em,” went to number one on the Billboard country chart, making her the first Black woman ever to capture that spot. (Her other new release, “16 Carriages,” debuted at number nine.)
I liked “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The music felt pleasingly country to me. Her unique voice added something je ne sais quoi to it, and I liked how the lyrics seemed to be a hybrid of hip-hop and country diction.
But the question that pop-music pundits are asking is… can Beyoncé do anything that is authentically country? Check this out. What do you think?
SF sent in this bit by Woody Allen that helped lighten my mood:
“My Next Life”
“In my next life, I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old people’s home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold watch and a party on your first day.
“You work for 40 years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid, you play. You have no responsibilities, you become a baby until you are born.
“And then you spend your last nine months floating in luxurious spa-like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and then Voila! you finish off as an orgasm!
“I rest my case.”
Listen to this!
A vibrant, multi-layered Michael Jackson medley by the very talented musicians of 40 Fingers. Click here.
For Your Enjoyment: Winners of “The Human Element” Photo Contest
Last September, TIME Magazine and the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) launched a global competition called “The Human Element,” seeking to showcase portrait photography in all its forms. The winners have been announced, and they are gorgeous. The photo above won Best in Show.
Click here to read about the contest and see all of the winners.
Is your car being eaten by a rodent?
This was sent to me to share with you by GM, a regular reader and contributor, who said this happened to his VW…
“Until the mid-1980s, cars were made from metal, glass, and plastic, which was made from petroleum. Then, in Europe, regulations were passed making car manufacturers responsible for the vehicles they made ‘from the cradle to the grave’ – i.e., from the time it is made to the time it is retired from service and disassembled so that the materials can be easily recycled. In response, European manufacturers began to replace whatever materials they could with recyclable materials.
“It sounded like a great idea. Nobody objected to it. But there was one thing they didn’t count on: Those eco-friendly materials can be pretty tasty.”
Click here.
News from Rancho Santana
This is an owner update I just received from the Rancho Santana team. It’s not meant for the public. But that makes it better in that it gives you a sense of the quality of the resort, the kindness of our employees, and their accomplishments in 2023. Click here.
Another two thumbs up for Rancho Santana!
This rave review from Men’s Journal provides a good summary of all the adventures that can be enjoyed there.