So Wayne Bailey, if youre listening, you are my hero.

As luck would have it some mates of Baileys were listening, got in touch with him and he called the program.

You rescued me from this bully, Sandra got to tell him. Every time she saw a little red-headed boy thereafter, she thought of her knight in shining armour, Wayne.

I'm a ranga, Wayne said, then continued self-effacingly: Thats what us rangas do.

He added that, back in the 1960s, redheads were known as carrot tops.

Sandra then got to tell him: You were the sweetest well-mannered young man. You had a huge impact on the way I raised my children.

You could tell Wayne didnt know what to say. He was humbled. I was raised mainly by my grandmother who was an upstanding sort of a woman and shes rubbed off onto me in many ways.

And you rubbed off on me, and for that I am ever grateful, Sandra said.

Presenter Sarah Macdonald said she was moved to tears. It was what they call in radio a driveway moment a story that keeps you in the car after youve reached your destination just to listen.

I was moved by the story too because for many years, in the 1940s and 50s, my grandmother, Ettie Aiken, was the kindergarten teacher at Rosehill Infants.

Coincidentally, as I was listening I found her 1948 edition of the childhood classic Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, which shed read to generations of Rosehill Public kindergarteners, including my cousin. I was responding to one of those Facebook challenges from an Aiken relative to find seven books I love and post them on social media (Ive finally succumbed thats what prolonged isolation does to you).

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While thumbing through this well-worn and well-read book, out fell some old unsent Christmas cards, painted by Athol Thompson, an armless Tasmania artist whose work featured in the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Christmas card collection. Our family always bought and sent these Christmas cards, and simply seeing them was like receiving a message from beyond the grave from my grandmother.

She died 50 years ago, just before I started kindergarten. But my favourite memory is of her reading aloud from this book and her other May Gibbs classics. I still have them all and consider them old friends: Mr & Mrs Bear, Scotty in Gumnut Land, Ragged Blossom and my personal favourite, Little Obelia, who lay asleep in a pearl at the bottom of the ocean. While she slept a wonderful wisdom grew in her, which she would dispense only after going into her thinking room and counting up her pearls.

Like Little Obelia, Ive been going into my metaphoric thinking room a lot these days.

Retreating into the world of the gumnut babes and the bad banksia men was such a nostalgia trip like I think we're all taking at the moment because somehow the past is comforting. I even found, in some more recent editions of May Gibbs classics on my bookshelf, clippings from this newspaper about the fight to save Nutcote Cottage, her former home.

I was reminded of some precious pearls passed down Little Obelia-like - from my grandmother via my mother to me. When a child is cruel or a bully in the class or playground, theyre simply scared and testing the waters about how to navigate social situations. She felt that while learning to read was important, learning to read the room was more so.

"The key to kindergarten is learning kindness," she'd say.

So just as Wayne Bailey said his grandmother rubbed off on him in many ways, Ive vowed to let my own grandmother rub off on me since hearing his story. I think shed retired from teaching by the time Sandra and Wayne made it to kindy in 1960s Sydney. But the kindness ethos prevailed at Rosehill Infants. Wayne Bailey would have passed the kindergarten test with flying colours.

Helen Pitt is a journalist at the The Sydney Morning Herald.

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Learning to read the room is key to kindergarten success - Sydney Morning Herald

Florences City Center Farmers Market at 200 Sanborn St. is alive and well, open from 4 -7 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

I have been blessed throughout my life to enjoy the fruits of both country and city lives, and today many farmers have enjoyed and learned the need of both. It appears that the dream of just about every city dweller is to someday have a farm in the country and supply produce back to the city folks. Through the years I have found a few differences between country and city-based farms. I have always thought of the country-farm as a means of survival to feed local families, and the city farm as providing luxury to city folks. However, today the role of the different farms has drastically changed because people are moving and changing, and most farms depend on both the country and city markets to stay in business.

First, on an early spring country-based farm, the selection of crops is usually a little limited. We usually grow the necessities on a country-based farm like plain white Irish potatoes, green cabbage, collards, mustard, and turnips. On a city-based farm, I have seen an endless variety of spring vegetables. For instance, Irish potatoes come in all shapes, types, and colors including banana (Russian Banana), round, and oblong shapes; red, pink, gold, yellow, orange and purple skins; red, pink, gold, yellow, orange, blue, purple, and white flesh.

Next, cabbage can be found in all shapes, types and colors including round, oval, flat, open, lettucy, and pointed heads; red, white, green, blue, and purple colors; smooth, savoy, semi-savoy, Napa, and Michilli types. If you get my drift, we could go on forever with Next and never get to Finally because there are thousands of colors, shapes, and varieties.

People wonder why I have given up trying to remember all the varieties. However, these are a few of my favorites: red, purple, and white carrots; orange, green, and purple cauliflower; endives and escarole; radicchio; arugula; orange, golden, white, and candy-striped beets; pac choi; broccoli raab; kohlrabi; and hundreds of different types and colors of lettuce. You may find many of these at your local seed/hardware store, but if not, you can order from catalogs, but you will pay a price.

Next, many country-based farms depend on rainfall, planting in wetter areas, or maybe a sprinkler to water, and crops are spread over a large area. However, on city-based farms, trickle irrigation is the rule. With trickle you dont wet the leaves of the crop; therefore, you dont encourage disease, you can water anytime day or night, and you put exactly the amount of water the plants need. Also, you can add fertilizer through the irrigation water, called fertigation. This allows the farmers to give the perfect environment for plant growth, crop yield, and use a very limited space.

Finally, the country-based farm is using less inputs including seed, irrigation and fertilizer costs and relying more on nature and the soil. The city-based farm has more inputs, but intensively produces more on a smaller plot of land.

The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.

The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.

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TONY MELTON: Bringing the country to the city - SCNow

Less than seven weeks ago, Dallas introduced the first restrictions related to COVID-19, limiting gatherings to fewer than 50 people. Doesnt that feel like a lifetime ago?

Since then, life has been turned upside down. In a matter of weeks, gatherings of any size were banned, nonessential businesses, day cares and schools closed, and people were encouraged to stay at home.

Ours was flagged as a city of concern. Id be worried about Dallas, the American Enterprise Institutes Scott Gottlieb told Politico in March, citing the lack of testing in Texas leading to a likely undercount of infections. Our hospitals had the eerie feeling of calm before the storm. Infections started rising. We braced for the worst.

Just two week ago, Dallas County began requiring people to wear masks in public. At the time, my family had two paper masks given to us by a friend, which we started recycling. Like most millennials, I do not own a sewing machine and remember little from eighth grade home economics except for making a sinful macaroni and cheese from scratch.

Takeout margaritas from struggling restaurants and walks with loved ones spaced 6 feet apart became bright spots amid an otherwise depressing landscape of neighborhood stores with closed signs, stories of lost jobs and illness, runs on food pantries, and an emergency homeless shelter set up at the convention center. Thankfully, the curve in Dallas has largely flattened, likely in part from the restrictions in place, though we had one of our deadliest days last Tuesday, suggesting we are not yet out of the woods.

This is why reopening Texas however necessary, however measured feels like a seesaw. Its been a lot. A lot of us are still shellshocked by it all. Almost everything has changed in a short period of time. Then just as soon as it all began, a way out appears.

This will be the first full week that Gov. Greg Abbotts order to reopen Texas takes effect. A selection of industries, including restaurants, malls and movie theaters, are allowed to reopen at 25% capacity. But it wasnt that long ago that the federal government recommended people keep 30 days of food and self-care supplies on hand in case they couldnt be readily accessed. These changes take a level of mental gymnastics. We should be gentle and gracious with ourselves for coming to terms with it all.

In general, Texas reopening strategy strikes the right balance of economic and health risks. While the coastal elite may shake their heads at another red states venture into the wild west, the order appears cautious and measured, unlike the plans in, say, Georgia. It makes sense to stagger the industries that can open based on those that involve the least human contact, and to open at smaller capacities to see if outbreaks are triggered before opening more broadly.

Encouragingly, the businesses being allowed to open first are mostly in line with the Johns Hopkins Public Health Principles for phased reopening during COVID-19, which ranked sectors by contact intensity. Low-contact interactions were defined as being brief and from a distance, and high-contact interactions being prolonged exposure at close proximity. Not surprisingly, retail is relatively low (and thus opening first) compared to gyms, public transit or places of worship. Many businesses and consumers are likely to take a wait-and-see approach, so capacity is likely to be below that which is allowed.

It would inspire more confidence if the testing were in place for assessing if new outbreaks occur. This is not just nice to have, its the linchpin for the entire strategy to work. In the Gottlieb American Enterprise Institute report on the road map to reopening, the trigger for reopening businesses of any type and schools, includes being able to test everyone with COVID-19 symptoms and active monitoring of patients and their contacts. Thats in addition to a sustained reduction in cases for at least 14 days. Texas is not there. It appears that Abbott is taking a bit of a divide-and-conquer strategy, instead of reopening with full testing, to partially reopen with partial testing. The spacing of Abbotts phases (on May 18, gyms open, among other businesses, and capacity increases to 50%) feels far too short to fully understand the impact of reopening on infection rates, given the testing gaps.

After the economic destruction from the last two months, its clear we need a more calibrated approach than what weve been living before a vaccine is developed. That said, the hope of normal must be marked with a dose of realism. This is not getting through a series of reopenings without spikes in infection and we are in the clear come July. The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said its not a question of if coronavirus will return in the fall; the virus most certainly will. This time must be used to get ready.

Even with reopening, the economic damage is far from a one- or two-quarter blip with a swoosh on the back end. The Congressional Budget Office released a report last week showing that unemployment would likely stay elevated above 10% until sometime in 2021. The impacts of the pandemic, even upon reopening, will be with us for some time.

The reopening should be thought of as baby steps on a long road. The challenge before us is to balance hope and recovery with reason and protection in the continued threat of illness. Texas has taken a first step in that direction.

Abby McCloskey is an economist and founder of McCloskey Policy LLC. She has advised multiple presidential campaigns. Website: mccloskeypolicy.com

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Texas is right to take baby steps toward reopening the economy, but we have far to go - The Dallas Morning News

April has some amazing astronomy activities you can do in your own backyard. Venus will shine at its brightest on April 27 and the moon can be seen with the dazzling star cluster Messier 35.

When one looks toward the southwest just after dark, Venus is the most prominent object in the night sky after the moon, said Physicist Andr Bormanis to the Los Angeles Times. Venus is currently about 60 million miles away from the Earth. Which means it took the light from Venus about six minutes to hit your eye. Youre seeing Venus six minutes in the past.

Bormanis has a masters degree in science, technology, and public policy from George Washington University.

If youre preparing to view the night sky remember to bundle up, according to Space.com.

Also in the southwest sky the Pleiades are inside the constellation of Taurus the Bull. Just after dusk, look a bit below and to the right of the waxing crescent moon. Thats an open star cluster 440 light-years away. said Bormanis. The light that youre seeing left that star cluster 440 years ago, which, if Im correct, is 1580 30 years before Galileo first turned a telescope toward the night sky.

Give your eyes 15 to 20 minutes to adjust to the night sky which will even make a difference in light-polluted areas. If you need to use a flashlight to view a star map or adjust equipment, try to tape something red over it like construction paper or foil. Download a red filter app for phone screens to reduce glare.

Orion is very prominent low in the southwest. It is facing Taurus the Bull. Orion is trying to slay Taurus the Bull, in fact

Orions hunting dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor, are to his left.

The brightest star in Canis Major is Sirius, the dog star, and its the brightest star in the sky. To find it, look low in the southwest sky, to the left of Orion.

Betelgeuse marks Orions right arm and has been behaving strangely in recent months. Its been dimming. It is a red supergiant star, destined to end its life in a supernova explosion. We dont know when. It will be sometime in the next few hundred thousand years, most probably.

Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are all easily visible without any special equipment, but with a telescope, you can even see Saturns rings or Jupiters moons.

If you go out under the predawn sky, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter are doing a little dance in the southeast. And if you watch them from morning to morning, you can watch their relative positions changing. Were all orbiting the sun in the same direction. Mars is the next planet out from Earth, then Jupiter, then Saturn. So it takes Earth one year to go around the sun. It takes Mars a little over two years. It takes Jupiter 12 years. And Saturn, 30 years.

If you have binoculars, look beneath the belt of Orion at his sword sheath. One of the stars in that sheath will look a little fuzzy. Thats the Orion Nebula, a huge complex of gas and dust where stars are being born. Its a stellar nursery about 1,500 light-years from Earth.

On April 29, a feature on the moon known as Lunar X will be visible with binoculars and backyard telescopes. This is an X-shaped feature that is created when the craters of Parbach, la Caille, and Blanchinus are lit up by sunlight from a certain angle.

Also on the 29, the asteroid 1998 OR2 will safely pass by Earth at a distance 3.9 million miles. This asteroid wont hit Earth but will make a great target for advanced skywatchers with telescopes.

Read the rest here:

Heads up: Stars and planets you can see from your backyard - WSPA 7News

Rogers Media uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Learn more or change your cookie preferences. Rogers Media supports the Digital Advertising Alliance principles. By continuing to use our service, you agree to our use of cookies.We use cookies (why?) You can change cookie preferences. Continued site use signifies consent.Military helicopter missing in sea between Italy and Greece

by The Associated Press

Posted Apr 29, 2020 3:48 pm ADT

Last Updated Apr 29, 2020 at 3:54 pm ADT

ATHENS, Greece A military helicopter operating off a Canadian frigate taking part in a NATO operation in the Mediterranean has gone missing in the sea between Greece and Italy, Greek state TV reported Wednesday.

ERT said an Italian and a Turkish frigate that were also part of the operation were searching for the helicopter, which was believed to be carrying three people.

Greek authorities said they have not been asked to help as the area is far off the Greek mainland and outside the area where the country has responsibility for search and rescue operations.

The Associated Press

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Military helicopter missing in sea between Italy and Greece - 95.7 News

A prominent developer whose tenants have been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown has accused ministers of being "divorced from reality" over a warning to councils not to cut rates.

Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford issued a blunt threat last week that any move by local authorities to reduce rates to relieve financial pain for residents and businesses could jeopardise the Government's willingness to invest in any proposed partnerships.

Rates freezes or reductions were also "unlikely to be effective", Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta told Stuff.

JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF

Riverside Market developer Richard Peebles, left, feels ministers are clueless about the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on small businesses.

But Richard Peebles, the developer behind Christchurch's Riverside Market and Little High food venues, accused them of being clueless about the lockdown's effect on small businesses and urged them to "get their heads out of the sand".

READ MORE:*Coronavirus: Councils warned not to cut rates to ease Covid-19 pain*Hundreds of Christchurch ratepayers ask to defer rates payment for six months*Coronavirus: Auckland Council may lower rate rises and suspends hotel rate*Christchurch rates rise expected to be shelved as council looks to save $23m*Wellington City Council reveals proposed coronavirus economic recovery plan

"They must live in some sort of vacuum," he said. "They don't understand the impact of their decisions on small businesses, and I suggest they actually take time to talk to [them] if there's going to be any left."

The anti-rates relief rhetoric comes at a time when councils nationwide are already looking to tighten their belts to ease the burden on ratepayers.

WARWCK SMITH/STUFF

Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford warned councils not to cut rates or risk the Government reconsidering its funding of infrastructure projects.

Some have introduced rates payment holidays, while others are considering slashing planned rates increases, cutting pay for senior staff and re-examining staffing levels.

In Christchurch, mayor Lianne Dalziel is "laser-focused" on eliminating rates rises next year, while council chief executive Dawn Baxendale said savings were being sought from every part of the organisation: "There are no 'no-go' areas'."

Auckland Council is also looking at reducing rates rises and laying off large numbers of temporary workers, while Wellington's council is slashing increases and considering deferring payments.

But such moves could come at a cost and not only for councils' income.

Last month, local authorities bid for $4 billion of Government money $1b for Canterbury alone being earmarked to fast-trackinfrastructure projects to reboot the economy.

Twyford told civic leaders they would have to do their bit financially, and that cutting rates would hamper that.

"If you deliberately cut your revenue by scaling back rates increases, or going for zero rates, or cutting rates, how can I stand up with my colleagues and make the case that we should be investing alongside you," he said. "I can't do that."

Mahuta said rates freezes or reductions would likely be ineffective, do not target those with the greatest need and could create significant financial challenges for councils later.

Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel is "laser-focused" on eliminating a rates rise this year.

"What I am urging councils to do is take some time to gather information, talk to their communities and carefully consider any major financial decisions like this," she said.

But Peebles, who has already seen tenants succumb to the lockdown and his business lose 70 per cent of income, said he was "speechless" at what he saw as a "threat" from central to local government.

A rates reduction would be a major boost for businesses, many now with no income, as rates were thebiggest expenditure for most behind rentand wages, he said.

"It's ignoring the fact that they're assuming all councils are running at best practice, as efficient and lean as they can be, which is obviously just not the case...

"I just don't understand surely a minister should be advising councils to look at all costs and contracts and cut them back so they can actually reduce the burden on their ratepayers.

"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out that it's going to be armageddon. Those ministers just need to get their heads out of the sand."

But Dalziel said councils should listen carefully to the ministers' messages that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions to help those in greatest need, that blanket decisions about rates could undermine the ability to invest in recovery and that the council should have to be able to pay its fair share if the Government is to fund extra investment.

"It is vital that we partner with the Government on a cost sharing basis to increase our investment capacity as a city and a region.

Supplied

Dave Cull, president of Local Government NZ, says many councils have been left with little choice but to re-examine rates just to provide essential services.

"Neither of these messages contradicts the need for the chief executive to shape the council for the future - it's not just about numbers, it's about effective delivery of focused priorities...

"We need to rise above the 'noise' the rants from those who think that as long as we cut expenditure there is nothing more to be done."

Wellington mayor Andy Foster said the city council was "very conscious" of the pressure on ratepayers but that Twyford's point around councils paying their share was "not unreasonable".

But former Christchurch council finance chairman Raf Manji said while councils should be looking at their books, local government "does not have the ability to magic up $50 billion of new funding".

STACY SQUIRES/STUFF

Former Christchurch councillor Raf Manji believes the government should consider removing GST from rates to help ratepayers.

"Its funding options are limited and its funders, the ratepayers, are going to be under major financial pressure from the current economic shock.

"If central government is so keen to see projects go ahead, they can fund them directly, and at a much lower cost than local government.

"Whilst they have their chequebook open, they could also remove GST from rates, thus returning $750-800m back to ratepayers."

Councils have fewer financial options at theirdisposal than the Government to help with the economic recovery.

Non-rates revenue such as dividends, investment income, charges for facilities and development contributions, which account on average for 45 per cent of local government income, have taken the biggest hit from the lockdown, forcing councils to review costs.

The situation has left many with little choice but to look at rates increases just to ensure they can provide essential services, Local Government New Zealand president Dave Cull said.

JASON DORDAY/STUFF

Authorities in Auckland are considering a range of measures to help ease the financial burden on ratepayers.

"Of course councils, as collective owners of $120 billion in infrastructure, have a potentially significant role to play in any stimulus investment. But that will take balance sheet capacity, which is where Minister Twyford's comments seem to be aimed."

"We are conscious that there is a fine balance that has to be struck here, and we need to be very careful around income decisions, because there's a lot riding on us being able to help communities get back on their feet."

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce boss Leeann Watson also said councils should look at "all options" to deliver services and support businesses, and that the chamber had urged the Christchurch authority for years to look beyond rates for funding, such as recycling assets.

Christchurch commentator Mike Yardley has warned that reducing the rates burden"is pivotal to saving distressed businesses from the scrapheap". However, he has alsocalculated that a zero rates increase is "a hell of an ask", equivalent to cutting$100m from the council's $500m annual operational budget.

Despite the warning from Twyford, councils across the country are looking at ways to tighten their purse strings:

CHRISTCHURCH

The city council is looking for savings from "every part of the organisation", said Baxendale, who will have a 10 per cent salary cut next financial year. A planned rates rise looks likely to be scrapped, while some ratepayers can receive an extra six months to pay their bills. Spending will be reviewed, and the public will be consulted on significant changes to levels of service.

Some council-controlled organisations are reviewing costs. Christchurch City Holdings' board and chief executive, along with ChristchurchNZ's board and chief executive, have taken pay cuts of 20 per cent for six months.Christchurch Airport's 200 full-time staff have agreed an 18-month pay freeze, there is a pause on recruitment and "senior remuneration, capability retention and talent strategies" will be reviewed.

Red Bus is carrying out a full business review, while Lyttelton Port has this week reviewed pay for senior staff.

OTAGO

Dunedin City Council chief executive Sue Bidrose has taken a pay cut of 15 per cent for six months, other senior leaders doing similar. Staff at Dunedin International Airport have had 80 per cent pay, reduced hours considered for staff at infrastructure agency Delta and City Forests if they cannot resume work shortly after lockdown, and Dunedin City Holdings has asked its companies to freeze wage and salary reviews.

DEBBIE JAMIESON/STUFF

Councils in Queesntown, like many around New Zealand, are scouring their books for ways to save money.

Some consultants at Otago Regional Council have taken a 10 per cent pay cut, while Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has cut hours for consultants and is aiming to cut rates. Queenstown Airport, owned largely by QLDC, stopped all capital works other than critical ones under the level four alert and is reducing costs and reviewing all expenditure, while staff have taken pay cuts of between five and 20 per cent.

Destination Queenstown, which is not a public organisation or CCO but an incorporated society member, is reviewing its budget.

AUCKLAND

The council is cutting many of up to 1100 temporary or contract staff and consultants, with 450 having already gone.

Executives across the council and its agencies, along with mayor Phil Goff have agreed six month pay cuts of 20 per cent for chief executives and 10 per cent for the second tier.

The chairs of the CCO boards and directors will take 20 and 10 per cent cuts respectively.Four of the five CCOs have frozen recruitment and are reviewing spending.

A budget rethink asks residents to choose between a previously proposed 3.5 per cent annual rate rise, and a lower 2.5 per cent option.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF

Wellington City Council is looking to cut rates and defer payments to help ratepayers, but mayor Andy Foster said Phil Twyford's arguments over funding were "not unreasonable".

WELLINGTON

Wellington City Council has proposed cutting its previously approved7.1 per cent rates increase for this year to5.07per cent rates, and offered adeferral ofrates paymentsfor commercial property owners. Aforecast $48 million in lost revenue, partly due to reduced use of community facilitiesand a $14m loss in its airport dividend, will be fundedthrough debt, if approved.

This draft annual plan will be openfor public feedback fromMay 8 until June 8.

A separate pandemic response plan has also been drafted.

Greater Wellington Regional Council is also reviewing "all activities and budgets", while Porirua City Council has identified savings around contractors and consultants.

SOUTHLAND

Invercargill City Council staff who cannot work under the level three alert will receive 50 per cent of their pay, while Gore District Council is making 17 part-time staff redundant.

Additional reporting by Todd Niall, Debbie Jamieson and Mandy Te.

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'Heads stuck in the sand' - fury over warning not to offer coronavirus rates relief - Stuff.co.nz

Sean Davis, Guest columnist Published 5:00 a.m. ET April 30, 2020

Sean Davis, a 27-year-old midfielder from Holmdel, was named captain of the New York Red Bulls on Thursday. Morristown Daily Record

This guest column is from Sean Davis, a star soccer player at Holmdel High School and Duke University playing professionallyin New Jersey for theRed Bulls. Davis, 27, is a midfielder and the teamcaptain.

As our car headed onto the Garden State Parkway via Exit 117 to our northbound destination - Red Bull Arena - a true sense of excitement and emotion came upon my family. That December afternoon in 2014 would be that tangible moment where I held up a professional jersey with my name across the back, and proudly, the New York Red Bulls crest on the front.

Joined by my first coach ever, my mother, alongside my father, we stood inside the beautiful 25,000-seat soccer stadium, which became my next home. With the sun shining, General Manager Marc de Grandpre handed me my No. 27 jersey indicating the beginning of my professional journey, which had begun 17 years earlier in the Central Jersey town of Holmdel.

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Like most young boys and girls throughout the state, it all started with the innocence of recreational soccer. Lynn Davis, a true novice to the sport, volunteered to serve as coach for the seven-year old team. Her role on the sidelines is still ingrained as one of the highlights of my time in soccer.

Sean Davis #27 of New York Red Bulls during a game against FC Cincinnati at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ on Sunday March 1, 2020.(Ben Solomon/New York Red Bulls)(Photo: Ben Solomon, (Ben Solomon/New York Red Bulls))

The next year, I was invited to join the Holmdel Bulldogs travel club who played on the old SS White Fields, adjacent to County Road 520. The team was led by Coaches Jay and John, both from my hometown, who played incredible roles as people who truly crafted my love for the game. Most importantly its where I made some lifelong friends that I later attended high school with.

Holmdel native Sean Davis celebrates his first MLS goal in the second half of last Sunday for the New York Red Bulls against the LA Galaxy.(Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

Looking back, Holmdel was the place that granted me so many key people in my life who ended up shaping me - as a soccer player, student and the person who I have become today. Kristin Elfner Savare, my 2nd grade teacher at Holmdel Elementary School, is someone who had a major impact on my life in the classroom. Along with Coaches Jay and John, I am still in touch with Kristin and her family today. They have all come to Red Bull Arena to watch me play; its funny how life comes full circle.

I later attended Holmdel High School, where I had the opportunity to play on the varsity team during my freshman year. At the conclusion of that season, head coach John Nacarlo awarded me the team MVP. I distinctly remember getting the Asbury Park Press on our doorstep and seeing my name in print as an All-Division player. I always loved opening the newspaper to see who appeared on the All-Shore teams.

My journey led me to Durham, North Carolina, where I had the privilege of playing at Duke University. My parents always prioritized education and stressed the importance of graduation, despite my ambition to one day play soccer on a professional level.

Following my collegiate years, I would train with the Red Bulls club with some of their reserves. I caught the eye of club legend Thierry Henry, considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, who encouraged the organization to sign me to a professional contract. I was simply honored and blown away by his endorsement.

Having the privilege to play in front of my family and dearest friends has been my favorite part about playing for the Red Bulls over the last six years. The people that have supported me from such a young age - back on the fields of Holmdel - still support me today at Red Bull Arena. I can look in the stands and see them at every home match we play.

During this pandemic, New Jersey has been one of the hardest hit areas both medically and economically. I dont get to play soccer during these times, but that is not a priority in the grand scheme of things. Due to the current situation, there are people dealing with serious health issues as well as those trying to put food on their table and keeping a roof over their heads. Those are the problems and issues we have to understand and empathize with.

My mother has been an EMT for over ten years. When I think back to my childhood, I think of my mother waking up at all hours of the night (in addition to her full-time job) anytime her pager rang to help support the Holmdel EMT squad. The people on the front lines are the true heroes as they continue to sacrifice their health and wellness for the sake of others.

Holmdel native Sean Davis, now playing for the New York Red Bulls, as a 6-year-old with his mother, Lynn.(Photo: Courtesy Sean Davis)

As team captain of the Red Bulls, my pride and commitment to the community is stronger and deeper than ever before, especially during these trying times. I am truly indebted to my family, friends, coaches and teachers from my hometown of Holmdel, as they all provided me the roadmap for my journey as a professional athlete.

My sincere thoughts are with those impacted during these difficult times and I look forward to the day we can all be together again.

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Red Bulls soccer: Holmdel native Sean Davis eager for 'day we can all be together again' - Asbury Park Press

David Beckham was one of the most hated men in England after his red card against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup.

Early in the second-half of the clash in Saint-Etienne, Beckham was given his marching orders for kicking out at former Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone.

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

England went on to lose the last-16 tie and their World Cup campaign was brought to a heart-breaking end.

The former Manchester United winger bore the brunt of the nations criticism for Englands defeat, with effigies of him even being made in some parts of the country.

However, Beckhams teammates didnt see him as the reason for Englands World Cup exit, according to David Seaman, who also played in that match.

The former goalkeeper joined Sports Breakfast this morning to reveal what the mood in the England camp was like after that defeat.

AFP - Getty

When asked by Ray Parlour if Beckham felt hed let down the country, Seaman said:Yeah, a little bit.

But for me it was a really severe red card so I think the atmosphere was one of disappointment because we were out of the World Cup.

But then youve got Michael [Owen] who had an unbelievable game and there wasnt a massive amount of focus on Becks because we just felt it wasnt a right decision.

It was a yellow card all day long, it wasnt a red card. We felt it had been unjust.

The match went to penalties with the teams drawing 2-2 after extra-time.

AFP - Getty

Seaman managed to save a spot-kick from Hernan Crespo but misses from Paul Ince and David Batty saw England lose 4-3 in the shootout.

And Seaman also revealed his method, albeit a surprisingly basic one, when facing penalties.

He added:What I used to do was just take it on the run-up. Coming off the back of Euro 96 where I saved a few penalties, I always did it on the run-up.

I rarely looked at videos because good penalty takers change their sides so as soon as their heads went down, I would go one way. It was a calculated guess I called it!

Give COVID-19 the red card

The quicker we work together to stop coronavirus spreading, the sooner we can get back into the pubs, the gyms and stadiums and arenas to see live sport again

STAY AT HOME. Only leave for the following purposes:

For more info and tips, visit theNHS website.

The government has alsoissued further detail on what we can do during lockdown.

Everyone should do what they can to stop coronavirus spreading.

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David Seaman reveals why there was no ill-feeling towards David Beckham after red card against Argentina in - talkSPORT.com

Queen Elizabeth II is known for her love of racehorses, breeding dogs (she once broke royal protocol to honor her Corgis), and indulging daily in a slice of chocolate cake. But what some may not know about the queen is that shes a big stamp collector. In fact, she owns a seriously impressive stamp collection experts say is worth 100 million, according to The Telegraph. Keep reading to learn more about her stamp collection and who will likely inherit it upon her death.

As the royal familys website says, philately is the study of stamps. The Royal Philatelic Collection is the British royal familys name for the queens stamp collection which is made up of hundreds of boxes and albums filled with rare, valuable, and historic stamps. The albums are color-coded by monarch; red for King George V, blue for King George VI, and green for Queen Elizabeth.

King George V started collecting stamps in the late 1800s when hed still been the Duke of York, according to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. When he took up the hobby, he enlisted the help of his uncle, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who had originally started the royal stamp collection in 1864.

Over time, King George V became very interested in the hobby. Whenever he visited London, the king reportedly spent up to three afternoons a week working on the collection, once remarking he wanted the best stamp collection not just one of the best.

After King George V, King George VI took up the hobby and grew the stamp collection even more. Then came Queen Elizabeth who made it what it is today.

The collection isnt housed at Buckingham Palace. Instead, its kept in vaults at St. James Palace. However, certain stamps within the collection have gone on display as part of museum exhibitions.

As The Sun reported, the queen is the fifth monarch to inherit the royal stamp collection. While we dont know for sure, if Queen Elizabeth were to keep with royal tradition, she would leave the Royal Philatelic Collection to her oldest son, Charles, Prince of Wales, who is first in the royal familys line of succession. However, we wont know who will inherit the stamp collection until the queens demise.

The queen is said to be partial to giving guests a look at her stamp collection when they stay at Buckingham Palace.

According to The Sun, royal expert Phil Dampier told Fabulous Digital the queens stamp collection is one of her pride and joys and she loves showing it to visitors.

The Queen loves showing her stamp collection to visitors, say heads of state who stay at Buckingham Palace, he said. It is one of her pride and joys, not only because she owns some of the worlds most valuable stamps, but also because she has built on a family treasure and feels she has done her father and previous monarchs who owned it proud.

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Who Will Inherit the Queen's 100 Million Stamp Collection When She Dies? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

We already know that redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold, and need more anesthesia, and have a higher pain tolerance.

But could redheads also be more emotionally sensitive? At some point, I realized that I noticed a lot of autistic people happen to be redheads. And as we know, people with autism tend to be very sensitive! I've even heard that it's often a misconception they that don't have empathy; instead they are profoundly empathetic and feel way more than us normies do -- they actually can't handle how much they're feeling on many, many different sensory and emotional levels.

Anyway, several months ago, I was listening to one of the How to be a Redhead sisters' podcasts, and they happened to mention that they had noticed that along with having sensitive skin, redheads also tend to be more emotionally sensitive.

I felt like it was a breakthrough moment for me. I'm a redhead, and I've also always been told I'm too sensitive. I've found ways to explain it -- I identify as an HSP, or highly sensitive person, an actual biological trait that is meant to be a genetic advantage for the tribe (and is also found in animals). And if you're into astrology, I just happen to have a Pisces moon (and the majority of my chart is water).

I've spent years trying to work on "not being so sensitive" until finally I realized that's just who I am, and that it's actually a gift. Even if nearly everyone in America and the rest of the Western world tells me differently. Cue Jewel's 1996 hit, "I'm sensitive, and I'd like to stay that way..."

But the thing is, we live in this world, in America at least, where sensitivity isn't valued. So I often carried this shame and what felt like a burden alone, trying to hide it and pretend I was tougher, until I met my friend Rita. Rita's a psychology PhD, and one day mentioned that she loved this one woman's research on love and sensitivity.

And that's when I discovered that I now knew another HSP, for certain! But...

The most interesting thing about all this is that...

Rita also happens to have red hair! So I started noticed this, and then other redheads started to notice this and...

I'm thinking that we're onto something! But the question is...why!?!? What, praytell, was the genetic advantage, when homo sapiens started moving north out of Africa, to evolving to have tons of allergies, super sensitive skin and even more sensitive emotions???

I know that the HSP research says that in the tribal sense, those blessed with sensitivity are the ones meant to spot the predators, to see them before they are coming, while the other 80 percent of the population are meant to be the warriors who go into battle with the lions.

But why would redheads need to evolve to be like this? If most redheads are in Scotland, where we know we evolved to need less melanin for obvious reasons (less sun), then, why did we need more sensitivity? Emotionally and physically?

And...on another, more NSFW note...I've had many a men tell me that one of the main reasons they "had a thing" for redheads was because it felt like redheads had more of a spiritual type of experience during sex and were more reactive to what was happening in the moment.

So what do you think? Are redheads more emotionally sensitive? Why do you think that might be? Why did we evolve to be this way? Also...could this partially be why redheads get bullied more often? Besides obviously having something different about us, the those perceived as "weak" get picked on the most...

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Are redheads more emotionally sensitive? - The Ginger Philes - ChicagoNow

I know everyone is going crazy with lockdowns and social distancing and quarantining and other buzzwords.

Except for one group that shouldn't be: redheads. Hear me out! Shelter-in-place and mask-wearing mandates are great for redheads because:

1. It means we aren't forced to expose ourselves to the sun for social events with the daywalkers.

2. Wearing masks means we can cover up our easily sunburnt faces & no one will think weirdly of us for it. We could go outside wearing a mask, hat, and sunglasses, with almost our full faces covered (a ginger's dream!) and no one would think we're weird! Well, we're ginger, so they already think we're weird, but if we cover up our hair then they won't even know we're ginger! (Or can they smell it on us?...)

3. We can save our money and our skin from black mascara and other makeup, such as bronzer and spray tanner that covers up our true vampire nature.

In sum, one of the silver linings of the coronavirus pandemic's social distancing measures is that it has allowed our people to live as we are meant to -- inside, away from the sun -- unlike these daywalkers who force us outside all the time.

So let your invisible eyelashes and eyebrows take a rest from all those chemicals you put on them just to try to fit in with the gintiles (my term for non-gingers). Also yay! Your beautiful red hair won't fade in the sunlight.

As an added bonus, even if you're healthy, when people see your pale face sans makeup, they'll probably assume you're sick and stay at least 6 ft away from you!

Stay safe my ginger brethren. Remember, we stemmed from the Vikings, so we're a strong bunch! Hope you're all channeling Ygritte from Game of Thrones and her strength these days.

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Why Covid-19 Isolation Is Great For Redheads - The Ginger Philes - ChicagoNow

Thursday, April 23, 2020 8:44 p.m. CDT by Thomson Reuters

By Scott DiSavino

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Friday, bringing an end to another week of losses that featured the U.S. contract plunging to minus $40 a barrel, as global production cuts could not keep pace with the collapse in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Oil trading was extremely volatile all week, in an extension of the selling that has dominated trading since early March as demand collapsed 30% due to the pandemic.

While certain fundamental factors, such as a sharp fall in active drilling rigs in the United States, were nominally bullish for oil prices, the positive effects of those moves are months down the road.

"It was a totally brutal week," said Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association trade group. "The volatility we saw with negative pricing was to the extremes."

Brent futures rose 11 cents, or 0.5%, to settle at $21.44 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 44 cents, or 2.7%, to close at $16.94.

Oil futures marked their third straight week of losses, with Brent ending down 24% and WTI off around 7%.

Traders expect demand to fall short of supply for months due to the economic disruption caused by the pandemic. Producers may not be slashing output quickly or deeply enough to buoy prices, especially when global economic output is expected to contract by 2% this year, worse than the financial crisis.

"The efforts to curtail supply just struggle to even come close to matching coronavirus demand destruction," John Kilduff, partner at hedge fund Again Capital LLC in New York, said.

After trading near unchanged for most of the day, the benchmarks rebounded in the afternoon after energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said producers in April cut the number of active U.S. oil rigs by the most in a month since 2015. In Canada, drillers slashed the number of oil and natural gas rigs to a record low.

"The rig count was another stunner. These are meaningful cuts and they have come at a rapid pace," Kilduff said.

Storage is quickly filling worldwide, which could necessitate more production cuts, even after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia agreed this month to cut output by 9.7 million barrels per day.

"Despite the measures taken by OPEC, oil producers in various countries should be aware that they may be called to take more drastic measures," Diamantino Azevedo, Angola's resources and petroleum minister, told state news agency ANGOP on Friday. Angola is a member of OPEC.

Russia plans to halve oil exports from its Baltic and Black Sea ports in May, according to the first loading schedule for crude shipments since it agreed to cut output.

Still, onshore oil storage is currently filled to nearly 85% capacity, according to energy research firm Kpler.

(Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar in London and Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Richard Chang)

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Oil heads for another weekly slide on coronavirus turmoil - WHBL News

What I'm Hearing: Everyone was worried and waiting for the NFL's first ever virtual draft to have a tech hiccup. It never happened and night was was a resounding success. USA TODAY

The first virtual NFL Draft was nearly four hours old Thursday night when the images from Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabels home began to go viral nationwide.

There Vrabel was on the television screen, removing what appeared to be a piece of chewing tobacco from his mouth with a bizarre backdrop that seemed more bizarre than this moment in history.

Over Vrabels right shoulder was a family frienddressed in a bodysuit like The Freeze, who races fans at Braves games. Over his shoulder, in the reflection in the mirror, was what the internet decided was someone sitting on a toilet looking at his cell phone with the door open. To Vrabels left was a red-headed son sporting a mullet and a Vrabel Pro Bowl jersey.

By the time NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Titans had selected Georgia offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson with the No. 29overall pick of the first round, this experiment in virtual connectivity had gone from unprecedented to unforgettable. It had somehow become more entertaining than whatever the NFL had planned before the coronavirus pandemic altered life as we know it.

It's been a long quarantine over here, Vrabel explained after the first round was complete Thursday night, and clarified that his son was actually sitting on a stool, not a toilet like much of the country initially assumed.

Most of the American sports fans who came together en massefor the first time in more than six weeks for a sporting event that carried real implications can probably relate.

Not about the bowel movement misunderstanding, of course. That was just strange.

But about the temporary escape that came from watching the annual ritual of college football players being selected to play in the NFL unfold live on television.

This is different for us, and its different for you because it has to be, Goodell said from the basement of his Mount Laurel, N.J.,home to begin Thursday night'sbroadcast.

But over the next four-plus hours, the NFL showed us that different doesnt necessarily have to mean worse. It proved that even though there likely wont be 40,000 fans inside Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium or 18,000 fans filling up FedExForum any time soon, whatever alternatives the NCAA or the NBA or the NFL come up with can still be a whole lot of fun.

Because the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft didnt feature a red carpet event, or fancy suits, or bear hugs with Goodell. Draft picks werent shuttled to Goodell on boats, which was the plan if the NFL Draft had taken place in Las Vegas as scheduled.

But it had trades, and surprises, and very few technical glitches given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding this years event. And getting to see the homes of the draft picks, the coaches and the general managers was so much betterthan seeing those generic camera shots of war rooms or players makingthe same walkacross the stage ad nauseum.

NFL fans got a glimpse inside the palatial desert home of Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury and the $250 million mega-yacht of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. They got totease No. 1 pick Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) on social media about his familys not-so-pretty drapes, and they got to admire the immaculate interior design jobs inside the family homes of No. 5 pick Tua Tagovailova (Miami Dolphins)and No. 8 pick Isaiah Simmons (Arizona Cardinals). They got to see No. 12pick Henry Ruggs slip on a bathrobe when he was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Tua Tagovailoa shows off the lining of his jacket during the NFL Draft after being selected number five overall to the Miami Dolphins.(Photo: NFL Handout Photo, Handout Photo-USA TODAY Sports)

They got to see what appeared to be far more than 10 family members of No. 12 pick Javon Kinlaw try to hide out of view from the cameraframe. They also got to see the raw emotions of Michigan offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz when he was chosen with the No. 24 pick by the New Orleans Saints.

There were buck heads on the walls of Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmers ranch home and there was a life-size cutout of LSU coach Ed Orgeron standing behind No. 28pick Patrick Queen (Baltimore Ravens).

There were three players (Burrow, Chase Young and Jeff Okudah)from the same team (2017 Ohio State) chosen with the first three picks of the draft for the first time, and a record 15 SEC players chosen in the first round.

There was also a massive new storyline to dissect when the Green Bay Packers traded up in the first round to choose Utah State quarterback Jordan Love as the apparent heir to Aaron Rodgers.

So the NFL deserves a lot of credit for pushing through with this draft, in spite of some initial backlash. It not only worked, but the manner in which it was executed could serve as a template for how other large-scale sports broadcasts are conductedin an era ofsocial distancing.

But the biggest impact was felt in the living rooms of sports fansbecause for a few hours and few days it felt like sports were back.

For a few hours and a few days, everybody got to dissect draft picks and consider a future when NFL football is being played again.

For a few hours and a few days, everybody got a taste of what the new normal might be like, and it doesn't seem nearly as bad as it seemed a few weeks ago.

Without this pandemic, without this experiment in virtual drafting, we would have never seen inside that stir-crazy Vrabel household.

You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at mgiannotto@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter:@mgiannotto

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NFL Draft proves sports are 'different' right now, but that doesn't have to mean worse | Giannotto - Commercial Appeal

Concealed in the shadows of early Jazz, Blues and Popular music history are dynamic and accomplished women who nurtured, guided and developed the music. Several of the most talented and accomplished are profiled below: Lil Hardin who was midwife to the birth of Jazz on record; Ma Rainey, the tough and independent Mother of the Blues; and supremely talented trumpet player and singer, Valaida Snow. Composer, arranger, bandleader and radical modernist Mary Lou Williams is featured.

Lil (Lillian Hardin) Armstrong (1898-1971) was a brilliant, arranger, composer, bandleader and singer with a flair for promotion. She forged her own path through the male-dominated world of Jazz but has yet to receive full credit for her seminal role.

Hot Miss Lil, as she was known around 1920, played piano for bandleader and cornet player Joe Oliver in Chicago. In 1923 she had a key role organizing Olivers landmark Creole Jazz Band records. Unlike the men of the band, Hardin had a formal musical education and played a substantial role behind the scenes crafting those Oliver sessions. They were the earliest discs made by a genuine African American Jazz band (with sole exception of Kid Orys obscure Sunshine Records made a couple years earlier).

The second wife of Louis Armstrong, Lil tirelessly arranged his early recordings, writing down his ideas, nurturing Louis confidence and launching his independent career. She also played a key role in the pivotal Armstrong Hot Five and Hot Seven records of 1925-27 four dozen historic discs that altered the course of Jazz and introduced its biggest star. Lil supplied the arrangements, rhythmic piano foundation and many of the tunes for those sessions, a handful of which were issued as Lils Hot Shots.

Clip A Lil King Oliver and married to Louis, Got No Blues, Droppin ShucksClip B Lil First job, Born to Swing, Knock Kneed Sal

Earning a secondary post-graduate degree in music, Lil Hardin established her own career by the mid-1930s, becoming a successful singer, pianist, songwriter, bandleader and impresario. She even led some of the first all-female jazz bands in Harlem (1931) and Chicago (1934).

In the late-1930s Hardin (aka Hardin-Armstrong) was very productive, recording two dozen discs under her own name at Decca Records. There she also functioned as house pianist (1939-40) accompanying blues singers Rosetta Howard, Peetie Wheatstraw, Blue Lu Barker, Alberta Hunter, trumpeter Henry Red Allen and others.

Her hot little bands included such celebrated cats as Buster Bailey (clarinet), Jonah Jones (trumpet), J.C. Higginbotham (trombone), Chu Berry and Prince Robinson (tenor saxes). She hired fine trumpet players, including Jonah Jones and the excellent but little-known Joe Thomas, heard on the majority of her sessions.

Her first Decca session yielded several effervescent titles and a solid-seller entitled Brown Gal. The company subsequently promoted her as Lil Brown Gal Armstrong on about 25 sides. Lil and Louis were married in 1924 and separated in 1931. But they were not officially divorced until 1938. Despite a lengthy estrangement their professional dealings continued for decades even as his rapid elevation to superstar left her behind.

Clip C Lil Split with Louis, When I Went Back Home, You Shall Reap What You Sow, Harlem on Saturday Night, Brown Gal

A dedicated music professional, Hardin was a woman of substance and style. She tried her hand at running a restaurant, attempted a career in tailoring and fashion and lived occasionally in Paris during her later years.

Lils death was eerie, coming shortly after Satchmos in August 1971. She still owned the Chicago home they bought in the 1920s and in many respects had never ceased considering herself Mrs. Armstrong. Performing at a memorial for Louis she collapsed on stage from a heart attack and could not be revived.

In a 1968 interview Hardin reminisced about her early days with Satchmo, I could hear Louis coming home whistling for much more than a block away. He had the most beautiful shrill whistle. And all those riffs that he later made in his music he used to whistle . . . such beautiful riffs and runs and trills and things. And I said, Maybe someday that guy will play like that. Just crazy thoughts yknow. But it turned out all right; never know when youre crazy the right way, huh?

Clip D Lil Perdido Street Blues, conclusion and East Town Boogie, 1961

Formally trained, and a stunning beauty, Jazz violinist Emma Ginger Smock (1920-1995) played hot jazz violin in the style of Stuff Smith. Versatile and gifted, she has not received due recognition. Smock appeared on television in Los Angeles where she had her own TV show and performed with the Los Angeles Symphony. During the 1960s and 70s she recorded with Rhythm and Blues groups and was the concertmaster at several hotels in Las Vegas backing the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr.

The web page of accomplished jazz violinist Laura Risk sums up her doctoral research into Smocks raucous, hard-swinging intensity. Her composition Strange Blues . . . evidences a mature musical voice: her solo is rhythmically complex, technically demanding, alternately sassy and delicate, with long melodic lines spun out across the changes.

Until recently, the only music available of Smock was her 1947 session with the Vivien Garry Quintet. A collection of her recordings was issued for the first time in 2005 by a small British label called AB Fable. Among its contents are Exactly Like You from KTLA television, tracks from the 1946 Girls in Jazz RCA sessions and Strange Blues with the obscure septet of Cecil Count Carter.

Clip E Ginger Smock Exactly Like You (1953), Strange Blues (1953), Im in the Mood for Love (1946)

The fine string bass player Vivien Garry (c. 1920-2008) had a moderately successful career for about a decade. She worked for small labels, had high-profile exposure on V-Disc during World War Two and then recorded for RCA Victor. Garry worked with vocalist Leo Watson and various independent labels until 1952.

Clip F Vivien Garry A Womans Place is in the Groove (aka Sycamore Blues), Operation Mop (Ednas Stomp), 1946

Billed as The Original Red Hot Mama, Sophie Tucker (Sonya Kalish 1884-1966) was known for suggestive songs and novelties. Big, bold and brassy, her frank and risqu lyrics shocked and titillated Americans and Europeans alike. She toured the European continent, performing in London and for the King and Queen of England respectively in 1926 and 1963.

He Hadnt Up Till Yesterday, 1928

As early as 1910 her voice was heard on an Edison cylinder recording. Though not a purely jazz singer, Sophie was one of the first to introduce jazz songs and syncopation into her Vaudeville act for white audiences.

My Yiddishe Momme, 1928

Ukrainian-born and Jewish, Tucker was also at the forefront of Yiddish popular music. Her biggest hit was a 1928 bi-lingual recording of My Yiddishe Momme with Yiddish lyrics on one side and English on the other.

In her maturity Tucker was rotund and not considered pretty, which she made part of her act in the song, Nobody Loves a Fat Girl, But Oh How a Fat Girl Can Love. She did not do well in motion pictures but succeeded grandly on radio working her way up to hosting a 15-minute program on the CBS network three times a week in the late-1930s.

Sophies star rose again in the 1950s and 60s when she became popular on television, particularly The Ed Sullivan Show and continued performing until shortly before her passing. She is currently the subject of a combined book, music and documentary film project, The Outrageous Sophie Tucker.

Nobody Loves a Fat Girl, But Oh How a Fat Girl Can Love

The Classic Blues of Gertrude Pridgett Ma Rainey (1886-1939) could be bawdy or sad, bold or profoundly heartbreaking. A tough, independent show business pioneer, her powerful voice and forceful personality forged a path for womens Classic Blues. Her records sold best in the deep South where rural listeners were familiar with her traveling tent shows.

A commanding presence with an endearing smile full of gold teeth, Rainey was a sight to behold on or off stage. She dressed in gowns covered with beads, bangles and frills, sporting a glittering tiara or headband with a plume of feathers. In performance, she flourished a fan of colored ostrich feathers to stress the beat and emphasized her lines with sweeping gestures. For a hot number shed lift her skirts and dance with surprising agility.

Clip G Rainey Ma Raineys Black Bottom, Oh, Papa (1927)

Rainey successfully managed her own business a caravan of musicians, dancers, entertainers and roustabouts. Her one-time protg Bessie Smith modeled much of her style on Rainey. But unlike Bessie, she didnt drink, saved her money and was happily married (in her early years). To her countrified audience, she was a source of pride, even a spokesperson of sorts who often quietly helped needy musicians or other folk down on their luck.

Sticking close to her roots, Ma recorded earthy blues with down-home musicians like popular blues guitarist Tampa Red or the versatile piano player and composer Georgia Tom Dorsey. Her country blues records were rustic with funky guitars, kazoos, jugs and gutty horns. Raineys successful recording career during the mid-1920s gradually declined due to hundreds of imitators, changing public tastes and the falling economic status of her mainly African American, largely rural audience.

Rainey sang with her whole body her rich, deep contralto voice could rise to a roar without amplification. On her best Jazz records, Ma was backed by Chicago bandleader and pianist Lovie Austin, the outstanding New Orleans-born trumpeter Tommy Ladnier and Chicago clarinet player Jimmy OBryant.

Unfortunately, most of her discs were made with the early so-called acoustical recording system predating the introduction of electrical recordings using microphones. But the crude acoustic technology failed to capture the majesty of Raineys emotive moaning performance style in her prime.

Clip G Rainey Lucky Rock Blues, Black Eye Blues, Lord Im Down with the Blues (1924)

Valaida Snow (1904-1956) had limitless talent. stage charisma, beauty and showbiz savvy. A hot trumpet player in the Louis Armstrong mode, she was billed as Queen of the Trumpet or Little Louis. An all-around theatrical performer, dancer, singer and multi-instrumentalist, Snow was a Vaudeville trouper before age ten; by age twenty-seven she had performed from the Deep South to Shanghai, China.

Valaida had some noteworthy success in black musical theater, appearing in the road show version of Sissle and Blakes Shuffle Along. In Lew Leslies Rhapsody in Black on Broadway in 1931 her phenomenal arranging, horn playing, singing, dancing and choreography nearly stole the show from its big star, Ethel Waters.

In Chicago, Snow was briefly mentored by Louis Armstrong and performed at the Grand Terrace Ballroom with pianist and bandleader Earl Hines, who was a paramour. The African American press and gossip columnists found Snow fascinating for her beauty, talent and scandalous lifestyle. But her nearly unlimited gifts went largely unrewarded in America.

You Bring Out the Savage in Me, 1935Some of These Days, 1937I Got Rhythm, 1937High Hat Trumpet and Rhythm, 1937My Heart Belongs to Daddy, 1939

Moving to Europe in the mid-1930s she made Paris her base of operations and was quickly embraced. The publication Jazz Hot declared in 1936, We had the pleasure of finding in Valaida the temperament of the great black trumpeters . . . One is obliged to admire the fullness of her tone and the power that no European musician can even approach.

Traveling the Continent, she lived an expatriate life to the hilt, flaunting an opulent, even decadent lifestyle, cutting records in London, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Her flamboyant affectations included a pet monkey, orchid colored limousine and chauffeur dressed in maroon livery. Valaidas European touring peaked in Summer 1937 with appearances on the French Rivera and in Holland, Zurich and The Hague.

Minnie the Moocher, 1939

St. Louis Blues, 1940

Snow was among the handful of African American performers who stayed too long in Europe before the Second World War commenced. Detained by wartime authorities, she later falsely claimed that the Nazis had arrested, interned and mistreated her. But she actually spent months in protective Dutch custody pursuant to drug possession charges.

Barely escaping alive, Valaida returned home in June 1942. Quickly regaining her composure, she resumed performing but in increasing obscurity until her little-noted passing in 1956.

Mary Lou Williams (Mary Elfrieda Scruggs, 1910-1981) was some kind of musical genius. One of the most potent talents of Jazz, she was a gifted bandleader, arranger, composer and piano player. Her music developed in parallel with Jazz itself through Ragtime, Stride and Swing to Boogie, Bop, Modern and beyond.

Performing professionally from the age of fifteen, Mary Lou joined the band of saxophonist John Bearcat Williams whom she married in 1926. Their group was the nucleus for what became the popular Andy Kirk orchestra broadcasting out of Kansas City and touring the broad Midwestern dance band territory.

Her skilled direction, dazzling keyboard artistry and distinctive arranging were key factors in the successful dozen-year run of Andy Kirk and the Twelve Clouds of Joy. In the 1930s and 40s she wrote arrangements for the stellar Swing orchestras of Benny Goodman, Earl Hines, Tommy Dorsey and Duke Ellington.

Williams first piano solo on record in 1930 was a striking and original stride masterpiece. Her Earl Hines-inspired Night Life announced the debut of a major jazz talent in 1930. Leonard Feather produced her Girl Stars session of 1946 and sketched Blues at Mary Lous for a quartet of vibraphonist Margie Hyams, amplified guitar player Mary Osborne and drummer Bridget OFlynn.

Night Life solo, 1930

Blues at Mary Lous Girl Stars, 1946

An emerging cadre of Be-Bop revolutionaries like Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell and Charlie Parker gathered at her New York City apartment. Starting in the mid-1940s, Williams progressed decisively into Modern jazz, becoming a bold avant-garde innovator.

Visionary music poured forth as she wrote tunes and arrangements for the orchestras of budding modernists, her own ensembles, and Dizzy Gillespie. Taurus Mood is from her inventive Zodiac Suite, first performed at Carnegie Hall in 1946 by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. She wrote and directed Lonely Moments for 10-piece orchestra.

Taurus Mood trio, 1944

Lonely Moments orchestra, 1947

Converting to Catholicism, Mary Lou retired from music for a few years in the mid-1950s. Resuming composing, arranging and performing, she wrote large-scale sacred works: three masses, a cantata and Music for Peace (aka Mary Lous Mass) choreographed and performed by the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Her forward-leaning Black Christ of the Andes (Smithsonian Folkways CD 40816) was groundbreaking but controversial.

Anima Christi, 1964Praise the Lord, 1964

In the 1970s, Williams performed at colleges, taught master classes at Duke University and received numerous honorary degrees. She started her own music publishing company and record label, founded the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival and did some radio and television work. In 1978 Mary Lou performed in Benny Goodmans 40th anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall and President Jimmy Carters White House.

Her final recordings summed up and recapitulated a career progressing through Ragtime, Blues, Stride, Boogie, Swing, Bop and Modern. Few master musicians of any epoch matched Mary Lou Williams breadth of skills, dogged persistence, sheer brilliance or aptitude for innovation.

Clip H Conclusion_and_Roll-em

The stories of women who shaped early Jazz, Classic Blues and Popular music reveal that the creative muses granted drive, talent and enterprise to both genders. This is merely an introduction and not a comprehensive survey of the many talented, wonderful women who expressed and supported themselves through music.

Early in the 20th Century, a select vanguard of determined, gifted and charismatic female musicians succeeded artistically and financially despite resistance, skepticism, hostility and ridicule from their male peers and critics. These dynamic women proved themselves equal to men in all aspects of music while looking fabulous and doing it all (as was said of Ginger Rogers dancing with Fred Astaire) backwards and in high heels.

Thanks to Mark Miller for consultation regarding Valaida Snow and Hal Smith for assistance.

Read:Dynamic Women of Early Jazz and Classic Blues, Pt 1

Sources and further exploration:Lil Hardins out-of-print 1968 interview by Chris Albertson was issued on Riverside Records. A transcript is found at the Stomp Off website of the late Mr. Albertson.

Black Beauty, White Heat: A Pictorial History of Classic Jazz 1920-50, Frank Driggs and Harris Lewine (Da Capo Press 1995)

High Hat, Trumpet and Rhythm: The Life and Music of Valaida Snow by Mark Miller (The Mercury Press, 2007)

Morning Glory: A Biography of Mary Lou Williams, Linda Dahl (University of California Press, 1999)

Swing Shift: All Girl Bands of the 1940s, Sherrie Tucker (Duke University, 2000)

The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edition, Kernfeld, Barry ed. (Macmillan, 2002)

Links:Five radio programs on Women of Jazz on JAZZ RHTYHM

Lil Hardin Armstrong on JAZZ RHYTHM

Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey on JAZZ RHYTHM

Valaida Snow

Ginger Smock by Laura Risk

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Dynamic Women of Early Jazz and Classic Blues, Pt 2 | The Syncopated Times - The Syncopated Times

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have put on a loved-up display while briefly stepping out from quarantine to volunteer for a West Hollywood food charity service.

MEGA

Many residents have compromised immune systems, which places them at greater risk during the coronavirus pandemic, which makes the service even more necessary.

Seemingly flying under the radar, Harry was dressed down in a grey polo shirt, jeans and baseball cap, while Meghan wore a long-sleeved black shirt, khaki trousers and blue cap.

One resident who found himself taken aback to receive meals from the Duke and Duchess was West Hollywood resident Dan Tyrell, who recalled the experience to WEHOville.

They were both nice and very down-to earth people They had masks on, and they were dressed down with jeans, but very nice jeans, Dan told the American publication.

Sporting jeans and facemasks, Harry and Meghan were last week spotted walking hand in hand as they delivered food to critically ill people for the food charity Project Angel Food.

MEGA

I thought that tall red-headed guy looked pretty familiar, and that girl was very pretty. Then I saw the large black SUVs with the security guards behind them.

If they had given me the heads up, I would have worn my tiara! he quipped.

Speaking to People, Project Angel Food executive director Richard Ayoub said Harry and Meghan kept their good deed on the downlow and actually volunteered twice.

They actually did two deliveries for us one on Easter Sunday and one on Wednesday and theyve done it quietly Were completely honored, Richard said.

Project Angel Food executive director Richard Ayoub said Harry and Meghan kept their good deed on the downlow and actually volunteered twice.

MEGA

He went on to say the royal couple were extremely down to earth and appeared to be genuinely interested in the lives of those who they came into contact with.

They engaged with our chefs, they engaged with clients they just wanted to make sure that people felt the love and appreciation, he added.

Richard then recalled how obvious the love and selflessness was between the couple, before saying Meghan told him she wanted to introduce Harry to L.A. through philanthropy.

Our clients are clients who are often forgotten. They really wanted to go visit these people. They wanted to see them and talk to them and hopefully put a smile on their faces, he added.

West Hollywood residents were shocked to to receive meals from the Duke and Duchess.

Getty

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle put on a loved-up display in L.A. - New Idea

The web is being reworked to display a rainbow of previously unavailable colors, but part of the transition demands abandoning commas for spaces when coding CSS color-space parameters.

Word of the new cruelty went out via Twitter on Thursday when Mathias Bynens, who works on Google's Chrome team, advised web developers to adopt "the modern comma-free CSS color syntax."

The reason, he explained, is that modern CSS color display functions, specifically lab(), lch(), and color(), don't work with commas. These functions provide different ways to express color values.

CSS, short for Cascading Style Sheets, is a domain-specific declarative programming language for laying out web pages, usually in conjunction with HTML and JavaScript. It has used commas since its first appearance in the mid-1990s, and it continues to do so.

But CSS is evolving, and since 2016 there's been an effort spearheaded by Tab Atkins Jr, a developer on the Google Chrome team, and Elika Etamad (@fantasai), a member of W3C CSS Working Group and a Mozilla contributor, to get rid of unnecessary commas in CSS code related to color.

The rationale for doing so is consistency, though not everyone endorses the idea. Commas have a specific role in CSS.

"In CSS, functions are a just a way to group/name a syntax chunk, so they should work by the same rules that CSS grammar does in general: values are optional and re-orderable when possible, space-separated, and commas are used to separate *repetitions* only," Atkins wrote in a Twitter post.

The syntax for rgb() and rgba() violates this rule, he said. And in the color() function, there are different color spaces that can take a different number of values, making it difficult to know whether the final number refers to color or alpha (opacity).

Support for the comma-less syntax made its way into CSS Color Module Level 4, which became an official part of the CSS specification last year, and it's now being baked into various web browsers.

"Some parts of it have been implemented earlier than others: the comma-less syntaxes are widely supported now, limited forms of the color() function are supported in [WebKit], and the more advanced color functions (lab(), lch(), the rest of color() + @color-profile) will be coming to all browsers as they continue to improve their handling of wider and deeper color gamuts," explained Atkins via Twitter DM.

The color gamut refers to the range of available colors in a particular color space. One such color space is sRGB, used on the web to define colors in terms of red, green, and blue values ranging from 0 to 255.

There are other color spaces like Display-P3 that define a wider range of colors, about a third more than sRGB. Modern monitors can display these colors but web developers can't specify them in CSS using the traditional comma-separated syntax.

In a post earlier this month, Lea Verou, a doctoral student in computer science at MIT and member of the W3C CSS Working Group, described the situation thus:

"CSS right now cannot access these colors at all. Let me repeat: We have no access to one third of the colors in most modern monitors. And these are not just any colors, but the most vivid colors the screen can display. Our websites are washed out because monitor hardware evolved faster than CSS specs and browser implementations."

The CSS functions for displaying these more vivid colors are making their way from specification to browser. Apple's WebKit browser engine introduced support for Display-P3 in 2016, and was still the only browser engine to support it as of January 2020. But Safari, Chrome, and Firefox are working on their respective implementations.

Once the capability to display wide gamut color spaces arrives in browsers, space-separated, comma-less CSS will be required. Hence, the call to drop commas in CSS color code.

Sponsored: Practical tips for Office 365 tenant-to-tenant migration

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Forget tabs the new war is commas versus spaces: Web heads urged by browser devs to embrace modern CSS - The Register

The following interview, which appears on Hush-Kit and that was brought to my attention by the owner of the Facebook group Where have all the Tomcats gone Marc Wolff, is an abridged extract from the forthcoming Hush-Kit Book of Warplanes. Support their book and pre-orderhere.

The F-14 was the king of the air in the extreme combat of the Iran-Iraq War. Around 180 Iraqi aircraft fell to Grummans deadly Tomcat, of these kills, sixteen can be attributed to Col. Mazandarani. Hush-Kit spoke to the worlds greatest living ace to learn more.

Which three words best describes the F-14?

Deadly, unpredictable by the enemy, hell of a ride!

What was the best thing about the F-14?

I would have to say its powerful radar and variable sweep wings, but lets not forget the manoeuvrability and great visibility.

What was the worst thing about the F-14?

I guess I would have to stick with the TF30-414 engine clich, but if you knew how to handle it, it wasnt that bad. The fact is, in almost 40 plus years of service and about tens of thousands of flight hours in the Iranian air force, the losses due to engine problems were fewer than a handful of Tomcats.

How do you rate the F-14 in the following categories:

Instantaneous turn

I would give it a 100 because of its variable sweep wings.

Sustained turn

Another 100 Again because of its variable sweep wings and great aerodynamics.

High alpha

It is a 95 for this one. But it offered great control when flying with high AOA.

Acceleration

This was 95 out of 100, mostly due to the minimal lag of turbo fan engines compared to turbo jets or newer turbofan engines.

Climb rate

A+. It will receive a 100 when in zone 5 afterburner.

SensorsThe sensors especially the electronic countermeasures and electronic counter countermeasures at the time of delivery were top of the line. These performed quite well against AAMs and SAMs during the Iran-Iraq war. Unfortunately, the post revolution Iranian air force did not receive the IRST, and Data Link systems due to the hostage crisis and the ensuing arm embargoes. We could have made great use of them.

Man machine interface/cockpit

The cockpit layout and easy access to switches and gauges were fantastic compared to the F-5 aircraft I had flown. Moreover the F-14 offered unprecedented and greatly improved cockpit visibility.

Situational awareness

As mentioned above, the exceptional layout of the instruments and switches were quite useful in knowing the crafts position. This along with the pilots awareness of his surroundings and position as well as foreseeing possible scenarios during engagements is of utmost importance. Of course, physiological conditions such as fatigue drastically reduces situational awareness as we witnessed during the war. In one instance, during a CAP mission on a moonless night around 0330 local time, I was returning to 8th tactical fighter base near Isfahan when I noticed another F-14 less than 200 metres away flying inverted with its gears extended upwards. I wasnt sure about what was transpiring before my eyes since it was our standard operating procedure to turn off all aircraft navigational lights in combat conditions. I contacted the tower and they confirmed that my colleague J.Z. was on final approach. I gently radiod him and said,Hey, I think you are vertigoed! Just roll right and level off.Thankfully, he listened and levelled off moments before landing. But this story will always be with me as a good example of what fatigue and combat can do to a pilot.

Tell me something we dont know about the F-14:

It might be news to your readers that the Iranian Air Force used the F-14A as Bombcats on several missions during the war against Iraqi forces in mid 1980s, way before the US Navy did. The wing box of the F-14 is a masterpiece and so we never had any asymmetrical issues with the wings during all these years.

How good was the Phoenix and what was your experience with the weapon systems?

It was flawless. As far as I can recall, out of some 167 launched AIM-54A missiles, only in one instance did the missile malfunction. Our investigation and pilot record showed that the missiles own engine didnt ignite on time, and when it did, the missile actually followed the Tomcat. This missile was a successful weapon. And quite frankly since the AIM-54A Phoenix was the only standard missile received by the Iranian air force for use on the F-14, it was standard operating procedure to launch it from 20-25 miles out to ensure higher hit rate and also to keep our own F-14 jets safe from enemy air-to-air weapons.

As for my personal experience with it, I must say that I fired eight rounds of Phoenix missiles in total, from different positions and angles, which all hit their targets. My first experience firing the missile, was chasing a MiG-21 with enough speed to overtake it at 11 miles towards its aft hemisphere. This was September 1980.

What was your toughest opponent and why?

My own toughest engagement was with five Iraqi Mirage F1 fighter jets during my annual Stan/Eval check while on an S.M. (special mission) flight with Major J. Shokraee-Fard as instructor pilot. It took place near Nowruz Oil Field which had been attacked the day before by the Iraqi air force. I had actually briefed the pilots that same morning on how the Iraqis would probably attack: i.e. in two groups, one group flying at high altitude distracting the CAP fighter(s) while the other group snuck in low to strike the oil rigs.

As had been predicted, we encountered two groups heading our way from two directions. A flight of two, and a flight of three. As soon as we prepared to engage the enemy at 690 Knots and slightly over 50 feet above the water, I noticed that our Master Arm switch had failed leaving us defenceless. The hunter had become the hunted. The attacking Mirages fired six air-to-air Matra missiles or as we called them, Red Heads, at us. Making hard turns and pulling high Gs, we defeated the missiles and re-engaged them in a canopy to canopy dogfight. We were so close that in a couple of passes I could see the pilots white notepads strapped to their legs.

Maj. Shokraee-Fard kept checking our six, advising me of enemy position while I kept manoeuvring hard keeping myself out of their gun or IR missiles lock. During one of these manoeuvres we saw one Mirage crash into the water while the others returned to base. Once we were clear, I noticed that my G-suit had ruptured from the pressure and my helmet had cracked hitting the canopy. On our way back to base, we were advised by ELINT and the local ground radar that only three of the five Mirages had returned. After the flight, Maj. Shokraee-Fard had to wear a neck brace for six months while I suffered injuries to my knees which resulted in two surgeries after my retirement. The G meter was locked at 11.5Gs on the gauge which required the Tomcat to go through Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI). The analysis showed 19 cracks and fractures along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft which put it out of service for almost two years. We were really lucky that day.

What was life like in your unit during the war? What were the biggest highs and lows?

In the early days and weeks, the high losses of our pilots in the F-4 and F-5 squadrons were especially hard and painful, affecting the overall morale. It was quite bleak. As the days went by, we realised that the only available force that could slow down the rapid advance of the Iraqi ground forces was the air force and so they came to terms with the fact and accepted it. After a few weeks, despite the repeated loss of our colleagues, the missions continued without any problems and the bitter realities of war became routine. We had no choice. Irans ground forces were in disarray after the revolution, as a result of widespread purges and in many cases they were no match for the Iraqi onslaught. Therefore the air force took it upon itself to act as speed bump against Iraqi ground units until our own soldiers could be organized into an effective fighting force. We performed CAS (close air support), while providing BARCAP to our own cities and infrastructure.

My biggest high was to be the first person in Iranian AF pilot to have done a night refuelling in an F-14. We were not trained to do this by our former US Navy instructors so I was quite proud of myself for doing something like that. The biggest low would be losing three F-14s within a short few days to the French built Mirage F1 used by Iraqi AF. That hurt our pride badly.

With special thanks to Michael in Tehran for facilitating the interview

Interview byKash Ryan

Kash Ryan a native of Iran, hails from a military family. Both his father and grandfather were professional service members. His father served in the Iranian Air Force retiring as a Lt colonel. Kash served mandatory service in Iranian Air Force in the late 1990s.Growing up on an air base planted the seeds of curiosity about aviation and aircraft in him. He is a qualified private pilot currently splitting his time between Canada and the United States. As a military history enthusiast he was compelled to bring several fascinating combat memoirs of the Iranian Air Force pilots to a wider audience in the English speaking world for the first time.

Note

It may be thatBud Andersonhas 0.25 more kills than Col. Mazandarani, but the latter remains the greatest living jet ace. Another candidate for the title is Giora Epstein with 17 kills (one was a helicopter).

Photo credit: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

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Interview with the greatest living fighter ace: F-14 pilot Col. (rtd) Fereydoun A. Mazandarani (he scored ... - The Aviation Geek Club

The Sox baseball boss and manager also were absolved even though theyd been instructed that the team would be punished for future infractions after the Apple Watch incident in 2017. Nope. It was all J.T. Watkins. This 30-year-old guy had the power to move the video room at Fenway Park to a spot next to the dugout. All by himself.

Not a proud day for the Boston franchise.

Its incredible to discover that it was J.T. Watkins who made the decision to leave Bill Buckner in the game at Shea Stadium in 1986. And upon further review, I have learned that it was J.T. Watkins who procured the chicken and beer for the Red Sox clubhouse during the collapse in 2011. Im also hearing that Ed Davis has identified J.T. Watkins as a person of interest in his ongoing investigation in the Dominican Republic.

Manny Ramirez left the Red Sox in a blaze of glory compared with Rob Gronkowskis messy departure from New England.

We all love Gronk. Greatest tight end of all time. Played hurt and played hard. Good to all charities and never got in trouble. But he put the screws to the Patriots on his way out the door. He strung everybody along, then retired, just in time to ruin planning for the 2019 season.

Now after all the sales pitches in which he sounded like a young man who needed to be done with football (Gronk said hed suffered like 20 concussions), hes coming back to party and play with QB/GM Tom Brady in the Tampa funhouse. (Looking like a boy-band member these days, Gronk will have go to back into training to regain his football body.)

Its nauseating. These guys have turned into NBA-type divas, social media mavens demonstrating amazing tone deafness while the country endures a pandemic. So now Gronk and TB12 are united in Tampa, away from bully Bill Belichick. Maybe they can get Jules to join them. Why not AB?

Swell. Ill be hate-watching every one of their games. Put me down as honorary captain of Team Bill.

When Football Games Saved Lives: A Wall Street Journal story promoted a theory that the Chiefs victory over the 49ers in this years Super Bowl might have had hidden blessings.

There were only a few known COVID-19 patients in the US on Super Bowl Sunday, but two were in Santa Clara County and a small group of local doctors was dealing with those cases when the Chiefs beat the Niners in Miami Feb. 2. A 49ers victory would have resulted in a San Francisco parade, a massive gathering, and tremendous risk for transmission of the virus.

"It may go down in the annals as being a brutal sports loss, but one that saved lives,'' Dr. Bob Wachter (chair of UCSFs department of medicine) told the Journal.

The Bay areas inadvertent good fortune reminded me of the lives saved when Holy Crosss gridders stunned No. 1-ranked and Orange Bowl-bound Boston College at Fenway Park, 55-12, on Nov. 28, 1942.

BC-HC was a big deal in those days, and a BC victory party at Bostons Cocoanut Grove nightclub was canceled as a result of the upset. Four hundred and 92 souls died, and hundreds more were injured in a fire at the Cocoanut Grove just a few hours after the football game.

One of my wiseguy readers suggests that sports returning to empty ballparks and stadiums can compensate for the silence by pumping in artificial crowd noise like the Colts in Indianapolis and the Falcons in Atlanta.

QUIZ: 1. Name the major leaguer with the most career homers who never hit 30 in a season; 2. Name the only high school hockey player to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. Hint: hes local. (Answers below.)

Watching the epic Celtics-Sixers 1981 Game 7 conference final, I saw Cedric Maxwell miss four straight free throws late in the game. I texted Max to ask him about this, and while the game was still airing, Max fired back with, "Im sure I made up for it.''

He did. Max went on to become MVP of the 81 NBA Finals.

When the 2020 Celtics were in Los Angeles in February, Max participated in an old-timers panel of former Celtics and Lakers. Proof that the Celtics forever take up space in those Lakers heads, Michael Cooper insisted that Lisa Leslie in her prime could have scored at will against Max.

Texted Terry Francona to ask if we are going to see him in future episodes of ESPNs excellent The Last Dance documentary. Francona was Michael Jordans manager with the Birmingham Barons in 1994. Tito replied, "I heard I got 15 seconds of fame. And not a second more. LOL.''

Back in 2012, heres what Francona told me about the Jordan experience: "The first question he asked me was, Do we fly? No. We had major bus trips everywhere. The shortest ride was 3 hours. It was 16 or 17 hours from Memphis to Orlando and we did that.

"He said, What if I can get us a better bus? The next day, there were four buses in the parking lot. It was a bus audition. One of the buses was for a touring rock band. We ended up riding in a new bus. Michael signed the door, so they called it the Jordan cruiser.' '

Francona was still athletic in those days and played pickup hoop with Jordan a couple of times. When Tito took the last shot in a best-to-11 game, Jordan told him, "I always take the last shot.'' The manager replied, "Now you know how I feel when I watch you try to hit a curveball.''

Jordan hit .202 with 51 RBIs and 30 stolen bases for Franconas Double A Barons.

Cant believe the Sox allowed J.T. Watkins to persuade them to sign Chris Sale and Nate Eovaldi to giant contract extensions after the 2018 World Series.

Baseball lifer Jim Frey died at the age of 88 April 12. A Cincinnati high school teammate of Don Zimmers, Frey was first base coach of Earl Weavers Orioles when I covered the team daily in 1977-79.

During the Red Sox collapse of 1978, it was Frey who relayed this exchange with Boston first baseman George Scott while Boomer was rolling out grounders to Sox infielders before the start of an inning:

I said, 'Boomer, you guys had this big lead and now its down to four or five games. What the hell is going on with you guys? And Boomer said to me, Some of these guys are choking, man. (Scott soon went into an 0-for-34 slump.)

When Cy Young winner Mike Flanagan reached first base in a game, Frey told him, "Keep your left foot on the bag and get as big a lead as you can with your right foot.''

Frey left the Orioles to manage the Kansas City Royals and wound up in the 1980 World Series. For a young reporter, it was a big deal to know the manager of the AL champs, so I asked Frey if he would acknowledge me by name when I asked a question at the massive pre-World Series press conference. I figured it would make me look good. Frey laughed and agreed.

When I asked my question, Frey leaned into the microphone, looked out at the hundreds of reporters, and said, "Well, DAN . . . thats a stupid question!''

RIP Jim Frey.

NESN needs to do a better job vetting old content. A 1987 Forever Fenway: 75 Years of Red Sox Baseball documentary re-aired April 10, still featuring an interview with the late Don Fitzpatrick. Fitzy was the infamous clubhouse attendant who sexually assaulted young clubhouse workers for more than a decade while employed by the Red Sox.

Why didnt Larry Lucchino and Dr. Charles Steinberg go with The Polar Grounds instead of "Polar Park,'' for the Worcester Red Sox new stadium name?

Quarantine reading: Check out Fenway 1946: Red Sox, Peace, and a Year of Hope by Michael Connelly.

It turns out that J.T. Watkins is the one who lowballed Jon Lester in the spring of 2014.

Quiz answers: 1. Al Kaline, 399 homers. 2. Bobby Carpenter of St. Johns Prep in 1981.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at daniel.shaughnessy@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @dan_shaughnessy.

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Thoughts on the Red Sox punishment, Gronks un-retirement, and other picked-up pieces - The Boston Globe

Once believed to be summoned from slumber by birdsong, spring is a season of timeless joy for John Lewis-Stempel.

Very old are the woods;And the buds that breakOut of the briers boughsWhen March winds wake,So old with their beauty are Oh, no man knowsThrough what wild centuriesRoves back the rose. Walter de la Mare

Spring is a timeless joy, whether you are girl or boy. It is a pleasure democratically available to all, dweller of city flat, country hall. Spring! Gaudy yellow cowslips trumpet the news. Spring! A word enough to make the heart sing. Spring! When trees unfurl their leaves, butterflies their wings. Spring! When the birds again sing.

Some of my favoured things of spring are commonplace, which is part of their delight to know that, since the Stone Agers penetrated these isles wildwood, we have delighted in them. I adore with the commitment of a disciple the thrush singing matins against Aprils celestial blue mornings as pure as the first day of Creation and the rabbity-nosed velvet of ash buds.

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) flying towards a cowslip. Credit: Stephen Dalton / naturepl.com

In spring the sap rises, as surely as increasing sun rises the spirits. The fancy of animals turns to fecundity, the thoughts of farmers to spring wheat, but it is all the planting of seed. The birds do it, the bees do it, humans too. According to the Bard in As You Like It:

It was a lover and his lass,With a hey, and a ho, and a hey noninoThat oer the green cornfield did passIn spring time, the only pretty ring timeWhen birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding,Sweet lovers love the spring.

How keenly we look for them, the signs of spring, which come all in a rush, like a list, read rapidly: gambolling lambs in meads, fat trout in brooks, slow-worms sunning on stones, titlarks bleating zee zee in Evesham pear orchards, curlews soaring over high Yorkshire moors crying curlee, blackbirds laying their bluey-green eggs (real Easter eggs!) in Sussex hedges still bare and ruined by winter.

Dandelions grow amongst pear trees in an orchard in Worcestershire.

Sometimes, through the March woods, a cold blast comes, a last clutch of winters leonine clees, what we in the country call a blackthorn winter, because it stimulates the sloe tree into white blossom, a lampooning of winters snowy mane. Then, suddenly, copses boom with the clarinet cu-cu of the cuckoo, favoured announcer of spring of every poet, ever. For Spenser he is merry Cuckow, messenger of Spring, for Wordsworth a welcome darling the bird seen, but never heard. Traditionally, he arrives on St Tiburtiuss Day, April 14, yet may not reach bonnie Scotland until April 24. He carries spring up Britain on his back.

The cuckoo and the nightingale, mellifluous and melancholic the latter, get the poets chatter, but springs truest herald is the chiffchaff, that tiny bundle of feathers that battles the weathers to return to his particular tree. Chiffchaffs rusty squeak would grate the nerves if he were not so brave-hearted, so bell-clear in his good tidings above Marchs rude wind It is spring! The chiffchaff is the guarantee that spring will come.

By May, the chiffchaff will be joined by warblers many 12 million songbirds come here in the great arrival steering magically by the stars to join the crescendo in the dawn chorus. The avian aubade in May is Natures musick that poor musicians seek to imitate, were they but birds themselves.

A Grasshopper Warbler in Cley, Norfolk.

Deep in the wood, now going on green, the woodpecker drums on the stag-headed oak and the trees echo with his bass percussions, to the bemusement of the blue-eyed fox cubs playing at the scrappy entrance to their earth. As for flowers, who isnt happy to see the frail, pale wood anemones illuminating the forest floor, which the rains of winter made mire?

And then every bowery corner reverberates with birdsong, is blurred by lines of darting birds making eggy nests. Winter is slow monochrome film; spring is fast colourised cinema. Spring is always beautiful, always the victory of the jeunesse dore (fashionable and wealthy youngsters). As snaily-paced aging takes us over, so we value our springs the more. They are our well-spent youth, our prayer, our hope, our rebirth, our resurrection, our life to come.

The pace of spring quickens more! Of the butterflies the brimstone is first afloat, hesitant yet carefree, testing the temperature, reassured flies all about, a travelling spot of sunshine wherever she goes. The buzzy bee in her heavy stripy fur coat is better wrapped against late frost as she house-hunts in the hedge bottom (where she disturbs the slumbering spiny hoglet). Above the suburban back lawn, just mown first time this year gnats dance in faerie fountains.

Spring! A world in motion.

Over the growing grass of the meadow I could revel in it, roll in it! blow sweet primrose breezes. Cuckoo flowers nod their pale-pink heads in approval. The lambs born, my shepherds main duty done, in the soft arms of evening, I watch the child-sheep play king of the castle on the long-dead, fallen-over trunk of elm, as weather-whitened as bone. In warmer air, lengthening days, they, too (the farm animals), know the happiness of spring. Of sun on the back.

Up in the sky, larks mount the celestial blue to remind us of our lexicography: spring is from the Old German spryng, to ascend. In meads rioting with floral colour (red clover, the white version, too, and speedwells blue) hares box, the girl fighting off the suitors, fur flies under the neighbourly chatter of swooping swallows, here for the springtime eruption of insecty things. The elevating drone of a billion gauzy wings is as much the sound of spring as the turtle doves cooing.

We, the creatures on two legs, have our own salad days in spring. My mother, a Herefordshire farmers daughter, picked hawthorn leaves (bread and cheese) from the lane hedge on the way to school. Is anything lovelier than a country lane in spring? The way the verge-side flowers tone, both with each other and with the bright green grass. Yellow dandelions, red campion and delicate white stitchwort under doily cow parsley, already beginning to reach out over the tarmac.

Mind, I think it is at the pond that spring is to be seen at its most elemental. The verdancy of the willows wands is perhaps its earliest proof. Ramsons, in the lee of alder, are potent as smelling salts. Wake up, tis spring!

An Orange Tip male and female butterfly pair perch on a cuckoo flower.

Under water dotted in rings of beauty by Aprils rainbow showers, the male stickleback in full fig red belly and blue eyes stakes a fiefdom, just as the birds of the air do, just as humans of the Earth do. (March, named for Mars, God of War, was the beginning of the Roman military calendar.) The desperation to breed is most acute in the toad, which emerges from winter hibernation, that living death, to mate with indiscriminate, mewing frenzy in the ancestral pond.

What is the prompt that wakes the toads, bluebells, the Daubentons bats in their hollow ash tree on the cote of the pool? Scientists aver it is 6C-plus on a mercury gauge and the photoperiodic (light-time) switch. Longer, lighter days in plainer words. Personally, I like the medieval idea, that spring is summoned from its sleep by the singing of the birds.

John Lewis-Stempel's dispatches from lambing season focus on the early March snows which made a tough job into an battle.

Read three of the beautiful, evocative articles which made Country Life's John Lewis-Stempel the Columnist of the Year.

John Lewis-Stempel appreciates the calm tranquillity of woodland as he wanders through his own treasured Cockshutt Wood.

Its 200 years since Keats penned Ode to a Nightningale, but this otherwise drab birds rich, sorrowful song is worth

A chance reading of George Orwell brought John Lewis-Stempel to the realisation that he'd neglected his own ponds. He explains

Excerpt from:

A new ode to Spring, from gambolling lambs to pale wood anemones and the rabbity-nosed velvet of ash buds - Country Life

Tyler Oakley (Jamie McCarthy/Getty), Elton John (Dia Dipasupil/Getty) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Amanda Edwards/WireImage)

Gay men Elton John, Tyler Oakley and Jesse Tyler Ferguson have all been named as some of the most influential redheaded men in the world.

The three men made the Red Hot 100 Men of 2020 list, which was released this week. Elton John was named the fifth most influential redheaded man of the year, with Jesse Tyler Ferguson of Modern Family fame in 12th place.

Bisexual YouTuber Shane Dawson was named number 13 in the list of influential redhead men, with gay YouTuber Tyler Oakley placing at number 27. Elsewhere, gay swimmer Mike Del Moro was named the 30th most influential redhead of the year.

Various straight men also made the list, including some influential LGBT+ allies. Prince Harry was named the most influential redheaded man of the year. Meanwhile, British singer Ed Sheeran took the second place.

Tom Holland, who is best known for playing Spider Man, was named the third most influential redheaded man of the year, with Irish-German actor Michael Fassbender placing at number four.

Other high-profile redheads to make the list include Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch, as well as model Ken Bek.

The full list can be seen here.

The list has been compiled by Red Hot, an organisation that is trying to rebrand the ginger male stereotype by showcasing ginger men as sexy and desirable. The project was started by photographer Thomas Knights and kicked off in 2013.

The organisation has also raised more than 60,000 for various charities, including HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust.

Elton Johns placing as the fifth most influential redhead of 2020 comes after a groundbreaking year for the legendary singer-songwriter. Last year, his biopic Rocketman was released to critical acclaim. He is currently planning to retire following his final tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, which is due to conclude in New Zealand in 2021.

Read more from the original source:

Elton John, Tyler Oakley and Jesse Tyler Ferguson named among the worlds most influential redheads of 2020 - PinkNews