Update on NOTEFLIX’s production of “Troubles in the Garden”: During a ‘Worker’s Break’, some members of our cast have repaired to the local cafe for a snack. The questions rage: Are potato chips still good for you? How about the salt? Are the sweet things ok to eat? How much of any of this can one take in at any given time? Who knows anything, anymore?
NEWS IS: ENTERTAINMENT? INFORMATIVE? BIZARRE?… WHAT IS IT?
- Hopscotching: Last week, I read an article which said one of the former President’s top advisors (Steve Bannon) is refusing to comply with a Congressional subpoena. The very next article on my screen was about Matt Damon, who “…let his daughter give him a Mohawk”. (a type of haircut) I want to know which of these articles got the most readership? Maybe, I don’t want to know.
- Studies show: * Fliers satisfaction goes up 5% when overhead bins are bigger. (Bigger than what? I want more on this.) *20% of Fortune 500 companies “Plan to reduce carbon emissions” (None have done so, to date) * Years ago, Fish Poop was responsible for eating up 15% of the worlds carbon (if you do not understand how this can be, then you are beyond my help). Today, because there are fewer fish (tuna and the like) there is less carbon eating Fish Poop in the water …and there you have it. (There will be more studies done on this, for sure.) * If you cannot pay your bills, your IQ can slippery slope slide down 13%. (Pretty soon, ‘They’ will check your credit & IQ score before you can vote. Watch out.) * French Fries are fattening. This is true. I think I participated in this study. * If you are of a certain age, you should no longer take Aspirin on a daily basis. But you can eat eggs again. Butter is back, too. Not too much, though. Alcohol should be avoided; unless not drinking it makes you edgy, then only drink a glass or two (the size of the glass is not mentioned) Coffee is good for you and your memory – if there are things you want to remember – and put some butter in it every once in a while. Take vitamins. Don’t take vitamins. Don’t sit so much. (Find the study that agrees with you – and follow it.)
I had this thought that if “You are what you eat”, then what eats you becomes what you were. So there.
And now a few words from MATHUZALA, our rodent Guest Columnist:
MATHUZALA SPEAKS:
- Do not worry about French Fries. Put as many on your plate as you think you can eat. We will finish off what you throw away – even the pieces with catsup on them. We can work together on this; and many other things.
If you would like to know more about MATHUZALA and his plans on ‘our working together’, please go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and buy “THE RAT PAPERS”.
NOTES FROM TUSCANY:
- The Americans are coming! The Americans are coming! You can tell them by their accents – loud and clear American/English. If the Barista in the cafe does not understand them, the Americans speak even louder. But they are loved over here and seem like they are having a good time. They tend to travel in groups of 4 or more. I have overheard several conversations this week and this is what I’ve picked up: *Airline travel was easier than they expected it to be. They worked diligently on all their forms and then nobody paid attention to the paperwork and were simply waved through at the airports and customs. * “It is cold over here!” (it is in the fifties, the damp fifties) …”…and why don’t ‘they’ (the Italians) turn the heat on?” (Answer: ‘They’ do turn the heat on – officially on October 15th – if they want to. The buildings here are made of big stone blocks and retain cold, no matter when the heat is turned on. Also, many of the restaurants turn on the heat; but almost all of them leave the door open – for fresh air purposes, I suppose. You will see many patrons wearing hats and coats throughout their meal) Travel tip: if you are coming, bring a warm coat.
- Below: See photo of Italians, Americans, Germans, et al. having Aperitivos in a small outdoor market, in a small Tuscan town. …More on outdoor dining in later posts.
A few quotes:
- “All human Evil comes from a single cause, man’s inability to sit still in a room.” -Blaise Pascal (If that is true, then we are in for a world of hurt. Remember, Blaise was the guy who said “The more things change, the more things remain the same.” He was wrong there, so he might be wrong about bad things to come from having been in lockdown.)
- “Many of the Globe’s economic problems are dilemma/problems – problems for which there are no acceptable solutions.” -Lester Thurow, MIT Economist. (You did not have to go to MIT to know that.)
- “We’ve got a great percentage of our population that, to our great shame, either cannot or, equally unfortunate, will not read. And that portion of our public is growing. Those people are suckers for the demagogue.” -Walter Cronkite
- “I simply cannot accept that there are on every story two equal and logical sides to an argument.” -Edward R. Murrow
