from Bruce
Anecdotes
Practical Jokes
• At the 2004 football game between Harvard and Yale, pranksters gave colored pieces of paper to selected Harvard fans and told them that when they all held up the pieces of paper at the same time, the pieces of paper would spell “GO HARVARD.” In fact, when held up at the same time the pieces of paper spelled “WE SUCK.”
• Rabbit Maranville once was tagged out when he fell victim to the hidden baseball trick. Later that day, some of his friends treated him to supper. Rabbit’s dessert was a huge bowl of ice cream, and when he started to eat it, he found a hidden baseball.
Prejudice
• Bill Russell experienced prejudice while starring for the Boston Celtics. After a three-day weekend, he and his family returned to their home only to discover that it had been broken into and vandalized. Many of his trophies had been smashed, and the vandals had spray-painted “NIGGA” on some walls. In addition, whenever Mr. Russell was out of Boston playing away games, someone upset his trashcans. When Mr. Russell complained to the police about the trashcans, the police told him that raccoons had created the mess. Therefore, Mr. Russell asked about getting a gun permit so he could shoot the raccoons. Apparently, the “raccoons” heard about the gun permit because they stopped upsetting Mr. Russell’s trashcans. Nevertheless, progress in civil rights was being made. Mr. Russell’s grandfather, whom Mr. Russell called the “Old Man,” lived in the Jim Crow South. When he finally attended his first professional basketball game, he was accompanied by his son, Mr. Russell’s father. The Old Man was astonished at seeing the respect Mr. Russell received as player-coach. The Old Man asked Mr. Russell’s father, “Do them white boys really have to do what William tells them to do?” He was even more astonished when he saw John Havlicek, a white man, and Sam Jones, a black man, showering and talking together. The Old Man marveled, “I never thought I’d live to see the day when the water would run off a white man onto a black man, and the water would run off a black man onto a white man.”
• When Jackie Robinson integrated modern major-league baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers, not all the players were happy about it, especially the players from the South. In fact, some players signed a petition saying that they didn’t want to play baseball with him. One player who refused to sign the petition was Pee Wee Reese, who grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. Manager Leo Durocher heard about the petition, and he called a team meeting at which he told the players that he, not them, would decide who played: “I’m the manager and I’m paid to win and I’d play an elephant if he could win for me and this fellow Robinson is no elephant. … And here’s something else. He’s only the first, boys—only the first.” Mr. Durocher made it also clear that he didn’t want to see the petition, and he never did. Later, at least some of the players who had signed the petition supported Mr. Robinson. In a series against Philadelphia, the Phillies were shouting abuse against Mr. Robinson, who would not respond to the abuse because of fear of setting back African-American progress. Eventually, petition-signer Ed Stanky grew tired of the name-calling, so he shouted to the Philadelphia ballplayers, “Listen, you yellow-bellied cowards. Why don’t you shout at somebody who can answer back.”
• John Amaechi became the first player to come out of the closet in the National Basketball Association. Being black, and gay, and intelligent, and outspoken (he has spoken out against the National Rifle Association and George W. Bush’s war in Iraq), he is a target for prejudice. Tariq Abdul-Wahid, one of his teammates, told him even before he came out of the closet, “Meech, you are the only person I have ever met who is an expert at not fitting in no matter where you are.” In his native Great Britain, Mr. Amaechi says that he fits in more readily than he does in the United States, but even in Britain he runs into problems. He points out about people walking towards him on the sidewalk, “At 400 feet they see a big black man and they cross the road to avoid me. At 200 feet they cross back because they realize that I’m a professional basketball player and they want a closer look. At 50 feet they recognize me as the gay bloke who just came out and then they cross back across the road again.” While he was still in the NBA, a teammate asked him, “You gay, dude?” Mr. Amaechi replied, “You have nothing to worry about.”
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© Copyright Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved
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Presenting
Michael Egan
U.S.A. took the day off.
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
BANDCAMP MUSIC
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION OF BANDCAMP MUSIC
Music: "Tits A Go-Go"
Album: TALES FROM THE INSTRO [INSTRUMENTAL] ZONE
Artist: Kingargoolas
Artist Location: Brazil
Info:
Kingargoolas disbanded in 2021. Woe is me.
Price: FREE Download of 13-Track Album
Genre: Instrumental Surf Music
Links:
TALES FROM THE INSTRO [INSTRUMENTAL] ZONE
Kingargoolas on Bandcamp
Kingargoolas on YouTube
Other Links:
David Bruce's Amazon Author Page
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog #1
David Bruce's Blog #2
David Bruce's Blog #3
David Bruce's Apple iBookstore
David Bruce has over 140 Kindle books on Amazon.com.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
New Venture
Michael Egan
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
Reader Comment
Current Events
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In The Chaos Household
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“Boldly Go” Campaign
Gene Roddenberry
The family foundation for Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is launching a month-long campaign on Wednesday to inspire hope for the next 100 years.
In partnership with Paramount+ satellite company Planet and Academy Award-winning technology company OTOY, the campaign (“Boldly Go”) is part of the celebration of the legacy of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry in what would have been his centennial year.
The campaign will launch at Paramount+’s red carpet event on September 8, featuring Star Trek actors LeVar Burton, George Takei, Patrick Stewart, and others. Gene’s son Rod Roddenberry, founder of the Roddenberry Foundation and president of Roddenberry Entertainment, will appear on a panel about Star Trek’s legacy. The celebration will be live streamed for free at StarTrek.com/Day starting at 8:30 PM ET.
The “Boldly Go” campaign will call on Star Trek fans and citizens around the world to submit photos and videos describing their hopes for the next 100 years. The goal is to pay homage to Star Trek’s message that we can work together to build a better future. The Foundation will work with OTOY and renowned digital artists to combine submissions into a piece of artwork that will be made available to the public and auctioned to generate funds for nonprofits—ensuring the public’s Star Trek-inspired hopes for the future translate into real-world impact.
Gene Roddenberry
Honored by Howard University
Chadwick Boseman
Howard University has honored alumnus Chadwick Boseman by renaming its College of Fine Arts after him.
Boseman, who died last year at age 43 from colon cancer, graduated from Howard in 2000 with a bachelor of arts degree in directing. He was instrumental in preserving the College of Fine Arts, which was under consideration for being absorbed into the larger College of Arts & Sciences, according to the university.
The historically Black university shared a time-lapse video showing the installation of the new letters on the school’s building, now the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts.
Howard announced in May that it was renaming its performing and visual arts school after the Black Panther star.
Chadwick Boseman
Weekend Box Office
‘Shang-Chi’
On what’s traditionally one of the sleepiest weekends at the movies, the Marvel film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” smashed the record for Labor Day openings with an estimated $71.4 million in ticket sales, giving a box office reeling from the recent coronavirus surge a huge lift heading into the fall season.
The Friday-to-Sunday gross for “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” Marvel’s first film led by an Asian superhero, ranks as one of the best debuts of the pandemic, trailing only the previous Marvel film, “Black Widow” ($80.3 million in July). Overseas, it pulled in $56.2 million for a global three-day haul of $127.6 million. Disney anticipates “Shang Chi,” made for about $150 million, will add $12.1 million domestically on Monday.
The Walt Disney Co. opted to release “Shang-Chi” only in theaters where it will have an exclusive 45-day run. Some of the studio’s releases this year, including “Black Widow,” have premiered day-and-date in theaters and on Disney+ for $30.
Last week’s top film, the Universal horror remake “Candyman,” slid to second place with $10.5 million. After the holiday weekend, Universal pegs its two-week total at $41.9 million.
‘Shang-Chi’
White Eyelet Jumpsuit Sold
Elvis Presley
Elvis is still the King. Kruse GWS Auctions, the entertainment memorabilia auction house specializing in celebrities, sold a key piece of his career at a Saturday auction for more than a million dollars.
The Elvis Presley Eyelet Jumpsuit and Cape from his 1972 Madison Square Garden performances in New York has sold for $1,012,500, with the auction house reporting it as a world record price, albeit without noting any details on what record it beat.
The ensemble, designed by Bill Belew, became one of the most-photographed and iconic costumes of Elvis’s career. The show where he wore it was his first live performance at Madison Square Garden. The eyelet jumpsuit and cape has been in a private collection for more than 30 years prior to it going to auction.
Other Elvis memorabilia also was a hit at the weekend auctions. Highlights include an Elvis Presley Jar of Hair with extensive documentation, sold for $72,500; Elvis Presley’s racing helmet from the film Viva Las Vegas, sold for $23,750; the Elvis Presley tuxedo tailcoat from the film Frankie & Johnny sold for $75,000; Elvis Presley’s personal and stage-worn boots sold for $28,750; Elvis Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special Sheet Music sold for $15,000; Elvis Presley’s Schick electric razor sold for $3,000; and an Elvis Presley Custom Eagle Belt made by Mike McGregor sold for $25,000.
Elvis Presley
Wake Up
Democrats
The former president’s attempted coup is not stopping. He still refuses to concede and continues to rile up supporters with his bogus claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Tens of millions of Americans believe him.
Last Sunday, at a Republican event in Franklin, North Carolina, Congressman Madison Cawthorn, repeating Trump’s big lie, called the rioters who stormed the Capitol on 6 January “political hostages”.
On Tuesday, Texas Republicans passed a strict voter law based on Trump’s big lie – imposing new ID requirements on people seeking to vote by mail and criminal penalties on election officials who send unsolicited mail-in ballot applications, empowering partisan poll watchers, and banning drive-through and 24-hour voting.
This year, at least 18 other states have enacted 30 laws that will make it harder for Americans to vote, based on Trump’s lie.
Yet even as Trump’s attempted coup gains traction, most of the rest of America continues to sleep. We’ve become so outrage-fatigued by his antics, and so preoccupied with the more immediate threats of the Delta variant and climate-fueled wildfires and hurricanes, that we prefer not to know.
Democrats
Threatens Journalist
MeinPillow
MeinPillow CEO Mike Lindell (R-Fire Sale) on Friday threatened an investigative journalist who wrote several exposés about him, calling him "an enemy of the country."
In a live stream posted on his social media platform, Frank, Lindell vowed to "go after" Salon investigative reporter Zachary Petrizzo.
"I going to spend a lot more money, Zachary. I'm not out of money contrary to your little thing here," Lindell said. "We are going after this kid."
"Zachary is an enemy ... He's an enemy of our country," Lindell added.
Petrizzo has written several stories about Lindell and his unsuccessful quest to prove voter fraud at the 2020 presidential election.
MeinPillow
Used To Preserve Things
Alcohol
If you've ever visited a laboratory or museum and admired a pristine eyeball or a tiny deceased critter floating in a glass jar, you've seen the preservation power of alcohol. The formal name of this technique is fluid preservation. Scientists have been relying on it since the 1600s to preserve their curious specimens. And, if done correctly, it can sustain a sample for hundreds of years, according to the American Museum of Natural History.
"The long and the short of it is that it's toxic to the kinds of microorganisms that would cause decay," Bill Carroll, an adjunct professor of chemistry at Indiana University Bloomington, told Live Science. He used wine as an example. It's made as yeast eats sugar from grapes and then excretes alcohol. But the yeast excrete so much alcohol that the concentration becomes toxic and kills the yeast, he said. And that alcohol content — around 14% — helps delay the growth of bacteria for years (many wines also contain additional preservatives like sulfur), according to the California Wine Advisor.
Preserving other organic material — such as DNA, tissues or even entire animals — requires a higher alcohol concentration, said Katherine Maslenikov, the fish collections manager at the Burke Museum in Seattle. Maslenikov typically relies on alcohol, specifically ethanol, for long-term storage.
Alcohol at even higher concentrations, for instance 95% ethanol, works as a dehydrant, meaning it removes and replaces the water in the cell, tissue or whole-body specimen with alcohol. The lack of water causes changes to water-sensitive proteins; they unfold, or denature, and harden in place next to one another, fixing the specimen's shape, according to Ask a Biologist, a series run by Arkansas State University. This technique is a common way of preserving DNA, according to a 2013 study in the journal PLOS One.
It can be tricky deciding what percentage of alcohol to use. Using too much or too little can affect the sample's shape and flexibility, or even lower its ability to preserve the sample in the solution. High concentrations of alcohol used to dehydrate a specimen will preserve it. But Maslenikov said this process can also leave a specimen shriveled (from the loss of water) and brittle (from the hardened proteins). Sometimes that's OK; it all depends on what you are trying to preserve.
Alcohol
Fix Broken DNA
Bacteria
Fixing breaks in genes with speed and perfection can be a matter of life and death for most organisms. Even the simplest changes in a sequence risk catastrophe, especially if the altered code is responsible for a critical function.
Over the past half a century, biologists have studied the mechanisms involved to piece together most of the major steps involved in making faithful repairs in DNA. Yet, one part of the process has remained frustratingly unclear.
By marking key enzymes and DNA with fluorescent tags and watching the repair process unfold in real-time in an Escherichia coli model, researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden have filled in missing details on how bacteria find the templates they rely on to keep genetic repairs error-free.
One trick most living things use to keep their code in order is the process of homologous recombination, the biological equivalent of comparing two distinct versions of a script to make sure a copy hasn't mistakenly introduced any errors.
Molecular biologists have known for a while that the recombinase protein RecA plays a key role in managing this process. It's such an important enzyme in maintaining the integrity of DNA that some version of it has been found in virtually every species studied.
Bacteria
New Bobblehead
Jimi Hendrix
It’s been more than 54 years since Jimi Hendrix memorably set his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival, and now, merch and collectibles brand, Kollectico is marking the occasion with the release of a new Jimi Hendrix bobblehead.
The limited-edition Jimi Hendrix Live at Monterey bobblehead captures the moment the singer’s Fender Stratocaster went up in flames, after he had doused it in lighter fluid just seconds earlier. The 5.5-inch figurine captures realistic details too, with the bobblehead sporting a ruffled yellow shirt, black vest and bright red pants, exactly as Hendrix sported that day. The singer’s signature red headband completes the look.
The 1967 Monterey Music Festival was actually the second time Hendrix had pulled off the guitar-burning stunt. The singer had done it months earlier at the Astoria Theatre in London, during his European Tour run with The Jimi Hendrix Experience. As he finished off his performance of “Fire,” Hendrix doused his 1965 Fender Stratocaster in lighter fluid and set it on fire. The burned guitar would later sell for more than $380,000 at an auction.
The Monterey Festival performance though, remains one the most iconic moments in Hendrix’s career — and in rock history; the photograph of Hendrix and his burning guitar even ended up on the cover of Rolling Stone (copies of that issue are still available on eBay). And countless artists have offered their interpretation of that event, as seen in the numerous “Hendrix Guitar on Fire” prints and paintings available online.
This is an officially-licensed partnership between Kolletico and Experience Hendrix LLC., the artist’s official licensing arm. Only 1,967 pieces were released worldwide — in tribute to the year the Monterey Festival took place.
Jimi Hendrix
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