Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn
(Pixdaus.)
Good morning! How are you?
This morning outside in two dogwood trees there were several robins and finches. They were singing up a storm as they pecked at the remaining dogwood berries. As I attempted to photograph them, the shy finches quickly flew away with the robins following them.
It was a welcoming sight!
In the News
World Food Prices Rise to Record, May Gain Further, UN Says
Global food prices rose to a record in February and grain costs may continue to rise in the next several months, with only rice keeping the world from a repeat of the crisis three years ago, the United Nations said.
Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf teamed up with Michelle Obama to film a collaborative public service announcement between the first lady's "Let's Move" campaign and the USTA.
As far as PSAs go, this is an entertaining one, particularly the facial expression delivered by the first lady when she's shushed by the little girl.
Hideaway in Rockford!
Wisconsin senators inspire 'Hideaway in Rockford' campaign
Taking advantage of Rockford’s 15 minutes of infamy stemming from the ongoing legislative drama in the Wisconsin statehouse, the CVB on Friday announced a “Hideaway in Rockford” campaign to highlight the region’s amenities.
Science News
Ruled by the Body: How Physical Illness Affects the Brain
Many common ailments and physical conditions can influence the brain, leaving you depressed, anxious or slow-witted
Eating Apples Extends Lifespan of Test Animals by Ten Percent
Scientists are reporting the first evidence that consumption of a healthful antioxidant substance in apples extends the average lifespan of test animals, and does so by 10 percent. The new results, obtained with fruit flies -- stand-ins for humans in hundreds of research projects each year -- bolster similar findings on apple antioxidants in other animal tests.
Music News
Cake: Flying High After A Record Low
In January, the California rock band Cake unveiled its sixth album, Showroom of Compassion. Released on the band's own independent label, Upbeat Records, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. However, it did so after selling just 44,000 copies — the lowest No. 1 in the 20-year history of calculating record sales.
On this day in History
1929 – Charles Curtis becomes the first native-American Vice President of the United States.
1933 – Frances Perkins becomes United States Secretary of Labor, the first female member of the United States Cabinet.
1985 – The Food and Drug Administration approves a blood test for AIDS, used since then for screening all blood donations in the United States.
1997 – U.S. President Bill Clinton bans federally funded human cloning research.
(Wikipedia.)
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday Cali Scribe!
Chaz Salvatore Bono (born Chastity Sun Bono; March 4, 1969) is an American LGBT rights advocate, writer, actor, and musician. Bono is the only child of American entertainers Sonny and Cher, though both have children from other marriages.
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit (born 4 March 1968) is an English actress, singer and former child star, well known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder.
Jason Curtis Newsted (born March 4, 1963 in Battle Creek, Michigan) is an American bassist known as a former bassist of Metallica. Joining the band in 1986 after Cliff Burton's death, Newsted remained a member until 2001, making him Metallica's longest-serving bassist. After he left Metallica, he continued with his project Echobrain, played with Ozzy Osbourne and joined heavy metal band Voivod. Newsted uses the pseudonym Jasonic, which serves as both his alias in Voivod and the name of his music publishing company. He is also the founder of the Chophouse Records studio and label based in California.
Patricia Helen Heaton (born March 4, 1958) is an American actress best known for playing Ray Barone's wife Debra Barone on the CBS television sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. In 2007, she made a return to sitcom television opposite Kelsey Grammer in the Fox comedy series Back to You, which was canceled in 2008. She currently stars in the ABC comedy series The Middle.
Miriam Makeba (4 March 1932 - 10 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist. In the 1960s she was the first artist from Africa to popularize African music in the U.S. and around the world. She is best known for the song Pata Pata first recorded in 1957 and released in the U.S. in 1967. She recorded and toured with many popular artists, such as Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon, and her former husband and South-African Hugh Masekela. She actively campaigned against the South African system of Apartheid. As a result the South African government revoked her citizenship and right of return. After the end of Apartheid she returned home. She died on 10 November 2008 after performing in a concert organized to support writer Roberto Saviano in his stand against the Camorra, a mafia-like organisation local to the Region of Campania.
(FamousBirthdays.com/Wikipedia.)