When important stories fail to be covered by the major news outlets, it’s up to Owl Chatter to step onto the breach. Into it? Here’s a headline from The Onion: “Dripping Food Strategically Held Over Other Food.”
Sadly, that encouraging start didn’t hold. The last sentence of the story reads: “At press time, sources confirmed Brauer [the diner] was despondent after he’d leaned in to take a big bite of his sandwich, only for it to collapse in his hands and cause a large pile of meat to fall into his lap.”
The headline of what The Onion for some reason calls a related story reads: “Single Woman Feels Safer Keeping Loaded Baked Potato In Nightstand.”
“God forbid I ever have to use it, but I feel better knowing it’s there,” Frances Higgins, the 36-year-old woman, said. She added that she lived alone and preferred to store the potato in a bedside drawer for ease of access, explaining that if she kept it in a secured Tupperware container in the kitchen, she might not be able to reach it quickly. “I know you’re not supposed to keep it loaded, but I want it to be ready if I need it. I’d hate to find myself in a desperate situation where it’s the middle of the night, my hands are shaking, and I’m fumbling around with the toppings just trying to get some sour cream in there.” She understood some people might feel differently and choose to store their potatoes and all the fixings in harder-to-reach places, especially if they have overweight children.
Our Lady Beavers looked good besting the East Washington Eagles last night in the opening round of the NCAA tourney, 73-51. The Beavs were actually down by 8 points early, but put that fire out and won handily. Raegan Beers dominated from inside the paint with 8 for 11 shooting and 9 boards, but the surprise performance came from Dominika Paurova whose parents and sister came all the way from the Czech Republic to watch her score a crisp 17, including 3 out of 4 three-point shots. We face Nebraska tomorrow. Hope Raegan’s ankle’s okay. Here’s Dominika:
This poem from today’s Writer’s Almanac is called “Fishing in the Keep of Silence.” It’s by Linda Gregg. I think “keep” is used with the meaning: “the strongest or central tower of a castle, acting as a final refuge.” You know, like “castle keep.”
There is a hush now while the hills rise up
and God is going to sleep. He trusts the ship
of Heaven to take over and proceed beautifully
as he lies dreaming in the lap of the world.
He knows the owls will guard the sweetness
of the soul in their massive keep of silence,
looking out with eyes open or closed over
the length of Tomales Bay that the egrets
conform to, whitely broad in flight, white
and slim in standing. God, who thinks about
poetry all the time, breathes happily as He
repeats to Himself: there are fish in the net,
lots of fish this time in the net of the heart.
On this date back in 1775, Patrick Henry gave his famous speech at the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond. But did you know this about him?
There was a problem with Henry’s speeches. They were wonderful and charismatic and everyone was entranced by them, but afterward, no one could remember what he said. Jefferson said of Henry: “His eloquence was peculiar, if indeed it should be called eloquence; for it was impressive and sublime, beyond what can be imagined. Although it was difficult when he had spoken to tell what he had said, yet, while he was speaking, it always seemed directly to the point. When he had spoken in opposition to my opinion, had produced a great effect, and I myself had been highly delighted and moved, I have asked myself when he ceased: ‘What the devil has he said?’ I could never answer the inquiry.”
The historic speech was not written down until 1816, forty years later, when it was reconstructed from interviews with people who heard it by Henry’s biographer, William Wirt.
“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
Today’s puzzle was a bear. First time through I could barely get a toe-hold. Finally climbed up from the bottom inch by inch. Whew. 5D was “Bring around” and the answer was SWAY. Let’s hear it, Mick! Turn up the volume folks:
47D was “___ Street Music Festival (annual May event),” with the answer BEALE. Son Volt noted that this year’s festival was canceled. Oh, no! And then he shared this bittersweet John Prine song with us that he heard Prine sing back at the ’92 festival.
Sheesh, if you had to name an NFL quarterback least likely to make it into a NYT puzzle, GENO SMITH would be a good choice, yet here he is today, full name at 50A. He crashed with the Jets (who hasn’t?) but had a decent year or two in Seattle. Commenter Benson wrote: I’m the proud owner of a GENO SMITH t-shirt with his famous quote – “They wrote me off; I ain’t write back though.” Smith filed for trademark protection for the quote.
57A: “Venezuela landmark that’s the tallest of its kind in the world (3,212 feet).” Talking about the tallest uninterrupted waterfall in the world. ANGEL FALLS.
Good night, everybody. See you tomorrow.
The Wellington Files 