by Grania
Good morning!
Today is the birthday of actress Debbie Reynolds (1932), journalist Rachel Maddow (1973) and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873). It’s also April Fools Day and Edible Book Day (not actually a joke).
But there have been some April 1st pranks already:
UK to withdraw from Eurovision, BBC announces https://t.co/EI3LIy84Gy
— PinkNews (@PinkNews) April 1, 2017
And this rather elaborate one from Britain’s National Trust.
We’ve discovered a second chalk animal next to the world-famous Uffington White Horse. Here’s what we know so far: https://t.co/u9PiN7cMo7 pic.twitter.com/fOXkiOHTh9
— National Trust (@nationaltrust) April 1, 2017
More here at The Telegraph.
A really cool one is Google Maps that allows you to play Miss Pacman on your local map complete with sound effects.
From Poland it appears that things have become a little tense, the Princess may have worn out her staff’s patience today.
Hili: Little Sister is watching you.
A: Big Brother doesn’t give a hoot. I’ve been out for you three times already.
In Polish:
Hili: Mała Siostra widzi cię.
Ja: Wielki Brat ma cię w nosie. Już trzy razy po ciebie wychodziłem.
And finally, this is the sweetest thing on the internet this week. Click on the white arrow to play, and you need the sound on this one.
unmute pls pic.twitter.com/srbVPvkzEn
— (•͈⌔•͈⑅) (@kirayusa) March 29, 2017
Astronomy Picture of the Day has an appropriate posting today that pushes several of our buttons:
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/
Dead kitten? What a charming thought. I, fortunately got the live cat, so I don’t feel so bad about which universe I live in. 🙂
The link is not perma. For posterity, the one for april 1st is this https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170401.html
That GIF needs a diabetes warning! Soooo sweeeeet and cute.
My April joke for the day will be America’s favorite – fake news. Now that Donald Trump has settled on the Trump U. difficulties he will now publish correspondent courses in flipping large building and nepotism, how to ignore it. Later, graduate courses will be specializing in conflicts of interest.
Today is the birthday of the poet and rake John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester (1647) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wilmot,_2nd_Earl_of_Rochester, who’s a favorite of mine if only because of his astounding and unsettling poem “Song of a Young Lady to her Ancient Lover,” which begins: “Ancient person, for whom I / All the flattering youth defy, / Long be it ere thou grow cold, / Aching, shaking, crazy cold; / But still continue as thou art, / Ancient person of my heart.”
It’s also the birthday of Whittaker Chambers, Toshiro Mifune, and Milan Kundera.
Actually it is not April Fool’s Day. It was changed to April 2nd.
s/April 2nd/Jan 19/
Someone mentioned the Grauniad’s San Serif special, which I still remember fondly as a giant of the genre.