Art imitating life

The Golden Loo is gone! I had read earlier that a sculptor had created a solid 18-karat gold toilet and it was installed in the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan and in 2017 "more than 100,000 people have waited patiently in line (in Manhattan it would be ON line) for the opportunity to commune with art and with nature." When it was installed it created an Instagram "splash". But it was recently on loan to the Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, as part of a larger exhibit. But, alas, it was stolen last week and being a working toilet, there was considerable flooding. If the perpetrator attempts to melt the "loo", this type gold is valued at $1500. per ounce and the robbers would be "flushed" with a few million euros or pounds. And that's no BULLion!
tjs
NYT 9/15/19

Occupational Hazard

Armchair lawyers and insurance adjusters please take notice: Date line London: A court in France has ruled that a man who died from a heart attack after having sex during a business trip had suffered a work-related accident and that his employer was liable..... Let that sink in for a moment. This decision agreed with a Health Insurance Fund and the issue has far reaching effects on pension payments, etc. A comparison offered was that of an employee being stung by a wasp while driving. And the subject at hand never had the opportunity to submit his expense account.
tjs
(NYT 9/13/19)

Who's sorry now?

No, not the song of the same name. Do you recall the StarKist tuna ads beginning "Sorry, Charlie, only the best tuna make it..........." Well, StarKist is real sorry now as today's business section reveals they have been fined $100 million for price fixing, an ugly phrase. I love their Albacore white tuna in water. On a "scale" of fines, $100 mill may not leave their Korean owners "hooked". I am awaiting my next salad with "baited" breath.
tjs

Facial Hair

It has been said that one of the reasons Trump fired Bolton was Bolton's bushy mustache. It reminded me of the following story: When Winston Churchill was a young member of Parliament, he featured a tiny blonde mustache and after a lecture one evening he was accosted by an irate woman who said to him "I don't like your policies and I don't like your silly mustache!" W.C. replied "Madam. it is highly unlikely that you should ever become familiar with either." What would Winnie think of Brexit?
tjs

Stake Out

When in Manhattan, Donald Trump often frequents 21 Club where the burgers go for $36. But last year the Dems had a fund raiser in toney Rittenhouse Square where the famed Philly cheese steak goes for $120. (Includes rib eye, foie gras, truffled cheese whiz and 1/2 bottle champagne.) I feel sure the Original Pat in South Philly would be shocked, shocked at such prices while his ala carte menu prices at $14. - but sorry no bubbly. Anyway, the Dems should be well fed and well heeled for the battles ahead.
tjs

Cock a doodle

Someone once told me that a rooster crows because he thinks he caused the dawn. Now in rural France a rooster named Maurice was sued by a couple on vacation because he was causing too much noise. But the judge ruled that the rooster had a right to crow in his rural habitat. The court awarded Maurice 1000 euros in damages - more than enough for a luxury redo of his simple green chicken coop. And so "fowl" play was avoided.
Let the cock crow!
tjs

Animal House

The NYTimes writes about the following:
- In Kazakhstan they are cross breeding two hump camels with one hump dromedaries to produce a stronger pack animal and still retain the milking capability.
- In Iraq ISIS harnessed two cows with explosive vests to roam thru the village with vests to be detonated remotely. They have been called "Bovine suicide bombers." It seems they are running out of human volunteers. Cows are worth $1200 each over there.
-And in China, a young man had his dead cat exhumed and cloned and he is happy again.
-Boy, I hope nobody messes with the current Bull market that's keeping my IRA afloat.
tjs

Mea Culpa II

While we were absorbing news of DORIAN'S "GRAY" outlook, the following came in datelined Rome, Italy: The Pope was stuck in an elevator for thirty minutes which made him late for his Angelus audience. Apparently Ex Cathedra covers chairs and thrones but not mechanical contraptions. The Vatican mechanics were perplexed as the lift performed well on Ascension Thursday. Well, Your Holiness, we all have our ups and downs.
tjs