Song of the Day: 'Heart of the City' by Nick Lowe

 

With thanks to Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Kathy Valentine, who reminded me to play Nick Lowe's classic debut solo album! 

Although "Jesus of Cool" is a great title -- and I generally loathe when record labels force artists to change albums for different markets -- I did prefer the U.S. title: Pure Pop for Now People, which was a phrase that could be seen on the original if you looked closely at the little letters in the corners of the various photos!

Page 1 Roundup (05/27)

The Daily News: New York to raffle 50 full scholarships to state schools for teens who get vaccinated against Covid

Bay Area Reporter: San Francisco LGBT center mural highlights 'Queeroes'

SFGN: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to keynote Pentagon event for LGBT Pride month

Gr8er Days: Apparently, Vanessa Redgrave caught wind that her husband was claiming she would appear in Kevin Spacey's comeback movie and was like, 'NAH'

Instagram: What the most famous scene of 'Risky Business' might look like if it were filmed today

Gimme Shelter: Leo DiCaprio’s West Village wellness retreat can be yours for $8.5 million

Gallup: 62% of Americans believe trans athletes should only be permitted to play on teams that align with their sex assigned at birth

Boy Culture: Are you a fan of blond Dick?

NewNowNext: 10 Pride collections that actually give back to the LGBTQ community

JT: Japan's LGBT bill facing delay in Diet amid opposition from conservatives

Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll: Biden's job approval ticks upward to 62 percent, poll finds

New York Post: Mom arrested after asking cops what to do about her son’s rotting corpse

Knewz:  Minnesota woman, 35, arrested for masturbating in someone else's parked car, refusing to stop

USA Today: My mother, Bella Abzug, introduced the first LGBTQ rights bill to Congress. Let's make her proud.

Towleroad: ACLU, families of trans youth sue Arkansas over trans healthcare ban; ‘trans young people should not have to fight so hard to live’

The New York Times: Biden orders intelligence inquiry into origins of virus

 The mesmerizing pull of plastic surgery videos

The Washington Post: Associated Press tells staff it made mistakes in firing of Emily Wilder

Influencers say they were offered money to discredit the Pfizer vaccine. In France, some suspect Russia is behind it.

The Wall Street Journal: Walmart to sell new line of Gap-branded homegoods

Americans are on the move. Their stuff doesn’t always follow.

The biggest summer travel headaches and how to avoid them

Hot Cat of the Day: "But do you have kitcoin?"

Morning Wood

 

Vax Appeal

 

With the Washington Post reporting that 165.1 million people in the U.S. have been vaccinated, we might just make it after all!

That being said ...

We don't need idiocy like this in Connecticut -- as much as I enjoy a (Mrs.) Naugatuck reference! 

Tweet Nothings

So here for this history!!! @KJP46 is the first Black woman since Judy Smith in 1991 (the inspiration for Olivia Pope!) to lead a @WhiteHouse press conference. Somewhere a little Black or Brown girl is spotting the TV and seeing new possibilities. Also that yellow is glorious!🤩 pic.twitter.com/nB5fSEFhsZ

— Joy-Ann (Democracy Fan) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) May 26, 2021

It always feels like one step forward  

Amy Cooper- Empress of all Karens-- is suing her employer because THEIR actions hurt HER?! She could've easily ended a guy's life with her lies. What has this world come to. I want off. https://t.co/Ec45qadaVQ

— Mark (@markasey) May 26, 2021

... And then two steps back 

Red clay, blue skies ❤️🇲🇨 pic.twitter.com/OGWIi9iViL

— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) May 26, 2021

Ask your doctor if Kvitova is right for you 

The CDC says fully vaccinated people can still cancel plans to stay home and read.

— Random House (@randomhouse) May 17, 2021

R.I.F. 

.I thought this was Jamie Lee Curtis in an Activia ad. pic.twitter.com/FZp5BOsj04

— Timothy Nelson (@BIGBLUE585) May 25, 2021

But does he have a uterus?  

❤️ pic.twitter.com/EegFSKnoie

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 26, 2021

Putting aside the fact that the framing here is way off -- the media isn’t there to build you up(!) -- this touches on something Damian and I have been talking about for years: What is going to happen when the Most Anxious Generation begins to be in control of the world? 

"Can't direct airplane traffic today, I was triggered during breakfast." 

"Can't come for orientation on my first day of work today -- I didn't feel safe getting dressed. I'll come in when I feel more up to it." 

It's really going to be something. Everyone's feelings and emotions are valid. But sometimes life requires that we soldier on through. If the responsibilities of being a pro tennis player don't suit her mental state, there's nothing requiring her to be one. (Remember when Kristy McNichol gave up acting?)

P.S. Osaka made $55 million last year so can afford to pay the fines for skipping press. Is she offering to pay for lower ranked players who have anxiety, too? 

Related: Should mental health be a valid reason for missing school? Many say yes.

🎉Stevie Nicks turns 73 today pic.twitter.com/TS7p4PXxCs

— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) May 26, 2021

Happy birthday to Stevie Nicks. More people should loudly jangle when they walk. 

Wrestle Wednesday

 

Much more of Dante's inferno BELOW.