Life’s Playground
Despite the shaky condition of the USA, some folks are accomplishing impressive feats. From an article by Danielle Genovese at foxnews.com, edited by yours truly: Christian Kane, New Jersey math teacher, and his wife have led a drive that’s built the nation’s first sports complex for children and adults with special needs. Located on 3.5 acres in Toms River, the RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams includes a baseball field, a pavilion, basketball court, miniature golf course, trampoline, zip line, bocce court, snack shack and walking area circling the entire complex. There’s a quiet area for children with autism to sit with family or caretakers, and “thrive stations” to help people who are rehabilitating from surgery or to assist those recovering from chemotherapy. It took five years of planning, including trying to raise $3.6 million to fund it. The family still owes $300,000. Doesn’t this qualify for a Go Fund Me campaign? Kane, father of six, has a handicapped son, now eleven, who suffered a brain injury in a vehicle accident at 19 months. Kudos.
RIP actor David Birney, 83. Born in DC, he was raised in Cleveland. He earned a B.A. in English from Dartmouth College and an M.A. in Theatre from UCLA. He began on the stage but had his greatest success in TV. There are 73 titles under his name at IMDb in a career that spanned 1967–2007, but that reflects only part of his story. In 1972 he found fame and controversy in 24 episodes of Bridget Loves Bernie, one of television’s first stabs at interracial marriage (Jewish-Catholic). He played John Quincy Adams in The Adams Chronicle miniseries, and Serpico in 16 episodes of the eponymous series based on the hit movie. He was in 22 episodes of St. Elsewhere, and 14 of Glitter and 13 of Live Shot, two series that failed to attract a sufficient audience, and he did at least three guests shots in six other popular prime time shows. He played the title role in a 1982 BBC production of Shakespeare’s Richard II. He was married for 16 years to his Bridget Loves Birney co-star Meredith Baxter, his second wife. They have three children. Well done, sir.
While some believe Trump’s influence is waning, this newsmax.com headline provides a counterpoint: “Trump Endorsement Streak Soars to 55–0.”
Interesting headline from foxnews.com in the “O brave new world category”: “Oregon’s ‘Menstrual Dignity Act’ requires schools to place feminine products in boys’ bathrooms.” I wonder if they’ll be vandalized. Will surveillance cams need to be installed?
Not much action today at the floating book shop. My thanks to Wolf, who kept the session from being a zero by buying Monica’s Story, as in Lewinsky, by Andrew Morton; and to the woman who donated a handful of sci-fi paperbacks.
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