High Hopes

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From Trivia Genius: "Jack's the nation's favorite guy, everyone wants to back Jack." Those were lyrics from Frank Sinatra's rewrite of his hit song "High Hopes," tweaked to support John F. Kennedy's 1960 Democratic presidential campaign. It's unclear how Sinatra and Kennedy met, but the two were friends for many years before Kennedy made a run at the White House. They had mutual connections in both Hollywood and politics, and Kennedy's sister Pat was married to "Rat Pack" member Peter Lawford. In February 1960, then-Senator Kennedy attended a Rat Pack concert where Sinatra publicly proclaimed him the "next president of the United States." Kennedy's father, Joseph, reportedly encouraged the friendship, hoping that Sinatra's organized crime ties would help his son lock down the union vote. Sinatra often sang his "High Hopes" redux at concerts, and he later attended Kennedy's inaugural ball in 1961.Certainly, it is much different than what is going on in Washington, DC right now.Or how about a sauna at a Burger King? Travel Trivia: We’ll take a Whopper, fries, and … a sauna session on the side? In 2016, Burger King opened its first ever spa inside one of its locations in Helsinki to cater to local customers in Finland, where saunas are an essential part of national culture. According to the BBC, there are more than three million saunas in Finland — about one for every two people who live there — and 99%!o(MISSING)f Finns use a sauna at least once per week. So it only made sense to combine one of the country’s favorite pastimes with the burgeoning popularity of fast food — and take "meat sweats" to a whole new level. On the ground floor of the Mannerheimintie location, you’ll find the BK Spa, a 15-person sauna where you can enjoy your meal, plus Burger King-branded towels, a locker and shower rooms, a big-screen TV, and even a Playstation 4 video game system. But on the plus side, the air is cleaner. Katie Couric: Per a groundbreaking new report, carbon emissions plunged 17 percent this April as countries issued Covid-19 restrictions — marking the largest drop in history. By the end of 2020, experts expect to see the largest yearly decline in emissions since World War II. On the flipside, "we've reduced emissions for the wrong reasons,” a study author wrote. This is unlikely to have a long term impact on emissions, unless governments make big, climate conscious systemic changes… Obviously, we are not driving as much, many factories are shut down or in reduced production modes. Would you believe the wait to get my bicycle repaired is anywhere from TWO to THREE MONTHS!!!!! All of the bikers-come-lately are messing with those of us who ride regularly, year around! On one hand, it makes me happy people are re-discovering the bicycle. On the other, I need my annual tune-up, and perhaps some upgrades for an anticipated great riding season with clean air!!! Bike sales are surging around the country as people shun public transportation and look for new ways to exercise. In April, bicycle sales soared by 30%!a(MISSING)nd have jumped 60%!s(MISSING)o far in May. And for those with school age kids, Tag the Flag: One of the most important aspects of allowing children to go back to school actually has to do with the parents. Those who work at home with youngsters crying in the background are less productive. Those who work outside the home can't leave unless they have a babysitter. As The Economist points out, "In poor countries the costs are even greater. Schools there often provide free lunches, staving off malnutrition, and serve as hubs for vaccinating children against other diseases." Stateside, with children out of the house, small business owners may finally get a chance to focus on items that will directly impact their ability to weather the pandemic. If parents can't catch a break and they lose their jobs because they've become the 24-hour caretaker, that's not good for them or their children. It is obvious to me, this current Administration could care less about our health care workers, and acute care facilities. Again from Tag the Flag: "All the preparation has come at a cost, including in lost business from canceled elective procedures and sick people afraid to come in. Hospitals now face sharp falls in revenue; the AHA puts losses expected at health-care facilities from those canceled surgeries, and the costs associated with Covid-19 treatment, at about $202.6 billion so far." On the bright side, maybe all this will make us better prepared for the fall and any oncoming second waves." Any future relief bills from Congress needs to help these facilities!!!This is really scary: Only 28 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) supplied to the country are manufactured within the U.S. while 72 percent of the APIs supplied to the U.S. are manufactured overseas, including 13 percent in China, according to 2019 testimony from Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Director Janet Woodcock.And just for fun, on this day, many years ago: On May 20, 1873, San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis are given a patent to create work pants reinforced with metal rivets, marking the birth of one of the world’s most famous garments: blue jeans.

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