“Miss Cates, a surpise to see you.”
“Yes Miss Cardinale called in.”
“Sick?”
“Exhausted. So I am filling in for her. I also wanted to send a message to Gene.”
“Gene? What is it?”
“He can meet me at my usual place if he wants to.”
“Where is that?”
“Welll if you go to… **RING** **RING** Oh damn, I get to take this call. I’ll tell ya later.”
Winner
This week’s entries.
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Almost 2,000 Pubs Have Closed in Ireland Since 2005 – Report
RTÉ News | Wednesday, 23 Aug 2023 17:44Almost 2,000 pubs in Ireland have closed since 2005, according to a new report undertaken by Drinks Industry Group of Ireland.
The research shows that 108 bars shut in 2022, while there has been a 22.5% closure rate since 2005.
The group said rural businesses are most at risk of shutting their doors, while the counties that saw the biggest declines were Limerick (32%), Cork (29.9%), and Laois (29.9%).
Dublin saw the lowest rate of decline, at 3.4%.
The group is calling on the Government to give more support to regional, small, and family run operations, and is also calling on excise duty to be decreased.
More than 450 pubs have closed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and Economist and Associate Professor at DCU Anthony Foley said that the knock-on effect is hitting rural communities both socially and economically. …
So they can blame Covid, but not the excise duty. Interesting.
Magnus Carlsen Wins 2023 Chess World Cup After Beating R Praggnanandhaa in Tie-Breaks
ESPN | 8.24.2023 | Aaditya Narayan. . .
In a relatively even position, the game was heading towards a draw, when Carlsen finally made his move with his knights advancing to threatening positions, before the Indian resigned with just about 10 seconds left on the clock.
That meant Praggnanandhaa had to win on demand with black pieces. He had done it before in this tournament, in the quarterfinal against Arjun Erigaisi, but he was facing a completely different beast here.
He began the second game with a little prayer, but soon Carlsen ensured that was in vain. The five-time world champions nous and know-how showed, as it became very clear in the opening that the world no 1 had snuffed out Praggnanandhaa’s chances of winning with black pieces. After a few major pieces were traded, the players agreed to a draw, and the smile on Carlsen’s face was the only show of emotion from either player. The Norwegian has now won the one title that was missing from his illustrious cabinet, to go along with his five World Championship titles.
I learned a new word: “nous.” I’ll never use it, though.
It is a tale told by Aaditya, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Just 25 Cities Contribute More Than Half of Global Greenhouse Emissions, Report Finds
US News and World Report | July 2021 | Alexa LardieriThe new report found that all but three of those cities were located in China.
Just about two dozen cities, from a sample of more than 160 urban centers, contribute more than 50% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report.
The report, published Monday in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, found that just 25 cities, analyzed from a sample of 167 metropolitan areas in 53 countries, comprise 52% of greenhouse gas emissions.
95% of “greenhouse gas” is comprised of water vapor. 3.5% is CO2.
Zero cities contribute water vapor to the atmosphere.
Chemical molecules are so widely dispersed in the atmosphere that they cannot contain, store, nor transform the heat radiation leaving the planet. And they certainly can’t re-emit heat to the planet through the cold layers of the atmosphere. Not through radiation, convection, or conduction — the only means of heat transference.
The amazing thing about a gymnastic turtle is not how gracefully it does acrobatics, but that it does acrobatics at all.
Penguin at Edinburgh Zoo Promoted to Major General in Norway Army
Euronews Weekly | 22/08/2023 | Joshua Askew
A penguin has been promoted to the third highest rank in the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Sir Nils Olav III, a resident of Penguin’s Rock in Edinburgh Zoo, was given the honorary title of Major General in the King’s Guard of Norway on Monday, as their official mascot.
Some 160 uniformed soldiers visited the Scottish zoo to bestow the unique honour upon the king penguin, involving much military pomp and circumstance.
The decorated bird, already a Brigadier, now has the grandiose title of Major General Sir Nils Olav III, Baron of the Bouvet Islands.
