Sad fat parrots, spicy chess, plus Dolly goes bush
Quick, look busy! Edition #20 delivers some Friday afternoon filler to help you count down the hours/minutes/microseconds until the weekend begins…
VOTE// No porky parrots allowed
I think this headline deserves to be shared: Fat parrot ineligible for ‘Bird of the Year’ because it keeps winning.
Pictured: the kākāpō
Some context: The Kiwis run a ‘Bird of the Year’ comp to raise awareness of native species at risk of extinction. Over the years there have been a few fun scandals – there were rumours of Russian intervention once, and a botched year where Aussies all voted for a bird called ‘shag’.
But perhaps the most controversial is this years’ banning of the kākāpō, affectionately dubbed the world’s fattest parrot, as it has previously won twice and organisers fear it’s already too popular. Instead, the competition is promoting ‘underbirds’ in a bid to help people learn more about the species most at risk.
You can see all the birds/listen to their songs and vote here.
I have fallen for this guy and his cute little walk-waddle.
READ// I will always love Dolly
Dolly Parton is the best! Music aside, she also donates a shit tonne of money to a mountain of causes (including the Covid vaccine). But, this is about her literacy program, the Imagination Library, that provides books to help get kids reading. I had heard about this before in The States (inspired by her father’s inability to read and write), but didn’t realise the program was also in Australia – and has been since 2014 – targeting remote communities.
Mandy Tootell at Katherine Isolated Children's Services (KICS) organises the program for 60 children stretching across around a quarter of the Territory, including in the Indigenous communities of Yarralin, Amanbidji and Bulla Camp.
"Our children are all remote and they are socially and geographically isolated," she told SBS News."Dolly Parton's Imagination Library targets those first four years, where getting books in hands counts. It helps to prepare children for life-long learning and a love of books and that's what encourages literacy."
Ms Mohr-Bell said getting hold of books for remote families isn't easy. For them, the newsagents in Katherine, which holds a small selection of books, is 100km away while the nearest bookshop is in Darwin, four hours away. Buying online means a trip to the post office in Katherine.
"Books aren't a given in every household," she said. "So for those people, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is amazing."
Also, side note, isn’t this just THE BEST description of seeing Dolly Parton perform… “That majestic bitch just started playing a goddamn pan flute.” (Courtesy of Dolly Parton’s America podcast, I have nothing more to add on that, just I think of that line a lot.)
PLAY// You can’t say that
The international chess cheating saga continues. If you haven’t been playing along, chess world champion Magnus Carlsen accused Hans Niemann, a 19-year-old grandmaster of cheating when he had to forfeit a game to him back in September.
It all gets a bit murky, as Niemann has previously admitted to cheating when he was younger (but only in online games, apparently). And it raises some interesting questions about the potential use of Ai in these environments.
Niemann has denied these latest accusations and has now dropped a $150 million defamation lawsuit against Carlsen and some other online platforms.
Read more about it here. I also love that this story was filed under ABCSport.
Now crank up some Dolly and let the good times roll.
X Rosie