Another week has passed, and it was another week filled with sadness and violence, not only here in the U.S. but across the globe.  So, on this Monday morning, let us begin a new week with a chuckle to help us face whatever we must in the coming week.

My daughter plays in a Scottish Caledonian Society Pipes and Drums Band, and has come home on occasion with some interesting stories about the guys and their kilts.  For example, one time they were playing in a parade and as they marched down the street, a breeze blew up from a storm drain and when one piper’s kilt flew up, he was … er … au natural!  Apparently among Scots it is a sign of a true Scotsman to forgo tightie-whities when wearing a kilt.  So it was with interest that I read this headline from UPI:

“Scottish pub swaps kilts for pants after female patrons get handsy”

INVERNESS, Scotland, July 13 (UPI) — A popular Scottish pub known for its traditional atmosphere announced its male bar staff are switching from kilts to pants after repeated harassment from female patrons.

Kit Fraser, owner of the Hootananny Pub in Inverness, said male workers used to wear kilts as part of the pub’s traditional theme, which also includes frequent live performances of traditional Scottish music. But they are now donning pants to protect them from women who would lift their kilts to check whether they were “true Scotsmen.”  Fraser described the incidents as “pure sexism.”

“We fellows are very, very aware of sexism. I think the women need to catch up.”

The Scottish government released a statement criticizing the misbehaving customers. “Everybody in Scotland should have the right to work without fear of harassment, and it is important management in all working environments do what they can to ensure this happens,” the statement said.

The 2016 Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin on Friday, 05 August.  There has been some controversy surrounding the games, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro this year, for a variety of reasons, including:  Zika, declared a ‘public health emergency’ in Brazil; the slumping economy of Brazil, making it questionable how they can complete the necessary building projects in time; and the politics of the nation, where a congressional committee is considering impeachment of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.  But in addition, the IOC must worry about keeping the Olympic Torch lit!  Twice now since it was lit in Olympia, Greece on 21 April, someone has tried to douse it.  The most recent attempt was on 16 July when a man armed with a fire extinguisher attempted to put out the Olympic flame as it passed through the city of Joinville, Brazil.  On 27 June, a 27-year-old man attempted to douse the torch with a bucket of water in Maracaju, Brazil, but he missed and instead doused a another torch bearer and security guards.  Where has the Olympic spirit gone?  Sheesh.

Did you ever think of cooking a brisket in your bathtub?  Yeah, me neither.  But apparently an unidentified woman in Knoxville, Tennessee thought it seemed like a good idea at the time.  She lit a wood-burning grill inside her bathtub and placed meat on a wire rack across the rim before the heat melted through the tub’s fiberglass exterior.  According to Knoxville Fire Department Captain DJ Corcoran, the tub and brisket were both a total loss.  Methinks the family ate peanut butter sandwiches that night!  Sheesh.  Even I know better than that, though I did bring the charcoal grill indoors one night when I had food cooking and a sudden rain shower hit.

And since I just cannot do a Monday morning post without at least one cute animal story …

BRISBANE, Australia, July 14 (UPI) — An Australian bat rescuer shared a video   of an adorable baby flying fox being soothed with a pacifier after failing to leave for the winter.  The video, posted to Facebook by the Batzilla the Bat rescue, shows a baby flying fox named Miss Rainbow being swaddled in blankets and using a pacifier to keep calm in Queensland.  The flying fox, for those who may not know, is actually bat.  Up close, bats are actually pretty cute and I don’t mind them, as long as they don’t fly in my face or get tangled in my hair.  And isn’t Miss Rainbow just adorable?

Okay, folks … enough humour and good news for one day.  Now let’s get out there and tackle this Monday and at the end of the day we can say “It was a great day!”