BREAKING NEWS: Boathouse Strike Ends; Peace to Be Restored to Bethesda Fountain?

Moments ago, as reported by The New York Times:

The bitter, boisterous 44-day strike at Central Park's Boathouse Restaurant has ended, with the two sides announcing earlier this morning that they'd reached a tentative four-year union deal.

Dean Poll, the facility's owner, along with the union and Bob Steel, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, made the announcement earlier this morning. Poll apparently had threatened to shut the Boathouse down if the union continued to insist upon what he considered extravagant demands. As you might expect, terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. Doubtless Mr. Poll had seen the writing on the wall once the National Labor Relations Board's attorneys had threatened him that they'd file a legal complaint charging the Boathouse with illegally threatening and questioning its own employees, along with otherwise punishing some 15 workers for backing the union.

That's all well and good, but it brings a larger question to light, dearests: will this news benefit the future of we who make the fans happy in the immediate vicinity of Bethesda Fountain proper? Clearly, I'm gonna have more to say about this; so will, I suspect, John Boyd and his family, along with dear Meta the Harpist and her dulcimer-playing husband, Arles. Do bear with us, loyal fans, as we attempt to deal with the ramifications of this news in our own separate ways.

Some Thoughts Prior to the 27th Annual Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park

Well, Mortals, in less than a week or two, I shall once again face the prospect --- not so alarming this year, thank goodness! --- of being the one and only full-time Wizard in attendance at our 27th Annual Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park, in the shadow of the Cloisters Museum on Margaret Corbin Circle, at the very highest point in Northern Manhattan, past the George Washington Bridge.

What makes everything easier for me now, as opposed to last year, is the fact that I shall once more have King Tiberias and Queen Sybella at my side. We are, after all, the Royal Court of Jerusalem; and if you have not yet been invited by His Majesty to join our Facebook presence, I welcome you, and humbly invite you to do so.

We will be joined by the New York Scottish Pipes, Drums and Dancers; members of the New York Caledonian Club and the New York Traditional Music Society; and of course, most of the talent from our sister Faire, the New York Renaissance Faire Sterling Forest. Our dear friends, Don Tomas and Lady Anne of Sussex (Tom and Patty Darmstadt) will, as ever, lead the Children's Parade; whilst the Eastern Kingdom of the SCA, shall send a few of their finest representatives. Alas, the newly-crowned Eastern King and Queen, Gregor and Kiena, shall not be with us on the Sunday in question, which makes your Dragonmaster really grumpy.

As always, the Medieval Festival is co-sponsored by the Washington Heights/Inwood Development Corporation and the New York City Parks Department. We hope you'll like some of those who'll be in on the Festival's proceedings; please be sure to say hello to this ancient old Mage (that would be me; I'll be the one with the furry brown Dragon --- namely, my partner, Sir Aragorn).

Anywho, do have a look at the BBC's Horrible Histories; I've seen and liked all their YouTube footage, and have had a jolly laugh as a result! (Did I mention that the show's most popular cast members all have their own presences on Twitter, too?)

Master Blackwolf