Kay Shipman

Retired reporter for FarmWeek and @FarmWeekNow. Future aspiration to be a puppy bus driver.

[Kay Shipman @ShipmanKay]

#IlliniProud Unexpected, but much appreciated. Thank you @lquinn_phd @ACESIllinois & @DeanBollero for these mementos. Covering this university & its impact was my honor. Shoutout to the ‘76-‘77 Ridin Illini. #RideOn

[Treasurer Michael Frerichs @ILTreasurer]

His bank may have hung up on Pope Leo last month, but no phone was needed today at the Vatican. Treasurer Frerichs presented Pope Leo with an I-Cash claim for $8.65, proceeds from an abandoned PayPal account the Pope left in Illinois.

[Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦 @AdamKinzinger]

Here’s the deal for those confused: “America 250” is the bipartisan celebration committee. “Freedom 250” is a Trump organization celebrating him masquerading as a celebration of America. The concert was Freedom 250. Hence the cancellations

[CONSEQUENCE @consequence]

Conan O'Brien used his Harvard University commencement speech to argue that humility and the human connection matter far more than any diploma.

"I always recognize the enormous role of luck in my life. Refusing to see how luck has played a role in anyone's success is simply ignorant. Many people are happy to mistake a lucky poker hand for their own brilliance, and fighting that human instinct has kept me sane.

"I honestly believe that community, spontaneity, and a real commitment to humility has helped me build a rich life that means much more to me than any diploma. And believe me, I'm not saying the goal is to renounce accomplishments, but rather to metabolize them. If you carry your victories lightly, other qualities –- kindness, originality, courage, humor, and humanity –- have room to emerge.

"Maybe the greatest lessons I've learned along these lines have been through my 24 travel shows. I have degraded myself in Cuba, Ghana, Korea, Armenia, half of Europe, Argentina, Thailand, Mexico, and Greenland, where I visited a real estate office and tried to buy the country. When I travel to another land, every quality I have discussed -- community, adaptation, and a sincerely humble approach -- are all necessary. When you don't speak the language, no one truly cares where you went to college, and you have no choice but to make friends.

"It's on these travels that I learned a great lesson: let yourself be bad at things. I have been a bad dancer in every country I have visited. But the people laugh because it turns out everyone everywhere is related to at least one terrible dancer. For me, humility on these trips can easily lead to humiliation, which is also a useful tool.

"Three weeks ago, I visited Amsterdam, dressed up as Van Gogh, and forced my way into the Van Gogh Museum, where I started loudly demanding a cut of the merchandising because I made no money during my lifetime. Guards forcibly ejected me. I was roundly mocked by patrons for my pathetic display. But I did see a lot of smiles. And not one person said, now that's a Harvard grad.

"In Tokyo, I met with a teacher of Japanese etiquette who volunteered I wasn't her type. And when I asked her why, she just said, 'face.' In Ghana, after accepting a royal invitation, I was kicked out of the Ashanti Palace by the Queen Mother, because her favorite soap opera was starting.

"I understand that I am preaching modesty and connection at a time when this is not in style. We are living through a period of extreme narcissism. Our current leadership in Washington believes that empathy is a weakness and that our nation stands supreme and alone. Add to that, everyone here today has a phone in their pocket that is algorithmically programmed to celebrate you and you alone by making you the protein-maxing hero of your own special journey.

"Much has been written about how isolated and siloed we've become, but for me, the antidote is quite simple. By de-emphasizing what makes us special — in your case, a prized degree — we can really find one another, not as an exercise in virtue, but as a path towards greater laughter, love, and real growth."

[CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil @CBSEveningNews]

When firefighters found a dog left at their station with a note pleading, “Please help my baby,” they set out to find the owner. What happened next proved that sometimes the hardest act of love can lead to the happiest ending. @SteveHartmanCBS is On the Road in Texas.

[Crawly's Cubs Kingdom @crawlyscubs]

PCA pulls an El Mago swim slide! He was ruled out, Craig Counsell will challenge! Electric!! The call is overturned, Pete is safe, #Cubs lead 7-2

[Senator Dick Durbin @SenatorDurbin]

Today, Republicans left town without funding Trump’s mass deportations, billionaire ballroom, or his January 6 slush fund.

We will remain ready to challenge these horrendous wastes of taxpayer dollars when they return.

[HELLO! Canada @HelloCanada]

A sweet father-daughter moment in Cannes 🥹 Laura Dern, 59, proudly supported her dad Bruce Dern, 89, on the red carpet as the pair attended the La Bataille De Gaulle: L'Âge De Fer screening during the film festival. The Hollywood legend is also being celebrated at Cannes with Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern, a new documentary honouring his extraordinary 65-year career ❤️

📽️: Getty

#CannesFilmFestival

[Kay Shipman @ShipmanKay]

This is how @CoachKGillespie and @RedbirdWBB build support and grow their fan base. Thanks Coach for the note. Proudly posted on our fridge. Cheering for a championship next year. Go Birds!

[Sulekha Tripathi @sulekhat95]

A man spends 50 years teaching at MIT.

He knows his time is running out.

So he records one last lecture — everything he knows, distilled into a single hour.

He died 5 months later.

This is that lecture.

The most important hour you'll watch this week. 👇
Bookmark it for later

[Chito & Bob @danthelions_]

John: Bob, help me, I’m locked out of my computer.
Bob: But I’m the Pope…
John: Okay. Bob, the Pope, help me, I’m locked out of my computer.

[MLB @MLB]

Nico Hoerner robbed a hit from Munetaka Murakami in unbelievable fashion 😤

(MLB x @CoronaUSA)

[Syera Washi🇻🇦🇵🇸 Pope Leo Spain Trip🇪🇸 @syera_washi]

Even tho Bob is now Pope, he still has brother duty (tech support) for John😭 Papa Bob troubleshooting John's computer through videocall from the Apostolic Palace😂 Papa' tech savviness to the rescue once again😎
They're so unserious I LOVE THEM

[Eloy @EloyGarcia84]

Happy Crosstown Classic weekend everyone! Here’s a throwback to when New Era dropped this Cubs vs White Sox rivalry commercial.

[Marshall Ramsey ✏️ @MarshallRamsey]

Eric Church understood the assignment. And hit it out of the stadium.

[Fitz🍀 @CheapSeats411]

Can’t believe it’s been 40 years.

Happy Crosstown Classic, Chicago!
#whitesox #cubs

[Love Music @khnh80044]

Remember these kids? This is them now😆

[Dante @DanteTheDon]

Was not ready for Eric Church to deliver the best commencement speech I’ve ever heard.

Six guitar strings. Six pillars of a life.

Faith. Family. Spouse. Ambition. Community. You.

Tune them when you’re whole, not just when you’re broken.

Watch the whole thing.

[Metro Richmond Zoo @metrorhmdzoo]

This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating Chrissy, a 14 yr old giraffe, who gave birth yesterday to a healthy female calf after a quick 27-minute active labor.

The drop is natural & helps sever the umbilical cord & stimulate the calf's first breath.

More: https://t.co/v2Zh461YpR

[Jen @IlliniJen]

Champaign-Urbana students just woke up to a finals week nightmare.

U of I postponed finals after Shiny Hunters ransomware took down Canvas, the platform every student uses for classes, assignments, and grades.

Flights already booked. Campustown leases ending.

The admins’ response? A vague “we’ll update you Sunday” email.

The same Canvas chaos is hitting universities nationwide, including Illinois State and Lake Land College right here in central Illinois.

These students already dealt with COVID disruptions and the Gaza protests and encampments.

And now this right before finals?

These kids really can’t catch a break.