Curio Cabinet

Not everything you see on TV is real, but this man was. Fans of the show Yellowstone might have heard that there will be a new spin-off featuring Bass Reeves, a historical figure who helped shape the American West. Born into slavery in 1838, Reeves grew up in Texas before escaping north to the Indian Territories. There, he became acquainted with various tribes, including the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole. During the Civil War, his knowledge of the region made him a valuable asset as a soldier to the Union Indian Home Guard Regiments, and after the war, he assisted peace officers searching for outlaws. Indeed, many outlaws were known to flee into the Indian Territories to evade officers of the law, few of whom knew how to navigate the area effectively. While Reeves had settled down as a farmer in Arkansas, he used his experience to serve as a scout and tracker for U.S. Marshals before being sworn in as a deputy himself in 1875.
 
Reeves became one of the first Black deputy Marshals in the West, and he soon gained a reputation as a capable lawman. During his 32 years with the U.S. Marshals, he was the most feared lawman in the Indian Territories, which was known for being dangerous. Reeves survived several attempts on his life by disgruntled outlaws, and was known to have killed at least 14 in the line of duty, though some sources claim that number is even higher.
 
Being a peace officer in the Wild West took more than just guts and guns. Despite being illiterate, Reeves had a sharp mind that allowed him to memorize writs and warrants. He often wore disguises to get information from criminals, allowing him to capture those who had evaded other lawmen. Some, like the notorious Belle Starr, turned themselves in willingly when they learned that their warrant had been assigned to Reeves. The lawman was known for his integrity. When his own son committed murder, Reeves brought him in to be tried and convicted for the crime. The legend of Bass Reeves fell into obscurity for a time, but has seen a resurgence in interest in recent years. Hopefully, the new show will do him justice.

 
[Image description: A black and white photo of Bass Reeves.] Credit & copyright: NPS, Wikimedia Commons, Work of the U.S. federal government, Public Domain

Lights, camera...but not too much action. The 2023 Academy Awards saw some changes that set it apart from years past, though it’s uncertain whether all of the modifications will be permanent. The first, most obvious change was the color of the carpet that welcomed the star-studded crowd. While the term “red carpet” has become synonymous with exclusive, ostentatious event, organizers decided to go with a “champagne” carpet this year. Supposedly, the color was meant to better fit this year’s design elements, which included a lot of vintage fashion. The light color did cause some problems, though, when foot traffic made it visibly dirty early in the night.
 
Speaking of fashion, the Academy set forth dress guidelines this year with the aim of being more sustainable. Attendees were encouraged to rent existing outfits from fashion houses or wear something that had already been worn to another event. Otherwise, they were encouraged to wear clothing made of natural, more sustainable fabrics like linen or wool. To guide them in their wardrobe choices, the Academy partnered with Red Carpet Green Dress (RCGD), who sent out a Sustainable Style Guide, so that attendees could make informed but fashionable decisions.
 
Lastly, following the incident from last year’s ceremony in which a certain actor slapped a presenter on stage, the Academy had a newly-formed crisis team ready to handle any similar outbursts. Academy CEO Bill Kramer told Time, “Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars. We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place.” According to Kramer, the team was meant to deal with unscripted mishaps during the live broadcast, as well as handling public relations after the fact. No more off-script shenanigans for this awards show.

 
[Image description: A digital illustration showing an Oscar trophy being handed from one person to another. The background is split between red and pink.] Credit & copyright: mohamed_hassan, Pixabay

The tides are turning in favor of conservation. After 17 years of negotiations, UN members have finally agreed on a treaty that will allow them to protect around 30 percent of the world’s seas. Although the treaty has been in the works for nearly two decades with little to show for it, negotiations picked up after the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) last year in Montreal, Canada. During the summit, the UK, the US, China, the EU and others set a goal to protect a third of the world’s waters and land by 2030 in what is called the 30x30 pledge. Once the treaty is ratified by at least 60 members of the UN, it will become international law, and will provide a legal framework for participating parties to create marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas.
 
Before, nations could only enforce law in their own territorial waters. This treaty will allow them to legally enforce conservation measures even in international waters. It’s a victory for conservationists who have been campaigning for the treaty, like Veronica Frank, a political adviser for Greenpeace. Frank said in a statement, “We are really happy. The world is so divided and to see multilateralism supported is so important. What’s really important is now to use this tool to develop this 30x30 target into force really quickly.”
 
Getting the various parties to agree to the treaty was no easy task. In the weeks preceding the agreement, delegates worked without rest, and in the last two days, some even stayed overnight in the conference room to complete the deal. Despite differing interests, all parties involved were likely motivated by the looming challenges presented by climate change. The oceans produce over half of all oxygen, but they also act as the world’s largest carbon sink. Disruptions to the world’s oceans and its ecosystems therefore have the potential to affect everyone on the planet, which means that everyone has a vested interest in protecting them. It’s about time we all sea eye to eye!
 
[Image description: A shipping vessel sails into a sunset on the ocean.] Credit & copyright: vschoenpos, Pixabay

It was an offer that they almost had to refuse. The Godfather, the ultimate gangster movie and cinematic masterpiece, was released this day in 1972. Based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Mario Puzo, The Godfather was directed by Francis Ford Coppola with a screenplay written by Coppola and Puzo himself. Since the book had already been a best-seller, making a film adaptation was a no-brainer, but Puzo’s novel attracted some unexpected controversy. Puzo himself was allegedly accosted by Frank Sinatra because of the character Johnny Fontane, which Sinatra considered an unflattering parody of himself. However, when the time came to cast the movie, Marlon Brando is said to have agreed to work for scale specifically because it would upset the crooner. Apparently, the two had hated each other after working on a movie together, and without this existing enmity between the two (and pettiness on Brando’s part), the movie’s modest budget of $6 million wouldn’t have allowed for Brando’s hiring.
 
Even before Brando had been cast for the role of Vito Corleone, the movie was almost abandoned due to protests by Italian-American groups. Notably, mob boss and founder of the Italian-American Civil Rights League, Joe Colombo, spearheaded a campaign to cancel the project. However, he was won over by the movie’s producer Al Ruddy, who allowed Colombo to read a draft of the script and make any changes to it that he saw fit. Colombo’s concerns about potentially damaging portrayals of Italian-Americans were assuaged after editing the script, and he even allowed members of his mob to act as extras in the production. Both a commercial and critical success upon release, the film garnered three Academy Awards in 1973 for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay, shared between Coppola and Puzo. After winning an Oscar for his very first screenplay (and another for The Godfather II in 1975), Puzo decided to read up on the craft and bought himself a book on screenwriting. Imagine his disappointment when he opened the book, and the first chapter instructed its readers to study the script for The Godfather!

 
[Image description: A black-and-white photo of Francis Ford Coppola on the set of TV program "Tomorrow" on NBC.] Credit & copyright: RMY Auctions, NBC, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain