Thatcher Stoops to Conquer, Germaine Greer Writes

Feminist Germaine Greer, who lives on a farm in England, believes that British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher gives women politicians a bad name. Writing in the May-June issue of Lear’s magazine, Greer said Thatcher has become the “heroine of every disaster” and gave this description of Thatcher’s tour of the scene of last year’s London subway fire: “Surrounded by a phalanx of suited men, she stepped delicately through the wreckage. She was, as usual, immaculate in blue, this time a little suit by Aquascutum out of Chanel. . . . From her left wrist swung that maniple of queenly office, her handbag; around her right wrist, she wore her cairngorm (quartz) bracelet, emblem of her spiritual power. Into the reeking maw of the station she trotted on her high heels, head down and bottom out in what is known to British osteopaths as a ‘nannies’ stoop.’ ”

--An honorary doctor of agriculture degree from Purdue University will go to popcorn king Orville Redenbacher on May 15. “Purdue not only pioneered research in popping corn hybridization, but they also helped begin my ‘pop to the top’ in the popcorn industry,” said Redenbacher, 80, a 1928 graduate of Purdue who now lives in Coronado, Calif. Another degree recipient on the 15th will be “60 Minutes” humorist Andy Rooney, who will be named a doctor of humane letters at the State University of New York at Albany. One can almost hear: “Now what do you suppose this is for?” A third figure to be honored that Sunday is Bob Keeshan, creator of Captain Kangaroo, who is scheduled to be commencement speaker at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Conn. But Keeshan, 61, recipient of the Peabody Award for Outstanding Television three times and six Emmy Awards, drew negative comment from some students. “I’m sure Captain Kangaroo is a delightful fellow, but it is the opinion of many students he offers no insight or inspirational impetus for our seniors to attain career pursuits,” said Joshua P. Marks, a senior, in a letter to the school newspaper. “This is the first time in 35 years I have encountered this reaction,” Keeshan said from his Babylon, N.Y., home. “I don’t know what they expect, Mr. Moose and dropping Ping-Pong balls? I will give them stuff to think about, and if they can’t be open to my message, then WestConn did not do a good job on them.”