Curio Cabinet / Daily Curio
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Pucker up for some pie! As warm weather approaches, it’s only fitting to examine the history of what may be the world’s most refreshing pie: Key lime pie. While most pies, including most fruit pies, lean heavily into their sweetness, Key lime pie relies on a heavy dash of tartness to make it stand out from the dessert crowd. Despite a common myth, the “Key” in Key lime pie doesn’t actually refer to the Florida Keys. In fact, the pie’s origins might not lie in the Sunshine State…at least, not entirely.
Key lime pie’s famous, smooth, yellowish filling is made from a combination of egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk, and, of course, lime juice. The juice comes from Key limes which, though often grown in Florida today, were first cultivated in Southeast Asia. Key lime pies usually have a crumbly, graham cracker crust with a topping of either whipped cream or meringue and a lime slice or grated lime zest as a garnish. It’s sometimes served with no topping at all, though, making it quite the versatile dessert.
While legend points to Florida as the home of Key lime pie (and some Floridians even consider it the state dessert) it would be more accurate to say that the pie was invented in New York (besides, Florida already has an official state dessert: the strawberry shortcake.) Most food historians agree that today’s Key lime pie was based on a recipe for a lemon pie first published in a 1931 advertising brochure. The company that published the brochure, Borden, was based out of New York. To be fair, though, the next mention of a dessert similar to Key lime pie does come from a 1933 recipe in a Miami, Florida, newspaper—and that recipe actually used limes rather than lemons, so score one for the Sunshine State.
The truth is, regardless of where it came from, Key lime pie is one of the most unique American pies ever created. Whether you prefer it topped with meringue, garnished with lime zest, or with fresh lime juice squeezed over top, it’s sour, sweet, and scrumptious. Just mind all the crumbs from the graham cracker crust.
[Image description: A slice of key lime pie on brown paper.] Credit & copyright: Christina Nicole, PexelsPucker up for some pie! As warm weather approaches, it’s only fitting to examine the history of what may be the world’s most refreshing pie: Key lime pie. While most pies, including most fruit pies, lean heavily into their sweetness, Key lime pie relies on a heavy dash of tartness to make it stand out from the dessert crowd. Despite a common myth, the “Key” in Key lime pie doesn’t actually refer to the Florida Keys. In fact, the pie’s origins might not lie in the Sunshine State…at least, not entirely.
Key lime pie’s famous, smooth, yellowish filling is made from a combination of egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk, and, of course, lime juice. The juice comes from Key limes which, though often grown in Florida today, were first cultivated in Southeast Asia. Key lime pies usually have a crumbly, graham cracker crust with a topping of either whipped cream or meringue and a lime slice or grated lime zest as a garnish. It’s sometimes served with no topping at all, though, making it quite the versatile dessert.
While legend points to Florida as the home of Key lime pie (and some Floridians even consider it the state dessert) it would be more accurate to say that the pie was invented in New York (besides, Florida already has an official state dessert: the strawberry shortcake.) Most food historians agree that today’s Key lime pie was based on a recipe for a lemon pie first published in a 1931 advertising brochure. The company that published the brochure, Borden, was based out of New York. To be fair, though, the next mention of a dessert similar to Key lime pie does come from a 1933 recipe in a Miami, Florida, newspaper—and that recipe actually used limes rather than lemons, so score one for the Sunshine State.
The truth is, regardless of where it came from, Key lime pie is one of the most unique American pies ever created. Whether you prefer it topped with meringue, garnished with lime zest, or with fresh lime juice squeezed over top, it’s sour, sweet, and scrumptious. Just mind all the crumbs from the graham cracker crust.
[Image description: A slice of key lime pie on brown paper.] Credit & copyright: Christina Nicole, Pexels -
FREEWorld History Daily Curio #2870Free1 CQ
Who would have thought that Camelot was in Spain all along? Archaeologists have been studying a 1,000-year-old sword found in Valencia, an ancient weapon that seems to bear striking similarities to the “Sword in the Stone” of Arthurian legend. Originally discovered in 1994 under Chabàs Street, archaeologists were unable to identify, at the time, what culture the sword belonged to. Valencia has been occupied by a variety of different groups throughout its long history, and there wasn’t enough left of the sword to clearly indicate its provenance. What they did know was that the sword had bronze components and that the blade was made of iron and curved slightly.
These details couldn’t be linked to any culture in particular, but there was something unusual about this sword—it was embedded in the ground in an upright position when it was discovered, earning it the nickname “Excalibur.” Excalibur, of course, is the sword wielded by King Arthur of legend. In some versions of the legend, Excalibur was a sword that had been stuck in a stone, and a prophecy stated that whoever pulled it from its resting place would be crowned king of England. When a young Arthur lifted the sword from the stone, he was declared the new king. But in other versions of the story, the sword in the stone and Excalibur are not one and the same. While the former grants him the crown, King Arthur doesn’t acquire Excalibur until much later, when it’s given to him by the Lady of the Lake. The sword in Valencia, however, was likely never wielded by an Englishman at all. Instead, recent analysis shows that the sword likely belonged to an ancient Muslim warrior. Spain was once a part of Roman territory, but between 500 and 1000 C.E., control over the Iberian peninsula passed between the Byzantine, Visigoth, and Arab forces. By 1000 C.E., control of the peninsula was secured by an Arab caliphate, who called the region Al-Andalus. Centuries later, control of the peninsula returned to Iberian Christians who expelled the Muslim population. With so many people passing through, the area’s like a lost and found of bygone civilizations.Who would have thought that Camelot was in Spain all along? Archaeologists have been studying a 1,000-year-old sword found in Valencia, an ancient weapon that seems to bear striking similarities to the “Sword in the Stone” of Arthurian legend. Originally discovered in 1994 under Chabàs Street, archaeologists were unable to identify, at the time, what culture the sword belonged to. Valencia has been occupied by a variety of different groups throughout its long history, and there wasn’t enough left of the sword to clearly indicate its provenance. What they did know was that the sword had bronze components and that the blade was made of iron and curved slightly.
These details couldn’t be linked to any culture in particular, but there was something unusual about this sword—it was embedded in the ground in an upright position when it was discovered, earning it the nickname “Excalibur.” Excalibur, of course, is the sword wielded by King Arthur of legend. In some versions of the legend, Excalibur was a sword that had been stuck in a stone, and a prophecy stated that whoever pulled it from its resting place would be crowned king of England. When a young Arthur lifted the sword from the stone, he was declared the new king. But in other versions of the story, the sword in the stone and Excalibur are not one and the same. While the former grants him the crown, King Arthur doesn’t acquire Excalibur until much later, when it’s given to him by the Lady of the Lake. The sword in Valencia, however, was likely never wielded by an Englishman at all. Instead, recent analysis shows that the sword likely belonged to an ancient Muslim warrior. Spain was once a part of Roman territory, but between 500 and 1000 C.E., control over the Iberian peninsula passed between the Byzantine, Visigoth, and Arab forces. By 1000 C.E., control of the peninsula was secured by an Arab caliphate, who called the region Al-Andalus. Centuries later, control of the peninsula returned to Iberian Christians who expelled the Muslim population. With so many people passing through, the area’s like a lost and found of bygone civilizations. -
FREEBiology Daily Curio #2869Free1 CQ
It’s not easy finding healthcare in the middle of a jungle, unless you’re an orangutan. Great apes like chimpanzees and orangutans have been known for decades to use tools, but scientists have just observed the first recorded case of an orangutan using plants to treat a wound. Rakus is a male orangutan who lives at the Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, and like other males of his species, his flanges are his pride and joy. Flanges are the flaps filled with fatty tissue on the sides of male orangutan’s faces. But misfortune struck Rakus when, during a fight with another male, he sustained an injury that left a gaping wound on his cheek. In most animals, even a flesh wound has the potential to be deadly because it can easily become infected, but Rakus had a trick up his hairy sleeve. Researchers at the park noticed that days after receiving the injury, Rakus was chewing on liana leaves. Lianas are a type of vine abundant in the area where Rakus lives, but the leaves are seldom consumed as food. Rakus was first observed chewing some of the leaves in a deliberate fashion, avoiding other plants while picking liana leaves from the vine. Then, he spit the leaves back out and pressed them against his wound. Rakus also took the time to convalesce, keeping physical activity to a minimum while regularly chewing and even swallowing more liana leaves. Upon analysis, researchers found that the leaves contained anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral compounds as well as antioxidants and cancer-fighting compounds. By eating the leaves, Rakus was essentially taking antibiotics while also applying them topically as a poultice. As to how he learned such medicinal skills, it’s likely that its benefits were discovered by orangutans long ago, and that knowledge of its use spread through the population via social learning, something that apes have shown themselves capable of time and time again in regard to tools and other skills. Orangutan medical school would certainly be a hoot and a holler.
[Image description: An orangutan with its arms crossed, staring downward.] Credit & copyright: Miguel Cuenca, PexelsIt’s not easy finding healthcare in the middle of a jungle, unless you’re an orangutan. Great apes like chimpanzees and orangutans have been known for decades to use tools, but scientists have just observed the first recorded case of an orangutan using plants to treat a wound. Rakus is a male orangutan who lives at the Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, and like other males of his species, his flanges are his pride and joy. Flanges are the flaps filled with fatty tissue on the sides of male orangutan’s faces. But misfortune struck Rakus when, during a fight with another male, he sustained an injury that left a gaping wound on his cheek. In most animals, even a flesh wound has the potential to be deadly because it can easily become infected, but Rakus had a trick up his hairy sleeve. Researchers at the park noticed that days after receiving the injury, Rakus was chewing on liana leaves. Lianas are a type of vine abundant in the area where Rakus lives, but the leaves are seldom consumed as food. Rakus was first observed chewing some of the leaves in a deliberate fashion, avoiding other plants while picking liana leaves from the vine. Then, he spit the leaves back out and pressed them against his wound. Rakus also took the time to convalesce, keeping physical activity to a minimum while regularly chewing and even swallowing more liana leaves. Upon analysis, researchers found that the leaves contained anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral compounds as well as antioxidants and cancer-fighting compounds. By eating the leaves, Rakus was essentially taking antibiotics while also applying them topically as a poultice. As to how he learned such medicinal skills, it’s likely that its benefits were discovered by orangutans long ago, and that knowledge of its use spread through the population via social learning, something that apes have shown themselves capable of time and time again in regard to tools and other skills. Orangutan medical school would certainly be a hoot and a holler.
[Image description: An orangutan with its arms crossed, staring downward.] Credit & copyright: Miguel Cuenca, Pexels -
FREESTEM Daily Curio #2868Free1 CQ
What’s that droning noise? Only the sound of a flying minesweeper. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left the latter country dealing with deadly landmines laid throughout their territory. Removing such mines is a dangerous, time-consuming process, but drones and AI are now making it safer and easier. The use of landmines is forbidden by the UN per a treaty signed by 167 nations, but they continue to be used anyway. Part of the reason for the ban is that landmines are, by their very design, difficult to detect. The danger they pose during wartime is devastating enough, but in many cases, landmines continue to do harm years after whatever conflict elicited their use has ended. Even today, it’s not uncommon to hear about mines from long-concluded wars taking the lives of unsuspecting civilians. And it’s not just mines but undetonated bombs and shells lurking underground. There are a number of ways to find these dangerous weapons, but everything from metal detectors to people scanning aerial photographs to spot mines are excruciatingly slow. With conventional methods like these, it could take Ukraine as long as 750 years to be totally clear of landmines in the 67,000-square-mile area that is thought to be affected. That’s why they’re now turning to a method that’s currently considered unconventional, but might soon be the norm—a combination of drones and AI. A company called Safe Pro AI has developed an algorithm that can scan thousands of aerial photographs taken by drones and identify 70 types of landmines and other explosives with an accuracy rate of 90 percent. Currently, the technology is limited to land mines that are close to the surface and not obscured by vegetation, but the company hopes to improve on this by adding thermal imaging and radars to find more well-hidden mines. The technology isn’t meant to completely replace conventional methods of mine detection; instead, it’s meant to drastically ease the burden of locating the majority of them. This is one job that we’re glad to see AI take over.
What’s that droning noise? Only the sound of a flying minesweeper. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left the latter country dealing with deadly landmines laid throughout their territory. Removing such mines is a dangerous, time-consuming process, but drones and AI are now making it safer and easier. The use of landmines is forbidden by the UN per a treaty signed by 167 nations, but they continue to be used anyway. Part of the reason for the ban is that landmines are, by their very design, difficult to detect. The danger they pose during wartime is devastating enough, but in many cases, landmines continue to do harm years after whatever conflict elicited their use has ended. Even today, it’s not uncommon to hear about mines from long-concluded wars taking the lives of unsuspecting civilians. And it’s not just mines but undetonated bombs and shells lurking underground. There are a number of ways to find these dangerous weapons, but everything from metal detectors to people scanning aerial photographs to spot mines are excruciatingly slow. With conventional methods like these, it could take Ukraine as long as 750 years to be totally clear of landmines in the 67,000-square-mile area that is thought to be affected. That’s why they’re now turning to a method that’s currently considered unconventional, but might soon be the norm—a combination of drones and AI. A company called Safe Pro AI has developed an algorithm that can scan thousands of aerial photographs taken by drones and identify 70 types of landmines and other explosives with an accuracy rate of 90 percent. Currently, the technology is limited to land mines that are close to the surface and not obscured by vegetation, but the company hopes to improve on this by adding thermal imaging and radars to find more well-hidden mines. The technology isn’t meant to completely replace conventional methods of mine detection; instead, it’s meant to drastically ease the burden of locating the majority of them. This is one job that we’re glad to see AI take over.
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FREEOutdoors Daily Curio #2867Free1 CQ
Bon appétit! The French are renowned for their culinary fare, but they’ll be adding a new twist on May 26, when Parisians will be holding a truly giant picnic. The event will take place at Champs-Élysées, one of the most iconic streets in the city, and will accommodate 4,000 diners and even more bystanders. Unlike most picnics, baskets needn’t be brought, as one will be provided to each participant for free with a variety of culinary contributions from nine area restaurants. The oversized picnic is the brainchild of the Champs-Élysées Committee and LG Electronics France, and is intended to encourage tourism. Paris is the most visited city in the world, but the pandemic dealt a massive blow to the travel industry. Over the last two years, visitors have been returning to the City of Light en masse, and in 2023, the city saw 44 million visitors throughout the year. That’s still 13 percent lower than it was before the pandemic in 2019, so organizers of the picnic hope that their event will encourage more tourism in the near future. While the picnic will be open to anyone—residents and tourists alike—tickets will only be available in a raffle, with winners chosen at random for two time slots—one at noon and another at 2 p.m. Despite its expected size, this actually won’t be the biggest picnic ever held. According to Guinness World Records, the world’s largest picnic took place in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2009 and saw 22,232 diners. That, too, was the result of local officials trying to boost tourism, and the picnic successfully drew in people from all around the country. However, the picnic in Paris will still set another world record. For the event, organizers will roll out the world’s largest giant picnic blanket, which will be over 700 feet long. Each square of the red-and-white checkered blanket will be large enough to seat six people. If you’re at the picnic and happen to spill some red wine, just try to do it on one of the red squares.
[Image description: Croissants and other food on a blue picnic blanket outdoors.] Credit & copyright: Maksim Goncharenok, PexelsBon appétit! The French are renowned for their culinary fare, but they’ll be adding a new twist on May 26, when Parisians will be holding a truly giant picnic. The event will take place at Champs-Élysées, one of the most iconic streets in the city, and will accommodate 4,000 diners and even more bystanders. Unlike most picnics, baskets needn’t be brought, as one will be provided to each participant for free with a variety of culinary contributions from nine area restaurants. The oversized picnic is the brainchild of the Champs-Élysées Committee and LG Electronics France, and is intended to encourage tourism. Paris is the most visited city in the world, but the pandemic dealt a massive blow to the travel industry. Over the last two years, visitors have been returning to the City of Light en masse, and in 2023, the city saw 44 million visitors throughout the year. That’s still 13 percent lower than it was before the pandemic in 2019, so organizers of the picnic hope that their event will encourage more tourism in the near future. While the picnic will be open to anyone—residents and tourists alike—tickets will only be available in a raffle, with winners chosen at random for two time slots—one at noon and another at 2 p.m. Despite its expected size, this actually won’t be the biggest picnic ever held. According to Guinness World Records, the world’s largest picnic took place in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2009 and saw 22,232 diners. That, too, was the result of local officials trying to boost tourism, and the picnic successfully drew in people from all around the country. However, the picnic in Paris will still set another world record. For the event, organizers will roll out the world’s largest giant picnic blanket, which will be over 700 feet long. Each square of the red-and-white checkered blanket will be large enough to seat six people. If you’re at the picnic and happen to spill some red wine, just try to do it on one of the red squares.
[Image description: Croissants and other food on a blue picnic blanket outdoors.] Credit & copyright: Maksim Goncharenok, Pexels -
FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Fancy a wee bit o' haggis? This legendary food, long considered the national dish of Scotland, might be something of an acquired taste. Many a tourist has squirmed at the thought of eating a stuffed sheep’s stomach, but haggis plays an integral role in Scottish history…and in a common Scottish joke.
Haggis is considered to be a pudding in the UK. While “pudding” is a custardy dessert in the U.S., in the UK the word refers to any savory or sweet dish that is boiled or steamed inside of something, from a covered pan to a piece of cloth. Traditionally, haggis is cooked (and served) in a sheep’s stomach. The stomach is stuffed with chopped sheep’s “pluck” or “offal”, meaning organ meat or other body parts. These can include the heart, liver, tongue, lungs, and even brain. Stock made from the offal, as well as the offal itself, are stuffed inside a sheep’s stomach along with suet (animal fat), oatmeal, minced onions, and spices like pepper, nutmeg, and coriander. The stomach is then tied off and simmered in water to cook. The end result is a meal that resembles a crumbly sausage with a savory, gamey flavor.
Haggis has been around for centuries; its name might have evolved from a French word used in the Middle Ages: “hachis”, which means chopped animal parts. The first written record of the Scottish dish comes from the 1430 cookbook Liber Cure Cocorum, where it was referred to as “hagws of a schepe”, roughly meaning “chopped parts of a sheep.” Haggis became a popular peasant dish since it helped preserve offal, which was usually quick to spoil. Its popularity surged in 1786, when famed Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote Address to a Haggis, in which he referred to the dish as the “great chieftain o' the puddin-race.” To this day, many Scots enjoy what is known as a “Burns supper” on the night of January 25, the writer’s birthday. The meal consists of haggis with "neeps", or boiled rutabaga, and "tatties", or mashed potatoes. A dram, or glass of Scottish whisky, is also served.
Haggis isn’t all about tradition and solemnity, though. One long-standing Scottish joke is that haggis isn’t made from sheep at all—it’s actually the meat of a shaggy, rodent-like animal. This fictional beast is said to have long legs on one side of its body so that it can run around mountains without falling over. Drawings, sculptures, and even stuffed animals of the folkloric haggis can be found in gift shops throughout Scotland. Plenty of gullible tourists have been fooled by the joke. In fact, one poll revealed that 33 percent of Americans visiting Scotland believed in wild haggises. Or is it “haggi” when there’s more than one?
[Image description: A close-up photo of a sheep’s face looking down at the camera.] Credit & copyright: Rudy and Peter Skitterians, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Fancy a wee bit o' haggis? This legendary food, long considered the national dish of Scotland, might be something of an acquired taste. Many a tourist has squirmed at the thought of eating a stuffed sheep’s stomach, but haggis plays an integral role in Scottish history…and in a common Scottish joke.
Haggis is considered to be a pudding in the UK. While “pudding” is a custardy dessert in the U.S., in the UK the word refers to any savory or sweet dish that is boiled or steamed inside of something, from a covered pan to a piece of cloth. Traditionally, haggis is cooked (and served) in a sheep’s stomach. The stomach is stuffed with chopped sheep’s “pluck” or “offal”, meaning organ meat or other body parts. These can include the heart, liver, tongue, lungs, and even brain. Stock made from the offal, as well as the offal itself, are stuffed inside a sheep’s stomach along with suet (animal fat), oatmeal, minced onions, and spices like pepper, nutmeg, and coriander. The stomach is then tied off and simmered in water to cook. The end result is a meal that resembles a crumbly sausage with a savory, gamey flavor.
Haggis has been around for centuries; its name might have evolved from a French word used in the Middle Ages: “hachis”, which means chopped animal parts. The first written record of the Scottish dish comes from the 1430 cookbook Liber Cure Cocorum, where it was referred to as “hagws of a schepe”, roughly meaning “chopped parts of a sheep.” Haggis became a popular peasant dish since it helped preserve offal, which was usually quick to spoil. Its popularity surged in 1786, when famed Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote Address to a Haggis, in which he referred to the dish as the “great chieftain o' the puddin-race.” To this day, many Scots enjoy what is known as a “Burns supper” on the night of January 25, the writer’s birthday. The meal consists of haggis with "neeps", or boiled rutabaga, and "tatties", or mashed potatoes. A dram, or glass of Scottish whisky, is also served.
Haggis isn’t all about tradition and solemnity, though. One long-standing Scottish joke is that haggis isn’t made from sheep at all—it’s actually the meat of a shaggy, rodent-like animal. This fictional beast is said to have long legs on one side of its body so that it can run around mountains without falling over. Drawings, sculptures, and even stuffed animals of the folkloric haggis can be found in gift shops throughout Scotland. Plenty of gullible tourists have been fooled by the joke. In fact, one poll revealed that 33 percent of Americans visiting Scotland believed in wild haggises. Or is it “haggi” when there’s more than one?
[Image description: A close-up photo of a sheep’s face looking down at the camera.] Credit & copyright: Rudy and Peter Skitterians, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. -
FREETravel Daily Curio #2866Free1 CQ
Sure the desert view is nice, but driving through it can be a slog. Unfortunately, if you want to get from, say, Los Angeles to Las Vegas, it’s the only option besides flying. Soon, though, a high-speed rail line may be taking passengers through the Mojave. Bullet trains are commonplace in some other parts of the world but though the U.S. was once defined by its expansive railways, it has fallen behind in terms of train technology. It’s not for lack of demand, either. In the state of California, many residents have been waiting with bated breath for a fabled high-speed rail line that would connect Los Angeles to San Francisco. Construction of the 500-mile line was approved by voters in 2008, but the project has been plagued by setbacks and has far surpassed the original budget, tripling in cost to $105 billion and counting. While it might seem like this new line could meet the same fate, the company heading the project has a decent track record of delivering on promises. Brightline, which is based in Florida, has already built a 235-mile-long, high-speed line that connects Orlando and Miami. In California and Nevada, the company will be laying down 218 miles along the median of I-15, connecting Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, which has commuter line connections to Los Angeles. Even without a direct connection to Los Angeles, the line will be a shorter trip than just driving. The 218-mile stretch of I-15 takes about four hours to traverse by car, but the train will cut that time in half. Not to mention that it’ll include bathrooms, wi-fi, food, and beverages for its passengers. The line will also improve conditions for those who opt to drive anyway, as it’s expected to accommodate as many as 11 million travelers that would have otherwise driven over the highway, which sees an average of 44,000 drivers per day. Next stop: Sin City.
[Image description: A close-up photo of train tracks.] Credit & copyright: Brett Sayles, PexelsSure the desert view is nice, but driving through it can be a slog. Unfortunately, if you want to get from, say, Los Angeles to Las Vegas, it’s the only option besides flying. Soon, though, a high-speed rail line may be taking passengers through the Mojave. Bullet trains are commonplace in some other parts of the world but though the U.S. was once defined by its expansive railways, it has fallen behind in terms of train technology. It’s not for lack of demand, either. In the state of California, many residents have been waiting with bated breath for a fabled high-speed rail line that would connect Los Angeles to San Francisco. Construction of the 500-mile line was approved by voters in 2008, but the project has been plagued by setbacks and has far surpassed the original budget, tripling in cost to $105 billion and counting. While it might seem like this new line could meet the same fate, the company heading the project has a decent track record of delivering on promises. Brightline, which is based in Florida, has already built a 235-mile-long, high-speed line that connects Orlando and Miami. In California and Nevada, the company will be laying down 218 miles along the median of I-15, connecting Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, which has commuter line connections to Los Angeles. Even without a direct connection to Los Angeles, the line will be a shorter trip than just driving. The 218-mile stretch of I-15 takes about four hours to traverse by car, but the train will cut that time in half. Not to mention that it’ll include bathrooms, wi-fi, food, and beverages for its passengers. The line will also improve conditions for those who opt to drive anyway, as it’s expected to accommodate as many as 11 million travelers that would have otherwise driven over the highway, which sees an average of 44,000 drivers per day. Next stop: Sin City.
[Image description: A close-up photo of train tracks.] Credit & copyright: Brett Sayles, Pexels -
FREEUS History Daily Curio #2865Free1 CQ
For heads of state, the hardest part of the Cold War was keeping cool. But on this day in 1960, things got a little heated between the East and West when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The U-2 spy plane was a single-occupant plane developed in the 1950s to perform high-altitude reconnaissance for the CIA and was heavily used during the Cold War. When this particular U-2 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile during a mission originally planned to span 2,900 miles, its sole operator, Francis Gary Powers, found himself alone on foreign soil. After parachuting to safety, Powers was quickly captured and held in Moscow while Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev demanded answers from President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The incident couldn’t have happened at a worse time; the two nations were planning to meet in Paris to discuss ongoing issues regarding a divided Germany, which had been partitioned after WWII. The idea of American spy planes in their airspace wasn’t well-received by the Soviet Union, and the incident put the upcoming Paris summit under threat. It also dragged several other countries into the mess. According to testimony from Powers, he had been taking off from airfields in Pakistan, Norway, and Turkey, all of which received protest notes from the Soviet Union. Meantime, the U.S. denied culpability, claiming that the flights were unauthorized and that they had no knowledge of them. Pakistan, Norway and Turkey, in turn, sent letters to the U.S. demanding that they cease all flights from their territories. In reality, the spy plane program was a matter of great interest to Eisenhower, who personally authorized each flight. Nevertheless, he sent assurances to his Soviet counterpart that no such flights would be made for the rest of his term, though he also refused to apologize for them. The refusal sunk any hopes for the Paris summit, as Khrushchev refused to maintain diplomatic discussions with the U.S. for the rest of Eisenhower’s term, only resuming once John F. Kennedy took office. As for Powers, he was tried and found guilty of spying. He served two years of his ten-year sentence, until he was exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. An eye for an eye and a spy for a spy.
[Image description: A black Lockheed U-2 aircraft flying over clouds.] Credit & copyright: Wikipedia, Picture prepared for Wikipedia by Adrian Pingstone in April 2003. This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain in the United States.For heads of state, the hardest part of the Cold War was keeping cool. But on this day in 1960, things got a little heated between the East and West when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The U-2 spy plane was a single-occupant plane developed in the 1950s to perform high-altitude reconnaissance for the CIA and was heavily used during the Cold War. When this particular U-2 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile during a mission originally planned to span 2,900 miles, its sole operator, Francis Gary Powers, found himself alone on foreign soil. After parachuting to safety, Powers was quickly captured and held in Moscow while Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev demanded answers from President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The incident couldn’t have happened at a worse time; the two nations were planning to meet in Paris to discuss ongoing issues regarding a divided Germany, which had been partitioned after WWII. The idea of American spy planes in their airspace wasn’t well-received by the Soviet Union, and the incident put the upcoming Paris summit under threat. It also dragged several other countries into the mess. According to testimony from Powers, he had been taking off from airfields in Pakistan, Norway, and Turkey, all of which received protest notes from the Soviet Union. Meantime, the U.S. denied culpability, claiming that the flights were unauthorized and that they had no knowledge of them. Pakistan, Norway and Turkey, in turn, sent letters to the U.S. demanding that they cease all flights from their territories. In reality, the spy plane program was a matter of great interest to Eisenhower, who personally authorized each flight. Nevertheless, he sent assurances to his Soviet counterpart that no such flights would be made for the rest of his term, though he also refused to apologize for them. The refusal sunk any hopes for the Paris summit, as Khrushchev refused to maintain diplomatic discussions with the U.S. for the rest of Eisenhower’s term, only resuming once John F. Kennedy took office. As for Powers, he was tried and found guilty of spying. He served two years of his ten-year sentence, until he was exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. An eye for an eye and a spy for a spy.
[Image description: A black Lockheed U-2 aircraft flying over clouds.] Credit & copyright: Wikipedia, Picture prepared for Wikipedia by Adrian Pingstone in April 2003. This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain in the United States. -
FREEScience Daily Curio #2864Free1 CQ
It seems like shrinkflation has affected everything but hurricanes. As climate change leads to more extreme weather events, some scientists are saying that a new tier needs to be added to the scale used for measuring hurricanes. Currently, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale works as a convenient shorthand for how serious a storm is. The difference between 95 MPH winds and 156 MPH winds might not mean much to the average person—they both sound devastatingly fast. However, those speeds represent the upper ends of Category 1 storms and Category 4 storms respectively, and there is a stark difference in destructive potential. Category 1 hurricanes might cause damage to shrubbery and building exteriors, but Category 4 could cause a roof collapse or completely obliterate small buildings. Most people who live in hurricane-prone areas understand the difference thanks to the simplified category labels. Where Category 5 sits nowadays, however, is a matter of growing concern. Currently, Category 5 is anything above Category 4, and such storms have caused structural failures and power outages lasting months due to extensive damage to the power grid. Yet, some newer Category 5 hurricanes have so much more destructive potential than Category 5s of the past that some scientists now are calling for a Category 6 to be added to the scale. The new category would refer to storms with wind speeds of 192 MPH and above. Storms with such severe winds used to be fairly rare, so a sixth category wasn’t thought to be necessary. Between 1980 and 2021, only five out of 197 hurricanes would have been labeled Category 6, but all five of those took place from 2013 onward. Those in favor of the change have pointed out that labeling a 200-MPH storm Category 5 just doesn’t convey an accurate picture of the storm’s threat. However, some scientists also believe that adding an additional category might affect public perception of the lower categories and cause people to take them less seriously—and make no mistake, even a Category 1 storm can be dangerous. Then again, you can at least ride out a Category 1; a Category 6 will throw you like a bull.
It seems like shrinkflation has affected everything but hurricanes. As climate change leads to more extreme weather events, some scientists are saying that a new tier needs to be added to the scale used for measuring hurricanes. Currently, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale works as a convenient shorthand for how serious a storm is. The difference between 95 MPH winds and 156 MPH winds might not mean much to the average person—they both sound devastatingly fast. However, those speeds represent the upper ends of Category 1 storms and Category 4 storms respectively, and there is a stark difference in destructive potential. Category 1 hurricanes might cause damage to shrubbery and building exteriors, but Category 4 could cause a roof collapse or completely obliterate small buildings. Most people who live in hurricane-prone areas understand the difference thanks to the simplified category labels. Where Category 5 sits nowadays, however, is a matter of growing concern. Currently, Category 5 is anything above Category 4, and such storms have caused structural failures and power outages lasting months due to extensive damage to the power grid. Yet, some newer Category 5 hurricanes have so much more destructive potential than Category 5s of the past that some scientists now are calling for a Category 6 to be added to the scale. The new category would refer to storms with wind speeds of 192 MPH and above. Storms with such severe winds used to be fairly rare, so a sixth category wasn’t thought to be necessary. Between 1980 and 2021, only five out of 197 hurricanes would have been labeled Category 6, but all five of those took place from 2013 onward. Those in favor of the change have pointed out that labeling a 200-MPH storm Category 5 just doesn’t convey an accurate picture of the storm’s threat. However, some scientists also believe that adding an additional category might affect public perception of the lower categories and cause people to take them less seriously—and make no mistake, even a Category 1 storm can be dangerous. Then again, you can at least ride out a Category 1; a Category 6 will throw you like a bull.
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FREEWorld History Daily Curio #2863Free1 CQ
Some recipes might be too good to mess with, but this one is actually illegal to alter. Anzac Day was recently held on April 25, and for Aussies and Kiwis, that means eating Anzac Biscuits—a treat of longstanding tradition that isn’t taken lightly. “Anzac” is short for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and Anzac Day commemorates April 25, 1915, when the two nations’ militaries embarked on an allied expedition and took part in a grueling campaign. Called the Gallipoli campaign, it took place in the peninsula of the same name, which at the time was a territory of the Ottoman Empire. The campaign lasted until the end of the year, and ultimately led to massive casualties for both the Ottoman and the allies, with around 12,000 dead for the Anzacs.
It makes sense for a day commemorating such a deadly campaign to include somber ceremonies and traditions. After the prayers, speeches, and moments of silence have concluded, though, observants indulge in Anzac Biscuits, formerly known as Soldiers’ Biscuit. These were originally biscuits sent from family members back home to soldiers on the front lines, and were made with simple ingredients so that they could endure their lengthy journey without spoiling. The recipe varied quite a bit back when civilians were baking them, and even today, every family has their own slight variation, but commercial producers of the biscuits are held to a strict standard. Per the Protection of Word ‘Anzac’ Act 1920, companies that produce the biscuits for sale cannot deviate from the set recipe, lest they receive hefty fines. As of today, the fine can be as high as $40,000 in U.S. dollars, and there may even be jail time of up to 12 months. If the company wants to sell biscuits with additional or alternate ingredients (except to accommodate dietary restrictions like lactose intolerance), they’re not allowed to use the term “Anzac.” As for the official ingredients, they include butter or margarine, golden syrup, baking soda, flour, rolled oats, dried coconut, and brown sugar. It’s not just tradition—it’s the law!
[Image description: The Australian flag flying against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Hugo Heimendinger, PexelsSome recipes might be too good to mess with, but this one is actually illegal to alter. Anzac Day was recently held on April 25, and for Aussies and Kiwis, that means eating Anzac Biscuits—a treat of longstanding tradition that isn’t taken lightly. “Anzac” is short for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and Anzac Day commemorates April 25, 1915, when the two nations’ militaries embarked on an allied expedition and took part in a grueling campaign. Called the Gallipoli campaign, it took place in the peninsula of the same name, which at the time was a territory of the Ottoman Empire. The campaign lasted until the end of the year, and ultimately led to massive casualties for both the Ottoman and the allies, with around 12,000 dead for the Anzacs.
It makes sense for a day commemorating such a deadly campaign to include somber ceremonies and traditions. After the prayers, speeches, and moments of silence have concluded, though, observants indulge in Anzac Biscuits, formerly known as Soldiers’ Biscuit. These were originally biscuits sent from family members back home to soldiers on the front lines, and were made with simple ingredients so that they could endure their lengthy journey without spoiling. The recipe varied quite a bit back when civilians were baking them, and even today, every family has their own slight variation, but commercial producers of the biscuits are held to a strict standard. Per the Protection of Word ‘Anzac’ Act 1920, companies that produce the biscuits for sale cannot deviate from the set recipe, lest they receive hefty fines. As of today, the fine can be as high as $40,000 in U.S. dollars, and there may even be jail time of up to 12 months. If the company wants to sell biscuits with additional or alternate ingredients (except to accommodate dietary restrictions like lactose intolerance), they’re not allowed to use the term “Anzac.” As for the official ingredients, they include butter or margarine, golden syrup, baking soda, flour, rolled oats, dried coconut, and brown sugar. It’s not just tradition—it’s the law!
[Image description: The Australian flag flying against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Hugo Heimendinger, Pexels -
FREEWork Daily Curio #2862Free1 CQ
This is one job where it’s appropriate to be a control freak. Dangerous near-collisions of commercial airplanes have been on the rise lately, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is stepping in to require that air traffic controllers step away for some rest. While a close call in terrestrial traffic might mean an angry honk or a fender bender followed by an annoyed call to an insurance company, the stakes are higher in the air, where near-collisions can lead to hundreds of delayed flights. Of course, near misses are better than the alternative of actual aviation accidents, which could end in mass tragedy. What keeps such disasters at bay is an army of air traffic controllers—trained professionals who often have the final say on where and when a plane can go. Unfortunately, accidents and near-accidents are becoming more common. In April, an airline pilot at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York was forced to abort a takeoff at the last second because other jets were entering the runway. Later that same week, a nearly identical incident occurred at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, one of the airports that serve the Washington D.C. area and is a hub for various airlines.
The problem, the FAA says, is a shortage of air traffic controllers, leading to long shifts without sufficient rest time. To address the issue, the FAA is making changes that are due to take effect in three months, mandating 10 hours of rest time between shifts (up from nine), with the number going up to 12 hours for overnight shifts. As for the cause of the shortage itself, it may not be possible to fix by mandate alone. Part of the issue is systemic: back in 1981, President Ronald Reagan fired 11,000 striking air traffic controllers, ridding the nation’s airports of the most experienced in the field. Today, despite being a relatively high-paying occupation, becoming an air traffic controller is difficult, and the job itself can be (understandably) high-stress. The FAA also maintains stringent requirements for candidates, who cannot be 31 or older and must be willing to relocate to any FAA facility in the U.S. after completing the training program, which is held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. But if you’re young, college-educated, and not picky about where you live, it could be “OK.”
[Image description: An air traffic control tower against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Eheik, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Eheik, at the English Wikipedia project. This applies worldwide.This is one job where it’s appropriate to be a control freak. Dangerous near-collisions of commercial airplanes have been on the rise lately, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is stepping in to require that air traffic controllers step away for some rest. While a close call in terrestrial traffic might mean an angry honk or a fender bender followed by an annoyed call to an insurance company, the stakes are higher in the air, where near-collisions can lead to hundreds of delayed flights. Of course, near misses are better than the alternative of actual aviation accidents, which could end in mass tragedy. What keeps such disasters at bay is an army of air traffic controllers—trained professionals who often have the final say on where and when a plane can go. Unfortunately, accidents and near-accidents are becoming more common. In April, an airline pilot at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York was forced to abort a takeoff at the last second because other jets were entering the runway. Later that same week, a nearly identical incident occurred at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, one of the airports that serve the Washington D.C. area and is a hub for various airlines.
The problem, the FAA says, is a shortage of air traffic controllers, leading to long shifts without sufficient rest time. To address the issue, the FAA is making changes that are due to take effect in three months, mandating 10 hours of rest time between shifts (up from nine), with the number going up to 12 hours for overnight shifts. As for the cause of the shortage itself, it may not be possible to fix by mandate alone. Part of the issue is systemic: back in 1981, President Ronald Reagan fired 11,000 striking air traffic controllers, ridding the nation’s airports of the most experienced in the field. Today, despite being a relatively high-paying occupation, becoming an air traffic controller is difficult, and the job itself can be (understandably) high-stress. The FAA also maintains stringent requirements for candidates, who cannot be 31 or older and must be willing to relocate to any FAA facility in the U.S. after completing the training program, which is held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. But if you’re young, college-educated, and not picky about where you live, it could be “OK.”
[Image description: An air traffic control tower against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Eheik, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Eheik, at the English Wikipedia project. This applies worldwide. -
FREEMusic Daily Curio #2861Free1 CQ
Mother Nature’s about to hit the big time! Thanks to a UN initiative, recording artists can now credit “Nature” as a featured artist, with royalties going to fund conservation efforts. The initiative was started by the Museum for the United Nations - UN Live, a Copenhagen-based institution that focuses on engaging young people through culture. Their latest effort, “Sounds Right,” seeks to promote the value of conservation through an unconventional avenue: allowing artists to feature natural sounds in their tracks that are credited to “NATURE.” To make this possible, Sounds Right registered NATURE as an artist on various streaming platforms, and any time that a listener plays a track that features the “artist,” a portion of the royalties go toward funding “high-impact” conservation efforts in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands, Indo-Burma, Sundaland, the Philippines, the Tropical Andes, and the Atlantic Forest. On Spotify, Nature even has an artist page with a star-studded tracklist. Among the songs that “Feat. NATURE” is Get Real by David Bowie and Brian Eno, which features sounds recorded from hyenas and wild pigs. Other artists on the page include Ellie Goulding and even a member of K-Pop sensation BTS. Some of the artists are contributing new tunes that use everything from ambient rainforest sounds to bird songs. Thanks in part to the immense reach of platforms like Spotify and the participating artists, Sounds Right estimates that the initiative will reach as many as 600 million people and raise $40 million. The initiative isn’t just about raising money today, though. It’s about sowing the seeds of activism for tomorrow. On their website, Sounds Right states, “The dream is to inspire and support fans of NATURE to take further environmental action, whether at a household level or advocating for societal changes that redress our extractive relationship with nature.” Going green never sounded so groovy.
[Image description: A small bird perched on a branch, singing.] Credit & copyright: Membeth, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law.Mother Nature’s about to hit the big time! Thanks to a UN initiative, recording artists can now credit “Nature” as a featured artist, with royalties going to fund conservation efforts. The initiative was started by the Museum for the United Nations - UN Live, a Copenhagen-based institution that focuses on engaging young people through culture. Their latest effort, “Sounds Right,” seeks to promote the value of conservation through an unconventional avenue: allowing artists to feature natural sounds in their tracks that are credited to “NATURE.” To make this possible, Sounds Right registered NATURE as an artist on various streaming platforms, and any time that a listener plays a track that features the “artist,” a portion of the royalties go toward funding “high-impact” conservation efforts in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands, Indo-Burma, Sundaland, the Philippines, the Tropical Andes, and the Atlantic Forest. On Spotify, Nature even has an artist page with a star-studded tracklist. Among the songs that “Feat. NATURE” is Get Real by David Bowie and Brian Eno, which features sounds recorded from hyenas and wild pigs. Other artists on the page include Ellie Goulding and even a member of K-Pop sensation BTS. Some of the artists are contributing new tunes that use everything from ambient rainforest sounds to bird songs. Thanks in part to the immense reach of platforms like Spotify and the participating artists, Sounds Right estimates that the initiative will reach as many as 600 million people and raise $40 million. The initiative isn’t just about raising money today, though. It’s about sowing the seeds of activism for tomorrow. On their website, Sounds Right states, “The dream is to inspire and support fans of NATURE to take further environmental action, whether at a household level or advocating for societal changes that redress our extractive relationship with nature.” Going green never sounded so groovy.
[Image description: A small bird perched on a branch, singing.] Credit & copyright: Membeth, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law. -
FREEScience Daily Curio #2860Free1 CQ
Here's a chance to take a literal step into the past. For a dinosaur 150 million years ago, leaving some footprints behind probably wasn’t particularly exciting. But as fossilized imprints on limestone, they’re a thrilling paleontological treasure today. Once located on private property, the track of 134 consecutive sauropod footprints near Ouray, Colorado, will soon be available for public viewing. Named the West Gold Hill Dinosaur Track site, it’s the longest such track at 106 total yards. Its path reveals the movement of a giant, long-necked dinosaur that seemed to walk straight for some time before making a 270 degree turn and partly looping around. It may not sound like much, but such long, well-preserved tracks are rare, and ones that show a distinct change in direction are even rarer, with only five other examples—four in China and one in Utah. Of those, none of the tracks show a turn greater than 180 degrees. The tracks in Colorado weren’t discovered until 2021, when the family who owned the land where they’re located noticed a line of strange divots. According to family members, they had been camping in the area for years and merely appreciated the rainwater-filled divots as convenient sources of water for their dogs. After they realized that the divots were actually dinosaur tracks, the family contacted the United States Forest Service in 2022 in order to sell them the land so that the natural wonder could be shared with the public. Recently, the Forest Service acquired the surrounding land for $135,000, with plans to expand an existing trail system in the area leading to the site. But the footprints can be seen even by those who can’t make the trek to Colorado—they are actually visible from Google Earth. You could say it’s a pterosaur’s eye view.
[Image description: A black-and-white illustration of a long-necked dinosaur, or sauropod.] Credit & copyright: Pearson Scott Foresman, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Pearson Scott Foresman. This applies worldwide.Here's a chance to take a literal step into the past. For a dinosaur 150 million years ago, leaving some footprints behind probably wasn’t particularly exciting. But as fossilized imprints on limestone, they’re a thrilling paleontological treasure today. Once located on private property, the track of 134 consecutive sauropod footprints near Ouray, Colorado, will soon be available for public viewing. Named the West Gold Hill Dinosaur Track site, it’s the longest such track at 106 total yards. Its path reveals the movement of a giant, long-necked dinosaur that seemed to walk straight for some time before making a 270 degree turn and partly looping around. It may not sound like much, but such long, well-preserved tracks are rare, and ones that show a distinct change in direction are even rarer, with only five other examples—four in China and one in Utah. Of those, none of the tracks show a turn greater than 180 degrees. The tracks in Colorado weren’t discovered until 2021, when the family who owned the land where they’re located noticed a line of strange divots. According to family members, they had been camping in the area for years and merely appreciated the rainwater-filled divots as convenient sources of water for their dogs. After they realized that the divots were actually dinosaur tracks, the family contacted the United States Forest Service in 2022 in order to sell them the land so that the natural wonder could be shared with the public. Recently, the Forest Service acquired the surrounding land for $135,000, with plans to expand an existing trail system in the area leading to the site. But the footprints can be seen even by those who can’t make the trek to Colorado—they are actually visible from Google Earth. You could say it’s a pterosaur’s eye view.
[Image description: A black-and-white illustration of a long-necked dinosaur, or sauropod.] Credit & copyright: Pearson Scott Foresman, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Pearson Scott Foresman. This applies worldwide. -
FREETravel Daily Curio #2859Free1 CQ
Pack it in, pack it out—for real this time. Hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts live by the creed “leave no trace,” but Everest hopefuls have famously disregarded this tenet, leaving a mountain of waste next to the actual mountain. Now, authorities in Nepal are putting their foot down. In addition to sending in the army to remove trash (much of which is human waste) as they do every year, they’re implementing new rules for mountaineers to curb the amount of trash that gets left around the peak.
Every year, Nepali troops remove trash left behind on Everest, but it’s a daunting, never-ending task. Scores of climbers from around the world converge at the base of the Himalayan mountain, sometimes spending weeks waiting for their chance to summit. In that time, they leave behind literal tons of trash, and without plumbed lavatories on site, that means a lot of feces. There’s also the matter of trash that gets left behind on the way to the summit, like oxygen tanks that get discarded as they empty. On a more grisly note, there are also deposits of human remains along the path, frozen in time, still clad in bright mountaineering gear. Recovering bodies can be dangerous and expensive, so most people who die on Everest are left where they fall. They are so numerous and distinct against the stark, snowy backdrop that some bodies serve as landmarks on the way to the peak.
Nepal alone has approved well over 300 climbing permits so far this year, and more will surely come from the Tibetan side, which means more waste and potentially more casualties. To address the issue, the governments of Nepal and China have begun efforts to remove bodies and existing trash. All climbers will now be required to carry out their poop in special bags that will be issued to them. Each climber will be given two poop bags filled with chemicals to solidify waste, and each bag can be used 6 times, which should be enough for the two weeks that most climbers spend at base camp. With climbing permits going for $11,000, those are going to cost more than most designer bags!
[Image description: Mount Everest against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: W. Mason Fuller, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, W. Mason Fuller at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide.Pack it in, pack it out—for real this time. Hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts live by the creed “leave no trace,” but Everest hopefuls have famously disregarded this tenet, leaving a mountain of waste next to the actual mountain. Now, authorities in Nepal are putting their foot down. In addition to sending in the army to remove trash (much of which is human waste) as they do every year, they’re implementing new rules for mountaineers to curb the amount of trash that gets left around the peak.
Every year, Nepali troops remove trash left behind on Everest, but it’s a daunting, never-ending task. Scores of climbers from around the world converge at the base of the Himalayan mountain, sometimes spending weeks waiting for their chance to summit. In that time, they leave behind literal tons of trash, and without plumbed lavatories on site, that means a lot of feces. There’s also the matter of trash that gets left behind on the way to the summit, like oxygen tanks that get discarded as they empty. On a more grisly note, there are also deposits of human remains along the path, frozen in time, still clad in bright mountaineering gear. Recovering bodies can be dangerous and expensive, so most people who die on Everest are left where they fall. They are so numerous and distinct against the stark, snowy backdrop that some bodies serve as landmarks on the way to the peak.
Nepal alone has approved well over 300 climbing permits so far this year, and more will surely come from the Tibetan side, which means more waste and potentially more casualties. To address the issue, the governments of Nepal and China have begun efforts to remove bodies and existing trash. All climbers will now be required to carry out their poop in special bags that will be issued to them. Each climber will be given two poop bags filled with chemicals to solidify waste, and each bag can be used 6 times, which should be enough for the two weeks that most climbers spend at base camp. With climbing permits going for $11,000, those are going to cost more than most designer bags!
[Image description: Mount Everest against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: W. Mason Fuller, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, W. Mason Fuller at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. -
FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
You can enjoy this snack on the go, just don’t forget your napkin! As the weather warms, plenty of people around the world will be reaching for doubles, a street food created in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. These delicious, saucy (somewhat messy) fried sandwiches manage to meld sweet, savory, and tart flavors together at once—and, though they’ve been around for almost a century, we know exactly who invented them.
Doubles are fried, open-faced sandwiches made from two pieces of fried dough called baras. The dough is stuffed with spicy, curried chickpeas and topped with a variety of sauces and spices. Some of the most common toppings include mango chutney, coriander sauce, diced cucumber, or a combination thereof. In some ways, doubles serve as a culinary expression of Trinidad and Tobego’s diverse population. Baras, chutneys, and currys have their roots in Indian and other South Asian cuisines, while chickpeas are an important staple in African cuisine. This melding makes sense, considering that Trinidad and Tobego is home to many people of Indian, West African, Chinese, and Indigenous Caribbean descent.
The invention of doubles is widely credited to the husband and wife team of Emamool and Raheman Deen, who began selling single baras topped with curried chickpeas to Indian sugar estate workers in Princes Town some time in the 1910s. Eventually, the Deens added chutneys to the baras, and coined the term “doubles” when customers began requesting two baras instead of one. The first, true doubles were sold by the Deens in 1936.
Doubles didn’t remain a family secret for long, though. Soon, other street vendors in Princes Town began selling the food, and it quickly grew popular enough to spread throughout the entire country, with some vendors even choosing to sell doubles and nothing else. Though some people today choose to make their doubles at home, the dish is still most famous as a street food. Doubles can and often are eaten any time of day, usually by working people in a hurry, but also by late-night partiers who consider them an excellent accompaniment to alcohol. Able to be enjoyed as a breakfast food and a midnight snack, you could say that doubles are double-delicious.
[Image description: Chickpeas in a silver pan.] Credit & copyright: Kyle Killam, PexelsYou can enjoy this snack on the go, just don’t forget your napkin! As the weather warms, plenty of people around the world will be reaching for doubles, a street food created in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. These delicious, saucy (somewhat messy) fried sandwiches manage to meld sweet, savory, and tart flavors together at once—and, though they’ve been around for almost a century, we know exactly who invented them.
Doubles are fried, open-faced sandwiches made from two pieces of fried dough called baras. The dough is stuffed with spicy, curried chickpeas and topped with a variety of sauces and spices. Some of the most common toppings include mango chutney, coriander sauce, diced cucumber, or a combination thereof. In some ways, doubles serve as a culinary expression of Trinidad and Tobego’s diverse population. Baras, chutneys, and currys have their roots in Indian and other South Asian cuisines, while chickpeas are an important staple in African cuisine. This melding makes sense, considering that Trinidad and Tobego is home to many people of Indian, West African, Chinese, and Indigenous Caribbean descent.
The invention of doubles is widely credited to the husband and wife team of Emamool and Raheman Deen, who began selling single baras topped with curried chickpeas to Indian sugar estate workers in Princes Town some time in the 1910s. Eventually, the Deens added chutneys to the baras, and coined the term “doubles” when customers began requesting two baras instead of one. The first, true doubles were sold by the Deens in 1936.
Doubles didn’t remain a family secret for long, though. Soon, other street vendors in Princes Town began selling the food, and it quickly grew popular enough to spread throughout the entire country, with some vendors even choosing to sell doubles and nothing else. Though some people today choose to make their doubles at home, the dish is still most famous as a street food. Doubles can and often are eaten any time of day, usually by working people in a hurry, but also by late-night partiers who consider them an excellent accompaniment to alcohol. Able to be enjoyed as a breakfast food and a midnight snack, you could say that doubles are double-delicious.
[Image description: Chickpeas in a silver pan.] Credit & copyright: Kyle Killam, Pexels -
FREEUS History Daily Curio #2858Free1 CQ
The internet never forgets anything… even things that happened before the internet! Recently, videos of a certain event held in Cleveland, Ohio, have gone viral online—never mind that the event took place back in the 1980s. The colorful incident was known as Balloonfest, and it involved just the sort of drama (and disaster) that the internet loves. In 1986, the United Way of Greater Cleveland wanted to drum up interest and attract young people toward volunteer work and philanthropy. Their method of choice was to break a world record set by Disneyland the previous year when the theme park released 1.2 million helium-filled balloons as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations. Thus, Balloonfest was born, with the goal of releasing 1.5 million balloons, down from an ambitious 2.2 million from the original plans. Terminal Tower and the public square below were chosen as the location, and the date was set for September 27, but not everything went according to plan. On the day of the event, as 100,000 people gathered to witness the flight of the balloons, organizers decided to release them earlier than scheduled due to an incoming storm. The balloons were set free from the giant net that had held them all morning, and at first the view was spectacular. Things quickly took a literal downturn, though. Instead of floating off into the sky as intended, the balloons were pushed down by a wall of cold air. What ensued was sheer chaos—balloons drifting over highways at car-height caused several accidents; a local sued the organizers for spooking her prized horses, which injured themselves in their confusion. Tragically, balloons falling over Lake Erie may have hampered rescue efforts meant to save two fishermen who had been reported missing. Since then, Balloonfest has been mocked as a short-sighted effort, though it did accomplish its intended goal of raising interest in philanthropy. Environmentalists also complained that the event was akin to mass littering, and the Guinness Book of World Records even removed balloon releases as a category for its 1988 edition. Balloonfest still has some defenders, though, who say that it helped put Cleveland on the map. No matter how you slice it, though, the event involved the literal release of 1.5 million non-biodegradable balloons. From an environmental standpoint, that blows.
[Image description: Description ] Credit & copyright: George Chernilevsky, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.The internet never forgets anything… even things that happened before the internet! Recently, videos of a certain event held in Cleveland, Ohio, have gone viral online—never mind that the event took place back in the 1980s. The colorful incident was known as Balloonfest, and it involved just the sort of drama (and disaster) that the internet loves. In 1986, the United Way of Greater Cleveland wanted to drum up interest and attract young people toward volunteer work and philanthropy. Their method of choice was to break a world record set by Disneyland the previous year when the theme park released 1.2 million helium-filled balloons as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations. Thus, Balloonfest was born, with the goal of releasing 1.5 million balloons, down from an ambitious 2.2 million from the original plans. Terminal Tower and the public square below were chosen as the location, and the date was set for September 27, but not everything went according to plan. On the day of the event, as 100,000 people gathered to witness the flight of the balloons, organizers decided to release them earlier than scheduled due to an incoming storm. The balloons were set free from the giant net that had held them all morning, and at first the view was spectacular. Things quickly took a literal downturn, though. Instead of floating off into the sky as intended, the balloons were pushed down by a wall of cold air. What ensued was sheer chaos—balloons drifting over highways at car-height caused several accidents; a local sued the organizers for spooking her prized horses, which injured themselves in their confusion. Tragically, balloons falling over Lake Erie may have hampered rescue efforts meant to save two fishermen who had been reported missing. Since then, Balloonfest has been mocked as a short-sighted effort, though it did accomplish its intended goal of raising interest in philanthropy. Environmentalists also complained that the event was akin to mass littering, and the Guinness Book of World Records even removed balloon releases as a category for its 1988 edition. Balloonfest still has some defenders, though, who say that it helped put Cleveland on the map. No matter how you slice it, though, the event involved the literal release of 1.5 million non-biodegradable balloons. From an environmental standpoint, that blows.
[Image description: Description ] Credit & copyright: George Chernilevsky, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. -
FREESTEM Daily Curio #2857Free1 CQ
The robot uprising is coming, and their first targets are those dastardly feathered fiends—geese. Way up north, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities have brought on a robot they’ve named Aurora to keep airports clear of geese and other wildlife that can interfere with airplanes. Geese might not seem particularly menacing, but a single goose can bring down a plane if its body gets sucked into a jet engine—and the geese don’t exactly leave such encounters in fighting shape. Airports around the world are vigilant about keeping birds and other wildlife away from runways, with many employing other animals to keep tarmacs critter-free. Some places use falconers to chase away birds, while others turn to herding dogs for help. Some geese-infested locales have resorted to culling local populations, but officials in Anchorage, Alaska, have brought on Aurora, a four-legged robot made by Boston Dynamics. One of the company’s commercial offerings, Aurora is an iteration of their “Spot” models, though she has a bit of customization. To better frighten away animals, she is covered in interchangeable panels that mimic the look of coyote or fox fur. At about the size of a Labrador retriever, she can tread through deep snow, an ability that’s mandatory in snowy Anchorage. At $70,000, Aurora may seem like overkill, but some would argue that’s a bargain compared to the alternative. In 2023 alone, Alaska had 92 animal strikes (incidents where a plane hits wildlife), and aircraft are costly to repair. Not to mention that any one of those cases could have ended in tragedy. While most animal or bird strikes only result in superficial damage to the aircraft, more serious disasters can and do happen. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III’s famed emergency landing over the Hudson River in 2009 was actually caused by a flock of Canada geese. Birds of a feather, indeed.
[Image description: Two Canada geese in a grassy field with trees in the background.] Credit & copyright: Brett Sayles, PexelsThe robot uprising is coming, and their first targets are those dastardly feathered fiends—geese. Way up north, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities have brought on a robot they’ve named Aurora to keep airports clear of geese and other wildlife that can interfere with airplanes. Geese might not seem particularly menacing, but a single goose can bring down a plane if its body gets sucked into a jet engine—and the geese don’t exactly leave such encounters in fighting shape. Airports around the world are vigilant about keeping birds and other wildlife away from runways, with many employing other animals to keep tarmacs critter-free. Some places use falconers to chase away birds, while others turn to herding dogs for help. Some geese-infested locales have resorted to culling local populations, but officials in Anchorage, Alaska, have brought on Aurora, a four-legged robot made by Boston Dynamics. One of the company’s commercial offerings, Aurora is an iteration of their “Spot” models, though she has a bit of customization. To better frighten away animals, she is covered in interchangeable panels that mimic the look of coyote or fox fur. At about the size of a Labrador retriever, she can tread through deep snow, an ability that’s mandatory in snowy Anchorage. At $70,000, Aurora may seem like overkill, but some would argue that’s a bargain compared to the alternative. In 2023 alone, Alaska had 92 animal strikes (incidents where a plane hits wildlife), and aircraft are costly to repair. Not to mention that any one of those cases could have ended in tragedy. While most animal or bird strikes only result in superficial damage to the aircraft, more serious disasters can and do happen. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III’s famed emergency landing over the Hudson River in 2009 was actually caused by a flock of Canada geese. Birds of a feather, indeed.
[Image description: Two Canada geese in a grassy field with trees in the background.] Credit & copyright: Brett Sayles, Pexels -
FREEEngineering Daily Curio #2856Free1 CQ
Waste not, want not, stay hot. In Finland, where winters are long and cold, an energy supplier is working on an underground thermal energy storage system that would run partially on waste heat. While the Finnish love their saunas, it takes more than a little steam to keep warm through the country’s brutal winters. In Vantaa, Finland, residents rely on Vantaan Energia to heat their homes through the frigid months, and soon they’ll be using heat generated from waste, then stored underground. The facility that will make this possible is called Varanto, and it will measure a whopping 38.85 million cubic feet and boast a total thermal capacity of 90 gigawatt hours (gWh). That’s enough energy to heat a medium-sized Finnish city all winter. Once completed in 2028, it will be the world’s largest seasonal heat storage system.
The advantage of systems like Varanto is that they’re resilient against fluctuations in demand since they store energy ahead of time. As Vantaan CEO Jukka Toivonen said in a statement, “The biggest challenge of the energy transition so far has been the inability to store these intermittent forms of energy for later use. Unfortunately, small-scale storage solutions, such as batteries or accumulators, are not sufficient; large, industrial-scale storage solutions are needed." In this case, thermal energy will be stored in three caverns located 330 feet under the surface in the bedrock. Each cavern will be 984 feet in length, 131 feet in height and 66 feet in width and will be filled with water. Throughout the summer, the water will be heated by waste heat from industrial sources and with renewable energy like wind or solar when there’s a surplus. Insulated and under pressure due to the weight of the ground above, the water will stay liquid while reaching a temperature of 284 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, during the winter, the water will be piped to individual homes and businesses to keep them warm. Imagine feeling the heat of the summer sun in the middle of a blizzard.
[Image description: Description ] Credit & copyright: StAnselm, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.Waste not, want not, stay hot. In Finland, where winters are long and cold, an energy supplier is working on an underground thermal energy storage system that would run partially on waste heat. While the Finnish love their saunas, it takes more than a little steam to keep warm through the country’s brutal winters. In Vantaa, Finland, residents rely on Vantaan Energia to heat their homes through the frigid months, and soon they’ll be using heat generated from waste, then stored underground. The facility that will make this possible is called Varanto, and it will measure a whopping 38.85 million cubic feet and boast a total thermal capacity of 90 gigawatt hours (gWh). That’s enough energy to heat a medium-sized Finnish city all winter. Once completed in 2028, it will be the world’s largest seasonal heat storage system.
The advantage of systems like Varanto is that they’re resilient against fluctuations in demand since they store energy ahead of time. As Vantaan CEO Jukka Toivonen said in a statement, “The biggest challenge of the energy transition so far has been the inability to store these intermittent forms of energy for later use. Unfortunately, small-scale storage solutions, such as batteries or accumulators, are not sufficient; large, industrial-scale storage solutions are needed." In this case, thermal energy will be stored in three caverns located 330 feet under the surface in the bedrock. Each cavern will be 984 feet in length, 131 feet in height and 66 feet in width and will be filled with water. Throughout the summer, the water will be heated by waste heat from industrial sources and with renewable energy like wind or solar when there’s a surplus. Insulated and under pressure due to the weight of the ground above, the water will stay liquid while reaching a temperature of 284 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, during the winter, the water will be piped to individual homes and businesses to keep them warm. Imagine feeling the heat of the summer sun in the middle of a blizzard.
[Image description: Description ] Credit & copyright: StAnselm, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. -
FREELiterature Daily Curio #2855Free1 CQ
“Human life begins on the far side of despair,” but the life of this great thinker ended on the other side of a Nobel Prize. Philosopher, novelist and playwright Jean-Paul Sartre died on this day in 1980, leaving an extensive body of work that explores existentialism. Sartre was born in Paris in 1905 and experienced a difficult early childhood. His father died when he was young and he had difficulty making friends. Feeling unwanted by the world at large, Sartre focused his imagination on his writing, retreating into a world of his own making. As an adult, he began studying philosophy, and met Simone de Beauvoir while they were both students. Though Sartre was opposed to the institution of marriage, the two became lifelong partners and intellectual peers. As a professor of philosophy in Laon and then Paris, Sartre met some of the greatest minds of his time, though his teaching career was interrupted when he was drafted during World War II. It was after the war that he began making his living as a writer, promoting an existentialist philosophy that was closely tied to matters of personal freedom and social responsibility. Sartre believed that life didn’t have inherent meaning, and that each individual had to create their own, which he considered a “terrible” freedom. In 1943’s Being and Nothingness he wrote, “I am condemned to be free,” but he also believed that within this state of “condemnation,” there was a path to becoming a moral being. True to his stated convictions, Sartre was politically active, and he wasn’t above changing his views in light of new evidence and personal experiences. For example, he was initially a public supporter of the Soviet Union, but he changed his stance after learning of the state’s human rights violations. In 1964, he was given the Nobel Prize in Literature. Yet, in a not entirely surprising decision, Sartre declined the award saying, “A writer must refuse, therefore, to allow himself to be transformed into an institution.” He might have been condemned to be free, but he was strongly bound by his own beliefs.
“Human life begins on the far side of despair,” but the life of this great thinker ended on the other side of a Nobel Prize. Philosopher, novelist and playwright Jean-Paul Sartre died on this day in 1980, leaving an extensive body of work that explores existentialism. Sartre was born in Paris in 1905 and experienced a difficult early childhood. His father died when he was young and he had difficulty making friends. Feeling unwanted by the world at large, Sartre focused his imagination on his writing, retreating into a world of his own making. As an adult, he began studying philosophy, and met Simone de Beauvoir while they were both students. Though Sartre was opposed to the institution of marriage, the two became lifelong partners and intellectual peers. As a professor of philosophy in Laon and then Paris, Sartre met some of the greatest minds of his time, though his teaching career was interrupted when he was drafted during World War II. It was after the war that he began making his living as a writer, promoting an existentialist philosophy that was closely tied to matters of personal freedom and social responsibility. Sartre believed that life didn’t have inherent meaning, and that each individual had to create their own, which he considered a “terrible” freedom. In 1943’s Being and Nothingness he wrote, “I am condemned to be free,” but he also believed that within this state of “condemnation,” there was a path to becoming a moral being. True to his stated convictions, Sartre was politically active, and he wasn’t above changing his views in light of new evidence and personal experiences. For example, he was initially a public supporter of the Soviet Union, but he changed his stance after learning of the state’s human rights violations. In 1964, he was given the Nobel Prize in Literature. Yet, in a not entirely surprising decision, Sartre declined the award saying, “A writer must refuse, therefore, to allow himself to be transformed into an institution.” He might have been condemned to be free, but he was strongly bound by his own beliefs.
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Rice isn’t just for eating, it’s for drinking! Sake, a type of rice wine, is Japan’s national drink, and it predates recorded history in the region. As such, it’s tied to a multitude of important Japanese cultural practices and is part of nearly every celebration and holiday held in the country.
Sake is made from fermented rice which is brewed to convert the rice’s starches into sugars. The result is a smooth, light, slightly sweet drink with an average alcohol content of around 13 to 17 percent—just a bit higher than most grape wines. Traditionally, sake is warmed in earthenware bottles until it reaches temperatures of around 100 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Then it’s served in porcelain cups called sakazuki. Of course, today sake can also be enjoyed in less formal ways, and at varying temperatures. Some people even prefer their sake chilled.
While no one is quite sure when the first batch of sake was brewed, we know that it happened at least 2,000 years ago…and that its origins weren’t exactly fancy. One of the first forms of the drink was known as kuchikami-zake, kuchi meaning “mouth” and kami meaning “to chew.” That’s because the beverage was made by chewing grains of rice (to remove the bran) and then spitting them into a vat. There, the rice’s yeast would mix with saliva enzymes, eventually resulting in an alcoholic drink. In the Kojiki, a text compiled in 712 that’s considered to be Japan’s first extensive, written history, alcoholic beverages made with rice are mentioned several times. By 1578, many improvements had been made to sake’s brewing process, and the drink had become one of the first in human history to be routinely pasteurized. The first instance of completely clear, filtered sake was recorded that year. At the time, not many drinks could boast such an intricate filtration process, and sake quickly became an esteemed beverage among the wealthy. By the 1800s, large-scale sake production was in full swing, with most brewers located in western Japanese cities, like Kobe.
Sake’s popularity exploded in the 20th century. During World War II, rice shortages and a lack of other materials resulted in some brewers adding ingredients to simplify the sake-making process. Some added distilled alcohol, sugar, and flavorings to hasten things along. Today, some sake is still made with added sugars and flavors. Of course, nowadays, sake can be found in stores and at Japanese restaurants the world over. American-made sake is even gaining popularity, with events like the American Craft Sake Fest in Arkansas celebrating U.S. brewers. Maybe trips to Arkansas and Japan are in order, just to compare and contrast.
[Image description: Decorative barrels of sake, decorated with artwork, stacked on top of one another.] Credit & copyright: Lawsonstu, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain.Rice isn’t just for eating, it’s for drinking! Sake, a type of rice wine, is Japan’s national drink, and it predates recorded history in the region. As such, it’s tied to a multitude of important Japanese cultural practices and is part of nearly every celebration and holiday held in the country.
Sake is made from fermented rice which is brewed to convert the rice’s starches into sugars. The result is a smooth, light, slightly sweet drink with an average alcohol content of around 13 to 17 percent—just a bit higher than most grape wines. Traditionally, sake is warmed in earthenware bottles until it reaches temperatures of around 100 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Then it’s served in porcelain cups called sakazuki. Of course, today sake can also be enjoyed in less formal ways, and at varying temperatures. Some people even prefer their sake chilled.
While no one is quite sure when the first batch of sake was brewed, we know that it happened at least 2,000 years ago…and that its origins weren’t exactly fancy. One of the first forms of the drink was known as kuchikami-zake, kuchi meaning “mouth” and kami meaning “to chew.” That’s because the beverage was made by chewing grains of rice (to remove the bran) and then spitting them into a vat. There, the rice’s yeast would mix with saliva enzymes, eventually resulting in an alcoholic drink. In the Kojiki, a text compiled in 712 that’s considered to be Japan’s first extensive, written history, alcoholic beverages made with rice are mentioned several times. By 1578, many improvements had been made to sake’s brewing process, and the drink had become one of the first in human history to be routinely pasteurized. The first instance of completely clear, filtered sake was recorded that year. At the time, not many drinks could boast such an intricate filtration process, and sake quickly became an esteemed beverage among the wealthy. By the 1800s, large-scale sake production was in full swing, with most brewers located in western Japanese cities, like Kobe.
Sake’s popularity exploded in the 20th century. During World War II, rice shortages and a lack of other materials resulted in some brewers adding ingredients to simplify the sake-making process. Some added distilled alcohol, sugar, and flavorings to hasten things along. Today, some sake is still made with added sugars and flavors. Of course, nowadays, sake can be found in stores and at Japanese restaurants the world over. American-made sake is even gaining popularity, with events like the American Craft Sake Fest in Arkansas celebrating U.S. brewers. Maybe trips to Arkansas and Japan are in order, just to compare and contrast.
[Image description: Decorative barrels of sake, decorated with artwork, stacked on top of one another.] Credit & copyright: Lawsonstu, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain.