Curio Cabinet
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March 29, 2023
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The European Union has approved a landmark law that ends the sale of carbon-emitting cars by 2035. The new law was expected to ma...
From the BBC World Service: The European Union has approved a landmark law that ends the sale of carbon-emitting cars by 2035. The new law was expected to ma...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 29, 2023\ih-MAK-yuh-lut\ adjective
What It Means
Immaculate means "spotlessly clean" or "without flaw or error." In b...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 29, 2023\ih-MAK-yuh-lut\ adjective
What It Means
Immaculate means "spotlessly clean" or "without flaw or error." In b...
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FREEWork Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Sometimes a business may fail…but when that business is a bank, it can cause a lot of trouble. The business world has been abuzz following the recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. Problems at SVB were likely the result of several factors. One is the 2018 rollback of some federal banking regulations. Before 2018, banks with at least $50 billion in assets had to be looked over by the government each year and meet certain requirements to go on operating, including maintaining certain levels of capital—resources to absorb losses. SVB’s own CEO, Greg Becker, spoke out against these regulations in 2015. Once they were rolled back, SVB was able to engage in riskier banking behavior, which was another factor in the bank’s failure. For example, SVB Financial Group allowed customers, many of whom were companies in the tech industry, to make deposits of more than $250,000 at a time. Such large deposits are not insured. In other words, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) won’t cover deposits over that amount, should the bank fail. Eventually, things came to a head when government hikes on interest rates caused SVB Financial Group to lose value, which spooked depositors and caused a large number of them to withdraw their funds at once. The ensuing bank failure led to a brief panic, but on March 26, the FDIC announced that they would be extending deposit insurance to almost all of SVB’s customers, even those who wouldn’t normally qualify for it. The FDIC then placed all of SVB’s remaining assets into a bridge bank—a regulated organization that will operate the insolvent bank until a buyer is found. And it seems that a buyer is already working to take over what remains of SVB. First Citizens BancShares, a longtime rival of SVB, may soon take ownership. Here’s hoping things run more smoothly this time around.
[Image description: A screen showing numbers from the stock market] Credit & copyright: AhmadArdity, PixabaySometimes a business may fail…but when that business is a bank, it can cause a lot of trouble. The business world has been abuzz following the recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. Problems at SVB were likely the result of several factors. One is the 2018 rollback of some federal banking regulations. Before 2018, banks with at least $50 billion in assets had to be looked over by the government each year and meet certain requirements to go on operating, including maintaining certain levels of capital—resources to absorb losses. SVB’s own CEO, Greg Becker, spoke out against these regulations in 2015. Once they were rolled back, SVB was able to engage in riskier banking behavior, which was another factor in the bank’s failure. For example, SVB Financial Group allowed customers, many of whom were companies in the tech industry, to make deposits of more than $250,000 at a time. Such large deposits are not insured. In other words, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) won’t cover deposits over that amount, should the bank fail. Eventually, things came to a head when government hikes on interest rates caused SVB Financial Group to lose value, which spooked depositors and caused a large number of them to withdraw their funds at once. The ensuing bank failure led to a brief panic, but on March 26, the FDIC announced that they would be extending deposit insurance to almost all of SVB’s customers, even those who wouldn’t normally qualify for it. The FDIC then placed all of SVB’s remaining assets into a bridge bank—a regulated organization that will operate the insolvent bank until a buyer is found. And it seems that a buyer is already working to take over what remains of SVB. First Citizens BancShares, a longtime rival of SVB, may soon take ownership. Here’s hoping things run more smoothly this time around.
[Image description: A screen showing numbers from the stock market] Credit & copyright: AhmadArdity, Pixabay -
FREEHumanities Daily Curio #2627Free1 CQ
They might be terra-cotta, but don’t accuse them of having feet of clay—they’ve been loyally guarding their Emperor for over two thousand years. On this day in 1974, Chineses farmers in the Shaanxi province in northwest China discovered the long lost tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the self-proclaimed first emperor of China. It’s one of the most significant archaeological finds in modern history, and it was completely by accident. The farmers only happened upon it while desperately digging a well during a drought. Emperor Qin probably didn’t want his tomb to be found, and who can blame him? He was buried alongside hoards of treasure in a vast underground complex guarded by his faithful army of clay soldiers. The most famous artifacts within the tomb were the terra-cotta warriors. This army of eight thousand soldiers is sculpted in lifelike detail. No two are completely alike, and each is adorned in a wide array of hairstyles and facial features. They were once painted in vibrant colors, though the pigments broke down long ago. Each soldier is so intricately sculpted that it’s possible to deduce each man’s rank by their uniform. The soldiers are also accompanied by horses, just in case they get tired of marching. This army has spent a lot of time on the move, recently. Since their discovery, they’ve been displayed in museums around the world (not all at once, of course), and even after nearly five decades, there are still unexplored sections of the vast tomb they emerged from. Archaeologists have excavated around 600 pits in the tomb, but much of the 22-square-mile complex remains untouched. There may be hidden dangers that lie in wait for them, should they dig too much. Legends about the emperor that rose after his death state that his tomb is filled with rivers of mercury to mimic the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and soil analysis has revealed that there is a dangerously high level of the heavy metal. Something else that has archaeologists hesitating is that after two millennia underground, suddenly exposing the buried artifacts to light and air will damage them. Progress on the site remains slow, but hey, it’s not like the army’s going to march off.
[Image description: A close-up photo of rows of terracotta warriors.] Credit & copyright: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.They might be terra-cotta, but don’t accuse them of having feet of clay—they’ve been loyally guarding their Emperor for over two thousand years. On this day in 1974, Chineses farmers in the Shaanxi province in northwest China discovered the long lost tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the self-proclaimed first emperor of China. It’s one of the most significant archaeological finds in modern history, and it was completely by accident. The farmers only happened upon it while desperately digging a well during a drought. Emperor Qin probably didn’t want his tomb to be found, and who can blame him? He was buried alongside hoards of treasure in a vast underground complex guarded by his faithful army of clay soldiers. The most famous artifacts within the tomb were the terra-cotta warriors. This army of eight thousand soldiers is sculpted in lifelike detail. No two are completely alike, and each is adorned in a wide array of hairstyles and facial features. They were once painted in vibrant colors, though the pigments broke down long ago. Each soldier is so intricately sculpted that it’s possible to deduce each man’s rank by their uniform. The soldiers are also accompanied by horses, just in case they get tired of marching. This army has spent a lot of time on the move, recently. Since their discovery, they’ve been displayed in museums around the world (not all at once, of course), and even after nearly five decades, there are still unexplored sections of the vast tomb they emerged from. Archaeologists have excavated around 600 pits in the tomb, but much of the 22-square-mile complex remains untouched. There may be hidden dangers that lie in wait for them, should they dig too much. Legends about the emperor that rose after his death state that his tomb is filled with rivers of mercury to mimic the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and soil analysis has revealed that there is a dangerously high level of the heavy metal. Something else that has archaeologists hesitating is that after two millennia underground, suddenly exposing the buried artifacts to light and air will damage them. Progress on the site remains slow, but hey, it’s not like the army’s going to march off.
[Image description: A close-up photo of rows of terracotta warriors.] Credit & copyright: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
March 28, 2023
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a $100 million conflict prevention package for West Africa at the start of a week-long...
From the BBC World Service: Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a $100 million conflict prevention package for West Africa at the start of a week-long...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 28, 2023\BIL-doonks-roh-mahn\ noun
What It Means
A bildungsroman is a novel about the moral and psychological growth ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 28, 2023\BIL-doonks-roh-mahn\ noun
What It Means
A bildungsroman is a novel about the moral and psychological growth ...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Here’s an ambitious number. New wave/pop band Blondie was at the forefront of many trends in its heyday, most famously the new wave craze of the 70s and 80s. One song in particular, though, broke even fresher new ground. On this day in 1980, Blondie’s Rapture became the first pop song featuring a rap section to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune begins in typical Blondie fashion, with lead singer Debbie Harry slowly crooning over a synth-heavy groove. But then, the beat quickens and steadies as Harry launches into a rap. About what, you may ask? An alien who eats people and cars, of course. It may not have made much sense, but Rapture’s oddness clearly struck the right chord with listeners, as it stayed at number one for two weeks. Although rap songs had charted long before Rapture, the song’s popularity helped convince some in the music industry that rap wasn’t just a new, fleeting genre, but something that had mainstream appeal. Imagine if the doubters of the 1980s could see the charts today!
[Image description: A microphone lays on a table.] Credit & copyright: Jordy, Pixabay
Here’s an ambitious number. New wave/pop band Blondie was at the forefront of many trends in its heyday, most famously the new wave craze of the 70s and 80s. One song in particular, though, broke even fresher new ground. On this day in 1980, Blondie’s Rapture became the first pop song featuring a rap section to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune begins in typical Blondie fashion, with lead singer Debbie Harry slowly crooning over a synth-heavy groove. But then, the beat quickens and steadies as Harry launches into a rap. About what, you may ask? An alien who eats people and cars, of course. It may not have made much sense, but Rapture’s oddness clearly struck the right chord with listeners, as it stayed at number one for two weeks. Although rap songs had charted long before Rapture, the song’s popularity helped convince some in the music industry that rap wasn’t just a new, fleeting genre, but something that had mainstream appeal. Imagine if the doubters of the 1980s could see the charts today!
[Image description: A microphone lays on a table.] Credit & copyright: Jordy, Pixabay
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2626Free1 CQ
When you think of drinks made with yeast, you might think wine, beer or whiskey. Now, you can add milk to the list. Commercial enterprises based around producing milk proteins with yeast may soon be bringing their products to a store near you. While yeast-made dairy has been in the works for years, a California-based company named Perfect Day is now courting large food manufacturers like General Mills. And it’s not just liquid milk they’re bringing to the table, but milk products like cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Other companies are planning to release similar products, signaling that there may be a creamy gold rush for the technology.
Why would anyone choose milk made from yeast over good-old-fashioned cow milk? There are a lot of reasons. Environmentalists and animal rights groups have long criticized the conventional dairy industry for its greenhouse gas emissions and its treatment of dairy cows. Because this new technology uses single-celled fungi to produce milk proteins, cows are completely taken out of the equation. Those who have sensitive dietary needs regarding milk can look forward to milk that is lactose and cholesterol-free, and therefore easier to digest. The process for making the milk is fairly simple too. In fact, it’s similar to how many alcoholic beverages are made. The process is called precision fermentation. A specific yeast that has been made to create dairy proteins is first fed sugar in a warm, wet environment that is computer-monitored. The yeast ferments in sugar, then the dairy proteins it produces are separated and washed. Precision fermentation is also used to produce insulin and rennet, so it’s been around for quite a while. The result is identical to what is found in cow’s milk but without the aforementioned downsides, and it’s a much more convincing replacement than plant-based milk substitutes. Dairy we say more?
[Image description: A decanter and glass of milk against a black background] Credit & copyright: congerdesign, Pixabay, image not associated with Perfect Day or any other company.When you think of drinks made with yeast, you might think wine, beer or whiskey. Now, you can add milk to the list. Commercial enterprises based around producing milk proteins with yeast may soon be bringing their products to a store near you. While yeast-made dairy has been in the works for years, a California-based company named Perfect Day is now courting large food manufacturers like General Mills. And it’s not just liquid milk they’re bringing to the table, but milk products like cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Other companies are planning to release similar products, signaling that there may be a creamy gold rush for the technology.
Why would anyone choose milk made from yeast over good-old-fashioned cow milk? There are a lot of reasons. Environmentalists and animal rights groups have long criticized the conventional dairy industry for its greenhouse gas emissions and its treatment of dairy cows. Because this new technology uses single-celled fungi to produce milk proteins, cows are completely taken out of the equation. Those who have sensitive dietary needs regarding milk can look forward to milk that is lactose and cholesterol-free, and therefore easier to digest. The process for making the milk is fairly simple too. In fact, it’s similar to how many alcoholic beverages are made. The process is called precision fermentation. A specific yeast that has been made to create dairy proteins is first fed sugar in a warm, wet environment that is computer-monitored. The yeast ferments in sugar, then the dairy proteins it produces are separated and washed. Precision fermentation is also used to produce insulin and rennet, so it’s been around for quite a while. The result is identical to what is found in cow’s milk but without the aforementioned downsides, and it’s a much more convincing replacement than plant-based milk substitutes. Dairy we say more?
[Image description: A decanter and glass of milk against a black background] Credit & copyright: congerdesign, Pixabay, image not associated with Perfect Day or any other company.
March 27, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 27, 2023\DISS-puh-rut\ adjective
What It Means
Disparate things are noticeably distinct in quality or character. Disp...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 27, 2023\DISS-puh-rut\ adjective
What It Means
Disparate things are noticeably distinct in quality or character. Disp...
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10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
In the wake of turmoil in the banking system, some in Congress argue the solution is more regulation. Republican Sen. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Elizabet...
In the wake of turmoil in the banking system, some in Congress argue the solution is more regulation. Republican Sen. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Elizabet...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
If only the weather would catch up to the season. We’re one week into spring, but it’s still freezing cold in much of the U.S. Someone ought to have a word with whoever’s in charge—perhaps the subject of this statue. The piece above, Spring in the guise of Flora, depicts the Roman goddess Flora in marble. She is wearing a crown of flowers and is holding a large bouquet as she looks to her right with her head slightly tilted. Her torso rises from the statue’s pedestal, while her feet are visible at the base. The statue is one in a set of two by Italian sculptor Pietro Bernini. The other is meant to embody Priapus, a god of animal and vegetable fertility. Bernini was the father of another renowned sculptor, Lorenzo Bernini, who assisted him in making this sculpture. Artists who followed the Mannerist style, like Bernini, indulged in technical difficulty for its own sake more than their classical predecessors did. It’s no wonder, then, that they would go on to influence Baroque artists like Bernini’s own son. The artfully sculpted apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Title, Pietro Bernini (1562-1629), 1616-17, Marble, 89.125 x 34.375 x 27.5 in. (226.4 x 87.3 x 69.9 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York
[Image credit & copyright: Pietro Bernini, Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 1990, Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain DedicationIf only the weather would catch up to the season. We’re one week into spring, but it’s still freezing cold in much of the U.S. Someone ought to have a word with whoever’s in charge—perhaps the subject of this statue. The piece above, Spring in the guise of Flora, depicts the Roman goddess Flora in marble. She is wearing a crown of flowers and is holding a large bouquet as she looks to her right with her head slightly tilted. Her torso rises from the statue’s pedestal, while her feet are visible at the base. The statue is one in a set of two by Italian sculptor Pietro Bernini. The other is meant to embody Priapus, a god of animal and vegetable fertility. Bernini was the father of another renowned sculptor, Lorenzo Bernini, who assisted him in making this sculpture. Artists who followed the Mannerist style, like Bernini, indulged in technical difficulty for its own sake more than their classical predecessors did. It’s no wonder, then, that they would go on to influence Baroque artists like Bernini’s own son. The artfully sculpted apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Title, Pietro Bernini (1562-1629), 1616-17, Marble, 89.125 x 34.375 x 27.5 in. (226.4 x 87.3 x 69.9 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York
[Image credit & copyright: Pietro Bernini, Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 1990, Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication -
FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2625Free1 CQ
Bears, oh my! A pair of college wrestlers made the news recently for their harrowing encounter with a grizzly bear. They were able to fend off the creature thanks to their quick thinking, but what is the average person supposed to do in a similar situation when they don’t have the benefit of collegiate athleticism? The National Park Service (NPS) in the U.S. actually offers pretty detailed advice on what unlucky hikers should do if they encounter one of these apex predators.
One of the main things to keep in mind is that hikers should avoid triggering a bear’s chase instinct. When threatened, some bears will perform a bluff charge. As the name implies, a bear charging at a person isn’t necessarily committing to attacking them. When a bear appears to be preparing to charge, the best thing to do is start talking to the bear in a calm voice while backing away. If the bear does a bluff charge anyway, it’s best to stand one’s ground. Running will often cause a bear to chase, making the situation much more dangerous.
If a bear charges and commits to the attack, advice changes depending on the type of bear. With black bears—which are smaller and less aggressive—the NPS recommends, “FIGHT BACK WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE! Do not play dead.” If it’s a brown bear or a grizzly, it’s best to play dead. That’s exactly what Brady Lowry did when he and his friend, Kendell Cummings, ran across a female grizzly. Lowry didn’t have time to run before being struck by the bear, while Cummings got about 30 yards away before turning back to help his friend. But even two college wrestlers in peak condition are no match for an angry grizzly, and the two barely escaped with their lives. Cummings’s decision to help his friend diverted the bear’s attention, but left him with ghastly injuries along his skull, face, arms and legs. Based on his account, it appears that the bear lost interest after he was too wounded and exhausted to run or fight back. His actions may well have saved his friend’s life. Maybe the best defense in a bear attack is a friend who has your back.
[Image description: A grizzly bear walking in the woods.] Credit & copyright: ArthurTopham, PixabayBears, oh my! A pair of college wrestlers made the news recently for their harrowing encounter with a grizzly bear. They were able to fend off the creature thanks to their quick thinking, but what is the average person supposed to do in a similar situation when they don’t have the benefit of collegiate athleticism? The National Park Service (NPS) in the U.S. actually offers pretty detailed advice on what unlucky hikers should do if they encounter one of these apex predators.
One of the main things to keep in mind is that hikers should avoid triggering a bear’s chase instinct. When threatened, some bears will perform a bluff charge. As the name implies, a bear charging at a person isn’t necessarily committing to attacking them. When a bear appears to be preparing to charge, the best thing to do is start talking to the bear in a calm voice while backing away. If the bear does a bluff charge anyway, it’s best to stand one’s ground. Running will often cause a bear to chase, making the situation much more dangerous.
If a bear charges and commits to the attack, advice changes depending on the type of bear. With black bears—which are smaller and less aggressive—the NPS recommends, “FIGHT BACK WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE! Do not play dead.” If it’s a brown bear or a grizzly, it’s best to play dead. That’s exactly what Brady Lowry did when he and his friend, Kendell Cummings, ran across a female grizzly. Lowry didn’t have time to run before being struck by the bear, while Cummings got about 30 yards away before turning back to help his friend. But even two college wrestlers in peak condition are no match for an angry grizzly, and the two barely escaped with their lives. Cummings’s decision to help his friend diverted the bear’s attention, but left him with ghastly injuries along his skull, face, arms and legs. Based on his account, it appears that the bear lost interest after he was too wounded and exhausted to run or fight back. His actions may well have saved his friend’s life. Maybe the best defense in a bear attack is a friend who has your back.
[Image description: A grizzly bear walking in the woods.] Credit & copyright: ArthurTopham, Pixabay
March 26, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 26, 2023\kav-ul-KAYD\ noun
What It Means
Cavalcade refers to a series or procession of usually related things. It can...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 26, 2023\kav-ul-KAYD\ noun
What It Means
Cavalcade refers to a series or procession of usually related things. It can...
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FREEActing PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
This action star’s year is off to a great start. Michelle Yeoh recently became the first Asian woman to win Best Actress at the 2023 Academy Awards. She received the Oscar for her role in the unconventional sci-fi film Everything Everywhere All at Once, in which she shows off her martial arts skills while playing an everyday woman on a multiverse-trekking adventure. Yeoh’s acting career had unconventional beginnings. In fact, the famously tough actress, known for performing her own fighting stunts, had a passion for ballet long before she developed a taste for theater or martial arts.
Born Yeoh Choo Kheng in 1962 in Ipoh, Malaysia, Yeoh showed a childhood passion for dance and studied ballet throughout her childhood, beginning at age 4. After her family moved to the U.K. during her teenage years, she continued studying ballet in boarding school and then at the Royal Academy of Dance. Unfortunately, during an otherwise normal practice session, Yeoh injured her back, suffering a herniated disk. Doctors told Yeoh that, while she would recover from her injury, she would no longer be able to practice ballet rigorously every day, thus ending her dream of becoming a prima ballerina.
But Yeoh was still drawn to the stage. She went on to study acting in college and received a BA in Creative Arts with a minor in Drama. Her break into the acting world began when she co-starred in a television commercial for luxury watches alongside none other than martial arts film star Jackie Chan…though Yeoh had no idea, at first, that Chan would be there. The job listed Chan’s Cantonese name, Sing Long, as her co-star, and the part was offered to her via a phone call in Cantonese, which Yeoh could partially understand but not speak. After that role, Yeoh made it a point to learn Cantonese, in addition to the Malay and English she already knew.
Her commercial caught the eye of D&B Films, a film production company in Hong Kong. The company suggested that Yeoh use the name Michelle Khan for her acting roles, saying that the name would be more marketable to a western audience. By 1985, Yeoh was starring in martial arts films for D&B under the name. In an interview with NPR, Yeoh recounted how she came to do her own action scenes under unconventional circumstances: “My first movie, I played a social worker. And we were bullied by, you know, the juvenile delinquents who took great pleasure in teasing us and giving us a hard time. And then the guys who were the martial arts experts were the ones who would rescue us constantly. So when I watched them, I went to my producers, and I say, you know what? I would love to be able to try to do martial arts. They looked at me and thought I was insane…But then they thought, well, what do we have to lose?”
Yeoh excelled at action scenes, which helped her make the leap to Hollywood in 1997, with her role as Wai Lin in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond at the time, described Yeoh as a “female James Bond” because she didn’t use a body double for her action scenes. Yeoh would go on to say that her tolerance for pain was something she learned from ballet. However, it was Ang Lee’s 2000 martial arts hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that truly catapulted Yeoh to international fame and even earned her a BAFTA nomination. Though she didn’t yet speak Mandarin when she got the role (she had to learn her lines phonetically) she went on to learn the language after filming, bringing the number of languages she could speak to four.
Over the next decade, Yeoh starred in action movies (and racked up some painful injuries from doing her own stunts), founded her own production company, and became the face of several brands. In 2018, she starred in the widely acclaimed Crazy Rich Asians, and in 2021 she made her way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her role as Ying Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Then, in 2022, Yeoh starred in Everything Everywhere All at Once. In her role as laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, she travels the multiverse in a surreal, comedic, sometimes heart-wrenching attempt to connect with different versions of her daughter. The role earned her a multitude of awards, including a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and, to top it all off, the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 60 years old, Yeoh has become one of the most iconic female action stars in Hollywood, and her career only seems to be ramping up. Who knows what movie set she’ll be smashing her way through next!
[Image description: Michelle Yeoh speaks at a conference in Burma.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, William Ng, Public Domain per 17 U.S.C. section 101 and section 105.This action star’s year is off to a great start. Michelle Yeoh recently became the first Asian woman to win Best Actress at the 2023 Academy Awards. She received the Oscar for her role in the unconventional sci-fi film Everything Everywhere All at Once, in which she shows off her martial arts skills while playing an everyday woman on a multiverse-trekking adventure. Yeoh’s acting career had unconventional beginnings. In fact, the famously tough actress, known for performing her own fighting stunts, had a passion for ballet long before she developed a taste for theater or martial arts.
Born Yeoh Choo Kheng in 1962 in Ipoh, Malaysia, Yeoh showed a childhood passion for dance and studied ballet throughout her childhood, beginning at age 4. After her family moved to the U.K. during her teenage years, she continued studying ballet in boarding school and then at the Royal Academy of Dance. Unfortunately, during an otherwise normal practice session, Yeoh injured her back, suffering a herniated disk. Doctors told Yeoh that, while she would recover from her injury, she would no longer be able to practice ballet rigorously every day, thus ending her dream of becoming a prima ballerina.
But Yeoh was still drawn to the stage. She went on to study acting in college and received a BA in Creative Arts with a minor in Drama. Her break into the acting world began when she co-starred in a television commercial for luxury watches alongside none other than martial arts film star Jackie Chan…though Yeoh had no idea, at first, that Chan would be there. The job listed Chan’s Cantonese name, Sing Long, as her co-star, and the part was offered to her via a phone call in Cantonese, which Yeoh could partially understand but not speak. After that role, Yeoh made it a point to learn Cantonese, in addition to the Malay and English she already knew.
Her commercial caught the eye of D&B Films, a film production company in Hong Kong. The company suggested that Yeoh use the name Michelle Khan for her acting roles, saying that the name would be more marketable to a western audience. By 1985, Yeoh was starring in martial arts films for D&B under the name. In an interview with NPR, Yeoh recounted how she came to do her own action scenes under unconventional circumstances: “My first movie, I played a social worker. And we were bullied by, you know, the juvenile delinquents who took great pleasure in teasing us and giving us a hard time. And then the guys who were the martial arts experts were the ones who would rescue us constantly. So when I watched them, I went to my producers, and I say, you know what? I would love to be able to try to do martial arts. They looked at me and thought I was insane…But then they thought, well, what do we have to lose?”
Yeoh excelled at action scenes, which helped her make the leap to Hollywood in 1997, with her role as Wai Lin in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond at the time, described Yeoh as a “female James Bond” because she didn’t use a body double for her action scenes. Yeoh would go on to say that her tolerance for pain was something she learned from ballet. However, it was Ang Lee’s 2000 martial arts hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that truly catapulted Yeoh to international fame and even earned her a BAFTA nomination. Though she didn’t yet speak Mandarin when she got the role (she had to learn her lines phonetically) she went on to learn the language after filming, bringing the number of languages she could speak to four.
Over the next decade, Yeoh starred in action movies (and racked up some painful injuries from doing her own stunts), founded her own production company, and became the face of several brands. In 2018, she starred in the widely acclaimed Crazy Rich Asians, and in 2021 she made her way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her role as Ying Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Then, in 2022, Yeoh starred in Everything Everywhere All at Once. In her role as laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, she travels the multiverse in a surreal, comedic, sometimes heart-wrenching attempt to connect with different versions of her daughter. The role earned her a multitude of awards, including a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and, to top it all off, the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 60 years old, Yeoh has become one of the most iconic female action stars in Hollywood, and her career only seems to be ramping up. Who knows what movie set she’ll be smashing her way through next!
[Image description: Michelle Yeoh speaks at a conference in Burma.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, William Ng, Public Domain per 17 U.S.C. section 101 and section 105. -
6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: For the first time since 2019, China is hosting its three-day development forum to show the world that it’s back in business. How...
From the BBC World Service: For the first time since 2019, China is hosting its three-day development forum to show the world that it’s back in business. How...
March 25, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 25, 2023\ay-tee-SIKS\ verb
What It Means
Eighty-six is an informal word that means “to eject, dismiss, or remove some...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 25, 2023\ay-tee-SIKS\ verb
What It Means
Eighty-six is an informal word that means “to eject, dismiss, or remove some...
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10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
No, right now, central banks around the world have moved to a second level of coordination. All of the economic jitters have more people around the world tur...
No, right now, central banks around the world have moved to a second level of coordination. All of the economic jitters have more people around the world tur...
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FREESports Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Is he safe? Is he out? He’s a bit of both. A member of the Cuban national team defected to the United States after they were eliminated from the World Baseball Classic earlier this week, having disappeared shortly before the players boarded their flight home. Iván Prieto, a bullpen catcher for the Cuban team, managed to evade the team’s management and staff as the players were being gathered together just hours after their 14-2 loss against the U.S. in the semifinals. His defection was confirmed by the Center for a Free Cuba, an advocacy organization that supports Cuban democracy. How he managed to escape from the Cuban officials is unclear, but Prieto is said to have met up with his brother who was already in the country, along with other members of his family. Unfortunately, Prieto is leaving behind other family members back in Cuba, including an infant daughter. Prieto’s defection was preceded by protests from Cuban-American activists outside LoanDepot park in Miami, Florida. Even inside the stadium, Cuban-American fans packed the seats and chanted “Freedom,” “Down with communism,” and “Patria y Vida” while the Cuban team played. The last phrase is a reference to the rallying cry used during island-wide anti-government protests in Cuba in 2021. Meanwhile, back in Cuba, where baseball is being promoted as the national sport, the returning team was greeted by crowds of cheering fans. The Cuban government didn’t immediately acknowledge the defection. With several Cuban athletes defecting in recent years to escape their country’s current authoritarian regime, Prieto’s actions couldn’t have come entirely out of left field.
[Image description: A red and black baseball bat lies in the grass.] Credit & copyright: Marisa_Sias, Pixabay
Is he safe? Is he out? He’s a bit of both. A member of the Cuban national team defected to the United States after they were eliminated from the World Baseball Classic earlier this week, having disappeared shortly before the players boarded their flight home. Iván Prieto, a bullpen catcher for the Cuban team, managed to evade the team’s management and staff as the players were being gathered together just hours after their 14-2 loss against the U.S. in the semifinals. His defection was confirmed by the Center for a Free Cuba, an advocacy organization that supports Cuban democracy. How he managed to escape from the Cuban officials is unclear, but Prieto is said to have met up with his brother who was already in the country, along with other members of his family. Unfortunately, Prieto is leaving behind other family members back in Cuba, including an infant daughter. Prieto’s defection was preceded by protests from Cuban-American activists outside LoanDepot park in Miami, Florida. Even inside the stadium, Cuban-American fans packed the seats and chanted “Freedom,” “Down with communism,” and “Patria y Vida” while the Cuban team played. The last phrase is a reference to the rallying cry used during island-wide anti-government protests in Cuba in 2021. Meanwhile, back in Cuba, where baseball is being promoted as the national sport, the returning team was greeted by crowds of cheering fans. The Cuban government didn’t immediately acknowledge the defection. With several Cuban athletes defecting in recent years to escape their country’s current authoritarian regime, Prieto’s actions couldn’t have come entirely out of left field.
[Image description: A red and black baseball bat lies in the grass.] Credit & copyright: Marisa_Sias, Pixabay
March 24, 2023
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
But at least this week they borrowed less than they did last week. That’s a good sign. We look at why the U.S. central bank is making it easier for banks to ...
But at least this week they borrowed less than they did last week. That’s a good sign. We look at why the U.S. central bank is making it easier for banks to ...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 24, 2023\ZAY-nee\ noun
What It Means
A zany is a person who acts like a buffoon to amuse others, or one who is genera...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 24, 2023\ZAY-nee\ noun
What It Means
A zany is a person who acts like a buffoon to amuse others, or one who is genera...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Oh, fudge! The origins of this creamy confection are as disputed as its best flavor (is it chocolate? Peanut butter? One of the countless other varieties?) but there are several theories about how fudge came to be. What is known for certain is that the term “fudge”, meaning to flub or mess something up, is older than the food itself. The word dates back to the 17th-Century word “fadge”, meaning to put something together in a clumsy way. This has led some historians to believe that, since fudge didn’t appear as a confection until the 19th Century, it may have been invented by accident or through clumsy experimentation. After all, it is a pretty simple food. Many early fudge recipes called for just three ingredients: sugar, butter, and milk.
We may never know exactly who invented fudge or how, but we do know that it was invented in the U.S., and that it owed its explosion in popularity in the late 19th Century to women’s colleges. These institutions were home to young, unmarried women who were allowed to pursue degrees for the first time in American history, after centuries of women being barred from higher education. In their free time, students would socialize and cook together, and since fudge was simple and inexpensive to make, it naturally became popular. At Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, fudge became a campus-wide phenomenon, with various school organizations selling boxes of it and recipe books detailing how to make it. 1895’s Fudges at Vassar described how to make a few varieties of fudge, which the book referred to as “Vassar chocolates.” Before long, fudge took a leap into the non-academic world, becoming famous as a sort of “in-between” treat—not as expensive as traditional chocolates, but much better quality than readily-available corner store candy.
Today, fudge is eaten all over the world and comes in an eye-popping array of flavors. Modern recipes often call for vanilla extract in addition to flavoring agents like cocoa powder or peanut butter. Despite all the variety, chocolate remains America’s most popular fudge flavor. You just can’t beat a classic.
[Image description: A stack of chocolate fudge with coconut flakes on top.] Credit & copyright: 5671698, PixabayOh, fudge! The origins of this creamy confection are as disputed as its best flavor (is it chocolate? Peanut butter? One of the countless other varieties?) but there are several theories about how fudge came to be. What is known for certain is that the term “fudge”, meaning to flub or mess something up, is older than the food itself. The word dates back to the 17th-Century word “fadge”, meaning to put something together in a clumsy way. This has led some historians to believe that, since fudge didn’t appear as a confection until the 19th Century, it may have been invented by accident or through clumsy experimentation. After all, it is a pretty simple food. Many early fudge recipes called for just three ingredients: sugar, butter, and milk.
We may never know exactly who invented fudge or how, but we do know that it was invented in the U.S., and that it owed its explosion in popularity in the late 19th Century to women’s colleges. These institutions were home to young, unmarried women who were allowed to pursue degrees for the first time in American history, after centuries of women being barred from higher education. In their free time, students would socialize and cook together, and since fudge was simple and inexpensive to make, it naturally became popular. At Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, fudge became a campus-wide phenomenon, with various school organizations selling boxes of it and recipe books detailing how to make it. 1895’s Fudges at Vassar described how to make a few varieties of fudge, which the book referred to as “Vassar chocolates.” Before long, fudge took a leap into the non-academic world, becoming famous as a sort of “in-between” treat—not as expensive as traditional chocolates, but much better quality than readily-available corner store candy.
Today, fudge is eaten all over the world and comes in an eye-popping array of flavors. Modern recipes often call for vanilla extract in addition to flavoring agents like cocoa powder or peanut butter. Despite all the variety, chocolate remains America’s most popular fudge flavor. You just can’t beat a classic.
[Image description: A stack of chocolate fudge with coconut flakes on top.] Credit & copyright: 5671698, Pixabay
March 23, 2023
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: After the Federal Reserve, it’s the turn of the Bank of England to make a decision on interest rates. Central banks are juggling ...
From the BBC World Service: After the Federal Reserve, it’s the turn of the Bank of England to make a decision on interest rates. Central banks are juggling ...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 23, 2023\sim-bee-OH-sis\ noun
What It Means
In the field of biology, symbiosis refers to the relationship between two...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 23, 2023\sim-bee-OH-sis\ noun
What It Means
In the field of biology, symbiosis refers to the relationship between two...
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
So you’ve managed to get to Mars—now what? Getting to the Red Planet is one thing, but another head-scratcher that scientists have been trying to solve is how to feed the first humans who will land on Mars once they get there. According to a study presented during the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference by researchers from the University of Arkansas, the answer may be a heaping bowl of rice. Researcher Abhilash Ramachandran and his team have demonstrated that it might be possible to grow rice in Martian soil. The biggest hurdle is the presence of perchlorate, a toxic chemical that is found on the surface of Mars. Researchers found that rice could grow in simulated Martian soil without any perchlorate, so they moved on to identifying varieties of rice that would be resilient against the chemical. What they found was that rice with the modified gene, SnRK1a was able to grow in soil with 1 gram of perchlorate per kilogram. While the plant only managed to grow a root and a shoot—a far cry from an abundant field of rice—identifying the gene responsible is a major step toward being able to grow food on Mars. The next step is to further experiment with SnRK1a to create a cultivar that is resistant to the toxic chemical. Some people might prefer organic to GMO, but you don’t have much of a choice when you’re millions of miles from the nearest grocery store.
[Image description: A photograph of Mars.] Credit & copyright: WikiImages, Pixabay
So you’ve managed to get to Mars—now what? Getting to the Red Planet is one thing, but another head-scratcher that scientists have been trying to solve is how to feed the first humans who will land on Mars once they get there. According to a study presented during the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference by researchers from the University of Arkansas, the answer may be a heaping bowl of rice. Researcher Abhilash Ramachandran and his team have demonstrated that it might be possible to grow rice in Martian soil. The biggest hurdle is the presence of perchlorate, a toxic chemical that is found on the surface of Mars. Researchers found that rice could grow in simulated Martian soil without any perchlorate, so they moved on to identifying varieties of rice that would be resilient against the chemical. What they found was that rice with the modified gene, SnRK1a was able to grow in soil with 1 gram of perchlorate per kilogram. While the plant only managed to grow a root and a shoot—a far cry from an abundant field of rice—identifying the gene responsible is a major step toward being able to grow food on Mars. The next step is to further experiment with SnRK1a to create a cultivar that is resistant to the toxic chemical. Some people might prefer organic to GMO, but you don’t have much of a choice when you’re millions of miles from the nearest grocery store.
[Image description: A photograph of Mars.] Credit & copyright: WikiImages, Pixabay
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FREEWorld History Daily Curio #2624Free1 CQ
Pirates weren’t the only seafaring raiders to leave behind buried treasure. In 2018, archaeologists began excavating the remains of a viking ship near the Oslo Fjord, in Norway. After years of salvaging and cataloging, they’re finally announcing what they’ve found. It may seem surprising, but historians and archaeologists don’t actually have a lot of accurate information about viking culture. Despite their fearsome reputation and their persistence in popular imaginations for centuries, vikings left very little record of their existence. Even their portrayal in paintings, books, and recent media like the TV show Vikings contradicts what little is known about them—they weren’t even known to wear horned helmets or fashionable leather armor. That’s why finds like the Gjellestad Ship are so important, and it’s proving to be a treasure trove of information. It’s the first viking ship excavation since 1904, and it’s yielded around 8,000 fragments of different artifacts in various states of decay.
The ship as a whole couldn’t be raised, but the wood in the keel dates to around the 8th Century and reveals that the ship saw action sometime in the following centuries before it was buried. There’s also evidence that the ship’s contents were picked over by grave robbers. And yes, the ship likely did serve as a grave. Important figures were buried in ships filled with valuables as a sign of power and wealth. Among the buried hoard was a large amber bead that may have once been attached to jewelry or even a weapon. Then there are items that might have been added for the deceased to make use of in the afterlife, like a comb and a whetstone for sharpening their weapons. The variety of items is important because it helps historians understand the vikings’ customs. It also gives them an idea of what their trade network might have been like in its heyday. While vikings are best known as raiders who terrorized the coasts, they were, in fact, big players in the commerce of early medieval Europe. These mysterious people did it all: they were raiders, waders and traders.
[Image description: A viking-style boat sails between mountains.] Credit & copyright: WFlore, PixabayPirates weren’t the only seafaring raiders to leave behind buried treasure. In 2018, archaeologists began excavating the remains of a viking ship near the Oslo Fjord, in Norway. After years of salvaging and cataloging, they’re finally announcing what they’ve found. It may seem surprising, but historians and archaeologists don’t actually have a lot of accurate information about viking culture. Despite their fearsome reputation and their persistence in popular imaginations for centuries, vikings left very little record of their existence. Even their portrayal in paintings, books, and recent media like the TV show Vikings contradicts what little is known about them—they weren’t even known to wear horned helmets or fashionable leather armor. That’s why finds like the Gjellestad Ship are so important, and it’s proving to be a treasure trove of information. It’s the first viking ship excavation since 1904, and it’s yielded around 8,000 fragments of different artifacts in various states of decay.
The ship as a whole couldn’t be raised, but the wood in the keel dates to around the 8th Century and reveals that the ship saw action sometime in the following centuries before it was buried. There’s also evidence that the ship’s contents were picked over by grave robbers. And yes, the ship likely did serve as a grave. Important figures were buried in ships filled with valuables as a sign of power and wealth. Among the buried hoard was a large amber bead that may have once been attached to jewelry or even a weapon. Then there are items that might have been added for the deceased to make use of in the afterlife, like a comb and a whetstone for sharpening their weapons. The variety of items is important because it helps historians understand the vikings’ customs. It also gives them an idea of what their trade network might have been like in its heyday. While vikings are best known as raiders who terrorized the coasts, they were, in fact, big players in the commerce of early medieval Europe. These mysterious people did it all: they were raiders, waders and traders.
[Image description: A viking-style boat sails between mountains.] Credit & copyright: WFlore, Pixabay