Curio Cabinet
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January 23, 2021
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 23, 2021
ad hominem \ad-HAH-muh-nem\ adjective
Definition
1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect
2 : mar...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 23, 2021
ad hominem \ad-HAH-muh-nem\ adjective
Definition
1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect
2 : mar...
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7 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
More than 3,000 people died of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China. But there hasn’t been a case there since last spring.
with PRI's The WorldMore than 3,000 people died of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China. But there hasn’t been a case there since last spring.
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Two French newspapers, Le Monde and Le Figaro, have agreed to a paid deal so Google can show excerpts of their stories in search ...
From the BBC World Service: Two French newspapers, Le Monde and Le Figaro, have agreed to a paid deal so Google can show excerpts of their stories in search ...
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
The Children of the Poor. by Gwendolyn Brooks (read by Quraysh Ali Lansana).
with Poetry FoundationThe Children of the Poor. by Gwendolyn Brooks (read by Quraysh Ali Lansana).
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #270Free1 CQ
Dubbed the "trial of the century," the People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson garnered global interest. Hundreds of millions tuned in to witness infamous moments, like the defendant trying on the pair of bloodied leather gloves. Supposedly, the gloves didn't fit Simpson because he had stopped taking arthritis medication two weeks earlier, leading his hands to swell. Tune in tomorrow to learn more about Simpson's trial, and subsequent acquittal for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. In the meantime can you unscramble the phrases in defense attorney Johnnie Cochran's statement to the jury?
The phrases of the original quote have the number of words and letters shown below. The phrases were scrambled independently (i.e., the letters from the first phrase aren't scrambled into the second phrase). Can you figure out the original phrase?
"Let me show you something. This is a knit cap. Let me put this knit cap on. You have seen me for a year. If I put this knit cap on, who am I? I'm still Johnnie Cochran with a knit cap. And if you looked at O.J. Simpson over there—and he has headgear rarer halt—O.J. Simpson in a knit cap from two blocks away is still O.J. Simpson. It's no disguise. It makes no sense. Foisted tint. If foisted tint, you must acquit." — Johnnie Cochran
"Let me show you something. This is a knit cap. Let me put this knit cap on. You have seen me for a year. If I put this knit cap on, who am I? I'm still Johnnie Cochran with a knit cap. And if you looked at O.J. Simpson over there—and he has (1) (6) (5) (4)—O.J. Simpson in a knit cap from two blocks away is still O.J. Simpson. It's no disguise. It makes no sense. (2) (6) (3). If (2) (6) (3), you must acquit." — Johnnie Cochran
Hint: South Park dubbed this legal strategy the "Chewbacca defense" in a 1998 episode ("Chef Aid"), satirizing Cochran's reasoning using Star Wars.
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #270" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
Dubbed the "trial of the century," the People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson garnered global interest. Hundreds of millions tuned in to witness infamous moments, like the defendant trying on the pair of bloodied leather gloves. Supposedly, the gloves didn't fit Simpson because he had stopped taking arthritis medication two weeks earlier, leading his hands to swell. Tune in tomorrow to learn more about Simpson's trial, and subsequent acquittal for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. In the meantime can you unscramble the phrases in defense attorney Johnnie Cochran's statement to the jury?
The phrases of the original quote have the number of words and letters shown below. The phrases were scrambled independently (i.e., the letters from the first phrase aren't scrambled into the second phrase). Can you figure out the original phrase?
"Let me show you something. This is a knit cap. Let me put this knit cap on. You have seen me for a year. If I put this knit cap on, who am I? I'm still Johnnie Cochran with a knit cap. And if you looked at O.J. Simpson over there—and he has headgear rarer halt—O.J. Simpson in a knit cap from two blocks away is still O.J. Simpson. It's no disguise. It makes no sense. Foisted tint. If foisted tint, you must acquit." — Johnnie Cochran
"Let me show you something. This is a knit cap. Let me put this knit cap on. You have seen me for a year. If I put this knit cap on, who am I? I'm still Johnnie Cochran with a knit cap. And if you looked at O.J. Simpson over there—and he has (1) (6) (5) (4)—O.J. Simpson in a knit cap from two blocks away is still O.J. Simpson. It's no disguise. It makes no sense. (2) (6) (3). If (2) (6) (3), you must acquit." — Johnnie Cochran
Hint: South Park dubbed this legal strategy the "Chewbacca defense" in a 1998 episode ("Chef Aid"), satirizing Cochran's reasoning using Star Wars.
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #270" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
January 22, 2021
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
President Joe Biden has signed some more executive actions and other measures to bolster economic relief and protections for workers. What’s included? Plus: ...
President Joe Biden has signed some more executive actions and other measures to bolster economic relief and protections for workers. What’s included? Plus: ...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : January 22, 2021
sarcophagus \sahr-KAH-fuh-gus\ noun
Definition
: a stone coffin; broadly : coffin
Did You Know?
Body-eating coffins m...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 22, 2021
sarcophagus \sahr-KAH-fuh-gus\ noun
Definition
: a stone coffin; broadly : coffin
Did You Know?
Body-eating coffins m...
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8 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree5 CQ
Former diplomat Richard Haass wrote recently that a "post-America world" may come sooner than we think — and that it's been hastened by the Jan. 6 riots at t...
with PRI's The WorldFormer diplomat Richard Haass wrote recently that a "post-America world" may come sooner than we think — and that it's been hastened by the Jan. 6 riots at t...
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Eating Chocolate Ice Cream: Reading Mayakovsky. By Barbara Guest.
with Poetry FoundationEating Chocolate Ice Cream: Reading Mayakovsky. By Barbara Guest.
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
"I think it'll probably be another day singing it," Paul McCartney concluded after a ninth take of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The opening track to the band's revered 1967 album of the same name clocked in at just two minutes, but was a challenge to record due to its high-pitched vocal lines. Now, thanks to a 50th-anniversary re-release, Beatles fans get to enjoy the song's many takes, warts and all. Take nine, as you can hear below, doesn't feature the punch of George Harrison's squealy, overdriven lead guitar part, John Lennon's overdubbed backing vocals, or the classic French horn riff expected at 0:35. But it does include a fun, improvised outro, drenched in beautiful guitar feedback. "Gotta be free now," McCartney repeats until the whole thing falls apart and is taken over by studio chatter. You know a song is good when even the outtakes sound like this.
Other streaming options
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
"I think it'll probably be another day singing it," Paul McCartney concluded after a ninth take of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The opening track to the band's revered 1967 album of the same name clocked in at just two minutes, but was a challenge to record due to its high-pitched vocal lines. Now, thanks to a 50th-anniversary re-release, Beatles fans get to enjoy the song's many takes, warts and all. Take nine, as you can hear below, doesn't feature the punch of George Harrison's squealy, overdriven lead guitar part, John Lennon's overdubbed backing vocals, or the classic French horn riff expected at 0:35. But it does include a fun, improvised outro, drenched in beautiful guitar feedback. "Gotta be free now," McCartney repeats until the whole thing falls apart and is taken over by studio chatter. You know a song is good when even the outtakes sound like this.
Other streaming options
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
This pretty pepper photographs better than most of us! It helps that the man behind the lens was Edward Weston. He was a master of black-and-white compositions and close-up studies of organic subjects. The photographer first snapped peppers in 1929 against plain burlap and muslin cloth backdrops. Not loving the results, he tried again in August 1930 with a white cardboard backdrop that proved too stark against the green pepper. In a last ditch effort, he placed the vegetable inside a large funnel. The funnel's curve, visible above, allowed for Weston's lighting to reflect off the pepper from multiple directions, accentuating its striking shape and texture. In the artist's own words: "It is a classic, completely satisfying—a pepper—but more than a pepper; abstract, in that it is completely outside subject matter. It has no psychological attributes, no human emotions are aroused: this new pepper takes one beyond the world we know in the conscious mind." Notice Weston's mention that "no human emotions are aroused"; some critics and viewers would disagree, pointing to sensual or even erotic shapes in the subject. Weston dismissed these, preferring not to have his work "pigeonholed by those who bring to it their own obviously abnormal, frustrated condition."
Image credit: Beetles & Huxley
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
This pretty pepper photographs better than most of us! It helps that the man behind the lens was Edward Weston. He was a master of black-and-white compositions and close-up studies of organic subjects. The photographer first snapped peppers in 1929 against plain burlap and muslin cloth backdrops. Not loving the results, he tried again in August 1930 with a white cardboard backdrop that proved too stark against the green pepper. In a last ditch effort, he placed the vegetable inside a large funnel. The funnel's curve, visible above, allowed for Weston's lighting to reflect off the pepper from multiple directions, accentuating its striking shape and texture. In the artist's own words: "It is a classic, completely satisfying—a pepper—but more than a pepper; abstract, in that it is completely outside subject matter. It has no psychological attributes, no human emotions are aroused: this new pepper takes one beyond the world we know in the conscious mind." Notice Weston's mention that "no human emotions are aroused"; some critics and viewers would disagree, pointing to sensual or even erotic shapes in the subject. Weston dismissed these, preferring not to have his work "pigeonholed by those who bring to it their own obviously abnormal, frustrated condition."
Image credit: Beetles & Huxley
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Spring Ready-to-Wear Collection 2018
Artist: Gareth Pugh (b. 1981)
Created: 2017
Medium: fashion textiles
Current location: Paris, France
London Fashion Week was seeing red in October 2017. British designer Gareth Pugh rocked the fashion world with his spring collection inspired by fire. Foregoing the usual runway show with front-row celebrities, Pugh instead chose to make a short film collaboration with other artists and show it at the largest screen in Europe, the BFI IMAX in London. The video features Pugh and French artist Olivier de Sagazan using clay and paints in a visceral performance art piece, professional dancers making grand physical gestures in his dresses, and a final section with blinded gold-and-black-outfitted models. For Pugh, bringing his creations to performance is nothing new. He began his career working with the English National Youth Theater as a costume designer and the grandiose shapes of his spring collection reflect that history. Pugh has been likened to other British designers like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen—both boundary-pushers and provocateurs in their own right. Since Pugh has worked with Kylie Minogue and Beyoncé before, maybe we'll see some of these highly imaginative pieces on other pop stars soon. Or they could be worn by aliens in the next big popcorn sci-fi blockbuster!
Below: some of the more modest-yet-futuristic designs from Pugh's spring collection.
Image credit & copyright: Gareth Pugh
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Spring Ready-to-Wear Collection 2018
Artist: Gareth Pugh (b. 1981)
Created: 2017
Medium: fashion textiles
Current location: Paris, France
London Fashion Week was seeing red in October 2017. British designer Gareth Pugh rocked the fashion world with his spring collection inspired by fire. Foregoing the usual runway show with front-row celebrities, Pugh instead chose to make a short film collaboration with other artists and show it at the largest screen in Europe, the BFI IMAX in London. The video features Pugh and French artist Olivier de Sagazan using clay and paints in a visceral performance art piece, professional dancers making grand physical gestures in his dresses, and a final section with blinded gold-and-black-outfitted models. For Pugh, bringing his creations to performance is nothing new. He began his career working with the English National Youth Theater as a costume designer and the grandiose shapes of his spring collection reflect that history. Pugh has been likened to other British designers like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen—both boundary-pushers and provocateurs in their own right. Since Pugh has worked with Kylie Minogue and Beyoncé before, maybe we'll see some of these highly imaginative pieces on other pop stars soon. Or they could be worn by aliens in the next big popcorn sci-fi blockbuster!
Below: some of the more modest-yet-futuristic designs from Pugh's spring collection.
Image credit & copyright: Gareth Pugh
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FREEBiology Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It turns out canine noses are as good at locating heat sources as smells. In fact, a 2020 study conducted at Sweden's Lund University gave strong evidence that dog noses function like infrared heat sensors. The study was fairly simple. First, scientists trained three dogs to approach objects warmed to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Then the researchers placed one of these warmed objects into a container sealed with electrical tape, aside an identical, room-temperature control box. When tasked with selecting the box with the warm object, the dogs succeeded over and over. This intrigued the team, so they placed 13 similarly-trained dogs into an fMRI scanner. The pooches' left somatosensory cortices in their brains all lit up when introduced to the heated object. Researchers are uncertain how the dogs do this, but they believe the rhinarium is partially responsible. The rhinarium is the moist, sniffly, nerve-loaded tip of a dog's nose, which has up to 300 million olfactory receptors. Considering the rhinarium's ability to overcome the experiment's physical barriers, the appendage seems to function as a thermal radiation sensor, meaning it detects infrared radiation directly from bodies or shifting photons. This differs from conduction sensors, which measure heat transfer through direct contact, and convection sensors, which pick up on heat passing through mediums. Dogs have officially joined the ranks of other heat-sensing animals, like snakes, bats, and certain beetles. It's interesting to note that the standard prey of dogs and wolves tend to have very thick coats of fur relative to their body mass. So it seems those smaller mammals have adapted to give off less heat, to slip under the rhinarium's radar. But even then, the dogs still have their smelling ability. If dogs are "man's best friend," then I think physics are dogs' best friend!
Image credit & copyright: loriklaszlo/Depositphotos
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It turns out canine noses are as good at locating heat sources as smells. In fact, a 2020 study conducted at Sweden's Lund University gave strong evidence that dog noses function like infrared heat sensors. The study was fairly simple. First, scientists trained three dogs to approach objects warmed to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Then the researchers placed one of these warmed objects into a container sealed with electrical tape, aside an identical, room-temperature control box. When tasked with selecting the box with the warm object, the dogs succeeded over and over. This intrigued the team, so they placed 13 similarly-trained dogs into an fMRI scanner. The pooches' left somatosensory cortices in their brains all lit up when introduced to the heated object. Researchers are uncertain how the dogs do this, but they believe the rhinarium is partially responsible. The rhinarium is the moist, sniffly, nerve-loaded tip of a dog's nose, which has up to 300 million olfactory receptors. Considering the rhinarium's ability to overcome the experiment's physical barriers, the appendage seems to function as a thermal radiation sensor, meaning it detects infrared radiation directly from bodies or shifting photons. This differs from conduction sensors, which measure heat transfer through direct contact, and convection sensors, which pick up on heat passing through mediums. Dogs have officially joined the ranks of other heat-sensing animals, like snakes, bats, and certain beetles. It's interesting to note that the standard prey of dogs and wolves tend to have very thick coats of fur relative to their body mass. So it seems those smaller mammals have adapted to give off less heat, to slip under the rhinarium's radar. But even then, the dogs still have their smelling ability. If dogs are "man's best friend," then I think physics are dogs' best friend!
Image credit & copyright: loriklaszlo/Depositphotos
January 21, 2021
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Biden will implement one tool for fighting COVID-19 that the previous administration used sparingly: the Defense Production Act. Plus, why some banks are len...
Biden will implement one tool for fighting COVID-19 that the previous administration used sparingly: the Defense Production Act. Plus, why some banks are len...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : January 21, 2021
exact \ig-ZAKT\ verb
Definition
1 : to call for forcibly or urgently and obtain
2 : to call for as necessary or desira...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 21, 2021
exact \ig-ZAKT\ verb
Definition
1 : to call for forcibly or urgently and obtain
2 : to call for as necessary or desira...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The incoming Biden administration has said it will overturn policies such as the bilateral agreements the Trump administration made with Guatemala, Honduras ...
with PRI's The WorldThe incoming Biden administration has said it will overturn policies such as the bilateral agreements the Trump administration made with Guatemala, Honduras ...
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FREEAstronomy Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Who needs a dark side of the Moon when it can disappear altogether? Scientists have recently uncovered an explanation to the Moon's disappearance for a night in medieval England. On the night of May 5, 1110 C.E. a total lunar eclipse was documented in the middle of the night, lasting into the day time. According to researchers from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, the secret to the eclipse was in the trees and snow: ice core samples taken from glaciers date sulphuric aerosol particles from volcanic activity to 1110 C.E. In addition, tree rings dating from the same period reveal unusually ring thinning and cold weather for the year. Several accounts from the time note crop failures, famine, and other incidents of unfavorable weather. While previous research pointed to an eruption at Iceland's Hekla volcano as the cause of the lunar eclipse, the University of Geneva researchers point to a months-long eruption at Japan's Mount Asama in 1108 as the likely culprit of the blackout. Whatever the reasons, we bet the visible moon couldn't come back fast enough on May 6th.
Image credit & copyright: CoffmanCMU / Getty Images / iStockphoto
Written by: Esther P.
Who needs a dark side of the Moon when it can disappear altogether? Scientists have recently uncovered an explanation to the Moon's disappearance for a night in medieval England. On the night of May 5, 1110 C.E. a total lunar eclipse was documented in the middle of the night, lasting into the day time. According to researchers from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, the secret to the eclipse was in the trees and snow: ice core samples taken from glaciers date sulphuric aerosol particles from volcanic activity to 1110 C.E. In addition, tree rings dating from the same period reveal unusually ring thinning and cold weather for the year. Several accounts from the time note crop failures, famine, and other incidents of unfavorable weather. While previous research pointed to an eruption at Iceland's Hekla volcano as the cause of the lunar eclipse, the University of Geneva researchers point to a months-long eruption at Japan's Mount Asama in 1108 as the likely culprit of the blackout. Whatever the reasons, we bet the visible moon couldn't come back fast enough on May 6th.
Image credit & copyright: CoffmanCMU / Getty Images / iStockphoto
Written by: Esther P.
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2170Free1 CQ
Ah, America. Land of the free, home of the…special interest groups? Every year, hundreds of groups lobby Congress and federal agencies on issues affecting their constituents. In 2020, the Association for Dressings & Sauces lobbied the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to repeal the regulation of a controversial condiment, French dressing. Currently, the FDA defines French dressing as, "[the] separable liquid food or the emulsified viscous fluid food prepared from vegetable oil(s) and one or both of the acidifying ingredients specified." Manufacturers of the sweet and tangy orange dressing, which the French would certainly repudiate, must also adhere to these guidelines. Their recipes are allowed additives such as tomato paste, catsup (ketchup), or sherry wine, monosodium glutamate (MSG), preservatives, thickeners, and food coloring.
So why is the Association for Dressing & Sauces lobbying to repeal this broad list of regulations? Food scientists believe producers want more leeway in their recipes. Meanwhile the FDA maintains the current standard does not meet consumer expectations. They argue this repeal would align with their Nutrition Innovation Strategy (NIS), and would allow "industry flexibility for innovation to produce more healthful foods." Of course, if consumers are looking for the healthiest option, they can always make real French dressing, aka vinaigrette, at home. French dressing is simply an emulsion of fat (oil) and acid (vinegar or citrus juice) that is seasoned. Julia Child described the ideal ratios as being like a "very dry martini, since you can always add more vinegar or lemon but you can't take it out." Take James Bond's advice and make that dressing shaken, not stirred.
*In case you're wondering, the United States isn't the only country to regulate its food and beverage products. In France, L'Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (The National Institute of Origin and Quality) oversees the designation of appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC, controlled designation of origin). Consumers look for the AOC label on everything from Champagne, which must be produced in the Champagne region, to Roquefort cheese, which must be aged in the Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
Image credit & copyright: Amelia RampeAh, America. Land of the free, home of the…special interest groups? Every year, hundreds of groups lobby Congress and federal agencies on issues affecting their constituents. In 2020, the Association for Dressings & Sauces lobbied the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to repeal the regulation of a controversial condiment, French dressing. Currently, the FDA defines French dressing as, "[the] separable liquid food or the emulsified viscous fluid food prepared from vegetable oil(s) and one or both of the acidifying ingredients specified." Manufacturers of the sweet and tangy orange dressing, which the French would certainly repudiate, must also adhere to these guidelines. Their recipes are allowed additives such as tomato paste, catsup (ketchup), or sherry wine, monosodium glutamate (MSG), preservatives, thickeners, and food coloring.
So why is the Association for Dressing & Sauces lobbying to repeal this broad list of regulations? Food scientists believe producers want more leeway in their recipes. Meanwhile the FDA maintains the current standard does not meet consumer expectations. They argue this repeal would align with their Nutrition Innovation Strategy (NIS), and would allow "industry flexibility for innovation to produce more healthful foods." Of course, if consumers are looking for the healthiest option, they can always make real French dressing, aka vinaigrette, at home. French dressing is simply an emulsion of fat (oil) and acid (vinegar or citrus juice) that is seasoned. Julia Child described the ideal ratios as being like a "very dry martini, since you can always add more vinegar or lemon but you can't take it out." Take James Bond's advice and make that dressing shaken, not stirred.
*In case you're wondering, the United States isn't the only country to regulate its food and beverage products. In France, L'Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (The National Institute of Origin and Quality) oversees the designation of appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC, controlled designation of origin). Consumers look for the AOC label on everything from Champagne, which must be produced in the Champagne region, to Roquefort cheese, which must be aged in the Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
Image credit & copyright: Amelia Rampe -
FREEMusic Song CurioFree2 CQ
Revenge is a dish best served on Mars… or at least that was the case for David Bowie. One of his most endearing tunes, the 1973 hit Life on Mars?, began as something he wrote for crooner Frank Sinatra. Pre-fame Bowie worked for a music publishing company in the late 1960s when he got the opportunity to write English lyrics to the French chanson (song) Comme d’habitude, eventually performed by Frank Sinatra. Bowie's effort would be called Even a Fool Learns to Love. Unfortunately for the Starman, Paul Anka bought the rights and wrote Sinatra's signature song My Way. Not one to be outdone, when Bowie recorded his breakthrough sophomore album Hunky Dory in 1971, he returned to his previous failure, lifting the Life on Mars? descending verse melody directly from i>My Way. In true Bowie fashion he didn't stop there: the song has a completely rewritten bridge which changes keys as it ascends into the big, surreal chorus. The back of the Hunky Dory vinyl even lists a parenthetical note to Life on Mars? as "(Inspired by Frankie)." Remembering David Bowie on the anniversary of his birthday, we're glad he did things his own space oddity-way.
Below: the three versions of the chanson: Claude François' Comme d'habitude, Sinatra's My Way, and Bowie's Life on Mars?
Image credit & copyright: David Bowie, WMG
Written by: Esther P.
Revenge is a dish best served on Mars… or at least that was the case for David Bowie. One of his most endearing tunes, the 1973 hit Life on Mars?, began as something he wrote for crooner Frank Sinatra. Pre-fame Bowie worked for a music publishing company in the late 1960s when he got the opportunity to write English lyrics to the French chanson (song) Comme d’habitude, eventually performed by Frank Sinatra. Bowie's effort would be called Even a Fool Learns to Love. Unfortunately for the Starman, Paul Anka bought the rights and wrote Sinatra's signature song My Way. Not one to be outdone, when Bowie recorded his breakthrough sophomore album Hunky Dory in 1971, he returned to his previous failure, lifting the Life on Mars? descending verse melody directly from i>My Way. In true Bowie fashion he didn't stop there: the song has a completely rewritten bridge which changes keys as it ascends into the big, surreal chorus. The back of the Hunky Dory vinyl even lists a parenthetical note to Life on Mars? as "(Inspired by Frankie)." Remembering David Bowie on the anniversary of his birthday, we're glad he did things his own space oddity-way.
Below: the three versions of the chanson: Claude François' Comme d'habitude, Sinatra's My Way, and Bowie's Life on Mars?
Image credit & copyright: David Bowie, WMG
Written by: Esther P.
January 20, 2021
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10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
From the BBC World Service: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined hopes for cooperation with the U.S. as a new administration is instal...
From the BBC World Service: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined hopes for cooperation with the U.S. as a new administration is instal...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : January 20, 2021
gulosity \goo-LAH-suh-tee\ noun
Definition
: excessive appetite : greediness
Did You Know?
Gulosity is a rare word fo...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 20, 2021
gulosity \goo-LAH-suh-tee\ noun
Definition
: excessive appetite : greediness
Did You Know?
Gulosity is a rare word fo...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Michael McFaul, who was the US ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, worked closely with Antony Blinken and Joe Biden during his time with the Obama admini...
with PRI's The WorldMichael McFaul, who was the US ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, worked closely with Antony Blinken and Joe Biden during his time with the Obama admini...
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FREEArchitecture Daily Curio #2169Free1 CQ
If you're a fan of movie chase scenes, you're likely familiar with the Los Angeles River. The dreary, and rather dystopian river is about to undergo a facelift, thanks to renowned architect Frank Gehry. Before 1941, the Los Angeles river flowed freely from the foothills of the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica and Santa Susana Mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean. That year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the Sepulveda Dam, a project commissioned in response to historic flooding in 1938. They also built concrete channels from Elysian Park to Long Beach to prevent the 51-mile river from spilling out of its banks again. Unfortunately, these measures left the LA River looking like an open-air sewer fed by runoff and wastewater. In 2009, the nonprofit River LA formed with the mission of reviving the river. By reinvigorating the riparian zone, supporters hope to improve air and water quality, and provide much-needed green spaces for neighboring communities. After all, a quarter of all Angelenos live within a mile of the river.
In 2015, the city of Los Angeles provided funding to River LA to commission a study on the river. To many people's surprise, they selected Frank Gehry and his team for the project. While Gehry's designs—from the Loyola Law School and Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown to the Chiat/Day Complex in Venice—already mark the Los Angeles landscape, they are not known for blending into their environments. Nonetheless, Gehry and his team bravely took on the task, working pro bono to research the river. They compiled and published data regarding water flow, land use, public health, and more. Ultimately, Gehry realized revitalizing the river meant working with the existing structure. Although most people agree the concrete is an eyesore, reconfiguring it would endanger nearby communities.
One solution Gehry recently shared is a $150-million cultural center at the confluence of the Los Angeles River and Rio Hondo River in the South Gate community. Gehry's design features wide, elevated platforms covered in green space. Spanning the river, and extending 3 miles, the platforms will be several times larger than New York City's Central Park. Not only will they serve as important sites for community gatherings and recreational activities, but they will also host local flora and fauna. (The region is a biodiversity hotspot with over 45,000 endemic species.) Of course, Gehry's plan is not without controversy. Critics worry he's only adding more concrete. Until Gehry's master plan to revitalize the river is released next year, we can only speculate. Here's to hoping for an urban oasis!
Below, Frank Gehry discusses the project:
Image credit & copyright: A sketch of Gehry’s platforming concept for a three-mile stretch of the L.A. River, which would create acres of parkland above the existing riverbed. Courtesy of Oline / Richard Roark.If you're a fan of movie chase scenes, you're likely familiar with the Los Angeles River. The dreary, and rather dystopian river is about to undergo a facelift, thanks to renowned architect Frank Gehry. Before 1941, the Los Angeles river flowed freely from the foothills of the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica and Santa Susana Mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean. That year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the Sepulveda Dam, a project commissioned in response to historic flooding in 1938. They also built concrete channels from Elysian Park to Long Beach to prevent the 51-mile river from spilling out of its banks again. Unfortunately, these measures left the LA River looking like an open-air sewer fed by runoff and wastewater. In 2009, the nonprofit River LA formed with the mission of reviving the river. By reinvigorating the riparian zone, supporters hope to improve air and water quality, and provide much-needed green spaces for neighboring communities. After all, a quarter of all Angelenos live within a mile of the river.
In 2015, the city of Los Angeles provided funding to River LA to commission a study on the river. To many people's surprise, they selected Frank Gehry and his team for the project. While Gehry's designs—from the Loyola Law School and Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown to the Chiat/Day Complex in Venice—already mark the Los Angeles landscape, they are not known for blending into their environments. Nonetheless, Gehry and his team bravely took on the task, working pro bono to research the river. They compiled and published data regarding water flow, land use, public health, and more. Ultimately, Gehry realized revitalizing the river meant working with the existing structure. Although most people agree the concrete is an eyesore, reconfiguring it would endanger nearby communities.
One solution Gehry recently shared is a $150-million cultural center at the confluence of the Los Angeles River and Rio Hondo River in the South Gate community. Gehry's design features wide, elevated platforms covered in green space. Spanning the river, and extending 3 miles, the platforms will be several times larger than New York City's Central Park. Not only will they serve as important sites for community gatherings and recreational activities, but they will also host local flora and fauna. (The region is a biodiversity hotspot with over 45,000 endemic species.) Of course, Gehry's plan is not without controversy. Critics worry he's only adding more concrete. Until Gehry's master plan to revitalize the river is released next year, we can only speculate. Here's to hoping for an urban oasis!
Below, Frank Gehry discusses the project:
Image credit & copyright: A sketch of Gehry’s platforming concept for a three-mile stretch of the L.A. River, which would create acres of parkland above the existing riverbed. Courtesy of Oline / Richard Roark. -
FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
A little competition can be a great thing! Despite British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's laid-back demeanor, it turns out he can be pretty competitive...against himself, anyway. In 2014, Sheeran released Thinking Out Loud, a love song that quickly became a hit. The song was co-written with folk singer Amy Wadge, meaning that Sheeran had to share credit for the career-defining tune. In 2017, Sheeran sought to remedy this by releasing Perfect, a love song he'd written entirely on his own. "I just wanted to beat Thinking Out Loud. I wasn't in any other mind," he said in one interview. Perfect did end up being a smash hit, topping the Billboard Top 100 on this day, in 2018. Sheeran even released two versions of the song, one solo and one as a duet with none other than Beyoncé. Even without all the attention Queen Bey surely brought to the tune, Perfect is a catchy and unique song. Written in three-quarter time, it features straightforward but touching lyrics about getting married and raising a family. Who would have guessed that such a gentle ballad was born of Sheeran's urge to one-up himself!
Image credit & copyright: Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP
Written by: Maria C.
A little competition can be a great thing! Despite British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's laid-back demeanor, it turns out he can be pretty competitive...against himself, anyway. In 2014, Sheeran released Thinking Out Loud, a love song that quickly became a hit. The song was co-written with folk singer Amy Wadge, meaning that Sheeran had to share credit for the career-defining tune. In 2017, Sheeran sought to remedy this by releasing Perfect, a love song he'd written entirely on his own. "I just wanted to beat Thinking Out Loud. I wasn't in any other mind," he said in one interview. Perfect did end up being a smash hit, topping the Billboard Top 100 on this day, in 2018. Sheeran even released two versions of the song, one solo and one as a duet with none other than Beyoncé. Even without all the attention Queen Bey surely brought to the tune, Perfect is a catchy and unique song. Written in three-quarter time, it features straightforward but touching lyrics about getting married and raising a family. Who would have guessed that such a gentle ballad was born of Sheeran's urge to one-up himself!
Image credit & copyright: Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP
Written by: Maria C.
January 19, 2021
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FREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Thank you, thank you very much, vaccines. As the COVID-19 vaccines roll out this year, we're reminded of Elvis Presley's role in promoting polio vaccinations. Just before his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 28, 1956, the King posed for photos while receiving the new polio vaccine. Presley had been recruited by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP, later renamed March of Dimes) to help promote the vaccine among teenagers and young adults. Those populations were not being sufficiently immunized, even though they were a vulnerable population. The NFIP would further court Presley's audience by having him record public service announcements, holding exclusive "Salk hops"—named after the inventor of the polio vaccine Jonas Salk, and offering signed photos to Elvis fan clubs who could prove all of their members were vaccinated. The efforts by Presley and the NFIP helped polio cases drop by 81% between the years of 1955 and 1957. Now that's what we call a little less conversation, a little more vaccinations!
Image credit & copyright: Seymour Wally / NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Written by: Esther P.
Thank you, thank you very much, vaccines. As the COVID-19 vaccines roll out this year, we're reminded of Elvis Presley's role in promoting polio vaccinations. Just before his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 28, 1956, the King posed for photos while receiving the new polio vaccine. Presley had been recruited by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP, later renamed March of Dimes) to help promote the vaccine among teenagers and young adults. Those populations were not being sufficiently immunized, even though they were a vulnerable population. The NFIP would further court Presley's audience by having him record public service announcements, holding exclusive "Salk hops"—named after the inventor of the polio vaccine Jonas Salk, and offering signed photos to Elvis fan clubs who could prove all of their members were vaccinated. The efforts by Presley and the NFIP helped polio cases drop by 81% between the years of 1955 and 1957. Now that's what we call a little less conversation, a little more vaccinations!
Image credit & copyright: Seymour Wally / NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Written by: Esther P.
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
ISIS took responsibility for the attack — the latest example of their systematic targeting of Hazaras in recent years.
with PRI's The WorldISIS took responsibility for the attack — the latest example of their systematic targeting of Hazaras in recent years.
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: There’s competition between carmakers and electronics manufacturers over vital semiconductor chips. Plus, India’s automobile hub ...
From the BBC World Service: There’s competition between carmakers and electronics manufacturers over vital semiconductor chips. Plus, India’s automobile hub ...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : January 19, 2021
conjecture \kun-JEK-cher\ verb
Definition
1 : to arrive at or deduce by surmise or guesswork : guess
2 : to form a sup...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 19, 2021
conjecture \kun-JEK-cher\ verb
Definition
1 : to arrive at or deduce by surmise or guesswork : guess
2 : to form a sup...
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
A poem from From A Winter Notebook. By Matvei Yankelevich.
with Poetry FoundationA poem from From A Winter Notebook. By Matvei Yankelevich.
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2168Free1 CQ
You've heard about sled dogs, but what about sled docs? For a team of healthcare workers in Alaska, travelling by sled or snowmobile is all part of a day's work—and the only way to transport much-needed COVID-19 vaccines. The largest state, Alaska is over 663,300 square miles. Put in perspective it's bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. The state's size, coupled with its extreme climate, limits healthcare options for residents. 75% of Alaskan communities do not have direct access to a hospital, and 25% are only reachable by boat or aircraft (modes of transportation frequently interrupted by inclement weather). Although the state is one of the least-populated, its 730,000 residents are incredibly diverse in terms of race, gender, and age. The average age of an Alaska resident is 34, lower than the national average. Nonetheless, the state has a growing elderly population. Elderly Alaskans, particularly those living in rural and/or indigenous communities, face health disparities because of their remote locations and high poverty rates. COVID-19 is only exacerbating these disparities.
A team of healthcare professionals is working overtime to serve these isolated populations in the Maniilaq Association. Based in the northwest city of Kotzebue, Katrine Bengaard, Meredith Dean, Heather Kenison, and James Austin, have been transporting and dispensing COVID-19 vaccines in frigid conditions. Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines must be kept at precise temperatures. To ensure the vaccines safely arrive, the team has chartered boats and bush planes, and even driven sleds and snowmobiles. During some deliveries, team members have protected the vaccine from freezing by storing it in a protective pouch tucked inside their coats. Talk about going the extra mile!
Image credit & copyright: Dec. 2020, courtesy of Katrine Bengaard. From left to right, nurse Heather Kenison, pharmacist Meredith Dean, nurse James Austin and Dr. Katrine Bengaard.You've heard about sled dogs, but what about sled docs? For a team of healthcare workers in Alaska, travelling by sled or snowmobile is all part of a day's work—and the only way to transport much-needed COVID-19 vaccines. The largest state, Alaska is over 663,300 square miles. Put in perspective it's bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. The state's size, coupled with its extreme climate, limits healthcare options for residents. 75% of Alaskan communities do not have direct access to a hospital, and 25% are only reachable by boat or aircraft (modes of transportation frequently interrupted by inclement weather). Although the state is one of the least-populated, its 730,000 residents are incredibly diverse in terms of race, gender, and age. The average age of an Alaska resident is 34, lower than the national average. Nonetheless, the state has a growing elderly population. Elderly Alaskans, particularly those living in rural and/or indigenous communities, face health disparities because of their remote locations and high poverty rates. COVID-19 is only exacerbating these disparities.
A team of healthcare professionals is working overtime to serve these isolated populations in the Maniilaq Association. Based in the northwest city of Kotzebue, Katrine Bengaard, Meredith Dean, Heather Kenison, and James Austin, have been transporting and dispensing COVID-19 vaccines in frigid conditions. Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines must be kept at precise temperatures. To ensure the vaccines safely arrive, the team has chartered boats and bush planes, and even driven sleds and snowmobiles. During some deliveries, team members have protected the vaccine from freezing by storing it in a protective pouch tucked inside their coats. Talk about going the extra mile!
Image credit & copyright: Dec. 2020, courtesy of Katrine Bengaard. From left to right, nurse Heather Kenison, pharmacist Meredith Dean, nurse James Austin and Dr. Katrine Bengaard. -
FREESports Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Let's get ready to rumble! The ancient sport of Japanese Sumo wrestling has been around for at least two thousand years, yet in Japan, women are still not allowed to compete in the sport professionally. That hasn't stopped amateur teams and tournaments from popping up through the years. In the photo above, female sumo wrestlers Tokuko Saito (left) and Mayuki Matsumoto (right) position themselves for their middleweight match in the 1997 All-Japan New Sumo Tournament in Osaka. Both women are in the usual crouched sumo form, and sport traditional wide belts. Although the All-Japan New Sumo Tournament no longer exists, other all-female tournaments have had real staying power, such as the Female Only Sumo Grand Tournament, which began in 1991. This is in spite of traditions which officially prohibit women from even touching a sumo wrestling ring or dohyō. At places like Asahi University in Mizuho, Japan, mixed-gender sumo clubs have had great success, leading some to hope that women will one day be allowed to compete professionally. In the battle for equal representation in sports, one thing is clear: these tough athletes won't be stepping out of the ring any time soon.
Below: members of the 2018 Asahi University sumo club.
Image credit & copyright: AP Photo, Itsuo Inouye, Laura Liverani, The Guardian
Written by: Maria C.
Let's get ready to rumble! The ancient sport of Japanese Sumo wrestling has been around for at least two thousand years, yet in Japan, women are still not allowed to compete in the sport professionally. That hasn't stopped amateur teams and tournaments from popping up through the years. In the photo above, female sumo wrestlers Tokuko Saito (left) and Mayuki Matsumoto (right) position themselves for their middleweight match in the 1997 All-Japan New Sumo Tournament in Osaka. Both women are in the usual crouched sumo form, and sport traditional wide belts. Although the All-Japan New Sumo Tournament no longer exists, other all-female tournaments have had real staying power, such as the Female Only Sumo Grand Tournament, which began in 1991. This is in spite of traditions which officially prohibit women from even touching a sumo wrestling ring or dohyō. At places like Asahi University in Mizuho, Japan, mixed-gender sumo clubs have had great success, leading some to hope that women will one day be allowed to compete professionally. In the battle for equal representation in sports, one thing is clear: these tough athletes won't be stepping out of the ring any time soon.
Below: members of the 2018 Asahi University sumo club.
Image credit & copyright: AP Photo, Itsuo Inouye, Laura Liverani, The Guardian
Written by: Maria C.
January 18, 2021
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: China was the only major economy to expand in 2020, even after a historic plunge in growth between January and March. Plus, the S...
From the BBC World Service: China was the only major economy to expand in 2020, even after a historic plunge in growth between January and March. Plus, the S...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : January 18, 2021
preeminent \pree-EM-uh-nunt\ adjective
Definition
1 : exhibiting eminence especially in standing above others in some q...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 18, 2021
preeminent \pree-EM-uh-nunt\ adjective
Definition
1 : exhibiting eminence especially in standing above others in some q...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
It’s taken years of rare bipartisan cooperation, but the US has now quietly taken a step that draws a red line for China in Tibet.
with PRI's The WorldIt’s taken years of rare bipartisan cooperation, but the US has now quietly taken a step that draws a red line for China in Tibet.
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FREEStyle Daily Curio #2167Free1 CQ
If you spent the holidays binge-watching Bridgerton, the salacious period piece produced by Shonda Rhimes, you're not alone. Based on a series of historical romance novels by Julia Quinn, including The Duke & I and The Viscount Who Loved Me, Bridgerton is set in England during the Regency era (1795-1837 C.E.)—so-named because the Prince Regent served as a proxy leader for his unwell father, George III. The Netflix adaptation indulges in this historical drama, as well as contemporary settings (enhanced by CGI), costumes, and vocabulary. The main characters are often headed to the modiste, a term from milliner or dressmaker derived from the French word for fashion, mode. (If something is à la mode it is "in fashion," not topped with ice cream.) There is also much talk of "leading strings," an expression tossed around in Regency romances that suggests the person in question is either quite young or under the control of someone else.
During the early modern period in Europe, leading strings were pieces of fabric attached to a child's garments. Their shape evolved with fashion trends, going from hanging sleeves to shorter and narrower strips, like ribbons. Used as a training tool, leading strings were intended to help children learn to walk. A caregiver would hold the strings and guide the child, much like a puppeteer manipulates a marionette or a coachmen steers a horse. Their use was controversial, with some doctors cautioning they could affect the child's health and disposition. Other medical professionals encouraged their use, with a dose of patience. In a 19th-century household medical reference book, H. Müller argues leading strings help "preserve the child from the accident of a dangerous fall." He believes "children very easily lose confidence in themselves when their first attempts to stand or to walk have painful consequences." Once a child could remain upright for an extended period, the leading strings served as a form of restraint, preventing children from running off or injuring themselves—a precursor to those safety harness "backpacks" seen at amusement parks. By the 18th century, leading strings on a young girl's garments also indicated she was unmarried, and still under the legal control of her parents. Talk about a fashion statement.
Image credit & copyright: Galerie des modes et costumes français, 32nd notebook, 2nd figure, c. 1778-1787If you spent the holidays binge-watching Bridgerton, the salacious period piece produced by Shonda Rhimes, you're not alone. Based on a series of historical romance novels by Julia Quinn, including The Duke & I and The Viscount Who Loved Me, Bridgerton is set in England during the Regency era (1795-1837 C.E.)—so-named because the Prince Regent served as a proxy leader for his unwell father, George III. The Netflix adaptation indulges in this historical drama, as well as contemporary settings (enhanced by CGI), costumes, and vocabulary. The main characters are often headed to the modiste, a term from milliner or dressmaker derived from the French word for fashion, mode. (If something is à la mode it is "in fashion," not topped with ice cream.) There is also much talk of "leading strings," an expression tossed around in Regency romances that suggests the person in question is either quite young or under the control of someone else.
During the early modern period in Europe, leading strings were pieces of fabric attached to a child's garments. Their shape evolved with fashion trends, going from hanging sleeves to shorter and narrower strips, like ribbons. Used as a training tool, leading strings were intended to help children learn to walk. A caregiver would hold the strings and guide the child, much like a puppeteer manipulates a marionette or a coachmen steers a horse. Their use was controversial, with some doctors cautioning they could affect the child's health and disposition. Other medical professionals encouraged their use, with a dose of patience. In a 19th-century household medical reference book, H. Müller argues leading strings help "preserve the child from the accident of a dangerous fall." He believes "children very easily lose confidence in themselves when their first attempts to stand or to walk have painful consequences." Once a child could remain upright for an extended period, the leading strings served as a form of restraint, preventing children from running off or injuring themselves—a precursor to those safety harness "backpacks" seen at amusement parks. By the 18th century, leading strings on a young girl's garments also indicated she was unmarried, and still under the legal control of her parents. Talk about a fashion statement.
Image credit & copyright: Galerie des modes et costumes français, 32nd notebook, 2nd figure, c. 1778-1787 -
FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Horses at Moonlight
William Sommar (1867-1949)
oil on cardboard
32 x 24 inches
Who says there's only one way to paint a midwestern landscape? Born on this day in 1867, American painter William Sommer introduced European modernism to the American midwest, particularly Ohio. Modernist works tend to focus more on conveying emotions than on strict realism. In Horses at Moonlight, three horses graze in a hilly pasture at night. Each of the painting's subjects are easily identifiable from the trees to the moon to the spoked red wheels of a piece of farm equipment, yet each one is abstract, with thick outlines and bright colors. Some aspects of the painting, such as the puddle in the foreground which shows a horse's reflection, are extremely detailed. Other details, such as the horses' eyes, are absent. Sommer's style was greatly influenced by his time studying in Germany and New York City, as well as his friendship with William Zorach, an American artist known for his early embrace of cubism. Eventually, Sommer, along with some artist friends, bought an abandoned schoolhouse in Brandywine, around 30 miles south of Cleveland, and turned it into an art gallery which further helped to normalize modernist art in the midwest. That's one way to spread culture!
Below: two more of Sommer's paintings, Houses and Pink Clouds and Woman with Striped Stockings.
Written by: Maria C.
Horses at Moonlight
William Sommar (1867-1949)
oil on cardboard
32 x 24 inches
Who says there's only one way to paint a midwestern landscape? Born on this day in 1867, American painter William Sommer introduced European modernism to the American midwest, particularly Ohio. Modernist works tend to focus more on conveying emotions than on strict realism. In Horses at Moonlight, three horses graze in a hilly pasture at night. Each of the painting's subjects are easily identifiable from the trees to the moon to the spoked red wheels of a piece of farm equipment, yet each one is abstract, with thick outlines and bright colors. Some aspects of the painting, such as the puddle in the foreground which shows a horse's reflection, are extremely detailed. Other details, such as the horses' eyes, are absent. Sommer's style was greatly influenced by his time studying in Germany and New York City, as well as his friendship with William Zorach, an American artist known for his early embrace of cubism. Eventually, Sommer, along with some artist friends, bought an abandoned schoolhouse in Brandywine, around 30 miles south of Cleveland, and turned it into an art gallery which further helped to normalize modernist art in the midwest. That's one way to spread culture!
Below: two more of Sommer's paintings, Houses and Pink Clouds and Woman with Striped Stockings.
Written by: Maria C.
January 17, 2021
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : January 17, 2021
modicum \MAH-dih-kum\ noun
Definition
: a small portion : a limited quantity
Did You Know?
What does modicum have to ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 17, 2021
modicum \MAH-dih-kum\ noun
Definition
: a small portion : a limited quantity
Did You Know?
What does modicum have to ...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
It’s never been more risky during the pandemic for essential front-line workers to do their jobs. Yet many companies are no longer offering hazard pay. Plus,...
It’s never been more risky during the pandemic for essential front-line workers to do their jobs. Yet many companies are no longer offering hazard pay. Plus,...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
David Hofmann, a professor of sociology at the University of New Brunswick, has studied the rise of white extremism in Canada. He spoke to The World’s host M...
with PRI's The WorldDavid Hofmann, a professor of sociology at the University of New Brunswick, has studied the rise of white extremism in Canada. He spoke to The World’s host M...
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FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Let's face it: presidential election cycles can be a hot mess. Even before 2020's Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference, certain lame duck elected officials were infamous for their late-term ineffectiveness. Luckily in 1933, a constitutional amendment was passed to remedy that… the 20th, to be precise.
Before the 20th Amendment passed, the duration of presidential and congressional terms was ambiguous. Article 1 of the Constitution mandated Congress meet at least once a year, usually in December to perform their federal duties: all went as planned during odd years, but in even (election) years, lame duck sessions ensured little was accomplished. While such inaction during the year might make us think of them as the precursor to a "do nothing Congress," the reality was that in the 18th and 19th century, politicians often had to set their affairs in order at home over several months before undergoing travel to the nation's capital. It also didn't help that Congress and the new president had to wait between Election Day in November and March 4th the next year to start their new jobs. That date was chosen by the 1789 Congress of the Confederation (the original unicameral legislative and executive body) as the beginning of new elected terms. The four-month long delays heavily tested the country's mettle during events like the secession of the Southern states in February 1861, which proved national emergencies wait for no man or new body politic to come into power.
The one-month Congress became a bigger and bigger problem as it failed to meet the needs of a growing nation transformed by trains, planes, and automobiles. Among the champions of progressive politics in the Senate was Republican George W. Norris of Nebraska, who advocated for labor rights, direct election of senators, and isolationism in foreign policy. In 1923, Norris proposed a resolution to shorten the lame duck session of the legislative and executive bodies. The resolution didn't pick up much steam during the roaring 20s, however the onset of the Great Depression demanded New Deal reforms in the social safety net, and the way Washington did business. The 72nd Congress proposed the 20th Amendment on March 2, 1932, with Section 1 addressing much needed changes to the four-month lame duck period:Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
After being ratified by three-fourths of the states, the 20th Amendment was passed on January 23, 1933, incidentally during a lame duck period. Franklin D. Roosevelt would become the last president to take office on March 4th in 1933, and also the first to be inaugurated on January 20th in 1937 under the 20th Amendment changes. In 1935 Clerk of the House South Trimble noted “This is the first time in 146 years that an old Congress dies and a new one is born on the 3d day of January…today we inaugurate the first session of the Seventy-fourth Congress.”
While the 20th Amendment also outlines other important procedural actions in the executive and legislative branches, like the chain of succession to the presidency, it's mostly known these days for setting the date for the Inauguration Day ceremony and celebrations at the Capitol Building and National Mall. And in these days of high speed internet and other forms of instant gratification, some are upset about the lame duck delay between Election Day and January 20th! Not to worry though, the president elect and his transition team are, by all accounts, kept incredibly busy during the transition period between presidents. We might even say it's a time for the newly-elected ducklings to get to work and start quacking!
Image credit & copyright: Alex Wong, Getty Images
Written by: Esther P.Let's face it: presidential election cycles can be a hot mess. Even before 2020's Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference, certain lame duck elected officials were infamous for their late-term ineffectiveness. Luckily in 1933, a constitutional amendment was passed to remedy that… the 20th, to be precise.
Before the 20th Amendment passed, the duration of presidential and congressional terms was ambiguous. Article 1 of the Constitution mandated Congress meet at least once a year, usually in December to perform their federal duties: all went as planned during odd years, but in even (election) years, lame duck sessions ensured little was accomplished. While such inaction during the year might make us think of them as the precursor to a "do nothing Congress," the reality was that in the 18th and 19th century, politicians often had to set their affairs in order at home over several months before undergoing travel to the nation's capital. It also didn't help that Congress and the new president had to wait between Election Day in November and March 4th the next year to start their new jobs. That date was chosen by the 1789 Congress of the Confederation (the original unicameral legislative and executive body) as the beginning of new elected terms. The four-month long delays heavily tested the country's mettle during events like the secession of the Southern states in February 1861, which proved national emergencies wait for no man or new body politic to come into power.
The one-month Congress became a bigger and bigger problem as it failed to meet the needs of a growing nation transformed by trains, planes, and automobiles. Among the champions of progressive politics in the Senate was Republican George W. Norris of Nebraska, who advocated for labor rights, direct election of senators, and isolationism in foreign policy. In 1923, Norris proposed a resolution to shorten the lame duck session of the legislative and executive bodies. The resolution didn't pick up much steam during the roaring 20s, however the onset of the Great Depression demanded New Deal reforms in the social safety net, and the way Washington did business. The 72nd Congress proposed the 20th Amendment on March 2, 1932, with Section 1 addressing much needed changes to the four-month lame duck period:Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
After being ratified by three-fourths of the states, the 20th Amendment was passed on January 23, 1933, incidentally during a lame duck period. Franklin D. Roosevelt would become the last president to take office on March 4th in 1933, and also the first to be inaugurated on January 20th in 1937 under the 20th Amendment changes. In 1935 Clerk of the House South Trimble noted “This is the first time in 146 years that an old Congress dies and a new one is born on the 3d day of January…today we inaugurate the first session of the Seventy-fourth Congress.”
While the 20th Amendment also outlines other important procedural actions in the executive and legislative branches, like the chain of succession to the presidency, it's mostly known these days for setting the date for the Inauguration Day ceremony and celebrations at the Capitol Building and National Mall. And in these days of high speed internet and other forms of instant gratification, some are upset about the lame duck delay between Election Day and January 20th! Not to worry though, the president elect and his transition team are, by all accounts, kept incredibly busy during the transition period between presidents. We might even say it's a time for the newly-elected ducklings to get to work and start quacking!
Image credit & copyright: Alex Wong, Getty Images
Written by: Esther P.