Curio Cabinet
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April 19, 2018
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … New leadership in Zimbabwe hasn’t brought a new economic reality. This week, thousands of nurses went on strike...
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … New leadership in Zimbabwe hasn’t brought a new economic reality. This week, thousands of nurses went on strike...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 19, 2018
headlong \HED-LAWNG\ adverb
Definition
1 : with the head foremost
2 : without deliberation : recklessly
3 : without pau...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 19, 2018
headlong \HED-LAWNG\ adverb
Definition
1 : with the head foremost
2 : without deliberation : recklessly
3 : without pau...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The Russian government is moving to block the messaging app after the company refused to comply with a court order demanding access to user data. But so far,...
with PRI's The WorldThe Russian government is moving to block the messaging app after the company refused to comply with a court order demanding access to user data. But so far,...
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FREESTEM Daily Curio #1542Free1 CQ
How 'bout a cow theme for your Thursday? A Dutch company, creepily named Connecterra, is taking cow ranching to a whole new level. They are offering a new service, dubbed The Intelligent Dairy Farmer Assistant—or Ida—which tracks a cow's every movement via a FitBit-like device attached to its collar. The company claims that ranchers who use their service see efficiency gains of 20 to 30 percent. Ida uses A.I. to learn the behavior of specific cows, and then monitors any changes in how they walk, stand, lie down, or ruminate (chew). In theory, it can detect when a cow isn't eating, moving, or producing milk normally, and alert the rancher to a possible sickness or injury. Or suggest environmental changes to maximize milk output. It also claims to predict ideal ovulation times with over 90 percent accuracy, so farmers aren't wasting expensive bull time.
Speaking of bull, the service costs $79.99 per cow to set up, plus $3 per month per cow. That can add up when most ranchers own hundreds or thousands of cows, and only make a few hundred dollars per animal in a good year. Some critics say that such systems strip away the only rewarding part of ranching: using intuition and animal husbandry instincts to build a sustainable business. Others claim having so much cow data will inevitably result in ranchers sending many more cows to the slaughterhouse, while genetically selecting a new breed of super-cow. I say cows aren't machines in need of optimization. If we are going to drink their milk and eat their food, we should let them laze around in peace and quiet in the meantime!
Image credit & copyright: Ben Sellon/Google via AP
How 'bout a cow theme for your Thursday? A Dutch company, creepily named Connecterra, is taking cow ranching to a whole new level. They are offering a new service, dubbed The Intelligent Dairy Farmer Assistant—or Ida—which tracks a cow's every movement via a FitBit-like device attached to its collar. The company claims that ranchers who use their service see efficiency gains of 20 to 30 percent. Ida uses A.I. to learn the behavior of specific cows, and then monitors any changes in how they walk, stand, lie down, or ruminate (chew). In theory, it can detect when a cow isn't eating, moving, or producing milk normally, and alert the rancher to a possible sickness or injury. Or suggest environmental changes to maximize milk output. It also claims to predict ideal ovulation times with over 90 percent accuracy, so farmers aren't wasting expensive bull time.
Speaking of bull, the service costs $79.99 per cow to set up, plus $3 per month per cow. That can add up when most ranchers own hundreds or thousands of cows, and only make a few hundred dollars per animal in a good year. Some critics say that such systems strip away the only rewarding part of ranching: using intuition and animal husbandry instincts to build a sustainable business. Others claim having so much cow data will inevitably result in ranchers sending many more cows to the slaughterhouse, while genetically selecting a new breed of super-cow. I say cows aren't machines in need of optimization. If we are going to drink their milk and eat their food, we should let them laze around in peace and quiet in the meantime!
Image credit & copyright: Ben Sellon/Google via AP
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1 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
In today's Nerdy Curio from 60-Second Science, Princeton University's Jennifer Rexford talks about optimizing the Internet for the uses it got drafted into performing.
with 60-Second ScienceIn today's Nerdy Curio from 60-Second Science, Princeton University's Jennifer Rexford talks about optimizing the Internet for the uses it got drafted into performing.
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FREEAesthetic Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: The Newbus Ox
Artist: Thomas Weaver (1774-1843)
Created: 1812
Medium: mezzotint with hand coloring on moderately thick cream wove paper
Dimensions: 17.75 x 23.6 in (45.1 x 60 cm)
Current location: Yale Center for British Art, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Lord Dundas didn't need a sports car; when he felt like boasting about his personal fortune, the 19th-century British landowner showed off his Newbus Ox. In the 1700s and 1800s, England's elite commissioned landscape paintings of their large cattle, which were considered a sign of wealth. Living in a pre-Facebook world provided one major benefit: proud lords and dukes often asked artists to fudge a little bit, making their prize steers look bigger than they were in real life. The Victorian ideal of bovine health may appear strange to modern eyes: people thought huge, rectangular cattle looked healthiest, which is exactly what artist Thomas Weaver delivered with his painting of the Newbus Ox (above). The left side of the work shows food pellets being placed in front of the ox, emphasizing the owner's commitment to the animal's growth. The ox itself puts Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame with its bulbous torso and muscled hind quarters; we wonder how it supported itself on its stick-like legs! Images of big cattle were popular with the general public; a drawing of the popular Durham Ox was even placed on dinner plates and other household items. Maybe we should call the former British Empire the Cow-monwealth?
Below: the Durham ox, which weighed 3,000 pounds. When the ox was toured through Britain, it drew crowds of people.
Image credit & copyright: Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Title: The Newbus Ox
Artist: Thomas Weaver (1774-1843)
Created: 1812
Medium: mezzotint with hand coloring on moderately thick cream wove paper
Dimensions: 17.75 x 23.6 in (45.1 x 60 cm)
Current location: Yale Center for British Art, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Lord Dundas didn't need a sports car; when he felt like boasting about his personal fortune, the 19th-century British landowner showed off his Newbus Ox. In the 1700s and 1800s, England's elite commissioned landscape paintings of their large cattle, which were considered a sign of wealth. Living in a pre-Facebook world provided one major benefit: proud lords and dukes often asked artists to fudge a little bit, making their prize steers look bigger than they were in real life. The Victorian ideal of bovine health may appear strange to modern eyes: people thought huge, rectangular cattle looked healthiest, which is exactly what artist Thomas Weaver delivered with his painting of the Newbus Ox (above). The left side of the work shows food pellets being placed in front of the ox, emphasizing the owner's commitment to the animal's growth. The ox itself puts Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame with its bulbous torso and muscled hind quarters; we wonder how it supported itself on its stick-like legs! Images of big cattle were popular with the general public; a drawing of the popular Durham Ox was even placed on dinner plates and other household items. Maybe we should call the former British Empire the Cow-monwealth?
Below: the Durham ox, which weighed 3,000 pounds. When the ox was toured through Britain, it drew crowds of people.
Image credit & copyright: Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
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FREEAesthetic Photo CurioFree1 CQ
South African photographer Daniel Naudé may not be a cowboy, but he's certainly got a passion for cattle. Naudé traveled to Uganda in 2012 to photograph the long-horned Ankole cattle (including the one above). The species has been considered sacred for centuries; in the 1700s, Ankole with the biggest horns were set aside for royalty, earning the breed the name "cattle of the kings." Prized for their rich, creamy milk, which Ugandans used to make yogurt and butter, they were rarely slaughtered. But in recent years, cross-breeding to boost milk production has reduced the number of pure Ankole; they're projected to go extinct within the next four decades. Before they fade out, Naudé wanted to document the majestic faces and unusual, crescent moon-shaped prongs that have earned them the reverence of local communities. His candid shots portray the creatures in various moods: some images show a herd of serious-looking Ankole, while others capture a sole creature being playful. After photographing the Ankole, Naudé traveled to India and Madagascar to explore other holy cattle breeds. In 2016, his moving images were published as a collection called Sightings of the Sacred. We're praying we can get our hands on a copy!
Below: a herd of Ankole cattle in Uganda; a cow in India's Tamil Nadu region whose horns have been painted blue in preparation for a religious festival; the photographer gets an eyeful in Madagascar.
Image credit & copyright: Daniel Naudé / Prestel
South African photographer Daniel Naudé may not be a cowboy, but he's certainly got a passion for cattle. Naudé traveled to Uganda in 2012 to photograph the long-horned Ankole cattle (including the one above). The species has been considered sacred for centuries; in the 1700s, Ankole with the biggest horns were set aside for royalty, earning the breed the name "cattle of the kings." Prized for their rich, creamy milk, which Ugandans used to make yogurt and butter, they were rarely slaughtered. But in recent years, cross-breeding to boost milk production has reduced the number of pure Ankole; they're projected to go extinct within the next four decades. Before they fade out, Naudé wanted to document the majestic faces and unusual, crescent moon-shaped prongs that have earned them the reverence of local communities. His candid shots portray the creatures in various moods: some images show a herd of serious-looking Ankole, while others capture a sole creature being playful. After photographing the Ankole, Naudé traveled to India and Madagascar to explore other holy cattle breeds. In 2016, his moving images were published as a collection called Sightings of the Sacred. We're praying we can get our hands on a copy!
Below: a herd of Ankole cattle in Uganda; a cow in India's Tamil Nadu region whose horns have been painted blue in preparation for a religious festival; the photographer gets an eyeful in Madagascar.
Image credit & copyright: Daniel Naudé / Prestel
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FREEMusic Theory Song CurioFree2 CQ
Few people in life ever attain a theme song of their own, yet comedian Don Rickles did just that. The occasional Tonight Show guest-host and buddy of Frank Sinatra developed an act that earned him the ironic nickname "Mr. Warmth" for the way he would arrive onstage and make sarcastic quips about his audience members. Rickles highly interactive and confrontational style eventually melded with his own vision of himself as a bullfighter—to which Johnny Carson began to play La Virgen de la Macarena as Rickles' entrance music, a traditional matador's song that takes the bull by the horn section. The concerto-style piece finds the orchestra posturing with bold flamenco mode notes (an altered, flamenco-sounding, phrygian scale) as the trumpet soloist sways deftly in and out of harm's way. It seems just like in comedy, timing is everything for the song!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Few people in life ever attain a theme song of their own, yet comedian Don Rickles did just that. The occasional Tonight Show guest-host and buddy of Frank Sinatra developed an act that earned him the ironic nickname "Mr. Warmth" for the way he would arrive onstage and make sarcastic quips about his audience members. Rickles highly interactive and confrontational style eventually melded with his own vision of himself as a bullfighter—to which Johnny Carson began to play La Virgen de la Macarena as Rickles' entrance music, a traditional matador's song that takes the bull by the horn section. The concerto-style piece finds the orchestra posturing with bold flamenco mode notes (an altered, flamenco-sounding, phrygian scale) as the trumpet soloist sways deftly in and out of harm's way. It seems just like in comedy, timing is everything for the song!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
April 18, 2018
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service...Facebook lays out how it will comply with strict European privacy regulations, but what does it mean for the fu...
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service...Facebook lays out how it will comply with strict European privacy regulations, but what does it mean for the fu...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Teklit Michael dreamed of competing in the Olympics. But the Eritrean runner had to flee his country. He's now among the estimated 20,000 African migrants li...
with PRI's The WorldTeklit Michael dreamed of competing in the Olympics. But the Eritrean runner had to flee his country. He's now among the estimated 20,000 African migrants li...
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FREESTEM Daily Curio #1541Free1 CQ
Happy birthday to Gustav Fechner! In case you're not a Fechnerphile, he was a German scholar born in 1801 who initially taught medicine and physics. But when an eye disorder forced him to resign, he turned his attention to the metaphysical. While recovering in bed, he noticed a relationship between his mental and material perceptions—eventually developing a formula that related the physical and psychological intensity of sensations. This led Fechner to study people whose senses were conflated, identifying this condition as synesthesia. Synesthetes are a medical category of people who have one sensory experience trigger a second, involuntary one. For example, they may perceive letters or numbers as always tinged with a certain color (grapheme-color synesthesia); or see days of the week as arranged in a three-dimensional space around them (spatial sequence synesthesia); or always taste a specific flavor when they hear certain words (lexical-gustatory synesthesia).
Around 4% of the population has the genetic marker for synesthesia, but only one in 90 people experiences symptoms. Which is why researchers from the University of Glasgow were so surprised when an animated GIF they sent out went "viral" last year. They asked if people could "hear" a sound from a silent animated image. Over 70% of the people who responded said yes! Called visual-evoked auditory response, or VEARing (sorry), the scientists say it may be a more commonly-occurring phenomenon that is linked to synesthesia. To see if you are one of the people who can "hear" the image bouncing, click here. Unfortunately, I can't hear anything! But I do turn down the car radio when I'm trying to read road signs….
Happy birthday to Gustav Fechner! In case you're not a Fechnerphile, he was a German scholar born in 1801 who initially taught medicine and physics. But when an eye disorder forced him to resign, he turned his attention to the metaphysical. While recovering in bed, he noticed a relationship between his mental and material perceptions—eventually developing a formula that related the physical and psychological intensity of sensations. This led Fechner to study people whose senses were conflated, identifying this condition as synesthesia. Synesthetes are a medical category of people who have one sensory experience trigger a second, involuntary one. For example, they may perceive letters or numbers as always tinged with a certain color (grapheme-color synesthesia); or see days of the week as arranged in a three-dimensional space around them (spatial sequence synesthesia); or always taste a specific flavor when they hear certain words (lexical-gustatory synesthesia).
Around 4% of the population has the genetic marker for synesthesia, but only one in 90 people experiences symptoms. Which is why researchers from the University of Glasgow were so surprised when an animated GIF they sent out went "viral" last year. They asked if people could "hear" a sound from a silent animated image. Over 70% of the people who responded said yes! Called visual-evoked auditory response, or VEARing (sorry), the scientists say it may be a more commonly-occurring phenomenon that is linked to synesthesia. To see if you are one of the people who can "hear" the image bouncing, click here. Unfortunately, I can't hear anything! But I do turn down the car radio when I'm trying to read road signs….
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 18, 2018
embarrass \im-BAIR-us\ verb
Definition
1 a : to cause to experience a state of self-conscious distress
b : to place in d...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 18, 2018
embarrass \im-BAIR-us\ verb
Definition
1 a : to cause to experience a state of self-conscious distress
b : to place in d...
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2 minFREEScience Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
In today's Nerdy Curio from 60-Second Science, researchers try to figure out why every 20 years, a Pakistan glacier moves roughly 1,500 times faster.
with 60-Second ScienceIn today's Nerdy Curio from 60-Second Science, researchers try to figure out why every 20 years, a Pakistan glacier moves roughly 1,500 times faster.
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: You Know It As Spring. .
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: You Know It As Spring. .
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Untitled
Artist: Karla Piper
Created: c. 2016-2017
Medium: motor agate
Current location: Siesta Silver Jewelry
Wowza… a stone with ripples like that can make the heart race. Since 2016, entrepreneur Karla Piper and her company Siesta Silver Jewelry have been marketing "fordite" gems: curious stones with origins in retired automobile paint shops. Named after car producer Henry Ford—who died this month in 1947—the stones were created when factory workers power sprayed overlapping layers of paint onto cars (without masks!). The surplus paint pooled underneath chassis and cloyed onto handrails, before it was heated and solidified. After the cars were conveyed along, auto workers were told to remove and discard the residual dried paint chunks, but a few held on to the substance and cured gems of it. From the '30s through the '70s, these stones were pretty much worthless; but that is changing. Nowadays, Piper's above fordite pendant sells for just under $200—and is expected to appreciate in value. Since the handheld spray techniques that created fordite were rendered obsolete in the '80s, its shrinking supply is going faster than a '67 Mustang at full throttle!
Below: more images of polished and rough Fordite.
Image credit & copyright: Siesta Silver Jewelry / Karla Piper / MininGeology / Fordite.com
Title: Untitled
Artist: Karla Piper
Created: c. 2016-2017
Medium: motor agate
Current location: Siesta Silver Jewelry
Wowza… a stone with ripples like that can make the heart race. Since 2016, entrepreneur Karla Piper and her company Siesta Silver Jewelry have been marketing "fordite" gems: curious stones with origins in retired automobile paint shops. Named after car producer Henry Ford—who died this month in 1947—the stones were created when factory workers power sprayed overlapping layers of paint onto cars (without masks!). The surplus paint pooled underneath chassis and cloyed onto handrails, before it was heated and solidified. After the cars were conveyed along, auto workers were told to remove and discard the residual dried paint chunks, but a few held on to the substance and cured gems of it. From the '30s through the '70s, these stones were pretty much worthless; but that is changing. Nowadays, Piper's above fordite pendant sells for just under $200—and is expected to appreciate in value. Since the handheld spray techniques that created fordite were rendered obsolete in the '80s, its shrinking supply is going faster than a '67 Mustang at full throttle!
Below: more images of polished and rough Fordite.
Image credit & copyright: Siesta Silver Jewelry / Karla Piper / MininGeology / Fordite.com
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
A pair of timbale drums on a stand may not look like much, but in the hands of Tito Puente, they brought Afro-Latin music to the masses. On his signature track El Rey del Timbal ("King of the Timbal"), Puente's fiery improvisations show off his skills as a soloist and a bandleader during the fast salsa dance. Puente brought a number of musical influences into his work as a kid who grew up in Spanish Harlem, and idolized the showmanship of swing jazz drummer Gene Kruppa. Like Kruppa, Puente wanted to become a percussion soloist and virtuoso—an idea unheard of in popular music at the time. Puente persisted, though, using the G.I. Bill to attend Julliard; later, his 1958 album Dance Mania would take the world by storm. Puente's boisterous performances made him a national treasure; with appearances on Sesame Street and The Simpsons, and a pair of his timbales even displayed at the Smithsonian. It's not hard to hear why Puente, whose birthday is April 20th, was so beloved: one listen to El Rey del Timbal, and the "King of Mambo" is off and sweeping us—or should we say, drumming us off our feet!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Peter Maiden
A pair of timbale drums on a stand may not look like much, but in the hands of Tito Puente, they brought Afro-Latin music to the masses. On his signature track El Rey del Timbal ("King of the Timbal"), Puente's fiery improvisations show off his skills as a soloist and a bandleader during the fast salsa dance. Puente brought a number of musical influences into his work as a kid who grew up in Spanish Harlem, and idolized the showmanship of swing jazz drummer Gene Kruppa. Like Kruppa, Puente wanted to become a percussion soloist and virtuoso—an idea unheard of in popular music at the time. Puente persisted, though, using the G.I. Bill to attend Julliard; later, his 1958 album Dance Mania would take the world by storm. Puente's boisterous performances made him a national treasure; with appearances on Sesame Street and The Simpsons, and a pair of his timbales even displayed at the Smithsonian. It's not hard to hear why Puente, whose birthday is April 20th, was so beloved: one listen to El Rey del Timbal, and the "King of Mambo" is off and sweeping us—or should we say, drumming us off our feet!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Peter Maiden
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Girl power! Photographer Rania Matar creates striking, evocative portraits of girls and women at every stage of life. In her work, she is particularly interested in transitional periods, like adolescence and middle age. Yasmine 12, Beirut, Lebanon, 2012, above, depicts a girl balancing on the thin edge between child and adulthood. Engulfed in stereotypical trappings of femininity (furry throw, fandom pillows, nail polish), Yasmine is still chubby-faced and childish; we can easily imagine her abandoning her quiet pose and running out to play. At the same time, like the girls in the photos below, her gaze is direct—if slightly wary; all these girls have clearly seen something of life, despite their youth. Matar was born in Lebanon and emigrated to the U.S. in 1984; she takes photographs in both countries, but believes that most of the issues women face are universal. Matar didn't intentionally set out to make girls and women her primary focus, though. She suspects her work evolved in that direction because she lost her own mother when she was only three and is fascinated by the concept of motherhood. "In a way, I photograph all my subjects as if they were my daughters," she says—which likely explains the warm and unsentimentally intimate nature of the images she creates.
The exhibit In Her Image: Photographs by Rania Matar is on display at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas, through June 17th.
Below: Maryam 9, Beirut, Lebanon, 2011, and Samira 15, Bourj El Barajneh Refugee Camp, Beirut Lebanon, 2015.
Image credit & copyright: Rania Matar, Robert Klein Gallery; C. Grimaldis Gallery
Girl power! Photographer Rania Matar creates striking, evocative portraits of girls and women at every stage of life. In her work, she is particularly interested in transitional periods, like adolescence and middle age. Yasmine 12, Beirut, Lebanon, 2012, above, depicts a girl balancing on the thin edge between child and adulthood. Engulfed in stereotypical trappings of femininity (furry throw, fandom pillows, nail polish), Yasmine is still chubby-faced and childish; we can easily imagine her abandoning her quiet pose and running out to play. At the same time, like the girls in the photos below, her gaze is direct—if slightly wary; all these girls have clearly seen something of life, despite their youth. Matar was born in Lebanon and emigrated to the U.S. in 1984; she takes photographs in both countries, but believes that most of the issues women face are universal. Matar didn't intentionally set out to make girls and women her primary focus, though. She suspects her work evolved in that direction because she lost her own mother when she was only three and is fascinated by the concept of motherhood. "In a way, I photograph all my subjects as if they were my daughters," she says—which likely explains the warm and unsentimentally intimate nature of the images she creates.
The exhibit In Her Image: Photographs by Rania Matar is on display at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas, through June 17th.
Below: Maryam 9, Beirut, Lebanon, 2011, and Samira 15, Bourj El Barajneh Refugee Camp, Beirut Lebanon, 2015.
Image credit & copyright: Rania Matar, Robert Klein Gallery; C. Grimaldis Gallery
April 17, 2018
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … After years of debt binges, bail-outs and sluggish growth, the European economic recovery is gaining traction. ...
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … After years of debt binges, bail-outs and sluggish growth, the European economic recovery is gaining traction. ...
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FREEWork Daily Curio #1540Free1 CQ
Happy Tax Day! A single four-letter word in the 2017 overhaul of the U.S. Tax code has thrown professional baseball teams a real curveball. The word: "real." The controversy involves like-kind exchanges, which is an accounting term for when businesses swap certain assets with another party. The law was created so farmers and manufacturers could swap animals or machinery with each other, without having to pay taxes each time they do so. Instead, taxes on any gain received upon trading assets could be deferred until the asset was sold at a later date—the same way capital gains is paid on a stock or house. It was designed for cows and combines, but professional sports teams began using the provision to defer taxes owed when they traded players. It saved them millions of dollars and lots of accounting headaches.
But last year Congress changed the provision to include the word "real" in front of the word "property," instantly excluding any asset swaps not involving real estate. For all other asset trades, capital gains are owed on any gains at the time of the trade. It's projected to generate an extra $31 billion in tax revenue over the next 10 years; but it's also upsetting a lot of billionaire sports franchise owners. Not only do they have to pay their taxes sooner, but they have to value the players at the time of the trade—an exercise that isn't trivial, especially if the player is injured or several years into a long-term contract. In some cases, teams could owe millions in taxes for each trade they make. As is expected, baseball lobbyists have been pitching Congress to make a quick lineup change to the new law… claiming it was a big-time swing and miss.
Image credit & copyright: Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY
Happy Tax Day! A single four-letter word in the 2017 overhaul of the U.S. Tax code has thrown professional baseball teams a real curveball. The word: "real." The controversy involves like-kind exchanges, which is an accounting term for when businesses swap certain assets with another party. The law was created so farmers and manufacturers could swap animals or machinery with each other, without having to pay taxes each time they do so. Instead, taxes on any gain received upon trading assets could be deferred until the asset was sold at a later date—the same way capital gains is paid on a stock or house. It was designed for cows and combines, but professional sports teams began using the provision to defer taxes owed when they traded players. It saved them millions of dollars and lots of accounting headaches.
But last year Congress changed the provision to include the word "real" in front of the word "property," instantly excluding any asset swaps not involving real estate. For all other asset trades, capital gains are owed on any gains at the time of the trade. It's projected to generate an extra $31 billion in tax revenue over the next 10 years; but it's also upsetting a lot of billionaire sports franchise owners. Not only do they have to pay their taxes sooner, but they have to value the players at the time of the trade—an exercise that isn't trivial, especially if the player is injured or several years into a long-term contract. In some cases, teams could owe millions in taxes for each trade they make. As is expected, baseball lobbyists have been pitching Congress to make a quick lineup change to the new law… claiming it was a big-time swing and miss.
Image credit & copyright: Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 17, 2018
onomatopoeia \ah-nuh-mah-tuh-PEE-uh\ noun
Definition
1 : the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the soun...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 17, 2018
onomatopoeia \ah-nuh-mah-tuh-PEE-uh\ noun
Definition
1 : the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the soun...
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8 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree5 CQ
The right to life of the unborn is protected by Ireland's constitution. The Eighth Amendment was passed by national referendum in 1983. In May, Irish voters ...
with PRI's The WorldThe right to life of the unborn is protected by Ireland's constitution. The Eighth Amendment was passed by national referendum in 1983. In May, Irish voters ...
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Three days after Robert F. Kennedy was shot on June 5, 1968, photographer Paul Fusco boarded the train that would carry the senator's body from New York to Washington D.C. Fusco was on assignment for Look magazine to cover RFK's burial at Arlington Cemetery. As the convoy traveled south, he was astonished to see quiet crowds lining up along the tracks to pay their respects. Fusco opened his window and began shooting photos. In images like Untitled, above, still figures appear against a blurred background, their shock and sadness deftly captured in the moment the train rushed by. Coming just two months after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s slaying and five years after his brother's assassination, Kennedy's murder stunned the country. He'd announced his run for the presidency just months before, and was killed right after winning the California primary. For many, his candidacy sparked optimism for the future; as Senator, he supported civil rights, traveled to impoverished regions of the country, and spoke out against the war in Vietnam. His death helped pave the way for Richard Nixon's election, ushering in the escalation of the war and the Watergate scandal. Of course, the people who gathered to see the funeral train had no idea what lay ahead. They'd just come to say a simple goodbye.
The Train: RFK's Last Journey will be showing at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art through June 10, 2018.
Below: more photos from the funeral train by Paul Fusco.
Image credit & copyright: Photographs by Paul Fusco, Magnum Photos; Courtesy Danziger Gallery
Three days after Robert F. Kennedy was shot on June 5, 1968, photographer Paul Fusco boarded the train that would carry the senator's body from New York to Washington D.C. Fusco was on assignment for Look magazine to cover RFK's burial at Arlington Cemetery. As the convoy traveled south, he was astonished to see quiet crowds lining up along the tracks to pay their respects. Fusco opened his window and began shooting photos. In images like Untitled, above, still figures appear against a blurred background, their shock and sadness deftly captured in the moment the train rushed by. Coming just two months after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s slaying and five years after his brother's assassination, Kennedy's murder stunned the country. He'd announced his run for the presidency just months before, and was killed right after winning the California primary. For many, his candidacy sparked optimism for the future; as Senator, he supported civil rights, traveled to impoverished regions of the country, and spoke out against the war in Vietnam. His death helped pave the way for Richard Nixon's election, ushering in the escalation of the war and the Watergate scandal. Of course, the people who gathered to see the funeral train had no idea what lay ahead. They'd just come to say a simple goodbye.
The Train: RFK's Last Journey will be showing at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art through June 10, 2018.
Below: more photos from the funeral train by Paul Fusco.
Image credit & copyright: Photographs by Paul Fusco, Magnum Photos; Courtesy Danziger Gallery
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
The band members of Tal National know a thing or two about musical structure. Having recently flown across the Atlantic to perform in Knoxville, Tennessee, the band layers rhythm upon rhythm. Take the track Claire from their 2015 album Zoy Zoy; in the opening half-minute, the rhythm guitars greet each other in rhythmic unison before launching in opposite polyrhythmic directions: as one rolls, the other sputters and jerks—the two interlacing at the beck and whim of disciplined fingerwork. Tal National labored tirelessly to reach such virtuosity; almost two decades ago, the founding members gathered together during a time of intense drought and socioeconomic struggle to heal their weary minds with some good tunes. According to guitarist Almeida, the band would play five-hour sets nightly, road tripping along Saharan paths, nightclub to nightclub. With enough patience, and a little prayer, Tal National was able to outlast Nigeria's bout of adversity, and now they want to share the healing powers of music with the world!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Jason Kreps
The band members of Tal National know a thing or two about musical structure. Having recently flown across the Atlantic to perform in Knoxville, Tennessee, the band layers rhythm upon rhythm. Take the track Claire from their 2015 album Zoy Zoy; in the opening half-minute, the rhythm guitars greet each other in rhythmic unison before launching in opposite polyrhythmic directions: as one rolls, the other sputters and jerks—the two interlacing at the beck and whim of disciplined fingerwork. Tal National labored tirelessly to reach such virtuosity; almost two decades ago, the founding members gathered together during a time of intense drought and socioeconomic struggle to heal their weary minds with some good tunes. According to guitarist Almeida, the band would play five-hour sets nightly, road tripping along Saharan paths, nightclub to nightclub. With enough patience, and a little prayer, Tal National was able to outlast Nigeria's bout of adversity, and now they want to share the healing powers of music with the world!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Jason Kreps
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: Burial Rites. By Philip Levine.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Burial Rites. By Philip Levine.
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
In today's Nerdy Curio from Minute Earth, the problem with plastics; the same chemistry that makes it tough, light, and flexible also makes it nearly impossible to get rid of.
with Minute EarthIn today's Nerdy Curio from Minute Earth, the problem with plastics; the same chemistry that makes it tough, light, and flexible also makes it nearly impossible to get rid of.
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Spring Veils
Artist: Edna Andrade (1917-2008)
Created: 1973
Medium: acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 96 x 96 in (243.8 x 243.8 cm)
Current location: The Metropolitan Art Museum, New York City, New York
Ah... look at that wonderful symmetry! Optical Art painters typically tailor their works to fool viewers' eyes with trippy illusions of motion. But Edna Andrade—the foremother of Op Art, who died this day in 2008—prized geometric harmony above all else. For her 1973 Spring Veils, Andrade patterned vertical waves that transition, left to right, from pastel gray to delicate browns. Topping off the piece is a column of golden orbs that appear to float before the illusory background. The simple yet calculated arrangement of soothing shapes and colors induces a meditative effect. Andrade's goal in her mathematical works was to use geometry and color theory to create abstract interpretations of nature's ratios and rhythms. Though many of her works, like Marriage Hall (below), look like sci-fi holograms, they are built on those natural ratios (e.g., the Golden Ratio of 1 to 1.618). In regard to her art, she once said: "It's not like showing your emotion. It's a decision to be totally visual. A story doesn't go with it." So, after a long day of work, what better way is there to unwind and empty one's mind than gazing at some peaceful Andrades?
More: other works by Andrade, including: Parade (1959), Marriage Hall (1986), and Desert Storm 1 (1982).
Image credit & copyright: Locks Gallery
Title: Spring Veils
Artist: Edna Andrade (1917-2008)
Created: 1973
Medium: acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 96 x 96 in (243.8 x 243.8 cm)
Current location: The Metropolitan Art Museum, New York City, New York
Ah... look at that wonderful symmetry! Optical Art painters typically tailor their works to fool viewers' eyes with trippy illusions of motion. But Edna Andrade—the foremother of Op Art, who died this day in 2008—prized geometric harmony above all else. For her 1973 Spring Veils, Andrade patterned vertical waves that transition, left to right, from pastel gray to delicate browns. Topping off the piece is a column of golden orbs that appear to float before the illusory background. The simple yet calculated arrangement of soothing shapes and colors induces a meditative effect. Andrade's goal in her mathematical works was to use geometry and color theory to create abstract interpretations of nature's ratios and rhythms. Though many of her works, like Marriage Hall (below), look like sci-fi holograms, they are built on those natural ratios (e.g., the Golden Ratio of 1 to 1.618). In regard to her art, she once said: "It's not like showing your emotion. It's a decision to be totally visual. A story doesn't go with it." So, after a long day of work, what better way is there to unwind and empty one's mind than gazing at some peaceful Andrades?
More: other works by Andrade, including: Parade (1959), Marriage Hall (1986), and Desert Storm 1 (1982).
Image credit & copyright: Locks Gallery
April 16, 2018
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
(Global edition) From the BBC World Service … The boss of WPP, the world’s biggest advertising firm, quit Saturday amid allegations of personal misconduct. W...
(Global edition) From the BBC World Service … The boss of WPP, the world’s biggest advertising firm, quit Saturday amid allegations of personal misconduct. W...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 16, 2018
vulnerable \VUL-nuh-ruh-bul\ adjective
Definition
1 : capable of being physically or emotionally wounded
2 : open to att...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 16, 2018
vulnerable \VUL-nuh-ruh-bul\ adjective
Definition
1 : capable of being physically or emotionally wounded
2 : open to att...
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FREERunning Daily Curio #1539Free1 CQ
Happy Patriot's Day—also known as Marathon Monday in Boston. Today's race promises a little extra excitement, as a 33-year-old Hollywood lawyer named Loren Zitomersky will be gunning for a new world record… running the marathon backwards. To set the record, he will have to finish under 3 hours 43 minutes and 39 seconds, at an average pace of eight-and-a-half minutes per mile. Backward running, also known as retrorunning, has been used in training for decades. It was first popularized by early 20th-century boxers and wrestlers. Football, soccer, and basketball coaches were soon making their teams run sprints and long distance hauls in reverse. But the idea of competing backwards didn't strike anybody as a good idea until recently—spurred by several studies suggesting backward runners could avoid knee and ankle injuries. A book called Backwards Running has also fueled the craze, as it extolls the virtues of retrorunning for building stamina, speed, strength, and balance.
When the first Retrorunning World Championships were held in Zurich in 2006, only 50 athletes participated from a handful of countries. But ten years later, over 150 athletes from 20 countries were competing for records in everything from the 100 meter, to the mile, to the half marathon. (In case you're wondering, those World Records are currently 13.6 seconds, 5:46, and 1:35:49, respectively.) However, backward running isn't without risks. Besides being gawked at by pretty much every passerby—and enduring constant calls of "you're going the wrong way!"—there is the omnipresent risk of running into stuff. Many serious retrorunners train with spotters running the, um, right way. And backward running is seriously harder than running forwards. Which, advocates say, is the whole point. We wish Mr. Zitomersky lots of luck in his efforts today. Not only is a world record on the line, but he is trying to raise $100,000 for the Epilepsy Foundation. Life for people with that disease, says Zitomersky, "is like going through life backwards." Now that's some forward thinking!
Happy Patriot's Day—also known as Marathon Monday in Boston. Today's race promises a little extra excitement, as a 33-year-old Hollywood lawyer named Loren Zitomersky will be gunning for a new world record… running the marathon backwards. To set the record, he will have to finish under 3 hours 43 minutes and 39 seconds, at an average pace of eight-and-a-half minutes per mile. Backward running, also known as retrorunning, has been used in training for decades. It was first popularized by early 20th-century boxers and wrestlers. Football, soccer, and basketball coaches were soon making their teams run sprints and long distance hauls in reverse. But the idea of competing backwards didn't strike anybody as a good idea until recently—spurred by several studies suggesting backward runners could avoid knee and ankle injuries. A book called Backwards Running has also fueled the craze, as it extolls the virtues of retrorunning for building stamina, speed, strength, and balance.
When the first Retrorunning World Championships were held in Zurich in 2006, only 50 athletes participated from a handful of countries. But ten years later, over 150 athletes from 20 countries were competing for records in everything from the 100 meter, to the mile, to the half marathon. (In case you're wondering, those World Records are currently 13.6 seconds, 5:46, and 1:35:49, respectively.) However, backward running isn't without risks. Besides being gawked at by pretty much every passerby—and enduring constant calls of "you're going the wrong way!"—there is the omnipresent risk of running into stuff. Many serious retrorunners train with spotters running the, um, right way. And backward running is seriously harder than running forwards. Which, advocates say, is the whole point. We wish Mr. Zitomersky lots of luck in his efforts today. Not only is a world record on the line, but he is trying to raise $100,000 for the Epilepsy Foundation. Life for people with that disease, says Zitomersky, "is like going through life backwards." Now that's some forward thinking!
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Tall dark green incised vase
Artist: George E. Ohr (1857-1918)
Created: c. 1900
Medium: Fired and painted clay
His contemporaries may have thought him a crackpot, but George E. Ohr remained confident as he pursued an artistic vision half a century ahead of its time. The so-called "Mad Potter of Biloxi," who died 100 years ago this month, was an eccentric sculptor who completely broke away from 19th-century ceramic traditions. Take his untitled Tall dark green incised vase, above; while it may look commonplace to our modern eyes, Ohr hand-threw the pot for far longer than his contemporaries—forming wild and expressive shapes, like the vase's quasi-transparent spout. His masterful glazing also allowed him to produce the rich, amber veins that run down the neck. Unfortunately, critics pigeonholed Ohr's flamboyant pottery as a mere gimmick; his windswept mustache and penchant for handstands didn't help his case. But Ohr had foreseen the future. In his own words: "When I am gone, my work will be praised, honored, and cherished." Generations later, an antique collector discovered 7,000 of Ohr's artworks lying around in a garage during the '60s; it wasn't long before acclaimed artists like Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol were dropping thousands of dollars on them. Not so gimmicky now, huh?
Below: more works by Ohr, including: Very tall, mottled two-handled vase, c. 1900; and Light-colored mottled teapot, c. 1900. Bottom: the "Mad Potter" himself.
Image credit & copyright: Phillip Ennis / Courtesy of the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
Title: Tall dark green incised vase
Artist: George E. Ohr (1857-1918)
Created: c. 1900
Medium: Fired and painted clay
His contemporaries may have thought him a crackpot, but George E. Ohr remained confident as he pursued an artistic vision half a century ahead of its time. The so-called "Mad Potter of Biloxi," who died 100 years ago this month, was an eccentric sculptor who completely broke away from 19th-century ceramic traditions. Take his untitled Tall dark green incised vase, above; while it may look commonplace to our modern eyes, Ohr hand-threw the pot for far longer than his contemporaries—forming wild and expressive shapes, like the vase's quasi-transparent spout. His masterful glazing also allowed him to produce the rich, amber veins that run down the neck. Unfortunately, critics pigeonholed Ohr's flamboyant pottery as a mere gimmick; his windswept mustache and penchant for handstands didn't help his case. But Ohr had foreseen the future. In his own words: "When I am gone, my work will be praised, honored, and cherished." Generations later, an antique collector discovered 7,000 of Ohr's artworks lying around in a garage during the '60s; it wasn't long before acclaimed artists like Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol were dropping thousands of dollars on them. Not so gimmicky now, huh?
Below: more works by Ohr, including: Very tall, mottled two-handled vase, c. 1900; and Light-colored mottled teapot, c. 1900. Bottom: the "Mad Potter" himself.
Image credit & copyright: Phillip Ennis / Courtesy of the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Rain or shine, the Commonwealth Games audience would not be deterred from their goal of watching their favorite swimmers compete. The 2018 Commonwealth Games are taking place in Queensland, on Australia's Gold Coast, from April 4th through 17th. It's an event similar to the Summer Olympics, where athletes come together every four years to represent their home countries and compete for medals—but participation is restricted to the Commonwealth of Nations, which comprises 53 current and former British territories. This crowd of waterproof poncho-clad viewers had a lot to cheer about; in spite of the unfavorable weather, their native Australians took home 28 gold medals—with 73 medals total—for swimming programs. It's a good sign for Australian swimmers looking to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, even if the skies did rain on their reign!
Image credit & copyright: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images
Rain or shine, the Commonwealth Games audience would not be deterred from their goal of watching their favorite swimmers compete. The 2018 Commonwealth Games are taking place in Queensland, on Australia's Gold Coast, from April 4th through 17th. It's an event similar to the Summer Olympics, where athletes come together every four years to represent their home countries and compete for medals—but participation is restricted to the Commonwealth of Nations, which comprises 53 current and former British territories. This crowd of waterproof poncho-clad viewers had a lot to cheer about; in spite of the unfavorable weather, their native Australians took home 28 gold medals—with 73 medals total—for swimming programs. It's a good sign for Australian swimmers looking to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, even if the skies did rain on their reign!
Image credit & copyright: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The Cane's were able to move back to their home after a stint in Australia because no one would buy it.
with PRI's The WorldThe Cane's were able to move back to their home after a stint in Australia because no one would buy it.
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
As a man of many alter egos, David Bowie felt Ziggy Stardust's crash-landing in the U.S. merited a rebirth of sorts. Gone was the Spiders from Mars' bandleader, and in his place was Aladdin Sane. A pun on "a lad insane," the character and album—released 45 years ago this week—ushered in a new era of Bowie's musical legacy. For better or worse, his stay in the States would be marked by glam rock and excessive substance abuse (the latter would cause him to rehabilitate in Berlin, Germany, at the end of the decade). Tracks like the stomping Jean Genie were inspired by a colorful cast of characters: Bowie named the tune after French poet Jean Genet; one of Andy Warhol's acolytes, Cyrinda Foxe (who features in the song's video), would dance around her apartment as Bowie played the melody on guitar; and the lyrics mimicked the actions of the volatile punk rocker, Iggy Pop. The end result is a jagged-sounding pastiche of jeans, Marilyn Monroe, and nutrition-peddling beauticians—in other words, all bizarre images that would rightly make a lad go insane!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: David Bowie Archive
As a man of many alter egos, David Bowie felt Ziggy Stardust's crash-landing in the U.S. merited a rebirth of sorts. Gone was the Spiders from Mars' bandleader, and in his place was Aladdin Sane. A pun on "a lad insane," the character and album—released 45 years ago this week—ushered in a new era of Bowie's musical legacy. For better or worse, his stay in the States would be marked by glam rock and excessive substance abuse (the latter would cause him to rehabilitate in Berlin, Germany, at the end of the decade). Tracks like the stomping Jean Genie were inspired by a colorful cast of characters: Bowie named the tune after French poet Jean Genet; one of Andy Warhol's acolytes, Cyrinda Foxe (who features in the song's video), would dance around her apartment as Bowie played the melody on guitar; and the lyrics mimicked the actions of the volatile punk rocker, Iggy Pop. The end result is a jagged-sounding pastiche of jeans, Marilyn Monroe, and nutrition-peddling beauticians—in other words, all bizarre images that would rightly make a lad go insane!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: David Bowie Archive
April 15, 2018
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 15, 2018
founder \FOUN-der\ verb
Definition
1 : to make or become disabled or lame
2 : to give way : collapse
3 : to become subm...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 15, 2018
founder \FOUN-der\ verb
Definition
1 : to make or become disabled or lame
2 : to give way : collapse
3 : to become subm...
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3 minFREEWork Business CurioFree2 CQ
In most places, it's legal to deny a tenant based on source of income.
with MarketplaceIn most places, it's legal to deny a tenant based on source of income.
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Somali-Norwegian teenagers Ayan and her younger sister Leila leave their affluent neighborhood outside of Oslo to travel to Syria and marry ISIS fighters. Au...
with PRI's The WorldSomali-Norwegian teenagers Ayan and her younger sister Leila leave their affluent neighborhood outside of Oslo to travel to Syria and marry ISIS fighters. Au...
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FREEPolitical Science PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Chicago's first black mayor fought an entrenched white establishment with dignity and determination—and remains a revered figure three decades after his death.
There was still much Harold Washington, who would have been 96 today, had planned to accomplish when he died just seven months into his second mayoral term. Still, his success fighting the Chicago machine, bringing polarized political factions together, and delivering a measure of hope to marginalized minority communities surprised supporters and detractors alike—and changed the city forever.
Washington, a native of Chicago's south side, was the son of a lawyer and precinct ward captain; he was still a teenager when he became involved in local politics himself. In 1980, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, then ran for Chicago mayor in 1983. It was an ugly battle and his Republican opponent, Bernard Epton, didn't hesitate to fan racial fears with negative campaign slogans—like the one that darkly warned, "Bernard Epton…before it's too late."
During one campaign stop in northwest Chicago, Washington was loudly booed by an angry white crowd outside a church. "It was as vicious and ugly as anything you would have seen in the old South," according to David Axelrod, then a campaign aide. Washington earned a narrow victory with a vote that broke down almost entirely along racial lines; 98 percent of the city's African Americans supported him.
Washington initially faced rabid opposition from a group of white aldermen who were determined to thwart his policies. But the new mayor, charismatic and larger-than-life, methodically undermined their efforts by forging alliances with Latino leaders, white businesspeople, and other constituencies. During his first term, he balanced the city budget; he also boosted contracts to minority-owned businesses, hired a record number of minority employees, and created an ethics ordinance. When he began his second term in 1987 after another tough race, he thought he was just getting started.
Washington, a former smoker, struggled with his weight and was a lifelong workaholic; friends often urged him to take better care of himself. Still, when he was struck down by a heart attack at his desk at just 65, it shook the entire city. The Chicago Tribune described portraits of grief on the streets as citizens absorbed the news: "Women sank, sobbing, onto plaza benches. A man sat and buried his head in his hands."
Long after his death, Washington's influence continues to be felt beyond the borders of Chicago. As a young man, Barack Obama was inspired by Washington's ability to create alliances with the broader community, and some believe he would never have become president if the older man hadn't forged the path as a successful African-American leader.
Today, as Chicago struggles with gun violence and poverty on the one hand and gentrification and high housing prices on the other, Chicagoans' memories of their first black mayor still seem remarkably fresh—as does their grief. According to Luis Gutiérrez, a former Chicago alderman who is now a U.S. Representative, "He was human, like all of us. He had every frailty that every human being and politician has. But hell if I remember any of them. You wanted him to succeed because you felt he was fighting for you."
Below: a police officer outside the Mayor Washington’s office hours after his death.
Image credit & copyright: Chicago Reader; Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune
Chicago's first black mayor fought an entrenched white establishment with dignity and determination—and remains a revered figure three decades after his death.
There was still much Harold Washington, who would have been 96 today, had planned to accomplish when he died just seven months into his second mayoral term. Still, his success fighting the Chicago machine, bringing polarized political factions together, and delivering a measure of hope to marginalized minority communities surprised supporters and detractors alike—and changed the city forever.
Washington, a native of Chicago's south side, was the son of a lawyer and precinct ward captain; he was still a teenager when he became involved in local politics himself. In 1980, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, then ran for Chicago mayor in 1983. It was an ugly battle and his Republican opponent, Bernard Epton, didn't hesitate to fan racial fears with negative campaign slogans—like the one that darkly warned, "Bernard Epton…before it's too late."
During one campaign stop in northwest Chicago, Washington was loudly booed by an angry white crowd outside a church. "It was as vicious and ugly as anything you would have seen in the old South," according to David Axelrod, then a campaign aide. Washington earned a narrow victory with a vote that broke down almost entirely along racial lines; 98 percent of the city's African Americans supported him.
Washington initially faced rabid opposition from a group of white aldermen who were determined to thwart his policies. But the new mayor, charismatic and larger-than-life, methodically undermined their efforts by forging alliances with Latino leaders, white businesspeople, and other constituencies. During his first term, he balanced the city budget; he also boosted contracts to minority-owned businesses, hired a record number of minority employees, and created an ethics ordinance. When he began his second term in 1987 after another tough race, he thought he was just getting started.
Washington, a former smoker, struggled with his weight and was a lifelong workaholic; friends often urged him to take better care of himself. Still, when he was struck down by a heart attack at his desk at just 65, it shook the entire city. The Chicago Tribune described portraits of grief on the streets as citizens absorbed the news: "Women sank, sobbing, onto plaza benches. A man sat and buried his head in his hands."
Long after his death, Washington's influence continues to be felt beyond the borders of Chicago. As a young man, Barack Obama was inspired by Washington's ability to create alliances with the broader community, and some believe he would never have become president if the older man hadn't forged the path as a successful African-American leader.
Today, as Chicago struggles with gun violence and poverty on the one hand and gentrification and high housing prices on the other, Chicagoans' memories of their first black mayor still seem remarkably fresh—as does their grief. According to Luis Gutiérrez, a former Chicago alderman who is now a U.S. Representative, "He was human, like all of us. He had every frailty that every human being and politician has. But hell if I remember any of them. You wanted him to succeed because you felt he was fighting for you."
Below: a police officer outside the Mayor Washington’s office hours after his death.
Image credit & copyright: Chicago Reader; Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Already stars in their native Jamaica, Bob Marley and the Wailers would Catch a Fire internationally when their album of the same name was released 45 years ago on April 13th. Lead by the charismatic Marley—with guitarist and activist Peter Tosh taking lead vocals on a few tracks—the Wailers used pleasant call-and-response harmonies and mid-tempo reggae rhythm to spread Rastafarian messages of love in the stand-out single Stir It Up. Island Records founder Chris Blackwell recognized the band's talent, paying them to record an album for worldwide release in 1972; once the Wailers finished Catch a Fire, Blackwell enlisted legendary '60's R&B Muscle Shoals sessions musicians to add an extra spark to their sound. The results show a stark contrast between the original Jamaican mix of Stir It Up, and the international release: on the latter, the chorus harmonies are richer, with a wah-wah guitar and spacey synthesizers reverberating in the background, giving an overall bright tone to the love song. It's a stirring rendition, if we do say so ourselves!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: David Burnett / Contact Press Images
Already stars in their native Jamaica, Bob Marley and the Wailers would Catch a Fire internationally when their album of the same name was released 45 years ago on April 13th. Lead by the charismatic Marley—with guitarist and activist Peter Tosh taking lead vocals on a few tracks—the Wailers used pleasant call-and-response harmonies and mid-tempo reggae rhythm to spread Rastafarian messages of love in the stand-out single Stir It Up. Island Records founder Chris Blackwell recognized the band's talent, paying them to record an album for worldwide release in 1972; once the Wailers finished Catch a Fire, Blackwell enlisted legendary '60's R&B Muscle Shoals sessions musicians to add an extra spark to their sound. The results show a stark contrast between the original Jamaican mix of Stir It Up, and the international release: on the latter, the chorus harmonies are richer, with a wah-wah guitar and spacey synthesizers reverberating in the background, giving an overall bright tone to the love song. It's a stirring rendition, if we do say so ourselves!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: David Burnett / Contact Press Images
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Wow… is that a still frame from Blade Runner? German photographer and design director Mark Siegemund uses his aerial drone to photograph Shanghai's rapidly-evolving, futuristic cityscape during dusk and dawn. Shown above, the heart of the swelling metropolis is divided into two parts: on one side of the Huangpu River is the towering Pudong financial district (foreground), and on the other, an old sector called Puxi (background). In Puxi, there are ancient walkways and pagoda roofs; in Pudong, loom skyscrapers like the 2,073-foot-tall Shanghai Tower. But sadly, the furious modernization that revolutionized Pudong is now seeping into Puxi's traditional neighborhoods, to the frustration of many of Shanghai's 24 million inhabitants. Siegemund himself laments the continuing loss of these historic communities: "I hope [the neighborhoods] will prevail forever and overcome the endless urbanization process!" he said on Instagram. Though he was a foreigner when he started photographing Shanghai, Siegemund has since fallen in love with the city, and become a permanent resident. And who can blame him? Shanghai is a city slicker's dream home—even if it is outgrowing its shoes!
Below: more drone photos of sprawling Shanghai, China.
Image credit & copyright: Mark Siegemund
Wow… is that a still frame from Blade Runner? German photographer and design director Mark Siegemund uses his aerial drone to photograph Shanghai's rapidly-evolving, futuristic cityscape during dusk and dawn. Shown above, the heart of the swelling metropolis is divided into two parts: on one side of the Huangpu River is the towering Pudong financial district (foreground), and on the other, an old sector called Puxi (background). In Puxi, there are ancient walkways and pagoda roofs; in Pudong, loom skyscrapers like the 2,073-foot-tall Shanghai Tower. But sadly, the furious modernization that revolutionized Pudong is now seeping into Puxi's traditional neighborhoods, to the frustration of many of Shanghai's 24 million inhabitants. Siegemund himself laments the continuing loss of these historic communities: "I hope [the neighborhoods] will prevail forever and overcome the endless urbanization process!" he said on Instagram. Though he was a foreigner when he started photographing Shanghai, Siegemund has since fallen in love with the city, and become a permanent resident. And who can blame him? Shanghai is a city slicker's dream home—even if it is outgrowing its shoes!
Below: more drone photos of sprawling Shanghai, China.
Image credit & copyright: Mark Siegemund
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Artist: David Gilhooly (b. 1943)
Created: 1982
Medium: glaze on ceramic
Dimensions: 41.5 x 25 x 18.75 in (105.41 x 63.5 x 47.63 cm)
Current location: Anderson Collection, Stanford, California
A frog went a-courtin' and he did ride, M-hm, M-hm. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, kooky sculptor David Gilhooly gained international praise for his irreverent ceramics—notably his slew of outlandish frog sculptures. Gilhooly's swampy antics culminated with his Frog World series, a politically-charged universe of web-toed figurines. Hoarding My Frog Food, shown above, takes aim at society by critiquing the average American's overly-saturated diet… with heaping piles of frogs, beavers, and a moose. Gilhooly, born today in 1943, once said he started sculpting frogs because "you can't glaze people in colors." Such whimsy guided Gilhooly his entire career; it was as a student at UC Davis in the '60s, that he picked up sculpting, only in an attempt to flirt with a woman. Not long after, he took a class by painter Roy De Forest, with whom he began pioneering the Funk Art Movement—a loose association of oddball artists native to the San Francisco Bay Area. Gilhooly passed in 2013, but his indelible, inedible mark remains in art museums around the country, souring appetites and turning heads!
Below: a close-up of Hoarding My Frog Food.
Image credit & copyright: David Gilhooly / Anderson Collection / Three Minute Modernist
Artist: David Gilhooly (b. 1943)
Created: 1982
Medium: glaze on ceramic
Dimensions: 41.5 x 25 x 18.75 in (105.41 x 63.5 x 47.63 cm)
Current location: Anderson Collection, Stanford, California
A frog went a-courtin' and he did ride, M-hm, M-hm. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, kooky sculptor David Gilhooly gained international praise for his irreverent ceramics—notably his slew of outlandish frog sculptures. Gilhooly's swampy antics culminated with his Frog World series, a politically-charged universe of web-toed figurines. Hoarding My Frog Food, shown above, takes aim at society by critiquing the average American's overly-saturated diet… with heaping piles of frogs, beavers, and a moose. Gilhooly, born today in 1943, once said he started sculpting frogs because "you can't glaze people in colors." Such whimsy guided Gilhooly his entire career; it was as a student at UC Davis in the '60s, that he picked up sculpting, only in an attempt to flirt with a woman. Not long after, he took a class by painter Roy De Forest, with whom he began pioneering the Funk Art Movement—a loose association of oddball artists native to the San Francisco Bay Area. Gilhooly passed in 2013, but his indelible, inedible mark remains in art museums around the country, souring appetites and turning heads!
Below: a close-up of Hoarding My Frog Food.
Image credit & copyright: David Gilhooly / Anderson Collection / Three Minute Modernist
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3 minFREEEngineering Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
In today's Nerdy Curio from Engines of our Ingenuity, the mechanics of helicopters, and why inventing it was harder than it looked.
In today's Nerdy Curio from Engines of our Ingenuity, the mechanics of helicopters, and why inventing it was harder than it looked.
April 14, 2018
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: A Flute Overheard. By Marianne Burke.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: A Flute Overheard. By Marianne Burke.
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2 minFREEAstronomy Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Learn what to look for in the night sky with today’s Nerdy Curio from Stardate. The Orion Nebula is about 1500 light-years away, yet it’s easily visible to t...
with StardateLearn what to look for in the night sky with today’s Nerdy Curio from Stardate. The Orion Nebula is about 1500 light-years away, yet it’s easily visible to t...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 14, 2018
succinct \suk-SINKT\ adjective
Definition
: marked by compact precise expression without wasted words
Did You Know?
The...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 14, 2018
succinct \suk-SINKT\ adjective
Definition
: marked by compact precise expression without wasted words
Did You Know?
The...
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #133Free1 CQ
Are you ready for some baseball? The season is fully underway, so it's time for a baseball-themed teaser. You need something to do while waiting through another meeting on the pitcher's mound, right?
In the phrase below, the first blank is an anagram of the second. The numbers in the parentheses are the number of letters in each word.Dave always had bad excuses for his poor play. After he hit into that (6) (4) , he whined, " (1) (3) (6) my attention away by calling me a mean name!"
What words fit into the two blanks?
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #133" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!Are you ready for some baseball? The season is fully underway, so it's time for a baseball-themed teaser. You need something to do while waiting through another meeting on the pitcher's mound, right?
In the phrase below, the first blank is an anagram of the second. The numbers in the parentheses are the number of letters in each word.Dave always had bad excuses for his poor play. After he hit into that (6) (4) , he whined, " (1) (3) (6) my attention away by calling me a mean name!"
What words fit into the two blanks?
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #133" and let us know, or check back next week to find out! -
6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Some foodies have cited "hiya," literally shame, as one reason balut and sisig aren't more common in US restaurants. But in Philippine culture, "hiya" has a ...
with PRI's The WorldSome foodies have cited "hiya," literally shame, as one reason balut and sisig aren't more common in US restaurants. But in Philippine culture, "hiya" has a ...
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2 minFREEWork Business CurioFree2 CQ
The government's favoring of a Franco-Dutch bid to make the documents raises ire.
with MarketplaceThe government's favoring of a Franco-Dutch bid to make the documents raises ire.
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Gardening on a spring day can be fun, but aboard the International Space Station, it's out of this world! In 2016, Astronaut Scott Kelly and his crew grew the first zinnia flowers in space, but not without a few perilous first attempts. The zinnias were the third crop grown in the Veggie plant growth facility, after an initial seeding that failed, and a second that successfully produced red romaine lettuce. Zinnias were chosen because they would give scientists information about the growth cycle of plants in microgravity, as they are highly sensitive to light and environmental changes. Within weeks, the zinnias began to show signs of mold and curling in the leaves, which indicated over-humidification and flooding in the roots. After excessive fan circulation left the crops dehydrated, Kelly took matters into his own hands, adjusting pre-planned watering cycles to meet the plant's delicate needs. After reinvigorating the growth process, Kelly took this photo and shared it via social media, letting us terrestrial dwellers know that life in space is definitely in full bloom!
Image credit & copyright: NASA
Gardening on a spring day can be fun, but aboard the International Space Station, it's out of this world! In 2016, Astronaut Scott Kelly and his crew grew the first zinnia flowers in space, but not without a few perilous first attempts. The zinnias were the third crop grown in the Veggie plant growth facility, after an initial seeding that failed, and a second that successfully produced red romaine lettuce. Zinnias were chosen because they would give scientists information about the growth cycle of plants in microgravity, as they are highly sensitive to light and environmental changes. Within weeks, the zinnias began to show signs of mold and curling in the leaves, which indicated over-humidification and flooding in the roots. After excessive fan circulation left the crops dehydrated, Kelly took matters into his own hands, adjusting pre-planned watering cycles to meet the plant's delicate needs. After reinvigorating the growth process, Kelly took this photo and shared it via social media, letting us terrestrial dwellers know that life in space is definitely in full bloom!
Image credit & copyright: NASA
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FREEAesthetic Art CurioFree1 CQ
Artist: Unknown
Created: about 1400 - 1500
Medium: bronze with gilding
Dimensions: 26 x 18 in (66 cm x 45.7 cm)
Current location: Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, California
Talk about complicated relationships! These two intertwined figures have a total of twelve arms between them, and the larger one has three faces. The Buddhist deity Guhyasamaja , which means "secret union," represents an enlightened being. The figures are two pillars of Buddhism, wisdom and compassion; their physical union represents the ultimate state of enlightenment. According to Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, practitioners who meditate on the Guhyasamaja achieve a state of blessed wisdom more quickly, possibly in a single lifetime (according to Buddhism, those who don't achieve enlightenment must go through repeated rounds of reincarnation). In early China, where the sculpture was made, pieces like this were created by court artisans as gifts for distinguished monks or for members of royalty. The sculpture is included in the exhibit, Divine Bodies, showing at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum through July 29th. The exhibit poses the question, "How can we recognize the divine in the human, and the human in the divine?" The Buddhist deity Guhyasamaja, with its very human features and luminous expression, is an extraordinary combination of both.
Below: The Buddhist deity White Tara, a divine goddess who represents the combined wisdom of all buddhas, at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum.
Image credit & copyright: Asian Art Museum
Artist: Unknown
Created: about 1400 - 1500
Medium: bronze with gilding
Dimensions: 26 x 18 in (66 cm x 45.7 cm)
Current location: Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, California
Talk about complicated relationships! These two intertwined figures have a total of twelve arms between them, and the larger one has three faces. The Buddhist deity Guhyasamaja , which means "secret union," represents an enlightened being. The figures are two pillars of Buddhism, wisdom and compassion; their physical union represents the ultimate state of enlightenment. According to Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, practitioners who meditate on the Guhyasamaja achieve a state of blessed wisdom more quickly, possibly in a single lifetime (according to Buddhism, those who don't achieve enlightenment must go through repeated rounds of reincarnation). In early China, where the sculpture was made, pieces like this were created by court artisans as gifts for distinguished monks or for members of royalty. The sculpture is included in the exhibit, Divine Bodies, showing at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum through July 29th. The exhibit poses the question, "How can we recognize the divine in the human, and the human in the divine?" The Buddhist deity Guhyasamaja, with its very human features and luminous expression, is an extraordinary combination of both.
Below: The Buddhist deity White Tara, a divine goddess who represents the combined wisdom of all buddhas, at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum.
Image credit & copyright: Asian Art Museum
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FREEPiano Song CurioFree2 CQ
Behind all that thumping bass is a sensitive, if not confounding, man. Musician Richard David James, better known as Aphex Twin, was perhaps the most successful electronic artist of the '90s and early aughts. Playfully weird, he is predominantly known by fans for his ambient techno and dirty IDM beats, but surprisingly, his most commercially successful song—by far and away—is a melancholy melody titled Avril 14th. To create the tune, James rigged a basic Yamaha acoustic piano to receive electronic MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) data; this allowed him to compose the song with music production software and have the piano play itself. The track's poor audio quality, reminiscent of old music boxes, only adds to its wispy palpability—which makes it even more bizarre, considering its place in the middle of the heavy-hitting electronic album Drukqs. Regardless, Avril 14th found the public's ear and soundtracked numerous movies, like Marie Antoinette (2006) and Four Lions (2010). In 2010, rapper and producer Kanye West even sampled it for his song Blame Game. So, why did James conjure up a melody so uncharacteristic of himself and his underground pursuits? Eh, he says he was just bored, was all.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Aphex Twin
Behind all that thumping bass is a sensitive, if not confounding, man. Musician Richard David James, better known as Aphex Twin, was perhaps the most successful electronic artist of the '90s and early aughts. Playfully weird, he is predominantly known by fans for his ambient techno and dirty IDM beats, but surprisingly, his most commercially successful song—by far and away—is a melancholy melody titled Avril 14th. To create the tune, James rigged a basic Yamaha acoustic piano to receive electronic MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) data; this allowed him to compose the song with music production software and have the piano play itself. The track's poor audio quality, reminiscent of old music boxes, only adds to its wispy palpability—which makes it even more bizarre, considering its place in the middle of the heavy-hitting electronic album Drukqs. Regardless, Avril 14th found the public's ear and soundtracked numerous movies, like Marie Antoinette (2006) and Four Lions (2010). In 2010, rapper and producer Kanye West even sampled it for his song Blame Game. So, why did James conjure up a melody so uncharacteristic of himself and his underground pursuits? Eh, he says he was just bored, was all.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Aphex Twin
April 13, 2018
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A C-suite shakeup overnight at VW: Who’s in, who’s out, and what’s next for the automaker as it turns another p...
(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A C-suite shakeup overnight at VW: Who’s in, who’s out, and what’s next for the automaker as it turns another p...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 13, 2018
aegis \EE-jus\ noun
Definition
1 : a shield or breastplate emblematic of majesty that was associated with Zeus and Athena...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 13, 2018
aegis \EE-jus\ noun
Definition
1 : a shield or breastplate emblematic of majesty that was associated with Zeus and Athena...
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10 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree6 CQ
"People really had compassion, affection, understanding and patience — something that you don't get in regular court." That's how one Indigenous woman descri...
with PRI's The World"People really had compassion, affection, understanding and patience — something that you don't get in regular court." That's how one Indigenous woman descri...
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Dear One Absent This Long While. by Lisa Olstein.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Dear One Absent This Long While. by Lisa Olstein.
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FREEMusic Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday (the 13th)! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
The full moon roused more than a howl from Warren Zevon. Audiences got an earful of the singer-songwriter's penchant for dark humor with his first radio hit Werewolves of London, a tune off of the album Excitable Boy, which recently turned 40 years old. The werewolf in the song's lyrics hunts more than human prey; backed by a basic three-chord rock progression, the monster also craves Chinese take-out and piña coladas. It's a creature equally at home with savagery and civility—a dichotomy not unfamiliar to Zevon himself, who was known for his wild antics on- and off-stage, as well as his love of philosophy and literature. At one point in his life, Zevon was even invited to an informal band called the Rock Bottom Remainders, which included bandmates (and writers) Stephen King and Amy Tan. Thankfully no writers were harmed or cursed with lycanthropy while jamming with Zevon!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Virginia Turbett / Redferns / Getty
It's Flashback Friday (the 13th)! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
The full moon roused more than a howl from Warren Zevon. Audiences got an earful of the singer-songwriter's penchant for dark humor with his first radio hit Werewolves of London, a tune off of the album Excitable Boy, which recently turned 40 years old. The werewolf in the song's lyrics hunts more than human prey; backed by a basic three-chord rock progression, the monster also craves Chinese take-out and piña coladas. It's a creature equally at home with savagery and civility—a dichotomy not unfamiliar to Zevon himself, who was known for his wild antics on- and off-stage, as well as his love of philosophy and literature. At one point in his life, Zevon was even invited to an informal band called the Rock Bottom Remainders, which included bandmates (and writers) Stephen King and Amy Tan. Thankfully no writers were harmed or cursed with lycanthropy while jamming with Zevon!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Virginia Turbett / Redferns / Getty
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday (the 13th)! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It might be cold outside, but the Tunnel of Love near Klevan, Ukraine is a hot travel destination for amorous couples. Legend has it that if two lovers walk together down the three-mile path, their tenderest wishes will come true. Romantic superstitions aside, the trail's actual history is a bit more complicated. The unique, densely-forested shape was likely created during the Cold War: a running train track lines the tunnel's floor and leads to a military base. Trees were planted alongside the tracks to protect the location and transportation of military gear. The arched shape is currently maintained by local companies, and one of them use the passage to run a plywood supply line several times a day. But getting trains through the Tunnel of Love can sometimes be perilous. As vehicles approach, tourists line up with their cameras along the narrow path to get the perfect shot. As a result, locals are learning to balance the rise in tourism while simultaneously maintaining the active railway. Because sometimes love hurts, and love scars, but it doesn't need to do that in the Tunnel of Love!
Below: the Tunnel of Love in winter; a train conductor keeps an eye on the railroad path.
Image credit & copyright: Oleg Gordienko, Amos Chapple
It's Flashback Friday (the 13th)! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It might be cold outside, but the Tunnel of Love near Klevan, Ukraine is a hot travel destination for amorous couples. Legend has it that if two lovers walk together down the three-mile path, their tenderest wishes will come true. Romantic superstitions aside, the trail's actual history is a bit more complicated. The unique, densely-forested shape was likely created during the Cold War: a running train track lines the tunnel's floor and leads to a military base. Trees were planted alongside the tracks to protect the location and transportation of military gear. The arched shape is currently maintained by local companies, and one of them use the passage to run a plywood supply line several times a day. But getting trains through the Tunnel of Love can sometimes be perilous. As vehicles approach, tourists line up with their cameras along the narrow path to get the perfect shot. As a result, locals are learning to balance the rise in tourism while simultaneously maintaining the active railway. Because sometimes love hurts, and love scars, but it doesn't need to do that in the Tunnel of Love!
Below: the Tunnel of Love in winter; a train conductor keeps an eye on the railroad path.
Image credit & copyright: Oleg Gordienko, Amos Chapple
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FREELiterature Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday (the 13th)! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Illustration from Beauty and the Beast
Artist: Kinuko Y. Craft (b. 1940)
Created: 2016
Medium: watercolors, oil on gesso panel
Beauty isn't just in the eye of the beholder; she's also the subject of one of Kinuko Craft's children's fairy tale paintings. This Beauty and the Beast piece is part of a book Craft—who turned 78 yesterday—illustrated and wrote with her husband Mahlon Craft. The tale is one of many that Craft has converted into picture books since the '90s. Before then, she attended the prestigious Kanazawa Bidai School of Art in Japan in the early '60s. Like Beauty in Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's 18th-century tale, Craft traveled to a faraway land; she studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, and by the '70s, her work graced the pages of Time magazine, National Geographic, and Forbes, to name a few. Craft's painting process includes multiple stages, starting with a sketch on tracing paper, followed by an underpainting in watercolor, and a final coat of oils. The results are luminous and richly detailed, befitting the Beast's verdant garden and the location where Beauty would declare her love for him and break his curse. And there's nothing quite like watching true love blossom!
Below: more of Craft's illustrations of fairy tales: a dreaming Sleeping Beauty, and the queen of the ball, Cinderella.
Image credit & copyright: Kinuko Y. Craft
It's Flashback Friday (the 13th)! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Illustration from Beauty and the Beast
Artist: Kinuko Y. Craft (b. 1940)
Created: 2016
Medium: watercolors, oil on gesso panel
Beauty isn't just in the eye of the beholder; she's also the subject of one of Kinuko Craft's children's fairy tale paintings. This Beauty and the Beast piece is part of a book Craft—who turned 78 yesterday—illustrated and wrote with her husband Mahlon Craft. The tale is one of many that Craft has converted into picture books since the '90s. Before then, she attended the prestigious Kanazawa Bidai School of Art in Japan in the early '60s. Like Beauty in Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's 18th-century tale, Craft traveled to a faraway land; she studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, and by the '70s, her work graced the pages of Time magazine, National Geographic, and Forbes, to name a few. Craft's painting process includes multiple stages, starting with a sketch on tracing paper, followed by an underpainting in watercolor, and a final coat of oils. The results are luminous and richly detailed, befitting the Beast's verdant garden and the location where Beauty would declare her love for him and break his curse. And there's nothing quite like watching true love blossom!
Below: more of Craft's illustrations of fairy tales: a dreaming Sleeping Beauty, and the queen of the ball, Cinderella.
Image credit & copyright: Kinuko Y. Craft
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FREERelationships Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
BOO! You'll likely see quite a few black cats today, but don't get used to it. Black cats are abandoned at much higher rates than their gray, tabby, and white peers. According to a study in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, black cats have the lowest adoption rate from animal shelters of all colors except brown. White and gray cats get adopted twice as often. Our bias against black cats can be traced to the 16th century. Black cats were associated with witches, thanks to an ancient English folktale. The connection was cemented with the Salem witch trials, and persists today. A UC Berkeley study found that people associate black cats with negative adjectives, while other-colored cats were associated with characteristics like shyness, aloofness, and friendliness. By the way, this implicit bias in Western society towards things of darker colors has also been shown to create a subconscious bias towards people with non-white skin tones. Well, this just got heavy. There are a few theories about why black cats are so unpopular. For one, they're hard to photograph—facial features are much clearer in photos of light-color cats. Another theory blames it on the whitish patches often found on their faces, which make them look old. Another explanation is that black cats are more common than other varieties because it's determined by a dominant gene. None of these explains why the same problem is happening with dogs. Discrimination is so widespread that animal shelters have named it black dog syndrome. So you should go adopt a black dog or cat from your local animal shelter. But wait till after Halloween. Most shelters ban black cat adoption around the holiday due to idiots who use and abuse them in supposedly "spooky" ceremonies. People!
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
BOO! You'll likely see quite a few black cats today, but don't get used to it. Black cats are abandoned at much higher rates than their gray, tabby, and white peers. According to a study in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, black cats have the lowest adoption rate from animal shelters of all colors except brown. White and gray cats get adopted twice as often. Our bias against black cats can be traced to the 16th century. Black cats were associated with witches, thanks to an ancient English folktale. The connection was cemented with the Salem witch trials, and persists today. A UC Berkeley study found that people associate black cats with negative adjectives, while other-colored cats were associated with characteristics like shyness, aloofness, and friendliness. By the way, this implicit bias in Western society towards things of darker colors has also been shown to create a subconscious bias towards people with non-white skin tones. Well, this just got heavy. There are a few theories about why black cats are so unpopular. For one, they're hard to photograph—facial features are much clearer in photos of light-color cats. Another theory blames it on the whitish patches often found on their faces, which make them look old. Another explanation is that black cats are more common than other varieties because it's determined by a dominant gene. None of these explains why the same problem is happening with dogs. Discrimination is so widespread that animal shelters have named it black dog syndrome. So you should go adopt a black dog or cat from your local animal shelter. But wait till after Halloween. Most shelters ban black cat adoption around the holiday due to idiots who use and abuse them in supposedly "spooky" ceremonies. People!
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3 minFREEPhysics Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
In today's Nerdy Curio Minute Physics, how the absence of absolute time relates to the conservation of energy.
with Minute PhysicsIn today's Nerdy Curio Minute Physics, how the absence of absolute time relates to the conservation of energy.