Curio Cabinet
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February 17, 2019
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : February 17, 2019
disavow \dis-uh-VOW\ verb
Definition
1 : to deny responsibility for : repudiate
2 : to refuse to acknowledge or accep...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 17, 2019
disavow \dis-uh-VOW\ verb
Definition
1 : to deny responsibility for : repudiate
2 : to refuse to acknowledge or accep...
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Norroway in February. by Hannah Sanghee Park.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Norroway in February. by Hannah Sanghee Park.
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
A new book theorizes that technology will cause a massive upheaval and a loss of jobs at nearly every level — but argues it will ultimately will be better fo...
with PRI's The WorldA new book theorizes that technology will cause a massive upheaval and a loss of jobs at nearly every level — but argues it will ultimately will be better fo...
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2 minFREEWork Business CurioFree2 CQ
The "Nordic Diet" is a way of eating that gourmet chefs in Scandinavia started championing about 15 years ago.
with MarketplaceThe "Nordic Diet" is a way of eating that gourmet chefs in Scandinavia started championing about 15 years ago.
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1630 In which we ponder a very subjective notion of reality. Today, nature chang...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1630 In which we ponder a very subjective notion of reality. Today, nature chang...
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FREEArt Appreciation PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
An art exhibition opens in New York City and redefines American perceptions of beauty.
Yeah, yeah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The platitude is a given in our day and age; but for Americans living at the beginning of the 20th century, not so much. Art critics of the era insisted upon strict adherence to classical values and aesthetics, until a group of rebellious artists called the Association of American Painters and Sculptors orchestrated the legendary Armory Show. The exhibition, which radically transformed American perceptions of art, took place on today's date in 1913.
At the turn of the century, New York City's harbors teemed with steel ships and its towers rose to unprecedented heights. But the modernization of its art scene remained stagnant. Most of the Big Apple's galleries catered to the Old Masters, holding up classical depictions of beauty alongside 19th-century realism. As European galleries clamored over the emerging Fauvist, Cubist, and Futurist styles, those in the U.S. remained out of touch with the times.
Then, in 1911, a group of progressive artists met at the Madison Gallery in New York’s Upper East Side. Dubbing themselves the Association of American Painters and Sculptors (AAPS), they conspired to revolt against conservative art institutions by launching an avant-garde exhibition, with Arthur Bowen Davies acting as its principal organizer. Davies, alongside fellow members, scoured Europe in search of any forward-thinking artists they could find for the exhibition. Meanwhile, other members corralled American artists who had thus far been shunned by conservative institutions, namely the National Academy of Design.
Throughout 1912, Davies and AAPS member Walt Kuhn amassed an arsenal of modernist paintings in Europe, which included Henri Matisse's Blue Nude (1907), Picasso's Standing Female Nude (1911), and other masterpieces. Back home, AAPS members wrangled paintings, sculptures, and sketches from a couple hundred American artists, like landscape abstractionists Albert Pinkham Ryder and Leon Dabo. Finally, the International Exhibition of Modern Art, aka the Armory Exhibit, was ready after a year of furious efforts.
On Feb. 17, 1913, the exhibit opened to a tempest of reactions. Critics balked at the "primitive" work of European modernists and compared the show to an insane asylum. In regards to the violently abstracted paintings, one connoisseur remarked, "It makes me fear for the world…. Something must be wrong with an age which can put those things in a gallery and call them art." American artists at large, however, were enraptured. Marcel Duchamp's Cubist-inspired Nude Descending a Staircase, in particular, resonated with those wary of classical styles. The piece, which was described as "an explosion in a shingle factory," depicts not a woman, but the motion of a woman clearing steps—a truly revolutionary concept at the time.
Some 87,000 people visited the Armory Exhibit in New York, with many of them walking away realizing, for the first time, the limitless potential of art. For centuries, artists had been expected to perfect form by way of raw technical skill; suddenly, the potential of art as a mode of expression was unleashed on the U.S., making way for the abstract expressionists of the '50s and the pop artists of the '60s. Critic Harriet Monroe of the Sunday Tribune wrote of the freshly exposed modernists: "These radical artists are right. They represent a search for new beauty... [and] a longing for new versions of truth observed."
Below: pieces from the 1913 Armory Show, including Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2, 2012; Paul Gauguin's Parau na te Varua ino (Words of the Devil), 1892; and Wassily Kandinsky's Improvisation 27 (Garden of Love II), 1912.
Image credit & copyright: Smithsonian Institution Archives of American Art / Philadelphia Museum of Art/Copyright succession Marcel Duchamp / ADAGP, Paris / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2013 / National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. / The Metropolitan Museum of Art
An art exhibition opens in New York City and redefines American perceptions of beauty.
Yeah, yeah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The platitude is a given in our day and age; but for Americans living at the beginning of the 20th century, not so much. Art critics of the era insisted upon strict adherence to classical values and aesthetics, until a group of rebellious artists called the Association of American Painters and Sculptors orchestrated the legendary Armory Show. The exhibition, which radically transformed American perceptions of art, took place on today's date in 1913.
At the turn of the century, New York City's harbors teemed with steel ships and its towers rose to unprecedented heights. But the modernization of its art scene remained stagnant. Most of the Big Apple's galleries catered to the Old Masters, holding up classical depictions of beauty alongside 19th-century realism. As European galleries clamored over the emerging Fauvist, Cubist, and Futurist styles, those in the U.S. remained out of touch with the times.
Then, in 1911, a group of progressive artists met at the Madison Gallery in New York’s Upper East Side. Dubbing themselves the Association of American Painters and Sculptors (AAPS), they conspired to revolt against conservative art institutions by launching an avant-garde exhibition, with Arthur Bowen Davies acting as its principal organizer. Davies, alongside fellow members, scoured Europe in search of any forward-thinking artists they could find for the exhibition. Meanwhile, other members corralled American artists who had thus far been shunned by conservative institutions, namely the National Academy of Design.
Throughout 1912, Davies and AAPS member Walt Kuhn amassed an arsenal of modernist paintings in Europe, which included Henri Matisse's Blue Nude (1907), Picasso's Standing Female Nude (1911), and other masterpieces. Back home, AAPS members wrangled paintings, sculptures, and sketches from a couple hundred American artists, like landscape abstractionists Albert Pinkham Ryder and Leon Dabo. Finally, the International Exhibition of Modern Art, aka the Armory Exhibit, was ready after a year of furious efforts.
On Feb. 17, 1913, the exhibit opened to a tempest of reactions. Critics balked at the "primitive" work of European modernists and compared the show to an insane asylum. In regards to the violently abstracted paintings, one connoisseur remarked, "It makes me fear for the world…. Something must be wrong with an age which can put those things in a gallery and call them art." American artists at large, however, were enraptured. Marcel Duchamp's Cubist-inspired Nude Descending a Staircase, in particular, resonated with those wary of classical styles. The piece, which was described as "an explosion in a shingle factory," depicts not a woman, but the motion of a woman clearing steps—a truly revolutionary concept at the time.
Some 87,000 people visited the Armory Exhibit in New York, with many of them walking away realizing, for the first time, the limitless potential of art. For centuries, artists had been expected to perfect form by way of raw technical skill; suddenly, the potential of art as a mode of expression was unleashed on the U.S., making way for the abstract expressionists of the '50s and the pop artists of the '60s. Critic Harriet Monroe of the Sunday Tribune wrote of the freshly exposed modernists: "These radical artists are right. They represent a search for new beauty... [and] a longing for new versions of truth observed."
Below: pieces from the 1913 Armory Show, including Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2, 2012; Paul Gauguin's Parau na te Varua ino (Words of the Devil), 1892; and Wassily Kandinsky's Improvisation 27 (Garden of Love II), 1912.
Image credit & copyright: Smithsonian Institution Archives of American Art / Philadelphia Museum of Art/Copyright succession Marcel Duchamp / ADAGP, Paris / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2013 / National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. / The Metropolitan Museum of Art
February 16, 2019
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Ambassador of the Interior Has a Talking to With the Minister of the Cabinet of Vengeance. By Stephanie Ellis Schlaifer.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Ambassador of the Interior Has a Talking to With the Minister of the Cabinet of Vengeance. By Stephanie Ellis Schlaifer.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : February 16, 2019
gibbous \JIB-us\ adjective
Definition
1 a : marked by convexity or swelling
b of the moon or a planet : seen with mor...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 16, 2019
gibbous \JIB-us\ adjective
Definition
1 a : marked by convexity or swelling
b of the moon or a planet : seen with mor...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The special unit has its roots in federal efforts to hunt Nazis living in the United States after World War II.
with PRI's The WorldThe special unit has its roots in federal efforts to hunt Nazis living in the United States after World War II.
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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. It sounds more like bad science fiction than real science: Radiation from an ...
with StardateLearn what to look for in the night sky with today's Nerdy Curio from Stardate. It sounds more like bad science fiction than real science: Radiation from an ...
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #174Free1 CQ
Sorry! We messed up Teaser #172, making it impossible to solve. It has been fixed, so feel free to try again.
Here's your teaser: how many shoes does a horse need?
OK, we're kidding. We think they need four, but we have't asked our neighborhood farrier recently because, well, who has a neighborhood farrier?! What do we have? Math teasers.
In the addition problem below, each unique letter represents a different single digit. None of the numbers starts with a 0 (because that's just weird). What are the values of H, O, R, S, and E?
SHOE
SHOE
SHOE
+ SHOE
HORSEThink you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #174" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
Sorry! We messed up Teaser #172, making it impossible to solve. It has been fixed, so feel free to try again.
Here's your teaser: how many shoes does a horse need?
OK, we're kidding. We think they need four, but we have't asked our neighborhood farrier recently because, well, who has a neighborhood farrier?! What do we have? Math teasers.
In the addition problem below, each unique letter represents a different single digit. None of the numbers starts with a 0 (because that's just weird). What are the values of H, O, R, S, and E?
SHOE
SHOE
SHOE
+ SHOE
HORSEThink you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #174" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
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2 minFREEWork Business CurioFree2 CQ
The ski industry is speaking out about dwindling snowfall and shorter ski seasons.
with MarketplaceThe ski industry is speaking out about dwindling snowfall and shorter ski seasons.
February 15, 2019
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service... Spain has just announced snap elections after separatist Catalan politicians refused to back the proposed budget. We explore wh...
From the BBC World Service... Spain has just announced snap elections after separatist Catalan politicians refused to back the proposed budget. We explore wh...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : February 15, 2019
apotheosis \uh-pah-thee-OH-sis\ noun
Definition
1 a : the perfect form or example of something : quintessence
b : the...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 15, 2019
apotheosis \uh-pah-thee-OH-sis\ noun
Definition
1 a : the perfect form or example of something : quintessence
b : the...
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: [love is more thicker than forget]. By E.E. Cummings.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: [love is more thicker than forget]. By E.E. Cummings.
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Turkey ended several years of conspicuous silence on China's massive incarceration campaign of Uighurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang. Some hope it's a tippin...
with PRI's The WorldTurkey ended several years of conspicuous silence on China's massive incarceration campaign of Uighurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang. Some hope it's a tippin...
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FREEMusic Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
In honor of Presidents' Day weekend, we're trying our best to remember all 45. It ain't easy, but it helps to have a song. That's where Genevieve Madeline Ryan comes in. The lawyer-poet (what a combination!) wrote the lyrics to The American Presidents when she was 12 as a gift to her dad for Father's Day. Which is a weird gift, but an amazing one for a dad who's a history buff! With the encouragement of her folks, Ryan contacted some helpers to verify the lyrics' accuracy, arrange orchestration, and publish the song. The video below was produced by the White House Historical Association in 2010. We hate to break it to them, but they're going need to make an update for President Trump!
Other streaming options
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
In honor of Presidents' Day weekend, we're trying our best to remember all 45. It ain't easy, but it helps to have a song. That's where Genevieve Madeline Ryan comes in. The lawyer-poet (what a combination!) wrote the lyrics to The American Presidents when she was 12 as a gift to her dad for Father's Day. Which is a weird gift, but an amazing one for a dad who's a history buff! With the encouragement of her folks, Ryan contacted some helpers to verify the lyrics' accuracy, arrange orchestration, and publish the song. The video below was produced by the White House Historical Association in 2010. We hate to break it to them, but they're going need to make an update for President Trump!
Other streaming options
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
Former President Barack Obama once described this moment as the "longest 40 minutes of my life." Chief Official White House Photographer Pete Souza recognized it as a moment that would change the world. The Situation Room, taken by Souza on May 1, 2011, marked the end of a decade-long hunt for Osama Bin Laden. It instantly became a historically-defining photograph and, in true internet-age form, meme fodder. It isn't hard to see how Souza, who also held the same position under President Reagan, gained the trust of the national security staff; he portrayed the off-the-cuff reactions of his extraordinary subjects with the same fine eye he took to more formal affairs. Among the two million images Souza snapped during the Obama administration are moments like the former president caught in Spider-Man's web, jogging with First Dog Bo, and playfully tipping the scales during a visit to the University of Texas in Austin. During his tenure, Souza's motto could have easily been "ask not what your country can do for you, but what your camera can do for your country!"
Below: more photos from Pete Souza's tenure as Chief Official White House Photographer to President Obama.
Image credit & copyright: Pete Souza
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
Former President Barack Obama once described this moment as the "longest 40 minutes of my life." Chief Official White House Photographer Pete Souza recognized it as a moment that would change the world. The Situation Room, taken by Souza on May 1, 2011, marked the end of a decade-long hunt for Osama Bin Laden. It instantly became a historically-defining photograph and, in true internet-age form, meme fodder. It isn't hard to see how Souza, who also held the same position under President Reagan, gained the trust of the national security staff; he portrayed the off-the-cuff reactions of his extraordinary subjects with the same fine eye he took to more formal affairs. Among the two million images Souza snapped during the Obama administration are moments like the former president caught in Spider-Man's web, jogging with First Dog Bo, and playfully tipping the scales during a visit to the University of Texas in Austin. During his tenure, Souza's motto could have easily been "ask not what your country can do for you, but what your camera can do for your country!"
Below: more photos from Pete Souza's tenure as Chief Official White House Photographer to President Obama.
Image credit & copyright: Pete Souza
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FREEAesthetic Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
Title: John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Artist: Aaron Shikler (1922–2015)
Created: 1970
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 34 x 50 in (86.4 x 127 cm)
Current location: The White House, Washington, D.C.
Why is John F. Kennedy looking down? In honor of this upcoming Presidents' Day, we take a look at one of the most unusual White House presidential portraits. The 35th president's official painting looks nothing like those of other presidents, whose subjects are posed in a stately manner, often square with the viewer. It was Jackie Kennedy who commissioned painter Aaron Shikler for the job in 1970, seven years after John's assassination. She didn't know exactly what she wanted, but she knew what she didn't want: for "him to look the way everybody else makes him look, with the bags under his eyes and that penetrating gaze. I’m tired of that image." Without a live model, Shikler used reference photographs. He was particularly struck by two. The first was an image from a New York Times article where the late president is deep in conversation with his brother Robert, and the second was of his other brother, Ted, mourning during John's funeral with his head bowed. In seeing these moments, Shikler knew he had to capture one of President Kennedy's most noble traits: his thoughtfulness. "I wanted to show him as a president who was a thinker," said Shikler. "A thinking president is a rare thing."
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
Title: John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Artist: Aaron Shikler (1922–2015)
Created: 1970
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 34 x 50 in (86.4 x 127 cm)
Current location: The White House, Washington, D.C.
Why is John F. Kennedy looking down? In honor of this upcoming Presidents' Day, we take a look at one of the most unusual White House presidential portraits. The 35th president's official painting looks nothing like those of other presidents, whose subjects are posed in a stately manner, often square with the viewer. It was Jackie Kennedy who commissioned painter Aaron Shikler for the job in 1970, seven years after John's assassination. She didn't know exactly what she wanted, but she knew what she didn't want: for "him to look the way everybody else makes him look, with the bags under his eyes and that penetrating gaze. I’m tired of that image." Without a live model, Shikler used reference photographs. He was particularly struck by two. The first was an image from a New York Times article where the late president is deep in conversation with his brother Robert, and the second was of his other brother, Ted, mourning during John's funeral with his head bowed. In seeing these moments, Shikler knew he had to capture one of President Kennedy's most noble traits: his thoughtfulness. "I wanted to show him as a president who was a thinker," said Shikler. "A thinking president is a rare thing."
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FREEUS History Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
In case you can't get enough news about U.S. Presidents… here are three tidbits about Presidents' Day, which is Monday. Number one: it's not called Presidents' Day. Technically, this day has nothing to do with Abraham Lincoln, or any other U.S. president except George Washington. It's called Washington's Birthday. Period. While a law was proposed in 1968 to switch this holiday to also celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday—their birthdays are 10 days apart in February—the bill failed to pass in Congress. It's only because of businesses who use this week for sales promotions that we Americans mistakenly believe it honors both Washington and Lincoln.
Number two: George Washington changed the date of his birthday later in his life, to be February 22nd. Washington was actually born on February 11, 1731, according to the then-used Julian calendar. In 1752, however, Britain forced all its colonies to adopt the Gregorian calendar, moving Washington's birthday one year and 11 days later to February 22, 1732. But since Washington and his friends weren't exactly fans of Britain's colonial orders, they didn't accept the new calendar until much later. When Americans first started celebrating Washington's birthday in 1796—during his last year as President—there was still confusion as to which date to use.
Number three: Thanks to the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, it's impossible for Washington Day to ever fall on George Washington's actual birthday. That law, which passed in 1968, moved several holidays to always fall on Mondays so as to maximize three-day weekends for workers. Since Washington Day was officially moved to the third Monday of February, it can never fall on Washington’s actual birthday of the 22nd. Well, unless we go back to the Julian calendar.
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives in honor of Presidents’ Day Weekend.
In case you can't get enough news about U.S. Presidents… here are three tidbits about Presidents' Day, which is Monday. Number one: it's not called Presidents' Day. Technically, this day has nothing to do with Abraham Lincoln, or any other U.S. president except George Washington. It's called Washington's Birthday. Period. While a law was proposed in 1968 to switch this holiday to also celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday—their birthdays are 10 days apart in February—the bill failed to pass in Congress. It's only because of businesses who use this week for sales promotions that we Americans mistakenly believe it honors both Washington and Lincoln.
Number two: George Washington changed the date of his birthday later in his life, to be February 22nd. Washington was actually born on February 11, 1731, according to the then-used Julian calendar. In 1752, however, Britain forced all its colonies to adopt the Gregorian calendar, moving Washington's birthday one year and 11 days later to February 22, 1732. But since Washington and his friends weren't exactly fans of Britain's colonial orders, they didn't accept the new calendar until much later. When Americans first started celebrating Washington's birthday in 1796—during his last year as President—there was still confusion as to which date to use.
Number three: Thanks to the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, it's impossible for Washington Day to ever fall on George Washington's actual birthday. That law, which passed in 1968, moved several holidays to always fall on Mondays so as to maximize three-day weekends for workers. Since Washington Day was officially moved to the third Monday of February, it can never fall on Washington’s actual birthday of the 22nd. Well, unless we go back to the Julian calendar.
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1632 Rediscovering the sunken Union Monitor. Today, we find the first modern war...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1632 Rediscovering the sunken Union Monitor. Today, we find the first modern war...
February 14, 2019
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… Showers and spa treatments while you fly. The Airbus A380 promised luxury when it first launched more than a decade ago. But the ...
From the BBC World Service… Showers and spa treatments while you fly. The Airbus A380 promised luxury when it first launched more than a decade ago. But the ...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Hungarian women face social expectations that they should be caretakers instead of breadwinners. The country also has the lowest rate of women in government ...
with PRI's The WorldHungarian women face social expectations that they should be caretakers instead of breadwinners. The country also has the lowest rate of women in government ...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : February 14, 2019
heartstring \HAHRT-string\ noun
Definition
: the deepest emotions or affections — usually used in plural
Did You Know...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 14, 2019
heartstring \HAHRT-string\ noun
Definition
: the deepest emotions or affections — usually used in plural
Did You Know...
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #1704Free1 CQ
Poet Geoffrey Chaucer played an integral role in creating Valentine's Day as we know it. Revered as the "Father of English literature," Chaucer is the subject of today's St. Valentine's Day Themed Thursday. According to some legends, Valentine's Day originated with ancient Rome's Lupercalia: a savage festival where nude men skinned animals and lashed young women with the pelts—to promote fertility, of course. Most historians refute the link between Valentine's Day and Lupercalia's overlapping dates as mere coincidence. The name of St. Valentine actually comes from several eponymous saints who lived in ancient Roman territories. Two of them happened to be executed on February 14th for proselytizing and performing miracles; though, both were always associated with healing—not love.
It wasn't until 1382 that St. Valentine was popularly associated with love. That's when Geoffrey Chaucer penned the poem Parlement of Foules. In it, Chaucer wrote: "For this was on St. Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate." A few years later, the earliest known valentine gift was documented, when the imprisoned French Duke of Orléans composed sweet nothings for his wife, referring to her as his "very gentle Valentine." Literary minds followed Chaucer's lead, strengthening the bond between romance and St. Valentine's Day. William Shakespeare, for example, wrote in Act IV, Scene 5 of Hamlet: "To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, All in the morning betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine." The practice of sending handwritten love letters on the holiday persisted until the 1800s, when the modern valentine card and chocolate box industries were born. Which are both total scams, if you ask me. Chaucer and Shakespeare knew the truth: that real tokens of affection come from the heart—not the Hallmark aisle!
Image credit & copyright: Bettmann/Corbis
Poet Geoffrey Chaucer played an integral role in creating Valentine's Day as we know it. Revered as the "Father of English literature," Chaucer is the subject of today's St. Valentine's Day Themed Thursday. According to some legends, Valentine's Day originated with ancient Rome's Lupercalia: a savage festival where nude men skinned animals and lashed young women with the pelts—to promote fertility, of course. Most historians refute the link between Valentine's Day and Lupercalia's overlapping dates as mere coincidence. The name of St. Valentine actually comes from several eponymous saints who lived in ancient Roman territories. Two of them happened to be executed on February 14th for proselytizing and performing miracles; though, both were always associated with healing—not love.
It wasn't until 1382 that St. Valentine was popularly associated with love. That's when Geoffrey Chaucer penned the poem Parlement of Foules. In it, Chaucer wrote: "For this was on St. Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate." A few years later, the earliest known valentine gift was documented, when the imprisoned French Duke of Orléans composed sweet nothings for his wife, referring to her as his "very gentle Valentine." Literary minds followed Chaucer's lead, strengthening the bond between romance and St. Valentine's Day. William Shakespeare, for example, wrote in Act IV, Scene 5 of Hamlet: "To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, All in the morning betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine." The practice of sending handwritten love letters on the holiday persisted until the 1800s, when the modern valentine card and chocolate box industries were born. Which are both total scams, if you ask me. Chaucer and Shakespeare knew the truth: that real tokens of affection come from the heart—not the Hallmark aisle!
Image credit & copyright: Bettmann/Corbis
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
For many people, Valentine's Day will be celebrated with flowers, cards, and candies; for those in Ghana, February 14th will be a day to celebrate their main export on Chocolate Day. In the above picture, the bisected cacao fruit shows off the raw cocoa beans which, when fermented and dried, are the source of chocolate for candies, drinks, and other cocoa-related products. Cacao plants were originally brought to Ghana in the 19th century by Dutch missionaries, though it was agriculturalist Tetteh Quarshie in 1879 who was responsible for the widespread cultivation of the plant. Several different regions in Ghana now grow and harvest the plant, with the government establishing a Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in 1947 as the agency overseeing the industry's development. Chocolate Day was established in 2005 to honor the crop's legacy in the country, with local chocolatiers taking part in competitions and educational events taking place across the nation, including tourist trips to Quarshie's original cacao farm in Eastern Ghana. The U.S. may not have as rich of history with cacao crops, but that isn't stopping us from celebrating Chocolate Day in our own way!
Image credit & copyright: Business Recorder
For many people, Valentine's Day will be celebrated with flowers, cards, and candies; for those in Ghana, February 14th will be a day to celebrate their main export on Chocolate Day. In the above picture, the bisected cacao fruit shows off the raw cocoa beans which, when fermented and dried, are the source of chocolate for candies, drinks, and other cocoa-related products. Cacao plants were originally brought to Ghana in the 19th century by Dutch missionaries, though it was agriculturalist Tetteh Quarshie in 1879 who was responsible for the widespread cultivation of the plant. Several different regions in Ghana now grow and harvest the plant, with the government establishing a Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in 1947 as the agency overseeing the industry's development. Chocolate Day was established in 2005 to honor the crop's legacy in the country, with local chocolatiers taking part in competitions and educational events taking place across the nation, including tourist trips to Quarshie's original cacao farm in Eastern Ghana. The U.S. may not have as rich of history with cacao crops, but that isn't stopping us from celebrating Chocolate Day in our own way!
Image credit & copyright: Business Recorder
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Love
Artist: Ana Tzarev (b. 1937)
Created: ca. 2013
Medium: fiberglass
Dimensions: 137.75 x 118 x 102.25 in (349.89 x 299.72 x 259.72 cm)
Love is in the air and on the sidewalks. Croatian-born sculptor and painter Ana Tzarev builds giant fiberglass poppies as part of her Love & Peace project. Tzarev began the project with small bronze sculptures of poppies, which she later amplified into larger fiberglass works. The 15-foot flowers have gone on display in cities like London, Rome, and Singapore. This particular iteration of Love was on display at New York's Dag Hammarskjold Plaza for six months, just a few blocks away from the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan. While some might opt for a… rosier flower to represent love and other positive feelings, Tzarev is recalling the poppy's history as a symbol of remembrance after World War II. From a personal stance, the red poppy was also a crop Tzarev felt "bloomed under the worst of circumstances," as her father's fallow fields overran with them when she was young. Whatever her reasoning, she makes a convincing case for picking up a dozen red poppies instead of roses for this Valentine's Day!
Below: a photo of Tzarev with one of her sculptures, and a video of the artist speaking on her Love & Peace series.
Image credit & copyright: New York City Parks, Arts Republic
Title: Love
Artist: Ana Tzarev (b. 1937)
Created: ca. 2013
Medium: fiberglass
Dimensions: 137.75 x 118 x 102.25 in (349.89 x 299.72 x 259.72 cm)
Love is in the air and on the sidewalks. Croatian-born sculptor and painter Ana Tzarev builds giant fiberglass poppies as part of her Love & Peace project. Tzarev began the project with small bronze sculptures of poppies, which she later amplified into larger fiberglass works. The 15-foot flowers have gone on display in cities like London, Rome, and Singapore. This particular iteration of Love was on display at New York's Dag Hammarskjold Plaza for six months, just a few blocks away from the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan. While some might opt for a… rosier flower to represent love and other positive feelings, Tzarev is recalling the poppy's history as a symbol of remembrance after World War II. From a personal stance, the red poppy was also a crop Tzarev felt "bloomed under the worst of circumstances," as her father's fallow fields overran with them when she was young. Whatever her reasoning, she makes a convincing case for picking up a dozen red poppies instead of roses for this Valentine's Day!
Below: a photo of Tzarev with one of her sculptures, and a video of the artist speaking on her Love & Peace series.
Image credit & copyright: New York City Parks, Arts Republic
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Nothing says love like a Puccini aria, even in one of his least-known operas. The one-act Gianni Schicchi was inspired by a character in Dante Alighieri's Inferno who is condemned to hell for impersonating (his friend) Buoso Donati and altering his will. In the beginning of Puccini's comic opera, Schicchi is approached by the Donatis to aid in altering Buoso's will, which left a fortune all to a local monastery. After the Donatis insult Schicchi and his humble upbringing, it is his daughter Lauretta who sings the tender aria O mio babbino caro ("O My Dear Father") to plead her case for falling in love with Rinuccio Donati and helping his family recover their wealth and honor. With a gentle and wistful plea, accompanied by the most heartfelt strings and harp section of the orchestra, Lauretta makes a case her father can't refuse. Even if it means taking his time to enact a bit of cold revenge against the Donatis, leaving himself with the best bits of Buoso's fortune—and situating his daughter as a wealthy, ready-to-marry woman!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Teatro Verdi Trieste
Nothing says love like a Puccini aria, even in one of his least-known operas. The one-act Gianni Schicchi was inspired by a character in Dante Alighieri's Inferno who is condemned to hell for impersonating (his friend) Buoso Donati and altering his will. In the beginning of Puccini's comic opera, Schicchi is approached by the Donatis to aid in altering Buoso's will, which left a fortune all to a local monastery. After the Donatis insult Schicchi and his humble upbringing, it is his daughter Lauretta who sings the tender aria O mio babbino caro ("O My Dear Father") to plead her case for falling in love with Rinuccio Donati and helping his family recover their wealth and honor. With a gentle and wistful plea, accompanied by the most heartfelt strings and harp section of the orchestra, Lauretta makes a case her father can't refuse. Even if it means taking his time to enact a bit of cold revenge against the Donatis, leaving himself with the best bits of Buoso's fortune—and situating his daughter as a wealthy, ready-to-marry woman!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Teatro Verdi Trieste
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A species of hermit crab appears to have evolved a large penis to enable intercourse without leav...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A species of hermit crab appears to have evolved a large penis to enable intercourse without leav...
February 13, 2019
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : February 13, 2019
cacophony \ka-KAH-fuh-nee\ noun
Definition
1 : harsh or discordant sound : dissonance; specifically : harshness in the...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 13, 2019
cacophony \ka-KAH-fuh-nee\ noun
Definition
1 : harsh or discordant sound : dissonance; specifically : harshness in the...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… More than 200 flights in and out of Belgium, impacting tens of thousands of travelers, have been cancelled due to a 24-hour strik...
From the BBC World Service… More than 200 flights in and out of Belgium, impacting tens of thousands of travelers, have been cancelled due to a 24-hour strik...
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3 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: Seventeen Funerals. By Richard Blanco.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Seventeen Funerals. By Richard Blanco.
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FREERelationships Daily Curio #1703Free1 CQ
Humans are one of the rare species where females outlive their reproductive age. Killer whales and Japanese aphids are two others. This fact has long befuddled biologists since it isn't explained by the golden rule of evolution: all organisms are optimized to survive so they can reproduce. In the 1960s, scientists came up with the grandmother hypothesis to explain this mystery. It posits that grandmother homo sapiens enable mothers to have more children. So women with a genetic proclivity to live longer would ultimately have more offspring carrying their genes in the form of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But there has been scant research to back up the grandmother hypothesis—until now! This month, a study appeared in Current Biology examining a detailed record of all marriages, births, and deaths in the Saint Lawrence River Valley near Quebec since 1608. The extremely rich dataset allowed the researchers to follow women as they had children who either stayed close to home or moved away before having more children. It turned out that staying close to grandma paid off big time in family size. Women who lived 200 miles or further from mom had, on average, 1.75 fewer children than their sisters who lived in the same parish as their mother. One grandma whose kids stayed close to home had 195 grandchildren! It's a first step in proving that grandmas are useful for more than just providing unconditional love—they are walking survival guides!
Humans are one of the rare species where females outlive their reproductive age. Killer whales and Japanese aphids are two others. This fact has long befuddled biologists since it isn't explained by the golden rule of evolution: all organisms are optimized to survive so they can reproduce. In the 1960s, scientists came up with the grandmother hypothesis to explain this mystery. It posits that grandmother homo sapiens enable mothers to have more children. So women with a genetic proclivity to live longer would ultimately have more offspring carrying their genes in the form of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But there has been scant research to back up the grandmother hypothesis—until now! This month, a study appeared in Current Biology examining a detailed record of all marriages, births, and deaths in the Saint Lawrence River Valley near Quebec since 1608. The extremely rich dataset allowed the researchers to follow women as they had children who either stayed close to home or moved away before having more children. It turned out that staying close to grandma paid off big time in family size. Women who lived 200 miles or further from mom had, on average, 1.75 fewer children than their sisters who lived in the same parish as their mother. One grandma whose kids stayed close to home had 195 grandchildren! It's a first step in proving that grandmas are useful for more than just providing unconditional love—they are walking survival guides!
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
One ethnic studies teacher in Oakland, California, noticed that her students, who come from all over the world, had some trouble relating to each other. So, ...
with PRI's The WorldOne ethnic studies teacher in Oakland, California, noticed that her students, who come from all over the world, had some trouble relating to each other. So, ...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
In the world of piano virtuosity and one-upmanship, things don't get much showier than Leopold Godowsky's Chopin Study Op.10 No. 9, 3rd Study in F# Minor. Firstly, the entire complex Étude by Chopin has been transposed (changed keys) to F# Minor, a fairly tasking key to play. Oh, and all parts originally written for the right hand are now solely the work of the left hand, on top of what that hand already has to play. Sounds tough? It's likely Godowsky would've liked it that way. Born on this day in 1870, the self-taught pianist was considered one of the greatest performers in the world during his lifetime, which gave him a bit of a stubborn chip on his shoulder. When Godowsky unleashed his ultra-difficult versions of the Chopin Studies, the composer Harold C. Schonberg called them "the most impossibly difficult things ever written for the piano." Are they excessive? Of course, but in the right hands—or hand—even the most impossibly difficult piece can begin to sound like the lightest flowing fare.
Other streaming options
In the world of piano virtuosity and one-upmanship, things don't get much showier than Leopold Godowsky's Chopin Study Op.10 No. 9, 3rd Study in F# Minor. Firstly, the entire complex Étude by Chopin has been transposed (changed keys) to F# Minor, a fairly tasking key to play. Oh, and all parts originally written for the right hand are now solely the work of the left hand, on top of what that hand already has to play. Sounds tough? It's likely Godowsky would've liked it that way. Born on this day in 1870, the self-taught pianist was considered one of the greatest performers in the world during his lifetime, which gave him a bit of a stubborn chip on his shoulder. When Godowsky unleashed his ultra-difficult versions of the Chopin Studies, the composer Harold C. Schonberg called them "the most impossibly difficult things ever written for the piano." Are they excessive? Of course, but in the right hands—or hand—even the most impossibly difficult piece can begin to sound like the lightest flowing fare.
Other streaming options
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1 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Researchers built a small, flexible device that harvests wi-fi, bluetooth and cellular signals, a...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Researchers built a small, flexible device that harvests wi-fi, bluetooth and cellular signals, a...
February 12, 2019
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : February 12, 2019
teem \TEEM\ verb
Definition
1 : to become filled to overflowing : abound
2 : to be present in large quantity
Did You...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 12, 2019
teem \TEEM\ verb
Definition
1 : to become filled to overflowing : abound
2 : to be present in large quantity
Did You...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… Nissan sales took another tumble in 2018 and today slashed targets in key markets like China, the U.S. and Europe. So, can the co...
From the BBC World Service… Nissan sales took another tumble in 2018 and today slashed targets in key markets like China, the U.S. and Europe. So, can the co...
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #1702Free1 CQ
Happy birthday Charles Darwin! If Darwin were still alive, he would be turning 210 today. And he would be getting a kick out of the latest Evolution vs. Creation prize fight unwittingly started last month on Twitter by @DorsaAmir, an evolutionary biologist at Boston College. In a series of eight posts, she celebrated some of humans' most bizarre vestigial features. Features like a muscle in our wrist called the palmaris longus which used to help us move around trees. And the plica semilunaris, which is the little pink area in the corner of our eye that used to be a third eyelid (capable of blinking horizontally). And the palmar grasp reflex, which causes babies to automatically grasp their parents with their hands and feet—presumably designed to grab hairy primate mommies so baby stays in tree. Plus goosebumps, tailbones, wisdom teeth, appendixes, and male nipples. Amir says the latter are not technically vestigial due to their role in embryonic development, but they deserve an honorable mention. Naturally, the "intelligent designers" and "creationists" tried to debunk Amir's post by claiming all vestigial organs have proven uses. But they were beaten down by an army of readers who a) are fans of Darwin and b) couldn't stop posting their own bizarre traits they believed to be vestigial. Such as their satellite spleens and the extra bones in their feet and their bilateral preauricular sinuses, tiny ear holes that some scientists believe are vestigial gills. Although @RSmyth3 says that's just where God finished sewing her! You can follow all the Twitter fun
here.Happy birthday Charles Darwin! If Darwin were still alive, he would be turning 210 today. And he would be getting a kick out of the latest Evolution vs. Creation prize fight unwittingly started last month on Twitter by @DorsaAmir, an evolutionary biologist at Boston College. In a series of eight posts, she celebrated some of humans' most bizarre vestigial features. Features like a muscle in our wrist called the palmaris longus which used to help us move around trees. And the plica semilunaris, which is the little pink area in the corner of our eye that used to be a third eyelid (capable of blinking horizontally). And the palmar grasp reflex, which causes babies to automatically grasp their parents with their hands and feet—presumably designed to grab hairy primate mommies so baby stays in tree. Plus goosebumps, tailbones, wisdom teeth, appendixes, and male nipples. Amir says the latter are not technically vestigial due to their role in embryonic development, but they deserve an honorable mention. Naturally, the "intelligent designers" and "creationists" tried to debunk Amir's post by claiming all vestigial organs have proven uses. But they were beaten down by an army of readers who a) are fans of Darwin and b) couldn't stop posting their own bizarre traits they believed to be vestigial. Such as their satellite spleens and the extra bones in their feet and their bilateral preauricular sinuses, tiny ear holes that some scientists believe are vestigial gills. Although @RSmyth3 says that's just where God finished sewing her! You can follow all the Twitter fun
here. -
6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Viktor Orbán rose to power on an anti-migrant platform and has severely limited refugee resettlement in the country. But for refugees who have made it and fo...
with PRI's The WorldViktor Orbán rose to power on an anti-migrant platform and has severely limited refugee resettlement in the country. But for refugees who have made it and fo...
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It takes two to tango, but three's a dance party. Captured by photographer Duncan Murrell, Devil Ray Ballet recently took Best of Show in the seventh annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition. It depicts two male devil rays simultaneously performing courtship rituals, while a flattered female dances amongst them in a vortex of shimmering wings, affection, and fishy hormones. Murrell's perfect timing and sensitive angling, which shows the tryst in ambient lighting, helped the self-described compulsive adventurer top the most competitive year in the contest's history. Thousands of submissions arrived from 70 countries across 16 categories, including the freshly-added Underwater Art category, which allows undersea photographers unprecedented room for creative expression. Over $80,000 in prizes were awarded to this year's contestants by the organizer of the event, the Underwater Photography Guide publication, as well as a vacation to the Solomon Islands and diving trips in Indonesia. Generous awards like these are just another way to give visibility to aquatic life and environments in an age when conservation efforts are vital to our oceans' health. Here's to keeping our eyes on deepsea beauties, and maintaining our efforts to preserve them for future generations.
Below: more finalists from the Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, including Smile of a Friend by Antonio Pastrana, Paddle Boarders Sunset by Grant Thomas, and Mangrove by Yen-Yi Lee.
Image credit & copyright: Duncan Murrell / Antonio Pastrana / Grant Thomas / Yen-Yi Lee
It takes two to tango, but three's a dance party. Captured by photographer Duncan Murrell, Devil Ray Ballet recently took Best of Show in the seventh annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition. It depicts two male devil rays simultaneously performing courtship rituals, while a flattered female dances amongst them in a vortex of shimmering wings, affection, and fishy hormones. Murrell's perfect timing and sensitive angling, which shows the tryst in ambient lighting, helped the self-described compulsive adventurer top the most competitive year in the contest's history. Thousands of submissions arrived from 70 countries across 16 categories, including the freshly-added Underwater Art category, which allows undersea photographers unprecedented room for creative expression. Over $80,000 in prizes were awarded to this year's contestants by the organizer of the event, the Underwater Photography Guide publication, as well as a vacation to the Solomon Islands and diving trips in Indonesia. Generous awards like these are just another way to give visibility to aquatic life and environments in an age when conservation efforts are vital to our oceans' health. Here's to keeping our eyes on deepsea beauties, and maintaining our efforts to preserve them for future generations.
Below: more finalists from the Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, including Smile of a Friend by Antonio Pastrana, Paddle Boarders Sunset by Grant Thomas, and Mangrove by Yen-Yi Lee.
Image credit & copyright: Duncan Murrell / Antonio Pastrana / Grant Thomas / Yen-Yi Lee
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
In today's Nerdy Curio from Minute Earth: Deep sea, deep sea, have you any fish?
with Minute EarthIn today's Nerdy Curio from Minute Earth: Deep sea, deep sea, have you any fish?
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Elegy for the Parents. By Lynne Knight.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Elegy for the Parents. By Lynne Knight.
February 11, 2019
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Delegations from the U.S. and China are meeting again to restart talks aimed at ending the ongoing trade stalemate. But, what would a win for eitherside look...
Delegations from the U.S. and China are meeting again to restart talks aimed at ending the ongoing trade stalemate. But, what would a win for eitherside look...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : February 11, 2019
bardolater \bar-DAH-luh-ter\ noun
Definition
: a person who idolizes Shakespeare
Did You Know?
George Bernard Shaw o...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 11, 2019
bardolater \bar-DAH-luh-ter\ noun
Definition
: a person who idolizes Shakespeare
Did You Know?
George Bernard Shaw o...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: You Are the Bridge
Artist: Lucy Liu (b. 1968)
Created: 2006-08
Medium: paint, wood, nails, string
Current location: National Museum of Singapore, Singapore
Actress, philanthropist, international emissary—what distinction of Lucy Liu's are we leaving out? Oh, that's right: visual artist. When the co-star of the crime drama Elementary isn't nailing film and TV roles, she's turning heads with her upcoming art exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore. In pieces like You Are the Bridge, aspects from her varied career and travels coalesce: the sculpture's center consists of a Shunga painting, an example of 19th-century erotic Japanese art that butts against Liu's own conservative upbringing, with seemingly-violent twine and nails lining its borders. Liu discovered the spiny aesthetic while working as a UNICEF ambassador in 2007 in the Congo, where she encountered religious charms with nails symbolic of safety and good health; accordingly, Bridge symbolizes the importance of affection from loved ones and the need to protect it. If Liu's keen handle on visuals impresses, that's because she's been working as a successful artist since before her Hollywood breakout in the '90s. Don't believe us? Take a look below and see how deep her wellspring of talent flows!
Below: a closeup of You Are the Bridge, as well as views of the front and back of Velocity.
Image credit & copyright: The Ryan Foundation / Moonvision Entertainment, Inc. / The National Museum of Singapore
Title: You Are the Bridge
Artist: Lucy Liu (b. 1968)
Created: 2006-08
Medium: paint, wood, nails, string
Current location: National Museum of Singapore, Singapore
Actress, philanthropist, international emissary—what distinction of Lucy Liu's are we leaving out? Oh, that's right: visual artist. When the co-star of the crime drama Elementary isn't nailing film and TV roles, she's turning heads with her upcoming art exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore. In pieces like You Are the Bridge, aspects from her varied career and travels coalesce: the sculpture's center consists of a Shunga painting, an example of 19th-century erotic Japanese art that butts against Liu's own conservative upbringing, with seemingly-violent twine and nails lining its borders. Liu discovered the spiny aesthetic while working as a UNICEF ambassador in 2007 in the Congo, where she encountered religious charms with nails symbolic of safety and good health; accordingly, Bridge symbolizes the importance of affection from loved ones and the need to protect it. If Liu's keen handle on visuals impresses, that's because she's been working as a successful artist since before her Hollywood breakout in the '90s. Don't believe us? Take a look below and see how deep her wellspring of talent flows!
Below: a closeup of You Are the Bridge, as well as views of the front and back of Velocity.
Image credit & copyright: The Ryan Foundation / Moonvision Entertainment, Inc. / The National Museum of Singapore
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #1701Free1 CQ
If you're like me, you've already popped a cork to celebrate yesterday's 52nd anniversary of the ratification of the 25th Amendment! While it may not be the most monumental Amendment to the United States Constitution, it repaired a pretty big hole in the Founding Fathers' visionary document. They forgot to address the situation where the Vice President dies, assumes the Presidency, or is unable to serve. Until 1967, there was no mechanism for an empty Vice President seat to be filled—it just sat vacant until the next Inauguration Day. As a result, the office was vacant on 18 separate occasions, starting when James Madison's first Vice President (George Clinton) died in 1812. Madison's second term Vice President (Elbridge Gerry) also died! And each time the President died in office, the Vice President who succeeded him was left without a number two. This first happened to John Tyler in 1841, when William Henry Harrison died just one month into his term. It also happened to Millard Fillmore (Taylor), Andrew Johnson (Lincoln), Chester A. Arthur (Garfield), Harry S. Truman (Roosevelt) and Lyndon B. Johnson (Kennedy). Section 2 of the 25th Amendment fixed this problem by allowing the new President to nominate a Vice President, who could immediately assume office once confirmed by a majority of both houses of Congress. Section 3 (voluntary) and Section 4 (involuntary) provide a way for the Vice President to assume temporary power from the President when he/she is unfit for office. This would have come in handy when Garfield was in a coma for 80 days before succumbing to his assassin's bullet; or when Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke and was an invalid for the last eighteen months of his second term. Since its ratification, Section 3 has only been invoked three times, each time related to a Presidential colonoscopy. Section 4 has never been invoked, yet somehow it makes me feel better knowing it's an option!
If you're like me, you've already popped a cork to celebrate yesterday's 52nd anniversary of the ratification of the 25th Amendment! While it may not be the most monumental Amendment to the United States Constitution, it repaired a pretty big hole in the Founding Fathers' visionary document. They forgot to address the situation where the Vice President dies, assumes the Presidency, or is unable to serve. Until 1967, there was no mechanism for an empty Vice President seat to be filled—it just sat vacant until the next Inauguration Day. As a result, the office was vacant on 18 separate occasions, starting when James Madison's first Vice President (George Clinton) died in 1812. Madison's second term Vice President (Elbridge Gerry) also died! And each time the President died in office, the Vice President who succeeded him was left without a number two. This first happened to John Tyler in 1841, when William Henry Harrison died just one month into his term. It also happened to Millard Fillmore (Taylor), Andrew Johnson (Lincoln), Chester A. Arthur (Garfield), Harry S. Truman (Roosevelt) and Lyndon B. Johnson (Kennedy). Section 2 of the 25th Amendment fixed this problem by allowing the new President to nominate a Vice President, who could immediately assume office once confirmed by a majority of both houses of Congress. Section 3 (voluntary) and Section 4 (involuntary) provide a way for the Vice President to assume temporary power from the President when he/she is unfit for office. This would have come in handy when Garfield was in a coma for 80 days before succumbing to his assassin's bullet; or when Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke and was an invalid for the last eighteen months of his second term. Since its ratification, Section 3 has only been invoked three times, each time related to a Presidential colonoscopy. Section 4 has never been invoked, yet somehow it makes me feel better knowing it's an option!
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2 minFREEAstronomy Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. What can you see in the February sky? Stars and planets with distinct red and blue colors...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. What can you see in the February sky? Stars and planets with distinct red and blue colors...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Two psychotherapists from San Francisco put their skills to use in an unlikely place: a San Antonio bus station where newly arrived migrants were being relea...
with PRI's The WorldTwo psychotherapists from San Francisco put their skills to use in an unlikely place: a San Antonio bus station where newly arrived migrants were being relea...
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Some Sort of Truth. by Dorothea Lasky.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Some Sort of Truth. by Dorothea Lasky.