Photo Curio
A picture is worth a thousand words. And a CQ point.
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May 23, 2019
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FREEPhysics Daily Curio #1760Free1 CQ
Here's a tale straight out of Indiana Jones or Captain America. In 2013, a mysterious uranium cube appeared on the doorstep of the University of Maryland. Measuring two inches across and weighing five pounds, the meticulously hand-carved artifact came with a note attached: "Taken from the reactor that Hitler tried to build. Gift of Ninninger." The aforementioned reactor refers to Nazi Germany's failed attempt to harness nuclear power as a weapon, like the U.S. inevitably did in 1945. Intrigued, physicists Timothy Koeth and Miriam Hiebert set out to discover how the cube came to their university. Their findings were captivating, if not a bit anxiety-inducing. It turns out that the Germans crafted 600 identical uranium cubes. Scientists including Werner Heisenberg, the winner of the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics, chained the cubes together with aircraft cables to create a gigantic radioactive chandelier that was lowered into a pool of heavy water. This reactor, named B-VIII, was quietly constructed beneath a castle in the hamlet of Haigerloch in southwest Germany. In April 1945, near the end of WWII, a crack team of Allied soldiers and scientists snuck behind enemy lines to raid B-VIII. They found some of the cubes buried in a field; but Heisenberg had slipped away that night on a bicycle with the rest in tow. Allied officials initially believed that B-VIII failed to produce a nuclear reaction because the Germans couldn't manufacture enough uranium cubes. In actuality, there were 400 additional cubes at a German research station competing against the B-VIII. Which means the Nazis had everything they needed to make an atomic bomb, had they worked as a team. As for the cube that arrived at the University of Maryland, Koeth and Hiebert speculate that it came from Robert Nininger, a property manager for the Manhattan Project whose name almost matches the note. But it's a mystery how it got there. And many of the other cubes remain unaccounted for. Some sold on the black market to the Soviet Union. As for the others? I guess we should all keep our eyes peeled at garage sales.
Image credit & copyright: John T. Consoli/University of Maryland
Here's a tale straight out of Indiana Jones or Captain America. In 2013, a mysterious uranium cube appeared on the doorstep of the University of Maryland. Measuring two inches across and weighing five pounds, the meticulously hand-carved artifact came with a note attached: "Taken from the reactor that Hitler tried to build. Gift of Ninninger." The aforementioned reactor refers to Nazi Germany's failed attempt to harness nuclear power as a weapon, like the U.S. inevitably did in 1945. Intrigued, physicists Timothy Koeth and Miriam Hiebert set out to discover how the cube came to their university. Their findings were captivating, if not a bit anxiety-inducing. It turns out that the Germans crafted 600 identical uranium cubes. Scientists including Werner Heisenberg, the winner of the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics, chained the cubes together with aircraft cables to create a gigantic radioactive chandelier that was lowered into a pool of heavy water. This reactor, named B-VIII, was quietly constructed beneath a castle in the hamlet of Haigerloch in southwest Germany. In April 1945, near the end of WWII, a crack team of Allied soldiers and scientists snuck behind enemy lines to raid B-VIII. They found some of the cubes buried in a field; but Heisenberg had slipped away that night on a bicycle with the rest in tow. Allied officials initially believed that B-VIII failed to produce a nuclear reaction because the Germans couldn't manufacture enough uranium cubes. In actuality, there were 400 additional cubes at a German research station competing against the B-VIII. Which means the Nazis had everything they needed to make an atomic bomb, had they worked as a team. As for the cube that arrived at the University of Maryland, Koeth and Hiebert speculate that it came from Robert Nininger, a property manager for the Manhattan Project whose name almost matches the note. But it's a mystery how it got there. And many of the other cubes remain unaccounted for. Some sold on the black market to the Soviet Union. As for the others? I guess we should all keep our eyes peeled at garage sales.
Image credit & copyright: John T. Consoli/University of Maryland
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : May 23, 2019
scavenger \SKAV-un-jer\ noun
Definition
1 chiefly British : a person employed to remove dirt and refuse from streets
2 : o...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 23, 2019
scavenger \SKAV-un-jer\ noun
Definition
1 chiefly British : a person employed to remove dirt and refuse from streets
2 : o...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The award-winning Kenyan writer challenged stereotypes of Africa with biting satire and took on prejudice by documenting his life as an openly gay man.
with PRI's The WorldThe award-winning Kenyan writer challenged stereotypes of Africa with biting satire and took on prejudice by documenting his life as an openly gay man.
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: In This Order. by Laura Kasischke.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: In This Order. by Laura Kasischke.
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
In 1987, The Cure stood on another precipice in addition to the ivory cliffs of Beachy Head, England. The English band's classic Just Like Heaven from the album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me was on the verge of breaking the group into the U.S. Billboard charts and American radio. Having emerged out of the English punk scene in the '70s, The Cure's moody songs and dark gothic aesthetics endeared them to listeners in their home country. In the late '80s, however, singer Robert Smith began to take his romantic notions and write songs with brighter, pop-ier sounds. When he paired his framework for Just Like Heaven with the rest of The Cure, who'd honed their chops through years of touring together, the song's pieces fit together perfectly: the dark rhythm section giving way to brighter instrumentation by the keyboards and guitars, eventually leading to the fever-dream love story in Smith's lyrics. "[I] found myself alone, alone, alone above a raging sea / That stole the only girl I loved and drowned her deep inside of me." Even if it is one of the most gorgeous rock songs of the '80s, Smith sure knew how to undercut it with a deep sense of melancholy.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Fin Costello / Redferns / Getty Images
In 1987, The Cure stood on another precipice in addition to the ivory cliffs of Beachy Head, England. The English band's classic Just Like Heaven from the album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me was on the verge of breaking the group into the U.S. Billboard charts and American radio. Having emerged out of the English punk scene in the '70s, The Cure's moody songs and dark gothic aesthetics endeared them to listeners in their home country. In the late '80s, however, singer Robert Smith began to take his romantic notions and write songs with brighter, pop-ier sounds. When he paired his framework for Just Like Heaven with the rest of The Cure, who'd honed their chops through years of touring together, the song's pieces fit together perfectly: the dark rhythm section giving way to brighter instrumentation by the keyboards and guitars, eventually leading to the fever-dream love story in Smith's lyrics. "[I] found myself alone, alone, alone above a raging sea / That stole the only girl I loved and drowned her deep inside of me." Even if it is one of the most gorgeous rock songs of the '80s, Smith sure knew how to undercut it with a deep sense of melancholy.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Fin Costello / Redferns / Getty Images
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Who needs superhero cosplay when the goths have all the fancy outfits? World Goth Day may be this week, but the above revelers are pilgrims to the largest gathering of romantics, which occurs in early June at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen (Wave and Goth) Festival in Leipzig, Germany. According to the city's travel and tourism website "approximately 20,000 goths… cybergoths, metalheads, steampunks, neo-Victorians, dark romantics," and other creatively-named subcultures descend on the German city, ready to bang their heads or shuffle in their bustiers at over 200 live concerts. Other weekend events include medieval markets, museum tours, and one of the great highlights, the Victorian Picnic. The latter offers those, goth or not, to lounge around in Clara-Zetkin-Park on a Friday and take in a spot of low tea or champagne, eat some finger sandwiches, and do some people-watching. It's the perfect chance to get some relaxation in between partying like it's 1799!
Below: more images from Wave and Goth's Victorian Picnic events.
Image credit & copyright: Annie Bertram, David W Cerny, Thomas Peter, Reuters, Sean Gallup / Getty Images
Who needs superhero cosplay when the goths have all the fancy outfits? World Goth Day may be this week, but the above revelers are pilgrims to the largest gathering of romantics, which occurs in early June at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen (Wave and Goth) Festival in Leipzig, Germany. According to the city's travel and tourism website "approximately 20,000 goths… cybergoths, metalheads, steampunks, neo-Victorians, dark romantics," and other creatively-named subcultures descend on the German city, ready to bang their heads or shuffle in their bustiers at over 200 live concerts. Other weekend events include medieval markets, museum tours, and one of the great highlights, the Victorian Picnic. The latter offers those, goth or not, to lounge around in Clara-Zetkin-Park on a Friday and take in a spot of low tea or champagne, eat some finger sandwiches, and do some people-watching. It's the perfect chance to get some relaxation in between partying like it's 1799!
Below: more images from Wave and Goth's Victorian Picnic events.
Image credit & copyright: Annie Bertram, David W Cerny, Thomas Peter, Reuters, Sean Gallup / Getty Images
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Tim Burton
Artist: Michael Leavitt (b. 1977)
Created: 2016
Medium: Western red cedar, white pine, basswood, fimo, sculpey polymer clay and acrylic paint
Dimensions: 18 in (45.7 cm)
Current location: Jonathan LeVine Projects, Jersey City, New Jersey
Wait till they get a load of this guy. Seattle artist Michael Leavitt has made a name for himself by sculpting some of the world's most famous celebrities and intellectuals. His work Tim Burton from the King Cuts series finds Leavitt taking on the portrait of the film director and combining features from Burton's gothic movie imaginings. From head to toe, Burton dons part of the Batman cowl, the striped suit of Beetlejuice, the gloves of Edward Scissorhands, and the platform shoes from Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Directors Hayao Miyazaki, Spike Lee, and Alfred Hitchcock have also been transformed into the most terrifying and mystical creatures from their movies. "Art and film treat my pain. They're magic. They trick me into remembering why this world is so d*** beautiful," Leavitt once said. King Cuts reminds us of the cultural impact these auteurs have had in our lives. Now, who's ready for a haircut with Tim Burton's scissorhand gloves?
Below: more from the series King Cuts: Hayao Miyazaki, Spike Lee, and Alfred Hitchcock.
Image credit & copyright: Mike Leavitt, Bored Panda
Title: Tim Burton
Artist: Michael Leavitt (b. 1977)
Created: 2016
Medium: Western red cedar, white pine, basswood, fimo, sculpey polymer clay and acrylic paint
Dimensions: 18 in (45.7 cm)
Current location: Jonathan LeVine Projects, Jersey City, New Jersey
Wait till they get a load of this guy. Seattle artist Michael Leavitt has made a name for himself by sculpting some of the world's most famous celebrities and intellectuals. His work Tim Burton from the King Cuts series finds Leavitt taking on the portrait of the film director and combining features from Burton's gothic movie imaginings. From head to toe, Burton dons part of the Batman cowl, the striped suit of Beetlejuice, the gloves of Edward Scissorhands, and the platform shoes from Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Directors Hayao Miyazaki, Spike Lee, and Alfred Hitchcock have also been transformed into the most terrifying and mystical creatures from their movies. "Art and film treat my pain. They're magic. They trick me into remembering why this world is so d*** beautiful," Leavitt once said. King Cuts reminds us of the cultural impact these auteurs have had in our lives. Now, who's ready for a haircut with Tim Burton's scissorhand gloves?
Below: more from the series King Cuts: Hayao Miyazaki, Spike Lee, and Alfred Hitchcock.
Image credit & copyright: Mike Leavitt, Bored Panda
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Algorithms learned to sift ultrasonic rat squeaks from other noise, which could help researchers ...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Algorithms learned to sift ultrasonic rat squeaks from other noise, which could help researchers ...
May 22, 2019
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Our series “Brains and Losses” continues with a look at the perpetrators of fraud against the elderly. Plus, Southwest Airlines finally reaches an contract a...
Our series “Brains and Losses” continues with a look at the perpetrators of fraud against the elderly. Plus, Southwest Airlines finally reaches an contract a...
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #1759Free1 CQ
Last week, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. It's a major milestone for LGBT rights in a country that has seesawed on the issue. Two years ago, the island's highest court ruled the law defining marriage as only between a man and a woman to be unconstitutional. It gave lawmakers two years to issue a new law legalizing same-sex marriage. A public outcry followed, pressuring the administration to hold a national referendum on the subject. 67 percent of voters rejected making same-sex marriage legal. But then, with the supreme court deadline looming, the legislature proposed three different bills technically legalizing gay marriage. Two of the bills didn't use the word "marriage" but instead legalized "same-sex unions" and "same-sex family relationships." The third, more progressive bill legalized "same-sex marriage" and was the one passed into law—overwhelmingly, with 66 to 27 votes. It still doesn't give LGBT people full adoption or cross-national marriage rights, but it's a pretty good start. Believe me, there's still plenty of work left to do in Asia on the gay-rights front. For example, last month the ruler of the oil-rich kingdom of Brunei announced he would introduce death by stoning for those convicted of gay sex. Two steps forward, one step way back.
Image credit & copyright: EPA
Last week, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. It's a major milestone for LGBT rights in a country that has seesawed on the issue. Two years ago, the island's highest court ruled the law defining marriage as only between a man and a woman to be unconstitutional. It gave lawmakers two years to issue a new law legalizing same-sex marriage. A public outcry followed, pressuring the administration to hold a national referendum on the subject. 67 percent of voters rejected making same-sex marriage legal. But then, with the supreme court deadline looming, the legislature proposed three different bills technically legalizing gay marriage. Two of the bills didn't use the word "marriage" but instead legalized "same-sex unions" and "same-sex family relationships." The third, more progressive bill legalized "same-sex marriage" and was the one passed into law—overwhelmingly, with 66 to 27 votes. It still doesn't give LGBT people full adoption or cross-national marriage rights, but it's a pretty good start. Believe me, there's still plenty of work left to do in Asia on the gay-rights front. For example, last month the ruler of the oil-rich kingdom of Brunei announced he would introduce death by stoning for those convicted of gay sex. Two steps forward, one step way back.
Image credit & copyright: EPA
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : May 22, 2019
peer-to-peer \PEER-tuh-PEER\ adjective
Definition
: relating to, using, or being a network by which computers operated by i...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 22, 2019
peer-to-peer \PEER-tuh-PEER\ adjective
Definition
: relating to, using, or being a network by which computers operated by i...
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10 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree6 CQ
This is hardly what Americans envision when they drop off glitchy laptops or broken printers at their local recycling drop-off center. Yet, what fuels these ...
with PRI's The WorldThis is hardly what Americans envision when they drop off glitchy laptops or broken printers at their local recycling drop-off center. Yet, what fuels these ...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
When Irish singer Dolores O'Riordan passed away in January of 2018, the world lost one of the most dynamic singers of the alternative rock genre. A year later, the remaining members of the Cranberries announced that O'Riordan had recorded a catalog of vocals, and that the band would complete the album In the End as a tribute to her. Tracks like All Over Now remind listeners of O'Riordan's uncanny ability to tell a story through her lilting singing; as the band sets a pensive mood, her lyrics follow a woman who experiences all of the denial and grief of a domestic abuse survivor. O'Riordan's career was marked by dreamy harmonies and a drive towards social justice within her lyrics. All Over Now feels like a fitting and bittersweet tribute to those inimitable forces she brought to our speakers and our hearts.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Joel Sagat / Getty Images
When Irish singer Dolores O'Riordan passed away in January of 2018, the world lost one of the most dynamic singers of the alternative rock genre. A year later, the remaining members of the Cranberries announced that O'Riordan had recorded a catalog of vocals, and that the band would complete the album In the End as a tribute to her. Tracks like All Over Now remind listeners of O'Riordan's uncanny ability to tell a story through her lilting singing; as the band sets a pensive mood, her lyrics follow a woman who experiences all of the denial and grief of a domestic abuse survivor. O'Riordan's career was marked by dreamy harmonies and a drive towards social justice within her lyrics. All Over Now feels like a fitting and bittersweet tribute to those inimitable forces she brought to our speakers and our hearts.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Joel Sagat / Getty Images
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. In his memoirs, the womanizing writer Giacomo Casanova described suffering several bouts of gonor...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. In his memoirs, the womanizing writer Giacomo Casanova described suffering several bouts of gonor...
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: Romantic Moment. By Tony Hoagland.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Romantic Moment. By Tony Hoagland.
May 21, 2019
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service…The first major legal challenge to police use of automated facial recognition surveillance in the U.K. begins today. The Organisat...
From the BBC World Service…The first major legal challenge to police use of automated facial recognition surveillance in the U.K. begins today. The Organisat...
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FREEEngineering Daily Curio #1758Free1 CQ
Rjukan is a Norwegian town that, for six months out of the year, gets no direct sunlight. Not only does its northern latitude shorten the days; the town of 3,000 inhabitants lies in the shadow of two mountains. Villagers survive the winter months with their only sunlight lingering on the ridge several thousand feet above them. Rjukan was built in the early 20th century by an entrepreneur who bought the local waterfall and turned it into a hydroelectric power plant. Before long, factories utilizing the cheap power spotted the darkened valley. Soon after, the factory managers became concerned that workers were not getting enough sunlight to remain healthy and productive. A bookkeeper suggested that the town devise a series of mirrors on the mountains which would direct the sunlight down into the valley. While the town founders loved the idea, it was only 1913. The technology didn't exist. In 1928, the town installed the second best thing: a cable car to the top of the mountain, so workers could enjoy a few hours of precious light on their off days. And so the town lived in the dark for the next 90 years. Until a decade ago, when an artist named Martin Andersen moved to Rjukan. Shocked by the darkness, he began researching ideas. He soon came across the bookkeeper's mirror plan from 1913. Finding it brilliant, literally, he applied for a grant to build the mountain mirrors. His plan involved heliostats: mirrors that turn with the sun so the light continually reflects down towards the Rjukan town square. Three mirrors, each measuring 17 m2, were erected upon the mountain. Now, even in January, two hours of delicious golden light stream into town from the mirrors. While many residents—mostly relative newcomers to Rjukan at risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—herald the mirrors as lifesavers, some residents resent the change. They say it is just a gimmick to attract tourists. While that may sound harsh, scientists believe the locals have developed a genetic resistance to SAD. Duh! All the normal light-loving people left the town generations ago!
Image credit & copyright: Erik Johansen / NTB scanpix
Rjukan is a Norwegian town that, for six months out of the year, gets no direct sunlight. Not only does its northern latitude shorten the days; the town of 3,000 inhabitants lies in the shadow of two mountains. Villagers survive the winter months with their only sunlight lingering on the ridge several thousand feet above them. Rjukan was built in the early 20th century by an entrepreneur who bought the local waterfall and turned it into a hydroelectric power plant. Before long, factories utilizing the cheap power spotted the darkened valley. Soon after, the factory managers became concerned that workers were not getting enough sunlight to remain healthy and productive. A bookkeeper suggested that the town devise a series of mirrors on the mountains which would direct the sunlight down into the valley. While the town founders loved the idea, it was only 1913. The technology didn't exist. In 1928, the town installed the second best thing: a cable car to the top of the mountain, so workers could enjoy a few hours of precious light on their off days. And so the town lived in the dark for the next 90 years. Until a decade ago, when an artist named Martin Andersen moved to Rjukan. Shocked by the darkness, he began researching ideas. He soon came across the bookkeeper's mirror plan from 1913. Finding it brilliant, literally, he applied for a grant to build the mountain mirrors. His plan involved heliostats: mirrors that turn with the sun so the light continually reflects down towards the Rjukan town square. Three mirrors, each measuring 17 m2, were erected upon the mountain. Now, even in January, two hours of delicious golden light stream into town from the mirrors. While many residents—mostly relative newcomers to Rjukan at risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—herald the mirrors as lifesavers, some residents resent the change. They say it is just a gimmick to attract tourists. While that may sound harsh, scientists believe the locals have developed a genetic resistance to SAD. Duh! All the normal light-loving people left the town generations ago!
Image credit & copyright: Erik Johansen / NTB scanpix
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 21, 2019
pungle \PUNG-gul\ verb
Definition
1 : to make a payment or contribution of (money) — usually used with up
2 : pay, contrib...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 21, 2019
pungle \PUNG-gul\ verb
Definition
1 : to make a payment or contribution of (money) — usually used with up
2 : pay, contrib...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
In the spring of 1969, 19-year-old Terry Tickhill Terrell walked into the Institute of Polar Studies at OSU and told the secretary, “Hi, I want a job in Anta...
with PRI's The WorldIn the spring of 1969, 19-year-old Terry Tickhill Terrell walked into the Institute of Polar Studies at OSU and told the secretary, “Hi, I want a job in Anta...
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
This is one queen who looks ready to throw some shade… or at least sit in it. Victoria Day festivities occurred in Canada this week, honoring the life of the British monarch, who was born on May 24, 1819. Victoria was queen when Canada became a country in 1867, and their parliament declared her birthday a holiday when she passed away in 1901. In the above photo, an actress playing the queen flaunts her place among Royal Canadian Mounties, the retired Canadian Red Ensign national flag, and the British Union Jack. As the birthday woman, the acting queen will take part in events at the Burnaby Village Museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, where "Tea Time Photo Ops," the Queen's procession, and the serving of birthday cupcakes are just some the period reenactment events planned. Talk about celebrating your birthday in grand style!
Image credit & copyright: XinhuaNet
This is one queen who looks ready to throw some shade… or at least sit in it. Victoria Day festivities occurred in Canada this week, honoring the life of the British monarch, who was born on May 24, 1819. Victoria was queen when Canada became a country in 1867, and their parliament declared her birthday a holiday when she passed away in 1901. In the above photo, an actress playing the queen flaunts her place among Royal Canadian Mounties, the retired Canadian Red Ensign national flag, and the British Union Jack. As the birthday woman, the acting queen will take part in events at the Burnaby Village Museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, where "Tea Time Photo Ops," the Queen's procession, and the serving of birthday cupcakes are just some the period reenactment events planned. Talk about celebrating your birthday in grand style!
Image credit & copyright: XinhuaNet
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Ye Elves of Hills, Brooks, Standing Lakes and Groves. By William Shakespeare.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Ye Elves of Hills, Brooks, Standing Lakes and Groves. By William Shakespeare.
May 20, 2019
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 20, 2019
remittance \rih-MIT-unss\ noun
Definition
1 a : a sum of money remitted
b : an instrument by which money is remitted
2 : ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 20, 2019
remittance \rih-MIT-unss\ noun
Definition
1 a : a sum of money remitted
b : an instrument by which money is remitted
2 : ...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Investors are reacting to Huawei being put on the Trump Administration’s official tech blacklist. Ford is cutting 700,000 jobs worldwide. Getting into a good...
Investors are reacting to Huawei being put on the Trump Administration’s official tech blacklist. Ford is cutting 700,000 jobs worldwide. Getting into a good...
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FREESTEM Daily Curio #1757Free1 CQ
Geologist Mario Wannier was studying beach debris in Japan, to compare the health of marine ecosystems, when he noticed something unusual. Particles of glass on the Motoujina Peninsula, near Hiroshima, had an unusual aerodynamic quality. It reminded Wannier of sediment he had seen from the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary—the geological marker of the meteor impact which likely killed the dinosaurs. Unlike the K-Pg particles, some were rubbery and others had multiple layers of glass. He took them back to the electron microscope at Berkeley and found they were made of concrete, rubber, marble, iron, and stainless steel. The presence of anorthite and mullite crystals indicated the glass had been forged at temperatures of 3,300 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter. The only other known particles with those properties had been created in Trinity, New Mexico, during the first nuclear test explosions. Scientists called those trinitites. Wannier and his team realized these beach particles must have been formed during the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the U.S. on August 6, 1945. So they dubbed them "Hiroshimaites." Their study was published recently in the journal Anthropocene. They estimate the beaches around Hiroshima are covered with between two and three thousand metric tons of Hiroshimaites per square kilometer. It is the vaporized remnants of an entire city, which was melted on impact and then blasted into the sky, where it cooled and formed complex glassy agglomerations. They drifted back down to the ocean and eventually washed up onto the surrounding beaches as permanent reminders of one of humanity's darkest days.
Image credit & copyright: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Geologist Mario Wannier was studying beach debris in Japan, to compare the health of marine ecosystems, when he noticed something unusual. Particles of glass on the Motoujina Peninsula, near Hiroshima, had an unusual aerodynamic quality. It reminded Wannier of sediment he had seen from the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary—the geological marker of the meteor impact which likely killed the dinosaurs. Unlike the K-Pg particles, some were rubbery and others had multiple layers of glass. He took them back to the electron microscope at Berkeley and found they were made of concrete, rubber, marble, iron, and stainless steel. The presence of anorthite and mullite crystals indicated the glass had been forged at temperatures of 3,300 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter. The only other known particles with those properties had been created in Trinity, New Mexico, during the first nuclear test explosions. Scientists called those trinitites. Wannier and his team realized these beach particles must have been formed during the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the U.S. on August 6, 1945. So they dubbed them "Hiroshimaites." Their study was published recently in the journal Anthropocene. They estimate the beaches around Hiroshima are covered with between two and three thousand metric tons of Hiroshimaites per square kilometer. It is the vaporized remnants of an entire city, which was melted on impact and then blasted into the sky, where it cooled and formed complex glassy agglomerations. They drifted back down to the ocean and eventually washed up onto the surrounding beaches as permanent reminders of one of humanity's darkest days.
Image credit & copyright: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: poem in praise of menstruation. By Lucille Clifton.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: poem in praise of menstruation. By Lucille Clifton.
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Can you teach Italian children to sing like American R&B divas? Cheryl Porter can.
with PRI's The WorldCan you teach Italian children to sing like American R&B divas? Cheryl Porter can.
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1 minFREEAstronomy Nerdy CurioFree1 CQNASA’s Curiosity Finds Climate Clues on a Martian MountainA lesson with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
After spending the better part of a year exploring Mars' Vera Rubin Ridge, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has moved to a new part of Mount Sharp.
After spending the better part of a year exploring Mars' Vera Rubin Ridge, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has moved to a new part of Mount Sharp.
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: The Lion of the Kingdom that Transcends Death
Artist: Takashi Murakami (b. 1962)
Created: 2018
Medium: acrylic on canvas mounted on aluminum frame
Dimensions: 59.1 x 118.1 in (150 x 300 cm)
Current location: Gagosian Gallery, Hong Kong, China
Up until now, Takashi Murakami's philosophy that more is better has made him a howling success. Worth an estimated $100 million, the Japanese artist first turned heads in the late-'90s with his beaming flowers and psychedelic color palette, a style exemplified by The Lion of the Kingdom that Transcends Death. The delirious painting shows a lion perched on a rainbow of candy-colored skulls, before a vista of gushing falls and withy branches. Blending anime, manga, and traditional Japanese style, Murakami has collaborated with the likes of fashion designers Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, and created the cover and liner art for Kanye West's Grammy Award-winning album Graduation (2007). Murakami saw a whopping $31 million in auction sales in 2018. Recently, however, purchases have waned: a slump that Murakami's longtime gallery Blum & Poe attributes to his outsized ambitions, overproduction, and "poorly edited" results. Murakami disagrees, and as a brand and a business in his own right, he chose to split with Blum and Poe on friendly terms last month. Let's just hope the market doesn't become as saturated with Murakami's works as they are with his riotous colors!
Below: more pieces by Murakami, including Open Your Hands Wide (2010), Tan Tan Bo Puking—a.k.a. Gero Tan (2002), and interior artwork for Kanye West's 2007 album Graduation.
Image credit & copyright: Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd./Kanye West/Mascotte Holdings, LLC/Roc-A-Fella Records
Title: The Lion of the Kingdom that Transcends Death
Artist: Takashi Murakami (b. 1962)
Created: 2018
Medium: acrylic on canvas mounted on aluminum frame
Dimensions: 59.1 x 118.1 in (150 x 300 cm)
Current location: Gagosian Gallery, Hong Kong, China
Up until now, Takashi Murakami's philosophy that more is better has made him a howling success. Worth an estimated $100 million, the Japanese artist first turned heads in the late-'90s with his beaming flowers and psychedelic color palette, a style exemplified by The Lion of the Kingdom that Transcends Death. The delirious painting shows a lion perched on a rainbow of candy-colored skulls, before a vista of gushing falls and withy branches. Blending anime, manga, and traditional Japanese style, Murakami has collaborated with the likes of fashion designers Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, and created the cover and liner art for Kanye West's Grammy Award-winning album Graduation (2007). Murakami saw a whopping $31 million in auction sales in 2018. Recently, however, purchases have waned: a slump that Murakami's longtime gallery Blum & Poe attributes to his outsized ambitions, overproduction, and "poorly edited" results. Murakami disagrees, and as a brand and a business in his own right, he chose to split with Blum and Poe on friendly terms last month. Let's just hope the market doesn't become as saturated with Murakami's works as they are with his riotous colors!
Below: more pieces by Murakami, including Open Your Hands Wide (2010), Tan Tan Bo Puking—a.k.a. Gero Tan (2002), and interior artwork for Kanye West's 2007 album Graduation.
Image credit & copyright: Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd./Kanye West/Mascotte Holdings, LLC/Roc-A-Fella Records
May 19, 2019
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : May 19, 2019
coin of the realm \KOYN-uv-thuh-RELM\ noun phrase
Definition
1 : the legal money of a country
2 : something valued or used...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 19, 2019
coin of the realm \KOYN-uv-thuh-RELM\ noun phrase
Definition
1 : the legal money of a country
2 : something valued or used...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Many abortion opponents find conviction in their religious faith. But what do different faiths say about when life really begins?
with PRI's The WorldMany abortion opponents find conviction in their religious faith. But what do different faiths say about when life really begins?
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6 minFREEEntertaining Business CurioFree4 CQ
Knowing how a story ends could make you enjoy it more, as technology gives spoilers a new dimension.
with MarketplaceKnowing how a story ends could make you enjoy it more, as technology gives spoilers a new dimension.
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FREEActing PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Marilyn Monroe livens up President Kennedy's 45th birthday party.
"It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring," American actress, model, and singer Marilyn Monroe once said. Her tumultuous career was certainly chock full of wry innuendo, but one romp stands out from the rest. On May 19, 1962, Monroe sang President John F. Kennedy Happy Birthday in front of 15,000 people at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Or as one columnist put it, she made "love to the president in direct view of 40 million Americans."
The Kennedy White House had decided to put on the party as a fundraiser to pay off debts incurred from the 1960 election race. Billed as a celebration of Kennedy's 45th birthday, it would include performances from stars like Ella Fitzgerald, Maria Callas, Jack Benny, Peggy Lee, and Monroe. Rumors were already swimming that an affair had taken place between Monroe and JFK (and his brother Bobby, for that matter), and her appearance was sure to draw a crowd.
At the time, however, Monroe was struggling to repair her personal and public life. Another victim of her time, the actress was coming off a divorce from Arthur Miller, gallbladder surgery, and a stay at a psychiatric hospital. When she received Kennedy's personal invitation, she was in Hollywood filming scenes for the movie Something's Got to Give. The actress yearned to break out from her role as a sex symbol, but couldn't resist the temptation to vivify Kennedy's birthday. She furiously rehearsed her bawdy, upcoming performance over the next few weeks.
Naturally, Monroe arrived late to the fundraiser. The moderator of the event, actor Peter Lawford, took advantage of her absence by playfully introducing her as "the late Marilyn Monroe" over and over, gesturing to an empty spotlight for a few hyucks when he needed them. Lawford was in the midst of monkeying around when Monroe quietly shimmied out from a curtain behind him. At the podium, she shed an ermine overcoat to reveal a flesh-toned gown shimmering with 2,500 hand-stitched crystals: one so tight, it allegedly had to be sewn onto her body. Appalled gasps and ribald whistles rose from the audience, and once the clamor died down, Monroe began to sing Kennedy Happy Birthday.
Only, this wasn't your average birthday-wishing. Monroe's rendition was quiet, breathy, and steamy. Lasting all of a minute, it blended into a reworked version of Thanks for the Memory that achingly championed Kennedy's hard work and accomplishments. As Monroe finished, she threw her hands in the air and riled the audience while an enormous cake was brought out. Ever the joker, Kennedy took the podium, saying "I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way."
Though Kennedy and Monroe had only spoken in passing at the fundraiser, speculations abounded that they were tangled in a prolonged affair. In reality, the two would never see each other again. In the following weeks, Monroe's mental health further deteriorated under the weight of objectification and consequent alcoholism. She died of an overdose just months later in August. Kennedy, of course, would be assassinated the following year in Dallas, Texas.
Today, the Happy Birthday, Mr. President performance has become something of a legend. The skimpy dress Monroe wore to the fundraiser sold for a whopping $4.8 million in 2016 to museum chain Ripley’s Believe It Or Not—making it the most expensive piece of clothing ever sold through an auction. In regards to the purchase, the CEO of Ripley's said of the dress to the Press Association: "We believe this is the most iconic piece of pop culture that there is."
Below: footage of Monroe serenading JFK on his birthday.
Image credit & copyright: Snap/Rex/Shutterstock
Marilyn Monroe livens up President Kennedy's 45th birthday party.
"It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring," American actress, model, and singer Marilyn Monroe once said. Her tumultuous career was certainly chock full of wry innuendo, but one romp stands out from the rest. On May 19, 1962, Monroe sang President John F. Kennedy Happy Birthday in front of 15,000 people at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Or as one columnist put it, she made "love to the president in direct view of 40 million Americans."
The Kennedy White House had decided to put on the party as a fundraiser to pay off debts incurred from the 1960 election race. Billed as a celebration of Kennedy's 45th birthday, it would include performances from stars like Ella Fitzgerald, Maria Callas, Jack Benny, Peggy Lee, and Monroe. Rumors were already swimming that an affair had taken place between Monroe and JFK (and his brother Bobby, for that matter), and her appearance was sure to draw a crowd.
At the time, however, Monroe was struggling to repair her personal and public life. Another victim of her time, the actress was coming off a divorce from Arthur Miller, gallbladder surgery, and a stay at a psychiatric hospital. When she received Kennedy's personal invitation, she was in Hollywood filming scenes for the movie Something's Got to Give. The actress yearned to break out from her role as a sex symbol, but couldn't resist the temptation to vivify Kennedy's birthday. She furiously rehearsed her bawdy, upcoming performance over the next few weeks.
Naturally, Monroe arrived late to the fundraiser. The moderator of the event, actor Peter Lawford, took advantage of her absence by playfully introducing her as "the late Marilyn Monroe" over and over, gesturing to an empty spotlight for a few hyucks when he needed them. Lawford was in the midst of monkeying around when Monroe quietly shimmied out from a curtain behind him. At the podium, she shed an ermine overcoat to reveal a flesh-toned gown shimmering with 2,500 hand-stitched crystals: one so tight, it allegedly had to be sewn onto her body. Appalled gasps and ribald whistles rose from the audience, and once the clamor died down, Monroe began to sing Kennedy Happy Birthday.
Only, this wasn't your average birthday-wishing. Monroe's rendition was quiet, breathy, and steamy. Lasting all of a minute, it blended into a reworked version of Thanks for the Memory that achingly championed Kennedy's hard work and accomplishments. As Monroe finished, she threw her hands in the air and riled the audience while an enormous cake was brought out. Ever the joker, Kennedy took the podium, saying "I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way."
Though Kennedy and Monroe had only spoken in passing at the fundraiser, speculations abounded that they were tangled in a prolonged affair. In reality, the two would never see each other again. In the following weeks, Monroe's mental health further deteriorated under the weight of objectification and consequent alcoholism. She died of an overdose just months later in August. Kennedy, of course, would be assassinated the following year in Dallas, Texas.
Today, the Happy Birthday, Mr. President performance has become something of a legend. The skimpy dress Monroe wore to the fundraiser sold for a whopping $4.8 million in 2016 to museum chain Ripley’s Believe It Or Not—making it the most expensive piece of clothing ever sold through an auction. In regards to the purchase, the CEO of Ripley's said of the dress to the Press Association: "We believe this is the most iconic piece of pop culture that there is."
Below: footage of Monroe serenading JFK on his birthday.
Image credit & copyright: Snap/Rex/Shutterstock
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1665 Making Artificial hearts and minds in the sixteenth century. Today, artific...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1665 Making Artificial hearts and minds in the sixteenth century. Today, artific...
May 18, 2019
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2 minFREEWork Business CurioFree2 CQ
The College Board is seeking to address hidden inequities in the college application process by introducing a new “adversity score.”
with MarketplaceThe College Board is seeking to address hidden inequities in the college application process by introducing a new “adversity score.”
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : May 18, 2019
tenacious \tuh-NAY-shus\ adjective
Definition
1 a : not easily pulled apart : cohesive
b : tending to adhere or cling espe...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 18, 2019
tenacious \tuh-NAY-shus\ adjective
Definition
1 a : not easily pulled apart : cohesive
b : tending to adhere or cling espe...
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #187Free1 CQ
Life isn't always fun, but, we really should have as much fun and laughter as we can. But who would boo life? Jen? And red dust on Mars in the month of June? Does Mars even have months?
Confused? This thoroughly confused quote about fun and life is from Gordon B. Hinckley. Two phrases from this quote have been scrambled. The phrases of the original quote have the number of words and letters shown below. The phrases were scrambled independently (i.e., the letters from the first phrase aren't scrambled into the second phrase). Can you figure out the original phrases?
Remember, no Googling for help! What's the fun in that?.In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is booed yet, Jen, not red June dust.
In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is (2) (2) (7), not (4) (7).Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #187" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
Life isn't always fun, but, we really should have as much fun and laughter as we can. But who would boo life? Jen? And red dust on Mars in the month of June? Does Mars even have months?
Confused? This thoroughly confused quote about fun and life is from Gordon B. Hinckley. Two phrases from this quote have been scrambled. The phrases of the original quote have the number of words and letters shown below. The phrases were scrambled independently (i.e., the letters from the first phrase aren't scrambled into the second phrase). Can you figure out the original phrases?
Remember, no Googling for help! What's the fun in that?.In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is booed yet, Jen, not red June dust.
In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is (2) (2) (7), not (4) (7).Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #187" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
In the last week, news from Yemen began with a diplomatic victory but ended with a spike in violence. Attacking the world's worst humanitarian crisis, expert...
with PRI's The WorldIn the last week, news from Yemen began with a diplomatic victory but ended with a spike in violence. Attacking the world's worst humanitarian crisis, expert...
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1666 In which we watch books growing old. Today, we watch books grow old.
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1666 In which we watch books growing old. Today, we watch books grow old.
May 17, 2019
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… Facebook has banned an Israeli company it believes was behind hundreds of fake accounts, mostly targeting elections in six Africa...
From the BBC World Service… Facebook has banned an Israeli company it believes was behind hundreds of fake accounts, mostly targeting elections in six Africa...
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FREEHumanities Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Here's a familiar story of discrimination. Government requires license for a certain activity (like voting or owning property). Government refuses to issue license to a certain group. Government then prosecutes or refuses service to disenfranchised group for not having the proper license. That's exactly what New York was doing to the LGBT community in the 1960s. The New York State Liquor Authority refused to issue licenses to bars it deemed "homosexual." As a result, the bars—the only safe public places for gays to congregate with each other in the City—were forced to operate as illegal saloons. Then the "Public Morals" squad of the New York City police department would raid the bars and arrest all the employees and patrons. That's what happened on June 24th, 1969 to the Stonewall Inn. (Pause for one moment to contemplate that only 50 years ago, the NYPD had a Public Morals squad.)
One of the most popular gay bars in New York City's Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn was used to getting raided, and patrons and employees scattered. So the police planned a second surprise raid for the night of June 28th, using undercover officers this time. When the officers started making arrests at 1:15 a.m., the patrons were ready. They refused to cooperate, show identification, or yield to "gender-verification" checks in the bathroom—a common humiliation forced upon transvestites at the time. Customers gathered outside the bar in the tiny triangular Christopher Park, and soon reinforcement protesters from the neighborhood appeared. By 3 a.m. it was a full-fledged riot, spreading to nearby streets. Protests and demonstrations lasted for six days and included firehoses, barricades, and gay cheerleaders performing kick-lines in front of policeman in riot gear. A drag queen assaulted a police officer with her purse. When the dust finally settled, the LGBT community of New York City had publicly organized like never before. They formed the first formal LGBT rights organization. Within two years similar groups had been started in every major city in the U.S. A new civil rights movement was underway. The NYPD has long ago abandoned their Public Morals squad, and today they play a critical role in serving and protecting the city's massive LGBT community, with a dedicated LGBT Liaison Unit. As for Christopher Park, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016 by President Obama. When U.S. Presidents used to do such things….It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Here's a familiar story of discrimination. Government requires license for a certain activity (like voting or owning property). Government refuses to issue license to a certain group. Government then prosecutes or refuses service to disenfranchised group for not having the proper license. That's exactly what New York was doing to the LGBT community in the 1960s. The New York State Liquor Authority refused to issue licenses to bars it deemed "homosexual." As a result, the bars—the only safe public places for gays to congregate with each other in the City—were forced to operate as illegal saloons. Then the "Public Morals" squad of the New York City police department would raid the bars and arrest all the employees and patrons. That's what happened on June 24th, 1969 to the Stonewall Inn. (Pause for one moment to contemplate that only 50 years ago, the NYPD had a Public Morals squad.)
One of the most popular gay bars in New York City's Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn was used to getting raided, and patrons and employees scattered. So the police planned a second surprise raid for the night of June 28th, using undercover officers this time. When the officers started making arrests at 1:15 a.m., the patrons were ready. They refused to cooperate, show identification, or yield to "gender-verification" checks in the bathroom—a common humiliation forced upon transvestites at the time. Customers gathered outside the bar in the tiny triangular Christopher Park, and soon reinforcement protesters from the neighborhood appeared. By 3 a.m. it was a full-fledged riot, spreading to nearby streets. Protests and demonstrations lasted for six days and included firehoses, barricades, and gay cheerleaders performing kick-lines in front of policeman in riot gear. A drag queen assaulted a police officer with her purse. When the dust finally settled, the LGBT community of New York City had publicly organized like never before. They formed the first formal LGBT rights organization. Within two years similar groups had been started in every major city in the U.S. A new civil rights movement was underway. The NYPD has long ago abandoned their Public Morals squad, and today they play a critical role in serving and protecting the city's massive LGBT community, with a dedicated LGBT Liaison Unit. As for Christopher Park, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016 by President Obama. When U.S. Presidents used to do such things…. -
3 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree2 CQ
Commuters and shoppers take the five-minute trip across the border on rafts of two-by-fours, fueling the cross-border economy between Suchiate, Mexico, and T...
with PRI's The WorldCommuters and shoppers take the five-minute trip across the border on rafts of two-by-fours, fueling the cross-border economy between Suchiate, Mexico, and T...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : May 17, 2019
palimpsest \PAL-imp-sest\ noun
Definition
1 : writing material (such as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 17, 2019
palimpsest \PAL-imp-sest\ noun
Definition
1 : writing material (such as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It might be hard to fathom, but no one had ever performed the Y.M.C.A. dance until the Village People made a stop at American Bandstand (AB) 40 years ago. The disco boy band members recalled working on elaborate choreography for their televised performance on January 6, 1979, which included pantomiming letters overhead with their hands at the start of the chorus—gestures soon mimicked by enthusiastic AB audience members. The dance craze quickly spread across the country, with the upbeat anthem making its way into sporting events, bar mitzvahs, and gay discotheques. For songwriters Jacques Morali and "The Policeman" Victor Willis, who was also the lead singer, the marriage of campy masculinity and earnest pop melodicism was the key not just to Y.M.C.A.'s #1 single status, but the Village People's schtick throughout the late '70s. Now, music critics can argue for days about the song's sexually subversive undertones, or what it means to cheer for the tune in the fifth-inning of a Yankees game. Whatever the angle, Y.M.C.A. still comes off as deceptively mindless fun—as it should always feel.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Snap Stills, Rex, REX USA
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It might be hard to fathom, but no one had ever performed the Y.M.C.A. dance until the Village People made a stop at American Bandstand (AB) 40 years ago. The disco boy band members recalled working on elaborate choreography for their televised performance on January 6, 1979, which included pantomiming letters overhead with their hands at the start of the chorus—gestures soon mimicked by enthusiastic AB audience members. The dance craze quickly spread across the country, with the upbeat anthem making its way into sporting events, bar mitzvahs, and gay discotheques. For songwriters Jacques Morali and "The Policeman" Victor Willis, who was also the lead singer, the marriage of campy masculinity and earnest pop melodicism was the key not just to Y.M.C.A.'s #1 single status, but the Village People's schtick throughout the late '70s. Now, music critics can argue for days about the song's sexually subversive undertones, or what it means to cheer for the tune in the fifth-inning of a Yankees game. Whatever the angle, Y.M.C.A. still comes off as deceptively mindless fun—as it should always feel.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Snap Stills, Rex, REX USA
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
This is one fire we don't want to put out! The 48th annual New York City Pride March kicked off June 24, 2018 and it saw more than just rainbow flags, body paint, and dancing. In the midst of an estimated two million onlookers, New York City Fire Department EMT Trudy Bermudez (shown left) proposed to her girlfriend of one-and-a-half years, paramedic Tayreen Bonilla (shown right). If it isn't obvious already, Bonilla said yes! Bermudez told reporters she'd been planning out the proposal for six months, and worried popping the question during the parade would be cliché (which it's not, of course). Her aim was to drop to one knee on Fifth Avenue and 8th Street, the middle of the parade, but when she and Bonilla neared the historic Stonewall Inn—the site of the Stonewall riots—Bermudez just couldn't help herself. The couple's impassioned elopement had their NYFD friends and throngs of others cheering. Because who needs gold when there's love at the end of this rainbow!
Below: more pride month photos, including: a man getting down during the 2018 Boston Pride parade; a pig showing its support for equality; and dancers in the Auckland Pride Parade in New Zealand.
Image credit & copyright: Kena Betancur / Getty / Scott Eisen / Daisy Korpics for Fast Company / Fiona Goodall
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
This is one fire we don't want to put out! The 48th annual New York City Pride March kicked off June 24, 2018 and it saw more than just rainbow flags, body paint, and dancing. In the midst of an estimated two million onlookers, New York City Fire Department EMT Trudy Bermudez (shown left) proposed to her girlfriend of one-and-a-half years, paramedic Tayreen Bonilla (shown right). If it isn't obvious already, Bonilla said yes! Bermudez told reporters she'd been planning out the proposal for six months, and worried popping the question during the parade would be cliché (which it's not, of course). Her aim was to drop to one knee on Fifth Avenue and 8th Street, the middle of the parade, but when she and Bonilla neared the historic Stonewall Inn—the site of the Stonewall riots—Bermudez just couldn't help herself. The couple's impassioned elopement had their NYFD friends and throngs of others cheering. Because who needs gold when there's love at the end of this rainbow!
Below: more pride month photos, including: a man getting down during the 2018 Boston Pride parade; a pig showing its support for equality; and dancers in the Auckland Pride Parade in New Zealand.
Image credit & copyright: Kena Betancur / Getty / Scott Eisen / Daisy Korpics for Fast Company / Fiona Goodall
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Artist: ACT UP
Created: 1987
Medium: Neon sign, two colors
Dimensions: 48 x 79 in (122 x 201 cm)
Current location: Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C.
In 1987, "Silence = Death" became a battle cry for activists frustrated by government inaction on the HIV / AIDS health epidemic. It was the height of the crisis, yet President Reagan didn't even utter the word until five years into his presidency, and his press secretary routinely joked about the illness during press briefings. Nancy Reagan rebuffed actor and former-friend Rock Hudson, who had an AIDS-related illness, when he reached out to the White House for help (Hudson died in 1985). The original Silence = Death image was created by a group of New York artists, who based the pink triangle on the symbol gay people were forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps. The Silence = Death visual was adopted by the organization, ACT UP (the Aids Coalition to Unleash Power), with permission from the original artists; the neon sign above was created to commemorate the founding of the organization. Today, thanks to pressure by groups like ACT UP, advances in AIDS treatment have saved countless lives. But in poor areas of the country and the world, many lack access to AIDS prevention and treatment—and silence still equals death.
Below: An ACT UP demonstration in Washington D.C. in 1993.
Image credit & copyright: Courtesy New Museum, New York; Getty Images
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Artist: ACT UP
Created: 1987
Medium: Neon sign, two colors
Dimensions: 48 x 79 in (122 x 201 cm)
Current location: Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C.
In 1987, "Silence = Death" became a battle cry for activists frustrated by government inaction on the HIV / AIDS health epidemic. It was the height of the crisis, yet President Reagan didn't even utter the word until five years into his presidency, and his press secretary routinely joked about the illness during press briefings. Nancy Reagan rebuffed actor and former-friend Rock Hudson, who had an AIDS-related illness, when he reached out to the White House for help (Hudson died in 1985). The original Silence = Death image was created by a group of New York artists, who based the pink triangle on the symbol gay people were forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps. The Silence = Death visual was adopted by the organization, ACT UP (the Aids Coalition to Unleash Power), with permission from the original artists; the neon sign above was created to commemorate the founding of the organization. Today, thanks to pressure by groups like ACT UP, advances in AIDS treatment have saved countless lives. But in poor areas of the country and the world, many lack access to AIDS prevention and treatment—and silence still equals death.
Below: An ACT UP demonstration in Washington D.C. in 1993.
Image credit & copyright: Courtesy New Museum, New York; Getty Images
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1673 Who was Marie Lavoisier, amanuensis or collaborator? Today, meet Marie Lavo...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1673 Who was Marie Lavoisier, amanuensis or collaborator? Today, meet Marie Lavo...
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Thomas Jefferson. by Lorine Niedecker.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Thomas Jefferson. by Lorine Niedecker.
