Art Curio
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May 27, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 27, 2023\in-TER-puh-layt\ verb
What It Means
Interpolate is a formal word used to talk about interjecting or inserting ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 27, 2023\in-TER-puh-layt\ verb
What It Means
Interpolate is a formal word used to talk about interjecting or inserting ...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The Fed’s interest rate fight just got more complicated — the central bank’s preferred gauge of inflation indicated that prices rose 0.4% last month, a speed...
The Fed’s interest rate fight just got more complicated — the central bank’s preferred gauge of inflation indicated that prices rose 0.4% last month, a speed...
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FREESports Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Would this be considered a throwback? It’s not a legacy that anybody wants to keep alive, but Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen recently echoed a memory of his team’s most celebrated pitcher, Randy Johnson, when his pitch killed a bird during a recent warm-up. Back in 2001, Johnson famously mangled a bird in mid-flight with a powerful pitch that sent a dramatic burst of feathers into the air. It was an incredibly unlikely and unlucky way for a bird to go—the left handed pitcher won 303 games throughout his 20 seasons, largely due to his incredible 100-mph pitches. No one knows why the errant bird (thought to be a mourning dove) decided to fly in front of home plate that day, but the pitch ended up being called a no-pitch by the umpire, and the game proceeded. The call was made because there is no rule regarding an animal interfering with a pitch and because the ball never reached the plate. Therefore, it never happened on paper. Johnson’s bird met its demise during a spring training game, but Gallen felled his during warm-ups before a game against the Oakland Athletics. According to witnesses, the bird was flying near home plate when it was struck by Gallen’s curveball. Afterwards, Gallen expressed sadness for the unfortunate animal, calling the incident “unfortunate.” Such a freak accident is a curveball in and of itself.
[Image description: A baseball mitt lies on grass along with several baseballs.] Credit & copyright: Steshka Willems, Pexels
Would this be considered a throwback? It’s not a legacy that anybody wants to keep alive, but Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen recently echoed a memory of his team’s most celebrated pitcher, Randy Johnson, when his pitch killed a bird during a recent warm-up. Back in 2001, Johnson famously mangled a bird in mid-flight with a powerful pitch that sent a dramatic burst of feathers into the air. It was an incredibly unlikely and unlucky way for a bird to go—the left handed pitcher won 303 games throughout his 20 seasons, largely due to his incredible 100-mph pitches. No one knows why the errant bird (thought to be a mourning dove) decided to fly in front of home plate that day, but the pitch ended up being called a no-pitch by the umpire, and the game proceeded. The call was made because there is no rule regarding an animal interfering with a pitch and because the ball never reached the plate. Therefore, it never happened on paper. Johnson’s bird met its demise during a spring training game, but Gallen felled his during warm-ups before a game against the Oakland Athletics. According to witnesses, the bird was flying near home plate when it was struck by Gallen’s curveball. Afterwards, Gallen expressed sadness for the unfortunate animal, calling the incident “unfortunate.” Such a freak accident is a curveball in and of itself.
[Image description: A baseball mitt lies on grass along with several baseballs.] Credit & copyright: Steshka Willems, Pexels
May 26, 2023
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The deadline for Congress to raise the debt ceiling is fast approaching, but if signals from top Congressional Republicans and the Biden administration are t...
The deadline for Congress to raise the debt ceiling is fast approaching, but if signals from top Congressional Republicans and the Biden administration are t...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 26, 2023\SAY-pee-unt\ adjective
What It Means
Sapient is a formal word that means “possessing or expressing great wisdo...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 26, 2023\SAY-pee-unt\ adjective
What It Means
Sapient is a formal word that means “possessing or expressing great wisdo...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
There’s nothing corny about the staying power of this Mesoamerican dish! Made from a corn dough called masa, tamales are steamed in corn leaves and filled with everything from cheese to meat to ultra-hot chilies. Not only have they been around for centuries, they’ve spread across the world and were once popular enough in the U.S.A. to spark a “Tamale War.”
Tamales have been around since at least 8,000 B.C.E., making them one of the most ancient foods still regularly consumed today. Since the tamale was invented before most cultures were even recording their own histories, it’s impossible to know their exact origin. However, most historians believe that tamales were first developed by indigenous peoples in Guatemala. By the time of the Olmecs, the earliest known Mesoamerican civilization, tamales were already popular throughout Latin America. The Toltecs, Aztecs, and Maya also ate tamales, and even depicted them in art.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century, though, that tamales debuted in the U.S. thanks to immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Tamales were sold at the 1893 World’s Fair, and since Latin American food wasn’t popular in the U.S. at the time, many Americans were amazed by the spiciness of the dish. One publication, at the time, even described tamales’ taste as “diabolical.” Americans weren’t deterred, though, and by the early 20th century, street vendors selling tamales (usually from wagons labeled “Hot Tamales!”) were a common sight in Western cities.
However, tamale vendors had to struggle for territory in order to beat other sellers to the best locations. They even had to compete with those selling America’s most popular street food: hot dogs. Sometimes things got tense, escalating to the point of shouting matches and disputes involving police. Newspapers seized on the opportunity to exaggerate the goings-on (a popular journalistic practice at the time) and thus, the “tamale wars” began. Papers reported on fistfights, beatings, shootouts, and even murders between rival tamale sellers…but no one today can verify just how accurate those accounts were. It’s important to note that many tamale sellers were ethnic minorities, which meant that, at the time, white reporters could sensationalize stories about them without much pushback. Whether the stories of tamale-based violence had any impact on the dish’s popularity is debatable, but by the 1910s, demand for tamales waned in most major cities. Today, tamales are mostly found in restaurants (and as part of home-cooked meals, of course), rather than on the street. You win this round, hot dogs!
[Image description: An unwrapped tamale on a wooden table.] Credit & copyright: Gonzalo Guzmán García, PexelsThere’s nothing corny about the staying power of this Mesoamerican dish! Made from a corn dough called masa, tamales are steamed in corn leaves and filled with everything from cheese to meat to ultra-hot chilies. Not only have they been around for centuries, they’ve spread across the world and were once popular enough in the U.S.A. to spark a “Tamale War.”
Tamales have been around since at least 8,000 B.C.E., making them one of the most ancient foods still regularly consumed today. Since the tamale was invented before most cultures were even recording their own histories, it’s impossible to know their exact origin. However, most historians believe that tamales were first developed by indigenous peoples in Guatemala. By the time of the Olmecs, the earliest known Mesoamerican civilization, tamales were already popular throughout Latin America. The Toltecs, Aztecs, and Maya also ate tamales, and even depicted them in art.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century, though, that tamales debuted in the U.S. thanks to immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Tamales were sold at the 1893 World’s Fair, and since Latin American food wasn’t popular in the U.S. at the time, many Americans were amazed by the spiciness of the dish. One publication, at the time, even described tamales’ taste as “diabolical.” Americans weren’t deterred, though, and by the early 20th century, street vendors selling tamales (usually from wagons labeled “Hot Tamales!”) were a common sight in Western cities.
However, tamale vendors had to struggle for territory in order to beat other sellers to the best locations. They even had to compete with those selling America’s most popular street food: hot dogs. Sometimes things got tense, escalating to the point of shouting matches and disputes involving police. Newspapers seized on the opportunity to exaggerate the goings-on (a popular journalistic practice at the time) and thus, the “tamale wars” began. Papers reported on fistfights, beatings, shootouts, and even murders between rival tamale sellers…but no one today can verify just how accurate those accounts were. It’s important to note that many tamale sellers were ethnic minorities, which meant that, at the time, white reporters could sensationalize stories about them without much pushback. Whether the stories of tamale-based violence had any impact on the dish’s popularity is debatable, but by the 1910s, demand for tamales waned in most major cities. Today, tamales are mostly found in restaurants (and as part of home-cooked meals, of course), rather than on the street. You win this round, hot dogs!
[Image description: An unwrapped tamale on a wooden table.] Credit & copyright: Gonzalo Guzmán García, Pexels
May 25, 2023
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: A recession is commonly defined as the economy shrinking in two successive quarters — that’s just what’s happened to Germany, mai...
From the BBC World Service: A recession is commonly defined as the economy shrinking in two successive quarters — that’s just what’s happened to Germany, mai...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 25, 2023\HAH-bee-horss\ noun
What It Means
Hobbyhorse usually refers to a topic that someone dwells on, returning to ag...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 25, 2023\HAH-bee-horss\ noun
What It Means
Hobbyhorse usually refers to a topic that someone dwells on, returning to ag...
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
They say you can’t improve on a classic, but what if it just needs a little tweak? Drug-resistant bacteria are becoming more common at an alarming rate, depleting available pharmaceutical options for stubborn infections. The answer, it seems, might lie in the past, according to a paper by researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston, published in the journal PLOS Biology. Dr. James Kirby led the research team in studying the potential uses of nourseothricin, an antibiotic discovered during World War II. Nourseothricin is produced by a soil fungus containing a molecule called streptothricin, and was once considered a promising treatment for gram-negative bacteria, which are particularly difficult to destroy. However, research and development into nourseothricin was abandoned after it was concluded that it posed too great a risk of kidney damage according to the limited trials that were conducted at the time. But Kirby and his team decided to take another look at the long-forsaken drug in the hopes of using it against drug-resistant bacteria, since many of them appeared to be vulnerable to streptothricin. What they discovered was that when scientists were experimenting with nourseothricin in the 1940s, they were using a relatively impure form. Back then, what they called nourseothricin was actually a combination of a number of forms of streptothricin, some of which are more toxic than others. Kirby’s team reported that one of the forms, streptothricin-F, was effective against drug-resistant bacteria while being limited in its toxicity. Streptothricin-F is effective because it binds to the bacterial ribosome, the portion of the bacteria that synthesizes protein, causing translation errors and inhibiting bacteria reproduction. Who knows, it may end up being part of the “greatest generation” of antibiotic treatments.
[Image description: A pair of gloved hands uses a pipette on a petri dish full of reddish liquid.] Credit & copyright: Edward Jenner, Pexels
They say you can’t improve on a classic, but what if it just needs a little tweak? Drug-resistant bacteria are becoming more common at an alarming rate, depleting available pharmaceutical options for stubborn infections. The answer, it seems, might lie in the past, according to a paper by researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston, published in the journal PLOS Biology. Dr. James Kirby led the research team in studying the potential uses of nourseothricin, an antibiotic discovered during World War II. Nourseothricin is produced by a soil fungus containing a molecule called streptothricin, and was once considered a promising treatment for gram-negative bacteria, which are particularly difficult to destroy. However, research and development into nourseothricin was abandoned after it was concluded that it posed too great a risk of kidney damage according to the limited trials that were conducted at the time. But Kirby and his team decided to take another look at the long-forsaken drug in the hopes of using it against drug-resistant bacteria, since many of them appeared to be vulnerable to streptothricin. What they discovered was that when scientists were experimenting with nourseothricin in the 1940s, they were using a relatively impure form. Back then, what they called nourseothricin was actually a combination of a number of forms of streptothricin, some of which are more toxic than others. Kirby’s team reported that one of the forms, streptothricin-F, was effective against drug-resistant bacteria while being limited in its toxicity. Streptothricin-F is effective because it binds to the bacterial ribosome, the portion of the bacteria that synthesizes protein, causing translation errors and inhibiting bacteria reproduction. Who knows, it may end up being part of the “greatest generation” of antibiotic treatments.
[Image description: A pair of gloved hands uses a pipette on a petri dish full of reddish liquid.] Credit & copyright: Edward Jenner, Pexels
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #2660Free1 CQ
Not all landmarks help with navigation, it seems. This spring, the iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, is turning off its lights at night temporarily to help migrating birds. Completed in 1965, the Gateway Arch is one of America’s most recognizable landmarks. While it might be a dazzling display for human travelers, the Arch isn’t such a tourist hotspot for the birds that migrate every year via a route known as the Mississippi Flyway. Flying south from Canada to their summer nesting grounds, the birds travel to areas along the Gulf of Mexico. Some fly as far as South America. It’s not just a handful of birds, either. According to the Audubon Society, the Flyway is used by sixty percent of North American songbirds and forty percent of waterfowl. To help them find their way south safely, the Gateway Arch National Park has been turning off the lights on its landmark for about two weeks every May. Otherwise, the unnaturally bright lights can easily disorient birds who are flying above it, causing them to lose their way. Even after the birds make a course correction, they’ve expended precious energy that could have been used for their long trip ahead. Thus, the Gateway Arch will continue to stay dark at night until June. Authorities are also working on alternative lighting solutions that will reduce nighttime light pollution. It’s not just the Gateway Arch that has been going dark to help the birds, though. The National Park Service has been partnering with Lights Out Heartland, an organization that helps raise awareness about the negative effects of light pollution on bird migration. They’ve been helping birds navigate the Mississippi Flyway safely during the heavy migration season that comes between May and September. When helping out wildlife is as simple as flipping a switch, there’s no reason not to contribute to a brighter future.
[Image description: The St. Louis Gateway Arch from below.] Credit & copyright: Brittany Moore, PexelsNot all landmarks help with navigation, it seems. This spring, the iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, is turning off its lights at night temporarily to help migrating birds. Completed in 1965, the Gateway Arch is one of America’s most recognizable landmarks. While it might be a dazzling display for human travelers, the Arch isn’t such a tourist hotspot for the birds that migrate every year via a route known as the Mississippi Flyway. Flying south from Canada to their summer nesting grounds, the birds travel to areas along the Gulf of Mexico. Some fly as far as South America. It’s not just a handful of birds, either. According to the Audubon Society, the Flyway is used by sixty percent of North American songbirds and forty percent of waterfowl. To help them find their way south safely, the Gateway Arch National Park has been turning off the lights on its landmark for about two weeks every May. Otherwise, the unnaturally bright lights can easily disorient birds who are flying above it, causing them to lose their way. Even after the birds make a course correction, they’ve expended precious energy that could have been used for their long trip ahead. Thus, the Gateway Arch will continue to stay dark at night until June. Authorities are also working on alternative lighting solutions that will reduce nighttime light pollution. It’s not just the Gateway Arch that has been going dark to help the birds, though. The National Park Service has been partnering with Lights Out Heartland, an organization that helps raise awareness about the negative effects of light pollution on bird migration. They’ve been helping birds navigate the Mississippi Flyway safely during the heavy migration season that comes between May and September. When helping out wildlife is as simple as flipping a switch, there’s no reason not to contribute to a brighter future.
[Image description: The St. Louis Gateway Arch from below.] Credit & copyright: Brittany Moore, Pexels
May 24, 2023
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: A few years ago, France came up with an idea to cut carbon emissions — reduce some short domestic flights and that’s now been sig...
From the BBC World Service: A few years ago, France came up with an idea to cut carbon emissions — reduce some short domestic flights and that’s now been sig...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 24, 2023\AD-um-brayt\ verb
What It Means
Adumbrate is a formal verb with several meanings that all have to do with figu...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 24, 2023\AD-um-brayt\ verb
What It Means
Adumbrate is a formal verb with several meanings that all have to do with figu...
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FREEFinance Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Hold onto your artisan sandwiches! Changes are coming to Panera Bread…though customers aren’t likely to notice them in the near future. Panera Bread’s parent company, Panera Brands, is switching up its leadership as it prepares to go public. The company’s current CEO, Niren Chaudhary, will step down this summer. In 2017, Panera Bread was acquired by European investment firm JAB Holding Company, which combined the restaurant with two others, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee, to form Panera Brands. Now, they’re going public once more. This means that the company will have an initial public offering (IPO) during which they will sell shares to institutional and retail investors. Thus, the company goes from being privately owned to publicly owned, also known as publicly traded. Businesses typically go public in order to raise capital, but no one yet knows what Panera Brands will do with the money it raises. Since Panera Bread restaurants are quite successful (Panera Bread made more than $4.8 billion in 2022), the parent company may be planning to open more Panera Bread locations or integrate new technology into its current locations. Only time will tell!
[Image description: A loaf of bread sliced into pieces against a white-and-gray background.] Credit & copyright: Mariana Kurnyk, Pexels. This image is not associated with Panera Bread, Panera Brands, or JAB Holding Co. in any way.Hold onto your artisan sandwiches! Changes are coming to Panera Bread…though customers aren’t likely to notice them in the near future. Panera Bread’s parent company, Panera Brands, is switching up its leadership as it prepares to go public. The company’s current CEO, Niren Chaudhary, will step down this summer. In 2017, Panera Bread was acquired by European investment firm JAB Holding Company, which combined the restaurant with two others, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee, to form Panera Brands. Now, they’re going public once more. This means that the company will have an initial public offering (IPO) during which they will sell shares to institutional and retail investors. Thus, the company goes from being privately owned to publicly owned, also known as publicly traded. Businesses typically go public in order to raise capital, but no one yet knows what Panera Brands will do with the money it raises. Since Panera Bread restaurants are quite successful (Panera Bread made more than $4.8 billion in 2022), the parent company may be planning to open more Panera Bread locations or integrate new technology into its current locations. Only time will tell!
[Image description: A loaf of bread sliced into pieces against a white-and-gray background.] Credit & copyright: Mariana Kurnyk, Pexels. This image is not associated with Panera Bread, Panera Brands, or JAB Holding Co. in any way. -
FREENutrition Daily Curio #2659Free1 CQ
It’s the redemption story of a lifetime. With the World Health Organization recently calling for a drastic worldwide reduction in sodium intake, health-conscious diners are scrambling for a way to make food healthier while keeping the flavor, and the answer could be MSG. Long maligned as a harmful ingredient common in Asian cuisine, MSG is being given its rightful due as a benign—and positively healthier—alternative to table salt. MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is derived from glutamic acid, which occurs naturally in many foods that contain protein, like meats, tomatoes, and dairy products. MSG itself is also found naturally in konbu, a type of seaweed. Despite its bad reputation, decades of research have found no health problems related to MSG consumption. The only studies to show negative effects involved subjects consuming MSG in massive quantities not normally found in food. So why do so many people fear MSG and believe it can cause headaches, among other things?
It all goes back to a hoax letter submitted as a prank by American surgeon Dr. Howard Steel in 1968. In it, he listed the symptoms commonly associated with MSG consumption today, which were actually the side effects of drinking copious amounts of beer. Steel signed the letter with the name Robert Ho Man Kwok from the National Biomedical Research Foundation of Silver Spring, MD (which doesn’t exist), and sent it to a scientific journal. Rather than seeing the letter for what it was, the journal published it, and the myths around MSG spread from there. Now, with more and more health professionals urging people to reduce their sodium intake, MSG might make a comeback. Excessive sodium intake can increase the risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent, but the average American consumes around 3400 mg of sodium a day, or 50 percent above the recommended limit. But MSG can help deliver the same amount of flavor with 40 percent less sodium added. That’s certainly nothing to be salty about.
[Image description: A jar of salt tipped on its side.] Credit & copyright: Castorly Stock, PexelsIt’s the redemption story of a lifetime. With the World Health Organization recently calling for a drastic worldwide reduction in sodium intake, health-conscious diners are scrambling for a way to make food healthier while keeping the flavor, and the answer could be MSG. Long maligned as a harmful ingredient common in Asian cuisine, MSG is being given its rightful due as a benign—and positively healthier—alternative to table salt. MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is derived from glutamic acid, which occurs naturally in many foods that contain protein, like meats, tomatoes, and dairy products. MSG itself is also found naturally in konbu, a type of seaweed. Despite its bad reputation, decades of research have found no health problems related to MSG consumption. The only studies to show negative effects involved subjects consuming MSG in massive quantities not normally found in food. So why do so many people fear MSG and believe it can cause headaches, among other things?
It all goes back to a hoax letter submitted as a prank by American surgeon Dr. Howard Steel in 1968. In it, he listed the symptoms commonly associated with MSG consumption today, which were actually the side effects of drinking copious amounts of beer. Steel signed the letter with the name Robert Ho Man Kwok from the National Biomedical Research Foundation of Silver Spring, MD (which doesn’t exist), and sent it to a scientific journal. Rather than seeing the letter for what it was, the journal published it, and the myths around MSG spread from there. Now, with more and more health professionals urging people to reduce their sodium intake, MSG might make a comeback. Excessive sodium intake can increase the risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent, but the average American consumes around 3400 mg of sodium a day, or 50 percent above the recommended limit. But MSG can help deliver the same amount of flavor with 40 percent less sodium added. That’s certainly nothing to be salty about.
[Image description: A jar of salt tipped on its side.] Credit & copyright: Castorly Stock, Pexels
May 23, 2023
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: China is now the world’s biggest exporter of cars, helped by a massive growth in electric vehicle production. We look at how it c...
From the BBC World Service: China is now the world’s biggest exporter of cars, helped by a massive growth in electric vehicle production. We look at how it c...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 23, 2023\BOW-er\ noun
What It Means
Bower is a literary word that usually refers to a garden shelter made with tree bou...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 23, 2023\BOW-er\ noun
What It Means
Bower is a literary word that usually refers to a garden shelter made with tree bou...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
La da de da da da la da da. American folk music has gone through a lot of changes over the years, none more glaring than its sudden appearance on top-40 lists in the mid-1990s. A key figure responsible for the genre’s post-1960s resurgence was Jewel. With her throaty voice and penchant for melancholic yodeling, the young star helped usher in a new, if brief, era of pop-folk with songs like 1994’s Who Will Save Your Soul. The ambitious song, which Jewel wrote when she was just 16 on a hitchhiking trip through Mexico, deconstructs the wild consumerism of the 90s and takes aim at the (often harmful) celebrity worship of that same era. While it is still one of Jewel’s best-remembered songs, Who Will Save Your Soul didn’t find success until two years after its initial release, when it was re-worked as a single and added to radio playlists alongside the music of other folksy artists, like Alanis Morissette. The song did earn Jewel a Grammy nomination in 1997, though. And it proved that folk still had plenty of useful social commentary to make!
[Image description: A black-and-white photo of a guitar against a wooden door.] Credit & copyright: Antonio Prado, Pexels
La da de da da da la da da. American folk music has gone through a lot of changes over the years, none more glaring than its sudden appearance on top-40 lists in the mid-1990s. A key figure responsible for the genre’s post-1960s resurgence was Jewel. With her throaty voice and penchant for melancholic yodeling, the young star helped usher in a new, if brief, era of pop-folk with songs like 1994’s Who Will Save Your Soul. The ambitious song, which Jewel wrote when she was just 16 on a hitchhiking trip through Mexico, deconstructs the wild consumerism of the 90s and takes aim at the (often harmful) celebrity worship of that same era. While it is still one of Jewel’s best-remembered songs, Who Will Save Your Soul didn’t find success until two years after its initial release, when it was re-worked as a single and added to radio playlists alongside the music of other folksy artists, like Alanis Morissette. The song did earn Jewel a Grammy nomination in 1997, though. And it proved that folk still had plenty of useful social commentary to make!
[Image description: A black-and-white photo of a guitar against a wooden door.] Credit & copyright: Antonio Prado, Pexels
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FREESTEM Daily Curio #2658Free1 CQ
An app that tracks an apex predator in the ocean? If it works, it could make some serious waves. With beach season approaching, shark attacks are at the top of many people’s minds. To help with this, the creators of SafeWaters.AI are trying to bring their app to the market through Kickstarter, with claims that their product can forecast the risk of shark attacks with 89 percent accuracy. As its name implies, SafeWaters.AI utilizes an artificial intelligence model. Using historical data on shark attacks as well as weather patterns, the AI analyzes the likelihood of sharks being in a given area on a certain day. According to the app’s Kickstarter page, the accuracy of the predictions are based on beta-testers, who are allowed to use the app if they participate in the crowdfunding.
Preventing encounters between humans and sharks is obviously good for people, but it benefits the animals as well. After all, just one in 3,748,067 encounters between humans and sharks ends with the latter fatally attacking the former, which averages out to around 10 deaths a year. In contrast, humans have killed around 100 million sharks around the world, with an average between 1.3 and 2.7 million a year. Sharks are fished mostly for their fins, which are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. The overfishing that has resulted from this demand has led to around a 71 percent drop in the total shark population since 1970. That’s not to say that beachgoers shouldn’t take any precautions. To avoid attracting the attention of sharks while in the water and reduce the chances of being bitten, there are several things people can do before going in the water. Sharks don’t like to approach large groups of people, so planning to stay close to each other is a good idea. For solitary swimmers, it may be wise to take off any shiny jewelry and avoid going into the water around dusk and dawn, when sharks are most active. Finally, people should stay out of the water if they have an open, bleeding wound, which might attract a shark’s attention. Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to get a bigger boat!
[Image description: A digital illustration of a shark swimming underwater. This image is not associated with SafeWaters.AI in any way.] Credit & copyright: Elianne Dipp, PexelsAn app that tracks an apex predator in the ocean? If it works, it could make some serious waves. With beach season approaching, shark attacks are at the top of many people’s minds. To help with this, the creators of SafeWaters.AI are trying to bring their app to the market through Kickstarter, with claims that their product can forecast the risk of shark attacks with 89 percent accuracy. As its name implies, SafeWaters.AI utilizes an artificial intelligence model. Using historical data on shark attacks as well as weather patterns, the AI analyzes the likelihood of sharks being in a given area on a certain day. According to the app’s Kickstarter page, the accuracy of the predictions are based on beta-testers, who are allowed to use the app if they participate in the crowdfunding.
Preventing encounters between humans and sharks is obviously good for people, but it benefits the animals as well. After all, just one in 3,748,067 encounters between humans and sharks ends with the latter fatally attacking the former, which averages out to around 10 deaths a year. In contrast, humans have killed around 100 million sharks around the world, with an average between 1.3 and 2.7 million a year. Sharks are fished mostly for their fins, which are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. The overfishing that has resulted from this demand has led to around a 71 percent drop in the total shark population since 1970. That’s not to say that beachgoers shouldn’t take any precautions. To avoid attracting the attention of sharks while in the water and reduce the chances of being bitten, there are several things people can do before going in the water. Sharks don’t like to approach large groups of people, so planning to stay close to each other is a good idea. For solitary swimmers, it may be wise to take off any shiny jewelry and avoid going into the water around dusk and dawn, when sharks are most active. Finally, people should stay out of the water if they have an open, bleeding wound, which might attract a shark’s attention. Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to get a bigger boat!
[Image description: A digital illustration of a shark swimming underwater. This image is not associated with SafeWaters.AI in any way.] Credit & copyright: Elianne Dipp, Pexels
May 22, 2023
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It’s not just fashionable, it’s a matter of health. American painter and industrialist Jeptha Homer Wade painted this portrait of an acquaintance in the 19th century, and it sheds a little light into an obscure part of history. Simply titled Nathaniel Olds, it depicts a man with dark hair and formal attire sitting on a red chair. The titular figure is wearing a pair of green-tinted glasses with a thick, silver frame. These unusual shades were meant to protect against the harsh light of Argand lamps, which was thought to be bad for the eyes. These lamps aren’t used anymore not just because better (and healthier) options are now available, but because they were fueled by whale oil, which thankfully isn’t used much anymore. The painter, Wade, was more famous for being an industrialist and businessman than a painter. In fact, he was the founder of the Western Union Telegraph Company, which made him one of the wealthiest men in the world during his lifetime. So much for the “starving artist” stereotype.
Nathaniel Olds, Jeptha Homer Wade (1811–1890), 1837, Oil on canvas, 30.125 x 24.125 in. (76.5 x 61.2 cm),The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
Image Credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Seventy-fifth anniversary gift of Jeptha H. Wade III, CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication.It’s not just fashionable, it’s a matter of health. American painter and industrialist Jeptha Homer Wade painted this portrait of an acquaintance in the 19th century, and it sheds a little light into an obscure part of history. Simply titled Nathaniel Olds, it depicts a man with dark hair and formal attire sitting on a red chair. The titular figure is wearing a pair of green-tinted glasses with a thick, silver frame. These unusual shades were meant to protect against the harsh light of Argand lamps, which was thought to be bad for the eyes. These lamps aren’t used anymore not just because better (and healthier) options are now available, but because they were fueled by whale oil, which thankfully isn’t used much anymore. The painter, Wade, was more famous for being an industrialist and businessman than a painter. In fact, he was the founder of the Western Union Telegraph Company, which made him one of the wealthiest men in the world during his lifetime. So much for the “starving artist” stereotype.
Nathaniel Olds, Jeptha Homer Wade (1811–1890), 1837, Oil on canvas, 30.125 x 24.125 in. (76.5 x 61.2 cm),The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
Image Credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Seventy-fifth anniversary gift of Jeptha H. Wade III, CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication. -
FREEBiology Daily Curio #2657Free1 CQ
It may have a sinister sounding name, but these little insects aren't out to wage war on Middle Earth. Scientists rarely get the chance to name an entire new genus, but a few entomologists made the most of the opportunity by naming a new genus of butterflies after Sauron, the primary antagonist from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series. The genus, which includes the newly-dubbed Saurona triangula, was given the name for the striking patterns on their wings. The marks have been described as “distinctive fused orange rings” that resemble the Eye of Sauron, made famous in Tolkein’s books. While the name may be a cute tribute to a beloved franchise, there are also some serious reasons for the new name.
The Saurona genus is part of the Euptychiina taxonomic subtribe, which has stumped entomologists for decades. Inclusive of countless species of butterflies, it has long defied taxonomic classification because so many of the butterflies that belong to the subtribe resemble each other closely. Insects are generally more difficult to classify for this reason, but the naming of the new genus represents significant headway. Still, it’s just a small step toward taxonomists' goal of creating a more comprehensive and accurate map of all living things. Along with Saurona, the scientists in the paper also named the genus Argentaria (meaning “silver mine”), for the silver-scaled wings of its members. The naming of these genera serve another purpose besides being more granular in a field that requires the minutest distinctions. Naming a genus or other taxonomic classification with a pop culture reference helps bring more attention to the species it covers as well as the challenges scientists face in classifying them. It also makes it easier for laypeople to remember and care about the species, which is especially important if the genus in question includes threatened or endangered animals. Of course, if you’re trying to prove you’re the biggest fan of something, it’s also a stroke of genus.
[Image description: A brown butterfly with eye spots.] Credit & copyright: Ylanite Koppens, PexelsIt may have a sinister sounding name, but these little insects aren't out to wage war on Middle Earth. Scientists rarely get the chance to name an entire new genus, but a few entomologists made the most of the opportunity by naming a new genus of butterflies after Sauron, the primary antagonist from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series. The genus, which includes the newly-dubbed Saurona triangula, was given the name for the striking patterns on their wings. The marks have been described as “distinctive fused orange rings” that resemble the Eye of Sauron, made famous in Tolkein’s books. While the name may be a cute tribute to a beloved franchise, there are also some serious reasons for the new name.
The Saurona genus is part of the Euptychiina taxonomic subtribe, which has stumped entomologists for decades. Inclusive of countless species of butterflies, it has long defied taxonomic classification because so many of the butterflies that belong to the subtribe resemble each other closely. Insects are generally more difficult to classify for this reason, but the naming of the new genus represents significant headway. Still, it’s just a small step toward taxonomists' goal of creating a more comprehensive and accurate map of all living things. Along with Saurona, the scientists in the paper also named the genus Argentaria (meaning “silver mine”), for the silver-scaled wings of its members. The naming of these genera serve another purpose besides being more granular in a field that requires the minutest distinctions. Naming a genus or other taxonomic classification with a pop culture reference helps bring more attention to the species it covers as well as the challenges scientists face in classifying them. It also makes it easier for laypeople to remember and care about the species, which is especially important if the genus in question includes threatened or endangered animals. Of course, if you’re trying to prove you’re the biggest fan of something, it’s also a stroke of genus.
[Image description: A brown butterfly with eye spots.] Credit & copyright: Ylanite Koppens, Pexels -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
New data from the American Gaming Association show that revenues for the legal gambling industry totaled almost $17 billion in just the first three months of...
New data from the American Gaming Association show that revenues for the legal gambling industry totaled almost $17 billion in just the first three months of...
May 21, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 21, 2023\GAM-ut\ noun
What It Means
A gamut is a range or series of related things. When we say that something “runs th...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 21, 2023\GAM-ut\ noun
What It Means
A gamut is a range or series of related things. When we say that something “runs th...
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FREEPolitical Science PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Americans are hearing a lot about our government’s debt ceiling lately, and a lot of us are worried about default. Exactly what is the debt ceiling, and why is it so important that it be raised? The debt ceiling is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a limit to the amount of money the U.S. government is allowed to borrow. It was created during World War I by Congress through the Second Liberty Bond Act of 1917 in order to allow the Treasury Department greater discretion in borrowing money for the war effort.
The U.S. has been in debt for nearly its entire existence because it runs a deficit almost every year, meaning that the government spends more than it earns through various means like taxes, customs, and other sources of revenue. The only exception was in 2001, but even so, it’s never been an issue because the U.S. has never gone into default on its debt. While it may be something of a precarious legislative dance, the raising of the debt ceiling to prevent the U.S. government from defaulting has become a fairly routine matter. Congress has raised the debt ceiling 49 times under a Republican president and 29 times under a Democratic president since 1960. The last time it was raised was back in 2021 to $31.4 trillion, which was just met in January of this year. It now needs to be raised yet again, but the U.S.’s political system is doing what it does best: causing delays. The debt ceiling is often used as leverage for a party to make demands regarding other legislative issues, and it rarely gets raised without some sort of compromise. That’s where Congress is right now, with the two parties unable to agree on a budget and how it will be spent. It has left many wondering what would happen if an agreement can’t be reached. The answer is complicated, but it could eventually result in a cascade of catastrophes that would devastate the U.S. economy.
In 2011, the last time the U.S. took too long to raise the debt ceiling, ratings agencies downgraded the credit rating of the US from AAA to AA+. That could happen again depending on how long it takes Congress this time, but even if they vote against raising the debt ceiling, there won’t be an immediate effect. Per the official projection released by the Congressional Budget Office, there may be enough funds left to last until September of this year, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen believes that money could run out by June 5. Once funds run dry, the US would default on its debts. Unable to pay all its bills, it would no longer be able to pay for things like government salaries, Social Security, Medicare benefits, tax refunds, and other payments.
Defaulting would also affect everyone who bought securities sold by the U.S. government, like bonds. The U.S. sells bonds to pay for its deficits, and bond buyers are paid back after a set period for their purchase plus interest. If the U.S. is unable to pay back bond buyers, it would have to pay back higher interest rates, meaning more money spent down the road. And, of course, the U.S. government’s credit rating would be downgraded, making it more difficult to borrow money in the future. Because the U.S. debt is owned by many parties and affects the value of the U.S. dollar, a default could have negative repercussions worldwide. Within the U.S., consumer loans would see a rise in interest rates, potentially leading to a recession. Since the U.S. dollar plays a pivotal role in global trade, a decrease in the value of the dollar could devastate foreign economies.
Still, it’s more likely than not that Congress will reach an agreement and vote to raise the debt ceiling. After all, political posturing about the debt ceiling has happened before, while default never has. That doesn't mean that anything is guaranteed, however. So, here’s hoping that Congress gets a move on.
[Image description: A roll of five-dollar bills on an American flag.] Credit & copyright: Karolina Grabowska, PexelsAmericans are hearing a lot about our government’s debt ceiling lately, and a lot of us are worried about default. Exactly what is the debt ceiling, and why is it so important that it be raised? The debt ceiling is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a limit to the amount of money the U.S. government is allowed to borrow. It was created during World War I by Congress through the Second Liberty Bond Act of 1917 in order to allow the Treasury Department greater discretion in borrowing money for the war effort.
The U.S. has been in debt for nearly its entire existence because it runs a deficit almost every year, meaning that the government spends more than it earns through various means like taxes, customs, and other sources of revenue. The only exception was in 2001, but even so, it’s never been an issue because the U.S. has never gone into default on its debt. While it may be something of a precarious legislative dance, the raising of the debt ceiling to prevent the U.S. government from defaulting has become a fairly routine matter. Congress has raised the debt ceiling 49 times under a Republican president and 29 times under a Democratic president since 1960. The last time it was raised was back in 2021 to $31.4 trillion, which was just met in January of this year. It now needs to be raised yet again, but the U.S.’s political system is doing what it does best: causing delays. The debt ceiling is often used as leverage for a party to make demands regarding other legislative issues, and it rarely gets raised without some sort of compromise. That’s where Congress is right now, with the two parties unable to agree on a budget and how it will be spent. It has left many wondering what would happen if an agreement can’t be reached. The answer is complicated, but it could eventually result in a cascade of catastrophes that would devastate the U.S. economy.
In 2011, the last time the U.S. took too long to raise the debt ceiling, ratings agencies downgraded the credit rating of the US from AAA to AA+. That could happen again depending on how long it takes Congress this time, but even if they vote against raising the debt ceiling, there won’t be an immediate effect. Per the official projection released by the Congressional Budget Office, there may be enough funds left to last until September of this year, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen believes that money could run out by June 5. Once funds run dry, the US would default on its debts. Unable to pay all its bills, it would no longer be able to pay for things like government salaries, Social Security, Medicare benefits, tax refunds, and other payments.
Defaulting would also affect everyone who bought securities sold by the U.S. government, like bonds. The U.S. sells bonds to pay for its deficits, and bond buyers are paid back after a set period for their purchase plus interest. If the U.S. is unable to pay back bond buyers, it would have to pay back higher interest rates, meaning more money spent down the road. And, of course, the U.S. government’s credit rating would be downgraded, making it more difficult to borrow money in the future. Because the U.S. debt is owned by many parties and affects the value of the U.S. dollar, a default could have negative repercussions worldwide. Within the U.S., consumer loans would see a rise in interest rates, potentially leading to a recession. Since the U.S. dollar plays a pivotal role in global trade, a decrease in the value of the dollar could devastate foreign economies.
Still, it’s more likely than not that Congress will reach an agreement and vote to raise the debt ceiling. After all, political posturing about the debt ceiling has happened before, while default never has. That doesn't mean that anything is guaranteed, however. So, here’s hoping that Congress gets a move on.
[Image description: A roll of five-dollar bills on an American flag.] Credit & copyright: Karolina Grabowska, Pexels -
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Russian diamonds are being added to the latest round of sanctions as the leaders of the G-7 nations meet in Hiroshima, Japan. The...
From the BBC World Service: Russian diamonds are being added to the latest round of sanctions as the leaders of the G-7 nations meet in Hiroshima, Japan. The...
