Curio Cabinet
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March 7, 2021
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 7, 2021
meticulous \muh-TIK-yuh-lus\ adjective
Definition
: marked by extreme or excessive care in the consideration or treatment ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 7, 2021
meticulous \muh-TIK-yuh-lus\ adjective
Definition
: marked by extreme or excessive care in the consideration or treatment ...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says the European Union’s medicines regulator is too slow at approving vaccines. Also, how wil...
From the BBC World Service: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says the European Union’s medicines regulator is too slow at approving vaccines. Also, how wil...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
The multibillion-dollar Danish company Velux is pledging to address its legacy emissions dating back to 1941 through forest conservation projects in places l...
with PRI's The WorldThe multibillion-dollar Danish company Velux is pledging to address its legacy emissions dating back to 1941 through forest conservation projects in places l...
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FREELiterature PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Anyone who was raised off-the-grid and goes on to obtain a PhD from Cambridge University surely has an amazing story to tell. American author Tara Westover did just that. In her 2018 memoir Educated, Westover recalls an early life without access to public school, vaccinations, or her own birth certificate. In the years since Educated debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, Westover has pointed out that her experiences are indicative of the divide between rural and urban America, and could help explain the country's shifting political landscape.
On September 27, 1986, Westover was born at her rural childhood home in Clifton Idaho, with no doctor present. Her parents, who already had 6 other children, were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father, Gene, believed himself to be a prophet. Their specific church sect encouraged distrust in the federal government, education, and modern medicine, so Westover's family lived as survivalists or "preppers". The family grew their own food and stockpiled fuel and other resources for an upcoming apocalypse. Westover and her siblings were denied medical care, even when seriously ill or injured. Westover's mother, Faye, served as their only "doctor" and "teacher", treating them with alternative medicine and providing loose homeschooling, although Westover relied on an older brother to teach her how to read. Her home did not have a television, but did have a few textbooks, which she read by the time she was a teenager. Desperate to become educated, Westover obtained her freedom one piece at a time, saving up money to buy textbooks which she studied thoroughly enough to get a good score on her ACT exam. Even without a highschool diploma, Westover managed to gain admission to Brigham Young University, in Utah.
Adjusting to college life and the modern world was difficult. "One of my first lectures, I raised my hand and asked what the Holocaust was because I had never heard of it," Westover said, during an interview with NPR. Despite the rough start, Westover managed to get good grades, and graduated with honors in 2008. The following year, she traveled to the UK, became a graduate student at Trinity College Cambridge, and began writing what would eventually become her memoir. During her time as a graduate student, Westover became estranged from her family, since her manuscript detailed her abuse at the hands of one of her brothers, which her parents denied. Westover went on to earn both a Masters Degree and PhD in intellectual theory from Cambridge. In 2018, Educated was published to instant acclaim.
Unlike many memoirs detailing an author's escape from a fundamentalist upbringing, Educated focuses on Westover's tenacious pursuit of an education as the thing which changed her life. That a woman raised by survivalists in rural Idaho could end up living as a bestselling author in London may seem unbelievable, to some. But according to Westover, her story has more to teach readers than just the ins and outs of her own life. In a 2019 interview with The Atlantic, Westover stated that the U.S.'s quality-of-life divide between rural areas and cities, which she has experienced firsthand, has led to the country's current political schism. People in rural areas, she explained, distrust the government due to the economic hardship they endure. Moreover, people in cities look down on those in rural communities. Westover refers to this state as "poor political hygiene," and cautions against making "caricatures" of people across the political aisle. "We think that because we know someone is pro-choice or pro-life, or that they drive a truck or a Prius, we know everything we need to know about them. Human detail gets lost in the algorithm. Thus humanity gives way to ideology," she explained. The only solution, as far as she is concerned? Empathy—especially for those living in places hit hardest by economic strife. "You look at where the holes are in Obamacare—they’re in rural areas. You look at where the opioid epidemic hit hard—it’s in rural areas. You look at educational outcomes for rural kids—they’re troubling, every report. These facts should be the foundation of our empathy, not of our contempt." Of course, only time will tell if the U.S. is interested in "cleaning up" its political discourse and achieving some level of unity.
[Image description: American author Tara Westover, wearing a black jacket and grey shirt, sits in front of a grey background.] Credit & copyright: Lauren Margit Jones.
Written by: Maria C.Anyone who was raised off-the-grid and goes on to obtain a PhD from Cambridge University surely has an amazing story to tell. American author Tara Westover did just that. In her 2018 memoir Educated, Westover recalls an early life without access to public school, vaccinations, or her own birth certificate. In the years since Educated debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, Westover has pointed out that her experiences are indicative of the divide between rural and urban America, and could help explain the country's shifting political landscape.
On September 27, 1986, Westover was born at her rural childhood home in Clifton Idaho, with no doctor present. Her parents, who already had 6 other children, were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father, Gene, believed himself to be a prophet. Their specific church sect encouraged distrust in the federal government, education, and modern medicine, so Westover's family lived as survivalists or "preppers". The family grew their own food and stockpiled fuel and other resources for an upcoming apocalypse. Westover and her siblings were denied medical care, even when seriously ill or injured. Westover's mother, Faye, served as their only "doctor" and "teacher", treating them with alternative medicine and providing loose homeschooling, although Westover relied on an older brother to teach her how to read. Her home did not have a television, but did have a few textbooks, which she read by the time she was a teenager. Desperate to become educated, Westover obtained her freedom one piece at a time, saving up money to buy textbooks which she studied thoroughly enough to get a good score on her ACT exam. Even without a highschool diploma, Westover managed to gain admission to Brigham Young University, in Utah.
Adjusting to college life and the modern world was difficult. "One of my first lectures, I raised my hand and asked what the Holocaust was because I had never heard of it," Westover said, during an interview with NPR. Despite the rough start, Westover managed to get good grades, and graduated with honors in 2008. The following year, she traveled to the UK, became a graduate student at Trinity College Cambridge, and began writing what would eventually become her memoir. During her time as a graduate student, Westover became estranged from her family, since her manuscript detailed her abuse at the hands of one of her brothers, which her parents denied. Westover went on to earn both a Masters Degree and PhD in intellectual theory from Cambridge. In 2018, Educated was published to instant acclaim.
Unlike many memoirs detailing an author's escape from a fundamentalist upbringing, Educated focuses on Westover's tenacious pursuit of an education as the thing which changed her life. That a woman raised by survivalists in rural Idaho could end up living as a bestselling author in London may seem unbelievable, to some. But according to Westover, her story has more to teach readers than just the ins and outs of her own life. In a 2019 interview with The Atlantic, Westover stated that the U.S.'s quality-of-life divide between rural areas and cities, which she has experienced firsthand, has led to the country's current political schism. People in rural areas, she explained, distrust the government due to the economic hardship they endure. Moreover, people in cities look down on those in rural communities. Westover refers to this state as "poor political hygiene," and cautions against making "caricatures" of people across the political aisle. "We think that because we know someone is pro-choice or pro-life, or that they drive a truck or a Prius, we know everything we need to know about them. Human detail gets lost in the algorithm. Thus humanity gives way to ideology," she explained. The only solution, as far as she is concerned? Empathy—especially for those living in places hit hardest by economic strife. "You look at where the holes are in Obamacare—they’re in rural areas. You look at where the opioid epidemic hit hard—it’s in rural areas. You look at educational outcomes for rural kids—they’re troubling, every report. These facts should be the foundation of our empathy, not of our contempt." Of course, only time will tell if the U.S. is interested in "cleaning up" its political discourse and achieving some level of unity.
[Image description: American author Tara Westover, wearing a black jacket and grey shirt, sits in front of a grey background.] Credit & copyright: Lauren Margit Jones.
Written by: Maria C.
March 6, 2021
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 6, 2021
impunity \im-PYOO-nuh-tee\ noun
Definition
: exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss
Did You Know?
Impunity ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 6, 2021
impunity \im-PYOO-nuh-tee\ noun
Definition
: exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss
Did You Know?
Impunity ...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Sky-high electricity bills for utilities and individual customers alike as a result of the deadly power outage last month, and how Texas is dealing with them...
Sky-high electricity bills for utilities and individual customers alike as a result of the deadly power outage last month, and how Texas is dealing with them...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Pope Francis’ historic, three-day tour of the country will include meetings with political and religious leaders plus visits to historical sites.
with PRI's The WorldPope Francis’ historic, three-day tour of the country will include meetings with political and religious leaders plus visits to historical sites.
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #276Free1 CQ
Tara Westover is the author of our Book of the Month. Tune in tomorrow to learn more about her career.
In her memoir, Educated, Tara Westover describes her childhood in a survivalist Mormon family in a rural Idaho mountain town. Despite never attending high school, Westover gets accepted to Brigham Young University, and eventually studies abroad at Cambridge University. Recalling these events forces Westover to reckon with her complicated past. But before we give any more away, go check out Educated for yourself! In the meantime, can you solve today's teaser?
Directions: This is a 12 letter English word.
(The original word) Nostalgia.
(Remove the first 4 letters) Something to feign.
(Remove the last 4 letters & add 4 more at the beginning) Pining, and then some.
(Remove the first letter) Tennis score of zero.
What's the original word?
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #276" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
[Image description: Curious Teaser Logo, a pink brain graphic overlaid on a blue virtual maze.]
Tara Westover is the author of our Book of the Month. Tune in tomorrow to learn more about her career.
In her memoir, Educated, Tara Westover describes her childhood in a survivalist Mormon family in a rural Idaho mountain town. Despite never attending high school, Westover gets accepted to Brigham Young University, and eventually studies abroad at Cambridge University. Recalling these events forces Westover to reckon with her complicated past. But before we give any more away, go check out Educated for yourself! In the meantime, can you solve today's teaser?
Directions: This is a 12 letter English word.
(The original word) Nostalgia.
(Remove the first 4 letters) Something to feign.
(Remove the last 4 letters & add 4 more at the beginning) Pining, and then some.
(Remove the first letter) Tennis score of zero.
What's the original word?
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #276" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
[Image description: Curious Teaser Logo, a pink brain graphic overlaid on a blue virtual maze.]
March 5, 2021
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The ruling effectively ends a decadeslong debate over citizenship status in the largest tribe in the country.
with PRI's The WorldThe ruling effectively ends a decadeslong debate over citizenship status in the largest tribe in the country.
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
You know, special purpose acquisition companies: the way to take a company public and create a new stock that’s all the rage in 2021. Plus, a look at job pos...
You know, special purpose acquisition companies: the way to take a company public and create a new stock that’s all the rage in 2021. Plus, a look at job pos...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 5, 2021
abhor \ub-HOR\ verb
Definition
: to regard with extreme repugnance : to feel hatred or loathing for : loathe
Did You Know...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 5, 2021
abhor \ub-HOR\ verb
Definition
: to regard with extreme repugnance : to feel hatred or loathing for : loathe
Did You Know...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
For Totó La Momposina, music isn't just a family tradition—it's how she preserves the many histories of ancient and modern Columbian cultures. One of her signature songs, El Pescador ("The Fisherman"), shows off what she learned as a young musician while traveling from village to village in Colombia, learning songs of the cantadoras, or peasant women singers. In many cases, the women would sing to set the pace of a group task, like making food or cleaning clothes in a river; in turn, the men would play drums from hollowed-out tree trunks. In El Pescador, the results are a display of call-and-response oral traditions and cumbia dances—according to Momposina's website, the latter of which "originated as a courting dance between African men and Indian women at the time when the two communities began to mix." Momposina's dedication to bringing these types of songs to the world stage hasn't just made her a beloved icon of Colombian music, but also an internationally-respected singer who has been sampled by producer Timbaland, and even accompanied Gabriel García Márquez to Sweden in 1982 to perform at his Nobel Prize ceremony. For Totó La Momposina's 78th birthday tomorrow, we're casting our nets, throwing out lines, and enjoying the magic she brings to one of her best-known songs.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Real World Records
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
For Totó La Momposina, music isn't just a family tradition—it's how she preserves the many histories of ancient and modern Columbian cultures. One of her signature songs, El Pescador ("The Fisherman"), shows off what she learned as a young musician while traveling from village to village in Colombia, learning songs of the cantadoras, or peasant women singers. In many cases, the women would sing to set the pace of a group task, like making food or cleaning clothes in a river; in turn, the men would play drums from hollowed-out tree trunks. In El Pescador, the results are a display of call-and-response oral traditions and cumbia dances—according to Momposina's website, the latter of which "originated as a courting dance between African men and Indian women at the time when the two communities began to mix." Momposina's dedication to bringing these types of songs to the world stage hasn't just made her a beloved icon of Colombian music, but also an internationally-respected singer who has been sampled by producer Timbaland, and even accompanied Gabriel García Márquez to Sweden in 1982 to perform at his Nobel Prize ceremony. For Totó La Momposina's 78th birthday tomorrow, we're casting our nets, throwing out lines, and enjoying the magic she brings to one of her best-known songs.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Real World Records
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Pink Rangers, assemble! These women may look like body doubles from the Power Rangers film, but they're actually Afghan martial artists-in-training. Sima Azimi, center, is the country's first female wushu trainer. Her pink entourage is comprised of dedicated students ranging from ages 14 to 20. These girls, part of the liberal-leaning Hazara community in Kabul, are definitely a minority in Afghanistan; most communities strictly prohibit women from partaking in sports. Azimi only learned the Chinese martial arts form as a refugee in Iran. Now she's using her knowledge to help end violence against women in her homeland. Paying it forward never looked so fierce.
Image credit & copyright: Wakil Kohsar
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Pink Rangers, assemble! These women may look like body doubles from the Power Rangers film, but they're actually Afghan martial artists-in-training. Sima Azimi, center, is the country's first female wushu trainer. Her pink entourage is comprised of dedicated students ranging from ages 14 to 20. These girls, part of the liberal-leaning Hazara community in Kabul, are definitely a minority in Afghanistan; most communities strictly prohibit women from partaking in sports. Azimi only learned the Chinese martial arts form as a refugee in Iran. Now she's using her knowledge to help end violence against women in her homeland. Paying it forward never looked so fierce.
Image credit & copyright: Wakil Kohsar
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It's no secret that Photoshopped advertisements can offer skewed perspectives of women. For contemporary artist Harriete Estel Berman, women in advertisements are actually a source of endless curiosity and artistic inspiration. In the above Famous Selection she repurposes "vintage steel dollhouses" and tins from bygone products to craft an elaborate picture frame. Famous Selection is part of a series called The Deceiver and the Deceived, which combines 140 images of early 20th-century women from steel-encased containers. The outer frame of Selection features busy floral prints, and the interior fan shape was created with a sheet metal break; for Berman, depicting hyper-feminine images with industrial machine techniques is a way to push boundaries around gendered expectations. The title of Selection itself comes from a brand of Danish butter cookies which featured stereotypical women selling the sweet treats, with no thought given to what the images would teach men and women — and young boys and girls — about the ways women are to supposed to behave. "Who is the deceiver and who is the deceived in our society," Berman asks, "when women are portrayed as 'pure, alluring, refreshing, and delicious, good as homemade?'"
Below: more of Berman's framed The Deceiver and the Deceived pieces, including Pure Delicious and Refreshing, Consuming Good Taste, and Reality Studded with Thorns Hides the Front Door From the Street.
Image credit & copyright: Harriete Estel Berman
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It's no secret that Photoshopped advertisements can offer skewed perspectives of women. For contemporary artist Harriete Estel Berman, women in advertisements are actually a source of endless curiosity and artistic inspiration. In the above Famous Selection she repurposes "vintage steel dollhouses" and tins from bygone products to craft an elaborate picture frame. Famous Selection is part of a series called The Deceiver and the Deceived, which combines 140 images of early 20th-century women from steel-encased containers. The outer frame of Selection features busy floral prints, and the interior fan shape was created with a sheet metal break; for Berman, depicting hyper-feminine images with industrial machine techniques is a way to push boundaries around gendered expectations. The title of Selection itself comes from a brand of Danish butter cookies which featured stereotypical women selling the sweet treats, with no thought given to what the images would teach men and women — and young boys and girls — about the ways women are to supposed to behave. "Who is the deceiver and who is the deceived in our society," Berman asks, "when women are portrayed as 'pure, alluring, refreshing, and delicious, good as homemade?'"
Below: more of Berman's framed The Deceiver and the Deceived pieces, including Pure Delicious and Refreshing, Consuming Good Taste, and Reality Studded with Thorns Hides the Front Door From the Street.
Image credit & copyright: Harriete Estel Berman
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FREEUS History Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Now these are a group of Amazons who can really get down and loud with International Women's Day. That's right, the Working Women's Union or the "Shouting Amazons" as they were dubbed by The Chicago Tribune, championed an eight-hour workday, the abolition of child labor, equal pay for equal work, and scaled income tax. On May 3, 1886, the women led a peaceful march through downtown Chicago as part of a larger labor rally. Several hundred women and girls, mostly seamstresses from a local cloak factory, jubilantly marched down the streets singing, "Eight Hours," a song with lyrics like, "We mean to make things over, we are tired of toil for naught / With but bare enough to live upon, and never an hour for thought." Like many in the working-class, the women toiled in hazardous conditions for 10 to 12 hours a day and paltry pay. The protestors' ebullience quickly dampened that evening when police attacked demonstrators at the nearby McCormick Reaping company. The next morning, May 4, 1886, laborers gathered in Haymarket Square to protest the police brutality. During the rally, someone threw a bomb, killing seven officers and four protestors. These events, known as the "Haymarket affair," invigorated labor reformers around the world. In 1889, the Marxist International Social Congress established International Workers' Day on May 1 in honor of the Chicago laborers. President Cleveland signed the federal holiday into law in 1894, but selected the first Monday in September to avoid the movement's socialist, communist, and anarchist roots. So today, as you're enjoying respite from a 40-hour workweek, raise a glass to the Shouting Amazons.
Image credit & copyright: Women delegates to the 1886 Convention of the Knights of Labor, Library of Congress, 1886
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Now these are a group of Amazons who can really get down and loud with International Women's Day. That's right, the Working Women's Union or the "Shouting Amazons" as they were dubbed by The Chicago Tribune, championed an eight-hour workday, the abolition of child labor, equal pay for equal work, and scaled income tax. On May 3, 1886, the women led a peaceful march through downtown Chicago as part of a larger labor rally. Several hundred women and girls, mostly seamstresses from a local cloak factory, jubilantly marched down the streets singing, "Eight Hours," a song with lyrics like, "We mean to make things over, we are tired of toil for naught / With but bare enough to live upon, and never an hour for thought." Like many in the working-class, the women toiled in hazardous conditions for 10 to 12 hours a day and paltry pay. The protestors' ebullience quickly dampened that evening when police attacked demonstrators at the nearby McCormick Reaping company. The next morning, May 4, 1886, laborers gathered in Haymarket Square to protest the police brutality. During the rally, someone threw a bomb, killing seven officers and four protestors. These events, known as the "Haymarket affair," invigorated labor reformers around the world. In 1889, the Marxist International Social Congress established International Workers' Day on May 1 in honor of the Chicago laborers. President Cleveland signed the federal holiday into law in 1894, but selected the first Monday in September to avoid the movement's socialist, communist, and anarchist roots. So today, as you're enjoying respite from a 40-hour workweek, raise a glass to the Shouting Amazons.
Image credit & copyright: Women delegates to the 1886 Convention of the Knights of Labor, Library of Congress, 1886
March 4, 2021
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7 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Although some Serbians see it as a big win for the country — and a rare victory at that — others are critical of what they see as the politicization of vacci...
with PRI's The WorldAlthough some Serbians see it as a big win for the country — and a rare victory at that — others are critical of what they see as the politicization of vacci...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
President Joe Biden is apparently backing a compromise in the Senate that makes fewer people eligible for $1,400 dollar relief checks. Plus, just how high we...
President Joe Biden is apparently backing a compromise in the Senate that makes fewer people eligible for $1,400 dollar relief checks. Plus, just how high we...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 4, 2021
smorgasbord \SMOR-gus-bord\ noun
Definition
1 : a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (such a...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 4, 2021
smorgasbord \SMOR-gus-bord\ noun
Definition
1 : a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (such a...
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2194Free1 CQ
There's a face you don't see every day! For the past year, things have been rough for residents of long-term care facilities who have been largely cut off from in-person visits with friends and family due to fears of Covid-19 infection. But some visitors are capable of spreading good cheer even through the barrier of a window. The Chartwell Parkhill Long Term Care Residence in Ontario, Canada has been getting visits from three "therapy alpacas": Ned, Floyd, and Jimmy. Raised miles away at Sylvan Alpacas farm in Parkhill, Ontario, these alpacas patrol the outside of the care facility. They stop at each resident's window to say hello. The alpacas' owners, Nick and Steph Ince, got the idea for alpaca visits after noticing how intrigued their fuzzy friends were with windows. "The alpacas are kind of funny because when they see their reflection, they're really intrigued," Nick Ince said, in one interview. "They love to explore and look inside things, so they naturally want to look in the windows and it becomes really personal for the people inside."
Alpacas are also perfect for the job because they tend to be naturally friendly. Although they're often mistaken for llamas, alpacas have a much different disposition. Without special training, llamas can be territorial and afraid of new experiences. Alpacas, on the other hand, tend to be inquisitive and unafraid of people. They are also more hesitant to spit at people, ensuring that residents' windows stay clean during visits! Residents have also had the chance to send questions about the alpacas, such as "how long do they live?" and "how do you care for them?", via letters and email. According to the Inces, the hardest part of the Alpaca visits is moving the animals from one window to the next, since residents are often sad to watch them go. The good news is, even though the alpacas visited for the first time in January, they're already wildly popular, and are scheduled to come back for more visits—not just at Chartwell Parkhill, but at two other nearby care facilities. I don't know about you, but a trip to Canada post-pandemic to see these furry friends sounds pretty adorable. Alpaca my bags!
An elderly woman with glasses smiles at a brown alpaca through a care facility window. Credit & copyright: Chartwell Parkhill
Written by: Maria C.There's a face you don't see every day! For the past year, things have been rough for residents of long-term care facilities who have been largely cut off from in-person visits with friends and family due to fears of Covid-19 infection. But some visitors are capable of spreading good cheer even through the barrier of a window. The Chartwell Parkhill Long Term Care Residence in Ontario, Canada has been getting visits from three "therapy alpacas": Ned, Floyd, and Jimmy. Raised miles away at Sylvan Alpacas farm in Parkhill, Ontario, these alpacas patrol the outside of the care facility. They stop at each resident's window to say hello. The alpacas' owners, Nick and Steph Ince, got the idea for alpaca visits after noticing how intrigued their fuzzy friends were with windows. "The alpacas are kind of funny because when they see their reflection, they're really intrigued," Nick Ince said, in one interview. "They love to explore and look inside things, so they naturally want to look in the windows and it becomes really personal for the people inside."
Alpacas are also perfect for the job because they tend to be naturally friendly. Although they're often mistaken for llamas, alpacas have a much different disposition. Without special training, llamas can be territorial and afraid of new experiences. Alpacas, on the other hand, tend to be inquisitive and unafraid of people. They are also more hesitant to spit at people, ensuring that residents' windows stay clean during visits! Residents have also had the chance to send questions about the alpacas, such as "how long do they live?" and "how do you care for them?", via letters and email. According to the Inces, the hardest part of the Alpaca visits is moving the animals from one window to the next, since residents are often sad to watch them go. The good news is, even though the alpacas visited for the first time in January, they're already wildly popular, and are scheduled to come back for more visits—not just at Chartwell Parkhill, but at two other nearby care facilities. I don't know about you, but a trip to Canada post-pandemic to see these furry friends sounds pretty adorable. Alpaca my bags!
An elderly woman with glasses smiles at a brown alpaca through a care facility window. Credit & copyright: Chartwell Parkhill
Written by: Maria C. -
FREENerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Alright, who ordered the roast duck and cauliflower skewers with a side of Mount Vesuvius eruption? This past month, archaeologists uncovered a frescoed street food stand in the ancient city of Pompeii near Naples, Italy. The well-preserved artifact was known then as a thermopolium or "hot drinks counter" in Latin. There is a fresco painting of a sea nymph in blue hues to the left of the stall; at the forefront are images of chickens and ducks which may indicate what was on the menu in 79 C.E.: remnants of poultry as well as pig, goat, and snails were found in clay pots at the site along with containers for wine. Researchers have uncovered about 165 acres of Pompeii's remains, which were buried under Mount Vesuvius' volcanic debris. The food stalls and their contents will provide further insights into the daily diets of ancient Roman culture. But what we really want to know is what time the food chariots came around to serve lunch!
Image credit & copyright: Pompeii Archaeological Park/Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism/Luigi Spina/Handout via REUTERS
Written by: Esther P.Alright, who ordered the roast duck and cauliflower skewers with a side of Mount Vesuvius eruption? This past month, archaeologists uncovered a frescoed street food stand in the ancient city of Pompeii near Naples, Italy. The well-preserved artifact was known then as a thermopolium or "hot drinks counter" in Latin. There is a fresco painting of a sea nymph in blue hues to the left of the stall; at the forefront are images of chickens and ducks which may indicate what was on the menu in 79 C.E.: remnants of poultry as well as pig, goat, and snails were found in clay pots at the site along with containers for wine. Researchers have uncovered about 165 acres of Pompeii's remains, which were buried under Mount Vesuvius' volcanic debris. The food stalls and their contents will provide further insights into the daily diets of ancient Roman culture. But what we really want to know is what time the food chariots came around to serve lunch!
Image credit & copyright: Pompeii Archaeological Park/Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism/Luigi Spina/Handout via REUTERS
Written by: Esther P.
March 3, 2021
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who controls the U.K.’s purse strings, unveils the latest budget proposal today. Plus, a review of Britis...
From the BBC World Service: Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who controls the U.K.’s purse strings, unveils the latest budget proposal today. Plus, a review of Britis...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 3, 2021
contaminate \kun-TAM-uh-nayt\ verb
Definition
1 a : to soil, stain, corrupt, or infect by contact or association
b : to m...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 3, 2021
contaminate \kun-TAM-uh-nayt\ verb
Definition
1 a : to soil, stain, corrupt, or infect by contact or association
b : to m...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Aspern Seestadt — home to various industries, researchers and small businesses — demonstrates the possibilities for building an entirely green mini-city.
with PRI's The WorldAspern Seestadt — home to various industries, researchers and small businesses — demonstrates the possibilities for building an entirely green mini-city.
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #2193Free1 CQ
Punxsutawney Phil isn't the only one hiding this winter—so is the flu. In the United States, the flu arrives with colder weather. Although there's no fixed start and stop date, flu season historically peaks between October and February. This year, the Center for Disease Control reports a shockingly-low number of cases: of 800,000 laboratory samples taken and tested for the flu, only 1,500 have been positive. That's 0.2 percent. The Mayo Clinic reports similar results. Out of 20,000 flu tests run, zero have been positive. Their director of clinical virology, Dr. Matthew Binnicker, called it "absolutely remarkable." In case you're wondering, the clinic has run 10 times as many tests this season because all patients with respiratory symptoms are being screened for both the flu and Covid-19.
The flu, or influenza virus, has four types: A, B, C, and D. Although influenza A and B are the usual suspects for seasonal epidemics, only type A has caused pandemics. (Type C can cause mild symptoms, and Type D infects cattle.) Type A spreads through droplets, attaching to the host's cells in the nasal and throat passages. Its hemagglutinin (HA) surface proteins bind to human cells' sialic acid receptors. This bond allows the virus to penetrate and infect the cell. The flu's neuraminidase (NA) proteins allow the virus to move to the host cell. Both HA and NA are antigens, triggering a response by our immune systems to produce antibodies and block infection. There are 17 subtypes of HA, and 11 subtypes of NA—meaning there are 198 possible combinations of influenza A viruses, although only 131 have been detected in nature. This is one of the reasons the flu vaccination isn't consistently effective. Scientists hypothesize which strains will be prevalent and base the vaccine on that information. An additional challenge is that the flu virus is constantly changing. The flu can change in two ways: antigenic drift and antigenic shift. Antigenic drift is a small change in the surface proteins HA and NA, whereas antigenic shift is a major change resulting in a new strain. This was the case with the H1N1 virus (swine flu) epidemic in 2009.
There are several reasons why the flu has likely been in hiding this year. First, health professionals advocated for flu vaccinations as a way to reduce the load on health systems. This campaign has been successful, with over 190 million flu vaccines having been distributed. Second, many people have been practicing social distancing measures, increasing their hand washing routines, and wearing masks. These measures have led to a 91% decrease in flu activity. During the 2019-2020 flu season, 22,000 people died from the virus. This season, that number is around 300. While experts predict the flu will eventually return, at least for now, we have one small victory.
[Image description: An illustration of the flu virus.] Credit & copyright: Shutterstock.Punxsutawney Phil isn't the only one hiding this winter—so is the flu. In the United States, the flu arrives with colder weather. Although there's no fixed start and stop date, flu season historically peaks between October and February. This year, the Center for Disease Control reports a shockingly-low number of cases: of 800,000 laboratory samples taken and tested for the flu, only 1,500 have been positive. That's 0.2 percent. The Mayo Clinic reports similar results. Out of 20,000 flu tests run, zero have been positive. Their director of clinical virology, Dr. Matthew Binnicker, called it "absolutely remarkable." In case you're wondering, the clinic has run 10 times as many tests this season because all patients with respiratory symptoms are being screened for both the flu and Covid-19.
The flu, or influenza virus, has four types: A, B, C, and D. Although influenza A and B are the usual suspects for seasonal epidemics, only type A has caused pandemics. (Type C can cause mild symptoms, and Type D infects cattle.) Type A spreads through droplets, attaching to the host's cells in the nasal and throat passages. Its hemagglutinin (HA) surface proteins bind to human cells' sialic acid receptors. This bond allows the virus to penetrate and infect the cell. The flu's neuraminidase (NA) proteins allow the virus to move to the host cell. Both HA and NA are antigens, triggering a response by our immune systems to produce antibodies and block infection. There are 17 subtypes of HA, and 11 subtypes of NA—meaning there are 198 possible combinations of influenza A viruses, although only 131 have been detected in nature. This is one of the reasons the flu vaccination isn't consistently effective. Scientists hypothesize which strains will be prevalent and base the vaccine on that information. An additional challenge is that the flu virus is constantly changing. The flu can change in two ways: antigenic drift and antigenic shift. Antigenic drift is a small change in the surface proteins HA and NA, whereas antigenic shift is a major change resulting in a new strain. This was the case with the H1N1 virus (swine flu) epidemic in 2009.
There are several reasons why the flu has likely been in hiding this year. First, health professionals advocated for flu vaccinations as a way to reduce the load on health systems. This campaign has been successful, with over 190 million flu vaccines having been distributed. Second, many people have been practicing social distancing measures, increasing their hand washing routines, and wearing masks. These measures have led to a 91% decrease in flu activity. During the 2019-2020 flu season, 22,000 people died from the virus. This season, that number is around 300. While experts predict the flu will eventually return, at least for now, we have one small victory.
[Image description: An illustration of the flu virus.] Credit & copyright: Shutterstock.
March 2, 2021
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning that the hypersonic rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has brought more crooks into the mix. Plus, high...
New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning that the hypersonic rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has brought more crooks into the mix. Plus, high...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : March 2, 2021
organoleptic \or-guh-noh-LEP-tik\ adjective
Definition
1 : being, affecting, or relating to qualities (such as taste, colo...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 2, 2021
organoleptic \or-guh-noh-LEP-tik\ adjective
Definition
1 : being, affecting, or relating to qualities (such as taste, colo...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
In Germany, the pandemic has ushered in a new crop of vocabulary words like impfneid, the feeling of resentment that other people are getting vaccinated befo...
with PRI's The WorldIn Germany, the pandemic has ushered in a new crop of vocabulary words like impfneid, the feeling of resentment that other people are getting vaccinated befo...
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #2192Free1 CQ
The lack of presidential pets in the White House over the last four years was pretty unusual. President Joe Biden's inauguration was also a celebration for animal lovers who welcomed his two German Shepherds, Champ and Major, and the presence of pets back in the White House. Major is also the first shelter-adopted dog to live on the grounds, an event marked by his former caretakers at the Delaware Humane Association with an "Indoguration" ceremony and fundraiser on Zoom. The event had over 7,500 virtual attendees, and raised $200,000. The two shepherds have even earned the Twitter hashtag #DOTUS, and have a fan account called The Oval Pawffice to track their activities on social media.
So what does the average day for a White House pet look like? The Washington Post recently uncovered the "day-to-day doggie logistics". The pet care responsibilities are generally decided by the First Family with the Executive Residence staff (responsible for all living quarters duties) offering support when required. George H.W. and Barbara Bush were known to take on all of the responsibilities of dog ownership, even bathing their Springer Spaniels Millie and her pup Ranger by themselves. Gerald Ford's pregnant Golden Retriever Liberty was once the cause of a Secret Service emergency when the residence doors were bolted shut and the elevators had been shut down after the president took her out for a 3am potty walk. For more serious issues, veterinarians will make house calls, and the Chief groundskeeper Dale Hanley serves as a volunteer dog trainer. Hanley has worked with Presidential pets for decades, beginning with Richard Nixon's Irish Setter King Timahoe in the 1970s, and he's already been spotted out and about with Champ and Major. The training is welcomed, as most pet interactions are pleasant, but every once and a while a Chocolate Labrador Buddy Clinton can nearly cause a messy catastrophe by running full speed towards a holiday dessert display in the Grand Foyer. Otherwise White House pets are allowed to roam the grounds as they please, often adding levity and fuzzy fun to the serious work performed at the executive branch. Now who's up for a game of fetch on the South Lawn?
Credit and copyright: Delaware Humane Association / Pumpkin Petcare, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library / NARA, David Hume Kennerly / Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, White House / Michael SargentBelow: former Presidents and their furry companions, including President Ronald Reagan with Lucky the sheep dog and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the Rose Garden; President Gerald Ford seated in the Oval Office and offering his golden retriever Liberty some good ear scrichies; and President George H. W. Bush with his Springer Spaniel, Millie, and her five puppies on the White House South Lawn.
Written by: Esther P.
The lack of presidential pets in the White House over the last four years was pretty unusual. President Joe Biden's inauguration was also a celebration for animal lovers who welcomed his two German Shepherds, Champ and Major, and the presence of pets back in the White House. Major is also the first shelter-adopted dog to live on the grounds, an event marked by his former caretakers at the Delaware Humane Association with an "Indoguration" ceremony and fundraiser on Zoom. The event had over 7,500 virtual attendees, and raised $200,000. The two shepherds have even earned the Twitter hashtag #DOTUS, and have a fan account called The Oval Pawffice to track their activities on social media.
So what does the average day for a White House pet look like? The Washington Post recently uncovered the "day-to-day doggie logistics". The pet care responsibilities are generally decided by the First Family with the Executive Residence staff (responsible for all living quarters duties) offering support when required. George H.W. and Barbara Bush were known to take on all of the responsibilities of dog ownership, even bathing their Springer Spaniels Millie and her pup Ranger by themselves. Gerald Ford's pregnant Golden Retriever Liberty was once the cause of a Secret Service emergency when the residence doors were bolted shut and the elevators had been shut down after the president took her out for a 3am potty walk. For more serious issues, veterinarians will make house calls, and the Chief groundskeeper Dale Hanley serves as a volunteer dog trainer. Hanley has worked with Presidential pets for decades, beginning with Richard Nixon's Irish Setter King Timahoe in the 1970s, and he's already been spotted out and about with Champ and Major. The training is welcomed, as most pet interactions are pleasant, but every once and a while a Chocolate Labrador Buddy Clinton can nearly cause a messy catastrophe by running full speed towards a holiday dessert display in the Grand Foyer. Otherwise White House pets are allowed to roam the grounds as they please, often adding levity and fuzzy fun to the serious work performed at the executive branch. Now who's up for a game of fetch on the South Lawn?
Credit and copyright: Delaware Humane Association / Pumpkin Petcare, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library / NARA, David Hume Kennerly / Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, White House / Michael SargentBelow: former Presidents and their furry companions, including President Ronald Reagan with Lucky the sheep dog and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the Rose Garden; President Gerald Ford seated in the Oval Office and offering his golden retriever Liberty some good ear scrichies; and President George H. W. Bush with his Springer Spaniel, Millie, and her five puppies on the White House South Lawn.
Written by: Esther P.
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FREEWorld History Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Sometimes mysteries are hidden in plain sight! Australian researchers recently discovered that a mummy, which has been on display at the Chau Chak Wing Museum in Sydney for over 150 years, was extremely unique. The 3,000-year-old mummy, first unearthed in Egypt in the 1850s, is cocooned in a mud shell. Researchers have never seen a mummy prepared this way. Thought to be a woman between the ages of 26-35, analysis shows that the mud was applied to the woman's body after it had been buried for some, and after post-mortem damage was done (possibly by ancient tomb-raiders). Some archaeologists suggest that the mud was applied for appearance's sake, to hide damage. Others believe that the mud shell was added to the body to mimic the resin shells that rich Egyptians were encased in. There could also be a spiritual explanation. Ancient Egyptians believed that their dead journeyed to the realm of Osiris, God of the Underworld. In Egyptian mythology, Osiris's own body was once reassembled, so re-assembling a person's body after it was harmed could be an effort to stay in the god's good graces. Osiris was also associated with fertile soil, so mud may have been perfect for repairing a body to his liking. Adding more mystery is the fact that the mummy has been found to be much older than its ornate coffin, which is inscribed with the name "Meruah". This "body swap" was likely done by artifact dealers in the 19th Century, seeking to sell the mummy for a high price. One can only guess what other secrets and mysteries the "mud mummy" may reveal in years to come!
[Image description: A mud-covered mummy from the front, back, and sides.] Credit & copyright: Chau Chak Wing Museum/Macquarie Medical Imaging/CC BY 4.0
Written by: Maria C.
Sometimes mysteries are hidden in plain sight! Australian researchers recently discovered that a mummy, which has been on display at the Chau Chak Wing Museum in Sydney for over 150 years, was extremely unique. The 3,000-year-old mummy, first unearthed in Egypt in the 1850s, is cocooned in a mud shell. Researchers have never seen a mummy prepared this way. Thought to be a woman between the ages of 26-35, analysis shows that the mud was applied to the woman's body after it had been buried for some, and after post-mortem damage was done (possibly by ancient tomb-raiders). Some archaeologists suggest that the mud was applied for appearance's sake, to hide damage. Others believe that the mud shell was added to the body to mimic the resin shells that rich Egyptians were encased in. There could also be a spiritual explanation. Ancient Egyptians believed that their dead journeyed to the realm of Osiris, God of the Underworld. In Egyptian mythology, Osiris's own body was once reassembled, so re-assembling a person's body after it was harmed could be an effort to stay in the god's good graces. Osiris was also associated with fertile soil, so mud may have been perfect for repairing a body to his liking. Adding more mystery is the fact that the mummy has been found to be much older than its ornate coffin, which is inscribed with the name "Meruah". This "body swap" was likely done by artifact dealers in the 19th Century, seeking to sell the mummy for a high price. One can only guess what other secrets and mysteries the "mud mummy" may reveal in years to come!
[Image description: A mud-covered mummy from the front, back, and sides.] Credit & copyright: Chau Chak Wing Museum/Macquarie Medical Imaging/CC BY 4.0
Written by: Maria C.
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FREESports Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Talk about staying cool under pressure. On this day in 1968, American figure skater Peggy Fleming earned her third consecutive win at the World Figure Skating Championships in Geneva, Switzerland. Just one month prior, however, Fleming had claimed the most coveted prize of all—a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. In the photo above, a 20-year-old Fleming skates in an outdoor practice ring in the Olympic village, in Grenoble, France. Even as she strikes a pose, balancing on one skate with her arms lifted, her expression is serene. Fleming's famous light green dress was chosen when her mother learned that nearby monks, in Grenoble, made Chartreuse Liqueur—a green, herbal drink. Fleming had been training for an Olympic performance since childhood. When she was 12, she faced a career setback and tragedy in one: her coach, William Kipp, was killed when a plane carrying the U.S. figure skating team crashed in Belgium. When a memorial fund was set up to help rebuild the sport, Fleming became a beneficiary and used the money to buy new skates. Just a few years later, in 1964, she placed first at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The rest, as they say, is history.
Below: a video of Peggy Fleming's 1968 Olympic performance, which won her a Gold Medal.[Image description: Figure skater Peggy Flemming wearing a long-sleeved, light green dress and white skates strikes a skating pose with her arms spread and legs crossed, 1968.] Credit & copyright: AFP/Getty Images
Written by: Maria C.Talk about staying cool under pressure. On this day in 1968, American figure skater Peggy Fleming earned her third consecutive win at the World Figure Skating Championships in Geneva, Switzerland. Just one month prior, however, Fleming had claimed the most coveted prize of all—a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. In the photo above, a 20-year-old Fleming skates in an outdoor practice ring in the Olympic village, in Grenoble, France. Even as she strikes a pose, balancing on one skate with her arms lifted, her expression is serene. Fleming's famous light green dress was chosen when her mother learned that nearby monks, in Grenoble, made Chartreuse Liqueur—a green, herbal drink. Fleming had been training for an Olympic performance since childhood. When she was 12, she faced a career setback and tragedy in one: her coach, William Kipp, was killed when a plane carrying the U.S. figure skating team crashed in Belgium. When a memorial fund was set up to help rebuild the sport, Fleming became a beneficiary and used the money to buy new skates. Just a few years later, in 1964, she placed first at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The rest, as they say, is history.
Below: a video of Peggy Fleming's 1968 Olympic performance, which won her a Gold Medal.[Image description: Figure skater Peggy Flemming wearing a long-sleeved, light green dress and white skates strikes a skating pose with her arms spread and legs crossed, 1968.] Credit & copyright: AFP/Getty Images
Written by: Maria C. -
FREEJazz Guitar Song CurioFree2 CQ
Pixar's newest animated film, Soul, is really taking the "Jazzing" from the New York clubs into people's homes. To capture the main character Joe Gardner's flair for music, the Pixar team partnered with musician Jon Batiste to create the jazz score for the film. Previously known for his work as the bandleader on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Batiste displays an encyclopedic knowledge of music on tracks like It's Alright. The track begins with Batiste playing jaunty gospel-influenced chords—though after a few verses, he digs into the instrumental solos, letting the jazz substitutions—when a set of notes are transposed onto different chords or melodies for varied effect—flow. Meanwhile the classical-influenced trills and glissandos influence the speed and feel of the piece. It all adds up to a tender performance that is unmistakably Batiste, and a fitting tribute to the rich history of jazz music in America.
[Image description: A still frame from Pixar's animated Soul, Joe Gardner, voiced by Jamie Foxx, wears a top hat, glasses, and trench coat.] Courtesy of Pixar and Disney.
Written by: Esther P.
Pixar's newest animated film, Soul, is really taking the "Jazzing" from the New York clubs into people's homes. To capture the main character Joe Gardner's flair for music, the Pixar team partnered with musician Jon Batiste to create the jazz score for the film. Previously known for his work as the bandleader on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Batiste displays an encyclopedic knowledge of music on tracks like It's Alright. The track begins with Batiste playing jaunty gospel-influenced chords—though after a few verses, he digs into the instrumental solos, letting the jazz substitutions—when a set of notes are transposed onto different chords or melodies for varied effect—flow. Meanwhile the classical-influenced trills and glissandos influence the speed and feel of the piece. It all adds up to a tender performance that is unmistakably Batiste, and a fitting tribute to the rich history of jazz music in America.
[Image description: A still frame from Pixar's animated Soul, Joe Gardner, voiced by Jamie Foxx, wears a top hat, glasses, and trench coat.] Courtesy of Pixar and Disney.
Written by: Esther P.
March 1, 2021
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
There’s fresh, peer-reviewed research out of Stanford that “Zoom fatigue” is a real thing. Plus, Senate Democrats are reportedly dropping their Plan B for ra...
There’s fresh, peer-reviewed research out of Stanford that “Zoom fatigue” is a real thing. Plus, Senate Democrats are reportedly dropping their Plan B for ra...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : March 1, 2021
gazette \guh-ZET\ noun
Definition
1 : a paper that is printed and distributed usually daily or weekly and that contains ne...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 1, 2021
gazette \guh-ZET\ noun
Definition
1 : a paper that is printed and distributed usually daily or weekly and that contains ne...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
To boost the public’s confidence, the French government is putting power in the hands of everyday citizens in the form of a 35-person collective — selected a...
with PRI's The WorldTo boost the public’s confidence, the French government is putting power in the hands of everyday citizens in the form of a 35-person collective — selected a...
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #2191Free1 CQ
Happy March! Our selections for the Books of the Month follow this Curio.
Post-World War II, American babies born prematurely were given excessively high concentrations of oxygen in incubators. This unknowingly caused a blindness epidemic. Because babies' eyes rapidly develop in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy, babies born prematurely may not have fully formed retinas. Too much oxygen can inhibit eye development and lead to retrolental fibroplasia, abnormal and fragile blood vessels growing throughout the retina. Renamed retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), retrolental fibroplasia can cause scarring and retinal detachment, leaving babies visually impaired or blind. Between the 1940s and 1950s, an estimated 10,000 babies lost their vision due to ROP.
The blindness epidemic led to an influx of visually impaired students in the public school system. Schools for the blind, like the Perkins School in Massachusetts, sought ways to serve this population by modernizing assistive technology. 70 years ago, they consulted with David Abraham, a British carpenter and machinist, to reinvent the braillewriter, a mechanical machine for writing braille.
Whereas the modern typewriter was invented in 1868, the first modern braillewriter was not invented until 1892. The original design had six keys, one for each of the dots in a braille cell. In Braille, each braille letter or cell is made up of six numbered dots (i.e. dot 1, dot 2, dot 3, etc.). Unique combinations of dots represent different letters and numbers. The idea for the writing system came from the Napoleonic army—Charles Barbier, an artillery officer, invented an embossed note-taking system that allowed militia to read notes without needing to strike a match and potentially alert the enemy to their location. Louis Braille spent years standardizing this system. When the Perkins school commissioned Abraham to redesign the braillewriter, they had several goals. They wanted to design a machine that was lightweight, easy to transport, durable, and quieter. Abraham's design may look deceptively simple, but it revolutionized braille writing. Today, the reading and writing system has numerous variants, many of which the Perkins Brailler can accommodate.
[Image description: The Perkins Brailler, a blue-green colored machine with six black keys, a space key, and a line space key, as well as two side knobs for advancing paper.] Copyright by the Perkins School for the Blind.
Below, the Braille alphabet, and a demonstration of how the Perkins Brailler works.
Happy March! Our selections for the Books of the Month follow this Curio.
Post-World War II, American babies born prematurely were given excessively high concentrations of oxygen in incubators. This unknowingly caused a blindness epidemic. Because babies' eyes rapidly develop in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy, babies born prematurely may not have fully formed retinas. Too much oxygen can inhibit eye development and lead to retrolental fibroplasia, abnormal and fragile blood vessels growing throughout the retina. Renamed retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), retrolental fibroplasia can cause scarring and retinal detachment, leaving babies visually impaired or blind. Between the 1940s and 1950s, an estimated 10,000 babies lost their vision due to ROP.
The blindness epidemic led to an influx of visually impaired students in the public school system. Schools for the blind, like the Perkins School in Massachusetts, sought ways to serve this population by modernizing assistive technology. 70 years ago, they consulted with David Abraham, a British carpenter and machinist, to reinvent the braillewriter, a mechanical machine for writing braille.
Whereas the modern typewriter was invented in 1868, the first modern braillewriter was not invented until 1892. The original design had six keys, one for each of the dots in a braille cell. In Braille, each braille letter or cell is made up of six numbered dots (i.e. dot 1, dot 2, dot 3, etc.). Unique combinations of dots represent different letters and numbers. The idea for the writing system came from the Napoleonic army—Charles Barbier, an artillery officer, invented an embossed note-taking system that allowed militia to read notes without needing to strike a match and potentially alert the enemy to their location. Louis Braille spent years standardizing this system. When the Perkins school commissioned Abraham to redesign the braillewriter, they had several goals. They wanted to design a machine that was lightweight, easy to transport, durable, and quieter. Abraham's design may look deceptively simple, but it revolutionized braille writing. Today, the reading and writing system has numerous variants, many of which the Perkins Brailler can accommodate.
[Image description: The Perkins Brailler, a blue-green colored machine with six black keys, a space key, and a line space key, as well as two side knobs for advancing paper.] Copyright by the Perkins School for the Blind.
Below, the Braille alphabet, and a demonstration of how the Perkins Brailler works.
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FREEAesthetic Art CurioFree1 CQ
Jean Negulesco (1900-1993)
1975
ink on paper
27 x 21 in (68.58 x 53.34 cm)It takes a special kind of artist to excel in more than one medium! Romanian artist Jean Negulesco, born in February 1900, is best remembered as a Hollywood director in the 1940s and 50s. Yet his paintings and lithographs were dazzling audiences years before his movies made it to the silver screen. His lithographs—prints created by etching a design onto a metal plate and filling the grooves with ink—were uniquely modernist at a time when the medium was mainly used to create either simple cartoons or highly-realistic images. In the untitled lithograph print above, A woman's profile is conveyed with one continuous, black line, which loops and zigzags to form hair, facial features, and even jewelry. The image is repeated twice, in this particular print, but other prints have featured Negulesco's same design, in various colors and on various backgrounds. Though much of Negulesco's work focuses on the human form, he leaned heavily toward abstraction, using looping lines to create whimsical figures. Negulesco continued creating lithographs and paintings even after he directed hit films like 1953's How to Marry a Millionaire, starring Marilyn Monroe. His Hollywood clout helped make his artworks into the valuable collector pieces they are today. How's that for a film-worthy story?
Below: two more of Negulesco's pieces, an untitled line drawing and a watercolor painting, New York City.
Written by: Maria C.
Jean Negulesco (1900-1993)
1975
ink on paper
27 x 21 in (68.58 x 53.34 cm)It takes a special kind of artist to excel in more than one medium! Romanian artist Jean Negulesco, born in February 1900, is best remembered as a Hollywood director in the 1940s and 50s. Yet his paintings and lithographs were dazzling audiences years before his movies made it to the silver screen. His lithographs—prints created by etching a design onto a metal plate and filling the grooves with ink—were uniquely modernist at a time when the medium was mainly used to create either simple cartoons or highly-realistic images. In the untitled lithograph print above, A woman's profile is conveyed with one continuous, black line, which loops and zigzags to form hair, facial features, and even jewelry. The image is repeated twice, in this particular print, but other prints have featured Negulesco's same design, in various colors and on various backgrounds. Though much of Negulesco's work focuses on the human form, he leaned heavily toward abstraction, using looping lines to create whimsical figures. Negulesco continued creating lithographs and paintings even after he directed hit films like 1953's How to Marry a Millionaire, starring Marilyn Monroe. His Hollywood clout helped make his artworks into the valuable collector pieces they are today. How's that for a film-worthy story?
Below: two more of Negulesco's pieces, an untitled line drawing and a watercolor painting, New York City.
Written by: Maria C.