Curio Cabinet
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April 23, 2021
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : April 23, 2021
bogart \BOH-gahrt\ verb
Definition
1 : to cause (someone) to do something by means of force or coercion : bully
2 : to u...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 23, 2021
bogart \BOH-gahrt\ verb
Definition
1 : to cause (someone) to do something by means of force or coercion : bully
2 : to u...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Finnish composer Jean Sibelius's tone poem The Oceanides changed about as much as the seas it imitates. The piece was commissioned for the Norfolk Music Festival in Connecticut and was conceived as a three-movement orchestral suite. Unsatisfied with his work, Sibelius pared the piece down to one movement in the key of D-flat major—then changed to D major, to make it easier for stringed instruments to perform the work. On his transatlantic trip to the Norfolk Festival, Sibelius once again revisited his work, no doubt inspired by the beauty of his surroundings. The tone poem, named after sea nymphs from Greek mythology, made its premiere on June 4, 1914, with Sibelius' masterful orchestration conjuring the roiling timpani, the swirling bird-like flutes, and ebbing strings. Take a listen to Sir Colin Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra's version. It's quite the storm in a symphony!
Other streaming options
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Finnish composer Jean Sibelius's tone poem The Oceanides changed about as much as the seas it imitates. The piece was commissioned for the Norfolk Music Festival in Connecticut and was conceived as a three-movement orchestral suite. Unsatisfied with his work, Sibelius pared the piece down to one movement in the key of D-flat major—then changed to D major, to make it easier for stringed instruments to perform the work. On his transatlantic trip to the Norfolk Festival, Sibelius once again revisited his work, no doubt inspired by the beauty of his surroundings. The tone poem, named after sea nymphs from Greek mythology, made its premiere on June 4, 1914, with Sibelius' masterful orchestration conjuring the roiling timpani, the swirling bird-like flutes, and ebbing strings. Take a listen to Sir Colin Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra's version. It's quite the storm in a symphony!
Other streaming options
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: River Fork Ranch Flood Plain
Artist: Daniel McCormick and Mary O'Brien
Created: 2014
Medium: willow branches, stakes
Dimensions: 360 ft (109 m)
If John Muir knew how to weave branches together, he might have come up with something like this structure! In 2014, environmental artists Daniel McCormick and Mary O'Brien collaborated with the Nevada Museum of Art to design this installation to help preserve the diverse array of animal life in the wetlands along Nevada's Carson River. The artists consulted with scientists about the area, which became a natural preserve in 2000 in order to protect the ecosystem, which includes insects, birds, and amphibians. After driving wood poles into the ground to form the project's border, McCormick and O'Brien wove together the branches of willow trees found in the area. The branches were then placed on top of the poles. Over time, the unusual structures sprouted plants that serve as a habitat for monarch butterflies and a type of bird known as the willow flycatcher. "We look at these works as activating the site," O'Brien says. "Rather than something that is just placed on the land, it's working to give advantage to systems in nature." The project also improves the area by reducing erosion and filtering water as it passes through. With the summer travel season approaching, we may have to hit the road to see it in person!
Below: further images of the installation; an aerial view.
Image credit & copyright: Daniel McCormick and Mary O'Brien / Simon Williams / The Nature Conservancy
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: River Fork Ranch Flood Plain
Artist: Daniel McCormick and Mary O'Brien
Created: 2014
Medium: willow branches, stakes
Dimensions: 360 ft (109 m)
If John Muir knew how to weave branches together, he might have come up with something like this structure! In 2014, environmental artists Daniel McCormick and Mary O'Brien collaborated with the Nevada Museum of Art to design this installation to help preserve the diverse array of animal life in the wetlands along Nevada's Carson River. The artists consulted with scientists about the area, which became a natural preserve in 2000 in order to protect the ecosystem, which includes insects, birds, and amphibians. After driving wood poles into the ground to form the project's border, McCormick and O'Brien wove together the branches of willow trees found in the area. The branches were then placed on top of the poles. Over time, the unusual structures sprouted plants that serve as a habitat for monarch butterflies and a type of bird known as the willow flycatcher. "We look at these works as activating the site," O'Brien says. "Rather than something that is just placed on the land, it's working to give advantage to systems in nature." The project also improves the area by reducing erosion and filtering water as it passes through. With the summer travel season approaching, we may have to hit the road to see it in person!
Below: further images of the installation; an aerial view.
Image credit & copyright: Daniel McCormick and Mary O'Brien / Simon Williams / The Nature Conservancy
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Apparently, we're not the only ones who think this image of the Dnieper River looks like a swirly work of art. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet took the above image above the International Space Station last year saying: "Winter landscapes are also magical from the International Space Station: this river north of Kiev reminds me of a Hokusai painting." The ISS hovers about 200 miles above the Earth, while the Dnieper flows from central Russia through Belarus, to Ukraine, and into the Black Sea. It's Europe's third longest river at 1,420 miles in length, with a name that comes from an Iranian language meaning "the river on the far side." While Pesquet's view was recently highlighted by NASA, the Dnieper's beauty has served as the face of an ancient Greek coin from the third-century B.C.E. For centuries, the waters served as trade routes for Vikings, Slavs, and Byzantines; and today it remains a vital part of Ukraine's transportation, hydroelectric power system, and economy. For the ISS, it's also a view of the delicate ecosystems at play in our big, beautiful world.
Image credit & copyright: Thomas Pesquet, ESA, NASA
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Apparently, we're not the only ones who think this image of the Dnieper River looks like a swirly work of art. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet took the above image above the International Space Station last year saying: "Winter landscapes are also magical from the International Space Station: this river north of Kiev reminds me of a Hokusai painting." The ISS hovers about 200 miles above the Earth, while the Dnieper flows from central Russia through Belarus, to Ukraine, and into the Black Sea. It's Europe's third longest river at 1,420 miles in length, with a name that comes from an Iranian language meaning "the river on the far side." While Pesquet's view was recently highlighted by NASA, the Dnieper's beauty has served as the face of an ancient Greek coin from the third-century B.C.E. For centuries, the waters served as trade routes for Vikings, Slavs, and Byzantines; and today it remains a vital part of Ukraine's transportation, hydroelectric power system, and economy. For the ISS, it's also a view of the delicate ecosystems at play in our big, beautiful world.
Image credit & copyright: Thomas Pesquet, ESA, NASA
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FREEBiology Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Will we sink or swim? In 2017 Stephen Hawking made news when he predicted humankind will need to find a new planet within the next few hundred years. But some futurists who agree we are outgrowing Planet Earth have a different idea: seasteading. Seasteading is the idea of building nations that float on Earth's vast oceans. Advocates argue we aren't running out of space, just out of land. The idea—as with many other crazy ideas about our future—came from Buckminster Fuller, a 20th-century American architect and futurist. Fuller didn't call it seasteading, but he designed a floating city that consisted of three triangular walls, each containing 5,000 living units that face the sky. The walls and base formed a tetrahedron, a shape Fuller believed was at the heart of a new system of social transformation he called synergistics. Yes, he was a little bit nuts.
Anyway, the idea of building floating nations seemed to die with Fuller in 1983, until March 2017 when the book Seasteading: How Floating Nations Will Restore the Environment, Enrich the Poor, Cure the Sick, and Liberate Humanity from Politicians was published by Patri Friedman and Joe Quirk. The former is the grandson of Milton Friedman, one of the fathers of free market economics. The latter is a self-proclaimed "seavangelist" and libertarian who believes politics are slowly enslaving society. So it should come as no surprise the authors have received support from Peter Thiel and other free market purists. Sorry, but the idea of "seasteaders" building giant, floating cities seems a bit wobbly to me. Instead of running away from the problems we have created as a society, shouldn't we try to band together and fix them? I might mention that the last time somebody tried to implement a crazy Bucky Fuller idea, it didn't end well (see Daily Curio #989). Can you say "sea-saster"?It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Will we sink or swim? In 2017 Stephen Hawking made news when he predicted humankind will need to find a new planet within the next few hundred years. But some futurists who agree we are outgrowing Planet Earth have a different idea: seasteading. Seasteading is the idea of building nations that float on Earth's vast oceans. Advocates argue we aren't running out of space, just out of land. The idea—as with many other crazy ideas about our future—came from Buckminster Fuller, a 20th-century American architect and futurist. Fuller didn't call it seasteading, but he designed a floating city that consisted of three triangular walls, each containing 5,000 living units that face the sky. The walls and base formed a tetrahedron, a shape Fuller believed was at the heart of a new system of social transformation he called synergistics. Yes, he was a little bit nuts.
Anyway, the idea of building floating nations seemed to die with Fuller in 1983, until March 2017 when the book Seasteading: How Floating Nations Will Restore the Environment, Enrich the Poor, Cure the Sick, and Liberate Humanity from Politicians was published by Patri Friedman and Joe Quirk. The former is the grandson of Milton Friedman, one of the fathers of free market economics. The latter is a self-proclaimed "seavangelist" and libertarian who believes politics are slowly enslaving society. So it should come as no surprise the authors have received support from Peter Thiel and other free market purists. Sorry, but the idea of "seasteaders" building giant, floating cities seems a bit wobbly to me. Instead of running away from the problems we have created as a society, shouldn't we try to band together and fix them? I might mention that the last time somebody tried to implement a crazy Bucky Fuller idea, it didn't end well (see Daily Curio #989). Can you say "sea-saster"?
April 22, 2021
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7 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Alfreda Daniels Juasemai, a community organizer and co-founder of Black Immigrant Collective in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, says the Chauvin verdict doesn't ...
with PRI's The WorldAlfreda Daniels Juasemai, a community organizer and co-founder of Black Immigrant Collective in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, says the Chauvin verdict doesn't ...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
There’s word the Biden administration is about to drop a lawsuit against California over its authority to regulate auto emissions, as The Wall Street Journal...
There’s word the Biden administration is about to drop a lawsuit against California over its authority to regulate auto emissions, as The Wall Street Journal...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : April 22, 2021
ebullient \ih-BULL-yunt\ adjective
Definition
1 : boiling, agitated
2 : characterized by ebullience : having or showing ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 22, 2021
ebullient \ih-BULL-yunt\ adjective
Definition
1 : boiling, agitated
2 : characterized by ebullience : having or showing ...
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning. By John Donne.
with Poetry FoundationA Valediction: Forbidding Mourning. By John Donne.
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #2222Free1 CQ
COVID-19 has been hard on adults, but it’s been no walk in the playground for kids, either. After a year spent at home, adjusting to new forms of schooling and unable to safely visit friends or participate in many normal extracurricular activities, studies show that children across the U.S. are exhibiting signs of stress, anxiety, and depression. Luckily, Colorado is looking to pass a new bill addressing these issues this year. House Bill 1258 would guarantee free mental health screenings and up to three visits with a mental health professional for every minor in Colorado. It would also allocate $9 million dollars toward the creation of an online portal where children could complete an assessment and connect with providers who serve their individual needs. Funding would come from the state’s $800 million state coronavirus stimulus package, which also provides tax relief for small businesses and restaurants affected by the pandemic.
The bill is the result of two separate pieces of legislation—one proposed by State Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet last February, and another proposed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis. So far, House Bill 1258 has garnered bipartisan support, and appears to be on track to pass. Although it has been called one of the most aggressive behavioral health initiatives in the state’s history, and has been criticized by some lawmakers for being too expensive, Michaelson Jenet’s only concern is that the bill may not go far enough to help young Coloradans.
“I’m worried that it won’t be enough. In order for it to not be enough we need to do our job really well on the back end of this passing and make sure we get word-of-mouth (marketing) and communities involved and engaged. Quite frankly, I hope we run out of money and need to find more,” she told the Colorado Sun, referring to the bill’s stipulation that, if more money becomes available, kids in the state may be able to access more than three free mental health appointments. Here’s hoping that Colorado sets an example of what it looks like to keep kids’ minds as healthy as their bodies during a pandemic!
[Image description: An outdoor view of Peakview Elementary School, including a sidewalk to the front entrance and a small playground area. ] Credit & copyright: Mike Sweeney/The Colorado Sun
Written by: Maria C.COVID-19 has been hard on adults, but it’s been no walk in the playground for kids, either. After a year spent at home, adjusting to new forms of schooling and unable to safely visit friends or participate in many normal extracurricular activities, studies show that children across the U.S. are exhibiting signs of stress, anxiety, and depression. Luckily, Colorado is looking to pass a new bill addressing these issues this year. House Bill 1258 would guarantee free mental health screenings and up to three visits with a mental health professional for every minor in Colorado. It would also allocate $9 million dollars toward the creation of an online portal where children could complete an assessment and connect with providers who serve their individual needs. Funding would come from the state’s $800 million state coronavirus stimulus package, which also provides tax relief for small businesses and restaurants affected by the pandemic.
The bill is the result of two separate pieces of legislation—one proposed by State Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet last February, and another proposed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis. So far, House Bill 1258 has garnered bipartisan support, and appears to be on track to pass. Although it has been called one of the most aggressive behavioral health initiatives in the state’s history, and has been criticized by some lawmakers for being too expensive, Michaelson Jenet’s only concern is that the bill may not go far enough to help young Coloradans.
“I’m worried that it won’t be enough. In order for it to not be enough we need to do our job really well on the back end of this passing and make sure we get word-of-mouth (marketing) and communities involved and engaged. Quite frankly, I hope we run out of money and need to find more,” she told the Colorado Sun, referring to the bill’s stipulation that, if more money becomes available, kids in the state may be able to access more than three free mental health appointments. Here’s hoping that Colorado sets an example of what it looks like to keep kids’ minds as healthy as their bodies during a pandemic!
[Image description: An outdoor view of Peakview Elementary School, including a sidewalk to the front entrance and a small playground area. ] Credit & copyright: Mike Sweeney/The Colorado Sun
Written by: Maria C. -
FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Looks like Iceland's Fagradalsfjall finally blew its cover. The volcano, located in the Geldinga Valley at the southwestern Reykjanes Peninsula, erupted on March 19th for the first time in over 700 years. The event capped off some 50,000 earthquakes in Iceland over the past three weeks, including a few dozen over a 4 on the Richter scale. Fagradalsfjall's eruption was considered a "minor" one in that there was no sign of ash or dust likely to disrupt aviation—unlike the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokull which stranded over 100,000 flights between North America and Europe over fears of how the volcanic materials could harm jet engines. Iceland itself is a hotbed of geological activity due to its location at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge boundary separating Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. No one was harmed in Fagradalsfjall's eruption, thankfully, and access to the lava valley is a difficult several hour hike from the nearest road. So no toasting marshmallows or throwing the One Ring into this majestic fire pit!
[Image description: A red coastguard helicopter flies over an erupting Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland. ] Credit & copyright: Getty Images
Written by: Esther P.
Looks like Iceland's Fagradalsfjall finally blew its cover. The volcano, located in the Geldinga Valley at the southwestern Reykjanes Peninsula, erupted on March 19th for the first time in over 700 years. The event capped off some 50,000 earthquakes in Iceland over the past three weeks, including a few dozen over a 4 on the Richter scale. Fagradalsfjall's eruption was considered a "minor" one in that there was no sign of ash or dust likely to disrupt aviation—unlike the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokull which stranded over 100,000 flights between North America and Europe over fears of how the volcanic materials could harm jet engines. Iceland itself is a hotbed of geological activity due to its location at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge boundary separating Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. No one was harmed in Fagradalsfjall's eruption, thankfully, and access to the lava valley is a difficult several hour hike from the nearest road. So no toasting marshmallows or throwing the One Ring into this majestic fire pit!
[Image description: A red coastguard helicopter flies over an erupting Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland. ] Credit & copyright: Getty Images
Written by: Esther P.
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Looks like someone’s ready to zoom! Famed fashion designer Hugo Comte, who recently released a book containing many of his best-known photos, captured this image of British singer Dua Lipa in 2020. It was one of a series meant to promote Lipa’s multi-platinum album, Future Nostalgia, and shows Lipa driving a vintage silver sports car beneath a full moon. Lipa’s blonde hair is pulled into a high bun, one white-gloved hand on the wooden steering wheel, her pink jacket serving as the image’s brightest pop of color. While fashion photographers are sometimes criticized for portraying models as passive or demure “objects” from which to hang clothes, Comte’s style has always differed. Whether shooting album artwork or promotional images for runway shows, Comte’s models tend to look straight ahead, sometimes directly into the camera, with strong expressions on their faces or in their poses. In an interview with Vogue, Comte explained that he thinks of every woman he photographs as having superpowers. “It’s an obsession with a certain power that I like to extract. It’s in their intention, in their depths, and their thoughts.” With great power comes great photograph-ability!
[Image description: singer Dua Lipa with her blonde hair in a bun, wearing a pink jacket and white gloves, driving a silver sports car beneath a full moon. ] Credit & copyright: Hugo Comte
Below: two more of Comte’s untitled fashion photos.Written by: Maria C.
Looks like someone’s ready to zoom! Famed fashion designer Hugo Comte, who recently released a book containing many of his best-known photos, captured this image of British singer Dua Lipa in 2020. It was one of a series meant to promote Lipa’s multi-platinum album, Future Nostalgia, and shows Lipa driving a vintage silver sports car beneath a full moon. Lipa’s blonde hair is pulled into a high bun, one white-gloved hand on the wooden steering wheel, her pink jacket serving as the image’s brightest pop of color. While fashion photographers are sometimes criticized for portraying models as passive or demure “objects” from which to hang clothes, Comte’s style has always differed. Whether shooting album artwork or promotional images for runway shows, Comte’s models tend to look straight ahead, sometimes directly into the camera, with strong expressions on their faces or in their poses. In an interview with Vogue, Comte explained that he thinks of every woman he photographs as having superpowers. “It’s an obsession with a certain power that I like to extract. It’s in their intention, in their depths, and their thoughts.” With great power comes great photograph-ability!
[Image description: singer Dua Lipa with her blonde hair in a bun, wearing a pink jacket and white gloves, driving a silver sports car beneath a full moon. ] Credit & copyright: Hugo Comte
Below: two more of Comte’s untitled fashion photos.Written by: Maria C.
April 21, 2021
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
The World's Marco Werman spoke with former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about recent events between the United States and Russia.
with PRI's The WorldThe World's Marco Werman spoke with former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about recent events between the United States and Russia.
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
This week, the Service Employees International Union and nonprofit Majority Action called on managers of pension and hedge funds to press for social justice ...
This week, the Service Employees International Union and nonprofit Majority Action called on managers of pension and hedge funds to press for social justice ...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : April 21, 2021
touchstone \TUTCH-stohn\ noun
Definition
1 : a fundamental or quintessential part or feature : basis
2 : a test or crite...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 21, 2021
touchstone \TUTCH-stohn\ noun
Definition
1 : a fundamental or quintessential part or feature : basis
2 : a test or crite...
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #2221Free1 CQ
Ever just have one of those days when you want to get away? Retired factory worker Su Min did just that three months ago and her adventures have since gone viral, earning her a feature in The New York Times and praise as a feminist icon. The 56 year old grandmother from Henan Province in central China lived a hard life in poverty before embarking on her dream trip. Min recalled her first fantasies about road trips when she was a teenager living in Tibet, and would wish she were driving the cars that rode past her while she walked 12 miles home after missing the school bus. After completing her high school education, she moved to Henan and got a job in a fertilizer factory where she eventually met her husband. Min believed marriage would help her get away from the gendered chore responsibilities she bore at home, but she found herself even more servile to an abusive husband (she did not leave the relationship for fear of social stigmas against divorced women in China). For decades, Min fulfilled her family responsibilities and even took care of her twin grandchildren all while reading fantasy novels, watching Korean soap operas, and dreaming of a different life.
A chance viewing of an internet video on solo road tripping piqued her interest in 2019. She spent the next year absorbing as much information as she could about the logistics of taking long-term road trips, and vowed to herself that when her grandchildren entered preschool, she would embark on the adventure she'd waited her whole lifetime to take. On September 29, 2020, she packed up a tent, a cooler, and a rice cooker and hit the road in her Volkswagen hatchback. Since then she has been posting about her adventures on her YouTube channel "Fifty-year-old aunt traveling by car." Her video updates went viral on Douyin, a Chinese social media video site. In March of 2021, she was featured in a Net-a-Porter ad for International Women's Day. What does Su Min think of all the attention? She's just happy to be living out her dream of travelling.
[Image description: Su Min behind the wheel of her car. Credit & copyright: Su Min
Written by: Esther P.Ever just have one of those days when you want to get away? Retired factory worker Su Min did just that three months ago and her adventures have since gone viral, earning her a feature in The New York Times and praise as a feminist icon. The 56 year old grandmother from Henan Province in central China lived a hard life in poverty before embarking on her dream trip. Min recalled her first fantasies about road trips when she was a teenager living in Tibet, and would wish she were driving the cars that rode past her while she walked 12 miles home after missing the school bus. After completing her high school education, she moved to Henan and got a job in a fertilizer factory where she eventually met her husband. Min believed marriage would help her get away from the gendered chore responsibilities she bore at home, but she found herself even more servile to an abusive husband (she did not leave the relationship for fear of social stigmas against divorced women in China). For decades, Min fulfilled her family responsibilities and even took care of her twin grandchildren all while reading fantasy novels, watching Korean soap operas, and dreaming of a different life.
A chance viewing of an internet video on solo road tripping piqued her interest in 2019. She spent the next year absorbing as much information as she could about the logistics of taking long-term road trips, and vowed to herself that when her grandchildren entered preschool, she would embark on the adventure she'd waited her whole lifetime to take. On September 29, 2020, she packed up a tent, a cooler, and a rice cooker and hit the road in her Volkswagen hatchback. Since then she has been posting about her adventures on her YouTube channel "Fifty-year-old aunt traveling by car." Her video updates went viral on Douyin, a Chinese social media video site. In March of 2021, she was featured in a Net-a-Porter ad for International Women's Day. What does Su Min think of all the attention? She's just happy to be living out her dream of travelling.
[Image description: Su Min behind the wheel of her car. Credit & copyright: Su Min
Written by: Esther P. -
FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Reader's Digest seems like an unlikely place to find musical inspiration! Yet acclaimed American songwriter L. Russell Brown did just that when the magazine printed a short, romantic story about a recently-released prisoner asking his lover to tie a yellow handkerchief around an oak tree if she still loved him. In a happy ending, he discovered the tree covered in yellow handkerchiefs. "A chill went up my neck," Brown said, in an interview with the Tennessean. "I said, "My God!" … I said, "Boy, that would make a great song."" Brown's songwriting partner, Irwin Levine, thought so too. Together, the duo penned Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the 'Ol Oak Tree, a song which would become one of the biggest hits of the 1970s after pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn recorded it, in 1973. The upbeat, folksy pop song captivated listeners with its unusual story (thanks to Orlando's sincere-sounding vocal performance) reaching top-10 status in 10 different countries. In the U.S., it maintained it's number one spot for four weeks straight. In 2008, Billboard ranked it the 37th biggest song of all time. That's a pretty big leap from the pages of Reader's Digest!
[Image description: Telma Hopkins (from left), Tony Orlando, and Joyce Vincent Wilson from the pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn pose and smile in a black and white photo.] Credit & copyright: Special to the Republic
Written by: Maria C.
Reader's Digest seems like an unlikely place to find musical inspiration! Yet acclaimed American songwriter L. Russell Brown did just that when the magazine printed a short, romantic story about a recently-released prisoner asking his lover to tie a yellow handkerchief around an oak tree if she still loved him. In a happy ending, he discovered the tree covered in yellow handkerchiefs. "A chill went up my neck," Brown said, in an interview with the Tennessean. "I said, "My God!" … I said, "Boy, that would make a great song."" Brown's songwriting partner, Irwin Levine, thought so too. Together, the duo penned Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the 'Ol Oak Tree, a song which would become one of the biggest hits of the 1970s after pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn recorded it, in 1973. The upbeat, folksy pop song captivated listeners with its unusual story (thanks to Orlando's sincere-sounding vocal performance) reaching top-10 status in 10 different countries. In the U.S., it maintained it's number one spot for four weeks straight. In 2008, Billboard ranked it the 37th biggest song of all time. That's a pretty big leap from the pages of Reader's Digest!
[Image description: Telma Hopkins (from left), Tony Orlando, and Joyce Vincent Wilson from the pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn pose and smile in a black and white photo.] Credit & copyright: Special to the Republic
Written by: Maria C.
April 20, 2021
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7 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Mayor Mike Elliott talks to Marco Werman about how his childhood in Liberia prepared him for this leadership moment — as his city grapples with the killing o...
with PRI's The WorldMayor Mike Elliott talks to Marco Werman about how his childhood in Liberia prepared him for this leadership moment — as his city grapples with the killing o...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The nation’s largest coal miners’ union is backing President Joe Biden’s transition to renewable energy — if miners aren’t left behind. Plus, the number of p...
The nation’s largest coal miners’ union is backing President Joe Biden’s transition to renewable energy — if miners aren’t left behind. Plus, the number of p...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : April 20, 2021
adulate \AJ-uh-layt\ verb
Definition
1 a : to praise effusively and slavishly : flatter excessively : fawn upon
b : to p...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 20, 2021
adulate \AJ-uh-layt\ verb
Definition
1 a : to praise effusively and slavishly : flatter excessively : fawn upon
b : to p...
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Held in the Arms of St. Francis & the Virgin. By Jasmine Gibson.
with Poetry FoundationHeld in the Arms of St. Francis & the Virgin. By Jasmine Gibson.
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FREEDesign Daily Curio #2220Free1 CQ
If you’re used to clicking a floppy-disc-shaped icon to save documents, even though floppy discs have been outdated for years, then you’re familiar with skeuomorphism. Skeuomorphism is a design concept that uses real-world objects to portray abstract ideas. Take the "trash" on computers, where you can literally drag and drop your unwanted items into an icon shaped like an actual trash can. Although skeuomorphism was extremely popular when home computers first made their debut, it fell out of favor after the early 2000s, when sleek digital minimalism took over. However, signs point to skeuomorphism making a comeback in our current era of mobile technology and social media.
An argument could be made that skeuomorphism helped popularize home computers in the 1980s. After all, for a person completely unfamiliar with computer interfaces like Windows, icons shaped like real-world objects could help make digital concepts, like moving files or opening emails, intuitive. However, by the mid-2000s, an entire generation of young people had been raised with home computers and cell phones, and they were ready for a new trend in tech design.
That trend was flat design also known as digital minimalism. Devices like iPods, targeted at a young audience, were designed with sleek packaging, limited colors, and practically no skeuomorphism. In 2007, Forbes Magazine even declared that skeuomorphism was dead.
Yet, today there are signs that the much-derided design concept is swinging back into popularity, and our reliance on apps is at least partially to blame. Developers not only have to make their apps stand out amongst a sea of others, they also have to use their icons to quickly wordlessly communicate their app’s purpose. The result is more camera-shaped photo-editing apps and piano-shaped music-making apps. However, social media may also be playing a role in the rise of skeuomorphism. Evidence suggests that people are more tolerant of colorful images and more willing to make connections between digital images and real-world objects or people, thanks to more time spent looking at things like profile pictures, which represent real friends and loved ones. Personally, I welcome a new wave of skeuomorphism...as long as characters like Microsoft Office’s infamous Clippy don’t make a return!
[Image description: Clippy, the paperclip with googly eyes, bounces on a sheet of yellow lined paper from a legal pad.] Credit & copyright: Microsoft.
Written by: Maria C.If you’re used to clicking a floppy-disc-shaped icon to save documents, even though floppy discs have been outdated for years, then you’re familiar with skeuomorphism. Skeuomorphism is a design concept that uses real-world objects to portray abstract ideas. Take the "trash" on computers, where you can literally drag and drop your unwanted items into an icon shaped like an actual trash can. Although skeuomorphism was extremely popular when home computers first made their debut, it fell out of favor after the early 2000s, when sleek digital minimalism took over. However, signs point to skeuomorphism making a comeback in our current era of mobile technology and social media.
An argument could be made that skeuomorphism helped popularize home computers in the 1980s. After all, for a person completely unfamiliar with computer interfaces like Windows, icons shaped like real-world objects could help make digital concepts, like moving files or opening emails, intuitive. However, by the mid-2000s, an entire generation of young people had been raised with home computers and cell phones, and they were ready for a new trend in tech design.
That trend was flat design also known as digital minimalism. Devices like iPods, targeted at a young audience, were designed with sleek packaging, limited colors, and practically no skeuomorphism. In 2007, Forbes Magazine even declared that skeuomorphism was dead.
Yet, today there are signs that the much-derided design concept is swinging back into popularity, and our reliance on apps is at least partially to blame. Developers not only have to make their apps stand out amongst a sea of others, they also have to use their icons to quickly wordlessly communicate their app’s purpose. The result is more camera-shaped photo-editing apps and piano-shaped music-making apps. However, social media may also be playing a role in the rise of skeuomorphism. Evidence suggests that people are more tolerant of colorful images and more willing to make connections between digital images and real-world objects or people, thanks to more time spent looking at things like profile pictures, which represent real friends and loved ones. Personally, I welcome a new wave of skeuomorphism...as long as characters like Microsoft Office’s infamous Clippy don’t make a return!
[Image description: Clippy, the paperclip with googly eyes, bounces on a sheet of yellow lined paper from a legal pad.] Credit & copyright: Microsoft.
Written by: Maria C. -
FREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Don’t panic! Despite appearances, you don't need to add "flying sharks" to your 2021 bingo card. In fact, the eagle shark, first discovered in 2012, hasn’t been seen on earth for millions of years. However, a study published in the online journal Science, in March, has given new insights into how this odd prehistoric animal may have lived. The shark’s scientific name, Aquilolamna milarcae oreagle shark of the Milarca Museum, honors the Mexican museum where it will be displayed. A quarryman in Nuevo León, Mexico discovered the shark’s fossil in 2012, in a slab of limestone. Imprints of its soft tissues gave scientists an immediate impression of its strange looks. The shark was wider than it was long, with pectoral fins spanning around 6.2 feet, and an overall length of around 5.4 feet. Although it may look similar to modern animals like manta rays, researchers believe that this is an example of convergent evolution, in which several species independently evolve similar features. In fact, the eagle shark existed around 93 million years ago, 30 million years before manta rays existed.
According to lead researcher Romain Vullo, a vertebrate paleontologist with the National Center for Scientific Research, in France, the eagle shark’s wide mouth and short head means that it was probably a plankton-eating filter-feeder, just like manta rays. It likely lived in the Western Interior Seaway, a body of water between the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean which used to cover the area where it was unearthed. Too bad we can’t watch this prehistoric oddity in action today...though, depending on how you feel about sharks, you may be relieved!
[Image description: an illustration of a brown and white shark with long, limb-like pectoral fins stretching out from its sides.] Credit & copyright: Oscar Sanisidro
Written by: Maria C.
Don’t panic! Despite appearances, you don't need to add "flying sharks" to your 2021 bingo card. In fact, the eagle shark, first discovered in 2012, hasn’t been seen on earth for millions of years. However, a study published in the online journal Science, in March, has given new insights into how this odd prehistoric animal may have lived. The shark’s scientific name, Aquilolamna milarcae oreagle shark of the Milarca Museum, honors the Mexican museum where it will be displayed. A quarryman in Nuevo León, Mexico discovered the shark’s fossil in 2012, in a slab of limestone. Imprints of its soft tissues gave scientists an immediate impression of its strange looks. The shark was wider than it was long, with pectoral fins spanning around 6.2 feet, and an overall length of around 5.4 feet. Although it may look similar to modern animals like manta rays, researchers believe that this is an example of convergent evolution, in which several species independently evolve similar features. In fact, the eagle shark existed around 93 million years ago, 30 million years before manta rays existed.
According to lead researcher Romain Vullo, a vertebrate paleontologist with the National Center for Scientific Research, in France, the eagle shark’s wide mouth and short head means that it was probably a plankton-eating filter-feeder, just like manta rays. It likely lived in the Western Interior Seaway, a body of water between the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean which used to cover the area where it was unearthed. Too bad we can’t watch this prehistoric oddity in action today...though, depending on how you feel about sharks, you may be relieved!
[Image description: an illustration of a brown and white shark with long, limb-like pectoral fins stretching out from its sides.] Credit & copyright: Oscar Sanisidro
Written by: Maria C.
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's an image captured in the aftermath of disaster. On this day in 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded due to a natural gas leak, killing eleven workers and starting a spill that would send around 134 million gallons of oil into surrounding waters in the Gulf of Mexico. It was the largest marine oil spill and one of the biggest environmental disasters in history. In the photo above, flames and smoke rise from the exploded oil rig as U.S. Coastguard fire boats surrounded it, attempting to put out the blaze. The scale of the disaster is apparent, as the fireboat's streams of water are dwarfed by the fire. Although the rig sank not long after this photo was taken, the resulting oil spill wasn't capped until July 15. Over a hundred thousands birds and other animals were killed in the disaster, and the coastlines of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida were damaged. Cleanup lasted for years and the environmental impact of the spill is still felt today, especially in the declined populations of threatened wildlife species. Photos from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are a reminder that our relationship with nature remains fragile, even in the 21st Century.
[Image description: Flames and smoke rise from an oil rig as fireboats surround it, spraying water.] Credit & copyright: U.S. Coast Guard/Win McNamee/Getty Images.
Below: a seabird covered in oil resulting from the oil spill.Written by: Maria C.
It's an image captured in the aftermath of disaster. On this day in 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded due to a natural gas leak, killing eleven workers and starting a spill that would send around 134 million gallons of oil into surrounding waters in the Gulf of Mexico. It was the largest marine oil spill and one of the biggest environmental disasters in history. In the photo above, flames and smoke rise from the exploded oil rig as U.S. Coastguard fire boats surrounded it, attempting to put out the blaze. The scale of the disaster is apparent, as the fireboat's streams of water are dwarfed by the fire. Although the rig sank not long after this photo was taken, the resulting oil spill wasn't capped until July 15. Over a hundred thousands birds and other animals were killed in the disaster, and the coastlines of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida were damaged. Cleanup lasted for years and the environmental impact of the spill is still felt today, especially in the declined populations of threatened wildlife species. Photos from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are a reminder that our relationship with nature remains fragile, even in the 21st Century.
[Image description: Flames and smoke rise from an oil rig as fireboats surround it, spraying water.] Credit & copyright: U.S. Coast Guard/Win McNamee/Getty Images.
Below: a seabird covered in oil resulting from the oil spill.Written by: Maria C.
April 19, 2021
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
I.A. Rehman opposed dictators and supported minorities, despite threats and constant danger.
with PRI's The WorldI.A. Rehman opposed dictators and supported minorities, despite threats and constant danger.
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Four local governments in California are asking for $50 billion from four drug companies. Plus, technology to help companies better monitor and analyze their...
Four local governments in California are asking for $50 billion from four drug companies. Plus, technology to help companies better monitor and analyze their...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : April 19, 2021
chlamys \KLAM-us\ noun
Definition
: a short oblong mantle worn by young men of ancient Greece
Did You Know?
If you had ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 19, 2021
chlamys \KLAM-us\ noun
Definition
: a short oblong mantle worn by young men of ancient Greece
Did You Know?
If you had ...
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #2219Free1 CQ
How many boats does it take to free the Ever Given from the Suez Canal? The newsworthy roadblock in the Egyptian waterway caused quite the kerfuffle in late March. For companies and seafarers who rely on the canal for shipping between Europe and Asia, the event was no laughing matter. While the Ever Given’s story might not be as tragic as that of famous ships like the Titanic, its mistakes are teaching us quite a bit about how ships and maritime travel works. So how did the Ever Given get stuck in the Suez Canal, and how did it get unstuck?
Early on March 23, a Taiwanese shipping company's container ship, the Ever Given, arrived at the Suez Port. At around 7:00 a.m., the Ever Given and other queued ships began moving through the Suez Canal. However, the Ever Givenhad no guiding tugboat attached to help it through the Khamaseen winds, which are intense and cause low visibility. Attempting to avoid the winds, the Ever Given started speeding—moving at 13.7 knots (about 15.7 mph) in a 8.6 knots (9.8 mph) zone. While speeding and angling a megaship is a known tactic to get ahead of strong winds, it can also cause major accidents, according to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). Try as it may, the Ever Given could not beat the winds, and the ship was pushed east. This caused a bank effect, in which a large ship, pushed close to a bank, displaces water and cannot correct course. The suction and current drove the boat's bow into the east bank and its stern into the west bank.
For over six days, the megaship remained stuck in the canal, preventing 367 other ships from completing their trips across the Suez and forcing countless others to reroute across the southern tip of Africa. The SCA immediately got to work freeing the 328-foot long ship, digging the bow out with an excavator and underwater dredging. One secret weapon may have been key to the clearing efforts: the king tides, a substantial high tide that occurs during the full and new moon (when the sun, moon, and Earth orbits align). The king tide peaked at 11:42 a.m. on March 29, and just a few hours later, the Ever Given was dislodged. Since its completion in 1869 by the Ottoman Empire, the Suez Canal has seen its fair share of colonialist warfare for control of the man-made waterway, and today some 10 percent of global maritime commercial traffic passes through the Suez. Thanks to the Ever Given's unfortunate accident, people won't soon forget the high drama of shipping through the Suez!
[Image description: an aerial view of the Ever Given container ship stuck in the Suez Canal.] Credit & copyright: Maxar Technologies
Written by: Esther P.How many boats does it take to free the Ever Given from the Suez Canal? The newsworthy roadblock in the Egyptian waterway caused quite the kerfuffle in late March. For companies and seafarers who rely on the canal for shipping between Europe and Asia, the event was no laughing matter. While the Ever Given’s story might not be as tragic as that of famous ships like the Titanic, its mistakes are teaching us quite a bit about how ships and maritime travel works. So how did the Ever Given get stuck in the Suez Canal, and how did it get unstuck?
Early on March 23, a Taiwanese shipping company's container ship, the Ever Given, arrived at the Suez Port. At around 7:00 a.m., the Ever Given and other queued ships began moving through the Suez Canal. However, the Ever Givenhad no guiding tugboat attached to help it through the Khamaseen winds, which are intense and cause low visibility. Attempting to avoid the winds, the Ever Given started speeding—moving at 13.7 knots (about 15.7 mph) in a 8.6 knots (9.8 mph) zone. While speeding and angling a megaship is a known tactic to get ahead of strong winds, it can also cause major accidents, according to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). Try as it may, the Ever Given could not beat the winds, and the ship was pushed east. This caused a bank effect, in which a large ship, pushed close to a bank, displaces water and cannot correct course. The suction and current drove the boat's bow into the east bank and its stern into the west bank.
For over six days, the megaship remained stuck in the canal, preventing 367 other ships from completing their trips across the Suez and forcing countless others to reroute across the southern tip of Africa. The SCA immediately got to work freeing the 328-foot long ship, digging the bow out with an excavator and underwater dredging. One secret weapon may have been key to the clearing efforts: the king tides, a substantial high tide that occurs during the full and new moon (when the sun, moon, and Earth orbits align). The king tide peaked at 11:42 a.m. on March 29, and just a few hours later, the Ever Given was dislodged. Since its completion in 1869 by the Ottoman Empire, the Suez Canal has seen its fair share of colonialist warfare for control of the man-made waterway, and today some 10 percent of global maritime commercial traffic passes through the Suez. Thanks to the Ever Given's unfortunate accident, people won't soon forget the high drama of shipping through the Suez!
[Image description: an aerial view of the Ever Given container ship stuck in the Suez Canal.] Credit & copyright: Maxar Technologies
Written by: Esther P. -
FREEAesthetic Art CurioFree1 CQ
The perception of beauty is a moral test." — Henry David Thoreau, Journal, 1850.
Miguel García Vivancos (1895-1972)
1965
oil on canvas
31.8 x 39.37 in. (81 x 97.5 cm.)
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
Civil war commander, Nazi prisoner, painter, friend of Pablo Picasso—Spanish artist Miguel García Vivancos, born on this day in 1895, was all of these things. His colorful paintings made him one of the most famous naïve, or self-taught, painters in Spanish history. In The perception of beauty is a moral test." —Henry David Thoreau, Journal, 1850 two pots of red flowers stand in a courtyard. On a hill in the distance is a castle. To the left is a village, to the right a church. The painting's lack of shading gives it a flat yet vibrant feel similar to images on Spanish pottery. Vivancos discovered he could paint long after he had been a commander in the Spanish Civil War. After fleeing to France and being held at the Vernet concentration camp, he settled in Paris. There, he began painting on handkerchiefs, which he sold to tourists. Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, who spent much time in Paris, discovered Vivancos's work and alerted art dealers to his talent. Soon, Vivancos's paintings were fetching high prices in France and abroad. Vivanco finally ended up in the right place at the right time...it just took him a long, hard while to get there!
Below: two more of Vivancos's paintings, The great law of culture is: let each become all that he was, and Party in the Village.
\Written by: Maria C.
The perception of beauty is a moral test." — Henry David Thoreau, Journal, 1850.
Miguel García Vivancos (1895-1972)
1965
oil on canvas
31.8 x 39.37 in. (81 x 97.5 cm.)
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
Civil war commander, Nazi prisoner, painter, friend of Pablo Picasso—Spanish artist Miguel García Vivancos, born on this day in 1895, was all of these things. His colorful paintings made him one of the most famous naïve, or self-taught, painters in Spanish history. In The perception of beauty is a moral test." —Henry David Thoreau, Journal, 1850 two pots of red flowers stand in a courtyard. On a hill in the distance is a castle. To the left is a village, to the right a church. The painting's lack of shading gives it a flat yet vibrant feel similar to images on Spanish pottery. Vivancos discovered he could paint long after he had been a commander in the Spanish Civil War. After fleeing to France and being held at the Vernet concentration camp, he settled in Paris. There, he began painting on handkerchiefs, which he sold to tourists. Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, who spent much time in Paris, discovered Vivancos's work and alerted art dealers to his talent. Soon, Vivancos's paintings were fetching high prices in France and abroad. Vivanco finally ended up in the right place at the right time...it just took him a long, hard while to get there!
Below: two more of Vivancos's paintings, The great law of culture is: let each become all that he was, and Party in the Village.
\Written by: Maria C.
April 18, 2021
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : April 18, 2021
forfend \for-FEND\ verb
Definition
1 a archaic : forbid
b : to ward off : prevent
2 : protect, preserve
Did You Know?
...with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 18, 2021
forfend \for-FEND\ verb
Definition
1 a archaic : forbid
b : to ward off : prevent
2 : protect, preserve
Did You Know?
... -
9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The House passed an equal pay measure along party lines. We look at how it would strengthen existing rules on pay discrimination and what Republicans are obj...
The House passed an equal pay measure along party lines. We look at how it would strengthen existing rules on pay discrimination and what Republicans are obj...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
A year ago, the pandemic hit suddenly — stopping transportation, closing borders and stranding many people outside their own countries. A year later, many Au...
with PRI's The WorldA year ago, the pandemic hit suddenly — stopping transportation, closing borders and stranding many people outside their own countries. A year later, many Au...
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FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
It’s a beautiful place with a complicated history. The Island nation of Guam has been making headlines lately, after controversial U.S. lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene made remarks indicating that she didn’t realize that Guam is a U.S. territory. Green’s office was later visited by Guam’s Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, Michael San Nicolas, and members of the Guam National Guard, who gifted her a box of the island’s famed Chamorro Chip Cookies. Outside of these rare circumstances, Guam typically doesn’t show up in mainstream American discourse. Many Americans don’t know the history of how Guam came to be a U.S. territory, or that its native people, the Chamorro, have a rich culture dating back at least 4,000 years.
Guam is the southernmost island of the Mariana Island chain, in the western Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a country comprised of more than 600 islands, spread far apart from one another, across the western Pacific. Humans first settled in Guam around 4,000 years ago, likely sailing from nearby islands off of Southeast Asia, such as Taiwan. By 800 CE, a new culture had developed on Guam. Ancient Chamorro people were expert seafarers whose diets consisted largely of seafood. Evidence suggests that they may have also cultivated rice. Chamorro villages featured buildings supported by latte stones, two-piece stone columns which served as foundations to protect structures from the damp ground. These buildings often had tall, triangular roofs, to divert rain. Early Chamorro society was matrilineal, meaning that women played a leading role in its everyday functioning.
In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (under the employ of Spain) became the first European to visit Guam in 1521. Magellan and his crew freely stole food, water, and other supplies from the Chamorros. When the Chamorros retaliated by taking whatever they could from Magellan’s ships, he dubbed Guam Isla de Ladrones, or the “Island of Thieves.” Unfortunately, Magellan’s expedition was far from the last to Guam. In 1668, Father San Vitores, a Jesuit missionary, came to Guam with a group of followers to convert the Chamorros to Catholicism. When Vitores baptized the daughter of Matå‘pang, a Chamorro chief, without permission, the Chamorro’s killed him. Outraged, the Spanish military launched an aggressive campaign to subjugate the Chamorro. The resulting Spanish-Chamorro War lasted for nearly 30 years, and by 1700, only around 5,000 Chamorro people remained.
It was through Spain that the U.S. eventually took possession of Guam. The Spanish-American War, which lasted from April to December of 1898, saw the U.S. supporting Cubans and Filipinos in their resistance to Spanish rule. When the U.S. eventually claimed victory, the Treaty of Paris was signed, granting Guam and several other Spanish colonies to the U.S. The Chamorro people’s population began to increase, although some of their original customs and even parts of their language were lost under Spanish rule.
Although Guam suffered greatly, during World War II, the island’s role in the war is rarely talked about outside of historical circles. For example, few Americans realize that Guam was bombed by Japanese forces just four hours after Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Japanese troops even seized control of Guam for almost three years during the war. Guamanians, including native Chamorros, were subjected to forced labor, internment, and other human rights violations. The U.S. recaptured Guam on July 21, 1944, yet Congress didn’t authorize a monument to commemorate those who suffered or lost their lives during the Japanese occupation until 1993. As Chamorro scholar Keith Camacho explained in his book, Cultures of Commemoration: The Politics of War, Memory and History in the Mariana Islands, U.S. military historians traditionally stick to “a body of discourse in which only Japanese and Americans constitute the agents of change and continuity in the region, erasing the agency and voice of indigenous peoples.”
Today, Guam occupies the same state of “limbo” as other U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico. People born in Guam are American citizens, but cannot vote or run for President. Their representatives in Congress are non-voting. Around 65,000 people of Chamorro ancestry now live in Guam, and many cultural societies promoting Chamorro traditions, including language, dress, and cuisine, exist to maintain Chamorro customs and educate outsiders. As Americans increasingly seem poised to discuss possible statehood and other increased rights for those living in U.S. territories, it’s likely that Guam will be making more frequent appearances on the average American’s radar, in the near future.
[Image description: a group of adults and children from Chamorro organizations, including the Hurao Cultural Camp, perform a burial ritual in traditional dress, holding up long branches to create a “tunnel.”] Credit & copyright: Associated Press
Written by: Maria C.It’s a beautiful place with a complicated history. The Island nation of Guam has been making headlines lately, after controversial U.S. lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene made remarks indicating that she didn’t realize that Guam is a U.S. territory. Green’s office was later visited by Guam’s Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, Michael San Nicolas, and members of the Guam National Guard, who gifted her a box of the island’s famed Chamorro Chip Cookies. Outside of these rare circumstances, Guam typically doesn’t show up in mainstream American discourse. Many Americans don’t know the history of how Guam came to be a U.S. territory, or that its native people, the Chamorro, have a rich culture dating back at least 4,000 years.
Guam is the southernmost island of the Mariana Island chain, in the western Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a country comprised of more than 600 islands, spread far apart from one another, across the western Pacific. Humans first settled in Guam around 4,000 years ago, likely sailing from nearby islands off of Southeast Asia, such as Taiwan. By 800 CE, a new culture had developed on Guam. Ancient Chamorro people were expert seafarers whose diets consisted largely of seafood. Evidence suggests that they may have also cultivated rice. Chamorro villages featured buildings supported by latte stones, two-piece stone columns which served as foundations to protect structures from the damp ground. These buildings often had tall, triangular roofs, to divert rain. Early Chamorro society was matrilineal, meaning that women played a leading role in its everyday functioning.
In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (under the employ of Spain) became the first European to visit Guam in 1521. Magellan and his crew freely stole food, water, and other supplies from the Chamorros. When the Chamorros retaliated by taking whatever they could from Magellan’s ships, he dubbed Guam Isla de Ladrones, or the “Island of Thieves.” Unfortunately, Magellan’s expedition was far from the last to Guam. In 1668, Father San Vitores, a Jesuit missionary, came to Guam with a group of followers to convert the Chamorros to Catholicism. When Vitores baptized the daughter of Matå‘pang, a Chamorro chief, without permission, the Chamorro’s killed him. Outraged, the Spanish military launched an aggressive campaign to subjugate the Chamorro. The resulting Spanish-Chamorro War lasted for nearly 30 years, and by 1700, only around 5,000 Chamorro people remained.
It was through Spain that the U.S. eventually took possession of Guam. The Spanish-American War, which lasted from April to December of 1898, saw the U.S. supporting Cubans and Filipinos in their resistance to Spanish rule. When the U.S. eventually claimed victory, the Treaty of Paris was signed, granting Guam and several other Spanish colonies to the U.S. The Chamorro people’s population began to increase, although some of their original customs and even parts of their language were lost under Spanish rule.
Although Guam suffered greatly, during World War II, the island’s role in the war is rarely talked about outside of historical circles. For example, few Americans realize that Guam was bombed by Japanese forces just four hours after Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Japanese troops even seized control of Guam for almost three years during the war. Guamanians, including native Chamorros, were subjected to forced labor, internment, and other human rights violations. The U.S. recaptured Guam on July 21, 1944, yet Congress didn’t authorize a monument to commemorate those who suffered or lost their lives during the Japanese occupation until 1993. As Chamorro scholar Keith Camacho explained in his book, Cultures of Commemoration: The Politics of War, Memory and History in the Mariana Islands, U.S. military historians traditionally stick to “a body of discourse in which only Japanese and Americans constitute the agents of change and continuity in the region, erasing the agency and voice of indigenous peoples.”
Today, Guam occupies the same state of “limbo” as other U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico. People born in Guam are American citizens, but cannot vote or run for President. Their representatives in Congress are non-voting. Around 65,000 people of Chamorro ancestry now live in Guam, and many cultural societies promoting Chamorro traditions, including language, dress, and cuisine, exist to maintain Chamorro customs and educate outsiders. As Americans increasingly seem poised to discuss possible statehood and other increased rights for those living in U.S. territories, it’s likely that Guam will be making more frequent appearances on the average American’s radar, in the near future.
[Image description: a group of adults and children from Chamorro organizations, including the Hurao Cultural Camp, perform a burial ritual in traditional dress, holding up long branches to create a “tunnel.”] Credit & copyright: Associated Press
Written by: Maria C.
April 17, 2021
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : April 17, 2021
purloin \per-LOYN\ verb
Definition
: to appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust
Did You Know?
The word pu...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : April 17, 2021
purloin \per-LOYN\ verb
Definition
: to appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust
Did You Know?
The word pu...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Economists say it’s difficult to compare the start of this year with the period between January and March 2020, because activity ...
From the BBC World Service: Economists say it’s difficult to compare the start of this year with the period between January and March 2020, because activity ...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Most Syrian children have missed years — if not decades — of schooling due to war and displacement. The conditions in Lebanon mean they could miss even more.
with PRI's The WorldMost Syrian children have missed years — if not decades — of schooling due to war and displacement. The conditions in Lebanon mean they could miss even more.
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #282Free1 CQ
Guam has two slogans: "Tano I' ManChamorro" (Land of the Chamorros) and "Where America's Day Begins." Home to the indigenous Chamorro people, Guam is the westernmost territory of the United States. The island is 17 hours ahead of the west coast. That means 9AM on Thursday in Pacific Standard Time is 2AM on Friday in Guam. Tune in tomorrow to learn more about the Chamorro people. In the meantime, can you solve this word square?
Remember: a word square is similar to a square crossword puzzle, but the same words appear across and down.Here's an example of a 3x3 word square:
CAT AGO TOYBelow are four clues, not in order. Can you make a 4x4 word square out of it?
A species of fish: the second clue plus this.
Thousands have grit.
A sting from a Craronidae might leave you feeling.
Water-related prefix.Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #282" 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.]Guam has two slogans: "Tano I' ManChamorro" (Land of the Chamorros) and "Where America's Day Begins." Home to the indigenous Chamorro people, Guam is the westernmost territory of the United States. The island is 17 hours ahead of the west coast. That means 9AM on Thursday in Pacific Standard Time is 2AM on Friday in Guam. Tune in tomorrow to learn more about the Chamorro people. In the meantime, can you solve this word square?
Remember: a word square is similar to a square crossword puzzle, but the same words appear across and down.Here's an example of a 3x3 word square:
CAT AGO TOYBelow are four clues, not in order. Can you make a 4x4 word square out of it?
A species of fish: the second clue plus this.
Thousands have grit.
A sting from a Craronidae might leave you feeling.
Water-related prefix.Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #282" 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.]