Daily Curio
An amusing daily fact from Justin Kitch, Curious CEO.
Curio Cabinet
- By Date
- By Type
October 17, 2019
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Léon Theremin was a cellist and a physicist and found out that you can create a sound by moving your hand in electromagnetic fields.
with PRI's The WorldLéon Theremin was a cellist and a physicist and found out that you can create a sound by moving your hand in electromagnetic fields.
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1 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Adult corals can reshuffle their symbiotic algae species to adapt to warming waters—and, it appea...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Adult corals can reshuffle their symbiotic algae species to adapt to warming waters—and, it appea...
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FREEPsychology Daily Curio #1925Free1 CQ
As time goes by, more and more scientists are lauding the therapeutic uses of psilocybin, aka "magic mushrooms." Matthew Johnson, an experimental psychologist at Johns Hopkins University, has been spearheading research into the substance's ability to overcome addiction—namely that of nicotine. For several years now, he has conducted experiments that couple long-term counseling with one-off psilocybin sessions. His patients prep extensively for their session, and pop a pill inside a controlled "trip room." Johnson admits it all sounds pretty "woo-woo," but 80 percent of his patients quit and half have remained smoke-free a year after their sessions—making his treatment twice as effective as nicotine patches. Psilocybin, like other hallucinogenic drugs, has been used by indigenous communities for millennia. However, American public perception of it soured in the '70s, when the counterculture movement mistook hallucinogens as cure-alls for modern society's ills. People abused the drug, and stories of frightening delusions and visions entered the era's zeitgeist. Hallucinogens like psilocybin can indeed arouse states of euphoria or terror where one "hears colors" or "sees sounds." People with a family history of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, are strongly advised against taking the drug, as there's a small chance it could induce a psychotic break from reality. Psilocybin is currently a Schedule I drug under federal U.S. drug policy. It's worth noting, though, that it is non-addictive, comparatively free of long-term damage, and remarkably safe in regards to overdosing. In fact, it seems to "reset" the mind, allowing users to reconsider their negative, ingrained thought patterns. Other experiments suggest that this trait has potential as an antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication. Johnson is currently helming a new experiment designed to test the "profoundly healing" efficacy of psilocybin against nicotine patches using MRI scans. And with Oakland and Denver having decriminalized magic mushrooms earlier this year, it seems Americans are finally willing to give psychedelics a chance to prove their use. It's a trend that may or may not coincide with the return of tie-dye clothing!
Image credit & copyright: Qieer Wang for NPR
As time goes by, more and more scientists are lauding the therapeutic uses of psilocybin, aka "magic mushrooms." Matthew Johnson, an experimental psychologist at Johns Hopkins University, has been spearheading research into the substance's ability to overcome addiction—namely that of nicotine. For several years now, he has conducted experiments that couple long-term counseling with one-off psilocybin sessions. His patients prep extensively for their session, and pop a pill inside a controlled "trip room." Johnson admits it all sounds pretty "woo-woo," but 80 percent of his patients quit and half have remained smoke-free a year after their sessions—making his treatment twice as effective as nicotine patches. Psilocybin, like other hallucinogenic drugs, has been used by indigenous communities for millennia. However, American public perception of it soured in the '70s, when the counterculture movement mistook hallucinogens as cure-alls for modern society's ills. People abused the drug, and stories of frightening delusions and visions entered the era's zeitgeist. Hallucinogens like psilocybin can indeed arouse states of euphoria or terror where one "hears colors" or "sees sounds." People with a family history of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, are strongly advised against taking the drug, as there's a small chance it could induce a psychotic break from reality. Psilocybin is currently a Schedule I drug under federal U.S. drug policy. It's worth noting, though, that it is non-addictive, comparatively free of long-term damage, and remarkably safe in regards to overdosing. In fact, it seems to "reset" the mind, allowing users to reconsider their negative, ingrained thought patterns. Other experiments suggest that this trait has potential as an antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication. Johnson is currently helming a new experiment designed to test the "profoundly healing" efficacy of psilocybin against nicotine patches using MRI scans. And with Oakland and Denver having decriminalized magic mushrooms earlier this year, it seems Americans are finally willing to give psychedelics a chance to prove their use. It's a trend that may or may not coincide with the return of tie-dye clothing!
Image credit & copyright: Qieer Wang for NPR
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Banks are trying to figure out how to make money with interest rates this low. Softbank is trying to make WeWork work. Plus, more women are at the top of the...
Banks are trying to figure out how to make money with interest rates this low. Softbank is trying to make WeWork work. Plus, more women are at the top of the...
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FREEInterior Design Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Gallivant
Artist: Sebastian Brajkovic (b. 1975)
Created: 2019
Medium: grey bronze, gold copper embroidered purple linen
Dimensions: 20.5 x 70.9 x 19.7 in (52 x 180 x 50 cm)
Current location: David Gill Gallery, London, England
What would our physical therapists say about the "ergonomic" design of this seat? In Sebastian Brajkovic's piece Gallivant, the Dutch sculptor deconstructs elements of French furniture design in twisted ways. The gilded seat takes inspiration from the baroque traditions of the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France—though Brajkovic isn't satisfied with merely replicating historical pieces. Instead of using the period-accurate carved wood as a construction base, Brajkovic uses a much heavier and malleable bronze metal, upholstering it in fine gold and lilac cloths. As Brajkovic notes, the results of this construction process challenge more than notions of good interior design: "I like the aspect that time is visible in the work that I make…. things untwining or extruding, growing and becoming older, metaphysical experiences, and surreal vision." Even if his pieces aren't really made for sitting, they'd still be quite the conversation piece in anyone's living room!
Below: more examples of Brajkovic's trippy furniture.
Image credit & copyright: David Gill Gallery, Sebastian Brajkovic
Title: Gallivant
Artist: Sebastian Brajkovic (b. 1975)
Created: 2019
Medium: grey bronze, gold copper embroidered purple linen
Dimensions: 20.5 x 70.9 x 19.7 in (52 x 180 x 50 cm)
Current location: David Gill Gallery, London, England
What would our physical therapists say about the "ergonomic" design of this seat? In Sebastian Brajkovic's piece Gallivant, the Dutch sculptor deconstructs elements of French furniture design in twisted ways. The gilded seat takes inspiration from the baroque traditions of the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France—though Brajkovic isn't satisfied with merely replicating historical pieces. Instead of using the period-accurate carved wood as a construction base, Brajkovic uses a much heavier and malleable bronze metal, upholstering it in fine gold and lilac cloths. As Brajkovic notes, the results of this construction process challenge more than notions of good interior design: "I like the aspect that time is visible in the work that I make…. things untwining or extruding, growing and becoming older, metaphysical experiences, and surreal vision." Even if his pieces aren't really made for sitting, they'd still be quite the conversation piece in anyone's living room!
Below: more examples of Brajkovic's trippy furniture.
Image credit & copyright: David Gill Gallery, Sebastian Brajkovic
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Boatman. By Carolyn Forché.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Boatman. By Carolyn Forché.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 6, 2017
factitious \fak-TISH-us\ adjective
Definition
1 : produced by humans rather than by natural forces
2 a : formed by or a...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 6, 2017
factitious \fak-TISH-us\ adjective
Definition
1 : produced by humans rather than by natural forces
2 a : formed by or a...
October 16, 2019
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FREELiterature Daily Curio #1924Free1 CQ
A missing chapter of the revered Japanese epic The Tale of Genji was discovered earlier this month. If you're unfamiliar with the story, you would be forgiven. Written around 1010 C.E. by Murasaki Shikibu, a royal widow, The Tale of Genji is widely considered the first modern novel ever written. It's a winding journey through the life, politics, and love affairs of Genji, the son of an emperor. Literati place it in the ranks of Don Quixote (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes, and draw comparisons between the observant prose of Murasaki and Jane Austen. It's a tome containing 1,300 pages, 54 chapters, and some 400 painstakingly developed characters with minimal plot. How did it come to be? Murasaki, who lived during Japan's Heian period, was born into a minor branch of the powerful Fujiwara clan. She was a wallflower and observed Japan's Imperial court from the sidelines, recorded everything in a diary, and translated it into her novel. The first persons to read installments of Genji are believed to have been aristocratic ladies-in-waiting. Unfortunately, that's all we know of the novel's backstory: the original manuscript was lost and the oldest known credible translation, made two centuries later, has long been incomplete. Luckily, a missing excerpt from that translation was just discovered in the family chest of one Motofuyu Okochi, a direct ancestor to a feudal lord. The Okochi family's meticulous records confirm the excerpt's authenticity, so it will offer an untampered view into everyday life in Japan's Imperial court. Which, further brought back to light, will certainly be a win for Japanese culture, historians, and bookworms. Because, as Murasaki wrote in Genji, "Real things in the darkness seem no realer than dreams."
A missing chapter of the revered Japanese epic The Tale of Genji was discovered earlier this month. If you're unfamiliar with the story, you would be forgiven. Written around 1010 C.E. by Murasaki Shikibu, a royal widow, The Tale of Genji is widely considered the first modern novel ever written. It's a winding journey through the life, politics, and love affairs of Genji, the son of an emperor. Literati place it in the ranks of Don Quixote (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes, and draw comparisons between the observant prose of Murasaki and Jane Austen. It's a tome containing 1,300 pages, 54 chapters, and some 400 painstakingly developed characters with minimal plot. How did it come to be? Murasaki, who lived during Japan's Heian period, was born into a minor branch of the powerful Fujiwara clan. She was a wallflower and observed Japan's Imperial court from the sidelines, recorded everything in a diary, and translated it into her novel. The first persons to read installments of Genji are believed to have been aristocratic ladies-in-waiting. Unfortunately, that's all we know of the novel's backstory: the original manuscript was lost and the oldest known credible translation, made two centuries later, has long been incomplete. Luckily, a missing excerpt from that translation was just discovered in the family chest of one Motofuyu Okochi, a direct ancestor to a feudal lord. The Okochi family's meticulous records confirm the excerpt's authenticity, so it will offer an untampered view into everyday life in Japan's Imperial court. Which, further brought back to light, will certainly be a win for Japanese culture, historians, and bookworms. Because, as Murasaki wrote in Genji, "Real things in the darkness seem no realer than dreams."
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… U.S. sanctions on Turkey have had a limited impact. Cell phone users in Kashmir get service back after a 70-day suspension. Plus,...
From the BBC World Service… U.S. sanctions on Turkey have had a limited impact. Cell phone users in Kashmir get service back after a 70-day suspension. Plus,...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The brains of blind people repurpose the vision regions for adaptive hearing, and they appear to ...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The brains of blind people repurpose the vision regions for adaptive hearing, and they appear to ...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Northern Ireland has dominated the Brexit negotiations over the last few months. But even if British Prime Minister Boris Johnson manages to appease those on...
with PRI's The WorldNorthern Ireland has dominated the Brexit negotiations over the last few months. But even if British Prime Minister Boris Johnson manages to appease those on...
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FREEJazz Guitar Song CurioFree2 CQ
Last month, jazz lovers mourned the loss of a star whom Dizzy Gillespie once called his "protégé": self-described "trumpetiste" Clora Bryant, who emerged as a bebop and West Coast jazz pioneer in the 1940s. On tracks like This Can't Be Love, Bryant led her own quartet as a singer and soloist. Her hardscrabble contralto voice compliments the lyrics of a cynical person who might have just found the greatest love of her life. In contrast, her solo comes out swingin' smoothly with variations on the jazz chorus. While Bryant is often overlooked by jazz historians, her contemporaries were far more effusive with praise. "She has the feeling of the trumpet. The feeling, not just the notes," Gillespie remarked. Despite battling sexism all her life, Bryan shined as a soloist for the U.S.'s leading all-female swing ensemble, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and emerged as a band leader in the '50s. In 1989, she became the first American jazz artist to perform in the U.S.S.R. If Bryant's legacy on wax is any indication, jazz trumpet aficionados who love a swingin' good tune will be grooving to her for many years to come.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Loomis Dean / LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images
Last month, jazz lovers mourned the loss of a star whom Dizzy Gillespie once called his "protégé": self-described "trumpetiste" Clora Bryant, who emerged as a bebop and West Coast jazz pioneer in the 1940s. On tracks like This Can't Be Love, Bryant led her own quartet as a singer and soloist. Her hardscrabble contralto voice compliments the lyrics of a cynical person who might have just found the greatest love of her life. In contrast, her solo comes out swingin' smoothly with variations on the jazz chorus. While Bryant is often overlooked by jazz historians, her contemporaries were far more effusive with praise. "She has the feeling of the trumpet. The feeling, not just the notes," Gillespie remarked. Despite battling sexism all her life, Bryan shined as a soloist for the U.S.'s leading all-female swing ensemble, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and emerged as a band leader in the '50s. In 1989, she became the first American jazz artist to perform in the U.S.S.R. If Bryant's legacy on wax is any indication, jazz trumpet aficionados who love a swingin' good tune will be grooving to her for many years to come.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Loomis Dean / LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 5, 2017
maelstrom \MAIL-strum\ noun
Definition
1 : a powerful often violent whirlpool sucking in objects within a given radius
...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 5, 2017
maelstrom \MAIL-strum\ noun
Definition
1 : a powerful often violent whirlpool sucking in objects within a given radius
...
October 15, 2019
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FREEArt Appreciation Daily Curio #1923Free1 CQ
Have you ever noticed that Renaissance paintings tend to be dark, as if someone dimmed the lighting within the frames? Scientists recently discovered why, and it proves that the Old Masters actually favored much brighter colors. A team of researchers at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, led by chemist Didier Gourier, first attributed the dull coloration to light and oxygen exposure. In particular, they were interested in how an archaic pigment called verdigris reacted to those conditions. Verdigris, or copper acetate, was traditionally created by seeping copper in vinegar for around three weeks. The resultant blue-green copper acetate film developed for the same reasons the Statue of Liberty shines blue-green. In fact, verdigris was described as a very flashy pigment meant to pop. It was popular from the 15th through the 17th century, but fell out of favor in the 19th century. It was flagged as toxic, and art historians started noticing that verdigris succumbed to a high rate of darkening: objects like trees, bushes, and green fabrics kept fading into the shadows of scenes.
To isolate verdigris as the culprit, Gourier and his team first took an electron microscope to samples from two Renaissance masterpieces, Agnolo Bronzino's Noli me tangere (1561) and Jean Fouquet's Pietà (c. 1470). Certain sections of verdigris, those shielded from light by each painting's frame, had aged better and gleamed far brighter than unprotected areas. A closer look also linked oxygen diffusion in cracked paint to the darkening. But Gourier wasn't satisfied with his findings yet. Next, he and the team replicated traditional Renaissance verdigris and applied it to a thin glass plate. They then subjected the plate to 16 hours of LED light, to simulate centuries of normal light exposure. Within that time frame, the verdigris samples on the plate wilted and turned murky brown, just like it had in the masterpieces. This just goes to show that, even though Renaissance masters took a solemn approach to their craft, they didn't purposefully select drab colors. It also means that a broad swath of famous paintings—from Boticelli to van Eyck—will require better methods of preservation. Which I'm onboard for, so long as art historians don't hide these works away in the dark!
Have you ever noticed that Renaissance paintings tend to be dark, as if someone dimmed the lighting within the frames? Scientists recently discovered why, and it proves that the Old Masters actually favored much brighter colors. A team of researchers at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, led by chemist Didier Gourier, first attributed the dull coloration to light and oxygen exposure. In particular, they were interested in how an archaic pigment called verdigris reacted to those conditions. Verdigris, or copper acetate, was traditionally created by seeping copper in vinegar for around three weeks. The resultant blue-green copper acetate film developed for the same reasons the Statue of Liberty shines blue-green. In fact, verdigris was described as a very flashy pigment meant to pop. It was popular from the 15th through the 17th century, but fell out of favor in the 19th century. It was flagged as toxic, and art historians started noticing that verdigris succumbed to a high rate of darkening: objects like trees, bushes, and green fabrics kept fading into the shadows of scenes.
To isolate verdigris as the culprit, Gourier and his team first took an electron microscope to samples from two Renaissance masterpieces, Agnolo Bronzino's Noli me tangere (1561) and Jean Fouquet's Pietà (c. 1470). Certain sections of verdigris, those shielded from light by each painting's frame, had aged better and gleamed far brighter than unprotected areas. A closer look also linked oxygen diffusion in cracked paint to the darkening. But Gourier wasn't satisfied with his findings yet. Next, he and the team replicated traditional Renaissance verdigris and applied it to a thin glass plate. They then subjected the plate to 16 hours of LED light, to simulate centuries of normal light exposure. Within that time frame, the verdigris samples on the plate wilted and turned murky brown, just like it had in the masterpieces. This just goes to show that, even though Renaissance masters took a solemn approach to their craft, they didn't purposefully select drab colors. It also means that a broad swath of famous paintings—from Boticelli to van Eyck—will require better methods of preservation. Which I'm onboard for, so long as art historians don't hide these works away in the dark!
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
This week, the Turkish military began an incursion into northeastern Syria, prompting residents in the area to flee south.
with PRI's The WorldThis week, the Turkish military began an incursion into northeastern Syria, prompting residents in the area to flee south.
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: At a Standstill. By Samuel Menashe.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: At a Standstill. By Samuel Menashe.
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Investors end the week optimistically as a partial trade deal between the U.S. and China becomes more likely. Worldwide demand for oil dips. Plus, a new game...
Investors end the week optimistically as a partial trade deal between the U.S. and China becomes more likely. Worldwide demand for oil dips. Plus, a new game...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshi...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshi...
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Nature is majestic, but it can also be hilarious. For proof, look no further than the zany Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, which will be announcing its winners November 13th. Entrants include dancing foxes to winking monkeys: animals that are captured at their funniest and most relatable. In Thomas Mangelsen's Chest Bump, pictured above, an emperor penguin and a sea lion appear to share a friendly chest bump. Both their mouths are open, as if they're laughing (or perhaps shouting "Bro!"). Of course, it could be that the two animals are actually threatening one another, since sea lions are penguins' natural predators—but you can be the judge of that! The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were established four years ago to promote interest in wildlife and conservation. Everyone who views or submits photos are encouraged to visit the Born Free Foundation's website and donate if they are able. The Born Free Foundation is a wildlife charity focused on goals like ending the illegal pet trade and advocating against trophy hunting. Funny to think that such big goals may be met with the help of animals in silly poses. We'll chest bump to that!
Below: more entries from the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
Image credit & copyright: Thomas Mangelsen, Alastair Marsh, Harry Walker, Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
Nature is majestic, but it can also be hilarious. For proof, look no further than the zany Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, which will be announcing its winners November 13th. Entrants include dancing foxes to winking monkeys: animals that are captured at their funniest and most relatable. In Thomas Mangelsen's Chest Bump, pictured above, an emperor penguin and a sea lion appear to share a friendly chest bump. Both their mouths are open, as if they're laughing (or perhaps shouting "Bro!"). Of course, it could be that the two animals are actually threatening one another, since sea lions are penguins' natural predators—but you can be the judge of that! The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were established four years ago to promote interest in wildlife and conservation. Everyone who views or submits photos are encouraged to visit the Born Free Foundation's website and donate if they are able. The Born Free Foundation is a wildlife charity focused on goals like ending the illegal pet trade and advocating against trophy hunting. Funny to think that such big goals may be met with the help of animals in silly poses. We'll chest bump to that!
Below: more entries from the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
Image credit & copyright: Thomas Mangelsen, Alastair Marsh, Harry Walker, Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 4, 2017
deem \DEEM\ verb
Definition
1 : to come to think or judge : consider
2 : to have an opinion : believe
Examples
The co...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 4, 2017
deem \DEEM\ verb
Definition
1 : to come to think or judge : consider
2 : to have an opinion : believe
Examples
The co...
October 14, 2019
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FREETravel Daily Curio #1922Free1 CQ
Tired of the same old vacation? How about a tour through the ruins of the world's worst nuclear-power-plant accident? Just fly on over to Pripyat, Ukraine, where the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has recently been opened for tourism. For those in need of a quick refresher, the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown reduced 1,000 square miles of northern Ukraine into an uninhabitable wasteland. Over the years, the area has partially recovered and wildlife has returned in amazing abundance. But the Reactor 4 control room, the heart of the disaster, has been closed to the public for over 30 years. That changed in June, when Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky—a key player in a certain, um, controversy in the news these days—rebranded Reactor 4 as a tourist destination. A ticket to the control room comes with a catch, though: you'll have to wear a hazmat suit, mask, helmet, and industrial boots. This is because radiation levels in Reactor 4 are estimated to be 40,000 times higher than standard levels. Excursions into the room will last no longer than five minutes, with two radiology screenings upon exit. Personally, I prefer to keep my hair on my head and my number of arms at two. That being said, I can see why adrenaline junkies would seek out such a storied site. Just remember if you start glowing on the plane ride home that you signed the release waiver!
Image credit & copyright: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Tired of the same old vacation? How about a tour through the ruins of the world's worst nuclear-power-plant accident? Just fly on over to Pripyat, Ukraine, where the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has recently been opened for tourism. For those in need of a quick refresher, the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown reduced 1,000 square miles of northern Ukraine into an uninhabitable wasteland. Over the years, the area has partially recovered and wildlife has returned in amazing abundance. But the Reactor 4 control room, the heart of the disaster, has been closed to the public for over 30 years. That changed in June, when Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky—a key player in a certain, um, controversy in the news these days—rebranded Reactor 4 as a tourist destination. A ticket to the control room comes with a catch, though: you'll have to wear a hazmat suit, mask, helmet, and industrial boots. This is because radiation levels in Reactor 4 are estimated to be 40,000 times higher than standard levels. Excursions into the room will last no longer than five minutes, with two radiology screenings upon exit. Personally, I prefer to keep my hair on my head and my number of arms at two. That being said, I can see why adrenaline junkies would seek out such a storied site. Just remember if you start glowing on the plane ride home that you signed the release waiver!
Image credit & copyright: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Crude prices are up after an Iranian oil tanker is attacked. The GM auto workers strike is in its fourth week as the company faces an existential crisis. Plu...
Crude prices are up after an Iranian oil tanker is attacked. The GM auto workers strike is in its fourth week as the company faces an existential crisis. Plu...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
"I feel like a war reporter, but there are no battle lines." In one of the world's deadliest country for journalists, some are collaborating and alerting eac...
with PRI's The World"I feel like a war reporter, but there are no battle lines." In one of the world's deadliest country for journalists, some are collaborating and alerting eac...
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1 minFREEAstronomy Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. NASA's InSight lander on Mars is trying to use its robotic arm to get the mission’s heat ...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. NASA's InSight lander on Mars is trying to use its robotic arm to get the mission’s heat ...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Desocupados (Unemployed)
Artist: Antonio Berni (1905-1981)
Created: 1934
Medium: tempera on burlap
Dimensions: 120 x 84 in (304 x 213 cm)
There are other ways to change the political landscape than running for public office. Argentinian artist Antonio Berti, who died in October, 1981, used his paintings to shed light on the serious social, political, and economic issues of 1930s and 1940s Argentina. In Desocupados (Unemployed), men and women are shown sleeping in the street, staring at the ground and cradling children, many with worried or hopeless expressions. Sleeping figures in the foreground almost seem to blend into a single mass, while in the background a wood floor gives way to open desert. The surreal setting seems to hint at the unknown. Berni's most political works were created after he returned to Argentina, in 1931, after having studied art in Europe for several years. By then, a military coup had taken over his country and ushered in what is now known as the Infamous Decade, during which poverty and unemployment were widespread. Berni's political artworks like Desocupados showed the effects of the decade on the average Argentinian, and inspired those struggling to unionize and resist. To that, we raise our picket signs in solidarity.
Below: Two more of Berni's pieces, Procesion and La gran Ilusion.
Image credit & copyright: Antonio Berni
Title: Desocupados (Unemployed)
Artist: Antonio Berni (1905-1981)
Created: 1934
Medium: tempera on burlap
Dimensions: 120 x 84 in (304 x 213 cm)
There are other ways to change the political landscape than running for public office. Argentinian artist Antonio Berti, who died in October, 1981, used his paintings to shed light on the serious social, political, and economic issues of 1930s and 1940s Argentina. In Desocupados (Unemployed), men and women are shown sleeping in the street, staring at the ground and cradling children, many with worried or hopeless expressions. Sleeping figures in the foreground almost seem to blend into a single mass, while in the background a wood floor gives way to open desert. The surreal setting seems to hint at the unknown. Berni's most political works were created after he returned to Argentina, in 1931, after having studied art in Europe for several years. By then, a military coup had taken over his country and ushered in what is now known as the Infamous Decade, during which poverty and unemployment were widespread. Berni's political artworks like Desocupados showed the effects of the decade on the average Argentinian, and inspired those struggling to unionize and resist. To that, we raise our picket signs in solidarity.
Below: Two more of Berni's pieces, Procesion and La gran Ilusion.
Image credit & copyright: Antonio Berni
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: All my friends are homeless. By Samuel Menashe.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: All my friends are homeless. By Samuel Menashe.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 3, 2017
oligopsony \ah-luh-GAHP-suh-nee\ noun
Definition
: a market situation in which each of a few buyers exerts a disproporti...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 3, 2017
oligopsony \ah-luh-GAHP-suh-nee\ noun
Definition
: a market situation in which each of a few buyers exerts a disproporti...
October 13, 2019
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… The U.S. and China signal a limited trade deal might be possible. Vacuum cleaner giant Dyson scraps an ambitious plan for electri...
From the BBC World Service… The U.S. and China signal a limited trade deal might be possible. Vacuum cleaner giant Dyson scraps an ambitious plan for electri...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Are fewer women named Nobel laureates just because there have been fewer women scientists?
with PRI's The WorldAre fewer women named Nobel laureates just because there have been fewer women scientists?
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1751 Robert Hooke, Isaac Newton, and science in transition. Today, conflict as s...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1751 Robert Hooke, Isaac Newton, and science in transition. Today, conflict as s...
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FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
It takes a village to raise a witch hunt.
It's all fun and superstition until someone gets hurt—then it's mass hysteria. That could have been the motto of the 1692 Salem witch trials which, however monumental or shameful, were an indicator that many things had gone terribly awry in the colonial Massachusetts village. Contentiousness, greed, fear, and judicial prejudices led to nothing but double, double, toil and trouble for the accused.
Many recountings of the Salem witch trials begin in 1692, with the first accusations of witchcraft. But Salem's sordid history dates further back. Prior to the trials, Salem encompassed several towns and villages in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, though the earliest trials were located in Salem Village, which is now part of modern-day Danvers. Disputes between the inhabitants of Salem Village and its neighbors were known far and wide, with many describing the people of the area as quarrelsome.
Land rights were a major source of contention among the inhabitants, as was a wave of xenophobia exacerbated by the influx of refugees from King William's War. In 1672, Salem Village voted on hiring a minister to sort out these and other issues. But their first two quit over low wages, while the third left after Salem's church refused to ordain him. The final choice, Samuel Parris, inflamed disputes when he delayed his acceptance in 1689 by conducting his own draconian searches for "iniquitous behavior," publicly shaming well-liked church members for their minor errors.
As it turned out, the paranoid apple didn't fall far from the tree in the Parris family. Samuel Parris' high suspicions of devilry eventually crept into the imaginations of his daughter and niece. In February of 1692, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams began experiencing hysterical fits and complained of being pinched and pricked with pins. Puritanical beliefs at the time claimed women were more susceptible to the influence of the Devil than men were, and soon other girls in the village came down with inexplicable ailments. One in particular, the 12-year-old Ann Putnam, Jr., was part of a village-wide dispute between the Putnams and Porters. Taking the wrong side in an argument concerning the families often resulted in fisticuffs with either party.
Soon, there were real consequences to Salem Village's hostilities. The first three victims of the "possessed" girls' accusations were some of the locale's most vulnerable inhabitants: Sarah Good was a homeless beggar, Sarah Osborne was an elderly and impoverished woman, and Tituba was an indigenous Kalina slave owned by the Parris family. Their forced confessions led to the establishment of a Special Court to hear and judge the appeals of other suspected witches. The first person charged by the court was Bridget Bishop, an older woman considered promiscuous by her neighbors. She was also the first person hanged at the execution site later known as Gallows Hill. Over the next year, the accusations mounted. They got so out of hand that Governor William Phipps ended up dissolving many of the Special Court's powers to accept spectral evidence and mete out punishments—but only after his own wife was accused of witchcraft. The prisoners were subsequently released, too.
In total, some 200 individuals were accused during the Salem witch trials, with 19 hanged at Gallows Hill. It took over 250 years for Massachusetts to formally apologize for the events of 1692, though the town continues to experience a mixed legacy with its witchy history. On the 300th anniversary of the trials in 1992, a memorial park was dedicated with speeches by Elie Wiesel and Arthur Miller, author of The Crucible, comparing Salem's history to McCarthyism. Each Halloween also sees the annual "Festival of the Dead" as a giant party and tourist attraction located in Salem. However Salem is remembered, there's no denying it continues to cast a spell on those who visit the place.
It takes a village to raise a witch hunt.
It's all fun and superstition until someone gets hurt—then it's mass hysteria. That could have been the motto of the 1692 Salem witch trials which, however monumental or shameful, were an indicator that many things had gone terribly awry in the colonial Massachusetts village. Contentiousness, greed, fear, and judicial prejudices led to nothing but double, double, toil and trouble for the accused.
Many recountings of the Salem witch trials begin in 1692, with the first accusations of witchcraft. But Salem's sordid history dates further back. Prior to the trials, Salem encompassed several towns and villages in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, though the earliest trials were located in Salem Village, which is now part of modern-day Danvers. Disputes between the inhabitants of Salem Village and its neighbors were known far and wide, with many describing the people of the area as quarrelsome.
Land rights were a major source of contention among the inhabitants, as was a wave of xenophobia exacerbated by the influx of refugees from King William's War. In 1672, Salem Village voted on hiring a minister to sort out these and other issues. But their first two quit over low wages, while the third left after Salem's church refused to ordain him. The final choice, Samuel Parris, inflamed disputes when he delayed his acceptance in 1689 by conducting his own draconian searches for "iniquitous behavior," publicly shaming well-liked church members for their minor errors.
As it turned out, the paranoid apple didn't fall far from the tree in the Parris family. Samuel Parris' high suspicions of devilry eventually crept into the imaginations of his daughter and niece. In February of 1692, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams began experiencing hysterical fits and complained of being pinched and pricked with pins. Puritanical beliefs at the time claimed women were more susceptible to the influence of the Devil than men were, and soon other girls in the village came down with inexplicable ailments. One in particular, the 12-year-old Ann Putnam, Jr., was part of a village-wide dispute between the Putnams and Porters. Taking the wrong side in an argument concerning the families often resulted in fisticuffs with either party.
Soon, there were real consequences to Salem Village's hostilities. The first three victims of the "possessed" girls' accusations were some of the locale's most vulnerable inhabitants: Sarah Good was a homeless beggar, Sarah Osborne was an elderly and impoverished woman, and Tituba was an indigenous Kalina slave owned by the Parris family. Their forced confessions led to the establishment of a Special Court to hear and judge the appeals of other suspected witches. The first person charged by the court was Bridget Bishop, an older woman considered promiscuous by her neighbors. She was also the first person hanged at the execution site later known as Gallows Hill. Over the next year, the accusations mounted. They got so out of hand that Governor William Phipps ended up dissolving many of the Special Court's powers to accept spectral evidence and mete out punishments—but only after his own wife was accused of witchcraft. The prisoners were subsequently released, too.
In total, some 200 individuals were accused during the Salem witch trials, with 19 hanged at Gallows Hill. It took over 250 years for Massachusetts to formally apologize for the events of 1692, though the town continues to experience a mixed legacy with its witchy history. On the 300th anniversary of the trials in 1992, a memorial park was dedicated with speeches by Elie Wiesel and Arthur Miller, author of The Crucible, comparing Salem's history to McCarthyism. Each Halloween also sees the annual "Festival of the Dead" as a giant party and tourist attraction located in Salem. However Salem is remembered, there's no denying it continues to cast a spell on those who visit the place.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 2, 2017
baleful \BAIL-ful\ adjective
Definition
1 : deadly or pernicious in influence
2 : foreboding or threatening evil
Examp...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 2, 2017
baleful \BAIL-ful\ adjective
Definition
1 : deadly or pernicious in influence
2 : foreboding or threatening evil
Examp...
October 12, 2019
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #208Free1 CQ
In an attempt to resolve their differences on the correct way to macaronage when making French macarons, Larry, Moe, and Curly have decided to step into the Octagon. As all fine bakers know, that's the only way to settle disputes. After a disturbingly brutal Round 1, the referee sent each of them to random corners of the Octagon for the break before Round 2 (of course, octagons have corners; they're just not right angles). Unfortunately, they're so angry with each other that if two of them end up on adjacent corners, they'll just continue fighting. What is the probability we'll have a peaceful break between rounds?
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #208" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
In an attempt to resolve their differences on the correct way to macaronage when making French macarons, Larry, Moe, and Curly have decided to step into the Octagon. As all fine bakers know, that's the only way to settle disputes. After a disturbingly brutal Round 1, the referee sent each of them to random corners of the Octagon for the break before Round 2 (of course, octagons have corners; they're just not right angles). Unfortunately, they're so angry with each other that if two of them end up on adjacent corners, they'll just continue fighting. What is the probability we'll have a peaceful break between rounds?
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #208" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Will China’s olive branch on trade do anything to ease tensions in Congress? Mayors from around the world pledge to lower climate change emissions. Assessing...
Will China’s olive branch on trade do anything to ease tensions in Congress? Mayors from around the world pledge to lower climate change emissions. Assessing...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Olga Tokarczuk, 57, won the Nobel Prize for "a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life,"...
with PRI's The WorldOlga Tokarczuk, 57, won the Nobel Prize for "a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life,"...
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics goes to James Peebles "for theoretical discoveries in physical co...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics goes to James Peebles "for theoretical discoveries in physical co...
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Beautiful Woman. By A. R. Ammons.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Beautiful Woman. By A. R. Ammons.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 1, 2017
rejuvenate \rih-JOO-vuh-nayt\ verb
Definition
1 : to make young or youthful again : give new vigor to
2 : to restore to...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 1, 2017
rejuvenate \rih-JOO-vuh-nayt\ verb
Definition
1 : to make young or youthful again : give new vigor to
2 : to restore to...
October 11, 2019
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3 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree2 CQ
The wife of a US diplomat allegedly hit and killed a British teenager in a car crash — and then used her diplomatic immunity to return to the US.
with PRI's The WorldThe wife of a US diplomat allegedly hit and killed a British teenager in a car crash — and then used her diplomatic immunity to return to the US.
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2776 Isaac Asimov's fantastic worlds, robots that roam among us, and energy stora...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2776 Isaac Asimov's fantastic worlds, robots that roam among us, and energy stora...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
One of the biggest hits for ramblin' countrymen didn't actually take off from one end of the U.S. coastline to the other. I've Been Everywhere was written in 1959 by the Australian country singer Geoff Mack and popularized by Lucky Starr. "Birdsville, Emmaville, Wallaville, [and] Cunnamulla" were some of the Down Under locales name-checked in the original version. A few years later in 1962, Canadian-American country artist Hank Snow put his spin on the tune, changing the Australian cities to North American ones like "Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma…." Part of the song's charm lies in the gradual acceleration of the tempo with each completed verse-list and refrain. Oh, and the tongue twisters! Who really needs to map all those destinations when singing along to the tune results in joyous babbling and bumbled words?
Below: a lyric video of the Beggar's Australian version of I've Been Everywhere, and Hank Snow's interpretation.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Canada Weekly
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
One of the biggest hits for ramblin' countrymen didn't actually take off from one end of the U.S. coastline to the other. I've Been Everywhere was written in 1959 by the Australian country singer Geoff Mack and popularized by Lucky Starr. "Birdsville, Emmaville, Wallaville, [and] Cunnamulla" were some of the Down Under locales name-checked in the original version. A few years later in 1962, Canadian-American country artist Hank Snow put his spin on the tune, changing the Australian cities to North American ones like "Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma…." Part of the song's charm lies in the gradual acceleration of the tempo with each completed verse-list and refrain. Oh, and the tongue twisters! Who really needs to map all those destinations when singing along to the tune results in joyous babbling and bumbled words?
Below: a lyric video of the Beggar's Australian version of I've Been Everywhere, and Hank Snow's interpretation.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Canada Weekly
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
To those who've seen Zarni Myo Win at work, it may seem like the photographer is always texting and walking. But he's actually using his iPhone camera to shoot the rain puddles of Yangon, Myanmar. After a particularly hard rainfall last summer, a fellow artist caught Win's eye. The reflection of the young man, walking home with a plastic-wrapped canvas in arm, could pass for a painting save for the crisp raindrop ripple by his back. But perhaps most striking is Win's framing, which creates the illusion of complementary mirrored worlds. On the puddle side, the muted figure traverses against a backdrop of vibrant buildings; on the grounded side, the man's saturated legs move across dull surroundings. Win was among the recipients of the 2017 iPhone Photography Awards. The contest has been around for as long as the iPhone itself and awards gold and palladium bars to its winners. Who knew playing on your phone—and playing in puddles—could someday be so rewarding!
Image credit & copyright: Zarni Myo Win
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
To those who've seen Zarni Myo Win at work, it may seem like the photographer is always texting and walking. But he's actually using his iPhone camera to shoot the rain puddles of Yangon, Myanmar. After a particularly hard rainfall last summer, a fellow artist caught Win's eye. The reflection of the young man, walking home with a plastic-wrapped canvas in arm, could pass for a painting save for the crisp raindrop ripple by his back. But perhaps most striking is Win's framing, which creates the illusion of complementary mirrored worlds. On the puddle side, the muted figure traverses against a backdrop of vibrant buildings; on the grounded side, the man's saturated legs move across dull surroundings. Win was among the recipients of the 2017 iPhone Photography Awards. The contest has been around for as long as the iPhone itself and awards gold and palladium bars to its winners. Who knew playing on your phone—and playing in puddles—could someday be so rewarding!
Image credit & copyright: Zarni Myo Win
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: The Floating Piers
Artist: Christo
Created: Opened June 18, 2016 (dismantled July 4, 2016)
Medium: site-specific installation
Location: Sulzano and Monte Isola, Brescia, Lombardy
The power to walk on water. That's the gift renowned installation artist Christo gave to 1.2 million visitors who got to experience the 2016 The Floating Piers on Lake Iseo, Italy. It was a project 46 years in the making, originally conceived with Christo's longstanding partner Jeanne-Claude in 1970—and the first major installation project he's undertaken since her passing in 2009. It took 600 workers to assemble 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes into an interlocking, floating dock. Measuring 3 kilometers long and 16 meters wide, the undulating surface was then covered with 100,000 square meters of yellow nylon fabric that shifted color as it interacted with water and light. Visitors were able to experience the landscape in a novel way as they walked from Sulzano to the islands Monte Isola and San Paolo, as if on the back of a gentle marine giant. In Christo's words, the pier was "an extension of the street and belonged to everyone," so no admission was charged. That doesn't mean it was free to build; a cool $17 million was needed to execute The Floating Piers, raised entirely from the sale of Christo's project sketches. Bravo, Christo!
Below: Another view of the piers, and one of Christo's project sketches (image credit & copyright: NY Times & Christo)
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: The Floating Piers
Artist: Christo
Created: Opened June 18, 2016 (dismantled July 4, 2016)
Medium: site-specific installation
Location: Sulzano and Monte Isola, Brescia, Lombardy
The power to walk on water. That's the gift renowned installation artist Christo gave to 1.2 million visitors who got to experience the 2016 The Floating Piers on Lake Iseo, Italy. It was a project 46 years in the making, originally conceived with Christo's longstanding partner Jeanne-Claude in 1970—and the first major installation project he's undertaken since her passing in 2009. It took 600 workers to assemble 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes into an interlocking, floating dock. Measuring 3 kilometers long and 16 meters wide, the undulating surface was then covered with 100,000 square meters of yellow nylon fabric that shifted color as it interacted with water and light. Visitors were able to experience the landscape in a novel way as they walked from Sulzano to the islands Monte Isola and San Paolo, as if on the back of a gentle marine giant. In Christo's words, the pier was "an extension of the street and belonged to everyone," so no admission was charged. That doesn't mean it was free to build; a cool $17 million was needed to execute The Floating Piers, raised entirely from the sale of Christo's project sketches. Bravo, Christo!
Below: Another view of the piers, and one of Christo's project sketches (image credit & copyright: NY Times & Christo)
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FREESTEM Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Where there's a wheel, there's a way. Upon setting out on the first road trip across the continental U.S. in May 1903, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker couldn't possibly have anticipated all the bumps they'd encounter along the way. It all began with a wager in San Francisco; Jackson had recently accepted a $50 bet that he couldn't drive across the country in 90 days. No one else had ever successfully completed a cross-country car trip before, and with barely any driving experience, Jackson was an unlikely candidate to break the streak. But before he knew it, the retired physician had purchased a used Winton car, recruited Crocker (a trained mechanic), and embarked on the journey.
America's first great road trip had more than its fair share of mishaps. The first one came just 15 miles in when one of the car's rear tires blew, forcing Jackson and Crocker to replace it with their only spare. The not-so-trusty Vermont—named after Jackson's home state—would again need tire replacements after enduring the northwestern mountain terrain. At points, the driving duo relied on the help of other modes of transportation; a cowboy and his horse offered a tow when their engine broke down, and Crocker took a detour on a rented bicycle to fetch gas. They lost numerous valuables, including several pairs of glasses, Jackson's coat (and the cash within it), and cooking tools. Then, there was the 108-mile detour they took when a woman purposely gave them wrong directions so they would pass by her hometown and allow her family to witness an automobile for the first time.
But it wasn't all bad. When Jackson and Crocker's misadventures took them through Idaho, they picked up an endearing third wheel: Bud the pitbull. The canine was even outfitted with his own set of protective goggles to keep out dust and complete his road-trippin' look. Against the odds, the roadworn trio arrived in New York City on July 26, 1903, completing the 4,500-mile journey from California in 63 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes. (The faithful Vermont, despite barely surviving the ordeal, is now permanently preserved at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.) It's the perfect humbling tale to break out next time the kids ask "are we there yet?"It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Where there's a wheel, there's a way. Upon setting out on the first road trip across the continental U.S. in May 1903, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker couldn't possibly have anticipated all the bumps they'd encounter along the way. It all began with a wager in San Francisco; Jackson had recently accepted a $50 bet that he couldn't drive across the country in 90 days. No one else had ever successfully completed a cross-country car trip before, and with barely any driving experience, Jackson was an unlikely candidate to break the streak. But before he knew it, the retired physician had purchased a used Winton car, recruited Crocker (a trained mechanic), and embarked on the journey.
America's first great road trip had more than its fair share of mishaps. The first one came just 15 miles in when one of the car's rear tires blew, forcing Jackson and Crocker to replace it with their only spare. The not-so-trusty Vermont—named after Jackson's home state—would again need tire replacements after enduring the northwestern mountain terrain. At points, the driving duo relied on the help of other modes of transportation; a cowboy and his horse offered a tow when their engine broke down, and Crocker took a detour on a rented bicycle to fetch gas. They lost numerous valuables, including several pairs of glasses, Jackson's coat (and the cash within it), and cooking tools. Then, there was the 108-mile detour they took when a woman purposely gave them wrong directions so they would pass by her hometown and allow her family to witness an automobile for the first time.
But it wasn't all bad. When Jackson and Crocker's misadventures took them through Idaho, they picked up an endearing third wheel: Bud the pitbull. The canine was even outfitted with his own set of protective goggles to keep out dust and complete his road-trippin' look. Against the odds, the roadworn trio arrived in New York City on July 26, 1903, completing the 4,500-mile journey from California in 63 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes. (The faithful Vermont, despite barely surviving the ordeal, is now permanently preserved at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.) It's the perfect humbling tale to break out next time the kids ask "are we there yet?" -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The U.S. has blacklisted more Chinese tech companies ahead of trade talks. We look further into the trade deal with the U.S. and Japan that can benefit Ameri...
The U.S. has blacklisted more Chinese tech companies ahead of trade talks. We look further into the trade deal with the U.S. and Japan that can benefit Ameri...
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Magic of Numbers. By Kenneth Koch.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Magic of Numbers. By Kenneth Koch.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : December 31, 2016
zeitgeist \TSYTE-gyste\ noun
Definition
: (often capitalized Zeitgeist) the general intellectual, moral, and cultural ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : December 31, 2016
zeitgeist \TSYTE-gyste\ noun
Definition
: (often capitalized Zeitgeist) the general intellectual, moral, and cultural ...