Curio Cabinet
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May 21, 2022
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 21, 2022
paradox \PAIR-uh-dahks\ noun
What It Means
Paradox refers to a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to comm...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 21, 2022
paradox \PAIR-uh-dahks\ noun
What It Means
Paradox refers to a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to comm...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Teachers and other education workers are up against pandemic burnout, understaffed schools and wages that aren’t keeping up with inflation. As a result, a re...
Teachers and other education workers are up against pandemic burnout, understaffed schools and wages that aren’t keeping up with inflation. As a result, a re...
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FREESports Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Crouch, Bind, Set! World Rugby has just announced that the U.S. will host the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup and the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup. This marks the first time that the U.S. will get to host the RWC, but also the first for any nation to host both the men’s and women’s competitions over 2 years. Rugby is a contact sport in which two teams of 15 players try to score the most points by advancing a ball to their opponents side and touching it to the ground, not unlike in American football. Although rugby has long been popular around the world, with 1.7 million fans attending the 2019 RWC in Japan, its rise in popularity within the U.S. is relatively recent. USA Rugby, the national governing body for the sport, was founded in 1975. The first professional league in the country—Major League Rugby—was only just founded in 2017, with the inaugural season following in 2018. There are currently 13 professional teams across the U.S. competing in two conferences, and the sport has also been gaining popularity at the collegiate level, with 67 Division 1-A Rugby teams.
Shortly after World Rugby made its announcement, USA Rugby chief executive Ross Young stated in a press release, "I speak for the rugby community and fans across the United States when I express our sincere gratitude to World Rugby for their trust and endorsement of our vision to grow this incredible sport exponentially across our country…We look forward to partnering with World Rugby in the years ahead to ensure that our preparations for these tournaments and the events themselves are a paradigm-shifting catalyst for the growth of our sport, not only here in the United States but around the world.” Get ready for the scrum.
[Image description: Rugby players in blue-and-white uniforms participate in a scrum, grouping close together with their heads down.] Credit & copyright: MonicaVolpin, Pixabay
Crouch, Bind, Set! World Rugby has just announced that the U.S. will host the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup and the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup. This marks the first time that the U.S. will get to host the RWC, but also the first for any nation to host both the men’s and women’s competitions over 2 years. Rugby is a contact sport in which two teams of 15 players try to score the most points by advancing a ball to their opponents side and touching it to the ground, not unlike in American football. Although rugby has long been popular around the world, with 1.7 million fans attending the 2019 RWC in Japan, its rise in popularity within the U.S. is relatively recent. USA Rugby, the national governing body for the sport, was founded in 1975. The first professional league in the country—Major League Rugby—was only just founded in 2017, with the inaugural season following in 2018. There are currently 13 professional teams across the U.S. competing in two conferences, and the sport has also been gaining popularity at the collegiate level, with 67 Division 1-A Rugby teams.
Shortly after World Rugby made its announcement, USA Rugby chief executive Ross Young stated in a press release, "I speak for the rugby community and fans across the United States when I express our sincere gratitude to World Rugby for their trust and endorsement of our vision to grow this incredible sport exponentially across our country…We look forward to partnering with World Rugby in the years ahead to ensure that our preparations for these tournaments and the events themselves are a paradigm-shifting catalyst for the growth of our sport, not only here in the United States but around the world.” Get ready for the scrum.
[Image description: Rugby players in blue-and-white uniforms participate in a scrum, grouping close together with their heads down.] Credit & copyright: MonicaVolpin, Pixabay
May 20, 2022
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Canada says it will ban two of China’s biggest telecoms equipment makers, Huawei and ZTE, from working on its 5G phone networks. ...
From the BBC World Service: Canada says it will ban two of China’s biggest telecoms equipment makers, Huawei and ZTE, from working on its 5G phone networks. ...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 20, 2022
ad hoc \AD-HOCK\ adjective
What It Means
Ad hoc means "concerned with a particular end or purpose" or "formed or used for s...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 20, 2022
ad hoc \AD-HOCK\ adjective
What It Means
Ad hoc means "concerned with a particular end or purpose" or "formed or used for s...
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FREESports Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
You think surfers are chill? While surfing may seem like a laid-back lifestyle sport, it can get intense. From Hawaii to California to Australia, many of the best surf beaches are guarded by local surf gangs. The phenomenon started in the 1960s when surfing's growing popularity began causing overcrowding at popular surf spots. Established local surfers, frustrated they could no longer surf at will in their hometowns, began banding together in places like Long Beach, California and Hawaii's North Shore. The groups adopted local hangouts, got matching tattoos, and gave themselves names like the Longos, the Black Shorts, the Wolfpak, and the Bra Boys. Most gang activities were limited to encouraging the cardinal rule: locals get precedence at the best surf spots. But things sometimes turn violent. The Lunada Bay Boys, an LA surf gang started in the ‘60s, has been known to physically rough up new surfers, and even make death threats. Then again, the gang is not quite like "Straight Outta Compton." They are mostly middle-aged white men with graying hair who live in the wealthy Palos Verdes Estates. Today the gang is mostly known for pelting rookie surfers with rocks, verbally assaulting them, and vandalizing their parked cars. This brings a whole new meaning to surfin' turf!
Credit & copyright: Kanenori, Pixabay
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
You think surfers are chill? While surfing may seem like a laid-back lifestyle sport, it can get intense. From Hawaii to California to Australia, many of the best surf beaches are guarded by local surf gangs. The phenomenon started in the 1960s when surfing's growing popularity began causing overcrowding at popular surf spots. Established local surfers, frustrated they could no longer surf at will in their hometowns, began banding together in places like Long Beach, California and Hawaii's North Shore. The groups adopted local hangouts, got matching tattoos, and gave themselves names like the Longos, the Black Shorts, the Wolfpak, and the Bra Boys. Most gang activities were limited to encouraging the cardinal rule: locals get precedence at the best surf spots. But things sometimes turn violent. The Lunada Bay Boys, an LA surf gang started in the ‘60s, has been known to physically rough up new surfers, and even make death threats. Then again, the gang is not quite like "Straight Outta Compton." They are mostly middle-aged white men with graying hair who live in the wealthy Palos Verdes Estates. Today the gang is mostly known for pelting rookie surfers with rocks, verbally assaulting them, and vandalizing their parked cars. This brings a whole new meaning to surfin' turf!
Credit & copyright: Kanenori, Pixabay
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
A painting is a painting is a painting. Artist Frank Stella doesn't want you to get too caught up in symbolic interpretations of his minimalist paintings. The works are meant to be appreciated as purely material objects. That doesn't mean they're is devoid of outside influences, though. Firuzabad, completed in 1970 as part of Stella's Protractor series, derives its title from an ancient circular city in Iran. The artist chose circles as a base because they provided symmetrical "stability" on which he could infuse "instability" with overlapping and intertwined segments. To create the 10-foot circles, the artist used a makeshift protractor created by nailing one end of a piece of wood into the canvas and attaching a pencil at the other end. The delicate, color-separating lines seen above are actually parts of the blank canvas taped off while painting each maze-like segment. With all that in mind, you can still enjoy Firuzabad at face value; as Stella would say, "What you see is what you see."
Image credit & copyright: Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
A painting is a painting is a painting. Artist Frank Stella doesn't want you to get too caught up in symbolic interpretations of his minimalist paintings. The works are meant to be appreciated as purely material objects. That doesn't mean they're is devoid of outside influences, though. Firuzabad, completed in 1970 as part of Stella's Protractor series, derives its title from an ancient circular city in Iran. The artist chose circles as a base because they provided symmetrical "stability" on which he could infuse "instability" with overlapping and intertwined segments. To create the 10-foot circles, the artist used a makeshift protractor created by nailing one end of a piece of wood into the canvas and attaching a pencil at the other end. The delicate, color-separating lines seen above are actually parts of the blank canvas taped off while painting each maze-like segment. With all that in mind, you can still enjoy Firuzabad at face value; as Stella would say, "What you see is what you see."
Image credit & copyright: Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
It's all about the little moments. At least, that's the case for American photographer Nan Goldin, whose most famous work cataloged the everyday lives of LGBTQ people in New York City's East Village, from the 1970s onward. Like many of Goldin's photos, Trixie on the cot, pictured above, captures a small moment which speaks volumes about the subject's larger experiences. It shows a feminine-presenting person in a colorful dress and hair ribbon, taking a cigarette break in what appears to be a dingy, dimly-lit room. The contrast between the subject's delicate appearance and the roughness of their surroundings says a lot about the extremes of living as an LGBTQ person in 1970s New York. The 1970s and 1980s were difficult times for LGBTQ Americans. The AIDS Crisis and an unsupportive government had heightened bigotry against the LGBTQ community. Nan Goldin's photos were a reminder that LGBTQ people were human beings with everyday lives, just like everyone else. In an interview, Nan Goldin once said, "I think the wrong things are kept private." After seeing the power of the private moments Goldin captured, it's hard to not feel emboldened to share such things when they need to be heard or seen.
Below: More of Goldin's photos from the 1970s and 1980s.
Image credit & copyright: Nan Goldin
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
It's all about the little moments. At least, that's the case for American photographer Nan Goldin, whose most famous work cataloged the everyday lives of LGBTQ people in New York City's East Village, from the 1970s onward. Like many of Goldin's photos, Trixie on the cot, pictured above, captures a small moment which speaks volumes about the subject's larger experiences. It shows a feminine-presenting person in a colorful dress and hair ribbon, taking a cigarette break in what appears to be a dingy, dimly-lit room. The contrast between the subject's delicate appearance and the roughness of their surroundings says a lot about the extremes of living as an LGBTQ person in 1970s New York. The 1970s and 1980s were difficult times for LGBTQ Americans. The AIDS Crisis and an unsupportive government had heightened bigotry against the LGBTQ community. Nan Goldin's photos were a reminder that LGBTQ people were human beings with everyday lives, just like everyone else. In an interview, Nan Goldin once said, "I think the wrong things are kept private." After seeing the power of the private moments Goldin captured, it's hard to not feel emboldened to share such things when they need to be heard or seen.
Below: More of Goldin's photos from the 1970s and 1980s.
Image credit & copyright: Nan Goldin
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FREEComputer Science Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
It’s been quite a while since Apollo 11 delivered the first humans to the moon. Nobody was more excited by that accomplishment than Margaret Hamilton. She lead the software team that programmed the computers that ran the control systems that enabled the astronauts to find, land on, and return from the moon. Surprised such a critical technical position was held by a woman in the 1960s? That's because jobs like computer programming were considered “women’s work.” The process of programming was extremely labor intensive. First, series of instructions were hand written onto paper coding pads. These were then translated onto punched cards by “keypunch girls,” who sent them to the male machine operators who fed the code decks through card readers. But Margaret Hamilton was no keypunch girl. She led the team at MIT that programmed the two guidance computers--one on the command module and one on the lander module. The code was so complex and lengthy that, when printed out single spaced, it was taller than Margaret (see photo below). The equivalent of more than 20 phone books of hand written and compiled computer instructions! Margaret's code likely saved the entire Apollo 11 mission. Three minutes away from landing on the Moon, multiple false alarms were rapidly triggered by the rendezvous radar system. This flooded the computer's processor, which was trying to perform its normal landing functions. Thanks to Hamilton's design principles, which assumed the program would break and included graceful recovery procedures, the computer simply rebooted itself. It restarted almost instantaneously, with fresh memory, and completed the landing sequence without incident. Hamilton's approach to creating the Apollo software led to many best practices for programming that are still used today. In fact, she invented the term “software engineering” to describe her methodic and redundant approach to coding. I have a feeling if Margaret were Mark we would already know this story.
Credit & copyright: Draper Laboratory; restored by Adam Cuerden, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, Public Domain.
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
It’s been quite a while since Apollo 11 delivered the first humans to the moon. Nobody was more excited by that accomplishment than Margaret Hamilton. She lead the software team that programmed the computers that ran the control systems that enabled the astronauts to find, land on, and return from the moon. Surprised such a critical technical position was held by a woman in the 1960s? That's because jobs like computer programming were considered “women’s work.” The process of programming was extremely labor intensive. First, series of instructions were hand written onto paper coding pads. These were then translated onto punched cards by “keypunch girls,” who sent them to the male machine operators who fed the code decks through card readers. But Margaret Hamilton was no keypunch girl. She led the team at MIT that programmed the two guidance computers--one on the command module and one on the lander module. The code was so complex and lengthy that, when printed out single spaced, it was taller than Margaret (see photo below). The equivalent of more than 20 phone books of hand written and compiled computer instructions! Margaret's code likely saved the entire Apollo 11 mission. Three minutes away from landing on the Moon, multiple false alarms were rapidly triggered by the rendezvous radar system. This flooded the computer's processor, which was trying to perform its normal landing functions. Thanks to Hamilton's design principles, which assumed the program would break and included graceful recovery procedures, the computer simply rebooted itself. It restarted almost instantaneously, with fresh memory, and completed the landing sequence without incident. Hamilton's approach to creating the Apollo software led to many best practices for programming that are still used today. In fact, she invented the term “software engineering” to describe her methodic and redundant approach to coding. I have a feeling if Margaret were Mark we would already know this story.
Credit & copyright: Draper Laboratory; restored by Adam Cuerden, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, Public Domain.
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
In Daily Curio #1168, we explored the unlikely origin of Auto-Tune, the vocal processing software that can make even a terrible singer sound worthy of the airwaves. But Auto-Tune would be nothing if it weren't for Cher's Believe. The song, which topped the U.S. charts this week in 1999, was the first to let loose on Auto-Tune, turning the singer's sweet harmonies into the sounds of a crooning fembot. The song was the first single off the eponymous album, dedicated to Cher's ex-husband Sonny Bono, who had died earlier the year before in a skiing accident. It marked something of a rebirth for Cher's career, which had been languishing as she struggled to find a style to keep up with the times. Believe launched her a decade into the future, predating the groundbreaking fusion of Auto-Tune singing and rap that Kanye West would be lauded for in 2008's 808s and Heartbreak. It almost didn't happen: Cher's record label didn't like that the Auto-Tune masked their talent's recognizable voice. But the singer rebuffed: "You can change that part of it over my dead body. And that was the end of the discussion."[A black-and-white publicity photo of Cher from the 1970s.] Credit & copyright: Casablanca Records, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of Cher’s birthday, enjoy these curios about things that were going on in the 1960s and 70s, during the height of the pop star’s career.
In Daily Curio #1168, we explored the unlikely origin of Auto-Tune, the vocal processing software that can make even a terrible singer sound worthy of the airwaves. But Auto-Tune would be nothing if it weren't for Cher's Believe. The song, which topped the U.S. charts this week in 1999, was the first to let loose on Auto-Tune, turning the singer's sweet harmonies into the sounds of a crooning fembot. The song was the first single off the eponymous album, dedicated to Cher's ex-husband Sonny Bono, who had died earlier the year before in a skiing accident. It marked something of a rebirth for Cher's career, which had been languishing as she struggled to find a style to keep up with the times. Believe launched her a decade into the future, predating the groundbreaking fusion of Auto-Tune singing and rap that Kanye West would be lauded for in 2008's 808s and Heartbreak. It almost didn't happen: Cher's record label didn't like that the Auto-Tune masked their talent's recognizable voice. But the singer rebuffed: "You can change that part of it over my dead body. And that was the end of the discussion."[A black-and-white publicity photo of Cher from the 1970s.] Credit & copyright: Casablanca Records, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
May 19, 2022
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: As Australians head to the polls this weekend, new data says unemployment is its lowest since the 1970s, but inflation and youth ...
From the BBC World Service: As Australians head to the polls this weekend, new data says unemployment is its lowest since the 1970s, but inflation and youth ...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : May 19, 2022
kibosh \KYE-bosh\ noun
What It Means
Kibosh refers to something that serves as a check or stop. It is usually used in the p...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 19, 2022
kibosh \KYE-bosh\ noun
What It Means
Kibosh refers to something that serves as a check or stop. It is usually used in the p...
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FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Ever think of using pond scum for your math homework? Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a generator that was able to power a computer for six months using the power of photosynthesizing algae. They published a paper about their invention, which is about the size of a AA battery, in Energy & Environmental Science. The generator consists of an aluminum casing and clear plastic that contains Synechocystis sp., also known as blue-green algae. Placed on a windowsill at the home of one of the researchers, the algae inside the device was able to photosynthesize, which in turn generated a small electric current in the form of bio-photovoltaic energy. That electric current was harvested, and provided 0.3 microwatts of power to an ARM Cortex-M0+ chip, a microprocessor that is often used in the “Internet of Things,” according to the paper. To simulate an actual device’s workload, the microprocessor was made to calculate sums of consecutive integers in 45 minute cycles. The researchers hope that this technology can be scaled up so that it can be used in low-energy applications, replacing conventional batteries and photovoltaic generators that require the use of environmentally hazardous materials. While the bio-photovoltaic energy produced by the device is very small compared to what can be produced by photovoltaic units of comparable size, one advantage it has is that it can produce energy even in the dark, as the algae continues to process surplus food. Clearly the sun isn’t setting on the future of clean energy.
[Image description: A beaker of algae sits inside a larger glass container.] Credit & copyright: ckstockphoto, Pixabay
Ever think of using pond scum for your math homework? Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a generator that was able to power a computer for six months using the power of photosynthesizing algae. They published a paper about their invention, which is about the size of a AA battery, in Energy & Environmental Science. The generator consists of an aluminum casing and clear plastic that contains Synechocystis sp., also known as blue-green algae. Placed on a windowsill at the home of one of the researchers, the algae inside the device was able to photosynthesize, which in turn generated a small electric current in the form of bio-photovoltaic energy. That electric current was harvested, and provided 0.3 microwatts of power to an ARM Cortex-M0+ chip, a microprocessor that is often used in the “Internet of Things,” according to the paper. To simulate an actual device’s workload, the microprocessor was made to calculate sums of consecutive integers in 45 minute cycles. The researchers hope that this technology can be scaled up so that it can be used in low-energy applications, replacing conventional batteries and photovoltaic generators that require the use of environmentally hazardous materials. While the bio-photovoltaic energy produced by the device is very small compared to what can be produced by photovoltaic units of comparable size, one advantage it has is that it can produce energy even in the dark, as the algae continues to process surplus food. Clearly the sun isn’t setting on the future of clean energy.
[Image description: A beaker of algae sits inside a larger glass container.] Credit & copyright: ckstockphoto, Pixabay
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FREEPlay Daily Curio #2445Free1 CQ
It’s just a cube—how hard can it be? Rubik’s Cubes, the iconic puzzle toy, were released in May of 1980, and over 350 million of them have been sold since. Invented by Ernő Rubik of Hungary in 1974, Rubik originally called it Bűvös kocka (the Magic Cube). Rubik claims that he wanted to create a puzzle based on geometry, and made his original prototypes out of wood and rubber bands. In 1979, he sold the rights to produce and sell the toy to US-based Ideal Toy & Novelty Company, which renamed it the Rubik’s Cube. As soon as it hit store shelves, the confounding cube became an international sensation, selling 100 million units in the first 2 years by enticing challengers to discover the secrets hidden under its deceptively simple looking facade. No one was more surprised by the toy’s runaway success and mass appeal than Rubik himself, who thought it would have limited appeal—only drawing in those who were interested in math and science.
With six colored sides made up of 27 smaller cubes called “cubies,” the toy doesn’t look too complicated at a glance. But twist around the cube a few times, and you can end up with one of over 43 quintillion combinations of configurations. If one wants to get the Rubik’s Cube back to its original, pristine state with all its colors neatly sorted without a plan, they could conceivably die of old age before solving it. Of course, the cube has been conquered over and over again, and there have been books and guides published dedicated to providing all sorts of tips and tricks to solving it. There are even people called “speedcubers” who try to solve the cube as fast as possible. In fact, the fastest current record for solving the cube is 3.47 seconds, set by Yusheng Du of China in 2018. If that isn’t impressive enough, there are even speedcubers who can solve the cube blindfolded, with the current record of 14.61 seconds set by Tommy Cherry of the U.S. in March of this year. Just try and wrap your head around that.
[Image description: A slightly-twisted Rubik’s Cube sits on a desk.] Credit & copyright: duanegabriel, PixabayIt’s just a cube—how hard can it be? Rubik’s Cubes, the iconic puzzle toy, were released in May of 1980, and over 350 million of them have been sold since. Invented by Ernő Rubik of Hungary in 1974, Rubik originally called it Bűvös kocka (the Magic Cube). Rubik claims that he wanted to create a puzzle based on geometry, and made his original prototypes out of wood and rubber bands. In 1979, he sold the rights to produce and sell the toy to US-based Ideal Toy & Novelty Company, which renamed it the Rubik’s Cube. As soon as it hit store shelves, the confounding cube became an international sensation, selling 100 million units in the first 2 years by enticing challengers to discover the secrets hidden under its deceptively simple looking facade. No one was more surprised by the toy’s runaway success and mass appeal than Rubik himself, who thought it would have limited appeal—only drawing in those who were interested in math and science.
With six colored sides made up of 27 smaller cubes called “cubies,” the toy doesn’t look too complicated at a glance. But twist around the cube a few times, and you can end up with one of over 43 quintillion combinations of configurations. If one wants to get the Rubik’s Cube back to its original, pristine state with all its colors neatly sorted without a plan, they could conceivably die of old age before solving it. Of course, the cube has been conquered over and over again, and there have been books and guides published dedicated to providing all sorts of tips and tricks to solving it. There are even people called “speedcubers” who try to solve the cube as fast as possible. In fact, the fastest current record for solving the cube is 3.47 seconds, set by Yusheng Du of China in 2018. If that isn’t impressive enough, there are even speedcubers who can solve the cube blindfolded, with the current record of 14.61 seconds set by Tommy Cherry of the U.S. in March of this year. Just try and wrap your head around that.
[Image description: A slightly-twisted Rubik’s Cube sits on a desk.] Credit & copyright: duanegabriel, Pixabay
May 18, 2022
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: U.K. inflation jumped to 9% in the 12 months to April, up from 7% in March, as higher energy bills hit millions of households. Al...
From the BBC World Service: U.K. inflation jumped to 9% in the 12 months to April, up from 7% in March, as higher energy bills hit millions of households. Al...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 18, 2022
indoctrinate \in-DAHK-truh-nayt\ verb
What It Means
Indoctrinate means "to teach (someone) to fully accept the ideas, opini...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 18, 2022
indoctrinate \in-DAHK-truh-nayt\ verb
What It Means
Indoctrinate means "to teach (someone) to fully accept the ideas, opini...
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FREEEntrepreneurship Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
This gives new meaning to “from rags to riches.” While many people have sold the odd bauble or two online, few put in the effort to make a business out of online selling. Such effort can pay off in big ways, though. For 26-year-old medical student Olicia Hillier, selling old clothing online helped her buy her own home. The trick? Taking it seriously and treating it like a business. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with student loans looming and little savings to speak of, Hillier decided to “flip” a few thrift store clothing finds on the clothing-selling app Poshmark. She started with a t-shirt she had bought for five dollars, selling it for twenty. She soon realized that many Poshmark sellers were selling inventory that wasn’t from their own closets, but rather from thrift stores or other discount retailers. After some research, HIllier began zoning in on which styles sold best, and which brands buyers were willing to pay the most for. Soon, her shop was filled with items that were practically guaranteed to sell for a decent price. Hillier developed a routine to help keep her side-hustle on track: buying clothes on Friday, cleaning them through Saturday, taking listing photos on Sunday, creating the listings themselves on Monday, and shipping orders the rest of the week. “You’ve got to be regimented and have a routine,” Hillier told CNBC. “If I didn’t love it so much, I wouldn’t make the time for it.” Eventually, her side-hustle morphed into a full-blown business, and even helped Hillier afford the down payment on a home. Last year, her online business made around $85,000. That’s a lot of dough for resold clothes!
[Image description: Colorful t-shirts hang from a rack.] Credit & copyright: meandcolors, PixabayThis gives new meaning to “from rags to riches.” While many people have sold the odd bauble or two online, few put in the effort to make a business out of online selling. Such effort can pay off in big ways, though. For 26-year-old medical student Olicia Hillier, selling old clothing online helped her buy her own home. The trick? Taking it seriously and treating it like a business. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with student loans looming and little savings to speak of, Hillier decided to “flip” a few thrift store clothing finds on the clothing-selling app Poshmark. She started with a t-shirt she had bought for five dollars, selling it for twenty. She soon realized that many Poshmark sellers were selling inventory that wasn’t from their own closets, but rather from thrift stores or other discount retailers. After some research, HIllier began zoning in on which styles sold best, and which brands buyers were willing to pay the most for. Soon, her shop was filled with items that were practically guaranteed to sell for a decent price. Hillier developed a routine to help keep her side-hustle on track: buying clothes on Friday, cleaning them through Saturday, taking listing photos on Sunday, creating the listings themselves on Monday, and shipping orders the rest of the week. “You’ve got to be regimented and have a routine,” Hillier told CNBC. “If I didn’t love it so much, I wouldn’t make the time for it.” Eventually, her side-hustle morphed into a full-blown business, and even helped Hillier afford the down payment on a home. Last year, her online business made around $85,000. That’s a lot of dough for resold clothes!
[Image description: Colorful t-shirts hang from a rack.] Credit & copyright: meandcolors, Pixabay -
FREEBiology Daily Curio #2444Free1 CQ
Thank goodness these pests have been er-rat-icated. On Lord Howe Island, nature is staging a serious comeback 15 months after the culling of invasive rats that plagued its ecosystem. Located off the east coast of Australia in the East Tasman sea, the island is a UNESCO World-Heritage-listed site. It’s always been home to an abundance of wildlife, but until recently the local flora and fauna were under constant attack by a population of rats that first arrived on the island in 1918. At one point, it was estimated that there were approximately 200,000 to 300,000 rats on the island feasting on native invertebrates, bird eggs, fruits and even the human resident’s vegetable gardens. Since their introduction to the island, they have wrought immense destruction, causing the extinction of at least five species of birds, 13 invertebrates and two plants, according to Hank Bower of the Environment World Heritage for the Lord Howe Island Board. To address the problem once and for all, the Lord Howe Island Board and the NSW Environmental Trust and the Commonwealth Government approved a $15.5 million AUD eradication campaign in 2019.
To target the rat population, the program used a two-pronged approach, placing around 22,000 poised-laced traps around the island and spreading poisoned pellets in areas that were less easily accessible. The results so far have been astounding, to say the least, and there hasn’t been a rat sighting since August of 2021. Meanwhile, both government officials and residents have noticed an increase in the abundance of previously rare wildlife. Bower told The Sydney Morning Herald, “What is unfolding is an ecological renaissance, since the rodents have gone, the catchphrase is: ‘I’ve never seen that before.’ There’s a vine which we didn’t know what the fruit looked like, people are taking photos of insects and sending them to the Australian Museum who are saying we’ve only got three of those on record ever but we are seeing hundreds of them. Everything is blooming, all the plants are flowering and we are seeing a carpet of seedlings.” Other species that have made surprising recoveries include a number of land snails, the black-winged petrel, and endangered woodhens, which have increased in population from around 200 to 565. Bower also noted that while it was once rare to hear any crickets on the island, there is now a nightly chorus that fills the air. There’s certainly a lot worth singing about.
[Image description: A photo of a beach on Lord Howe island, beneath a blue sky and clouds.] Credit & copyright: 3363858, PixabayThank goodness these pests have been er-rat-icated. On Lord Howe Island, nature is staging a serious comeback 15 months after the culling of invasive rats that plagued its ecosystem. Located off the east coast of Australia in the East Tasman sea, the island is a UNESCO World-Heritage-listed site. It’s always been home to an abundance of wildlife, but until recently the local flora and fauna were under constant attack by a population of rats that first arrived on the island in 1918. At one point, it was estimated that there were approximately 200,000 to 300,000 rats on the island feasting on native invertebrates, bird eggs, fruits and even the human resident’s vegetable gardens. Since their introduction to the island, they have wrought immense destruction, causing the extinction of at least five species of birds, 13 invertebrates and two plants, according to Hank Bower of the Environment World Heritage for the Lord Howe Island Board. To address the problem once and for all, the Lord Howe Island Board and the NSW Environmental Trust and the Commonwealth Government approved a $15.5 million AUD eradication campaign in 2019.
To target the rat population, the program used a two-pronged approach, placing around 22,000 poised-laced traps around the island and spreading poisoned pellets in areas that were less easily accessible. The results so far have been astounding, to say the least, and there hasn’t been a rat sighting since August of 2021. Meanwhile, both government officials and residents have noticed an increase in the abundance of previously rare wildlife. Bower told The Sydney Morning Herald, “What is unfolding is an ecological renaissance, since the rodents have gone, the catchphrase is: ‘I’ve never seen that before.’ There’s a vine which we didn’t know what the fruit looked like, people are taking photos of insects and sending them to the Australian Museum who are saying we’ve only got three of those on record ever but we are seeing hundreds of them. Everything is blooming, all the plants are flowering and we are seeing a carpet of seedlings.” Other species that have made surprising recoveries include a number of land snails, the black-winged petrel, and endangered woodhens, which have increased in population from around 200 to 565. Bower also noted that while it was once rare to hear any crickets on the island, there is now a nightly chorus that fills the air. There’s certainly a lot worth singing about.
[Image description: A photo of a beach on Lord Howe island, beneath a blue sky and clouds.] Credit & copyright: 3363858, Pixabay
May 17, 2022
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Sri Lanka is now a country with an empty tank, as the worst economic crisis in its independent history continues to spiral. Also,...
From the BBC World Service: Sri Lanka is now a country with an empty tank, as the worst economic crisis in its independent history continues to spiral. Also,...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 17, 2022
nonpareil \nahn-puh-REL\ adjective
What It Means
Nonpareil means "having no equal."
// The singer's stunning performance w...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 17, 2022
nonpareil \nahn-puh-REL\ adjective
What It Means
Nonpareil means "having no equal."
// The singer's stunning performance w...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Pop open those bubbly tunes. American musician Lawrence Welk, who passed away on this day in 1992, is best remembered for his televised musical variety show, The Lawrence Welk Show. Yet his T.V. fame was brought about through years of hard work as a touring bandleader. Welk specialized in a specific brand of big band music featuring romantic, danceable songs, often with Welk himself playing accordion. Due to his music’s bubbly tone, Welk described it as “champagne music.” His band even made a habit of performing in front of bubble machines. Welks’ 1961 hit Calcutta is a perfect example of the champagne style. Its cheerful, swaying melody leans heavily on the harpsichord and makes for perfectly light, danceable fare. Welks was hesitant to record the song at first, since it had originally been a German pop song titled Tivoli Melody, and he wasn’t sure it would work stateside. Yet it ended up topping the U.S. pop charts at a time when young rock and roll artists were dominating the music scene. Put a cork in it, whippersnappers!
[Image description: A black-and-white photo of Lawrence Welk as a young man, wearing a suit and smiling.] Credit & copyright: Frederick Brothers Agency, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped, Public Domain
Pop open those bubbly tunes. American musician Lawrence Welk, who passed away on this day in 1992, is best remembered for his televised musical variety show, The Lawrence Welk Show. Yet his T.V. fame was brought about through years of hard work as a touring bandleader. Welk specialized in a specific brand of big band music featuring romantic, danceable songs, often with Welk himself playing accordion. Due to his music’s bubbly tone, Welk described it as “champagne music.” His band even made a habit of performing in front of bubble machines. Welks’ 1961 hit Calcutta is a perfect example of the champagne style. Its cheerful, swaying melody leans heavily on the harpsichord and makes for perfectly light, danceable fare. Welks was hesitant to record the song at first, since it had originally been a German pop song titled Tivoli Melody, and he wasn’t sure it would work stateside. Yet it ended up topping the U.S. pop charts at a time when young rock and roll artists were dominating the music scene. Put a cork in it, whippersnappers!
[Image description: A black-and-white photo of Lawrence Welk as a young man, wearing a suit and smiling.] Credit & copyright: Frederick Brothers Agency, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped, Public Domain
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FREERelationships Daily Curio #2443Free1 CQ
When you’re on a plane, a crash course is the last thing you want. But that’s exactly what was waiting in store for Darren Harrison on May 10 when he took off from the Bahamas in a Cessna 208 and the pilot became incapacitated while in the air. The Cessna 208 isn’t exactly a jet airliner—it’s a small, single engine plane with a propeller and room for nine passengers. It’s not the most complex sky-faring machine, but that’s cold comfort to someone who’s never flown an airplane before. After the Cessna went into a sudden nosedive, Harrison made his way to the plane’s cockpit where he found the pilot slumped over at the controls. Harrison was able to reach air traffic control on the radio, telling them, "I've got a serious situation here. My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the airplane." Harrison also informed them that he could see the coast of Florida but had no idea what the plane’s exact location was, so he was told to follow the coast either northbound or southbound until they could find him. The newly-minted aviator also told them that while he had seen pilots at work, he had no actual flight experience.
Fortunately, among the air traffic controllers was someone who also happened to be a certified flight instructor: Robert Morgan. But Morgan had never flown a Cessna 208 before, so he wasn’t familiar with the craft’s instrument panel layout. To give himself a visual aid, Morgan printed out a picture of the Cessna’s instrument panel and used it to guide Harrison, directing him to the biggest airport in his vicinity, the Palm Beach International Airport. He chose the airport because it has longer runways and less congestion than others in the area. In the meantime, Harrison was instructed to keep the wings level and descend slowly by reducing power to the engine. Somehow, Harrison was able to remain level-headed throughout the harrowing ordeal. As the plane neared the airport, Morgan told Harrison to position the plane about 8 miles away to give him more space to aim for the runway. With Morgan’s careful instructions over the radio, Harrison landed successfully. Morgan told CNN, "It was an emotional moment. He said that he just wanted to get home to his pregnant wife. And that felt even better." That’s pretty down-to-earth motivation for a quick-thinking, impromptu pilot.
[Image description: A Cessna 208 caravan plane sits on a runway.] Credit & copyright: Nel_Botha-NZ, PixabayWhen you’re on a plane, a crash course is the last thing you want. But that’s exactly what was waiting in store for Darren Harrison on May 10 when he took off from the Bahamas in a Cessna 208 and the pilot became incapacitated while in the air. The Cessna 208 isn’t exactly a jet airliner—it’s a small, single engine plane with a propeller and room for nine passengers. It’s not the most complex sky-faring machine, but that’s cold comfort to someone who’s never flown an airplane before. After the Cessna went into a sudden nosedive, Harrison made his way to the plane’s cockpit where he found the pilot slumped over at the controls. Harrison was able to reach air traffic control on the radio, telling them, "I've got a serious situation here. My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the airplane." Harrison also informed them that he could see the coast of Florida but had no idea what the plane’s exact location was, so he was told to follow the coast either northbound or southbound until they could find him. The newly-minted aviator also told them that while he had seen pilots at work, he had no actual flight experience.
Fortunately, among the air traffic controllers was someone who also happened to be a certified flight instructor: Robert Morgan. But Morgan had never flown a Cessna 208 before, so he wasn’t familiar with the craft’s instrument panel layout. To give himself a visual aid, Morgan printed out a picture of the Cessna’s instrument panel and used it to guide Harrison, directing him to the biggest airport in his vicinity, the Palm Beach International Airport. He chose the airport because it has longer runways and less congestion than others in the area. In the meantime, Harrison was instructed to keep the wings level and descend slowly by reducing power to the engine. Somehow, Harrison was able to remain level-headed throughout the harrowing ordeal. As the plane neared the airport, Morgan told Harrison to position the plane about 8 miles away to give him more space to aim for the runway. With Morgan’s careful instructions over the radio, Harrison landed successfully. Morgan told CNN, "It was an emotional moment. He said that he just wanted to get home to his pregnant wife. And that felt even better." That’s pretty down-to-earth motivation for a quick-thinking, impromptu pilot.
[Image description: A Cessna 208 caravan plane sits on a runway.] Credit & copyright: Nel_Botha-NZ, Pixabay
May 16, 2022
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 16, 2022
epithet \EP-uh-thet\ noun
What It Means
An epithet is "a characterizing word or phrase that accompanies, or occurs in place...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 16, 2022
epithet \EP-uh-thet\ noun
What It Means
An epithet is "a characterizing word or phrase that accompanies, or occurs in place...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
The Senate confirmed Philip Jefferson this week as just the fourth Black man to serve as a Federal Reserve governor in Washington. He joins Lisa Cook, the fi...
The Senate confirmed Philip Jefferson this week as just the fourth Black man to serve as a Federal Reserve governor in Washington. He joins Lisa Cook, the fi...
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FREEGraphic Design Art CurioFree1 CQ
Here’s a vintage jumble that would make modern scrabble players sweat. The piece above, “What we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly; it is by S. Neil Fujita, shows abstract shapes with letters printed in mirror image. The text reads, “RIGHTS OF MAN,” “PT” AND “COMMON SENSE,” with the letters contained in colored blocks. Born on this day in 1921, Fujita was among the 100,000 Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps during World War II. He was just 20 years old. While at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming, Fuijta joined the camp newspaper as the art director, designing the masthead of the paper used during its run. In 1943, he joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated military unit of its size in U.S. history and composed of Japanese American volunteers. After the war, Fuijta went on to become a prolific graphic designer. Among his most famous works are the book covers for In Cold Blood and The Godfather, as well as jazz album covers like Dave Brubeck’s Time Out. An icon in both war and peace.
“What we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly; it is, S. Neil Fujita (1921-2010), 1952, Gouache on paperboard, 21.125 x 18 in. (53.8 x 45.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
Below: Another of Fujita’s works, an advertisement for the Alco Aluminum Company.
Here’s a vintage jumble that would make modern scrabble players sweat. The piece above, “What we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly; it is by S. Neil Fujita, shows abstract shapes with letters printed in mirror image. The text reads, “RIGHTS OF MAN,” “PT” AND “COMMON SENSE,” with the letters contained in colored blocks. Born on this day in 1921, Fujita was among the 100,000 Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps during World War II. He was just 20 years old. While at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming, Fuijta joined the camp newspaper as the art director, designing the masthead of the paper used during its run. In 1943, he joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated military unit of its size in U.S. history and composed of Japanese American volunteers. After the war, Fuijta went on to become a prolific graphic designer. Among his most famous works are the book covers for In Cold Blood and The Godfather, as well as jazz album covers like Dave Brubeck’s Time Out. An icon in both war and peace.
“What we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly; it is, S. Neil Fujita (1921-2010), 1952, Gouache on paperboard, 21.125 x 18 in. (53.8 x 45.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
Below: Another of Fujita’s works, an advertisement for the Alco Aluminum Company.
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FREEDogs Daily Curio #2442Free1 CQ
This is just about the goodest boy you’ll ever see. Patron, a two-year-old Jack Russell terrier, was recently given a medal by the president of Ukraine for locating over 200 explosives. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy presented the award to the dog and his owner, Mykhailo Iliev of the Civil Protection Service, during a news conference held in Kyiv with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In an address to his country later that day, Zelenskiy mentioned Patron and referred to him as a “sapper”—a military engineer whose job can include clearing mines and other explosives. Zelenskiy also commended the dog for helping educate children about the mines laid by Russian forces, stating, “Due to the Russian invaders, this is now one of the most urgent tasks—to teach children to recognize and avoid explosive objects.” Patron, whose name means “ammo” in Ukrainian, finds explosives by sniffing them out.
At work, the terrier dons a tiny, protective vest with a military patch. It might be an adorable sight during peaceful times, but Patron’s work is as important as it is dangerous. Iliev originally bought Patron from a friend to be a family pet, but discovered that the dog had a particularly keen nose. His talent was quickly put to use, as Patron was trained to sniff out the smell of gunpowder. The pair now go around the war-torn country along with around 600 other de-miners working around the clock to safely dispose of the explosives that have been left behind. So far, that numbers at a staggering 54,000 mines and other unexploded ordnance, according to a spokesperson for the State Emergency Service who spoke with The Washington Post. But even heroes don’t work 24/7. Iliev told The Today Show, that even when Patron is off the clock he “gives rays of the sun, gives smiles and gives hope only for victory and peace on earth.” Now that’s one busy pup.
[Image description: A close-up photo of Patron the dog wearing his work vest as someone pets his head.] Credit & copyright: State Emergency Service of Ukraine, dsns.gov.ua, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.This is just about the goodest boy you’ll ever see. Patron, a two-year-old Jack Russell terrier, was recently given a medal by the president of Ukraine for locating over 200 explosives. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy presented the award to the dog and his owner, Mykhailo Iliev of the Civil Protection Service, during a news conference held in Kyiv with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In an address to his country later that day, Zelenskiy mentioned Patron and referred to him as a “sapper”—a military engineer whose job can include clearing mines and other explosives. Zelenskiy also commended the dog for helping educate children about the mines laid by Russian forces, stating, “Due to the Russian invaders, this is now one of the most urgent tasks—to teach children to recognize and avoid explosive objects.” Patron, whose name means “ammo” in Ukrainian, finds explosives by sniffing them out.
At work, the terrier dons a tiny, protective vest with a military patch. It might be an adorable sight during peaceful times, but Patron’s work is as important as it is dangerous. Iliev originally bought Patron from a friend to be a family pet, but discovered that the dog had a particularly keen nose. His talent was quickly put to use, as Patron was trained to sniff out the smell of gunpowder. The pair now go around the war-torn country along with around 600 other de-miners working around the clock to safely dispose of the explosives that have been left behind. So far, that numbers at a staggering 54,000 mines and other unexploded ordnance, according to a spokesperson for the State Emergency Service who spoke with The Washington Post. But even heroes don’t work 24/7. Iliev told The Today Show, that even when Patron is off the clock he “gives rays of the sun, gives smiles and gives hope only for victory and peace on earth.” Now that’s one busy pup.
[Image description: A close-up photo of Patron the dog wearing his work vest as someone pets his head.] Credit & copyright: State Emergency Service of Ukraine, dsns.gov.ua, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.
May 15, 2022
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : May 15, 2022
hark back \HAHRK-BAK\ verb
What It Means
Hark back means "to turn back to an earlier topic or circumstance" or "to go back ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 15, 2022
hark back \HAHRK-BAK\ verb
What It Means
Hark back means "to turn back to an earlier topic or circumstance" or "to go back ...
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FREERunning PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Sports weren’t always “anyone’s game”, but this innovation was equalizing! As warm weather ushers in the return of fun outdoor activities like jogging, it’s hard to believe that, not so long ago, women were discouraged from participating in them. Before 1970’s Title IX, which banned sex-based discrimination in sports, the prevailing attitude in the U.S. was that sports were unladylike or even dangerous for girls and women. After Title IX’s passage, sports-minded women found that there wasn’t much on offer when it came to athletic gear that fit their needs. Enter Lisa Lindahl, Polly Palmer Smith, and Hinda Miller, inventors of a modern athletic staple: the sports bra.
By the late 1970s, Title IX and other breakthroughs had made womens’ sports suddenly popular. Jogging was particularly in vogue, likely due to the influence of figures like Kathrine Switzer, who had run in the 1967 Boston Marathon even though women were banned. In 1977, 28-year-old University of Vermont graduate student Lisa Lindahl was jogging around 30 miles per week. There was just one problem: jogging was extremely uncomfortable for her chest due to a lack of proper support. Lindahl tried wearing different bras while jogging, even going so far as to wear one a size too small, but nothing seemed to work. Her sister, who often jogged with her, also complained of chest and back pain from jogging, and joked that there should be a jockstrap for women. Realizing that many women were likely suffering from the same problem, Lindahl turned to her costume-designer friend, Polly Palmer Smith. Smith brought fellow costume designer Hinda Miller in on the project as well. Together, the three women began working on garments that might solve their jogging support problem. After many failed attempts, it was Lindahl’s inside joke with her sister that offered a solution. Having heard the joke about a jockstrap for women, Lindahl’s husband strolled into her shared workshop wearing two jockstraps on his chest. The three women immediately saw design potential in the way that the straps crossed across his back, and they began sewing jockstraps together in different configurations. Their prototype was appropriately dubbed the “JockBra”, which they eventually changed to the more appealing “JogBra.” Designed to provide chest, shoulder, and back support, the Jogbra featured crisscrossing straps and seams on the outside, to minimize chafing and blistering. Unlike normal bras, Jogbras came in three standard sizes: small, medium, and large.
Yet the male-dominated athletic industry took some time to warm up to the innovation. After Smith left the operation to pursue other design work, Lindahl and Miller took on the task of explaining to male store owners that the JogBra wasn’t underwear or lingerie. “Almost every time they'd say ‘we don't sell bras in our store,’” Lindahl told the BBC. The inventors got around the problem by giving free JogBra samples to female assistant managers. That’s when the JogBra really got moving. By 1978, JobBras were selling like hotcakes at $16 each, and in 1979 their design was officially patented. After making around $500,000 in its first year, Jogbra Inc. grew around 25 percent per year until the late 1980s. In 1990, Lindahl and Miller decided to sell their company to Playtex. By then, larger companies like Reebok were making their own versions of the sports bra, eating into JogBra Inc.’s profits.
Today, the sports bra is considered one of the most important inventions in sports history. In fact, in 2018, Runner’s World magazine called it “The Greatest Invention in Running—EVER.” This year, Lindahl, Miller, and Smith were inducted into the The National Inventors Hall of Fame, which is part of the U.S. Patent and Trade Office. A JogBra prototype can be found in the archives of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The stores that refused to carry sports bras must be feeling a little sheepish, these days.
[Image description: Colorful sports bras hang in a store.] Credit & copyright: Rusty Clark, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.Sports weren’t always “anyone’s game”, but this innovation was equalizing! As warm weather ushers in the return of fun outdoor activities like jogging, it’s hard to believe that, not so long ago, women were discouraged from participating in them. Before 1970’s Title IX, which banned sex-based discrimination in sports, the prevailing attitude in the U.S. was that sports were unladylike or even dangerous for girls and women. After Title IX’s passage, sports-minded women found that there wasn’t much on offer when it came to athletic gear that fit their needs. Enter Lisa Lindahl, Polly Palmer Smith, and Hinda Miller, inventors of a modern athletic staple: the sports bra.
By the late 1970s, Title IX and other breakthroughs had made womens’ sports suddenly popular. Jogging was particularly in vogue, likely due to the influence of figures like Kathrine Switzer, who had run in the 1967 Boston Marathon even though women were banned. In 1977, 28-year-old University of Vermont graduate student Lisa Lindahl was jogging around 30 miles per week. There was just one problem: jogging was extremely uncomfortable for her chest due to a lack of proper support. Lindahl tried wearing different bras while jogging, even going so far as to wear one a size too small, but nothing seemed to work. Her sister, who often jogged with her, also complained of chest and back pain from jogging, and joked that there should be a jockstrap for women. Realizing that many women were likely suffering from the same problem, Lindahl turned to her costume-designer friend, Polly Palmer Smith. Smith brought fellow costume designer Hinda Miller in on the project as well. Together, the three women began working on garments that might solve their jogging support problem. After many failed attempts, it was Lindahl’s inside joke with her sister that offered a solution. Having heard the joke about a jockstrap for women, Lindahl’s husband strolled into her shared workshop wearing two jockstraps on his chest. The three women immediately saw design potential in the way that the straps crossed across his back, and they began sewing jockstraps together in different configurations. Their prototype was appropriately dubbed the “JockBra”, which they eventually changed to the more appealing “JogBra.” Designed to provide chest, shoulder, and back support, the Jogbra featured crisscrossing straps and seams on the outside, to minimize chafing and blistering. Unlike normal bras, Jogbras came in three standard sizes: small, medium, and large.
Yet the male-dominated athletic industry took some time to warm up to the innovation. After Smith left the operation to pursue other design work, Lindahl and Miller took on the task of explaining to male store owners that the JogBra wasn’t underwear or lingerie. “Almost every time they'd say ‘we don't sell bras in our store,’” Lindahl told the BBC. The inventors got around the problem by giving free JogBra samples to female assistant managers. That’s when the JogBra really got moving. By 1978, JobBras were selling like hotcakes at $16 each, and in 1979 their design was officially patented. After making around $500,000 in its first year, Jogbra Inc. grew around 25 percent per year until the late 1980s. In 1990, Lindahl and Miller decided to sell their company to Playtex. By then, larger companies like Reebok were making their own versions of the sports bra, eating into JogBra Inc.’s profits.
Today, the sports bra is considered one of the most important inventions in sports history. In fact, in 2018, Runner’s World magazine called it “The Greatest Invention in Running—EVER.” This year, Lindahl, Miller, and Smith were inducted into the The National Inventors Hall of Fame, which is part of the U.S. Patent and Trade Office. A JogBra prototype can be found in the archives of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The stores that refused to carry sports bras must be feeling a little sheepish, these days.
[Image description: Colorful sports bras hang in a store.] Credit & copyright: Rusty Clark, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here. -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
A bank run. Panic selling. These are some of the not-so-enviable descriptions of what’s going on right now in cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin looks set for a recor...
A bank run. Panic selling. These are some of the not-so-enviable descriptions of what’s going on right now in cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin looks set for a recor...