Curio Cabinet
- By Date
- By Type
May 4, 2025
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FREEWorld History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
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Bilbies, not bunnies! That’s the slogan of those in Australia who support the Easter Bilby, an Aussie alternative to the traditional Easter Bunny. Bilbies are endangered Australian marsupials with some rabbit-like features, such as long ears and strong back legs that make them prolific jumpers. This time of year, Australian shops sell chocolate bilbies and picture books featuring the Easter-themed marsupial. But the Easter Bilby isn’t just a way to Aussie-fy Easter. It helps bring awareness to two related environmental problems down under.
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Bilbies are unique creatures, and some of the world’s oldest living mammals. They thrive in arid environments where many other animals have trouble surviving. Unlike rabbits, bilbies are omnivores who survive by eating a combination of plants, seeds, fungi, and insects. It’s no wonder that Australians are proud enough of this native animal to use it as a holiday mascot. As is fitting of such a whimsical character, the Easter Bilby was invented by a child. In 1968, 9-year-old Australian Rose-Marie Dusting wrote a short story called Billy The Aussie Easter Bilby, which she later published as a book. The book was popular enough to raise the general public’s interest in bilbies, and the Easter Bilby began appearing on Easter cards and decorations. The Easter Bilby really took off, though, when chocolate companies got on board and began selling chocolate bilbies right alongside the usual Easter Bunnies. Seeing that the Easter Bilby was quite popular, Australian environmentalists seized the opportunity to educate Australians about the bilby’s endangered status and the environmental problems posed by the nation's feral rabbits.
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Bilbies were once found across 70 percent of Australia, but today that percentage has shriveled to 20 percent. Besides simple habitat encroachment, human life harmed bilbies in another big way: by introducing non-native species. Europeans introduced both foxes and domesticated cats to Australia in the 19th Century. Today, foxes kill around 300 million native Australian animals every year, While cats kill a whopping 2 billion annually. While it’s obvious how predators like foxes and cats can hunt and kill bilbies, cute, fluffy bunnies pose just as much of a threat. On Christmas Day in 1859, European settler Thomas Austin released 24 rabbits into the Australian wilderness, believing that hunting them would provide good sport for his fellow colonists. He couldn’t have foreseen the devastating consequences of his decision. From his original 24 rabbits, an entire population of non-native, feral rabbits was born, and they’ve been decimating native Australian wildlife ever since. These rabbits gobble up millions of native plants. This not only kills species that directly depend on the plants for food, it also causes soil erosion since the plants’ roots normally help keep soil compacted. Erosion can change entire landscapes, making them uninhabitable to native species. Unfortunately, rabbits helped drive one of Australia’s two bilby species, the Lesser Bilby, to extinction in the 1950s. Now, less than 10,000 Greater Bilbies remain in the wild.
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When conservation group Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia caught wind of the Easter Bilby, they took the opportunity to promote it as an environmentally-friendly alternative to the bunny-centric holiday. Their efforts led to more chocolate companies producing chocolate bilbies. Some even began donating their proceeds to help save real bilbies. Companies like Pink Lady and Haigh’s Chocolates have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Australia’s Save the Bilby Fund. Other Easter Bilby products include mugs, keychains, and stuffed toys. Some Australian artists create work featuring the Easter Bilby. Just like the Easter Bunny, the Easter Bilby is usually pictured bringing colorful eggs to children, and frolicking in springtime flowers. If he’s anything like his real-life counterparts, he’d sooner eat troublesome termites than cause any environmental damage. Win-win!Â
[Image description: A vintage drawing of a bilby with its long ears laid back.] Credit & copyright:
John Gould, Mammals of Australia Vol. I Plate 7, Wikimedia Commons, Public DomainThis week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
Â
Bilbies, not bunnies! That’s the slogan of those in Australia who support the Easter Bilby, an Aussie alternative to the traditional Easter Bunny. Bilbies are endangered Australian marsupials with some rabbit-like features, such as long ears and strong back legs that make them prolific jumpers. This time of year, Australian shops sell chocolate bilbies and picture books featuring the Easter-themed marsupial. But the Easter Bilby isn’t just a way to Aussie-fy Easter. It helps bring awareness to two related environmental problems down under.
Â
Bilbies are unique creatures, and some of the world’s oldest living mammals. They thrive in arid environments where many other animals have trouble surviving. Unlike rabbits, bilbies are omnivores who survive by eating a combination of plants, seeds, fungi, and insects. It’s no wonder that Australians are proud enough of this native animal to use it as a holiday mascot. As is fitting of such a whimsical character, the Easter Bilby was invented by a child. In 1968, 9-year-old Australian Rose-Marie Dusting wrote a short story called Billy The Aussie Easter Bilby, which she later published as a book. The book was popular enough to raise the general public’s interest in bilbies, and the Easter Bilby began appearing on Easter cards and decorations. The Easter Bilby really took off, though, when chocolate companies got on board and began selling chocolate bilbies right alongside the usual Easter Bunnies. Seeing that the Easter Bilby was quite popular, Australian environmentalists seized the opportunity to educate Australians about the bilby’s endangered status and the environmental problems posed by the nation's feral rabbits.
Â
Bilbies were once found across 70 percent of Australia, but today that percentage has shriveled to 20 percent. Besides simple habitat encroachment, human life harmed bilbies in another big way: by introducing non-native species. Europeans introduced both foxes and domesticated cats to Australia in the 19th Century. Today, foxes kill around 300 million native Australian animals every year, While cats kill a whopping 2 billion annually. While it’s obvious how predators like foxes and cats can hunt and kill bilbies, cute, fluffy bunnies pose just as much of a threat. On Christmas Day in 1859, European settler Thomas Austin released 24 rabbits into the Australian wilderness, believing that hunting them would provide good sport for his fellow colonists. He couldn’t have foreseen the devastating consequences of his decision. From his original 24 rabbits, an entire population of non-native, feral rabbits was born, and they’ve been decimating native Australian wildlife ever since. These rabbits gobble up millions of native plants. This not only kills species that directly depend on the plants for food, it also causes soil erosion since the plants’ roots normally help keep soil compacted. Erosion can change entire landscapes, making them uninhabitable to native species. Unfortunately, rabbits helped drive one of Australia’s two bilby species, the Lesser Bilby, to extinction in the 1950s. Now, less than 10,000 Greater Bilbies remain in the wild.
Â
When conservation group Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia caught wind of the Easter Bilby, they took the opportunity to promote it as an environmentally-friendly alternative to the bunny-centric holiday. Their efforts led to more chocolate companies producing chocolate bilbies. Some even began donating their proceeds to help save real bilbies. Companies like Pink Lady and Haigh’s Chocolates have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Australia’s Save the Bilby Fund. Other Easter Bilby products include mugs, keychains, and stuffed toys. Some Australian artists create work featuring the Easter Bilby. Just like the Easter Bunny, the Easter Bilby is usually pictured bringing colorful eggs to children, and frolicking in springtime flowers. If he’s anything like his real-life counterparts, he’d sooner eat troublesome termites than cause any environmental damage. Win-win!Â
[Image description: A vintage drawing of a bilby with its long ears laid back.] Credit & copyright:
John Gould, Mammals of Australia Vol. I Plate 7, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
May 3, 2025
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FREESports Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
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Would this be considered a throwback? It’s not a legacy that anybody wants to keep alive, but Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen recently echoed a memory of his team’s most celebrated pitcher, Randy Johnson, when his pitch killed a bird during a recent warm-up. Back in 2001, Johnson famously mangled a bird in mid-flight with a powerful pitch that sent a dramatic burst of feathers into the air. It was an incredibly unlikely and unlucky way for a bird to go—the left handed pitcher won 303 games throughout his 20 seasons, largely due to his incredible 100-mph pitches. No one knows why the errant bird (thought to be a mourning dove) decided to fly in front of home plate that day, but the pitch ended up being called a no-pitch by the umpire, and the game proceeded. The call was made because there is no rule regarding an animal interfering with a pitch and because the ball never reached the plate. Therefore, it never happened on paper. Johnson’s bird met its demise during a spring training game, but Gallen felled his during warm-ups before a game against the Oakland Athletics. According to witnesses, the bird was flying near home plate when it was struck by Gallen’s curveball. Afterwards, Gallen expressed sadness for the unfortunate animal, calling the incident “unfortunate.” Such a freak accident is a curveball in and of itself.Â
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
Â
Would this be considered a throwback? It’s not a legacy that anybody wants to keep alive, but Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen recently echoed a memory of his team’s most celebrated pitcher, Randy Johnson, when his pitch killed a bird during a recent warm-up. Back in 2001, Johnson famously mangled a bird in mid-flight with a powerful pitch that sent a dramatic burst of feathers into the air. It was an incredibly unlikely and unlucky way for a bird to go—the left handed pitcher won 303 games throughout his 20 seasons, largely due to his incredible 100-mph pitches. No one knows why the errant bird (thought to be a mourning dove) decided to fly in front of home plate that day, but the pitch ended up being called a no-pitch by the umpire, and the game proceeded. The call was made because there is no rule regarding an animal interfering with a pitch and because the ball never reached the plate. Therefore, it never happened on paper. Johnson’s bird met its demise during a spring training game, but Gallen felled his during warm-ups before a game against the Oakland Athletics. According to witnesses, the bird was flying near home plate when it was struck by Gallen’s curveball. Afterwards, Gallen expressed sadness for the unfortunate animal, calling the incident “unfortunate.” Such a freak accident is a curveball in and of itself.Â
May 2, 2025
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
We'll get the big hiring and unemployment reports for April later this morning. Companies have been tightening their belts as they've been grappling with tar...
We'll get the big hiring and unemployment reports for April later this morning. Companies have been tightening their belts as they've been grappling with tar...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 2, 2025\ZIG-uh-rat\ noun
What It Means
A ziggurat is an ancient Mesopotamian temple consisting of a pyramidal structure...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 2, 2025\ZIG-uh-rat\ noun
What It Means
A ziggurat is an ancient Mesopotamian temple consisting of a pyramidal structure...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂThis sticky topping is more than just a pancake accessory. Maple syrup has a uniquely North American history beginning with the continents’ first inhabitants. Over the centuries, it’s been used as a medicine, a drink, a food topping, and it even helped early U.S. colonists avoid hefty import fees.
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As its name suggests, maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees, usually black maples, sugar maples, or red maples. These trees are unique in that they store starch in their trunks and roots, which turns into sugar and is carried throughout the tree via sap. In late winter and early spring, when the trees are full of this sugary sap, holes are drilled in their trunks and the sap is collected. It is then heated to get rid of excess water. The result is a runny, brown, sweet-tasting syrup that’s used as a topping on many foods, most famously pancakes.
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No one knows who, exactly, first discovered that maple sap was sweet and edible, but they grow throughout North America, and native peoples have been making sugar and syrup from their sap for centuries. For the Algonquian people, who lived mainly in what today is New England and Canada, maple syrup held particular cultural significance. They collected maple sap in clay buckets and turned it into syrup by letting it freeze and then throwing out the ice that formed on top, thereby getting rid of excess moisture. The pots were sometimes boiled over large fires, too. The syrup was not only used as a topping but was also mixed into a drink with herbs and spices.
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When European settlers made their way to North America, the Algonquians and other peoples showed them how to make maple sugar and maple syrup. This was lucky, since, in the 17th century, sugarcane had to be imported from the West Indies at a considerable cost. Using maple syrup and sugar as their main sources of sweetness allowed colonists to save considerable money and enjoy desserts at the same time. By the early 19th century, maple syrup was sold and prized throughout North America, and was even exported to other countries. To this day, Canada is particularly proud of its maple syrup, and it’s considered a national staple. Pretty sweet, eh?Â
[Image description: A stack of three pancakes with whipped cream and berries. Maple syrup is being poured over them.] Credit & copyright: Sydney Troxell, PexelsThis week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂThis sticky topping is more than just a pancake accessory. Maple syrup has a uniquely North American history beginning with the continents’ first inhabitants. Over the centuries, it’s been used as a medicine, a drink, a food topping, and it even helped early U.S. colonists avoid hefty import fees.
Â
As its name suggests, maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees, usually black maples, sugar maples, or red maples. These trees are unique in that they store starch in their trunks and roots, which turns into sugar and is carried throughout the tree via sap. In late winter and early spring, when the trees are full of this sugary sap, holes are drilled in their trunks and the sap is collected. It is then heated to get rid of excess water. The result is a runny, brown, sweet-tasting syrup that’s used as a topping on many foods, most famously pancakes.
Â
No one knows who, exactly, first discovered that maple sap was sweet and edible, but they grow throughout North America, and native peoples have been making sugar and syrup from their sap for centuries. For the Algonquian people, who lived mainly in what today is New England and Canada, maple syrup held particular cultural significance. They collected maple sap in clay buckets and turned it into syrup by letting it freeze and then throwing out the ice that formed on top, thereby getting rid of excess moisture. The pots were sometimes boiled over large fires, too. The syrup was not only used as a topping but was also mixed into a drink with herbs and spices.
Â
When European settlers made their way to North America, the Algonquians and other peoples showed them how to make maple sugar and maple syrup. This was lucky, since, in the 17th century, sugarcane had to be imported from the West Indies at a considerable cost. Using maple syrup and sugar as their main sources of sweetness allowed colonists to save considerable money and enjoy desserts at the same time. By the early 19th century, maple syrup was sold and prized throughout North America, and was even exported to other countries. To this day, Canada is particularly proud of its maple syrup, and it’s considered a national staple. Pretty sweet, eh?Â
[Image description: A stack of three pancakes with whipped cream and berries. Maple syrup is being poured over them.] Credit & copyright: Sydney Troxell, Pexels
May 1, 2025
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: After months of fraught negotiations, the U.S. has signed a deal with Kyiv to share profits from the future sale of Ukraine's min...
From the BBC World Service: After months of fraught negotiations, the U.S. has signed a deal with Kyiv to share profits from the future sale of Ukraine's min...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 1, 2025\KAHN-vuh-loo-tud\ adjective
What It Means
Something described as convoluted is very complicated and difficult t...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 1, 2025\KAHN-vuh-loo-tud\ adjective
What It Means
Something described as convoluted is very complicated and difficult t...
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂSpring is arriving earlier than ever according to the National Park Service (NPS). As pleasant as it sounds, this has broad ramifications—such as the devastating floods in the Midwest this week. NPS ecologists published a study in 2016 that compared long-term shifts in the "first leaf" and first bloom dates of national parks. Of the 276 parks in the study, 75 percent are experiencing earlier and earlier first budding and blooming dates (the locations shown above in green). For example, in Washington's Olympic National Park, leaves are emerging 23 days sooner than they did 100 years ago. The Grand Canyon and the Appalachians are budding earlier as well. But areas in grey, such as the south, have been experiencing delayed signs of spring. Why is this such a big deal? For starters, "false springs" are partially responsible for premature blooming. Waves of unseasonable warmth cause plants to sprout in winter. The plants die when the cold resumes. Meaning that the migratory birds, pollinators, and hibernating mammals who rely on those plants find themselves in dire straits. Also, premature thaws of snowpacks lead to flooding which is not only dangerous but means the water can't be captured properly in reservoirs. So before you get too hopeful that spring will spring early… it might be better to wish for a few more weeks of winter.
ÂImage credit & copyright: Jebulon, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
ÂThis week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂSpring is arriving earlier than ever according to the National Park Service (NPS). As pleasant as it sounds, this has broad ramifications—such as the devastating floods in the Midwest this week. NPS ecologists published a study in 2016 that compared long-term shifts in the "first leaf" and first bloom dates of national parks. Of the 276 parks in the study, 75 percent are experiencing earlier and earlier first budding and blooming dates (the locations shown above in green). For example, in Washington's Olympic National Park, leaves are emerging 23 days sooner than they did 100 years ago. The Grand Canyon and the Appalachians are budding earlier as well. But areas in grey, such as the south, have been experiencing delayed signs of spring. Why is this such a big deal? For starters, "false springs" are partially responsible for premature blooming. Waves of unseasonable warmth cause plants to sprout in winter. The plants die when the cold resumes. Meaning that the migratory birds, pollinators, and hibernating mammals who rely on those plants find themselves in dire straits. Also, premature thaws of snowpacks lead to flooding which is not only dangerous but means the water can't be captured properly in reservoirs. So before you get too hopeful that spring will spring early… it might be better to wish for a few more weeks of winter.
ÂImage credit & copyright: Jebulon, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
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FREETravel Daily Curio #3074Free1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
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Party on. In the US, most colleges give students a 1-2 week vacation in late March or early April. This "spring break" gives the students and faculty a nice break--but it also gives a select few destination towns an enormous influx of economic activity. John Laurie decided to write his dissertation for his PhD in economic development on this topic. Tersely titled Spring Break: The Economic, Socio-Cultural and Public Governance Impacts of College Students on Spring Break Host Locations, Laurie found some pretty amazing things. Each year, spring breakers inject $1 billion into tourist towns in Florida and Texas. In Panama City Beach, nearly half-a-million students spent $170 million over a six-week period. That's a lot, especially because it is concentrated toward a select few spring-break-geared businesses like hotels and liquor stores. Conversely, the people who carry the heaviest work load of spring break derive very little in profit. Most are city or government agencies like emergency responders, hospitals, street cleaners and park or beach workers. One strange byproduct of wealthy students descending on normally lower-middle class towns is an increase in entrepreneurship. People start businesses just to profit off of a few weeks of activity every year. The people most affected by spring break are police officers, whose citation rates jump dramatically in March and April. Those poor people should get a commission for every ticket they write to all the students behaving like idiots!
Â[Image description: Umbrellas and lawn chairs on a sandy beach.] Credit & copyright: Jebulon, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
ÂThis week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
Â
Party on. In the US, most colleges give students a 1-2 week vacation in late March or early April. This "spring break" gives the students and faculty a nice break--but it also gives a select few destination towns an enormous influx of economic activity. John Laurie decided to write his dissertation for his PhD in economic development on this topic. Tersely titled Spring Break: The Economic, Socio-Cultural and Public Governance Impacts of College Students on Spring Break Host Locations, Laurie found some pretty amazing things. Each year, spring breakers inject $1 billion into tourist towns in Florida and Texas. In Panama City Beach, nearly half-a-million students spent $170 million over a six-week period. That's a lot, especially because it is concentrated toward a select few spring-break-geared businesses like hotels and liquor stores. Conversely, the people who carry the heaviest work load of spring break derive very little in profit. Most are city or government agencies like emergency responders, hospitals, street cleaners and park or beach workers. One strange byproduct of wealthy students descending on normally lower-middle class towns is an increase in entrepreneurship. People start businesses just to profit off of a few weeks of activity every year. The people most affected by spring break are police officers, whose citation rates jump dramatically in March and April. Those poor people should get a commission for every ticket they write to all the students behaving like idiots!
Â[Image description: Umbrellas and lawn chairs on a sandy beach.] Credit & copyright: Jebulon, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Â
April 30, 2025
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: New data shows China's manufacturing activity took a sharp dip in April — a sign that the ongoing trade war with the U.S. is star...
From the BBC World Service: New data shows China's manufacturing activity took a sharp dip in April — a sign that the ongoing trade war with the U.S. is star...
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FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
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These cleaning fish are making a mess in Texas! 406 invasive suckermouth armored catfish were removed from the San Marcos River recently by researchers from Texas A&M and Texas State universities. Better known as plecostomus or plecos, the fish are native to parts of Central and South America but were introduced to Texan waters mainly by people who dumped them from their aquariums. In some bodies of water, they were also introduced intentionally, to control algae. The fish are popular to keep because they eat the algae growing inside tanks, but their productivity can lead to headaches for their owners down the line, as plecos can grow up to three feet long from all that eating.
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Once they’re in the wild, it’s a disaster for native wildlife. As their name implies, their thick, armored skin leaves them with few natural predators, and according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute, they reproduce quickly and are even capable of surviving out of water for 20 hours. Plecos have also been found to tolerate brackish waters, or water that has some salt and freshwater content, further increasing the range of their threat. Lastly, they tend to dig burrows along river banks, destabilizing them and increasing erosion. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has been raising awareness on the issue for years and instructs people who catch the fish to not release them back into the water. When a highschooler caught a record-breaking suckermouth back in 2011, Dr. Gary Garrett—the Director of Watershed Conservation for the TPWD at the time—stated, “These fish are the most destructive exotic fish in Texas. They take over important habitats such as springs, push out and replace native species, including listed species and species of conservation concern, decimate native vegetation and undermine and destabilize banks. In no way do they have any redeeming qualities.” While scientists have tagged and released the invasive fish in the past to track their population, the 406 caught recently will not be so lucky, as the TPWD announced that the invaders will be euthanized humanely using a fish anesthetic and their remains will be used for further research. Seriously, don’t mess with Texas.Â
[Image description: A plecostomus fish in an aquarium.] Credit & copyright: Karelj, Wikimedia Commons.This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
Â
These cleaning fish are making a mess in Texas! 406 invasive suckermouth armored catfish were removed from the San Marcos River recently by researchers from Texas A&M and Texas State universities. Better known as plecostomus or plecos, the fish are native to parts of Central and South America but were introduced to Texan waters mainly by people who dumped them from their aquariums. In some bodies of water, they were also introduced intentionally, to control algae. The fish are popular to keep because they eat the algae growing inside tanks, but their productivity can lead to headaches for their owners down the line, as plecos can grow up to three feet long from all that eating.
Â
Once they’re in the wild, it’s a disaster for native wildlife. As their name implies, their thick, armored skin leaves them with few natural predators, and according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute, they reproduce quickly and are even capable of surviving out of water for 20 hours. Plecos have also been found to tolerate brackish waters, or water that has some salt and freshwater content, further increasing the range of their threat. Lastly, they tend to dig burrows along river banks, destabilizing them and increasing erosion. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has been raising awareness on the issue for years and instructs people who catch the fish to not release them back into the water. When a highschooler caught a record-breaking suckermouth back in 2011, Dr. Gary Garrett—the Director of Watershed Conservation for the TPWD at the time—stated, “These fish are the most destructive exotic fish in Texas. They take over important habitats such as springs, push out and replace native species, including listed species and species of conservation concern, decimate native vegetation and undermine and destabilize banks. In no way do they have any redeeming qualities.” While scientists have tagged and released the invasive fish in the past to track their population, the 406 caught recently will not be so lucky, as the TPWD announced that the invaders will be euthanized humanely using a fish anesthetic and their remains will be used for further research. Seriously, don’t mess with Texas.Â
[Image description: A plecostomus fish in an aquarium.] Credit & copyright: Karelj, Wikimedia Commons. -
FREESTEM Daily Curio #3073Free1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂIt's a bird! It's a plane! Nope, it's a drunk bird. And Gilbert, a tiny city in northeastern Minnesota, seems to have been attacked by thousands of them. The Gilbert Chief of Police, Ty Techar, put out a notice that residents should watch out for "tipsy birds" flying into windows, dive-bombing residents, slamming into cars, and generally "flopping all over the place." The birds are also exhibiting an atypical willingness to stay put when humans approach. All of this has led authorities to conclude the birds are suffering from fermentation toxicity. In other words, they're drunk. It commonly occurs when animals eat berries that have fermented into alcohol—usually during spring thaw when berries are susceptible to wild yeasts fermenting their remaining sugars. Normally it affects bigger animals like deer, since the birds have migrated south for the winter. But this year an early frost seems to have kicked in the phenomenon much earlier than normal. Meaning tiny sparrows and robins, with blood alcohol tolerances much lower than deer, are gobbling up the berries. Some bird experts say there's no real evidence the birds are drunk, and that when migration begins there are always increased episodes of birds going berserk. But Chief Techar isn't buying it. While he admits he hasn't given the birds a breathalyzer, he says it's easy to tell. Still, he wants residents to calm down: "it's not like every bird in our town is hammered." You can find the joke there yourself.
ÂImage credit & copyright: PookieFugglestein, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
ÂThis week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂIt's a bird! It's a plane! Nope, it's a drunk bird. And Gilbert, a tiny city in northeastern Minnesota, seems to have been attacked by thousands of them. The Gilbert Chief of Police, Ty Techar, put out a notice that residents should watch out for "tipsy birds" flying into windows, dive-bombing residents, slamming into cars, and generally "flopping all over the place." The birds are also exhibiting an atypical willingness to stay put when humans approach. All of this has led authorities to conclude the birds are suffering from fermentation toxicity. In other words, they're drunk. It commonly occurs when animals eat berries that have fermented into alcohol—usually during spring thaw when berries are susceptible to wild yeasts fermenting their remaining sugars. Normally it affects bigger animals like deer, since the birds have migrated south for the winter. But this year an early frost seems to have kicked in the phenomenon much earlier than normal. Meaning tiny sparrows and robins, with blood alcohol tolerances much lower than deer, are gobbling up the berries. Some bird experts say there's no real evidence the birds are drunk, and that when migration begins there are always increased episodes of birds going berserk. But Chief Techar isn't buying it. While he admits he hasn't given the birds a breathalyzer, he says it's easy to tell. Still, he wants residents to calm down: "it's not like every bird in our town is hammered." You can find the joke there yourself.
ÂImage credit & copyright: PookieFugglestein, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Â
April 29, 2025
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: After claiming victory in Canada's election, Prime Minister Mark Carney has strong words for the Trump administration. We'll hear...
From the BBC World Service: After claiming victory in Canada's election, Prime Minister Mark Carney has strong words for the Trump administration. We'll hear...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: April 29, 2025\FER-tiv\ adjective
What It Means
Furtive describes something that is done in a quiet and secret way to avoid...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: April 29, 2025\FER-tiv\ adjective
What It Means
Furtive describes something that is done in a quiet and secret way to avoid...
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FREEGardening Daily Curio #3072Free1 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
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This fall, consider leafing your lawn alone. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) recently advised homeowners to not rake up leaves in the fall, since they are beneficial to lawns and to wildlife. The topic of leaf-raking has always been a somewhat contentious issue among lawncare enthusiasts, but the answer of whether to rake or not is a bit complicated. Those who rake say that leaves can pile up and block sunlight, killing the grass. Those who don’t rake say that simply running over the leaves with a lawnmower on the “mulch” setting is enough to let light through and fertilize the lawn in the process. But now there is another reason not to rake: the leaves are a haven for beneficial insects and other critters.
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Butterfly and moth caterpillars seek shelter under the leaves, and in the spring, they act as pollinators. Meanwhile, birds that eat mosquitoes and other pests also use the leaves as nesting material. Environmentalists are now asking that those who rake think twice before throwing out bags of leaves, as around 33 million tons of leaves are sent to landfills, accounting for 13% of all solid waste, according to the EPA. Once discarded, they are unable to properly decompose in the anaerobic environment of landfills, leading to the production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
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Throwing away leaves can also be akin to throwing away money, since they are very useful to overall lawn and garden care. Putting dead leaves on flower beds can help choke out weeds that come up in the spring, rendering expensive mulch and weed killers unnecessary. Extra leaves also make great compost, which can be used in potting mix or in vegetable gardens. Even just letting mulched leaves decompose on one’s lawn returns nitrogen to the soil, feeding the grass and promoting growth. Truly a natural resource worth falling for.Â
[Image description: White flowers grow in grass near rocks.] Credit & copyright: W.carter, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
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This fall, consider leafing your lawn alone. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) recently advised homeowners to not rake up leaves in the fall, since they are beneficial to lawns and to wildlife. The topic of leaf-raking has always been a somewhat contentious issue among lawncare enthusiasts, but the answer of whether to rake or not is a bit complicated. Those who rake say that leaves can pile up and block sunlight, killing the grass. Those who don’t rake say that simply running over the leaves with a lawnmower on the “mulch” setting is enough to let light through and fertilize the lawn in the process. But now there is another reason not to rake: the leaves are a haven for beneficial insects and other critters.
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Butterfly and moth caterpillars seek shelter under the leaves, and in the spring, they act as pollinators. Meanwhile, birds that eat mosquitoes and other pests also use the leaves as nesting material. Environmentalists are now asking that those who rake think twice before throwing out bags of leaves, as around 33 million tons of leaves are sent to landfills, accounting for 13% of all solid waste, according to the EPA. Once discarded, they are unable to properly decompose in the anaerobic environment of landfills, leading to the production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Â
Throwing away leaves can also be akin to throwing away money, since they are very useful to overall lawn and garden care. Putting dead leaves on flower beds can help choke out weeds that come up in the spring, rendering expensive mulch and weed killers unnecessary. Extra leaves also make great compost, which can be used in potting mix or in vegetable gardens. Even just letting mulched leaves decompose on one’s lawn returns nitrogen to the soil, feeding the grass and promoting growth. Truly a natural resource worth falling for.Â
[Image description: White flowers grow in grass near rocks.] Credit & copyright: W.carter, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. -
FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
This week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂIt's still cold in some parts of the U.S., but in many places, spring is (finally) in full swing! This piece by new-age pianist George Winston will transport you to warmer weather, no matter where you live. Winston is best known for his improvisational and wandering piano albums on Windham Hill Records, which he helped debut in 1979. But he also plays stride piano, has a tribute album to The Doors, and is an accomplished solo harmonicist. Here he performs Rain, from his 1984 album entitled Winter Into Spring. Notice how Winston doesn't "drop the bass" until the 3:20 mark—but what impact when he does. We promise it will warm your spirit in a rainy-spring-day kinda way. Â
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[Image description: Raindrops falling on a wooden roof.] Credit & copyright: W.carter, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
ÂThis week, as the weather continues to warm, we're looking back on some of our favorite springtime curios from years past.
ÂIt's still cold in some parts of the U.S., but in many places, spring is (finally) in full swing! This piece by new-age pianist George Winston will transport you to warmer weather, no matter where you live. Winston is best known for his improvisational and wandering piano albums on Windham Hill Records, which he helped debut in 1979. But he also plays stride piano, has a tribute album to The Doors, and is an accomplished solo harmonicist. Here he performs Rain, from his 1984 album entitled Winter Into Spring. Notice how Winston doesn't "drop the bass" until the 3:20 mark—but what impact when he does. We promise it will warm your spirit in a rainy-spring-day kinda way. Â
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[Image description: Raindrops falling on a wooden roof.] Credit & copyright: W.carter, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
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April 28, 2025
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: April 28, 2025\uh-LAK-ruh-tee\ noun
What It Means
Alacrity refers to a quick and cheerful readiness to do something.
// Sh...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: April 28, 2025\uh-LAK-ruh-tee\ noun
What It Means
Alacrity refers to a quick and cheerful readiness to do something.
// Sh...
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FREESTEM Daily Curio #3071Free1 CQ
Falling in quicksand is a lot like falling in love, in that most people don't really know how it works. A Michigan man recently made headlines when he found himself stuck in quicksand. When he was rescued, he not only regained his freedom, but he'd made a love connection.
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Though most people don’t encounter it on a daily basis, quicksand can be a common hazard in certain areas, especially places with high levels of groundwater. Recently, Mitchell O'Brien and Breanne Sika were rock hunting on the shores of Lake Michigan when the former stepped into quicksand and suddenly found himself stuck, waist-deep. If sand becomes saturated with enough water and air, it can become a sand-water suspension that can't support a person's weight on the surface. Luckily, a person stuck in quicksand won’t usually sink so deep that their entire body is covered, since the human body is less dense than the suspension. That's not to say that quicksand isn’t dangerous. When a person falls in, the sheer weight of the sand can lock their limbs into place. If the person struggles and loses their balance, they can drown even if they're not fully submerged. There's also a risk of drowning if a person is caught in quicksand near water during a rising tide.
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While it's difficult to free oneself from quicksand without assistance, it’s not impossible. Leaning backward when stepping in quicksand can prevent the feet and legs from sinking in further, and it's possible to escape by slowly moving each limb back and forth. Unfortunately, O'Brien had to wait for firefighters to arrive to pull him out, but the "emotional torment" that he went through with his rock-hunting partner apparently brought them closer together, allowing them to express their latent romantic feelings for one another. Who needs dating apps when you have quicksand?Â
[Image description: A close-up photo of sand.] Credit & copyright: Annajohepworth, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Falling in quicksand is a lot like falling in love, in that most people don't really know how it works. A Michigan man recently made headlines when he found himself stuck in quicksand. When he was rescued, he not only regained his freedom, but he'd made a love connection.
Â
Though most people don’t encounter it on a daily basis, quicksand can be a common hazard in certain areas, especially places with high levels of groundwater. Recently, Mitchell O'Brien and Breanne Sika were rock hunting on the shores of Lake Michigan when the former stepped into quicksand and suddenly found himself stuck, waist-deep. If sand becomes saturated with enough water and air, it can become a sand-water suspension that can't support a person's weight on the surface. Luckily, a person stuck in quicksand won’t usually sink so deep that their entire body is covered, since the human body is less dense than the suspension. That's not to say that quicksand isn’t dangerous. When a person falls in, the sheer weight of the sand can lock their limbs into place. If the person struggles and loses their balance, they can drown even if they're not fully submerged. There's also a risk of drowning if a person is caught in quicksand near water during a rising tide.
Â
While it's difficult to free oneself from quicksand without assistance, it’s not impossible. Leaning backward when stepping in quicksand can prevent the feet and legs from sinking in further, and it's possible to escape by slowly moving each limb back and forth. Unfortunately, O'Brien had to wait for firefighters to arrive to pull him out, but the "emotional torment" that he went through with his rock-hunting partner apparently brought them closer together, allowing them to express their latent romantic feelings for one another. Who needs dating apps when you have quicksand?Â
[Image description: A close-up photo of sand.] Credit & copyright: Annajohepworth, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. -
10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
When the Food and Drug Administration determined there was a shortage of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, it allowed compounding pharmacies to step...
When the Food and Drug Administration determined there was a shortage of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, it allowed compounding pharmacies to step...