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March 29, 2024
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
There’s nothing quite like a smoothie on a hot day…or a holiday! On March 25, millions of people in India celebrated Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors. This Hindu festival celebrates the warming weather and the love story of the god Krishna and the goddess Radha. Celebrants take to the streets and throw colored powder, called gulal, into the air, painting everything and everyone bright shades of green, blue, red, and yellow. But how to keep cool in the midst of the exuberance? Plenty of celebrants will reach for a glass of lassi, a cool, yogurt-based drink that’s been enjoyed in northern India for centuries.
Lassi comes in many varieties, but all of them are made by combining yogurt, water, and spices into a smoothie-like drink. Traditionally served in clay cups, lassi is often flavored with spices like cardamom, cumin, and cinnamon. It’s sometimes topped with chunks of fruit and sliced nuts. Mango lassi is especially popular in the U.S., and is made with blended mango and topped with chunks of the fruit. One variation that’s especially popular during Holi is bhang lassi. This lassi contains bhang, liquid made from the leaves of the cannabis plant, and is legal to drink in much of India.
Lassi could date back as far as 2800 B.C.E. Though no one knows who first created it, it developed in India’s northern Punjab region, where yogurt was traditionally made from the milk of water buffalos. It might have started off as a purely medicinal drink, since lassi is still renowned for its ability to settle stomachs, especially after one has eaten spicy food, plus it’s full of protein and calcium. However, by the time lassi spread beyond Punjab, it was already being enjoyed for more than its health benefits. The cool drink (which some people refer to as “the world’s oldest smoothie”) quickly became a favorite way to beat the summer heat, and new variations began popping up all over the place, from meethi lassi, which is made with saffron and rosewater, to namkeen lassi, flavored with salt and black pepper. Sweet or salty, this smoothie is worth sampling as summer approaches.
[Image description: A glass of lassi, a white drink topped with sliced nuts] Credit & copyright: Robin Kumar Biswal, PexelsThere’s nothing quite like a smoothie on a hot day…or a holiday! On March 25, millions of people in India celebrated Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors. This Hindu festival celebrates the warming weather and the love story of the god Krishna and the goddess Radha. Celebrants take to the streets and throw colored powder, called gulal, into the air, painting everything and everyone bright shades of green, blue, red, and yellow. But how to keep cool in the midst of the exuberance? Plenty of celebrants will reach for a glass of lassi, a cool, yogurt-based drink that’s been enjoyed in northern India for centuries.
Lassi comes in many varieties, but all of them are made by combining yogurt, water, and spices into a smoothie-like drink. Traditionally served in clay cups, lassi is often flavored with spices like cardamom, cumin, and cinnamon. It’s sometimes topped with chunks of fruit and sliced nuts. Mango lassi is especially popular in the U.S., and is made with blended mango and topped with chunks of the fruit. One variation that’s especially popular during Holi is bhang lassi. This lassi contains bhang, liquid made from the leaves of the cannabis plant, and is legal to drink in much of India.
Lassi could date back as far as 2800 B.C.E. Though no one knows who first created it, it developed in India’s northern Punjab region, where yogurt was traditionally made from the milk of water buffalos. It might have started off as a purely medicinal drink, since lassi is still renowned for its ability to settle stomachs, especially after one has eaten spicy food, plus it’s full of protein and calcium. However, by the time lassi spread beyond Punjab, it was already being enjoyed for more than its health benefits. The cool drink (which some people refer to as “the world’s oldest smoothie”) quickly became a favorite way to beat the summer heat, and new variations began popping up all over the place, from meethi lassi, which is made with saffron and rosewater, to namkeen lassi, flavored with salt and black pepper. Sweet or salty, this smoothie is worth sampling as summer approaches.
[Image description: A glass of lassi, a white drink topped with sliced nuts] Credit & copyright: Robin Kumar Biswal, Pexels
March 28, 2024
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
This type of science is sure to bear fruit. Researchers at Sandford Orchards and the University of Bristol are getting ready to collect genetic samples of heritage apple trees from the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Garden in Rosemoor in a nation-wide effort to preserve heritage cultivars. Apples are one of the most important fruits in the UK, featuring in many traditional British dishes (including apple pie, which Americans didn’t actually invent). Over the centuries, Brits have grown an impressive variety of the fruits, many of which were created by cider makers who were trying to get an edge on flavor in a very competitive industry. Somewhat ironically, that may have been the downfall of several apple cultivars, as cider makers were notoriously secretive about their growing practices. While many of these rarer varieties still remain in orchards throughout Britain, there isn’t a comprehensive list of apple cultivars. Meanwhile, the number of orchards in Britain is in decline, meaning time is running out for countless apple varieties. That’s why Sandford Orchards and the University of Bristol partnered to collect DNA samples of apple trees from across Britain. First, they asked members of the public to send in samples of their apple trees, and they were met with an enthusiastic response. Now, they’re trying to preserve the genotypes of apple trees in the possession of the RHS. The researchers hope to identify varieties that are resilient to the changing climate so that Britain can always have orchards for cider making and to feed the pollinators that many crops depend on. An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but hopefully that doesn’t apply to researchers.
[Image description: Red apples growing on a tree branch with green leaves.] Credit & copyright: Elizabeth Tr. Armstrong, Pexels
This type of science is sure to bear fruit. Researchers at Sandford Orchards and the University of Bristol are getting ready to collect genetic samples of heritage apple trees from the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Garden in Rosemoor in a nation-wide effort to preserve heritage cultivars. Apples are one of the most important fruits in the UK, featuring in many traditional British dishes (including apple pie, which Americans didn’t actually invent). Over the centuries, Brits have grown an impressive variety of the fruits, many of which were created by cider makers who were trying to get an edge on flavor in a very competitive industry. Somewhat ironically, that may have been the downfall of several apple cultivars, as cider makers were notoriously secretive about their growing practices. While many of these rarer varieties still remain in orchards throughout Britain, there isn’t a comprehensive list of apple cultivars. Meanwhile, the number of orchards in Britain is in decline, meaning time is running out for countless apple varieties. That’s why Sandford Orchards and the University of Bristol partnered to collect DNA samples of apple trees from across Britain. First, they asked members of the public to send in samples of their apple trees, and they were met with an enthusiastic response. Now, they’re trying to preserve the genotypes of apple trees in the possession of the RHS. The researchers hope to identify varieties that are resilient to the changing climate so that Britain can always have orchards for cider making and to feed the pollinators that many crops depend on. An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but hopefully that doesn’t apply to researchers.
[Image description: Red apples growing on a tree branch with green leaves.] Credit & copyright: Elizabeth Tr. Armstrong, Pexels
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FREEWorld History Daily Curio #2846Free1 CQ
If you think Russia’s relationship with the West is icy today, you should have seen it in the 1800s. On this day in 1854, Great Britain and France joined the Ottoman Empire and declared war on Russia, resulting in a conflict that is now known as the Crimean War. Although the war is named after the Crimean Peninsula where the majority of the fighting took place, it was something of an early forerunner to the World Wars that followed, since it consisted of many factions fighting on many fronts. It was the largest conflict since the Napoleonic Wars, which ended in 1815, and it was ostensibly based on who had the right to rule over Orthodox Christians in Ottoman territory; Russia’s Czar Nicolas I or the Ottomans’ Emperor, Abdulmejid I. Of course, if that’s really all there was to it, Britain and France wouldn’t have sided with the Ottomans; their motive for the alliance was to stem Russia’s westward expansion, and they had little interest in the plight of Orthodox Christianity.
Many historians consider the Crimean War to be the first “modern” war. By the 1850s, A slew of new weapons technologies had popped up, some of which have modern equivalents today. Yet they hadn’t existed even decades prior when Napoleon was running around Europe. Telegraphs made long-distance communication nearly instant, allowing military orders and news from the front to travel faster than anyone could react to them; railroads and steamships sped up mass transportation of supplies and troop deployments to a matter of days; rifled muskets, shot farther, faster, and hit harder than guns of the past. Yet even as advanced as the technology was, the age-old, fatal issues of disease and poor sanitation plagued soldiers on every side. Ultimately, the death toll reached around 500,000, split almost equally between disease and combat. Some good did come from this devastation. British nurse Florence Nightingale became a household name after she revolutionized battlefield medicine with greater care taken for sanitation and advocacy for the injured soldiers. In 1856, the war came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which forced Russia to surrender territory to the Ottoman Empire. After all that fighting, though, both empires fell just decades later, in the early 1900s. Even half a million dead can’t draw a map that lasts forever.
[Image description: A painting depicting French troops storming up a hill during the Battle of Malakoff in the Crimean War.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, William Simpson, artist (1823-1899), Battle of Malakoff (Crimean War). This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.If you think Russia’s relationship with the West is icy today, you should have seen it in the 1800s. On this day in 1854, Great Britain and France joined the Ottoman Empire and declared war on Russia, resulting in a conflict that is now known as the Crimean War. Although the war is named after the Crimean Peninsula where the majority of the fighting took place, it was something of an early forerunner to the World Wars that followed, since it consisted of many factions fighting on many fronts. It was the largest conflict since the Napoleonic Wars, which ended in 1815, and it was ostensibly based on who had the right to rule over Orthodox Christians in Ottoman territory; Russia’s Czar Nicolas I or the Ottomans’ Emperor, Abdulmejid I. Of course, if that’s really all there was to it, Britain and France wouldn’t have sided with the Ottomans; their motive for the alliance was to stem Russia’s westward expansion, and they had little interest in the plight of Orthodox Christianity.
Many historians consider the Crimean War to be the first “modern” war. By the 1850s, A slew of new weapons technologies had popped up, some of which have modern equivalents today. Yet they hadn’t existed even decades prior when Napoleon was running around Europe. Telegraphs made long-distance communication nearly instant, allowing military orders and news from the front to travel faster than anyone could react to them; railroads and steamships sped up mass transportation of supplies and troop deployments to a matter of days; rifled muskets, shot farther, faster, and hit harder than guns of the past. Yet even as advanced as the technology was, the age-old, fatal issues of disease and poor sanitation plagued soldiers on every side. Ultimately, the death toll reached around 500,000, split almost equally between disease and combat. Some good did come from this devastation. British nurse Florence Nightingale became a household name after she revolutionized battlefield medicine with greater care taken for sanitation and advocacy for the injured soldiers. In 1856, the war came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which forced Russia to surrender territory to the Ottoman Empire. After all that fighting, though, both empires fell just decades later, in the early 1900s. Even half a million dead can’t draw a map that lasts forever.
[Image description: A painting depicting French troops storming up a hill during the Battle of Malakoff in the Crimean War.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, William Simpson, artist (1823-1899), Battle of Malakoff (Crimean War). This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.
March 27, 2024
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FREEWork Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Will real estate brokers soon be going broke? Probably not, but the American real estate market is definitely in for some changes. On March 15, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) agreed to a class-action settlement over agent commissions. The plaintiffs were home sellers who argued that certain NAR policies were artificially inflating the real estate market. As part of their settlement, the NAR has agreed to change certain guidelines concerning how real estate brokers and agents are paid. While no one knows exactly how this will play out, there are plenty of theories. Some people believe that the new guidelines will make it cheaper to buy and sell homes, since sellers will no longer pay the five to six percent commission that used to pay a buyers’ agent. Instead, it would be up to buyers to pay their own agents, and no one knows how much they’ll choose to pay. New guidelines also state that homebuyers have to sign explicit deals with brokers if they choose to work with them, a move that industry experts believe may cause buyers to work with brokers less frequently. While some who work in the real estate industry are understandably wary of the new rules, plenty of potential homebuyers are celebrating…perhaps prematurely. While the new rules could lower home costs by thousands of dollars by lowering brokerage fees, it’s really too soon to tell. After all, that assumption relies on the logic that sellers will lower their home prices just because they don’t have to pay as many fees…but they don’t necessarily have to. For now, it’s just one more thing (alongside record-high home prices and rising interest rates) to keep an eye on in this volatile market.
Will real estate brokers soon be going broke? Probably not, but the American real estate market is definitely in for some changes. On March 15, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) agreed to a class-action settlement over agent commissions. The plaintiffs were home sellers who argued that certain NAR policies were artificially inflating the real estate market. As part of their settlement, the NAR has agreed to change certain guidelines concerning how real estate brokers and agents are paid. While no one knows exactly how this will play out, there are plenty of theories. Some people believe that the new guidelines will make it cheaper to buy and sell homes, since sellers will no longer pay the five to six percent commission that used to pay a buyers’ agent. Instead, it would be up to buyers to pay their own agents, and no one knows how much they’ll choose to pay. New guidelines also state that homebuyers have to sign explicit deals with brokers if they choose to work with them, a move that industry experts believe may cause buyers to work with brokers less frequently. While some who work in the real estate industry are understandably wary of the new rules, plenty of potential homebuyers are celebrating…perhaps prematurely. While the new rules could lower home costs by thousands of dollars by lowering brokerage fees, it’s really too soon to tell. After all, that assumption relies on the logic that sellers will lower their home prices just because they don’t have to pay as many fees…but they don’t necessarily have to. For now, it’s just one more thing (alongside record-high home prices and rising interest rates) to keep an eye on in this volatile market.
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FREEScience Daily Curio #2845Free1 CQ
It hurts to see them go, but they won’t be leaving forever. There aren’t a lot of things that can bring the people of Washington D.C. together, but one thing they can all appreciate is the sight of the city’s famous cherry trees in full bloom. Unfortunately, 158 of the 3,700 trees will soon be felled by the National Park Service (NPS) to build a seawall. The sacrificial trees include Stumpy, the public’s favorite, meme-worthy cherry tree—but there’s a good reason for the NPS’s decision.
Originally a gift from the mayor of Tokyo in 1912, the cherry trees and their vibrant petals have become an iconic fixture in America’s capital. But rising sea levels have started to threaten D.C.’s infrastructure, and some of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin are being flooded daily by brackish waters. Perhaps the most famous specimen is Stumpy, a shabby cherry tree with only a few scraggly branches that went viral in 2020, endearing itself to the internet with its scrappy appearance. Short and barely blooming, Stumpy is actually a great example of how the brackish water is stunting the growth of the famously flamboyant trees. It wasn’t always this way, though. Trees used to be flooded by the occasional high tide, but now it’s happening twice a day, every day. The $133 million Tidal Basin seawall project is expected to be completed by 2027, and will hopefully keep the brackish water at bay. The NPS will be replacing the felled trees and then some by planting 274 more cherry trees as part of the project. No matter how many they plant, though, they’ll never quite be able to replace ol’ Stumpy!
[Image description: A close-up photo of a flowering cherry tree with pink blossoms.] Credit & copyright: Kurt Kaiser, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.It hurts to see them go, but they won’t be leaving forever. There aren’t a lot of things that can bring the people of Washington D.C. together, but one thing they can all appreciate is the sight of the city’s famous cherry trees in full bloom. Unfortunately, 158 of the 3,700 trees will soon be felled by the National Park Service (NPS) to build a seawall. The sacrificial trees include Stumpy, the public’s favorite, meme-worthy cherry tree—but there’s a good reason for the NPS’s decision.
Originally a gift from the mayor of Tokyo in 1912, the cherry trees and their vibrant petals have become an iconic fixture in America’s capital. But rising sea levels have started to threaten D.C.’s infrastructure, and some of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin are being flooded daily by brackish waters. Perhaps the most famous specimen is Stumpy, a shabby cherry tree with only a few scraggly branches that went viral in 2020, endearing itself to the internet with its scrappy appearance. Short and barely blooming, Stumpy is actually a great example of how the brackish water is stunting the growth of the famously flamboyant trees. It wasn’t always this way, though. Trees used to be flooded by the occasional high tide, but now it’s happening twice a day, every day. The $133 million Tidal Basin seawall project is expected to be completed by 2027, and will hopefully keep the brackish water at bay. The NPS will be replacing the felled trees and then some by planting 274 more cherry trees as part of the project. No matter how many they plant, though, they’ll never quite be able to replace ol’ Stumpy!
[Image description: A close-up photo of a flowering cherry tree with pink blossoms.] Credit & copyright: Kurt Kaiser, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
March 26, 2024
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
This Beach Boys song hit number one before the Beach Boys ever did! While the instrumentals (and famous opening line) of Surf City were created by Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson, he allowed a different doo-wop-flavored surf band to record it: Jan & Dean. This duo was made up of young singers and former high school friends Dean Torrence and Jan Berry, the latter of whom passed away on this day in 2004. Jan & Dean’s vocals could have easily been confused for the Beach Boys’, with their spunky, upbeat harmonies. They seemed to be on a similar road to success, too, when they recorded the song in 1963. It immediately jumped to the top of the charts. However, though the duo ended up with 27 charting songs, Surf City was their only number one hit, and while the Beach Boys went on to have a relatively long career, Jan & Dean’s success was fairly short-lived. Still, for the brief time that the two groups overlapped, the beach was plenty big enough for the two of them.
This Beach Boys song hit number one before the Beach Boys ever did! While the instrumentals (and famous opening line) of Surf City were created by Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson, he allowed a different doo-wop-flavored surf band to record it: Jan & Dean. This duo was made up of young singers and former high school friends Dean Torrence and Jan Berry, the latter of whom passed away on this day in 2004. Jan & Dean’s vocals could have easily been confused for the Beach Boys’, with their spunky, upbeat harmonies. They seemed to be on a similar road to success, too, when they recorded the song in 1963. It immediately jumped to the top of the charts. However, though the duo ended up with 27 charting songs, Surf City was their only number one hit, and while the Beach Boys went on to have a relatively long career, Jan & Dean’s success was fairly short-lived. Still, for the brief time that the two groups overlapped, the beach was plenty big enough for the two of them.
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FREEHappiness Daily Curio #2844Free1 CQ
It’s a sad day for the U.S…but a perfectly happy one for Finland. According to Gallup’s World Happiness Report, those who call Finland home are the happiest people on earth—a title they have held for the past seven years. The U.S., meanwhile, did not make the list of the world’s 20 happiest countries—the first time it has failed to do so since the very first World Happiness Report, in 2012. Luckily, some unhappy Americans may have a chance to visit Finland soon to learn just what makes it so jolly.
The U.S.’s recent rank-drop is mostly due to the unhappiness of the nation’s young people, between the ages of 18 to 24. While the country ranks 23rd overall in the report, it ranks a much bleaker 62nd place when only responders under 30 years old are counted. Most of the unhappiness is due to young people feeling lonely and lacking social support from friends or family, though the rising cost of living and difficulty finding jobs also factored in. A similar decline in reported happiness can be found in Western Europe, although members of the former Soviet bloc to the east have experienced a steady increase in happiness over the years. Meanwhile, Scandinavian countries took many of the top spots, with Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia following Finland. According to Finnish philosopher and psychology researcher Frank Martela, the secret behind Finland’s happiness is a strong sense of community. In an interview with CNBC, he explained that Finnish people have an easier time attaining a sense of purpose and feel good when helping others. Other Finns have credited their happiness to things like easy access to nature, fresh food, and an easygoing approach to life. A separate poll, conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), found that 96 percent of Finns believe that they have someone they can rely on during hard times. That said, Finland’s official tourism arm and Helsinki Partners are looking to give five lucky people the chance to learn the Finnish secrets to happiness. They’re taking applications for a five-day, completely free, curated experience called “Masterclass in Happiness.” Those who are accepted will learn happiness habits from five instructors, including a 70-year-old skateboarder and an urban swimmer. Hey, you’ve got to be pretty worry-free to be a skating septuagenarian.
[Image description: The Finnish flag, consisting of a blue cross on a white background, flies against a cloudy sky.] Credit & copyright: Baptiste Valthier, PexelsIt’s a sad day for the U.S…but a perfectly happy one for Finland. According to Gallup’s World Happiness Report, those who call Finland home are the happiest people on earth—a title they have held for the past seven years. The U.S., meanwhile, did not make the list of the world’s 20 happiest countries—the first time it has failed to do so since the very first World Happiness Report, in 2012. Luckily, some unhappy Americans may have a chance to visit Finland soon to learn just what makes it so jolly.
The U.S.’s recent rank-drop is mostly due to the unhappiness of the nation’s young people, between the ages of 18 to 24. While the country ranks 23rd overall in the report, it ranks a much bleaker 62nd place when only responders under 30 years old are counted. Most of the unhappiness is due to young people feeling lonely and lacking social support from friends or family, though the rising cost of living and difficulty finding jobs also factored in. A similar decline in reported happiness can be found in Western Europe, although members of the former Soviet bloc to the east have experienced a steady increase in happiness over the years. Meanwhile, Scandinavian countries took many of the top spots, with Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia following Finland. According to Finnish philosopher and psychology researcher Frank Martela, the secret behind Finland’s happiness is a strong sense of community. In an interview with CNBC, he explained that Finnish people have an easier time attaining a sense of purpose and feel good when helping others. Other Finns have credited their happiness to things like easy access to nature, fresh food, and an easygoing approach to life. A separate poll, conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), found that 96 percent of Finns believe that they have someone they can rely on during hard times. That said, Finland’s official tourism arm and Helsinki Partners are looking to give five lucky people the chance to learn the Finnish secrets to happiness. They’re taking applications for a five-day, completely free, curated experience called “Masterclass in Happiness.” Those who are accepted will learn happiness habits from five instructors, including a 70-year-old skateboarder and an urban swimmer. Hey, you’ve got to be pretty worry-free to be a skating septuagenarian.
[Image description: The Finnish flag, consisting of a blue cross on a white background, flies against a cloudy sky.] Credit & copyright: Baptiste Valthier, Pexels
March 25, 2024
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Ciao! Thought to have been founded this day in 451 C.E., the city of Venice, Italy, has been inspiring artists for centuries with its natural and man-made wonders. The piece above, Piazza San Marco, Venice, shows the eponymous city square sparsely populated with small groups of people. Ornately designed buildings stand under a gray-blue sky. Attributed to Italian landscape painter Bernardo Bellotto, the painting includes some of the most famous structures in Venice. To the left is St. Mark's Basilica, at the center is the St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) and filling up the right side of the canvas is the Procuratie Nuove. Venice was once an independent republic ruled by the Doge of Venice, whose palatial residence is visible off in the distance of the painting. While the Venetian Republic fell in 1797, the city’s illustrious architecture keeps its legacy as an artistic and cultural hub alive to this day. It surely takes a special artist to depict the City of Canals in such accurate detail.
Piazza San Marco, Venice, Bernardo Bellotto (1721–1780), 1740, Oil on canvas, 53.62 x 91.56 in. (136.2 x 232.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Bernardo Bellotto, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1962.169. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.]Ciao! Thought to have been founded this day in 451 C.E., the city of Venice, Italy, has been inspiring artists for centuries with its natural and man-made wonders. The piece above, Piazza San Marco, Venice, shows the eponymous city square sparsely populated with small groups of people. Ornately designed buildings stand under a gray-blue sky. Attributed to Italian landscape painter Bernardo Bellotto, the painting includes some of the most famous structures in Venice. To the left is St. Mark's Basilica, at the center is the St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) and filling up the right side of the canvas is the Procuratie Nuove. Venice was once an independent republic ruled by the Doge of Venice, whose palatial residence is visible off in the distance of the painting. While the Venetian Republic fell in 1797, the city’s illustrious architecture keeps its legacy as an artistic and cultural hub alive to this day. It surely takes a special artist to depict the City of Canals in such accurate detail.
Piazza San Marco, Venice, Bernardo Bellotto (1721–1780), 1740, Oil on canvas, 53.62 x 91.56 in. (136.2 x 232.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Bernardo Bellotto, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1962.169. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.] -
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Today, we’re bringing you a very ESG-focused podcast. First, Texas is pulling $8.5 billion from the country’s biggest asset manager, BlackRock, which the sta...
Today, we’re bringing you a very ESG-focused podcast. First, Texas is pulling $8.5 billion from the country’s biggest asset manager, BlackRock, which the sta...
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #2843Free1 CQ
In print or in person, she doesn’t mince her words. Born on this day in 1934, American feminist Gloria Steinem has spent a lifetime advocating for women’s rights. She’s the founder of Ms. magazine, which also popularized the eponymous title. After graduating from Smith College, Steinem began pursuing a career in writing and journalism while also engaging in political activism. In 1963, she published an undercover exposé in Show Magazine about the Playboy Club in New York City, detailing the exploitative business practices and harassment against the costumed waitresses who worked there. By 1968, she was a contributing editor at New York magazine, and in 1971, she co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus, an organization dedicated to promoting women seeking public office in the US. Around the same time, Steinem began formulating ideas for a feminist publication, initially as a newsletter, then as a magazine. First published as an insert in an issue of New York Magazine, Ms. debuted in December of 1971 and began printing issues as a full-fledged magazine in 1972.
Unlike most women's magazines at the time, which focused on fashion, cosmetics, and homemaking, Ms. Magazine was unapologetically politically-charged. Even its title was a marriage-neutral honorific that attracted controversy by separating a woman’s status from her relationship to a man. The magazine was denounced by opponents of the women’s liberation movement, but it was also criticized by some feminists due to its reliance on advertising. While other feminist publications were largely self-funded, anti-capitalist operations distributed on a small scale, Ms. Magazine was intended for the mass-market. Regardless, the magazine was wildly successful, with its preview issue selling over 300,000 copies and garnering 26,000 subscriptions within weeks. The publication helped bring discussions of domestic violence, date rape, and abortion into the mainstream, and, of course, pushed for the acceptance of Ms. as an accepted honorific in life and print. Still, some larger publications, including the The New York Times, didn’t allow their writers to use it until the mid-1980s. Ms. Magazine might not have set out to be trendy, but it was trendsetting nonetheless.In print or in person, she doesn’t mince her words. Born on this day in 1934, American feminist Gloria Steinem has spent a lifetime advocating for women’s rights. She’s the founder of Ms. magazine, which also popularized the eponymous title. After graduating from Smith College, Steinem began pursuing a career in writing and journalism while also engaging in political activism. In 1963, she published an undercover exposé in Show Magazine about the Playboy Club in New York City, detailing the exploitative business practices and harassment against the costumed waitresses who worked there. By 1968, she was a contributing editor at New York magazine, and in 1971, she co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus, an organization dedicated to promoting women seeking public office in the US. Around the same time, Steinem began formulating ideas for a feminist publication, initially as a newsletter, then as a magazine. First published as an insert in an issue of New York Magazine, Ms. debuted in December of 1971 and began printing issues as a full-fledged magazine in 1972.
Unlike most women's magazines at the time, which focused on fashion, cosmetics, and homemaking, Ms. Magazine was unapologetically politically-charged. Even its title was a marriage-neutral honorific that attracted controversy by separating a woman’s status from her relationship to a man. The magazine was denounced by opponents of the women’s liberation movement, but it was also criticized by some feminists due to its reliance on advertising. While other feminist publications were largely self-funded, anti-capitalist operations distributed on a small scale, Ms. Magazine was intended for the mass-market. Regardless, the magazine was wildly successful, with its preview issue selling over 300,000 copies and garnering 26,000 subscriptions within weeks. The publication helped bring discussions of domestic violence, date rape, and abortion into the mainstream, and, of course, pushed for the acceptance of Ms. as an accepted honorific in life and print. Still, some larger publications, including the The New York Times, didn’t allow their writers to use it until the mid-1980s. Ms. Magazine might not have set out to be trendy, but it was trendsetting nonetheless.
March 24, 2024
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FREEOutdoors PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Spring has sprung! Unfortunately, though, the season can bring more than nice weather, colorful flowers, and chirping birds. It also means the re-emergence of disease-spreading pests like mosquitoes and ticks. Ticks, in particular, are responsible for spreading a disease that all outdoor adventurers fear: lyme disease. This painful condition can wreak havoc on the body and, frighteningly, in some people the symptoms seem to persist for years. However, there is heated debate around the causes of “chronic lyme” and whether that name should even be used by medical professionals.
Lyme disease is caused by the borrelia bacteria, but it’s almost always transmitted to people via tick bites. The ticks that carry lyme can be found in the American Midwest, Northeast, the Pacific Northwest, parts of Canada, and Europe, though their range seems to be spreading. Known as blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) or western blacklegged ticks (Ixodes pacificus), they are usually found in wooded areas, though they can easily make their way into people’s yards. When a tick bites a person, they often leave behind a distinctive, ring-shaped rash. While this can help someone know that they’ve been bitten, the only way to know if the tick was carrying lyme disease is to wait. Symptoms can start anytime between three to thirty days after infection. Even the symptoms aren’t always obvious, since they can feel like the flu and can include fever, muscle aches, stiff joints, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and headaches. Without treatment, the disease progresses to stage 2, which can cause irregular heartbeat, swelling in or around the eyes, and muscle weakness. Stage 3 can cause arthritis, and without medical intervention symptoms can continue to get worse. European ticks sometimes carry variants of lyme that can cause a condition called acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, which causes swelling and discoloration of the skin near the joints. Fortunately, lyme disease can be treated via a simple course of antibiotics…usually. In some people, lyme disease seems to last far longer than it should, even after treatment.
This seemingly lingering lyme disease is sometimes called “chronic lyme.” However, most medical professionals prefer the term “post-treatment Lyme disease” (PTLD), which more accurately describes the condition. After all, people who have PTLD aren’t infected with the borrelia bacteria anymore. Still, months or even years after they are “cured,” they continue to experience fatigue, aches, and palpitations, in addition to numbness, dizziness, and brain fog. PTLD is difficult to treat because its cause has yet to be identified. In fact, some medical professionals don’t even believe that it’s possible to have “chronic lyme.” Since the bacteria that causes lyme disease can't be detected in PTLD, antibiotics aren’t always effective, though there are stories of some cases where a second, prolonged course of antibiotics has worked. Still, since reliable treatments for PTLD are limited, prevention is the best route to take.
Ticks can carry more diseases than just lyme, so it’s essential to watch out for them. Since ticks prefer areas with heavy vegetation, like tall grass, it’s best to avoid those areas or to only venture into them while wearing pants and sleeves that leave little skin exposed. Bug sprays that use DEET, picaridin, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) can help deter the arachnids, but people who may have been in tick-infested areas should do a thorough examination of their body and gear. If there are ticks clinging on to skin, then a tick-removal device, like the kind available at outdoor shops, should be used. Experts have urged people not to rely on home remedies like burning ticks with a lighter or squeezing them off, since that can actually force the tick to eject their inner contents into bite wounds. It’s also important to remember that dogs can get lyme disease, so they should be given tick preventatives on a regular basis. Dogs can also be vaccinated against lyme disease, and a human vaccine is under development too. Just remember, a tick’s bite is worse than your (or your dog’s) bark.
[Image description: A brown-and-black tick on a blade of green grass.] Credit & copyright: Erik Karits, PexelsSpring has sprung! Unfortunately, though, the season can bring more than nice weather, colorful flowers, and chirping birds. It also means the re-emergence of disease-spreading pests like mosquitoes and ticks. Ticks, in particular, are responsible for spreading a disease that all outdoor adventurers fear: lyme disease. This painful condition can wreak havoc on the body and, frighteningly, in some people the symptoms seem to persist for years. However, there is heated debate around the causes of “chronic lyme” and whether that name should even be used by medical professionals.
Lyme disease is caused by the borrelia bacteria, but it’s almost always transmitted to people via tick bites. The ticks that carry lyme can be found in the American Midwest, Northeast, the Pacific Northwest, parts of Canada, and Europe, though their range seems to be spreading. Known as blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) or western blacklegged ticks (Ixodes pacificus), they are usually found in wooded areas, though they can easily make their way into people’s yards. When a tick bites a person, they often leave behind a distinctive, ring-shaped rash. While this can help someone know that they’ve been bitten, the only way to know if the tick was carrying lyme disease is to wait. Symptoms can start anytime between three to thirty days after infection. Even the symptoms aren’t always obvious, since they can feel like the flu and can include fever, muscle aches, stiff joints, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and headaches. Without treatment, the disease progresses to stage 2, which can cause irregular heartbeat, swelling in or around the eyes, and muscle weakness. Stage 3 can cause arthritis, and without medical intervention symptoms can continue to get worse. European ticks sometimes carry variants of lyme that can cause a condition called acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, which causes swelling and discoloration of the skin near the joints. Fortunately, lyme disease can be treated via a simple course of antibiotics…usually. In some people, lyme disease seems to last far longer than it should, even after treatment.
This seemingly lingering lyme disease is sometimes called “chronic lyme.” However, most medical professionals prefer the term “post-treatment Lyme disease” (PTLD), which more accurately describes the condition. After all, people who have PTLD aren’t infected with the borrelia bacteria anymore. Still, months or even years after they are “cured,” they continue to experience fatigue, aches, and palpitations, in addition to numbness, dizziness, and brain fog. PTLD is difficult to treat because its cause has yet to be identified. In fact, some medical professionals don’t even believe that it’s possible to have “chronic lyme.” Since the bacteria that causes lyme disease can't be detected in PTLD, antibiotics aren’t always effective, though there are stories of some cases where a second, prolonged course of antibiotics has worked. Still, since reliable treatments for PTLD are limited, prevention is the best route to take.
Ticks can carry more diseases than just lyme, so it’s essential to watch out for them. Since ticks prefer areas with heavy vegetation, like tall grass, it’s best to avoid those areas or to only venture into them while wearing pants and sleeves that leave little skin exposed. Bug sprays that use DEET, picaridin, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) can help deter the arachnids, but people who may have been in tick-infested areas should do a thorough examination of their body and gear. If there are ticks clinging on to skin, then a tick-removal device, like the kind available at outdoor shops, should be used. Experts have urged people not to rely on home remedies like burning ticks with a lighter or squeezing them off, since that can actually force the tick to eject their inner contents into bite wounds. It’s also important to remember that dogs can get lyme disease, so they should be given tick preventatives on a regular basis. Dogs can also be vaccinated against lyme disease, and a human vaccine is under development too. Just remember, a tick’s bite is worse than your (or your dog’s) bark.
[Image description: A brown-and-black tick on a blade of green grass.] Credit & copyright: Erik Karits, Pexels -
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
The ice cream business is pretty chilly these days. Consumer goods giant Unilever announced this week that it’s going to spin off its ice cream business, whi...
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March 23, 2024
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The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at its meeting this week, though it’s penciling in three rate cuts at some point this year. But what does t...
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FREESports Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
These are hungry times for the City of Brotherly Love. After 27 years, the Philadelphia Phillies’ $1 Hot Dog Night has become a thing of the past, with the team citing fans’ “unruly” behavior last year. The promotion, which ran three times last year (twice in April and once in May), was intended to appeal to families, making it easier to feed everyone with inexpensive concessions. Over the years, it became a beloved tradition, and the stadium even displayed the number of dollar dogs sold during the game on the scoreboard during the nights when the promotion was running. Recently, however, things took a turn. John Weber, Phillies senior vice president of ticket operations and projects, explained to the press, “As it’s morphed over time, it’s gone more to a younger demographic.” Unfortunately, these young fans tend to be rowdier than families with young children. On April 11, 2023, fans started a large-scale food fight by chucking their discounted delicacies at each other and across the stands. Supposedly, that foodie fracas was the reason behind the end of the $1 hot dogs, though some have their doubts and believe the decision to be financially motivated. Regardless, instead of $1 hot dogs, fans will now be treated to buy-one-get-one deals several times a year. Hey, it’s better than nothing.
[Image description: Two hot dogs topped with ketchup and mustard on a white plate.] Credit & copyright: alleksana, Pexels
These are hungry times for the City of Brotherly Love. After 27 years, the Philadelphia Phillies’ $1 Hot Dog Night has become a thing of the past, with the team citing fans’ “unruly” behavior last year. The promotion, which ran three times last year (twice in April and once in May), was intended to appeal to families, making it easier to feed everyone with inexpensive concessions. Over the years, it became a beloved tradition, and the stadium even displayed the number of dollar dogs sold during the game on the scoreboard during the nights when the promotion was running. Recently, however, things took a turn. John Weber, Phillies senior vice president of ticket operations and projects, explained to the press, “As it’s morphed over time, it’s gone more to a younger demographic.” Unfortunately, these young fans tend to be rowdier than families with young children. On April 11, 2023, fans started a large-scale food fight by chucking their discounted delicacies at each other and across the stands. Supposedly, that foodie fracas was the reason behind the end of the $1 hot dogs, though some have their doubts and believe the decision to be financially motivated. Regardless, instead of $1 hot dogs, fans will now be treated to buy-one-get-one deals several times a year. Hey, it’s better than nothing.
[Image description: Two hot dogs topped with ketchup and mustard on a white plate.] Credit & copyright: alleksana, Pexels