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March 19, 2024
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 19, 2024\uh-LEJ\ verb
What It Means
To allege something is to assert it without proof or before proving it.
// Consu...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 19, 2024\uh-LEJ\ verb
What It Means
To allege something is to assert it without proof or before proving it.
// Consu...
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #2840Free1 CQ
A gambling oasis in the middle of the Mojave Desert? It still sounds a little strange to think of Las Vegas in those terms today, and it was considered even more so when gambling was legalized in Nevada on this day in 1931 with Assembly Bill 98. Back in the early 20th century, the area that is now covered in hotels, casinos, and endless entertainment venues could best be described as sparsely populated. Gambling in Nevada was made illegal in 1910, but that just pushed the industry underground and into the hands of organized crime. When gambling was eventually made legal again, Las Vegas, as one of the last stops on a major highway leading into California, began to change. The first generations of casinos and hotels were still under the control of the mob, and because of the city’s remote location and poor reputation, few people thought that Las Vegas would grow into much more than a town of gambling dens. But things changed further when construction for the Hoover Dam began the same year that gambling was legalized. A deluge of workers suddenly descended on Las Vegas with pocketfuls of cash. Then, magnesium deposits were discovered nearby, just as demand for the material was rising nationwide. When the U.S. joined WWII in 1941, the U.S. Army built an air field that would eventually become Nellis Air Force Base, bringing another surge of casino customers. The same year, a first-of-its-kind casino and hotel called the El Rancho Vegas opened in what is now the Las Vegas strip. Unlike other businesses in the city, the El Rancho Vegas was a destination in and of itself, with a theater, swimming pool, and a restaurant. Since then, the Las Vegas Strip has grown into a neon garden with plenty of family-friendly venues and attractions…though it’s still known as “sin city” for a reason.
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[Image description: The Las Vegas strip from above, at night.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Jon Sullivan. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Jon Sullivan. This applies worldwide.A gambling oasis in the middle of the Mojave Desert? It still sounds a little strange to think of Las Vegas in those terms today, and it was considered even more so when gambling was legalized in Nevada on this day in 1931 with Assembly Bill 98. Back in the early 20th century, the area that is now covered in hotels, casinos, and endless entertainment venues could best be described as sparsely populated. Gambling in Nevada was made illegal in 1910, but that just pushed the industry underground and into the hands of organized crime. When gambling was eventually made legal again, Las Vegas, as one of the last stops on a major highway leading into California, began to change. The first generations of casinos and hotels were still under the control of the mob, and because of the city’s remote location and poor reputation, few people thought that Las Vegas would grow into much more than a town of gambling dens. But things changed further when construction for the Hoover Dam began the same year that gambling was legalized. A deluge of workers suddenly descended on Las Vegas with pocketfuls of cash. Then, magnesium deposits were discovered nearby, just as demand for the material was rising nationwide. When the U.S. joined WWII in 1941, the U.S. Army built an air field that would eventually become Nellis Air Force Base, bringing another surge of casino customers. The same year, a first-of-its-kind casino and hotel called the El Rancho Vegas opened in what is now the Las Vegas strip. Unlike other businesses in the city, the El Rancho Vegas was a destination in and of itself, with a theater, swimming pool, and a restaurant. Since then, the Las Vegas Strip has grown into a neon garden with plenty of family-friendly venues and attractions…though it’s still known as “sin city” for a reason.
Â
[Image description: The Las Vegas strip from above, at night.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Jon Sullivan. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Jon Sullivan. This applies worldwide. -
FREEMusic Song CurioFree2 CQ
It’s not June yet, but it’s still a good time to review this song’s history! On this day in 2022, British indie rock band Glass Animals were enjoying an unprecedented musical achievement. Their song Heat Waves was in the middle of a record-breaking run atop the Billboard Hot 100, which ended with it claiming the title of the longest-charting Hot 100 song of all time at 91 weeks. Although the song’s lyrics are self-reflective and focused on heartache, it has a steady beat and overall mellow feel. Frontman and songwriter Dave Bayley described writing the song as a “reflective” experience as he struggled to get over a real-life relationship. Although the song was released in June, Bayley has explained that that’s not the reason for the song’s emphasis on that particular month. Rather, the unnamed person who inspired the song was born in June. With as often as this song is played on the radio (especially during the summer) there’s little doubt that Bayley’s mystery muse has heard the tune.
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It’s not June yet, but it’s still a good time to review this song’s history! On this day in 2022, British indie rock band Glass Animals were enjoying an unprecedented musical achievement. Their song Heat Waves was in the middle of a record-breaking run atop the Billboard Hot 100, which ended with it claiming the title of the longest-charting Hot 100 song of all time at 91 weeks. Although the song’s lyrics are self-reflective and focused on heartache, it has a steady beat and overall mellow feel. Frontman and songwriter Dave Bayley described writing the song as a “reflective” experience as he struggled to get over a real-life relationship. Although the song was released in June, Bayley has explained that that’s not the reason for the song’s emphasis on that particular month. Rather, the unnamed person who inspired the song was born in June. With as often as this song is played on the radio (especially during the summer) there’s little doubt that Bayley’s mystery muse has heard the tune.
Â
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March 18, 2024
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FREEAesthetic Art CurioFree1 CQ
Here’s hoping you had a great Saint Patrick’s Day. Of course, there’s more to Ireland than St. Patrick and shamrocks. Take the word “Limerick,” for example. It may bring to mind clever rhymes, but the Irish town of Limerick was once famous for its textiles. For much of the 1800s, Limerick lace was considered very luxurious indeed. The Limerick lace above has been fashioned into a “V” shape. It features floral designs around its edges and its net. Much of the empty space in the net is filled with dots. Lace manufacturing was introduced to Limerick in 1829 by an English businessman named Charles Walker. He hired lacemakers from Nottingham to teach local seamstresses and other women how to make lace using a hybrid technique of sewing elaborate designs onto machine-made nets. For decades, Limerick lace was prized for its intricate details, but the industry fell into decline around the latter half of the century due to competition from manufacturers back in Nottingham. Since then, there have been several revivals in interest in Limerick lace, and there are still some smaller workshops that produce it to this day. After all, heritage matters more than net profit.
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Machine Lace (Embroidered Net) Fichu, 19th century, Cotton embroidery in tambour stitch on white machine-made net, 29.5 x 50 in. (75 x 127 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OhioÂ
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Martha H. Jennings 1943.379. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.Here’s hoping you had a great Saint Patrick’s Day. Of course, there’s more to Ireland than St. Patrick and shamrocks. Take the word “Limerick,” for example. It may bring to mind clever rhymes, but the Irish town of Limerick was once famous for its textiles. For much of the 1800s, Limerick lace was considered very luxurious indeed. The Limerick lace above has been fashioned into a “V” shape. It features floral designs around its edges and its net. Much of the empty space in the net is filled with dots. Lace manufacturing was introduced to Limerick in 1829 by an English businessman named Charles Walker. He hired lacemakers from Nottingham to teach local seamstresses and other women how to make lace using a hybrid technique of sewing elaborate designs onto machine-made nets. For decades, Limerick lace was prized for its intricate details, but the industry fell into decline around the latter half of the century due to competition from manufacturers back in Nottingham. Since then, there have been several revivals in interest in Limerick lace, and there are still some smaller workshops that produce it to this day. After all, heritage matters more than net profit.
Â
Machine Lace (Embroidered Net) Fichu, 19th century, Cotton embroidery in tambour stitch on white machine-made net, 29.5 x 50 in. (75 x 127 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OhioÂ
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Martha H. Jennings 1943.379. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation. -
FREEOutdoors Daily Curio #2839Free1 CQ
One way to make waves online is by sailing through them in real life. Cole Brauer, recently became the first American woman to race solo around the world without stopping, and she did it while sharing the ups and downs of her journey with her online followers. The Global Solo Challenge is one of the toughest races in the world. Competitors sail 30,000 miles in the open ocean, circumnavigating the globe in a single, non-stop voyage. Sailing is difficult enough with a full crew, but true to its name, the race forces competitors to manage their sailboats on their own from start to finish. The race takes months to complete, during which time the competitors are completely alone. It’s no wonder that few people ever attempt the brutal journey. Indeed, when the race began last year on October 29, there were only 16 sailors at the starting line, and several of them dropped out before completing the race. Brauer wasn’t one of them—she came in second place after 130 days of sailing solo. She was the only woman in the race this year and the youngest competitor in the line-up. Now, she is one of just 186 people to have circumnavigated the globe solo. Her success might have something to do with how she spent her downtime. In order to stave off boredom and inspire others, Brauer maintained an active presence on Instagram throughout journey, where she shared her daily successes, struggles, and frustrations. Some of these updates involved her explaining day-to-day chores, while others exposed her audience to the hazards of solo sailing. In one post, she shared footage of her breaking her ribs while going through a rough patch of water. Another showed her self-administering an IV under the remote guidance of medical experts. Through it all, Brauer’s 450,000 followers had a chance to witness the best and worst that solo sailing has to offer. It’s surely hard to feel alone at sea with so many people cheering you on.
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[Image description: A toy boat sitting on an atlas near the words “Indian Ocean.”] Credit & copyright: Lara Jameson, PexelsOne way to make waves online is by sailing through them in real life. Cole Brauer, recently became the first American woman to race solo around the world without stopping, and she did it while sharing the ups and downs of her journey with her online followers. The Global Solo Challenge is one of the toughest races in the world. Competitors sail 30,000 miles in the open ocean, circumnavigating the globe in a single, non-stop voyage. Sailing is difficult enough with a full crew, but true to its name, the race forces competitors to manage their sailboats on their own from start to finish. The race takes months to complete, during which time the competitors are completely alone. It’s no wonder that few people ever attempt the brutal journey. Indeed, when the race began last year on October 29, there were only 16 sailors at the starting line, and several of them dropped out before completing the race. Brauer wasn’t one of them—she came in second place after 130 days of sailing solo. She was the only woman in the race this year and the youngest competitor in the line-up. Now, she is one of just 186 people to have circumnavigated the globe solo. Her success might have something to do with how she spent her downtime. In order to stave off boredom and inspire others, Brauer maintained an active presence on Instagram throughout journey, where she shared her daily successes, struggles, and frustrations. Some of these updates involved her explaining day-to-day chores, while others exposed her audience to the hazards of solo sailing. In one post, she shared footage of her breaking her ribs while going through a rough patch of water. Another showed her self-administering an IV under the remote guidance of medical experts. Through it all, Brauer’s 450,000 followers had a chance to witness the best and worst that solo sailing has to offer. It’s surely hard to feel alone at sea with so many people cheering you on.
Â
[Image description: A toy boat sitting on an atlas near the words “Indian Ocean.”] Credit & copyright: Lara Jameson, Pexels -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
It’s practically accepted as truth at this point: Millennials would be the first generation to be worse off than their parents. But recent research casts som...
It’s practically accepted as truth at this point: Millennials would be the first generation to be worse off than their parents. But recent research casts som...
March 17, 2024
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 17, 2024\BLAR-nee\ noun
What It Means
Blarney refers to false but charming talk that often flatters the listener.
//...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 17, 2024\BLAR-nee\ noun
What It Means
Blarney refers to false but charming talk that often flatters the listener.
//...
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
We’ve been hearing a lot about troubled commercial real estate loans, high office vacancy rates and continued remote work. All of these factors and more are ...
We’ve been hearing a lot about troubled commercial real estate loans, high office vacancy rates and continued remote work. All of these factors and more are ...
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FREEWorld History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Just who was this Saint Patrick guy, anyway? Like all saints who went on to become holiday mascots (think Saint Valentine and Saint Nicholas) the real Saint Patrick’s life is steeped in legend. In fact, almost everything we know about his life comes from two works that Patrick wrote himself: his autobiography, Confessio, and a letter condemning what he saw as Britain’s mistreatment of Christians in Ireland. While some of Patrick’s stories might best be taken with a grain of salt, there’s no doubt that he became an extremely successful priest and missionary in his lifetime, and that he faced plenty of tribulations along the way.
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The story of Saint Patrick gets strange right off the bat since, despite his fame as the patron saint of Ireland, he wasn’t actually Irish. Rather, he was born in Britain sometime around 450 C.E. to a family of Roman descent. His father was a wealthy deacon and local politician, but even his status wasn’t enough to protect a 16-year-old Patrick from being kidnapped by Irish raiders who broke into his family’s estate. The teen was carried off into slavery in Ireland, where he was forced to work for six years herding sheep. During his time in captivity, Patrick sought solace in his religion and became more devout as a result. According to Patrick’s own writings, he had a dream one night in which the Christian god told him that it was time to leave, so he fled his captors and returned to his family in Britain. After his return, another dream told him that he would one day return to Ireland as a missionary. Whatever his reasoning, Patrick did begin 15 years of religious training, at the end of which he was ordained a priest. Amazingly, he did indeed choose to return to the land where he had been enslaved to do the bulk of his religious work.
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Although some legends claim that Saint Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland, that’s almost certainly not true, since part of his job as a missionary and priest was working with Ireland’s already-Christian population. Unlike most foreign priests, Patrick was familiar with Irish traditions and rituals due to the time he’d spent there, which endeared him to Irish Christians. It also allowed him to better relate to the non-Christians he was trying to convert. Patrick put a Christian spin on Irish, pagan rituals, such as lighting bonfires during Easter instead of doing so to worship the Celtic gods. He is also credited with redesigning the typical Christian cross by adding a circle that represents the sun—a prominent Celtic symbol—to make the reverence of the symbol feel more familiar. This design came to be known as the Celtic cross, and it’s still in use today in regions with Celtic heritage. His influence and reputation in Ireland only grew after his death, and he was heralded as a saint by acclaim alone before the Catholic Church had a formal canonization process.
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As with any Catholic saint, Patrick was credited for performing a number of epic feats and miracles. The most famous of these is his eradication of snakes from the island, though historically this seems unlikely since scientific evidence points to there being no reptiles at all on the island prior to modern times. Patrick is also credited with using a three-leafed clover, or shamrock, to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish, though this was never mentioned in his own writings. Another story tells of Patrick fasting on a mountain for 40 days, until an angel came down to speak with him on behalf of God. The story goes that Patrick then made several demands of God, like allowing him to save more damned souls than any other saint, preventing the English from ever ruling over the Irish, and giving him the privilege of judging Irish souls during the Last Judgment.
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While St. Patrick is still heavily associated with Irish culture, his feast day on March 17 is celebrated in many countries today. For many, St. Patrick’s Day is a fairly secular holiday in which revelers don green clothes and drink plenty of beer. This is particularly true in the U.S., where the holiday was first promoted by Irish immigrants in Boston in the 18th century. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in Boston in 1737, and the tradition has spread to cities across the country. No need to be green with envy for the Emerald Isle—everyone has the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.Â
[Image description: A black-and-white engraving of Saint Patrick reading a bible and holding a staff while wearing a robe and tall hat.] Credit & copyright: Mattheus Borrekens, 1625-1670. Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Just who was this Saint Patrick guy, anyway? Like all saints who went on to become holiday mascots (think Saint Valentine and Saint Nicholas) the real Saint Patrick’s life is steeped in legend. In fact, almost everything we know about his life comes from two works that Patrick wrote himself: his autobiography, Confessio, and a letter condemning what he saw as Britain’s mistreatment of Christians in Ireland. While some of Patrick’s stories might best be taken with a grain of salt, there’s no doubt that he became an extremely successful priest and missionary in his lifetime, and that he faced plenty of tribulations along the way.
Â
The story of Saint Patrick gets strange right off the bat since, despite his fame as the patron saint of Ireland, he wasn’t actually Irish. Rather, he was born in Britain sometime around 450 C.E. to a family of Roman descent. His father was a wealthy deacon and local politician, but even his status wasn’t enough to protect a 16-year-old Patrick from being kidnapped by Irish raiders who broke into his family’s estate. The teen was carried off into slavery in Ireland, where he was forced to work for six years herding sheep. During his time in captivity, Patrick sought solace in his religion and became more devout as a result. According to Patrick’s own writings, he had a dream one night in which the Christian god told him that it was time to leave, so he fled his captors and returned to his family in Britain. After his return, another dream told him that he would one day return to Ireland as a missionary. Whatever his reasoning, Patrick did begin 15 years of religious training, at the end of which he was ordained a priest. Amazingly, he did indeed choose to return to the land where he had been enslaved to do the bulk of his religious work.
Â
Although some legends claim that Saint Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland, that’s almost certainly not true, since part of his job as a missionary and priest was working with Ireland’s already-Christian population. Unlike most foreign priests, Patrick was familiar with Irish traditions and rituals due to the time he’d spent there, which endeared him to Irish Christians. It also allowed him to better relate to the non-Christians he was trying to convert. Patrick put a Christian spin on Irish, pagan rituals, such as lighting bonfires during Easter instead of doing so to worship the Celtic gods. He is also credited with redesigning the typical Christian cross by adding a circle that represents the sun—a prominent Celtic symbol—to make the reverence of the symbol feel more familiar. This design came to be known as the Celtic cross, and it’s still in use today in regions with Celtic heritage. His influence and reputation in Ireland only grew after his death, and he was heralded as a saint by acclaim alone before the Catholic Church had a formal canonization process.
Â
As with any Catholic saint, Patrick was credited for performing a number of epic feats and miracles. The most famous of these is his eradication of snakes from the island, though historically this seems unlikely since scientific evidence points to there being no reptiles at all on the island prior to modern times. Patrick is also credited with using a three-leafed clover, or shamrock, to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish, though this was never mentioned in his own writings. Another story tells of Patrick fasting on a mountain for 40 days, until an angel came down to speak with him on behalf of God. The story goes that Patrick then made several demands of God, like allowing him to save more damned souls than any other saint, preventing the English from ever ruling over the Irish, and giving him the privilege of judging Irish souls during the Last Judgment.
Â
While St. Patrick is still heavily associated with Irish culture, his feast day on March 17 is celebrated in many countries today. For many, St. Patrick’s Day is a fairly secular holiday in which revelers don green clothes and drink plenty of beer. This is particularly true in the U.S., where the holiday was first promoted by Irish immigrants in Boston in the 18th century. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in Boston in 1737, and the tradition has spread to cities across the country. No need to be green with envy for the Emerald Isle—everyone has the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.Â
[Image description: A black-and-white engraving of Saint Patrick reading a bible and holding a staff while wearing a robe and tall hat.] Credit & copyright: Mattheus Borrekens, 1625-1670. Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
March 16, 2024
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 16, 2024\KWAIR-yuh-lus\ adjective
What It Means
Someone described as querulous is constantly or habitually complainin...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 16, 2024\KWAIR-yuh-lus\ adjective
What It Means
Someone described as querulous is constantly or habitually complainin...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
The campaign to shrink the federal government is working — in Washington, D.C., at least. Data released by the Labor Department shows that D.C. ranked dead l...
The campaign to shrink the federal government is working — in Washington, D.C., at least. Data released by the Labor Department shows that D.C. ranked dead l...
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FREEDogs Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
It takes guts to race in the Iditarod, but sometimes you have to literally take guts. In an unfortunate twist of fate, an Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race competitor was recently penalized for improperly gutting a moose. It’s no secret that the Iditarod, which takes place in Alaska every year, is a brutal race. Each competitor must command a team of sled dogs over the course of several days through some of the harshest environments in the world. Throughout their journey, they can encounter frigid temperatures, blinding blizzards and, in the case of racer Dallas Seavey, a menacing moose. Seavey had the extreme misfortune of running into a moose on the trail, which began to attack him and his dogs. One of his dogs was injured during the encounter before Seavey was able to kill the moose with a handgun. This isn’t the first time a racer has run into a moose, and there are even special rules regarding such situations. When a competitor kills a moose, they’re required to gut it on the spot and report it to race officials at the next checkpoint. Seavey complied to the best of his abilities, but his knifework must have been a little lacking compared to his marksmanship, because officials weren’t satisfied with the job. Seavey himself told officials, "I gutted it the best I could, but it was ugly.” According to an official statement from organizers, they “determined that the animal was not sufficiently gutted by the musher,” which means that the intestines and other innards weren’t completely removed. For this, Seavey was given a two-hour time penalty. He still ended up winning the race for the sixth time—a new record. Regardless, it was a gut-wrenching situation for a moment there.
Â
It takes guts to race in the Iditarod, but sometimes you have to literally take guts. In an unfortunate twist of fate, an Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race competitor was recently penalized for improperly gutting a moose. It’s no secret that the Iditarod, which takes place in Alaska every year, is a brutal race. Each competitor must command a team of sled dogs over the course of several days through some of the harshest environments in the world. Throughout their journey, they can encounter frigid temperatures, blinding blizzards and, in the case of racer Dallas Seavey, a menacing moose. Seavey had the extreme misfortune of running into a moose on the trail, which began to attack him and his dogs. One of his dogs was injured during the encounter before Seavey was able to kill the moose with a handgun. This isn’t the first time a racer has run into a moose, and there are even special rules regarding such situations. When a competitor kills a moose, they’re required to gut it on the spot and report it to race officials at the next checkpoint. Seavey complied to the best of his abilities, but his knifework must have been a little lacking compared to his marksmanship, because officials weren’t satisfied with the job. Seavey himself told officials, "I gutted it the best I could, but it was ugly.” According to an official statement from organizers, they “determined that the animal was not sufficiently gutted by the musher,” which means that the intestines and other innards weren’t completely removed. For this, Seavey was given a two-hour time penalty. He still ended up winning the race for the sixth time—a new record. Regardless, it was a gut-wrenching situation for a moment there.
Â
March 15, 2024
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
There’s news this morning that the National Association of Realtors, a powerful group that sets home sale standards nationally, reached a settlement followin...
There’s news this morning that the National Association of Realtors, a powerful group that sets home sale standards nationally, reached a settlement followin...
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FREEMixology Daily CurioFree1 CQ
This is one smooth sip. While there are plenty of popular coffee-based beverages out there, only one had the auspicious honor of being depicted in a Google Doodle on On March 11: the flat white. This drink is so beloved that at least two countries emphatically claim to have invented it, yet it only became popular in the U.S. a few, short years ago.
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A flat white contains about one and a half fluid ounces of espresso and a whopping four fluid ounces of steamed milk. What sets the drink apart is the thin layer of microfoam that tops it, which should be no more than .25 inches thick. While a casual coffee drinker might not be able to distinguish a flat white from any other latte at first glance (especially since flat whites also regularly feature latte art) coffee connoisseurs will know. The difference is certainly apparent after the first sip, as a flat white’s thin layer of foam, with its smaller-than-latte-sized bubbles, creates a smoother, more velvety texture. Not to mention that a flat white packs an extra caffeine punch compared to most lattes thanks to its double-shot of espresso.
Â
So, where does the flat white come from? It depends who you ask. Australia and New Zealand, two countries that are already friendly rivals when it comes to sports and culture, both claim to have invented the flat white. Many Australians believe that it originated in Melbourne, a city famous for its cafes and coffee shops, some time in the late 1970s or early 1980s. However, Kiwis tend to believe that the flat white hails from Wellington, New Zealand, where a barista accidentally made a cappuccino with low-fat, non-frothing milk and gave it a new name to cover his mistake. To further complicate matters, some food historians believe that the drink actually originated in England, in the 1950s. The truth is, we’ll probably never know for sure.
Â
We can pinpoint when the drink’s popularity exploded in the U.S., though: January 6, 2015, when coffee giant Starbucks introduced the flat white at their stores. The drink was popular enough that it remains on Starbucks’ menu to this day, and plenty of independent, American coffee shops now serve it as well. Whether invented by the Brits, Aussies, or Kiwis, the flat white is a silky treat that’s enjoyable no matter where it’s drunk.Â
[Image description: A white mug filled with a coffee beverage known as a flat white with swirls on top.] Credit & copyright: eduardovieiraphoto, PixabayThis is one smooth sip. While there are plenty of popular coffee-based beverages out there, only one had the auspicious honor of being depicted in a Google Doodle on On March 11: the flat white. This drink is so beloved that at least two countries emphatically claim to have invented it, yet it only became popular in the U.S. a few, short years ago.
Â
A flat white contains about one and a half fluid ounces of espresso and a whopping four fluid ounces of steamed milk. What sets the drink apart is the thin layer of microfoam that tops it, which should be no more than .25 inches thick. While a casual coffee drinker might not be able to distinguish a flat white from any other latte at first glance (especially since flat whites also regularly feature latte art) coffee connoisseurs will know. The difference is certainly apparent after the first sip, as a flat white’s thin layer of foam, with its smaller-than-latte-sized bubbles, creates a smoother, more velvety texture. Not to mention that a flat white packs an extra caffeine punch compared to most lattes thanks to its double-shot of espresso.
Â
So, where does the flat white come from? It depends who you ask. Australia and New Zealand, two countries that are already friendly rivals when it comes to sports and culture, both claim to have invented the flat white. Many Australians believe that it originated in Melbourne, a city famous for its cafes and coffee shops, some time in the late 1970s or early 1980s. However, Kiwis tend to believe that the flat white hails from Wellington, New Zealand, where a barista accidentally made a cappuccino with low-fat, non-frothing milk and gave it a new name to cover his mistake. To further complicate matters, some food historians believe that the drink actually originated in England, in the 1950s. The truth is, we’ll probably never know for sure.
Â
We can pinpoint when the drink’s popularity exploded in the U.S., though: January 6, 2015, when coffee giant Starbucks introduced the flat white at their stores. The drink was popular enough that it remains on Starbucks’ menu to this day, and plenty of independent, American coffee shops now serve it as well. Whether invented by the Brits, Aussies, or Kiwis, the flat white is a silky treat that’s enjoyable no matter where it’s drunk.Â
[Image description: A white mug filled with a coffee beverage known as a flat white with swirls on top.] Credit & copyright: eduardovieiraphoto, Pixabay
March 14, 2024
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11 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
Americans have long been known for pulling up stakes and moving for economic opportunity. But rather than chasing higher-paying jobs, more Americans are relu...
Americans have long been known for pulling up stakes and moving for economic opportunity. But rather than chasing higher-paying jobs, more Americans are relu...
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Some things are made to last, but that’s not always a good thing. Microplastics, tiny, sometimes microscopic bits of plastic that have shown up in everything from snowfall to the human bloodstream, have captured public attention in recent years. Now, a study published by a group of researchers in Vienna, Austria, in the journal Chemospheres states that microplastics may be linked to rising rates of colorectal cancer in young people. Every week, the average person breathes in or ingests around .176 ounces of plastic (about the equivalent of a credit card), most of which ends up in the gastrointestinal tract. The good news is that it doesn’t all stick around. The bad news is that the stuff that does is still dangerous. According to the new research, nanoplastics (particles that are one micrometer or smaller) can stay inside a person’s body longer than previously thought and can even be passed on to new cells during cell division. These micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) are difficult to get rid of because unlike other foreign materials, they aren’t broken down by a cell’s lysosomes. This is particularly dangerous when they end up in a cancer cell, because MNPs were found to increase cell migration, which, for cancer cells, means metastasis, or malignant growths that spread from the original cancer site. The researchers therefore believe that MNPs could be at least partially responsible for the recent worldwide rise in colorectal cancer rates, especially in those under 50 years old. Indeed, they found that colorectal cancer rates have been on the rise since the 1960s, when inexpensive plastics started to become ubiquitous. Since then, practically everyone has been consuming plastic to some degree. It seems that this material was never cheap after all…the bill was just overdue.
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[Image description: A plastic cup half-covered by sand on a beach.] Credit & copyright: Hamsterfreund, Pixabay
ÂSome things are made to last, but that’s not always a good thing. Microplastics, tiny, sometimes microscopic bits of plastic that have shown up in everything from snowfall to the human bloodstream, have captured public attention in recent years. Now, a study published by a group of researchers in Vienna, Austria, in the journal Chemospheres states that microplastics may be linked to rising rates of colorectal cancer in young people. Every week, the average person breathes in or ingests around .176 ounces of plastic (about the equivalent of a credit card), most of which ends up in the gastrointestinal tract. The good news is that it doesn’t all stick around. The bad news is that the stuff that does is still dangerous. According to the new research, nanoplastics (particles that are one micrometer or smaller) can stay inside a person’s body longer than previously thought and can even be passed on to new cells during cell division. These micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) are difficult to get rid of because unlike other foreign materials, they aren’t broken down by a cell’s lysosomes. This is particularly dangerous when they end up in a cancer cell, because MNPs were found to increase cell migration, which, for cancer cells, means metastasis, or malignant growths that spread from the original cancer site. The researchers therefore believe that MNPs could be at least partially responsible for the recent worldwide rise in colorectal cancer rates, especially in those under 50 years old. Indeed, they found that colorectal cancer rates have been on the rise since the 1960s, when inexpensive plastics started to become ubiquitous. Since then, practically everyone has been consuming plastic to some degree. It seems that this material was never cheap after all…the bill was just overdue.
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[Image description: A plastic cup half-covered by sand on a beach.] Credit & copyright: Hamsterfreund, Pixabay
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FREERelationships Daily Curio #2838Free1 CQ
It's a sad time for New York's bird lovers. Flaco, the owl who won the hearts of New Yorkers after escaping from his zoo enclosure in 2023, recently passed away. Now, birdwatchers around the world are paying their respects. Born at a bird park in North Carolina, Flaco was brought to New York's Central Park Zoo as a fledgling, where he lived for around 13 years. However, on February 2 of 2023, unidentified vandals broke Flaco’s enclosure, allowing him to escape. Zoo staff were concerned about Flaco’s ability to survive outside his enclosure, but the resourceful owl proved to be a capable hunter. After several weeks of failed attempts, the staff ceased their efforts to recapture him, making Flaco an officially free bird. They did, however, continue to track his sightings so that he could be rescued if he showed signs of distress or injury. Flaco quickly endeared himself to city residents, becoming a prominent fixture in the park. He brought delight by perching near apartment windows and staring at the residents within. Naturally, he was a darling of New York City’s prominent birdwatching community. Flaco was the only known Eurasian Eagle-owl living wild in North America. True to his lineage, the owl possessed an impressive six-foot wingspan, which he liked to show off to passersby. Tragically, Flaco met the same fate that befalls many birds in cities when he flew into a glass skyscraper window. Many birds have difficulty seeing glass. Rather, they see the clear material as harmless, empty air, which can lead to catastrophic collisions. After his death, admirers from around the world began paying tribute to Flaco online, while New Yorkers left heaps of flowers in Central Park. On March 3, a crowd of several hundred people turned up at an official memorial for the bird. Reportedly, there is now talk of erecting a statue of Flaco in Central Park. This beloved bird certainly deserves a permanent perch.
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[Image description: A Eurasian Eagle-owl with one eye closed.] Credit & copyright: Tedmek, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has dedicated it to the Public Domain worldwide.It's a sad time for New York's bird lovers. Flaco, the owl who won the hearts of New Yorkers after escaping from his zoo enclosure in 2023, recently passed away. Now, birdwatchers around the world are paying their respects. Born at a bird park in North Carolina, Flaco was brought to New York's Central Park Zoo as a fledgling, where he lived for around 13 years. However, on February 2 of 2023, unidentified vandals broke Flaco’s enclosure, allowing him to escape. Zoo staff were concerned about Flaco’s ability to survive outside his enclosure, but the resourceful owl proved to be a capable hunter. After several weeks of failed attempts, the staff ceased their efforts to recapture him, making Flaco an officially free bird. They did, however, continue to track his sightings so that he could be rescued if he showed signs of distress or injury. Flaco quickly endeared himself to city residents, becoming a prominent fixture in the park. He brought delight by perching near apartment windows and staring at the residents within. Naturally, he was a darling of New York City’s prominent birdwatching community. Flaco was the only known Eurasian Eagle-owl living wild in North America. True to his lineage, the owl possessed an impressive six-foot wingspan, which he liked to show off to passersby. Tragically, Flaco met the same fate that befalls many birds in cities when he flew into a glass skyscraper window. Many birds have difficulty seeing glass. Rather, they see the clear material as harmless, empty air, which can lead to catastrophic collisions. After his death, admirers from around the world began paying tribute to Flaco online, while New Yorkers left heaps of flowers in Central Park. On March 3, a crowd of several hundred people turned up at an official memorial for the bird. Reportedly, there is now talk of erecting a statue of Flaco in Central Park. This beloved bird certainly deserves a permanent perch.
Â
[Image description: A Eurasian Eagle-owl with one eye closed.] Credit & copyright: Tedmek, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has dedicated it to the Public Domain worldwide.
March 13, 2024
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Argentina’s inflation — the world’s highest — has slowed down from 20.6% in January to 13.2% in February. Then, hundreds of U.K. ...
From the BBC World Service: Argentina’s inflation — the world’s highest — has slowed down from 20.6% in January to 13.2% in February. Then, hundreds of U.K. ...
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FREEScience Daily Curio #2837Free1 CQ
It’s no secret that wasabi goes well with sushi, but scientists have discovered that it goes well with papyrus too! A staple in Japanese cuisine, the spicy green sauce is proving to be an excellent tool for preserving ancient artifacts made of papyrus, which can be easily damaged during normal conservation processes. Papyrus is a paper-like material made by pounding the pith of papyrus plants. Thousands of years ago, it was used to make everything from scrolls to sails, but relatively few of these once-common artifacts have survived into modern times. For museums and other institutions that store papyrus items, one of the greatest threats is fungus. Papyrus, after all, is made from plant matter, which becomes more and more vulnerable to fungus as it deteriorates. To make things even more challenging, many of these artifacts are covered with natural paints and dyes that are also deteriorating. Up until now, fungal infections were basically a death sentence for papyrus artifacts, since anything that could remove the fungus could also damage the papyrus or the dyes on it.
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That’s where wasabi comes in. Researcher Hanadi Saada and her colleagues at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Egypt decided to examine the potential preservationist proclivities of the sauce due to its inherent chemical properties. True wasabi is made from a plant in the mustard family, and it’s rarely found outside of Japan. Instead, most wasabi consumed worldwide is made of horseradish with green coloring. That’s because the true wasabi plant is extremely difficult to grow. Native to Japan, Korea, and parts of Russia, the plant favors moving water and cold climates in very particular soil conditions. Yet, the plant's chemical makeup naturally repels fungus. Saada experimented by creating a modern papyrus "artifact" painted with natural dyes. They then exposed it to fungus and left it near a clump of wasabi powder mixed with water that had been formed into a “dumpling.” According to Saada, the vapors that emanated from the wasabi disinfected the papyrus without damaging its surface or the paint. Now, researchers are looking into testing wasabi’s disinfectant powers on other materials, and they hope it will prove equally harmless in those tests. Just don’t expect it to be as gentle to your tongue.Â
[Image description: A dark plate smeared with green wasabi, with chopsticks and sushi partially visible.] Credit & copyright: Cath Smith, UnsplashIt’s no secret that wasabi goes well with sushi, but scientists have discovered that it goes well with papyrus too! A staple in Japanese cuisine, the spicy green sauce is proving to be an excellent tool for preserving ancient artifacts made of papyrus, which can be easily damaged during normal conservation processes. Papyrus is a paper-like material made by pounding the pith of papyrus plants. Thousands of years ago, it was used to make everything from scrolls to sails, but relatively few of these once-common artifacts have survived into modern times. For museums and other institutions that store papyrus items, one of the greatest threats is fungus. Papyrus, after all, is made from plant matter, which becomes more and more vulnerable to fungus as it deteriorates. To make things even more challenging, many of these artifacts are covered with natural paints and dyes that are also deteriorating. Up until now, fungal infections were basically a death sentence for papyrus artifacts, since anything that could remove the fungus could also damage the papyrus or the dyes on it.
Â
That’s where wasabi comes in. Researcher Hanadi Saada and her colleagues at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Egypt decided to examine the potential preservationist proclivities of the sauce due to its inherent chemical properties. True wasabi is made from a plant in the mustard family, and it’s rarely found outside of Japan. Instead, most wasabi consumed worldwide is made of horseradish with green coloring. That’s because the true wasabi plant is extremely difficult to grow. Native to Japan, Korea, and parts of Russia, the plant favors moving water and cold climates in very particular soil conditions. Yet, the plant's chemical makeup naturally repels fungus. Saada experimented by creating a modern papyrus "artifact" painted with natural dyes. They then exposed it to fungus and left it near a clump of wasabi powder mixed with water that had been formed into a “dumpling.” According to Saada, the vapors that emanated from the wasabi disinfected the papyrus without damaging its surface or the paint. Now, researchers are looking into testing wasabi’s disinfectant powers on other materials, and they hope it will prove equally harmless in those tests. Just don’t expect it to be as gentle to your tongue.Â
[Image description: A dark plate smeared with green wasabi, with chopsticks and sushi partially visible.] Credit & copyright: Cath Smith, Unsplash