Curio Cabinet
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December 16, 2019
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
With the Conservatives’ stunning election victory in the U.K., will they finally “get Brexit done”? The U.S. and China have reportedly reached a “mini-deal” ...
With the Conservatives’ stunning election victory in the U.K., will they finally “get Brexit done”? The U.S. and China have reportedly reached a “mini-deal” ...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
With dwindling birth rates and high unemployment, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is dishing out millions to help newlywed couples like Cho and Seo buy or ...
with PRI's The WorldWith dwindling birth rates and high unemployment, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is dishing out millions to help newlywed couples like Cho and Seo buy or ...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A study done in South America found that with increasing population density humans had more diver...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A study done in South America found that with increasing population density humans had more diver...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Peanut Joe's, Baltimore
Artist: Aaron Sopher (1905–1972)
Created: 1934
Medium: ink, watercolor
Dimensions: 4.75 x 7.25 in (12.1 x 18.4 cm)
Current location: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.
Hey, what's a watercolor sketch gotta do to get some service around here? Life during the Great Depression was no small subject, as Aaron Sopher depicted in his drawing, Peanut Joe's. The Boston-based artist was known for taking his art to the streets to capture everyday life, especially those less fortunate than him. In Peanut Joe's, for instance, expensive furs aren't the only things lining their visages: the harsh lines on the red-capped woman's face scream of an indignant view of the service at Peanut Joe's. Sopher may have said the same expression should be on the viewer's face in this instance: one for making jokes at the upper crust's expense, he felt socially responsible for aiding the labor class and civil rights movements. Utilizing the brevity of sketch work, Sopher acted as a sort of artist-journalist (and occasional satirist), depicting with just a few lines the incredible history of a modern age.
Image credit & copyright: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Title: Peanut Joe's, Baltimore
Artist: Aaron Sopher (1905–1972)
Created: 1934
Medium: ink, watercolor
Dimensions: 4.75 x 7.25 in (12.1 x 18.4 cm)
Current location: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.
Hey, what's a watercolor sketch gotta do to get some service around here? Life during the Great Depression was no small subject, as Aaron Sopher depicted in his drawing, Peanut Joe's. The Boston-based artist was known for taking his art to the streets to capture everyday life, especially those less fortunate than him. In Peanut Joe's, for instance, expensive furs aren't the only things lining their visages: the harsh lines on the red-capped woman's face scream of an indignant view of the service at Peanut Joe's. Sopher may have said the same expression should be on the viewer's face in this instance: one for making jokes at the upper crust's expense, he felt socially responsible for aiding the labor class and civil rights movements. Utilizing the brevity of sketch work, Sopher acted as a sort of artist-journalist (and occasional satirist), depicting with just a few lines the incredible history of a modern age.
Image credit & copyright: Smithsonian American Art Museum
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #1958Free1 CQ
Polly want a biscuit? Next time you're strolling the avenues of London, you may cross an unusual sight: parakeets. Lots of them. The invasive ring-necked variety has made itself at home in the British Isles, particularly in the UK's capital, but also as far north as Scotland. Estimates from 2016 put their numbers around 8,500 (with a few as high as 32,000). In a sense, they've become London's green iteration of pigeons. Only, they can mock humans as we go about our daily routines. So how did they take over? There are plenty of rumors. My favorite is the one holding guitar legend Jimi Hendrix accountable. Legend has it, Hendrix released two on Carnaby Street in 1968, not far from his London home. Then, like Adam and Eve, the two exponentially spawned the green horde. Another myth puts the blame on Katharine Hepburn, who starred in a movie that was filmed on a fake African set full of birds in 1951. There are plenty of these fun legends. Honorable mentions go out to a few real plane crashes and storms that allegedly damaged aviary roofs, loosing the birds on the public. In reality, the parakeet scourge started over two centuries ago. Old periodicals contain accounts of invasive parakeets as far back as 1804. These early cases were likely due to a few pet owners either intentionally freeing or losing the birds. Then came the great "parrot disease scare" of 1931. The sensational terror lasted into the '50s. Newspapers pled owners to release their pets into the wild. Parakeets, caught in a mass exodus, now had the numbers to reproduce successfully on the outside. And there you have it: parakeet mania. While invasive parakeets can ravage crops, most of the chaos they cause in London concerns their native cousins. Simply put, the parakeets jabber too much for birds of prey to scoop up squirrels. I mean, imagine this: you're out hunting, but your buddy just won't put a sock in it. The deer scatter! Anyways, London's parakeet debacle is a more amusing case of an invasive species. Sorry, Brits—hope you're not too knackered because of these cheeky birds!
Image credit & copyright: Tim Blackburn/PA
Polly want a biscuit? Next time you're strolling the avenues of London, you may cross an unusual sight: parakeets. Lots of them. The invasive ring-necked variety has made itself at home in the British Isles, particularly in the UK's capital, but also as far north as Scotland. Estimates from 2016 put their numbers around 8,500 (with a few as high as 32,000). In a sense, they've become London's green iteration of pigeons. Only, they can mock humans as we go about our daily routines. So how did they take over? There are plenty of rumors. My favorite is the one holding guitar legend Jimi Hendrix accountable. Legend has it, Hendrix released two on Carnaby Street in 1968, not far from his London home. Then, like Adam and Eve, the two exponentially spawned the green horde. Another myth puts the blame on Katharine Hepburn, who starred in a movie that was filmed on a fake African set full of birds in 1951. There are plenty of these fun legends. Honorable mentions go out to a few real plane crashes and storms that allegedly damaged aviary roofs, loosing the birds on the public. In reality, the parakeet scourge started over two centuries ago. Old periodicals contain accounts of invasive parakeets as far back as 1804. These early cases were likely due to a few pet owners either intentionally freeing or losing the birds. Then came the great "parrot disease scare" of 1931. The sensational terror lasted into the '50s. Newspapers pled owners to release their pets into the wild. Parakeets, caught in a mass exodus, now had the numbers to reproduce successfully on the outside. And there you have it: parakeet mania. While invasive parakeets can ravage crops, most of the chaos they cause in London concerns their native cousins. Simply put, the parakeets jabber too much for birds of prey to scoop up squirrels. I mean, imagine this: you're out hunting, but your buddy just won't put a sock in it. The deer scatter! Anyways, London's parakeet debacle is a more amusing case of an invasive species. Sorry, Brits—hope you're not too knackered because of these cheeky birds!
Image credit & copyright: Tim Blackburn/PA
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 7, 2017
syncretism \SING-kruh-tiz-um\ noun
Definition
1 : the combination of different forms of belief or practice
2 : the fusion...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 7, 2017
syncretism \SING-kruh-tiz-um\ noun
Definition
1 : the combination of different forms of belief or practice
2 : the fusion...
December 15, 2019
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… With the largest Conservative majority in over 30 years, a post-Brexit trade deal will be the new government’s first priority. We...
From the BBC World Service… With the largest Conservative majority in over 30 years, a post-Brexit trade deal will be the new government’s first priority. We...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company, also known as Saudi Aramco, is offering 1.5% of the company in an initial public offering on the Saudi stock exchange.
with PRI's The WorldThe Saudi Arabian Oil Company, also known as Saudi Aramco, is offering 1.5% of the company in an initial public offering on the Saudi stock exchange.
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1787 A price on your head, but how much? Today, what's a life worth?
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1787 A price on your head, but how much? Today, what's a life worth?
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FREEMind + Body PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
How these delicious dwellings transitioned from folkloric nightmares to holiday tradition.
There's no place like home for the holidays—especially when that home is edible! Gingerbread houses have become such a recognized holiday tradition throughout the Western world, that there's even a day honoring them: December 12, or Gingerbread House Day. Yet the origins of these carefully-decorated confections isn't as cheerful as one might assume.
Gingerbread usually refers to baked goods that mix ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon with honey, treacle, or molasses. These kinds of treats are very old indeed. The first known recipe for gingerbread came out of Greece in 2400 B.C.E., but there is evidence people were enjoying gingerbread even earlier. During the Late Middle Ages, in places like England, France, Holland, and Germany, gingerbread was a popular festival food—so much so that those festivals came to be known as "Gingerbread Fairs." Gingerbread cookies served at these fairs were called fairings, and were decorated in all sorts of elaborate ways, to resemble flowers, animals, and people.
But how did Western Europeans become fixated on lavishly decorated gingerbread houses in particular? The Brothers Grimm may partially be to thank. Gingerbread houses already existed by the time the brothers started writing Grimms' Fairy Tales (1812), but their iteration of the folk tale of Hansel and Gretel—in which two lost children stumble upon a witch who lures them into a giant gingerbread house—greatly popularized the confectionary abodes. When the Brothers Grimm published the story in the early-19th century, the popularity of gingerbread houses truly exploded, especially in Germany. Although Hansel and Gretel is a dark tale, in which children cook a witch to death in her own oven, gingerbread houses simultaneously became associated with Christmas. This is because gingerbread was already being sold in the shape of religious reliefs and used in rites, especially at Christmas time. Macabre folklore and Yuletide tradition conflated to make the gingerbread house craze that has lasted into the present.
Today, gingerbread houses are accessible to everyone, no matter their baking skill (or medieval baking guild status). Gingerbread house kits come with pre-baked, pre-cut gingerbread pieces and usually everything needed to put them together and decorate them, such as frosting and candy. This makes things especially easy for young children. Holiday baking contests, such as the holiday edition of Great British Bake-Off have featured gingerbread houses. In 2013, Traditions Club in Texas constructed a gingerbread house large enough to actually live in: the world's largest gingerbread house, measuring 39,201.8 cubic feet and standing over 10 feet tall at its highest point. With such records still being set, it's easy to see that gingerbread houses are at least as popular today as they have been for thousands of years. We're just happy they don't come with witches anymore!
Below: a video explaining more about the dark history of gingerbread.
How these delicious dwellings transitioned from folkloric nightmares to holiday tradition.
There's no place like home for the holidays—especially when that home is edible! Gingerbread houses have become such a recognized holiday tradition throughout the Western world, that there's even a day honoring them: December 12, or Gingerbread House Day. Yet the origins of these carefully-decorated confections isn't as cheerful as one might assume.
Gingerbread usually refers to baked goods that mix ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon with honey, treacle, or molasses. These kinds of treats are very old indeed. The first known recipe for gingerbread came out of Greece in 2400 B.C.E., but there is evidence people were enjoying gingerbread even earlier. During the Late Middle Ages, in places like England, France, Holland, and Germany, gingerbread was a popular festival food—so much so that those festivals came to be known as "Gingerbread Fairs." Gingerbread cookies served at these fairs were called fairings, and were decorated in all sorts of elaborate ways, to resemble flowers, animals, and people.
But how did Western Europeans become fixated on lavishly decorated gingerbread houses in particular? The Brothers Grimm may partially be to thank. Gingerbread houses already existed by the time the brothers started writing Grimms' Fairy Tales (1812), but their iteration of the folk tale of Hansel and Gretel—in which two lost children stumble upon a witch who lures them into a giant gingerbread house—greatly popularized the confectionary abodes. When the Brothers Grimm published the story in the early-19th century, the popularity of gingerbread houses truly exploded, especially in Germany. Although Hansel and Gretel is a dark tale, in which children cook a witch to death in her own oven, gingerbread houses simultaneously became associated with Christmas. This is because gingerbread was already being sold in the shape of religious reliefs and used in rites, especially at Christmas time. Macabre folklore and Yuletide tradition conflated to make the gingerbread house craze that has lasted into the present.
Today, gingerbread houses are accessible to everyone, no matter their baking skill (or medieval baking guild status). Gingerbread house kits come with pre-baked, pre-cut gingerbread pieces and usually everything needed to put them together and decorate them, such as frosting and candy. This makes things especially easy for young children. Holiday baking contests, such as the holiday edition of Great British Bake-Off have featured gingerbread houses. In 2013, Traditions Club in Texas constructed a gingerbread house large enough to actually live in: the world's largest gingerbread house, measuring 39,201.8 cubic feet and standing over 10 feet tall at its highest point. With such records still being set, it's easy to see that gingerbread houses are at least as popular today as they have been for thousands of years. We're just happy they don't come with witches anymore!
Below: a video explaining more about the dark history of gingerbread.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 6, 2017
postulate \PAHSS-chuh-layt\ verb
Definition
1 : demand, claim
2 a : to assume or claim as true, existent, or necessary
b...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 6, 2017
postulate \PAHSS-chuh-layt\ verb
Definition
1 : demand, claim
2 a : to assume or claim as true, existent, or necessary
b...
December 14, 2019
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1782 Thoughts about energy and the human motor. Today, human energy.
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1782 Thoughts about energy and the human motor. Today, human energy.
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #217Free1 CQ
'Tis the season to be blessed... Blessed with family and friends. Blessed with piles of freshly ripped wrapping paper. Blessed with cake, pie, cookies, then more pie. Blessed with the first rule of the holidays: calories don't count if you're wearing a Christmas sweater. Blessed with the unmatched joy you feel when you throw your foe into a volcano...
Feeling crispy? The end of this quote from Hamilton Wright Mabie has been scrambled. The phrase of the original quote has the number of words and letters shown below. Can you figure out the original phrase before you get thrown into the volcano? Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a crispy foe volcano. Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a (10) (2) (4).
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #217" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
'Tis the season to be blessed... Blessed with family and friends. Blessed with piles of freshly ripped wrapping paper. Blessed with cake, pie, cookies, then more pie. Blessed with the first rule of the holidays: calories don't count if you're wearing a Christmas sweater. Blessed with the unmatched joy you feel when you throw your foe into a volcano...
Feeling crispy? The end of this quote from Hamilton Wright Mabie has been scrambled. The phrase of the original quote has the number of words and letters shown below. Can you figure out the original phrase before you get thrown into the volcano? Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a crispy foe volcano. Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a (10) (2) (4).
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #217" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Both the Fed and Europe’s central bank keep their hands off interest rates. Money isn’t all candidates need to be part of Democratic presidential debates. Pl...
Both the Fed and Europe’s central bank keep their hands off interest rates. Money isn’t all candidates need to be part of Democratic presidential debates. Pl...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Ambassador Douglas Lute, a three-star Army general who served as the White House’s top adviser on Afghanistan under presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obam...
with PRI's The WorldAmbassador Douglas Lute, a three-star Army general who served as the White House’s top adviser on Afghanistan under presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obam...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 5, 2017
affable \AF-uh-bul\ adjective
Definition
1 : being pleasant and at ease in talking to others
2 : characterized by ease an...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 5, 2017
affable \AF-uh-bul\ adjective
Definition
1 : being pleasant and at ease in talking to others
2 : characterized by ease an...
December 13, 2019
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7 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Corruption played a toxic and central role in hampering the United States' efforts in Afghanistan from day one. Sarah Peck, a lawyer and former diplomat who ...
with PRI's The WorldCorruption played a toxic and central role in hampering the United States' efforts in Afghanistan from day one. Sarah Peck, a lawyer and former diplomat who ...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Do cowboys dream of tumbleweed sheep? For Roy Rogers—the "King of Cowboys"—the Grand Canyon Trail was a place (and a song) full of adventure, peril, and a wondrous landscape. In the film of the same name, Rogers and his co-star Trigger (the horse) are the heroes in a plot full of mistaken identities, fraudulent deals, and a silver mine everyone wants to get their hands on. That is, except for Rogers, whose good-guy archetype remains steadfast even in the stickiest of situations. Grand Canyon Trail was one of nearly 100 films Rogers made between 1935 and 1952, a time when he was one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Rogers' music career never took a backseat to his work in movies, though; Grand Canyon Trail features a Western lullaby-like tune where romance and wide-open spaces are all a cowboy's heart could desire. Well, maybe all that and a trusty horse named Trigger (and a dog named Bullet) to keep an eye out for any trouble that comes along!
Image credit & copyright: Grit TV
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Do cowboys dream of tumbleweed sheep? For Roy Rogers—the "King of Cowboys"—the Grand Canyon Trail was a place (and a song) full of adventure, peril, and a wondrous landscape. In the film of the same name, Rogers and his co-star Trigger (the horse) are the heroes in a plot full of mistaken identities, fraudulent deals, and a silver mine everyone wants to get their hands on. That is, except for Rogers, whose good-guy archetype remains steadfast even in the stickiest of situations. Grand Canyon Trail was one of nearly 100 films Rogers made between 1935 and 1952, a time when he was one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Rogers' music career never took a backseat to his work in movies, though; Grand Canyon Trail features a Western lullaby-like tune where romance and wide-open spaces are all a cowboy's heart could desire. Well, maybe all that and a trusty horse named Trigger (and a dog named Bullet) to keep an eye out for any trouble that comes along!
Image credit & copyright: Grit TV
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Enough horsing around—it's time for the annual haircut. Rapa das Bestas, or "Shearing of the Beasts," is a 400-year-old horse festival that takes place each summer in the region of Galicia, Spain. Hundreds of semi-feral horses are the focus of the event. They're corralled from local mountains to a curro, or enclosure, where they get their manes deloused and trimmed in front of eager crowds. And as this photograph by Javier Arcenillas proves, these untamed animals can get quite feisty! Because of this, aloitadores, or fighters, must first calm or wrestle the horses into submission before they can be groomed. After this unusual "spa treatment," the animals are released back into the mountains to roam free until the next summer's festival. The rite serves two purposes: to care for the local horse population and to prove an aloitadore's manhood. We can't decide which is more nerve-racking: strong-arming a mare, or betting one's entire life savings on the darkhorse!
Below: aloitadores tag-team a horse while spectators look on.
Image credit & copyright: Javier Arcenillas via Smithsonian.
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Enough horsing around—it's time for the annual haircut. Rapa das Bestas, or "Shearing of the Beasts," is a 400-year-old horse festival that takes place each summer in the region of Galicia, Spain. Hundreds of semi-feral horses are the focus of the event. They're corralled from local mountains to a curro, or enclosure, where they get their manes deloused and trimmed in front of eager crowds. And as this photograph by Javier Arcenillas proves, these untamed animals can get quite feisty! Because of this, aloitadores, or fighters, must first calm or wrestle the horses into submission before they can be groomed. After this unusual "spa treatment," the animals are released back into the mountains to roam free until the next summer's festival. The rite serves two purposes: to care for the local horse population and to prove an aloitadore's manhood. We can't decide which is more nerve-racking: strong-arming a mare, or betting one's entire life savings on the darkhorse!
Below: aloitadores tag-team a horse while spectators look on.
Image credit & copyright: Javier Arcenillas via Smithsonian.
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: The Diverting History of John Gilpin
Artist: Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886)
Created: 1878
Medium: chromoxylography
This horse drawing ain't horsin' around. Randolph Caldecott believed that overly-intricate illustrations—like the fussy imagery of his contemporaries—complicated picture books. So he galloped in a new direction in his drawings for The Diverting History of John Gilpin, William Cowper's comical ballad about a man stuck on a runaway horse. By juxtaposing the image's detailed foreground with its minimal background, Caldecott helped guide readers' eyes to important plot elements and streamline the storytelling process. But he wasn't alone; Caldecott got help from famed color-printer Edmund Evans to achieve the image's warm hues. Evans etched a relief of Caldecott's drawing onto a block, applied ink to the relief, and stamped the impression onto paper. Miniscule notches in Evan's relief allowed the colors to then bleed and create delicate hues, like those filling the character's ruddy cheeks. The duo's work redefined picture book protocol, and decades later in 1937, a likeness of this drawing was used to create the Randolph Caldecott Medal. Annually awarded by a division of the American Library Association, the prestigious medal recognizes the year's most outstanding American children's picture book. Now, if only the award also recognized Evans in its name!
Below: a close-up of the Randolph Caldecott Medal.
Image credit & copyright: Hudson Area Library
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: The Diverting History of John Gilpin
Artist: Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886)
Created: 1878
Medium: chromoxylography
This horse drawing ain't horsin' around. Randolph Caldecott believed that overly-intricate illustrations—like the fussy imagery of his contemporaries—complicated picture books. So he galloped in a new direction in his drawings for The Diverting History of John Gilpin, William Cowper's comical ballad about a man stuck on a runaway horse. By juxtaposing the image's detailed foreground with its minimal background, Caldecott helped guide readers' eyes to important plot elements and streamline the storytelling process. But he wasn't alone; Caldecott got help from famed color-printer Edmund Evans to achieve the image's warm hues. Evans etched a relief of Caldecott's drawing onto a block, applied ink to the relief, and stamped the impression onto paper. Miniscule notches in Evan's relief allowed the colors to then bleed and create delicate hues, like those filling the character's ruddy cheeks. The duo's work redefined picture book protocol, and decades later in 1937, a likeness of this drawing was used to create the Randolph Caldecott Medal. Annually awarded by a division of the American Library Association, the prestigious medal recognizes the year's most outstanding American children's picture book. Now, if only the award also recognized Evans in its name!
Below: a close-up of the Randolph Caldecott Medal.
Image credit & copyright: Hudson Area Library
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Good News. by David Yezzi.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Good News. by David Yezzi.
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The U.S. and China agree to delay tariffs, according to reports. The UK faces its third election in five years as Brexit looms. Plus, Airbnb is facing protes...
The U.S. and China agree to delay tariffs, according to reports. The UK faces its third election in five years as Brexit looms. Plus, Airbnb is facing protes...
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FREEPlay Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Competitive hobbyhorsing. I promise it's not as ridiculous as it sounds. Hobbyhorsing is the new sport sweeping northern Europe. It has thousands of tween and teen girls enraptured, especially in its origin country of Finland. It's also catching on across Sweden, Germany and France. Tens of thousands of athletes compete at some level. The idea is to combine crafting and dance into one sport. First, girls sew their own hobby horses—yes, the classic children's toy of a disembodied stuffed horse head on a stick—then they "ride" them in jumping and dressage competitions. Younger competitors groom and feed their horses like a doll, while older ones create personalities and backstories for their "steeds." Horses become known for executing particular skills, and can fetch €100s in the secondary market. And the competition is fierce. Unlike real equestrian sports, in hobbyhorsing the rider, not the horse, has to do all the work. This includes trotting, and jumping 4-foot-high bars while keeping the horse and reins in proper position. Judges deduct points for inelegant movements and imperfect rhythm. Girls practice up to six hours per week.
The craze is so serious that there is now an International Hobbyhorse Championship held in Helsinki every year. And a new documentary, Hobbyhorse Revolution, was released last month chronicling the rise of the sport. The movie highlights the sport's creativity, culture, and egalitarian nature. Unlike real equestrian events, ones on a stick are not cost prohibitive. Most notably, the sport has become a refuge for girls who have been bullied for clinging onto imaginative play from their childhood. As you can imagine, teenage participants are often exposed to ridicule and brutal teasing for the sport they love. The girls handle this by banding together, building a tight community around hobbyhorsing's inherent weirdness. To build support they conduct flash mobs—dancing on their horses in unison in public places, unannounced—and are fiercely supportive of one another in the competitions. Instagram is awash with photos hashtagged with #kepparitkunniaan. Which means "respect the horses" in Finnish. Respect these girls!It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Competitive hobbyhorsing. I promise it's not as ridiculous as it sounds. Hobbyhorsing is the new sport sweeping northern Europe. It has thousands of tween and teen girls enraptured, especially in its origin country of Finland. It's also catching on across Sweden, Germany and France. Tens of thousands of athletes compete at some level. The idea is to combine crafting and dance into one sport. First, girls sew their own hobby horses—yes, the classic children's toy of a disembodied stuffed horse head on a stick—then they "ride" them in jumping and dressage competitions. Younger competitors groom and feed their horses like a doll, while older ones create personalities and backstories for their "steeds." Horses become known for executing particular skills, and can fetch €100s in the secondary market. And the competition is fierce. Unlike real equestrian sports, in hobbyhorsing the rider, not the horse, has to do all the work. This includes trotting, and jumping 4-foot-high bars while keeping the horse and reins in proper position. Judges deduct points for inelegant movements and imperfect rhythm. Girls practice up to six hours per week.
The craze is so serious that there is now an International Hobbyhorse Championship held in Helsinki every year. And a new documentary, Hobbyhorse Revolution, was released last month chronicling the rise of the sport. The movie highlights the sport's creativity, culture, and egalitarian nature. Unlike real equestrian events, ones on a stick are not cost prohibitive. Most notably, the sport has become a refuge for girls who have been bullied for clinging onto imaginative play from their childhood. As you can imagine, teenage participants are often exposed to ridicule and brutal teasing for the sport they love. The girls handle this by banding together, building a tight community around hobbyhorsing's inherent weirdness. To build support they conduct flash mobs—dancing on their horses in unison in public places, unannounced—and are fiercely supportive of one another in the competitions. Instagram is awash with photos hashtagged with #kepparitkunniaan. Which means "respect the horses" in Finnish. Respect these girls! -
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 4, 2017
nugatory \NOO-guh-tor-ee\ adjective
Definition
1 : of little or no consequence : trifling, inconsequential
2 : having no ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 4, 2017
nugatory \NOO-guh-tor-ee\ adjective
Definition
1 : of little or no consequence : trifling, inconsequential
2 : having no ...
December 12, 2019
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1 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The fiberoptic cables that connect the global internet could potentially be used as seismic senso...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The fiberoptic cables that connect the global internet could potentially be used as seismic senso...
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FREEAesthetic Daily Curio #1957Free1 CQ
Human artistry goes back far. Really far. At least 43,900 years, according to archaeologists who recently discovered the oldest-known figurative cave art, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. They think the tableau depicts small animal-headed hunters assailing larger wild hogs and dwarf buffaloes. The figures, painted in red ocher pigment—a blend of clay and ferric oxide—wield spears and/or ropes. It's a crude effort by modern standards, but researchers are applauding its complex use of storytelling relative to its period, the Middle Paleolithic (roughly 315,000-43,000 B.C.E). Sadly, we'll never know who this prehistoric Michelangelo was. Dating of uranium and thorium levels points to an early wave of humans who arrived in Indonesia 50,000 years ago, far before modern Sulawesians. By age, this mural edges out other human rock art found across Asia and Europe by at least 4,000 years. But it's not the oldest-known cave art in the world. Well, only if you look outside of humanity. Abstract designs by Neandertals in Spanish caves date back at least 65,000 years—20 millennia before Homo sapiens seemingly developed their art bent. Granted, these primeval doodles are less sophisticated than the more figurative Sulawesian characters. Who knows, maybe Neanderthals were just going through their abstract movement at the time?
Human artistry goes back far. Really far. At least 43,900 years, according to archaeologists who recently discovered the oldest-known figurative cave art, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. They think the tableau depicts small animal-headed hunters assailing larger wild hogs and dwarf buffaloes. The figures, painted in red ocher pigment—a blend of clay and ferric oxide—wield spears and/or ropes. It's a crude effort by modern standards, but researchers are applauding its complex use of storytelling relative to its period, the Middle Paleolithic (roughly 315,000-43,000 B.C.E). Sadly, we'll never know who this prehistoric Michelangelo was. Dating of uranium and thorium levels points to an early wave of humans who arrived in Indonesia 50,000 years ago, far before modern Sulawesians. By age, this mural edges out other human rock art found across Asia and Europe by at least 4,000 years. But it's not the oldest-known cave art in the world. Well, only if you look outside of humanity. Abstract designs by Neandertals in Spanish caves date back at least 65,000 years—20 millennia before Homo sapiens seemingly developed their art bent. Granted, these primeval doodles are less sophisticated than the more figurative Sulawesian characters. Who knows, maybe Neanderthals were just going through their abstract movement at the time?
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Measles cases worldwide are surging at a record rate. “It’s tragic. Every single measles case is entirely preventable,” said Katrina Kretsinger, a measles sp...
with PRI's The WorldMeasles cases worldwide are surging at a record rate. “It’s tragic. Every single measles case is entirely preventable,” said Katrina Kretsinger, a measles sp...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The “New NAFTA” is closer to congressional approval. Corporate diversity measures have failed black millennial professionals. Plus, holiday parties are more ...
The “New NAFTA” is closer to congressional approval. Corporate diversity measures have failed black millennial professionals. Plus, holiday parties are more ...
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FREEMusic Song CurioFree2 CQ
This time of year, it's no crime to get cozy with some cocoa and listen to the holiday classic, White Christmas. Yet on December 12, 1957, radio D.J. Al Priddy of KEX in Portland, Oregon, lost his job after playing the tune on the air. His crime? Spinning Elvis Presley's banned version of the song. Recorded 15 years after the original's 1942 release, Presley's version has his deep voice croon the familiar lyrics as rock-and-roll back-up singers rhythmically chant. Yet, according to music legend, Presley's version drew the ire of the song's original creator, legendary Broadway songwriter Irving Berlin. Upon hearing Presley's version, Berlin "immediately ordered his staff to telephone radio stations across the country to ask them not to play this barbaric rock-and-roll version." Though there's no way to know for sure whether Berlin was behind a conspiracy to ban the song, many radio stations did refuse to play it, calling it distasteful. Luckily, the White Christmas controversy wasn't enough to leave Presley blue. He changed his tune and swapped colors, turning Blue Christmas into a major hit in 1964!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Globe Photos/Graceland
This time of year, it's no crime to get cozy with some cocoa and listen to the holiday classic, White Christmas. Yet on December 12, 1957, radio D.J. Al Priddy of KEX in Portland, Oregon, lost his job after playing the tune on the air. His crime? Spinning Elvis Presley's banned version of the song. Recorded 15 years after the original's 1942 release, Presley's version has his deep voice croon the familiar lyrics as rock-and-roll back-up singers rhythmically chant. Yet, according to music legend, Presley's version drew the ire of the song's original creator, legendary Broadway songwriter Irving Berlin. Upon hearing Presley's version, Berlin "immediately ordered his staff to telephone radio stations across the country to ask them not to play this barbaric rock-and-roll version." Though there's no way to know for sure whether Berlin was behind a conspiracy to ban the song, many radio stations did refuse to play it, calling it distasteful. Luckily, the White Christmas controversy wasn't enough to leave Presley blue. He changed his tune and swapped colors, turning Blue Christmas into a major hit in 1964!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Globe Photos/Graceland
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 3, 2017
cabotage \KAB-uh-tahzh\ noun
Definition
1 : trade or transport in coastal waters or airspace or between two points within ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 3, 2017
cabotage \KAB-uh-tahzh\ noun
Definition
1 : trade or transport in coastal waters or airspace or between two points within ...
December 11, 2019
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1 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A few brief reports about international science and technology from Mexico to Tanzania, including...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A few brief reports about international science and technology from Mexico to Tanzania, including...
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #1956Free1 CQ
It turns out our DNA isn't so fixed after all. Earlier this month, an IT worker in the Washoe County Sheriff's Department in Reno, Nevada, announced that his semen only contained the DNA of German man. The IT worker, Chris Long, had received a bone marrow transplant from the German four years ago. In the procedure, enfeebled blood is swapped out for healthy blood—but DNA is also traded as a byproduct. A coworker of Long's, Renee Romero, knew of the DNA transference from some criminal cases she'd previously encountered. She encouraged Long to get his lips and cheeks swabbed for DNA before and after the marrow treatment, to gauge its effects. Sure enough, Long contained two sets of DNA: his own and the German's, particularly in his reproductive cells.
Long has become what scientists call a genetic chimera. This refers to people with two or more sets of DNA. The term is derived from the hybrid beast of Greek mythology: a combination of a lion head, goat body, and serpent tail. Fraternal twins can become genetic chimeras in the womb. But other cases usually involve medical transplants. Romero was no stranger to this concept. During her career, she'd encountered cases where chimerism threw off criminal investigations. Sexual assault, for instance, could be attributed to a transplant recipient when their donor was guilty. In an actual case, a woman's report of a sexual assault by a single attacker was doubted when a conflicting genetic forensics test showed two men. The second strain of male DNA actually came from her own body, thanks to her marrow donor. Criminal investigators like Romero worry this sort of chimerism is landing innocent people in jail. Or, on the other hand, allowing criminals to dodge prosecution. The phenomenon draws to mind futuristic criminals using marrow transplants to escape authorities. This will test our forensics techniques down the line. As for Long, his new DNA should hardly impede his life. He already had two kids before his procedure, and doctors are attributing the build-up of his donor's reproductive DNA to a subsequent vasectomy. Which means transplant recipients, male or female, shouldn't worry about their children carrying a stranger's DNA. Well, unless of course… anyways, you get the picture!
Image credit & copyright: Getty
It turns out our DNA isn't so fixed after all. Earlier this month, an IT worker in the Washoe County Sheriff's Department in Reno, Nevada, announced that his semen only contained the DNA of German man. The IT worker, Chris Long, had received a bone marrow transplant from the German four years ago. In the procedure, enfeebled blood is swapped out for healthy blood—but DNA is also traded as a byproduct. A coworker of Long's, Renee Romero, knew of the DNA transference from some criminal cases she'd previously encountered. She encouraged Long to get his lips and cheeks swabbed for DNA before and after the marrow treatment, to gauge its effects. Sure enough, Long contained two sets of DNA: his own and the German's, particularly in his reproductive cells.
Long has become what scientists call a genetic chimera. This refers to people with two or more sets of DNA. The term is derived from the hybrid beast of Greek mythology: a combination of a lion head, goat body, and serpent tail. Fraternal twins can become genetic chimeras in the womb. But other cases usually involve medical transplants. Romero was no stranger to this concept. During her career, she'd encountered cases where chimerism threw off criminal investigations. Sexual assault, for instance, could be attributed to a transplant recipient when their donor was guilty. In an actual case, a woman's report of a sexual assault by a single attacker was doubted when a conflicting genetic forensics test showed two men. The second strain of male DNA actually came from her own body, thanks to her marrow donor. Criminal investigators like Romero worry this sort of chimerism is landing innocent people in jail. Or, on the other hand, allowing criminals to dodge prosecution. The phenomenon draws to mind futuristic criminals using marrow transplants to escape authorities. This will test our forensics techniques down the line. As for Long, his new DNA should hardly impede his life. He already had two kids before his procedure, and doctors are attributing the build-up of his donor's reproductive DNA to a subsequent vasectomy. Which means transplant recipients, male or female, shouldn't worry about their children carrying a stranger's DNA. Well, unless of course… anyways, you get the picture!
Image credit & copyright: Getty
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service… Widespread power cuts wallop businesses in South Africa. Nintendo launches Switch in China with Tencent’s help. Plus, what the ar...
From the BBC World Service… Widespread power cuts wallop businesses in South Africa. Nintendo launches Switch in China with Tencent’s help. Plus, what the ar...
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3 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree2 CQ
With Brexit complicating imports, this anglophile shop and Berlin institution might be forced to look elsewhere to stock its shelves.
with PRI's The WorldWith Brexit complicating imports, this anglophile shop and Berlin institution might be forced to look elsewhere to stock its shelves.
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Sure, the Beatles were one of the first viral boy bands in pop music. But the Jackson 5 perfected the formula on their first single I Want You Back from their debut album, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, released 50 years ago this month. In spite of their album title, the quintet came to the attention of Motown CEO Berry Gordy by way of singer Gladys Knight, not Ross. During the summer of '69, with major label support, the Jacksons recorded tracks at Motown studios in Detroit alongside the best studio band in the business (the Funk Brothers) and an ace team of songwriters and producers. But those songs proved too subdued and lacked the pop sensibilities Motown was famous for, leading Gordy to scrap them for a new session in Los Angeles. I Want You Back grew out of those sessions as an undeniably catchy tune that highlighted the Funk Brothers' rhythmic breakdowns, the Jacksons' call-and-response harmonies, and the star of the show: the charismatically vocal Michael Jackson. When Gordy first met the Jacksons, he promised them three #1 hits, yet I Want You Back was the first of a consecutive four. Those were certainly numbers the Jackson 5 could get behind, especially after reciting their ABCs!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Fandom.com
Sure, the Beatles were one of the first viral boy bands in pop music. But the Jackson 5 perfected the formula on their first single I Want You Back from their debut album, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, released 50 years ago this month. In spite of their album title, the quintet came to the attention of Motown CEO Berry Gordy by way of singer Gladys Knight, not Ross. During the summer of '69, with major label support, the Jacksons recorded tracks at Motown studios in Detroit alongside the best studio band in the business (the Funk Brothers) and an ace team of songwriters and producers. But those songs proved too subdued and lacked the pop sensibilities Motown was famous for, leading Gordy to scrap them for a new session in Los Angeles. I Want You Back grew out of those sessions as an undeniably catchy tune that highlighted the Funk Brothers' rhythmic breakdowns, the Jacksons' call-and-response harmonies, and the star of the show: the charismatically vocal Michael Jackson. When Gordy first met the Jacksons, he promised them three #1 hits, yet I Want You Back was the first of a consecutive four. Those were certainly numbers the Jackson 5 could get behind, especially after reciting their ABCs!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Fandom.com
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Tyranny of Moths. By Gerald Vizenor.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Tyranny of Moths. By Gerald Vizenor.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 2, 2017
laconic \luh-KAH-nik\ adjective
Definition
: using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of se...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 2, 2017
laconic \luh-KAH-nik\ adjective
Definition
: using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of se...
December 10, 2019
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FREERelationships Daily Curio #1955Free1 CQ
Think humans are the only species that keeps pets? Think again. Shown above is the burrowing tarantula Xenesthis immanis and a dotted humming frog, Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata. I know what it looks like: an oblivious croaker about to become an arachnid snack. But be at ease: the little guy is safe. This is because the spider is guarding the frog, and vice versa. It's an instance of what ecologists call mutualism: when two species cooperatively benefit from each other's company. Since the frog—one of 570 species of narrow-mouthed frogs called microhylids—has toxic skin, it's practically inedible. The spider recognizes this trait thanks to faint chemical notes in the air. So instead of gobbling the amphibian up, the spider eagerly welcomes it into its den with eight open arms. Why? Because the frog feeds on ants and other small pests, which are drawn to the spider's discarded scraps of prey. Ants don't just scavenge the leftovers; when they're done, they go for the spider's nearby sack of eggs or hatching babies. The spider can't defend its brood since it's too big. Enter the frog. Ribbiting with delight, it gulps down all the encroaching ants near the nest. In return, the hulking spider wards off snakes and other predators which would eat the frog. It's a strange pair of roomies: a glutinous frog subletting from a murderous spider. Still, it works out. Another example of animal mutualism is emperor shrimp saddling up on sea cucumbers, worms, and nudibranchs like cowboys. Then there are meat ants, which corral leafhoppers like cows, to milk them for their sweet resin-poop. Okay, so that last, um, interesting one sounds more like ranching than pet-owning. Still, you get the picture. Just keep all this in mind as you're shopping for holiday gifts; you don't want to forget to buy something special for Fido and Kitty, do you? After all, that might make you a worse pet-owner than a spider!
Image credit & copyright: Emanuele Biggi
Think humans are the only species that keeps pets? Think again. Shown above is the burrowing tarantula Xenesthis immanis and a dotted humming frog, Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata. I know what it looks like: an oblivious croaker about to become an arachnid snack. But be at ease: the little guy is safe. This is because the spider is guarding the frog, and vice versa. It's an instance of what ecologists call mutualism: when two species cooperatively benefit from each other's company. Since the frog—one of 570 species of narrow-mouthed frogs called microhylids—has toxic skin, it's practically inedible. The spider recognizes this trait thanks to faint chemical notes in the air. So instead of gobbling the amphibian up, the spider eagerly welcomes it into its den with eight open arms. Why? Because the frog feeds on ants and other small pests, which are drawn to the spider's discarded scraps of prey. Ants don't just scavenge the leftovers; when they're done, they go for the spider's nearby sack of eggs or hatching babies. The spider can't defend its brood since it's too big. Enter the frog. Ribbiting with delight, it gulps down all the encroaching ants near the nest. In return, the hulking spider wards off snakes and other predators which would eat the frog. It's a strange pair of roomies: a glutinous frog subletting from a murderous spider. Still, it works out. Another example of animal mutualism is emperor shrimp saddling up on sea cucumbers, worms, and nudibranchs like cowboys. Then there are meat ants, which corral leafhoppers like cows, to milk them for their sweet resin-poop. Okay, so that last, um, interesting one sounds more like ranching than pet-owning. Still, you get the picture. Just keep all this in mind as you're shopping for holiday gifts; you don't want to forget to buy something special for Fido and Kitty, do you? After all, that might make you a worse pet-owner than a spider!
Image credit & copyright: Emanuele Biggi
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Minute Earth.
with Minute EarthToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Minute Earth.
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Jobs numbers were still strong in November. Plus, AI’s powers of prediction could cost some jobs on Wall Street, but it’s ultimately a good thing, say experts.
Jobs numbers were still strong in November. Plus, AI’s powers of prediction could cost some jobs on Wall Street, but it’s ultimately a good thing, say experts.
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
One Uighur American activist says a House bill focused on human rights will bring hope to people like his mother, who was detained in China for 15 months.
with PRI's The WorldOne Uighur American activist says a House bill focused on human rights will bring hope to people like his mother, who was detained in China for 15 months.
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Brr, this gives new meaning to weathering winter! This snow-covered Tungus (or Indigenous Siberian) man is part of a LensCulture feature on the series Out of the Way by Russian photographer Elena Ansova. Her project highlights life in a remote settlement in Northern Russia where the Tungus people live. In the photo, an older Tungus man seems unconcerned at the snow collecting on his face and beard. The image is an example of the fortitude displayed by the 100-or-so people who also call his village their home. There, electricity is only available during mornings and evenings, food must be grown in sealed greenhouses, and hunting elk is a matter of survival. What inspired Anosova to travel to such a place where temperatures can fall as low as -67 degrees Fahrenheit? Family ties. Her own ancestors helped found the settlement around 300 years ago, and practically everyone living there now is a distant relative. Out of the Way is an extraordinary series which shows getting back to one's roots can be worth braving the cold.
Below: More from Elena Anosova's Out of the Way series.
Image credit & copyright: Elena Anosova
Brr, this gives new meaning to weathering winter! This snow-covered Tungus (or Indigenous Siberian) man is part of a LensCulture feature on the series Out of the Way by Russian photographer Elena Ansova. Her project highlights life in a remote settlement in Northern Russia where the Tungus people live. In the photo, an older Tungus man seems unconcerned at the snow collecting on his face and beard. The image is an example of the fortitude displayed by the 100-or-so people who also call his village their home. There, electricity is only available during mornings and evenings, food must be grown in sealed greenhouses, and hunting elk is a matter of survival. What inspired Anosova to travel to such a place where temperatures can fall as low as -67 degrees Fahrenheit? Family ties. Her own ancestors helped found the settlement around 300 years ago, and practically everyone living there now is a distant relative. Out of the Way is an extraordinary series which shows getting back to one's roots can be worth braving the cold.
Below: More from Elena Anosova's Out of the Way series.
Image credit & copyright: Elena Anosova
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Boom and After the Boom. By Alice Lyons.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Boom and After the Boom. By Alice Lyons.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : March 1, 2017
exponent \ik-SPOH-nunt\ noun
Definition
1 : a symbol written above and to the right of a mathematical expression to indica...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : March 1, 2017
exponent \ik-SPOH-nunt\ noun
Definition
1 : a symbol written above and to the right of a mathematical expression to indica...