Curio Cabinet
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June 28, 2022
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : June 28, 2022
fulsome \FULL-sum\ adjective
What It Means
Fulsome can be a positive term, as when it's used to mean "abundant, copious," ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : June 28, 2022
fulsome \FULL-sum\ adjective
What It Means
Fulsome can be a positive term, as when it's used to mean "abundant, copious," ...
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: European Central Bank Chief Christine Lagarde has taken the podium this morning at an annual gathering of European policymakers i...
From the BBC World Service: European Central Bank Chief Christine Lagarde has taken the podium this morning at an annual gathering of European policymakers i...
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FREEMusic Song CurioFree2 CQ
The secret to David Bowie’s first number one hit in the U.S.? Karma. John Lennon believed so, at least. The ex-Beatle did have a front row seat to Bowie’s stateside success, as he helped write and sing backup vocals for Fame, released on this day in 1975 on Bowie’s album Young Americans. It features a modified bridge originally played by Stevie Wonder (which Lennon and Bowie flipped backwards) and repeated, echoed cries of the word “fame” as the song’s narrator describes the pitfalls of celebrity. The funky tune was a far cry from Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona and accompanying album, which had flopped in the U.S. just a few years earlier. On John Lennon’s official website, the late musician described the process of helping Bowie achieve his first number one, just as Elton John had helped Lennon do with their 1974 collaboration, Whatever Gets You Thru The Night. “...I felt like that was like the karmic thing – you know, with me and Elton I got my first Number One – so I passed it on to Bowie and he got his,” Lennon explained. With records, what goes around always comes around.
[Image description: David Bowie wears an eyepatch and plays guitar during filming of his Rebel Rebel music video in 1974.] Credit & copyright: AVRO, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.
The secret to David Bowie’s first number one hit in the U.S.? Karma. John Lennon believed so, at least. The ex-Beatle did have a front row seat to Bowie’s stateside success, as he helped write and sing backup vocals for Fame, released on this day in 1975 on Bowie’s album Young Americans. It features a modified bridge originally played by Stevie Wonder (which Lennon and Bowie flipped backwards) and repeated, echoed cries of the word “fame” as the song’s narrator describes the pitfalls of celebrity. The funky tune was a far cry from Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona and accompanying album, which had flopped in the U.S. just a few years earlier. On John Lennon’s official website, the late musician described the process of helping Bowie achieve his first number one, just as Elton John had helped Lennon do with their 1974 collaboration, Whatever Gets You Thru The Night. “...I felt like that was like the karmic thing – you know, with me and Elton I got my first Number One – so I passed it on to Bowie and he got his,” Lennon explained. With records, what goes around always comes around.
[Image description: David Bowie wears an eyepatch and plays guitar during filming of his Rebel Rebel music video in 1974.] Credit & copyright: AVRO, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #2468Free1 CQ
For these frogs, every leap is a leap of faith. A team of scientists have found that the reason some tiny species of frogs in Brazil can’t jump well is due to their undersized ear canals. The frogs in question are pumpkin toadlets, which are native to Brazil and are known for their bright colors and extremely diminutive size. Even when fully grown, they’re small enough to sit snugly on a person’s fingertip. Technically, these frogs can jump; it’s the landing that’s the tricky part. When these tiny toadlets take a leap, they instantly lose control of their bodies, often landing upside down. To figure out why, an international team consisting of scientists from the U.S. and Brazil looked at 147 species of frogs and toads to see what anatomical differences may be responsible. It turns out, the answer lies in the animals’ ear canals, which in the case of pumpkin toadlets are so small that they’re practically non-functional.
The ear canals of most frogs allow them to orient themselves quickly in mid-air. This is made possible by the fast-moving fluids within the inner ear that trigger nerve cells. However, the ear canals of pumpkin toadlets are so small and contain so little fluid that they cannot get a grasp on their orientation in the time between jumping and landing. So how have these frogs managed to not only survive but thrive without being able to effectively perform the one activity that others of their kind are so well-known for? The short answer is: these little guys just don’t need to jump much. Edward Stanley, one of the scientists involved in the research, told the press, “They’re not jumping around a lot, and when they do, they’re probably not that worried about landing, because they’re doing it out of desperation. They get more benefits from being small than they lose from their inability to stick a landing.” In addition, the researchers say that these frogs have other adaptations that help them survive despite their lack of acrobatic ability. For example, some of these frogs have bright warning colors, camouflage, or simply thicker skin. That last one might come in handy if other frogs decide to tease them about their jumping skills.
[Image description: A tiny toad sits on a human hand.] Credit & copyright: Marys_fotos, PixabayFor these frogs, every leap is a leap of faith. A team of scientists have found that the reason some tiny species of frogs in Brazil can’t jump well is due to their undersized ear canals. The frogs in question are pumpkin toadlets, which are native to Brazil and are known for their bright colors and extremely diminutive size. Even when fully grown, they’re small enough to sit snugly on a person’s fingertip. Technically, these frogs can jump; it’s the landing that’s the tricky part. When these tiny toadlets take a leap, they instantly lose control of their bodies, often landing upside down. To figure out why, an international team consisting of scientists from the U.S. and Brazil looked at 147 species of frogs and toads to see what anatomical differences may be responsible. It turns out, the answer lies in the animals’ ear canals, which in the case of pumpkin toadlets are so small that they’re practically non-functional.
The ear canals of most frogs allow them to orient themselves quickly in mid-air. This is made possible by the fast-moving fluids within the inner ear that trigger nerve cells. However, the ear canals of pumpkin toadlets are so small and contain so little fluid that they cannot get a grasp on their orientation in the time between jumping and landing. So how have these frogs managed to not only survive but thrive without being able to effectively perform the one activity that others of their kind are so well-known for? The short answer is: these little guys just don’t need to jump much. Edward Stanley, one of the scientists involved in the research, told the press, “They’re not jumping around a lot, and when they do, they’re probably not that worried about landing, because they’re doing it out of desperation. They get more benefits from being small than they lose from their inability to stick a landing.” In addition, the researchers say that these frogs have other adaptations that help them survive despite their lack of acrobatic ability. For example, some of these frogs have bright warning colors, camouflage, or simply thicker skin. That last one might come in handy if other frogs decide to tease them about their jumping skills.
[Image description: A tiny toad sits on a human hand.] Credit & copyright: Marys_fotos, Pixabay
June 27, 2022
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : June 27, 2022
jingoism \JING-goh-iz-im\ noun
What It Means
Jingoism is excessive patriotism or nationalism, especially when marked by a ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : June 27, 2022
jingoism \JING-goh-iz-im\ noun
What It Means
Jingoism is excessive patriotism or nationalism, especially when marked by a ...
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FREEScience Daily Curio #2467Free1 CQ
Fashion might look a little fishy in the future, and that’s a good thing. A Tampa-based company, Inversa Leathers, has been making a splash in both the fashion world and the world of conservation by selling wallets and other accessories made from lionfish leather. Although native to the Pacific and Indian Oceans, lionfish have long been wreaking havoc in the Atlantic and Caribbean, where they were introduced by people. As invaders to the ecosystem, lionfish have earned a reputation for fast destruction. Within five weeks of entering a coral reef system, a single one of the spiky, venomous creatures can devour 79 percent of juvenile marine life in the area. Compounding the problem is the fact that a single female lionfish can release around 25,000 eggs per day, so their population increases fast. Not only does this devastate native fish populations, it also destroys coral reefs. Since many of the fish preyed upon by lionfish eat algae that grows on reefs, their absence leads to algae overgrowths that suffocate coral.
An avid diver, Inversa Leathers co-founder Aarav Chavda was shocked by the destruction caused by lionfish. To do his part to help, Chavda teamed up with his friend Roland Salatino to start a company which buys wild-caught lionfish by the thousands each day. Once purchased, the fish are processed for meat, which is sold to restaurants around Tampa. The hides are then taken to a tannery in Ohio where they’re turned into a workable leather, which can be used to make anything from wallets to watch straps. In this way, Inversa is creating an economic incentive to go after lionfish. Chavda told The Guardian, “A lot of the geographies, especially the lower-income Caribbean area, have no market at all [for lionfish]—and so this fish is not only destroying the coral reefs, which sustain these fishing cooperatives’ livelihoods, but they also can’t do anything about it. They could hunt lionfish, but that takes time, and it means they’re not hunting other things. They’d be spending their precious time not on lobster, not on grouper—so it’s very unfortunate.” Looking ahead, Chavda plans to branch out by developing new fashion materials from other invasive species, curbing their spread by creating demand for them as a product. Fish sticks and cool wallets all around!
[Image description: A lionfish is pursued by a scuba diver underwater.] Credit & copyright: G1les, PixabayFashion might look a little fishy in the future, and that’s a good thing. A Tampa-based company, Inversa Leathers, has been making a splash in both the fashion world and the world of conservation by selling wallets and other accessories made from lionfish leather. Although native to the Pacific and Indian Oceans, lionfish have long been wreaking havoc in the Atlantic and Caribbean, where they were introduced by people. As invaders to the ecosystem, lionfish have earned a reputation for fast destruction. Within five weeks of entering a coral reef system, a single one of the spiky, venomous creatures can devour 79 percent of juvenile marine life in the area. Compounding the problem is the fact that a single female lionfish can release around 25,000 eggs per day, so their population increases fast. Not only does this devastate native fish populations, it also destroys coral reefs. Since many of the fish preyed upon by lionfish eat algae that grows on reefs, their absence leads to algae overgrowths that suffocate coral.
An avid diver, Inversa Leathers co-founder Aarav Chavda was shocked by the destruction caused by lionfish. To do his part to help, Chavda teamed up with his friend Roland Salatino to start a company which buys wild-caught lionfish by the thousands each day. Once purchased, the fish are processed for meat, which is sold to restaurants around Tampa. The hides are then taken to a tannery in Ohio where they’re turned into a workable leather, which can be used to make anything from wallets to watch straps. In this way, Inversa is creating an economic incentive to go after lionfish. Chavda told The Guardian, “A lot of the geographies, especially the lower-income Caribbean area, have no market at all [for lionfish]—and so this fish is not only destroying the coral reefs, which sustain these fishing cooperatives’ livelihoods, but they also can’t do anything about it. They could hunt lionfish, but that takes time, and it means they’re not hunting other things. They’d be spending their precious time not on lobster, not on grouper—so it’s very unfortunate.” Looking ahead, Chavda plans to branch out by developing new fashion materials from other invasive species, curbing their spread by creating demand for them as a product. Fish sticks and cool wallets all around!
[Image description: A lionfish is pursued by a scuba diver underwater.] Credit & copyright: G1les, Pixabay -
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
President Biden’s call for a suspension of the gas tax holiday probably sounds like an awesome way to ease the pain of high gas prices, but it might not be a...
President Biden’s call for a suspension of the gas tax holiday probably sounds like an awesome way to ease the pain of high gas prices, but it might not be a...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
This much staring would make anyone self-conscious. Canadian-American artist Philip Guston, born on this day in 1913, was a master at depicting the unnerving. His surrealist paintings and sketches often featured terrifying monstrosities with oversized eyes. In his black-and-white sketch Hovering, a being with a head resembling a human baby’s, and a body resembling a millipede’s perches on an egg-like form, staring down at a pile of random objects with what seems to be a single, enormous eye. Some of the objects, such as a sandwich, book, clock, and watch, are identifiable while others appear as simple, geometric forms. Guston wasn’t all surrealist, though. Some of his paintings are totally abstract, featuring formless colors against plain backgrounds. He was also commissioned to paint several grounded, figurative murals which barely resemble much of his other work. Hey, nothing wrong with being a man of many styles.
Hovering, Philip Guston (1913-1980), 1976, Brush and ink on paper, 18.125 x 24 in. (46.1 x 61.1 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
Below: Another of Guston’s works, Early Mail Service and Construction of Railroads, rendered in a completely different style from his abstract and surrealist works.
This much staring would make anyone self-conscious. Canadian-American artist Philip Guston, born on this day in 1913, was a master at depicting the unnerving. His surrealist paintings and sketches often featured terrifying monstrosities with oversized eyes. In his black-and-white sketch Hovering, a being with a head resembling a human baby’s, and a body resembling a millipede’s perches on an egg-like form, staring down at a pile of random objects with what seems to be a single, enormous eye. Some of the objects, such as a sandwich, book, clock, and watch, are identifiable while others appear as simple, geometric forms. Guston wasn’t all surrealist, though. Some of his paintings are totally abstract, featuring formless colors against plain backgrounds. He was also commissioned to paint several grounded, figurative murals which barely resemble much of his other work. Hey, nothing wrong with being a man of many styles.
Hovering, Philip Guston (1913-1980), 1976, Brush and ink on paper, 18.125 x 24 in. (46.1 x 61.1 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
Below: Another of Guston’s works, Early Mail Service and Construction of Railroads, rendered in a completely different style from his abstract and surrealist works.
June 26, 2022
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : June 26, 2022
culminate \KUL-muh-nayt\ verb
What It Means
Culminate usually means “to reach the highest or a climactic or decisive point...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : June 26, 2022
culminate \KUL-muh-nayt\ verb
What It Means
Culminate usually means “to reach the highest or a climactic or decisive point...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
We speak with Dan Erickson, the creator, showrunner and head writer of the Apple TV+ show “Severance,” where a group of workers at a mysterious corporate mon...
We speak with Dan Erickson, the creator, showrunner and head writer of the Apple TV+ show “Severance,” where a group of workers at a mysterious corporate mon...
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FREEPolitical Science PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Happy birthday, United Nations! On this day in 1945, the United Nations Charter, the organization’s founding document, was signed in the hopes that an international body could help nations resolve disputes and promote world peace. Since then, the U.N. has doubled in size and grown in influence. In fact, the U.N.’s top court recently ordered Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine. But just how much power does this international organization have? The answer is complicated.
The story of the United Nations begins with the outbreak of World War I, in 1914. Upset by the massive loss of life caused by the war, influential world leaders, most notably President Woodrow Wilson, began calling for an international body to promote peace between nations. He believed that such an organization could prevent another world war. By 1918, the idea had taken off, and the League of Nations was officially established in 1920, at the Paris Peace Conference, which established the terms of peace after World War I. The League had 42 founding members. Over the following decades, some nations were added via elections, while others withdrew or were expelled. In fact, the Soviet Union was expelled in 1939 for invading Finland. Strangely, even though a U.S. President was influential in establishing the League, the United States never joined due to strong isolationist sentiments among American lawmakers at the time.
The League wasn’t as functional as Woodrow Wilson might have hoped. From the offset, it was hampered by issues ranging from infighting to the United States’ refusal to join, and a general unwillingness among members to actually enforce the League’s resolutions. The final nail in the coffin came in 1939, with the outbreak of World War II—the very thing the League had been created to prevent. In 1943, allied powers agreed to dissolve the League once the war ended, and replace it with a more active, effective international organization. President Franklin Roosevelt coined the name “United Nations” in 1941, and many of the new organization’s rules and goals were outlined, debated and revised in various meetings throughout the remainder of the war.
On June 26, 1945, the United Nations was formed with the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, which had taken two months to fully draft. 50 countries signed, and the document was ratified on October 24. U.N. members had no time to celebrate and take it easy, though. In 1947, the U.N. approved a resolution to create the state of Israel by partitioning Palestine, a move that remains controversial to this day, but that effectively demonstrated the new organization’s power. Over the next decade, the escalation of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union caused tensions in the U.N. Some resolutions had to be passed without the U.S.S.R. present, including a 1950 resolution that agreed to let U.S. forces stop the North-Korean-led, U.S.S.R.-supported invasion of South Korea. Still, the U.N. immediately proved more effective than the defunct League of Nations. Unlike the League, The U.N. took a very active role in global peacekeeping, approving resolutions for certain nations, like the U.S., to send humanitarian aid, military troops, or both into war-torn areas in an attempt to calm tensions. So far, the U.N. has conducted over 70 peacekeeping missions, at least 12 of which are still ongoing.
The modern U.N. includes 193 member states and functions via six principal organs: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretariat, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ recently made headlines by ruling that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is illegal under international law, and that Russia must withdraw. Of course, since no international government exists, the U.N. can’t actually force Russia to comply. But that doesn’t make the ICJ’s ruling useless. In fact, the ruling makes it easier for other nations to justify harsh sanctions against Russia, and makes it much more difficult for Russia to deny the illegality of its invasion. It also serves as a subtle reminder of the U.N.’s policy of collective security: an attack against one U.N. nation will lead to military resistance from all of them. Certainly something for any country to keep in mind before tangling with the U.N.
[Image description: The blue-and-white United Nations flag] Credit & copyright: padrinan, PixabayHappy birthday, United Nations! On this day in 1945, the United Nations Charter, the organization’s founding document, was signed in the hopes that an international body could help nations resolve disputes and promote world peace. Since then, the U.N. has doubled in size and grown in influence. In fact, the U.N.’s top court recently ordered Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine. But just how much power does this international organization have? The answer is complicated.
The story of the United Nations begins with the outbreak of World War I, in 1914. Upset by the massive loss of life caused by the war, influential world leaders, most notably President Woodrow Wilson, began calling for an international body to promote peace between nations. He believed that such an organization could prevent another world war. By 1918, the idea had taken off, and the League of Nations was officially established in 1920, at the Paris Peace Conference, which established the terms of peace after World War I. The League had 42 founding members. Over the following decades, some nations were added via elections, while others withdrew or were expelled. In fact, the Soviet Union was expelled in 1939 for invading Finland. Strangely, even though a U.S. President was influential in establishing the League, the United States never joined due to strong isolationist sentiments among American lawmakers at the time.
The League wasn’t as functional as Woodrow Wilson might have hoped. From the offset, it was hampered by issues ranging from infighting to the United States’ refusal to join, and a general unwillingness among members to actually enforce the League’s resolutions. The final nail in the coffin came in 1939, with the outbreak of World War II—the very thing the League had been created to prevent. In 1943, allied powers agreed to dissolve the League once the war ended, and replace it with a more active, effective international organization. President Franklin Roosevelt coined the name “United Nations” in 1941, and many of the new organization’s rules and goals were outlined, debated and revised in various meetings throughout the remainder of the war.
On June 26, 1945, the United Nations was formed with the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, which had taken two months to fully draft. 50 countries signed, and the document was ratified on October 24. U.N. members had no time to celebrate and take it easy, though. In 1947, the U.N. approved a resolution to create the state of Israel by partitioning Palestine, a move that remains controversial to this day, but that effectively demonstrated the new organization’s power. Over the next decade, the escalation of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union caused tensions in the U.N. Some resolutions had to be passed without the U.S.S.R. present, including a 1950 resolution that agreed to let U.S. forces stop the North-Korean-led, U.S.S.R.-supported invasion of South Korea. Still, the U.N. immediately proved more effective than the defunct League of Nations. Unlike the League, The U.N. took a very active role in global peacekeeping, approving resolutions for certain nations, like the U.S., to send humanitarian aid, military troops, or both into war-torn areas in an attempt to calm tensions. So far, the U.N. has conducted over 70 peacekeeping missions, at least 12 of which are still ongoing.
The modern U.N. includes 193 member states and functions via six principal organs: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretariat, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ recently made headlines by ruling that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is illegal under international law, and that Russia must withdraw. Of course, since no international government exists, the U.N. can’t actually force Russia to comply. But that doesn’t make the ICJ’s ruling useless. In fact, the ruling makes it easier for other nations to justify harsh sanctions against Russia, and makes it much more difficult for Russia to deny the illegality of its invasion. It also serves as a subtle reminder of the U.N.’s policy of collective security: an attack against one U.N. nation will lead to military resistance from all of them. Certainly something for any country to keep in mind before tangling with the U.N.
[Image description: The blue-and-white United Nations flag] Credit & copyright: padrinan, Pixabay
June 25, 2022
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : June 25, 2022
noisome \NOY-sum\ adjective
What It Means
The word noisome describes what is very unpleasant or disgusting, and is used es...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : June 25, 2022
noisome \NOY-sum\ adjective
What It Means
The word noisome describes what is very unpleasant or disgusting, and is used es...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
The ruling on Roe v. Wade could have a big effect on tech business located in states where abortion could become banned, especially when it comes to drawing ...
The ruling on Roe v. Wade could have a big effect on tech business located in states where abortion could become banned, especially when it comes to drawing ...
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FREESports Daily CurioFree1 CQ
She’s still got it! On June 20, U.S. Olympian Katie Ledecky won gold in the 1500-meter freestyle race during the 2022 FINA World Championships, leaving the second-place winner over 14 seconds behind her as she secured her 20th World Championship medal. Ledecky finished the race with a time of 15:30.15, about 10 seconds off her world record, while 16-year-old American Katie Grimes came in second with a time of 15:44.89. 20-year-old Australian Lani Pallister finished third with a time of 15:48:96. After the race, Ledecky told NBC Sports, “It was perfect. Well, not perfect. I never have a perfect swim. My goal was to hold 1:02s, 31-low, so that’s great.” Upon being informed that she set another record that day by earning her 20th career world medal (the record for most medals was previously held by fellow American Natalie Coughlin) she replied, "...It’s pretty wild because I feel like just yesterday I was in Barcelona at my first Worlds. It’s awesome representing Team USA year after year, and it’s an honor and a privilege, and it’s why I work hard.” Not one to rest on her laurels, the 25-year-old swimmer has her eyes on the 2024 Summer Olympics, which will be held in Paris. Who knows if she’ll leave some medals for the rest of the swimmers.
[Image description: Katie Ledecky wears a swimsuit, swim cap and goggles as she walks beside a pool in 2018.] Credit & copyright: JD Lasica, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.
She’s still got it! On June 20, U.S. Olympian Katie Ledecky won gold in the 1500-meter freestyle race during the 2022 FINA World Championships, leaving the second-place winner over 14 seconds behind her as she secured her 20th World Championship medal. Ledecky finished the race with a time of 15:30.15, about 10 seconds off her world record, while 16-year-old American Katie Grimes came in second with a time of 15:44.89. 20-year-old Australian Lani Pallister finished third with a time of 15:48:96. After the race, Ledecky told NBC Sports, “It was perfect. Well, not perfect. I never have a perfect swim. My goal was to hold 1:02s, 31-low, so that’s great.” Upon being informed that she set another record that day by earning her 20th career world medal (the record for most medals was previously held by fellow American Natalie Coughlin) she replied, "...It’s pretty wild because I feel like just yesterday I was in Barcelona at my first Worlds. It’s awesome representing Team USA year after year, and it’s an honor and a privilege, and it’s why I work hard.” Not one to rest on her laurels, the 25-year-old swimmer has her eyes on the 2024 Summer Olympics, which will be held in Paris. Who knows if she’ll leave some medals for the rest of the swimmers.
[Image description: Katie Ledecky wears a swimsuit, swim cap and goggles as she walks beside a pool in 2018.] Credit & copyright: JD Lasica, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.
June 24, 2022
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: EU leaders gather for a summit in Brussels, as concerns grow over the bloc’s reserves of natural gas. Toyota is recalling 2,700 o...
From the BBC World Service: EU leaders gather for a summit in Brussels, as concerns grow over the bloc’s reserves of natural gas. Toyota is recalling 2,700 o...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : June 24, 2022
confidant \KAHN-fuh-dahnt\ noun
What It Means
A confidant is someone to whom secrets are entrusted, and especially a very ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : June 24, 2022
confidant \KAHN-fuh-dahnt\ noun
What It Means
A confidant is someone to whom secrets are entrusted, and especially a very ...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. It's those dang UFOs vandalizing our crops again! Since mid-2017, German photographer Max Slobodda has been working on his Stranger Things series, a collection of surreal photos designed to take our imaginations into the upside-down. Pictured above is what appears to be a cluster of flying objects against a crimson sky (or so we think). Slobodda created the bizarre scene by first tightening the aperture of a broken camera to magnify floating dust particles, before overexposing them to light and giving them new life. According to Slobodda, works like this one from Stranger Things were designed without intended meaning, and they even lack individual titles to dissuade viewers from seeking preconceived meanings. Instead, his illogical photos, with their incongruent noontime skies and trees cloaked in nightfall, incite the viewer's emotions to build their own fantastical narrative. Fortunately, no demogorgons or Eggo waffles were harmed in the making of these images!
Image credit & copyright: Max Slobodda
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. It's those dang UFOs vandalizing our crops again! Since mid-2017, German photographer Max Slobodda has been working on his Stranger Things series, a collection of surreal photos designed to take our imaginations into the upside-down. Pictured above is what appears to be a cluster of flying objects against a crimson sky (or so we think). Slobodda created the bizarre scene by first tightening the aperture of a broken camera to magnify floating dust particles, before overexposing them to light and giving them new life. According to Slobodda, works like this one from Stranger Things were designed without intended meaning, and they even lack individual titles to dissuade viewers from seeking preconceived meanings. Instead, his illogical photos, with their incongruent noontime skies and trees cloaked in nightfall, incite the viewer's emotions to build their own fantastical narrative. Fortunately, no demogorgons or Eggo waffles were harmed in the making of these images!
Image credit & copyright: Max Slobodda
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FREELight & Exposure Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Beam us up, Scotty! In the 2017 Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition, scientist Daniel Michalik won the Astronomy category for his photo Lunar spotlight, South Pole, Antarctica, which captures a bright light pillar beneath the moon. The optical phenomenon isn't actually caused by a vertical ray of light; rather, ice crystals suspended in the air give the moon its upright reflection. The bits of frozen ice typically form high up in clouds, but occasionally make their way lower, creating pillars, halos, and majestic light shows, depending on their orientation in space. These occurrences are often associated with UFO sightings, though Michalik's purpose for being in the right place at the right time was far more scientific. As part of the crew at the South Pole Telescope (the leftmost building with the large satellite atop it), Michalik researches things like radiation left over from the Big Bang and the presence of dark energy in the universe. Antarctica is the perfect, undisturbed space for studying cosmic phenomena—whether they be light years away, or right above our heads!
Image credit & copyright: Daniel Michalik
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Beam us up, Scotty! In the 2017 Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition, scientist Daniel Michalik won the Astronomy category for his photo Lunar spotlight, South Pole, Antarctica, which captures a bright light pillar beneath the moon. The optical phenomenon isn't actually caused by a vertical ray of light; rather, ice crystals suspended in the air give the moon its upright reflection. The bits of frozen ice typically form high up in clouds, but occasionally make their way lower, creating pillars, halos, and majestic light shows, depending on their orientation in space. These occurrences are often associated with UFO sightings, though Michalik's purpose for being in the right place at the right time was far more scientific. As part of the crew at the South Pole Telescope (the leftmost building with the large satellite atop it), Michalik researches things like radiation left over from the Big Bang and the presence of dark energy in the universe. Antarctica is the perfect, undisturbed space for studying cosmic phenomena—whether they be light years away, or right above our heads!
Image credit & copyright: Daniel Michalik
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Electronica pairs well with intergalactic adventures. On this day in 2001, Daft Punk dropped Discovery, a pop-centric concept album that came packaged with Interstella 5555—a cosmic anime flick about a band poached by a nefarious music industry. To create the two-facet masterpiece, Daft Punk called upon famed Japanese animator Leiji Matsumoto, a childhood favorite of the cybernetic French duo. As Daft Punk crafted the music, Matsumoto simultaneously drew up corresponding scenes. The animator wisely employed body language to ensure his cartoon bandmates' mirth and misery not only matched the rhythms of Daft Punk's tunes, but danced in harmony around them. Take Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, a mechanical jam built entirely around a jerky portion of Edwin Birdsong's funky Cola Bottle Baby (and later sampled by Kanye): Daft Punk's recursive, robotic lyrics and rhythmic pulses are coupled with Matsumoto's vision of a gem rock, retro-styled factory. In the music video, a peaceable band of blue aliens are systematically disassembled and reproduced into a mass-marketable super-group by a power-hungry music producer. But no spoilers here—watch the whole series to learn if the band escapes with their blue skins!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Fabio Venni, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Electronica pairs well with intergalactic adventures. On this day in 2001, Daft Punk dropped Discovery, a pop-centric concept album that came packaged with Interstella 5555—a cosmic anime flick about a band poached by a nefarious music industry. To create the two-facet masterpiece, Daft Punk called upon famed Japanese animator Leiji Matsumoto, a childhood favorite of the cybernetic French duo. As Daft Punk crafted the music, Matsumoto simultaneously drew up corresponding scenes. The animator wisely employed body language to ensure his cartoon bandmates' mirth and misery not only matched the rhythms of Daft Punk's tunes, but danced in harmony around them. Take Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, a mechanical jam built entirely around a jerky portion of Edwin Birdsong's funky Cola Bottle Baby (and later sampled by Kanye): Daft Punk's recursive, robotic lyrics and rhythmic pulses are coupled with Matsumoto's vision of a gem rock, retro-styled factory. In the music video, a peaceable band of blue aliens are systematically disassembled and reproduced into a mass-marketable super-group by a power-hungry music producer. But no spoilers here—watch the whole series to learn if the band escapes with their blue skins!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Fabio Venni, Wikimedia Commons, image cropped for size, image is hereby distributed under the same license linked here.
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FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Take us to your leaders! If extraterrestrials ever did land on Earth, the government probably wouldn't host them at Area 51. The location in Lincoln County, Nevada, was the source of much speculation during the second half of the 20th century, and for good reasons—though, not the ones we would expect.
In April of 1955, the CIA scouted locations near the Edwards Air Force base seeking a testing ground for new weapons and aircraft. President Eisenhower had recently approved a secret counterstrategy to address the Soviet Union's aggressive air force expansion, and it needed a venue. Groom Lake was chosen because of its flat, plane-accessible field and Emigrant Valley's sight-obstructing mountain ranges. Once Project OXCART began in 1959, so did decades of classified testing. Pilots were trained to fly U-2 jets and search-and-rescue helicopters; anti-radar stealth materials were tested; and captured Soviet fighter planes were analyzed for structural weaknesses. All of the military secrecy combined with higher flight restrictions around Groom Lake led locals to suspect something fishy (or alien-y) was going on.
Some of the earliest UFO sightings near Area 51 came from commercial pilots who had never seen an aircraft fly as high as the air force's new prototypes. Air Force officials knew about the reports, however their need to protect classified projects led to stories of "high-altitude weather research" or "natural phenomena" as the source of all the "nothings" to see at Groom Lake. Conspiracy theories were stoked in 1989 when Bob Lazar claimed to have reverse engineered alien spacecrafts in a clandestine, underground lair at Area 51. He also claimed the as-yet-undiscovered element 115 (moscovium) was the main fuel source for the vehicle. Lazar's allegations and MIT degree have yet to be verified by outside sources.
Area 51's shroud was finally cleared in 2013 when a Freedom of Information Act request was granted, forcing the CIA to publicly acknowledge the existence of the classified base. Detailed records of the base's history and purpose have also been released, but conspiracy theorists remain skeptical. These days the Extraterrestrial Highway surrounding Edwards Air Force base is a hotbed of kitschy UFO tourism where visitors of the terrestrial kind can see the Alien Research Center, or grab a room at the A'Le'Inn. Just don't expect to wake up to spooky theremin music and a neon gravity beam pulling the inn up to the mothership!
Image credit & copyright: MartinStr, Pixabay
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Take us to your leaders! If extraterrestrials ever did land on Earth, the government probably wouldn't host them at Area 51. The location in Lincoln County, Nevada, was the source of much speculation during the second half of the 20th century, and for good reasons—though, not the ones we would expect.
In April of 1955, the CIA scouted locations near the Edwards Air Force base seeking a testing ground for new weapons and aircraft. President Eisenhower had recently approved a secret counterstrategy to address the Soviet Union's aggressive air force expansion, and it needed a venue. Groom Lake was chosen because of its flat, plane-accessible field and Emigrant Valley's sight-obstructing mountain ranges. Once Project OXCART began in 1959, so did decades of classified testing. Pilots were trained to fly U-2 jets and search-and-rescue helicopters; anti-radar stealth materials were tested; and captured Soviet fighter planes were analyzed for structural weaknesses. All of the military secrecy combined with higher flight restrictions around Groom Lake led locals to suspect something fishy (or alien-y) was going on.
Some of the earliest UFO sightings near Area 51 came from commercial pilots who had never seen an aircraft fly as high as the air force's new prototypes. Air Force officials knew about the reports, however their need to protect classified projects led to stories of "high-altitude weather research" or "natural phenomena" as the source of all the "nothings" to see at Groom Lake. Conspiracy theories were stoked in 1989 when Bob Lazar claimed to have reverse engineered alien spacecrafts in a clandestine, underground lair at Area 51. He also claimed the as-yet-undiscovered element 115 (moscovium) was the main fuel source for the vehicle. Lazar's allegations and MIT degree have yet to be verified by outside sources.
Area 51's shroud was finally cleared in 2013 when a Freedom of Information Act request was granted, forcing the CIA to publicly acknowledge the existence of the classified base. Detailed records of the base's history and purpose have also been released, but conspiracy theorists remain skeptical. These days the Extraterrestrial Highway surrounding Edwards Air Force base is a hotbed of kitschy UFO tourism where visitors of the terrestrial kind can see the Alien Research Center, or grab a room at the A'Le'Inn. Just don't expect to wake up to spooky theremin music and a neon gravity beam pulling the inn up to the mothership!
Image credit & copyright: MartinStr, Pixabay
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FREEAstronomy Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Take solace UFO conspiracy theorists: Japan is with you. In 2020, the Pentagon officially released some UFO footage—which was so convincingly unidentifiable that Japan is now taking preemptive action. There are two videos, one from 2004 and another from 2015. Both show saucer-shaped craft either zooming by at astonishing speeds or eerily hovering. One UFO is roughly 40 feet long and levitates just 50 feet above water (see below). A now-retired navy commander was in the cockpit of a jet during the 2004 sighting. In a recent interview, he described how the UFO moved forward, backward, and to the sides as if an arcade game spaceship. He also noted how his radar was jammed in the UFO's presence. Even weirder, these UFO sightings were initially leaked in 2017 by To the Stars, a scientific entertainment company formed by Tom DeLonge… of the rock group Blink-182. Evidently, DeLonge turned a fascination with aliens into an effective enterprise? Nevermind—cut to 2020. At a press event, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura stated he firmly believes in UFOs. Which is surprising, seeing as Japan has never formally documented one. Regardless, Machimura affirmed that "[He] definitely believe[s] they exist," which prompted reporters to giggle. Sure, they can laugh it up all they want. But the Pentagon's footage has inspired Machimura and his cohort to instill new UFO protocols in Japan's air force. What a strange—or rather "alien"—time we live in.
Below: some of the Pentagon's UFO footage.
Image credit & copyright: Pixabay/Victor Tangermann
It's Flashback Friday! In honor of World UFO Day, enjoy these curios all about mankind’s fascination with the mysteries of space. Take solace UFO conspiracy theorists: Japan is with you. In 2020, the Pentagon officially released some UFO footage—which was so convincingly unidentifiable that Japan is now taking preemptive action. There are two videos, one from 2004 and another from 2015. Both show saucer-shaped craft either zooming by at astonishing speeds or eerily hovering. One UFO is roughly 40 feet long and levitates just 50 feet above water (see below). A now-retired navy commander was in the cockpit of a jet during the 2004 sighting. In a recent interview, he described how the UFO moved forward, backward, and to the sides as if an arcade game spaceship. He also noted how his radar was jammed in the UFO's presence. Even weirder, these UFO sightings were initially leaked in 2017 by To the Stars, a scientific entertainment company formed by Tom DeLonge… of the rock group Blink-182. Evidently, DeLonge turned a fascination with aliens into an effective enterprise? Nevermind—cut to 2020. At a press event, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura stated he firmly believes in UFOs. Which is surprising, seeing as Japan has never formally documented one. Regardless, Machimura affirmed that "[He] definitely believe[s] they exist," which prompted reporters to giggle. Sure, they can laugh it up all they want. But the Pentagon's footage has inspired Machimura and his cohort to instill new UFO protocols in Japan's air force. What a strange—or rather "alien"—time we live in.
Below: some of the Pentagon's UFO footage.
Image credit & copyright: Pixabay/Victor Tangermann
June 23, 2022
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The Taliban government in Afghanistan is appealing for more international support as the country struggles to cope with yesterday...
From the BBC World Service: The Taliban government in Afghanistan is appealing for more international support as the country struggles to cope with yesterday...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : June 23, 2022
ingenuous \in-JEN-yuh-wus\ adjective
What It Means
Ingenuous is most commonly used to describe someone who shows innocent ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : June 23, 2022
ingenuous \in-JEN-yuh-wus\ adjective
What It Means
Ingenuous is most commonly used to describe someone who shows innocent ...
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Move over wind and solar, there’s a new green energy in town and it’s powered by…carbon dioxide? Yep, the same greenhouse gas that’s driving climate change may soon have a widespread hand in mitigating it, thanks to Italian startup Energy Dome. The fledgling company, which began in 2020, recently announced the opening of its first carbon dioxide (CO2) battery in Sardinia, Italy. Also known as a grid-level energy storage plant, the facility both produces and stores energy without having to maintain low temperatures, as many other kinds of long-term batteries do. As Energy Dome’s name suggests, the secret to its CO2 battery is a large dome filled with carbon dioxide gas. To charge the battery, electric compressors condense the gas into liquid. This process produces excess heat, which is captured and stored. Then, when energy needs to be “withdrawn” from the battery, the heat is used to evaporate the liquid CO2, which once again fills the dome in gaseous form as energy from the process is harvested by turbines and delivered to the power grid. Although Energy Dome’s current battery only stores about four megawatt hours (MWh) of energy, it has served as proof-of-concept for the company’s larger planned facilities. In fact, Energy Dome has already sold facilities in Germany, Africa, and at least one Middle Eastern country, some of which are slated to open by 2023. These plants should be capable of storing 200 MWh of energy. The secret to Energy Dome’s ultra-speedy rollout? The fact that its CO2 batteries require no specially-made equipment. Of course, the abundance of CO2 probably doesn’t hurt, either.
[Image description: A combined photograph of wind turbines on the left and solar panels on the right.] Credit & copyright: seagul, Pixabay
Move over wind and solar, there’s a new green energy in town and it’s powered by…carbon dioxide? Yep, the same greenhouse gas that’s driving climate change may soon have a widespread hand in mitigating it, thanks to Italian startup Energy Dome. The fledgling company, which began in 2020, recently announced the opening of its first carbon dioxide (CO2) battery in Sardinia, Italy. Also known as a grid-level energy storage plant, the facility both produces and stores energy without having to maintain low temperatures, as many other kinds of long-term batteries do. As Energy Dome’s name suggests, the secret to its CO2 battery is a large dome filled with carbon dioxide gas. To charge the battery, electric compressors condense the gas into liquid. This process produces excess heat, which is captured and stored. Then, when energy needs to be “withdrawn” from the battery, the heat is used to evaporate the liquid CO2, which once again fills the dome in gaseous form as energy from the process is harvested by turbines and delivered to the power grid. Although Energy Dome’s current battery only stores about four megawatt hours (MWh) of energy, it has served as proof-of-concept for the company’s larger planned facilities. In fact, Energy Dome has already sold facilities in Germany, Africa, and at least one Middle Eastern country, some of which are slated to open by 2023. These plants should be capable of storing 200 MWh of energy. The secret to Energy Dome’s ultra-speedy rollout? The fact that its CO2 batteries require no specially-made equipment. Of course, the abundance of CO2 probably doesn’t hurt, either.
[Image description: A combined photograph of wind turbines on the left and solar panels on the right.] Credit & copyright: seagul, Pixabay
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #2466Free1 CQ
For some polar bears, any ice is nice. Scientists from the University of Washington in Seattle recently published findings from their study of a genetically isolated group of polar bears in Greenland. These bears have adopted unusual hunting habits in the face of climate change: rather than hunting from sea ice, which has become increasingly rare in recent years due to warming waters, this population of a few hundred bears have begun hunting on freshwater ice that breaks off from glaciers. Normally, polar bears hunt seals on large plains of sea ice. Since they’re mammals, seals have to occasionally surface to breathe and rest, which gives the bears a chance to strike. But this group of polar bears in southeast Greenland swim out to floating blocks of glacial ice, from which they ambush passing seals. Researchers observed the bears from 2015 to 2019, and found that they hunted this way for more than 250 days out of each year. It marks the first time that polar bears have been observed hunting from frozen freshwater for such extended periods.
Unfortunately, shrinking sea ice is still a major problem for most polar bears. According to lead author Kristen Laidre, an ecologist at the University of Washington’s Polar Science Center, only polar bears living in certain parts of Greenland and Svalbard have access to glacial ice. Glacier ice may help small numbers of polar bears survive for longer periods under climate warming, and may be important to prevent extinction, but it is not available for the vast majority of polar bears,” Laidre said, in an interview with NewScientist. “Climate action is the single most important thing for the future of polar bears. Most polar bears in the Arctic depend on sea ice.” In fact, as ocean temperatures continue to rise and sea ice becomes rarer, polar bear populations are projected to decrease by 30 percent over the next 35 years. Still, it’s good to see that some polar bears have been able to adapt to a changed environment. Now if only humanity would do its part to help keep them afloat.
[Image description: A polar bear with snow on its muzzle.] Credit & copyright: 358611, PixabayFor some polar bears, any ice is nice. Scientists from the University of Washington in Seattle recently published findings from their study of a genetically isolated group of polar bears in Greenland. These bears have adopted unusual hunting habits in the face of climate change: rather than hunting from sea ice, which has become increasingly rare in recent years due to warming waters, this population of a few hundred bears have begun hunting on freshwater ice that breaks off from glaciers. Normally, polar bears hunt seals on large plains of sea ice. Since they’re mammals, seals have to occasionally surface to breathe and rest, which gives the bears a chance to strike. But this group of polar bears in southeast Greenland swim out to floating blocks of glacial ice, from which they ambush passing seals. Researchers observed the bears from 2015 to 2019, and found that they hunted this way for more than 250 days out of each year. It marks the first time that polar bears have been observed hunting from frozen freshwater for such extended periods.
Unfortunately, shrinking sea ice is still a major problem for most polar bears. According to lead author Kristen Laidre, an ecologist at the University of Washington’s Polar Science Center, only polar bears living in certain parts of Greenland and Svalbard have access to glacial ice. Glacier ice may help small numbers of polar bears survive for longer periods under climate warming, and may be important to prevent extinction, but it is not available for the vast majority of polar bears,” Laidre said, in an interview with NewScientist. “Climate action is the single most important thing for the future of polar bears. Most polar bears in the Arctic depend on sea ice.” In fact, as ocean temperatures continue to rise and sea ice becomes rarer, polar bear populations are projected to decrease by 30 percent over the next 35 years. Still, it’s good to see that some polar bears have been able to adapt to a changed environment. Now if only humanity would do its part to help keep them afloat.
[Image description: A polar bear with snow on its muzzle.] Credit & copyright: 358611, Pixabay
June 22, 2022
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: As its economy falters, Turkey welcomes the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time since the 2018 murder of Sa...
From the BBC World Service: As its economy falters, Turkey welcomes the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time since the 2018 murder of Sa...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : June 22, 2022
quibble \KWIB-ul\ verb
What It Means
To quibble is to argue or complain about small, unimportant things. The word can also...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : June 22, 2022
quibble \KWIB-ul\ verb
What It Means
To quibble is to argue or complain about small, unimportant things. The word can also...
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FREENerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Imposter syndrome can be a real pain in the wallet. Especially when you’re an entrepreneur taking risks to start your own business. Confidence doesn’t always come easy, though, even if you happen to come from a business-savvy family. That was the case for 34-year-old Suneera Madhani, who today is co-founder of a successful payments start-up called Stax. Even though her parents ran several businesses, Madhani wasn’t sure she could do the same on her own. Instead, after studying finance at the University of Florida, Madhani began working for a payment-processing company that sold payment terminals—the “scanners” that businesses use to collect credit card payments from customers. Most companies that sell terminals, including the one Madhani worked for, also handle credit card payments, and charge fees between 1.5 to 3.5 percent per sale. Knowing that per-sale fees made it difficult for some businesses to estimate their costs, Madhani pitched a new idea to her bosses: how about charging businesses a flat, monthly rate instead?
Her job rejected the idea, but Madhani knew it could work, so she tried to sell the concept. Finally, her father asked why she didn’t start her own business. “″[I was] a reluctant entrepreneur,” Madhani explained to CNBC. “I was the last person to bet on me. And I think that’s the case for a lot of women.” Madhani’s brother, Sal Rehmetullah, also believed in her idea, and in 2014 they co-founded Stax. Together, they went through the hard work of finding clients and investors. At one point, a large competitor tried to buy Stax, putting forth a tempting offer that investors wanted Madhani to take. Instead, she and Rehmetullah took out a loan to keep Stax going, and today they’ve got plenty to show for it. Stax has processed more than $23 billion in transactions, secured $263 million in total funding, and has been valued at around $1 billion. In the business world, self-confidence can pay off big.
[Image description: A close-up of a credit card being swiped in a payment terminal.] Credit & copyright: AhmadArdity, PixabayImposter syndrome can be a real pain in the wallet. Especially when you’re an entrepreneur taking risks to start your own business. Confidence doesn’t always come easy, though, even if you happen to come from a business-savvy family. That was the case for 34-year-old Suneera Madhani, who today is co-founder of a successful payments start-up called Stax. Even though her parents ran several businesses, Madhani wasn’t sure she could do the same on her own. Instead, after studying finance at the University of Florida, Madhani began working for a payment-processing company that sold payment terminals—the “scanners” that businesses use to collect credit card payments from customers. Most companies that sell terminals, including the one Madhani worked for, also handle credit card payments, and charge fees between 1.5 to 3.5 percent per sale. Knowing that per-sale fees made it difficult for some businesses to estimate their costs, Madhani pitched a new idea to her bosses: how about charging businesses a flat, monthly rate instead?
Her job rejected the idea, but Madhani knew it could work, so she tried to sell the concept. Finally, her father asked why she didn’t start her own business. “″[I was] a reluctant entrepreneur,” Madhani explained to CNBC. “I was the last person to bet on me. And I think that’s the case for a lot of women.” Madhani’s brother, Sal Rehmetullah, also believed in her idea, and in 2014 they co-founded Stax. Together, they went through the hard work of finding clients and investors. At one point, a large competitor tried to buy Stax, putting forth a tempting offer that investors wanted Madhani to take. Instead, she and Rehmetullah took out a loan to keep Stax going, and today they’ve got plenty to show for it. Stax has processed more than $23 billion in transactions, secured $263 million in total funding, and has been valued at around $1 billion. In the business world, self-confidence can pay off big.
[Image description: A close-up of a credit card being swiped in a payment terminal.] Credit & copyright: AhmadArdity, Pixabay -
FREELiterature Daily Curio #2465Free1 CQ
It’s a not-so-dark day in literary history. On June 16, Guinness World Records announced that Bella J. Dark, of Weymouth, UK, is the youngest female author to publish a book. Bella wrote and illustrated The Lost Cat, a book about a cat named Snowy who gets lost at night and goes on an adventure. It was published by Ginger Fyre Press when Bella was 5 years and 211 days old. Since then, Dark’s book has sold well over the 1,000 minimum copies required to qualify Bella for the record. According to Guinness, Dark intended the book to be a cautionary tale to dissuade children from going outside alone at night. Bella told Guinness that the inspiration for her book came from one of her drawings. Of course, the young author also had some encouragement to get her started. She told Guinness, “It started off as a picture. My daddy said I could make a book and a story came from the picture.” Dark wrote at a pace that would make any struggling author green with envy, completing her entire book within 5 days.
The record for the youngest female author was previously held by Dorothy Straight of the U.S., who published her book, How the World Began in 1964 at the age of 6, and the record for the youngest male author is held by Thanuwana Serasinghe of Sri Lanka, who published Junk Food in 2017, when he was 4 years and 356 days old. According to Dark’s mother, Chelsie Syme, her daughter’s literary career isn’t over yet. In an interview with The Dorset Echo she explained, "She has done all the drawings by herself apart from one towards the back her older sister Lacey-May produced. This achievement is well deserved for all the hard work and dedication she's put into The Lost Cat, and which we're sure she will continue to do with her up and coming books. Watch out for The Lost Cat 2." There’s a sequel we’re excited to see.
[Image description: Rows of picture books sit in wooden bins.] Credit & copyright: 652234, PixabayIt’s a not-so-dark day in literary history. On June 16, Guinness World Records announced that Bella J. Dark, of Weymouth, UK, is the youngest female author to publish a book. Bella wrote and illustrated The Lost Cat, a book about a cat named Snowy who gets lost at night and goes on an adventure. It was published by Ginger Fyre Press when Bella was 5 years and 211 days old. Since then, Dark’s book has sold well over the 1,000 minimum copies required to qualify Bella for the record. According to Guinness, Dark intended the book to be a cautionary tale to dissuade children from going outside alone at night. Bella told Guinness that the inspiration for her book came from one of her drawings. Of course, the young author also had some encouragement to get her started. She told Guinness, “It started off as a picture. My daddy said I could make a book and a story came from the picture.” Dark wrote at a pace that would make any struggling author green with envy, completing her entire book within 5 days.
The record for the youngest female author was previously held by Dorothy Straight of the U.S., who published her book, How the World Began in 1964 at the age of 6, and the record for the youngest male author is held by Thanuwana Serasinghe of Sri Lanka, who published Junk Food in 2017, when he was 4 years and 356 days old. According to Dark’s mother, Chelsie Syme, her daughter’s literary career isn’t over yet. In an interview with The Dorset Echo she explained, "She has done all the drawings by herself apart from one towards the back her older sister Lacey-May produced. This achievement is well deserved for all the hard work and dedication she's put into The Lost Cat, and which we're sure she will continue to do with her up and coming books. Watch out for The Lost Cat 2." There’s a sequel we’re excited to see.
[Image description: Rows of picture books sit in wooden bins.] Credit & copyright: 652234, Pixabay