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December 3, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: December 3, 2023\DEK-strus\ adjective
What It Means
Dexterous is a formal adjective used to describe someone or something t...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: December 3, 2023\DEK-strus\ adjective
What It Means
Dexterous is a formal adjective used to describe someone or something t...
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FREEWorld History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
They’re glitzy, they’re glittery, and for a long time they were serious fire hazards. Christmas trees are, by far, the holiday’s most famous decorations, to the point that much of Christmas day literally takes place around them. Yet, for centuries, Christmas was celebrated without this celebratory staple.
Although Christmas is now the most widely-observed Christian holiday, Christians didn’t always celebrate it. Until the 4th century C.E., they were actually averse to celebrating the birthdays of saints or martyrs, and that extended to Jesus Christ himself. Such celebrations were considered too similar to pagan traditions, as were flashy decorations. It wasn’t until the 16th century that Germans embraced the pagan tradition of bringing evergreen boughs and whole trees into their homes during winter. Over time, they naturally began to spruce them up with homemade decorations. Martin Luther, a central figure of the Protestant Revolution, is widely acknowledged as the first person to have placed candles on a Christmas tree, in honor of the starry winter sky. Luther also helped make the trees a Christmas (rather than simply a winter) tradition.
In the following years, the practice of decorating trees for Christmas spread across Europe, making its way to the American colonies in the 18th century. Most early Christmas tree decorations were made from things that were easy to find around the house or in nature. These included strings of popcorn, bright pieces of fabric, red pepper swags, and moss. As much as the trees were a source of joy, however, they could also lead to disaster. Since they were lit with actual, flaming candles, they were serious fire hazards. Pine trees aren’t exactly known for being fireproof, and a single, errant flame could burn down not just a tree, but the entire house surrounding it. Still, by the 19th century, Christmas trees became a must-have item for every household after Queen Victoria (whose mother was German) put one up and placed her children's presents under it.
These days, electric lights have replaced candles, and many people prefer artificial trees that can be used year after year (and are far less flammable.) The first artificial Christmas trees were created due to pine tree shortages in Europe following World War I. These were made from dyed feathers and were fairly delicate. During World War II, the first mass-produced artificial trees were created by British company Addis Housewares, made from repurposed toilet-brush-making machinery. Sculpted, aluminum trees lit with internal color-wheels became popular soon after, but their appeal suffered greatly after the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas, which portrayed them as symbols of crass commercialism.
The artificial tree found redemption in the hands of Si Spiegel, a Jewish WWII veteran who, after being denied pilot jobs due to antisemitism, took a job as a factory worker at American Brush Machinery in the 1950s. Some of the machines that Spiegel worked on were being sold to companies that used them to make artificial trees. Spiegel encouraged American Brush Machinery to make artificial trees themselves, but the process didn't go smoothly, at first. The trees weren’t realistic enough. So, Spiegel studied real trees and tweaked the machine designs in order to make plastic trees with bendable branches that looked as close to the real thing as possible. With his guidance, American Brush Machinery became the world’s biggest supplier of artificial Christmas trees by the mid-1970s. Spiegel even started his own company, American Tree and Wreath, which produced around 800,000 trees per year, at the height of its popularity. Today, Christmas trees are a must-have item for anyone who celebrates the holiday. Real or fake, just leave the candles off of them.
[Image description: The top of a decorated Christmas Tree surrounded by golden string lights.] Credit & copyright: Elina Fairytale, PexelsThey’re glitzy, they’re glittery, and for a long time they were serious fire hazards. Christmas trees are, by far, the holiday’s most famous decorations, to the point that much of Christmas day literally takes place around them. Yet, for centuries, Christmas was celebrated without this celebratory staple.
Although Christmas is now the most widely-observed Christian holiday, Christians didn’t always celebrate it. Until the 4th century C.E., they were actually averse to celebrating the birthdays of saints or martyrs, and that extended to Jesus Christ himself. Such celebrations were considered too similar to pagan traditions, as were flashy decorations. It wasn’t until the 16th century that Germans embraced the pagan tradition of bringing evergreen boughs and whole trees into their homes during winter. Over time, they naturally began to spruce them up with homemade decorations. Martin Luther, a central figure of the Protestant Revolution, is widely acknowledged as the first person to have placed candles on a Christmas tree, in honor of the starry winter sky. Luther also helped make the trees a Christmas (rather than simply a winter) tradition.
In the following years, the practice of decorating trees for Christmas spread across Europe, making its way to the American colonies in the 18th century. Most early Christmas tree decorations were made from things that were easy to find around the house or in nature. These included strings of popcorn, bright pieces of fabric, red pepper swags, and moss. As much as the trees were a source of joy, however, they could also lead to disaster. Since they were lit with actual, flaming candles, they were serious fire hazards. Pine trees aren’t exactly known for being fireproof, and a single, errant flame could burn down not just a tree, but the entire house surrounding it. Still, by the 19th century, Christmas trees became a must-have item for every household after Queen Victoria (whose mother was German) put one up and placed her children's presents under it.
These days, electric lights have replaced candles, and many people prefer artificial trees that can be used year after year (and are far less flammable.) The first artificial Christmas trees were created due to pine tree shortages in Europe following World War I. These were made from dyed feathers and were fairly delicate. During World War II, the first mass-produced artificial trees were created by British company Addis Housewares, made from repurposed toilet-brush-making machinery. Sculpted, aluminum trees lit with internal color-wheels became popular soon after, but their appeal suffered greatly after the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas, which portrayed them as symbols of crass commercialism.
The artificial tree found redemption in the hands of Si Spiegel, a Jewish WWII veteran who, after being denied pilot jobs due to antisemitism, took a job as a factory worker at American Brush Machinery in the 1950s. Some of the machines that Spiegel worked on were being sold to companies that used them to make artificial trees. Spiegel encouraged American Brush Machinery to make artificial trees themselves, but the process didn't go smoothly, at first. The trees weren’t realistic enough. So, Spiegel studied real trees and tweaked the machine designs in order to make plastic trees with bendable branches that looked as close to the real thing as possible. With his guidance, American Brush Machinery became the world’s biggest supplier of artificial Christmas trees by the mid-1970s. Spiegel even started his own company, American Tree and Wreath, which produced around 800,000 trees per year, at the height of its popularity. Today, Christmas trees are a must-have item for anyone who celebrates the holiday. Real or fake, just leave the candles off of them.
[Image description: The top of a decorated Christmas Tree surrounded by golden string lights.] Credit & copyright: Elina Fairytale, Pexels -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Consumer Reports is out with a survey finding that EV owners had roughly 80% more problems than owners of conventional vehicles. Key problems included issues...
Consumer Reports is out with a survey finding that EV owners had roughly 80% more problems than owners of conventional vehicles. Key problems included issues...
December 2, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: December 2, 2023\HYVE-mynde\ noun
What It Means
Hive mind refers to the collective thoughts, ideas, and opinions of a group...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: December 2, 2023\HYVE-mynde\ noun
What It Means
Hive mind refers to the collective thoughts, ideas, and opinions of a group...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks later today, after other Fed officials have been particularly chatty. This is before a quiet period that precedes ...
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks later today, after other Fed officials have been particularly chatty. This is before a quiet period that precedes ...
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FREEFootball Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
This is one way to tackle the gender barrier. American football has always been male-dominated, but more and more women are playing the sport and its derivative, flag football. Usually, women who join all-male football teams play as kickers, a position that doesn’t throw them into the fray in the gridiron with their male counterparts. However, Haley Van Voorhis made history in September at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, when she joined her teammates as a safety. Women’s flag football is also rising in popularity. In flag football, instead of trying to tackle a ball carrier to end a down, the defensive team removes a flag from the carrier’s body. Currently, there are 15 colleges in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that offer women’s flag football, though the sport is yet to be recognized by the NCAA. Still, these schools have robust intramural programs and even require students to attend try-outs. Meanwhile, there are 180 high school varsity flag football teams competing in New York, with funding from the state’s own NFL teams: the Bills, Jets, and Giants. Things are looking up on the international level as well. The IOC just announced that flag football will be added as a new event in the 2028 Olympics with men’s and women’s teams, giving the sport a huge boost in visibility and something for many of the young competitors to aspire to in the absence of a professional league. Looks like the gridiron could get a bit more crowded soon.
[Image description: A brown football in a grassy field.] Credit & copyright: filterssofly, Pixabay
This is one way to tackle the gender barrier. American football has always been male-dominated, but more and more women are playing the sport and its derivative, flag football. Usually, women who join all-male football teams play as kickers, a position that doesn’t throw them into the fray in the gridiron with their male counterparts. However, Haley Van Voorhis made history in September at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, when she joined her teammates as a safety. Women’s flag football is also rising in popularity. In flag football, instead of trying to tackle a ball carrier to end a down, the defensive team removes a flag from the carrier’s body. Currently, there are 15 colleges in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that offer women’s flag football, though the sport is yet to be recognized by the NCAA. Still, these schools have robust intramural programs and even require students to attend try-outs. Meanwhile, there are 180 high school varsity flag football teams competing in New York, with funding from the state’s own NFL teams: the Bills, Jets, and Giants. Things are looking up on the international level as well. The IOC just announced that flag football will be added as a new event in the 2028 Olympics with men’s and women’s teams, giving the sport a huge boost in visibility and something for many of the young competitors to aspire to in the absence of a professional league. Looks like the gridiron could get a bit more crowded soon.
[Image description: A brown football in a grassy field.] Credit & copyright: filterssofly, Pixabay
December 1, 2023
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Germany is looking at an $18 billion gap in next year’s budget because of a court decision last week on a German fiscal rule know...
From the BBC World Service: Germany is looking at an $18 billion gap in next year’s budget because of a court decision last week on a German fiscal rule know...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Food just tastes better when it’s part of a celebration. Latkes, a type of potato pancake, are a staple of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. They’ve been enjoyed during this annual wintertime celebration, which will be observed from December 7th to December 15th this year, for centuries. However, before the 19th century, latkes looked quite different than they do today. In fact, they weren’t even made with potatoes.
Modern latkes (Yiddish for “pancakes”) are made with shredded potatoes, eggs, and flour. Diced onions are often added for flavor, too. The small, round fritters are then fried in oil. Frying latkes is a crucially important step not just for cooking, but because of its significance to Hanukkah. The holiday celebrates the retaking of The Temple of Jerusalem from the Greeks in the 2nd century B.C.E. According to the story, after the temple was retaken, sacred candles were lit to rededicate it. Even though there was only enough oil for the candles to burn for one day, they miraculously burned for eight days. Oil-fried latkes serve to remind celebrants of this story.
Surprisingly, though, latkes weren’t always made with potatoes or oil, and they were once more closely associated with a different Jewish story: The story of Judith. In this tale, a widow named Judith saved her town of Bethulia, which was being held under siege by Holofernes, a general in the Assyrian army. Judith charmed Holofernes and fed him latkes made from cheese and fried in schmaltz, or chicken fat. The latkes were so salty that Holofernes grew thirsty and drank too much wine. He passed out and Judith killed him in his sleep, thus saving her town. The latkes in this story are pretty representative of what latkes were like throughout most of their history. After all, potatoes weren’t brought to Europe until the 16th Century, and cooking oils weren’t widely available during latkes’ early days, either. So, instead of potatoes fried in oil, latkes were made with ricotta cheese in places like Italy, and with buckwheat flour in regions in and around Russia. Both kinds were popularly served at Jewish celebrations, including Hanukkah.
Once potatoes did make their way to Europe in the middle ages, they were planted en masse due to their hardiness. They soon became a cheap source of sustenance for commoners. Jewish people began making latkes from shredded potatoes, though it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that cooking oils became widely available too. Since cheese latkes were already a common Jewish celebration food, potato latkes quickly began popping up during the same holidays, and their connection to oil gave them additional significance during Hanukkah. Today, latkes remain a delicious, simple, yet storied food.
[Image description: Two latkes on a plate, with white sauce on the side.] Credit & copyright: Taken, PixabayFood just tastes better when it’s part of a celebration. Latkes, a type of potato pancake, are a staple of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. They’ve been enjoyed during this annual wintertime celebration, which will be observed from December 7th to December 15th this year, for centuries. However, before the 19th century, latkes looked quite different than they do today. In fact, they weren’t even made with potatoes.
Modern latkes (Yiddish for “pancakes”) are made with shredded potatoes, eggs, and flour. Diced onions are often added for flavor, too. The small, round fritters are then fried in oil. Frying latkes is a crucially important step not just for cooking, but because of its significance to Hanukkah. The holiday celebrates the retaking of The Temple of Jerusalem from the Greeks in the 2nd century B.C.E. According to the story, after the temple was retaken, sacred candles were lit to rededicate it. Even though there was only enough oil for the candles to burn for one day, they miraculously burned for eight days. Oil-fried latkes serve to remind celebrants of this story.
Surprisingly, though, latkes weren’t always made with potatoes or oil, and they were once more closely associated with a different Jewish story: The story of Judith. In this tale, a widow named Judith saved her town of Bethulia, which was being held under siege by Holofernes, a general in the Assyrian army. Judith charmed Holofernes and fed him latkes made from cheese and fried in schmaltz, or chicken fat. The latkes were so salty that Holofernes grew thirsty and drank too much wine. He passed out and Judith killed him in his sleep, thus saving her town. The latkes in this story are pretty representative of what latkes were like throughout most of their history. After all, potatoes weren’t brought to Europe until the 16th Century, and cooking oils weren’t widely available during latkes’ early days, either. So, instead of potatoes fried in oil, latkes were made with ricotta cheese in places like Italy, and with buckwheat flour in regions in and around Russia. Both kinds were popularly served at Jewish celebrations, including Hanukkah.
Once potatoes did make their way to Europe in the middle ages, they were planted en masse due to their hardiness. They soon became a cheap source of sustenance for commoners. Jewish people began making latkes from shredded potatoes, though it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that cooking oils became widely available too. Since cheese latkes were already a common Jewish celebration food, potato latkes quickly began popping up during the same holidays, and their connection to oil gave them additional significance during Hanukkah. Today, latkes remain a delicious, simple, yet storied food.
[Image description: Two latkes on a plate, with white sauce on the side.] Credit & copyright: Taken, Pixabay
November 30, 2023
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The appointment of the COP28 summit’s president, Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, has been controversial, as he’s also the CEO of Abu Dhabi...
From the BBC World Service: The appointment of the COP28 summit’s president, Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, has been controversial, as he’s also the CEO of Abu Dhabi...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: November 30, 2023\fih-LISS-uh-tus\ adjective
What It Means
Felicitous is an adjective most often used in formal speech and ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: November 30, 2023\fih-LISS-uh-tus\ adjective
What It Means
Felicitous is an adjective most often used in formal speech and ...
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FREEEngineering Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
She’ll be soaring but she won’t be roaring. Designed by NASA and built by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the X-59 is almost ready to fly at supersonic speeds but without the sonic boom. Supersonic travel has been possible for a long time, but it comes at a cost. Anytime an aircraft flies, it creates sound with its engines and by the air rushing over its surface. Sound is just a pressure wave moving through the air, but when an aircraft goes faster than the speed of sound, the pressure waves “pile up” in front of the aircraft. That, in turn, forms shockwaves, which cause sonic booms, the deafening sound that can be heard from the ground even if the aircraft is high above. When the first supersonic passenger planes, called Concordes, were still around, airports received constant complaints about the noise they produced. Enter the X-59. Unlike other supersonic aircraft, it’s designed to go beyond the sound barrier without making a peep (at least, not much of one). Engineers accomplished this by streamlining the shape of the plane, so much so that it doesn’t even have a windshield at the front. Instead, the pilot sees through NASA’s eXternal Vision System (XVS), although the windscreen still allows them to look to the sides and above. This extreme profile means that pressure waves don’t have a chance to build up in front, allowing the X-59 to stay around 75 PldB. Instead of a sonic boom, NASA calls it a “sonic thump.” Next year, NASA plans to fly X-59 over the U.S. to collect data on how various communities perceive the sound. Flyover states have never been more interesting.
[Image description: Vapor trails from airplanes in a sky at sunset.] Credit & copyright: Mike_Shuttleworth, Pixabay
She’ll be soaring but she won’t be roaring. Designed by NASA and built by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the X-59 is almost ready to fly at supersonic speeds but without the sonic boom. Supersonic travel has been possible for a long time, but it comes at a cost. Anytime an aircraft flies, it creates sound with its engines and by the air rushing over its surface. Sound is just a pressure wave moving through the air, but when an aircraft goes faster than the speed of sound, the pressure waves “pile up” in front of the aircraft. That, in turn, forms shockwaves, which cause sonic booms, the deafening sound that can be heard from the ground even if the aircraft is high above. When the first supersonic passenger planes, called Concordes, were still around, airports received constant complaints about the noise they produced. Enter the X-59. Unlike other supersonic aircraft, it’s designed to go beyond the sound barrier without making a peep (at least, not much of one). Engineers accomplished this by streamlining the shape of the plane, so much so that it doesn’t even have a windshield at the front. Instead, the pilot sees through NASA’s eXternal Vision System (XVS), although the windscreen still allows them to look to the sides and above. This extreme profile means that pressure waves don’t have a chance to build up in front, allowing the X-59 to stay around 75 PldB. Instead of a sonic boom, NASA calls it a “sonic thump.” Next year, NASA plans to fly X-59 over the U.S. to collect data on how various communities perceive the sound. Flyover states have never been more interesting.
[Image description: Vapor trails from airplanes in a sky at sunset.] Credit & copyright: Mike_Shuttleworth, Pixabay
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2768Free1 CQ
This whisky’s old enough to retire! A distillery in Scotland has set a new record as one of their 60-year-old bottles of whiskey recently sold for $2.7 million at auction. Located in Craigellachie, Moray, Scotland, Macallan is no stranger to rarefied spirits. The distillery has been producing whisky for nearly two centuries, but this latest sale is unlike any before. Back in 1926, the distiller began aging a batch of whisky in sherry casks, where it stayed for 60 years. When whisky is first distilled, it comes out as a clear spirit with little flavor. To give it its characteristic woody taste, the spirit is placed in oak barrels (in this case, ones that previously aged sherry for an even more complex flavor profile). Most spirits aged this way are only barreled for a few years at most, but to be considered Scotch whisky, it must be aged for at least three years and have an alcohol content of 40 percent ABV. Over the years, the whiskey takes on a darker color from the wood and absorbs tannins and flavor compounds. Once the whisky is bottled, it’s no longer aging, so no matter how long a 20-year-old whisky sits on a shelf, it will always be considered 20-years-old.
Some whisky is lost to evaporation while it ages in barrels, but the longer it ages, the more it’s typically worth. When the Macallan Adami 1926 was bottled in 1986, each of the 40 bottles produced already commanded a premium, but the price only went up over the years. One sold back in 2019 for $1.9 million at auction, and this latest bottle was given a pre-auction estimate of $1.5 million. As for what the record-breaking liquor tastes like? Macallan’s master whisky maker, Kirsteen Campbell, told the Associated Press that it tastes of, “rich dark fruits, black cherry compote alongside sticky dates, followed by intense sweet antique oak.” Old, bold, and plenty pricey.
[Image description: A glass of scotch against a dark background.] Credit & copyright: PublicDomainPictures, PixabayThis whisky’s old enough to retire! A distillery in Scotland has set a new record as one of their 60-year-old bottles of whiskey recently sold for $2.7 million at auction. Located in Craigellachie, Moray, Scotland, Macallan is no stranger to rarefied spirits. The distillery has been producing whisky for nearly two centuries, but this latest sale is unlike any before. Back in 1926, the distiller began aging a batch of whisky in sherry casks, where it stayed for 60 years. When whisky is first distilled, it comes out as a clear spirit with little flavor. To give it its characteristic woody taste, the spirit is placed in oak barrels (in this case, ones that previously aged sherry for an even more complex flavor profile). Most spirits aged this way are only barreled for a few years at most, but to be considered Scotch whisky, it must be aged for at least three years and have an alcohol content of 40 percent ABV. Over the years, the whiskey takes on a darker color from the wood and absorbs tannins and flavor compounds. Once the whisky is bottled, it’s no longer aging, so no matter how long a 20-year-old whisky sits on a shelf, it will always be considered 20-years-old.
Some whisky is lost to evaporation while it ages in barrels, but the longer it ages, the more it’s typically worth. When the Macallan Adami 1926 was bottled in 1986, each of the 40 bottles produced already commanded a premium, but the price only went up over the years. One sold back in 2019 for $1.9 million at auction, and this latest bottle was given a pre-auction estimate of $1.5 million. As for what the record-breaking liquor tastes like? Macallan’s master whisky maker, Kirsteen Campbell, told the Associated Press that it tastes of, “rich dark fruits, black cherry compote alongside sticky dates, followed by intense sweet antique oak.” Old, bold, and plenty pricey.
[Image description: A glass of scotch against a dark background.] Credit & copyright: PublicDomainPictures, Pixabay
November 29, 2023
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Over 10 years ago, Uber shook up the United Kingdom’s taxi scene. Now, the company says it will open up its platform to London’s ...
From the BBC World Service: Over 10 years ago, Uber shook up the United Kingdom’s taxi scene. Now, the company says it will open up its platform to London’s ...
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FREEWork Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
The entertainment industry can be a temperamental place. Case in point: Disney, which is not only famed for its children’s movies but also owns Marvel Studios, has suffered a string of recent box office losses. Their latest animated film, Wish, cost around $200 million to produce, but only made around $31.7 million in its five-day opening. Earlier this year, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which was meant to usher in a new phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, failed to meet box office projections. Now, the company’s most recent Marvel movie, The Marvels, has become the worst-performing Marvel movie in the entire 33-film franchise. So, what’s going on? On the Marvel side of things, it’s possible that a certain amount of superhero fatigue has set in. After all, Marvel has been releasing superhero movies in earnest since 2008’s Iron Man—several per year, in recent years. As for Wish, it’s possible that Disney hasn’t quite figured out how to adapt their box office expectations to the streaming era. After all, 2021’s Encanto only became a real hit once it was available to stream on Disney+. On a recent earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Iger implied that the studio might have been focused on creating too much content at once, and that they will now pivot to “...reducing output overall to enable us to concentrate on fewer projects and improve quality, while continuing our effort around the creation of fresh and compelling original IP.” Even entertainment giants like Disney have to slow their rolls sometimes.
The entertainment industry can be a temperamental place. Case in point: Disney, which is not only famed for its children’s movies but also owns Marvel Studios, has suffered a string of recent box office losses. Their latest animated film, Wish, cost around $200 million to produce, but only made around $31.7 million in its five-day opening. Earlier this year, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which was meant to usher in a new phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, failed to meet box office projections. Now, the company’s most recent Marvel movie, The Marvels, has become the worst-performing Marvel movie in the entire 33-film franchise. So, what’s going on? On the Marvel side of things, it’s possible that a certain amount of superhero fatigue has set in. After all, Marvel has been releasing superhero movies in earnest since 2008’s Iron Man—several per year, in recent years. As for Wish, it’s possible that Disney hasn’t quite figured out how to adapt their box office expectations to the streaming era. After all, 2021’s Encanto only became a real hit once it was available to stream on Disney+. On a recent earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Iger implied that the studio might have been focused on creating too much content at once, and that they will now pivot to “...reducing output overall to enable us to concentrate on fewer projects and improve quality, while continuing our effort around the creation of fresh and compelling original IP.” Even entertainment giants like Disney have to slow their rolls sometimes.
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2767Free1 CQ
Did you lose your senses during the pandemic? Many people who came down with COVID-19 in recent years are still struggling with the loss of their sense of smell, but a new treatment from Jefferson Health in Philadelphia might be able to bring their smellers into tip-top shape again. Although most people walk away from a bout of COVID without long-term effects, some unlucky folks suffer from post-COVID parosmia. Parosmia is a distorted sense of smell caused by malfunctioning smell receptors in the nose. These receptors fail to send the proper chemical signals to the brain. In some cases, parosmia can cause the sufferer to perceive pleasant smells as unpleasant, in others, it can reduce their ability to smell in general. The condition can be caused by a variety of issues, including chronic sinusitis and, of course, upper respiratory infections.
But there's hope for those suffering post-COVID parosmia: a treatment called a stellate ganglion block. The procedure is non-invasive and takes only 10 minutes or so. It’s performed by injecting an anesthetic into the stellate ganglia, located on the sides of the neck. Previously, the treatment had been used to thwart cluster headaches, phantom limb pain, and irregular heartbeats. When testing its effectiveness against post-COVID parosmia, researchers added a corticosteroid to deal with any remaining COVID virus that they suspected might be responsible for the long-term condition. When they injected the cocktail of drugs into patients’ necks, the results were surprisingly effective. Of the 58 patients who underwent the procedure, 37 followed up with the researchers. Of those, 22 said they experienced an improvement within a week, and most of the 22 saw significant improvements over the first month. A second injection led to further improvement in those who responded to the first shot, but did nothing for those who didn’t respond the first time around. Still, if you still have a busted nose, it’s worth a shot (or two).
[Image description: An illustration of a colorless person smelling a pink flower while blindfolded against a black background.] Credit & copyright: CDD20, PixabayDid you lose your senses during the pandemic? Many people who came down with COVID-19 in recent years are still struggling with the loss of their sense of smell, but a new treatment from Jefferson Health in Philadelphia might be able to bring their smellers into tip-top shape again. Although most people walk away from a bout of COVID without long-term effects, some unlucky folks suffer from post-COVID parosmia. Parosmia is a distorted sense of smell caused by malfunctioning smell receptors in the nose. These receptors fail to send the proper chemical signals to the brain. In some cases, parosmia can cause the sufferer to perceive pleasant smells as unpleasant, in others, it can reduce their ability to smell in general. The condition can be caused by a variety of issues, including chronic sinusitis and, of course, upper respiratory infections.
But there's hope for those suffering post-COVID parosmia: a treatment called a stellate ganglion block. The procedure is non-invasive and takes only 10 minutes or so. It’s performed by injecting an anesthetic into the stellate ganglia, located on the sides of the neck. Previously, the treatment had been used to thwart cluster headaches, phantom limb pain, and irregular heartbeats. When testing its effectiveness against post-COVID parosmia, researchers added a corticosteroid to deal with any remaining COVID virus that they suspected might be responsible for the long-term condition. When they injected the cocktail of drugs into patients’ necks, the results were surprisingly effective. Of the 58 patients who underwent the procedure, 37 followed up with the researchers. Of those, 22 said they experienced an improvement within a week, and most of the 22 saw significant improvements over the first month. A second injection led to further improvement in those who responded to the first shot, but did nothing for those who didn’t respond the first time around. Still, if you still have a busted nose, it’s worth a shot (or two).
[Image description: An illustration of a colorless person smelling a pink flower while blindfolded against a black background.] Credit & copyright: CDD20, Pixabay
November 28, 2023
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The first transatlantic flight powered only by what’s being called “sustainable aviation fuel” is due to take off from London tod...
From the BBC World Service: The first transatlantic flight powered only by what’s being called “sustainable aviation fuel” is due to take off from London tod...
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3 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: November 28, 2023\kuh-NET-ik\ adjective
What It Means
Kinetic has several meanings that all have to do with movement. In ph...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: November 28, 2023\kuh-NET-ik\ adjective
What It Means
Kinetic has several meanings that all have to do with movement. In ph...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
This movie owed it all to its soundtrack! In November of 1987, (I've Had) The Time of My Life, from the hit film Dirty Dancing, was topping the Billboard Hot 100. The movie was tailored around the song to the point that some lyrics were featured in the movie’s tagline and on official posters. That makes sense, considering that the song’s three writers, Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz, were hired to write it specifically for the film. Previte provided the vocals for the song’s demo alongside singer Rachele Cappelli, and the movie’s climactic final scene was actually filmed first, using that demo. Eventually, though, the vocals were replaced with the voices of Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley, of the Righteous Brothers. Previte could hardly be upset, though, as the song was an instant hit, owing partially to its unusual structure. The writers based its format on Donna Summers’ Last Dance. It begins with a slow chorus, in half-time, before chugging into a danceable-but-bare-bones verse, then building to a bold, towering crescendo of a second chorus. It’s a tune that seems built for the silver screen…because it was.
This movie owed it all to its soundtrack! In November of 1987, (I've Had) The Time of My Life, from the hit film Dirty Dancing, was topping the Billboard Hot 100. The movie was tailored around the song to the point that some lyrics were featured in the movie’s tagline and on official posters. That makes sense, considering that the song’s three writers, Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz, were hired to write it specifically for the film. Previte provided the vocals for the song’s demo alongside singer Rachele Cappelli, and the movie’s climactic final scene was actually filmed first, using that demo. Eventually, though, the vocals were replaced with the voices of Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley, of the Righteous Brothers. Previte could hardly be upset, though, as the song was an instant hit, owing partially to its unusual structure. The writers based its format on Donna Summers’ Last Dance. It begins with a slow chorus, in half-time, before chugging into a danceable-but-bare-bones verse, then building to a bold, towering crescendo of a second chorus. It’s a tune that seems built for the silver screen…because it was.
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FREEWork Daily Curio #2766Free1 CQ
Unclog that pipe as fast as you can, there’s a trophy on the line! In July, the Elite Trades Championship Series, which already included competitions for electricians and HVAC tradespeople, held the first round of its first-ever Plumbing National Championship. In October, the competition wrapped up in Tampa, Florida, with Craig Childress, of Boston, taking the title. Amazingly, he also won the series’ HVAC championship. On December 29, the entire Trades Championship Series will air on The CBS Sports Network, allowing a wide audience to celebrate the trades. In fact, that’s the entire point of the competition. In a press release, a spokesperson for event sponsor SharkBite Plumbing Solutions explained, “Plumbing is not just a job—it’s a vocation that pays well, but demands smarts, skill, and a steady hand…Plumbing may not spark viral hashtags or trend on TikTok, but the Plumbing National Championship is changing the conversation around this foundational trade.”
The competition consisted of multiple stages and hands-on challenges, assuring that only the most skilled plumbers could advance. Those hoping to compete in the Plumbing National Championship first had to complete a qualifying online quiz to test their knowledge of industry terminology, among other things. The top-20 scorers then received an at-home challenge kit in which they had to complete a complex plumbing task and record their results. The top five plumbers then moved on to the finals in Tampa, Florida, to compete head-to-head in a series of timed plumbing challenges. After his impressive double-win, a first in the series’ history, Childress happily told the press, “Professionally, this is the most absurdly wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s been an unbelievable journey.” In addition to a trophy and bragging rights, Childress also won a slice of $20,000 in cash and prizes. A well-earned reward for flushing the competition.
[Image description: A pipe with red and blue wrenches attached to it. Other plumbing tools sit nearby.] Credit & copyright: stevepb, PixabayUnclog that pipe as fast as you can, there’s a trophy on the line! In July, the Elite Trades Championship Series, which already included competitions for electricians and HVAC tradespeople, held the first round of its first-ever Plumbing National Championship. In October, the competition wrapped up in Tampa, Florida, with Craig Childress, of Boston, taking the title. Amazingly, he also won the series’ HVAC championship. On December 29, the entire Trades Championship Series will air on The CBS Sports Network, allowing a wide audience to celebrate the trades. In fact, that’s the entire point of the competition. In a press release, a spokesperson for event sponsor SharkBite Plumbing Solutions explained, “Plumbing is not just a job—it’s a vocation that pays well, but demands smarts, skill, and a steady hand…Plumbing may not spark viral hashtags or trend on TikTok, but the Plumbing National Championship is changing the conversation around this foundational trade.”
The competition consisted of multiple stages and hands-on challenges, assuring that only the most skilled plumbers could advance. Those hoping to compete in the Plumbing National Championship first had to complete a qualifying online quiz to test their knowledge of industry terminology, among other things. The top-20 scorers then received an at-home challenge kit in which they had to complete a complex plumbing task and record their results. The top five plumbers then moved on to the finals in Tampa, Florida, to compete head-to-head in a series of timed plumbing challenges. After his impressive double-win, a first in the series’ history, Childress happily told the press, “Professionally, this is the most absurdly wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s been an unbelievable journey.” In addition to a trophy and bragging rights, Childress also won a slice of $20,000 in cash and prizes. A well-earned reward for flushing the competition.
[Image description: A pipe with red and blue wrenches attached to it. Other plumbing tools sit nearby.] Credit & copyright: stevepb, Pixabay
November 27, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: November 27, 2023\KUL-prit\ noun
What It Means
Culprit refers to a person who has committed a crime or done something wrong...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: November 27, 2023\KUL-prit\ noun
What It Means
Culprit refers to a person who has committed a crime or done something wrong...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree2 CQ
It’s not a duck, but it could be a waterfowl. This bird-shaped relic was used as a water vessel, and was made during the Seljuq period (from around 1037–1194 C.E.) in what is now Iran. It’s crafted from bronze and features circular, geometric patterns. The bronze surface displays a patina, and the bird has blue-green stone eyes. Named for the ruling family of the Oğuz, a confederation of Turkic tribes who ruled much of southwestern Asia beginning in the 11th century, the Seljuq period gave rise to a wealth of art and architecture in the region. Artists in Iran were known for their bronze work, which often included inlays of precious metals. They were so influential and their style so persistent through the ages that many bronze artifacts produced after this period have been mistaken for Seljuq-period pieces. This particular sculpture embodies the detailed work for which artisans of the period were known. Used for handwashing, the hinged beak of the bird would have opened when water was poured through it. That’s one way to wet your beak.
Bird-shaped Vessel, c. 1100s, Bronze, cast, with chased and chiseled decoration; eyes inlaid with blue glass, 6.87 x 3.75 in. (17.5 x 9.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edward L. Whittemore Fund, CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain]It’s not a duck, but it could be a waterfowl. This bird-shaped relic was used as a water vessel, and was made during the Seljuq period (from around 1037–1194 C.E.) in what is now Iran. It’s crafted from bronze and features circular, geometric patterns. The bronze surface displays a patina, and the bird has blue-green stone eyes. Named for the ruling family of the Oğuz, a confederation of Turkic tribes who ruled much of southwestern Asia beginning in the 11th century, the Seljuq period gave rise to a wealth of art and architecture in the region. Artists in Iran were known for their bronze work, which often included inlays of precious metals. They were so influential and their style so persistent through the ages that many bronze artifacts produced after this period have been mistaken for Seljuq-period pieces. This particular sculpture embodies the detailed work for which artisans of the period were known. Used for handwashing, the hinged beak of the bird would have opened when water was poured through it. That’s one way to wet your beak.
Bird-shaped Vessel, c. 1100s, Bronze, cast, with chased and chiseled decoration; eyes inlaid with blue glass, 6.87 x 3.75 in. (17.5 x 9.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edward L. Whittemore Fund, CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain] -
FREEDaily Curio #2765Free1 CQ
If you have a bad ticker down under, there’s a chance that this hero’s work will help save your life. Google recently featured a Doodle honoring Dr. Victor Chang, a cardiologist who pioneered cardiovascular surgery and heart transplants in Australia. Dr. Chang was born in 1936 in Shanghai to Australian-born Chinese parents. His mother died of breast cancer when he was a child, spurring his interest in medicine. After eventually completing his residency at the University of Sydney, he moved abroad to further his studies. He went to England, then to the U.S., where he trained at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, before heading back to Australia. There, he worked at St. Vincent’s Hospital as a cardiothoracic surgeon. In 1984, he made history when he performed a heart transplant on Fiona Coote, who was then the youngest patient ever to undergo the procedure at the age of 14. Coote was also just the fourth patient to receive a heart transplant, and only the second to survive for a significant amount of time. Dr. Chang became famous after the surgery, and he also made critical innovations, including an artificial heart valve that is still used today around the world. For his life-saving contributions to the field of medicine, he was given the Companion of the Order of Australia in 1986, the highest award in the country. Tragically, Dr. Chang was murdered in 1991 during a kidnapping attempt. Today, he is considered a national hero, and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute was founded in 1994 to honor and continue his legacy. His work so touched the people of Australia that in 1999, he was voted the Australian of the Century by the People’s Choice Awards. By the way, Fiona Coote is still alive and well after nearly 38 years.
[Image description: A yellow stethoscope and a red twist tie in the shape of a heart.] Credit & copyright: Karolina Grabowska, PexelsIf you have a bad ticker down under, there’s a chance that this hero’s work will help save your life. Google recently featured a Doodle honoring Dr. Victor Chang, a cardiologist who pioneered cardiovascular surgery and heart transplants in Australia. Dr. Chang was born in 1936 in Shanghai to Australian-born Chinese parents. His mother died of breast cancer when he was a child, spurring his interest in medicine. After eventually completing his residency at the University of Sydney, he moved abroad to further his studies. He went to England, then to the U.S., where he trained at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, before heading back to Australia. There, he worked at St. Vincent’s Hospital as a cardiothoracic surgeon. In 1984, he made history when he performed a heart transplant on Fiona Coote, who was then the youngest patient ever to undergo the procedure at the age of 14. Coote was also just the fourth patient to receive a heart transplant, and only the second to survive for a significant amount of time. Dr. Chang became famous after the surgery, and he also made critical innovations, including an artificial heart valve that is still used today around the world. For his life-saving contributions to the field of medicine, he was given the Companion of the Order of Australia in 1986, the highest award in the country. Tragically, Dr. Chang was murdered in 1991 during a kidnapping attempt. Today, he is considered a national hero, and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute was founded in 1994 to honor and continue his legacy. His work so touched the people of Australia that in 1999, he was voted the Australian of the Century by the People’s Choice Awards. By the way, Fiona Coote is still alive and well after nearly 38 years.
[Image description: A yellow stethoscope and a red twist tie in the shape of a heart.] Credit & copyright: Karolina Grabowska, Pexels -
9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The chair of the FDIC was grilled during Congressional hearings last week following reports by the Wall Street Journal on allegations of sexual harassment an...
The chair of the FDIC was grilled during Congressional hearings last week following reports by the Wall Street Journal on allegations of sexual harassment an...