World Braille Day celebrates the birth of Louis Braille, inventor of the reading and writing system used by millions of blind and partially sighted people all over the globe. Though not a public holiday in any country, World Braille Day provides an opportunity for teachers, charities and non-government organizations to raise awareness about issues facing the blind and the importance of continuing to produce works in Braille, providing the blind with access to the same reading and learning opportunities as the sighted.
Louis Braille, the inventor of braille, was born in France on January 4th, 1809. Blinded in both eyes in an accident as a child, Braille nevertheless managed to master his disability while still a child. Despite not being able to see at all, he excelled in his education and received scholarship to France’s Royal Institute for Blind Youth. During his studies, inspired by the military cryptography of Charles Barbier of the French Army, he developed a system of tactile code that could allow the blind to read and write quickly and efficiently. Braille presented the results of his hard work to his peers for the first time in 1824 when he was just fifteen years of age. In 1829, he published his first book about the system he had created, called “Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them”. The braille system works by representing the alphabet letters (and numbers) in a series of 6 dots paired up in 3 rows. The simplicity of his idea allowed books to start being produced on a large scale in a format that thousands of blind people can read by running their fingertips over the dots. Thanks to this, blind students have the opportunity to be educated alongside their peers as well as read for pleasure just as easily as any seeing person can.
thanks, cher, for the senior humor
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (adjective) That cannot be transferred to another or others. | ||
| Synonyms: | unforfeitable | ||
| Usage: | When he decided to fight for his inalienable rights, he did not realize that his actions would go down in history. | ||
History
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 | Widely considered the greatest scientist who ever lived, Newton was an English physicist and mathematician. His most famous publication, Principia Mathematica, regarded as the seminal work of modern science, includes his works on the laws of motion, tidal theory, and the theory of universal gravitation. Newton also worked out the fundamentals of calculus, though this work went unpublished for more than 30 years. | ||
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.gif) | The first native-born American to be declared a saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) was canonized in 1975. She was the founder of the first religious community for women in the US, the American Sisters of Charity, and was responsible for laying the foundations of the American Catholic school system. Special services commemorating Elizabeth Ann Seton's death on January 4, 1821, are held at the Chapel of St. Joseph's Provincial House of the Daughters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Maryland, the headquarters for her order of nuns. | ||
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| This morning, ESPN published a story saying that the NFL "has backed out of one of the most ambitious studies yet on the relationship between football and brain disease." | |||
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1850 - The first American ice-skating club was organized in Philadelphia, PA.
1885 - Dr. William Grant performed the first successful appendectomy. The patient was Mary Gartside.
1936 - The first pop music chart based on national sales was published by "Billboard" magazine.
1950 - RCA Victor announced that it would manufacture long-playing (LP) records.
1953 - Tufted plastic carpeting was introduced by Barwick Mills.
1972 - Rose Heilbron became the first woman judge in Britain at the Old Bailey, London.
1982 - Bryant Gumbel moved from NBC Sports to the anchor desk where he joined Jane Pauley as co-host of the "Today" show on NBC.
1999 - Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura was sworn in as Minnesota's 37th governor.
2006 - Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. She was the first woman to hold the position.
hope you saw the beginning of the final season last night?
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, January 4
You are highly ambitious and responsible, working hard at what you do and rarely letting small setbacks steer you from your course. Goal-oriented, your biggest weakness is a tendency to take on far too much! You are responsible, a fabulous partner, direct and honest, and quite likable as well. You are a practical person who has much sound advice to give for those smart enough to ask you for it. Famous people born today: Sir Isaac Newton, Louis Braille, Jane Wyman, Dyan Cannon, Michael Stipe.
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SMS Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm was one of the first ocean-going battleships of the Imperial German Navy. Named for Prince-elector Friedrich Wilhelm, she was the fourth pre-dreadnought of the Brandenburg class. She was completed in 1893 at a cost of 11.23 million marks. She served as the flagship of the Imperial fleet from her commissioning in 1894 until 1900. In 1910, she was sold to the Ottoman Empire; she served the empire until the second year of World War I, when she was sunk off the Dardanelles.
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Feel the Rush
Photograph by Eastlyn Bright Tolle, National Geographic
Eastlyn Bright Tolle submitted this image of Niagara Falls. From her vantage point, “right on the other side of a wall that separated [her] from this perilous drop,” she was able to create a unique and thrilling perspective: one that doesn’t allow the viewer to consider the safety of the overlook from which the photo was taken.
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Baby Blanket Nomad pattern by Camille Coizy
Une couverture facile à tricoter , avec des mailles endroit, envers, des mailles tricotées ensemble à l’endroit, des augmentations simples.
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Puppy Booties pattern by Michele Wilcox
Crochet these adorable puppy booties for the baby in your life! Any of the colours of our soft Baby yarn can be used as the main shade.
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Preview by Yahoo
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A bag's bag - Chicken Stitches Blog
I did not get to knit much today but there is a new post on my blog! "There is a sock for everything!"... http://t.co/PkFhXG1s6z
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LOADED MASHED POTATO BALLS
What do you do with leftover mashed potatoes? You make melt-in-your-mouth, crisp yet creamy mashed potato balls of course!
damndelicious
YIELD: 25 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 2 cups vegetable oil, or more, as needed
- 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups Panko*
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cheese, chives, cayenne pepper and bacon.
- Using a small cookie scoop, roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch balls, forming about 25.
- Working one at a time, dip balls into eggs, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
- Working in batches, add balls to the Dutch oven and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan, if desired.
*Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store.
CROCKPOT RECIPE
stephanie o'dea
CrockPot 3-Packet Pot Roast Recipe
Usually I make pot roast the same way, each and every time: 1 envelope of onion soup mix, and a cup of whatever wine I have open, or some broth.This new recipe was simple and easy, and makes awesome gravy. If you wait until the envelope packets are on sale, and stick with chuck roast, this is a very inexpensive meal that can be stretched for a few days.
The Ingredients.
-packet of ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
--packet of Italian salad dressing mix
--McCormick Grill Mates Peppercorn & Garlic (the original recipe called for a packet of beef gravy or au jus.)
--3 lb chuck roast
--1 to 3 cups of water
The Directions.
I used my 6 quart Smart Set crockpot for this dinner.
I opted to not throw any vegetables into the crock because we had leftovers I needed to use. Feel free to throw in some chopped potatoes, an onion, carrots, and celery.
Trim the roast of any visible fat and place it into the crockpot. In a small bowl, combine the contents of the 3 packets. Pour on top of the meat. Flip the meat over a few times to get it covered with seasoning on all sides.
Add 1 cup of water.
Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5. The meat will be more tender if you cook it low and slow.
20-30 minutes before eating, add 2 more cups of warm water to the crockpot, and flip to high.
The meat only needs 1 cup of water on it to cook properly, but the spices are too concentrated to only have 1 cup of water in the pot when it's time to eat. Waiting to add the water until the end will help the meat retain it's shape, and the added water will make a nice juicy gravy.
The Verdict.
We ate this with some leftover curried rice and vegetables. This was a great dinner. The kids dipped their meat in barbecue sauce and Adam and I ladled broth over the top of ours. I will make this again.
thanks, heide
CRAFTS
Knitting Needle Bracelet
thanks, heide
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... coloring
thanks, heidePUZZLE
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thanks, heide
QUOTE
thanks, shelley
"what is your name?" in Abenaki (Maine USA, Montreal Canada) - Awanigia?
thanks, heide
CLEVER
thanks, shelley
thanks, patty, for sharing your state's star wars sense of humor
EYE OPENER
2016 Knitting Resolutions
poststitchbox
A new year is just around the corner and, for many, that means it's resolution making time. While resolutions like "work out more" or "eat better" are the typical go-to's, we challenge you to create some knitting resolutions. We can agree that knitting is more than just a hobby, so pledge to expand your craft in new and exciting ways this year.
Here are some knitting resolutions you can put into practice in 2016:
1. Get Out Of Your Color Comfort Zone
We all have a go-to color(s) and it is so easy to always choose it for a project (for this PostStitch-er it was grey). This year, begin embracing new colorways! You can ease into this by first choosing a different shade of your favorite color, then a complimentary color, and then something entirely different. You'll be surprised how much you really do like other colors. We have had many PostStitch subscribers receive a foreign colorway and ultimately fall in love with it.
2. Learn A New Technique
There are some projects that you look at and say "no way." Whether it's brioche, fair isle, knitting magic loop, or following a chart, we understand how a new technique can be intimidating. But don't let that stop you. There are videos to watch and knitters to consult with! Conquering a new technique can be done with some patience, mindfulness, and a trusty crochet hook to help you fix your mistakes.
To help you jumpstart your knitting resolutions, we partnered with a designer who designed two brand new patterns (one for BigStitch and one for SockStitch) that showcase 4 different knitting techniques. Each is the perfect project to learn and/or practice these techniques on a small scale. Plus, we'll have a KAL with the designer who is ready with tutorial videos, answers to your questions, and encouraging words. Subscribe before December 31st to join us!
3. Try A Different Project
Are you always knitting shawls? In 2016, try a sweater. If you're a sock knitter, make a matching pair of mittens! Switching up your typical project will add some excitement to your project queue and expand your wardrobe of knit wear.
We make this easy for PostStitch subscribers. If you're one of our SockStitch subscribers, at anytime you can login to your account and switch your subscription over to BigStitch. And same goes for BigStitch subscribers. Be inspired one month!
4. Finish A Hibernating WIP
We all have a project that has been on the needles for entirely too long. Commit yourself to finishing it this year. This PostStitch-er promises to finish the patchwork blanket I started in college....which was 12 years ago.
5. Embrace Your Yarn Stash
Notice how we didn't make organize your stash a resolution. Impossible! We're all guilty of buying beautiful yarn and never using it, so this year make an effort to build a strategic stash that you will actually use. Because what's better than beautiful yarn sitting on the shelf? Beautiful knitwear that you get to showoff! We give you tips on how to build the perfect stash here.
I seen the whole of Downton Abbey that you are just getting being in the UK
ReplyDeleteThe nearest i have got to making a new year resolution is i challenge myself to do a gift a month some months i may not do it but then i catch up in other months
Hugs Janice
Challenge for 2016--finish UFOs with a smile (instead of a grimace) on your face!
ReplyDeleteprof premraj pushpakaran writes-- let us celebrate World Braille Day!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete