Nothing Day January 16, 2017

DIANE'S CORNER .. Celebrate Nothing Day

Nothing Day has been commemorated since 1973. The day is literally about doing nothing at all, placing it in a similar vein to other such surreal non-occasions as an Un-Birthday or Buy Nothing Day. There is absolutely no purpose or intended structure for this pointless celebration.

The day was first proposed by the late American newspaper columnist Harold Coffin. Nothing Day was founded with the intent of eventual self-destruction, through satirically reigning in what Coffin considered a glut of recently established, useless commemorative days. Coffin’s Nothing Organisation was simultaneously formed in order to raise awareness. Fittingly, the organisation has not yet held a single meeting. The continued official celebrations stand testament to Coffin’s ultimate failure.

As it is all about expending no effort on celebrating absolutely nothing, Nothing Day can also be about celebrating life itself. The only limits on how the day is spent are the imagination and bank balance of the participant.

The day also raises some very interesting questions on a philosophical level. Can something worthwhile truly spring from nothing? Depending on your perspective, Coffin could either have been a latter-day David Hume or a quotable newspaper columnist slightly too clever for his own good.

thanks, maryanne

Word of the Day

sutler
Definition:	(noun) A supplier of victuals or supplies to an army.
Synonyms:	provisioner, victualler
Usage:	The sutler loaded his mule with provisions and followed the army.

thanks, helen 
The Morning After The Zoo's Annual New Year's Party ...

 

Idiom of the Day

hold the reins  — To have or be in control, especially of a group, project, or situation.

History

Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote Is Published (1605)

A founding work of modern Western literature, Cervantes's Don Quixote presents a profound picture of the divide between idealistic and realistic world views. A burlesque of chivalric romances, it was an immediate success. In 1614, a spurious Part II was published by an unidentified author who insulted Cervantes in his prologue. Offended, Cervantes responded by publishing his own Part II, which some literary critics consider superior to Part I.

Eric Henry Liddell (1902)

Liddell was a Scottish athlete and missionary. Because of his Christian convictions, Liddell refused to run track events on Sundays, a decision that forced him to withdraw from his best event, the 100-meter sprint, during the 1924 Paris Olympics. Instead, he ran the 400 meters, winning the gold medal and breaking the existing world record. His story is depicted in the Academy Award-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire.

Ati-Atihan Festival

This is one of the most colorful festivals in the Philippines, held in Kalibo, the capital city of the province of Aklan. Originally falling on the Feast Day of Santo Niño, the celebration combines Christian and non-Christian elements. During the present-day festival, revelers cover their skin with soot and wear Ati costumes that are patchworks of coconut shells, feathers, and fronds. They converge on the main streets, pound their spears, and repeatedly dance a two-step dance. From a distance, the celebrants look like a solid mass of people lurching in a frenzied rhythm.

The Curious Case of the Hyolith, an Ancient 'Ice Cream Cone' That's Found a Home

It has spent some 175 years homeless, wandering many paths of taxonomy without a single branch to call its own. 
READ MORE:

The Curious Case Of The Hyolith, An Ancient 'Ice Cream Cone' That's Found A Home



1759 - The British Museum opened.



1866 - Mr. Everett Barney patented the metal screw, clamp skate.



1896 - The first five-player college basketball game was played at Iowa City, IA. 



1920 - The motion picture "The Kid" opened. 



1938 - Benny Goodman and his band, plus a quartet, played at Carnegie Hall in New York City. 



1964 - "Hello Dolly!" opened at the St. James Theatre in New York City. 



1976 - The TV show "Donny & Marie" premiered on ABC-TV. 



1970 - Buckminster Fuller, the designer of the geodesic dome, was awarded the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects. 



1996 - Wayne Newton performed his 25,000th Las Vegas show. 



1998 - NASA officially announced that John Glenn would fly aboard the space shuttle Discovery in October. 

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, January 16

You are playful yet ambitious. While security is extremely important to you, so is personal freedom and you have a very determined, self-centered streak. You are smart, a little defiant at times, and very convincing and persuasive. There is certainly a bit of an entertainer in you, even those of you who are on the shy side. While you are a real thinker and dreamer, you are also a doer. You are spiritual and always aware that life is about something much more than the mundane. Famous people born today: Ethel Merman, Dizzy Dean, Sade, Kate Moss, Aaliyah, Debbie Allen.

READER'S INFO

1. Martin Luther King History

Martin Luther King Day celebrates life and accomplishment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  MLK promoted Civil Rights through nonviolent civil disobedience.  He is perhaps best known for his 'I have a dream...' speech in 1963.  He was assassinated in 1968.  Martin Luther King, Jr. day became a federally recognized holiday in 1983.  The first year this  holiday was observed was 1986, and not by all states.  In 2000, it became a nationally observed holiday in all states.  Martin Luther King Jr. Day takes place on the third Monday of January each year.

Martin Luther King Facts & Quotes

• Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.  He was 35 years old, which made him the youngest Peace Prize winner at that time.
• I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963.
• Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?' - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Hate is too great a burden to bear. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Top Events and Things to Do

Visit thekingcenter.org to find out about local events and ways you can help promote unity, justice, and fight racism.

Become a mentor to a underprivileged person in your community through Big Brothers, or another similar organization.

Visit the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial.  For more info see the Official memorial website.

Donate to the United Negro College Fund or other charities that promote college degree attainment by minorities.

Watch a movie about MLK. Some popular films include: Our Friend Martin (1999), Selma(2014) and The Witness (2008)

2. 
follow sally through her adventures in quilting

SewWonderful

 

Pictures of the day



A panoramic view of Taurus–Littrow taken in December 1972, during the Apollo 17 lunar mission. This lunar valley is located on the near side of the Moon, along a ring of mountains on the southeastern edge of Mare Serenitatis. Toward the right, geologist-astronaut Harrison Schmitt prepares to take a sample. Data collected on Apollo 17 show that the valley is composed primarily of feldspar-rich breccia in the large massifs surrounding the valley and basalt underlying the valley floor, covered by an unconsolidated layer of regolith, or mixed materials, formed by various geologic events.

Musician Plays Piano in the Middle of the Arctic as Calving Glaciers Crash Behind Him

Acclaimed composer Ludovico Einaudi performs on a grand piano on a floating platform in front of the Wahlenbergbreen glacier.

 

knit

Couthie Shawl

knit

Rosabel Cardigan pattern by Anne Dresow

knit
thanks, helen

The Gathering pattern by Kalurah Hudson

knit

thanks, sally

Susan's Slouch Hat

knit - VALENTINE'S DAY

Family Heart Mittens

 

crochet
thanks, clara

MLK, Jr. Free Crochet Photo Pattern | Craftsy

crochet

Swans Doily - PRETTY IDEAS

crochet - vintage crochet pattern book -  a few KNIT patterns, too

The Priscilla baby book .. : Barsaloux, Elsa Schappel

crochet

Adorable Trio of Amigurumi Bears

crochet - VALENTINE'S DAY

Heart Throb Blanket

RECIPE
thanks, shelley

EASY RAVIOLI LASAGNA

Lay frozen ravioli on a pan to create

the easiest yet most scrumptious dinner possible

 

CROCKPOT RECIPE

Add A Secret Ingredient To Your Slow Cooker 

For The Most Delicious Pulled Pork

What’s the secret ingredient to the best pulled pork? Root beer!

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:
2-lb pork butt or shoulder (boneless if you can get it)
1 12-oz bottle of root beer
12 or 16 oz bottle of your favorite bbq sauce, divided
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
d1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)
8 hamburger buns

Directions:
1. Mix salt and chili powder then rub onto dry pork
2. In the slow cooker, mix root beer, 1 cup of bbq sauce, and Worcestershire sauce
3. Add in the loin.
4. Cook on low 6-7 hours.
5. Shred pork with two forks, removing any bone or fat chunks.
6. Add in rest of the bottle of BBQ sauce, stir and let cook for another 30 min.
7. Serve on toasted buns

 

SWEETS

Fluffy Nutella Mousse

recipe4living

Time needed

5 min preparation + 5 min cooking

Serving Size / Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 C. hazelnut spread
• 3 C. heavy cream
• ⅓ C. granulated sugar

Directions

Whisk together the cream and sugar together until it’s fluffy. Fold in the Nutella and serve with more whipped topping!

ADULT COLORING

 

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... VALENTINE'S DAY

Paper Plate Valentine's Day Card Holder

PUZZLE

Model Racetrack Jigsaw Puzzle

thanks, patty

QUOTE

thanks, susie, west coast correspondent

thanks, shelley

thanks, susan b.

HAPPY (belated) NEW YEAR, EVERYONE 

i know it's not new year anymore ... but this is too fun not to share .. belatedly!

https://happynewyear-2017i.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/happy-new-yer-2017-animated-pictures.gif

CLEVER

Vaseline Alternate Uses

Source

1. Protect your pets’ cracked paws – If your pet is suffering from dry or cracked paws, rub on some Vaseline and message it into the paw. It’s best to do this after a walk. 2. Prevents mishaps when painting your nails – If you hate having to clean up after you apply nail polish, rub some Vaseline around the nail to prevent the polish from adhering to that surface. 3. Helps heal sunburns – Sunburns are unpleasant at best and painful at worst. Apply Vaseline to the burnt areas to help them heal faster and prevent the skin from cracking and peeling. 4. Prevents chafing – If you suffer from chafing and don’t have talcum powder accessible, you can apply a little Vaseline to the chafing area to protect it. 5. Hides split ends – No time to go to the hair stylist? Use a little Vaseline on your split ends to hide them.

EYE OPENER

Science says you get your intelligence from your mama

hellogiggles

you can bet i have already called my kids about this! 

If your mother has ever praised you for being the most intelligent human being on the planet, she was also unknowingly commenting on how smart she is, too!

According to new research featured in Psychology Spot, intelligence genes are located in the X-chromosome; and since women carry two X-chromosomes, there’s double the chance that your child will inherit their intelligence from their mother.

In a study done by the Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit in the Glasgow, Scotland, researchers interviewed almost 13,000 kids ages 14 -22 every year since 1994. Other factors like skin color, socio-economic status, and education were taken into consideration.

This helped researchers find that “the best predictor of intelligence was the IQ of the mother and that the ratio of young people’s intelligence varied only an average of 15 points from that of their mothers.”

However, Psychology Spot reports that 40 – 60% of intelligence is hereditary and the remaining percentage depends on environment, personal characteristics, and stimulation. Basically, if you (or your child) have a high IQ but aren’t challenging yourselves on the regular, your “intelligence will disperse,” so it’s important to work out your mind just like you would any other part of your body!