DIANE'S CORNER: National Kid Inventors' Day

DIANE'S CORNER ..

Celebrate Nat'l Kid Inventors' Day

Just because children possess less knowledge of how the world works, that doesn’t mean they can’t have ideas for practical and useful inventions. In fact, many people believe that children are capable of being particularly creative for the simple reason that they don’t yet know how difficult many things are, and are therefore able to imagine much more than adults. In fact, there are plenty of things we enjoy on an everyday basis that were invented by children or teenagers. And if their creativity doesn’t deserve recognition, what does? National Kid Inventors’ Day is the day we celebrate all the kids who dared to defy the world and come up with better solutions than all of the adults before them.

History of National Kid Inventors’ Day

Kid Inventors’ day was created several years ago by people who wanted to celebrate the achievements of the youngest inventors as well as encourage more children to be creative.

The date chosen to celebrate this day, January 17th, was no accident—it is the anniversary of renowned polymath, politician and child inventor Benjamin Franklin’s birthday. Due to his countless other achievements, many people don’t know that when Franklin was just 12 years old, he invented the world’s first swim flippers, making him a great role model for every child who dreams of making something nobody has ever seen before. Over the centuries, other children have invented many other things we continue to use today, such as popsicles (a very tasty accident!), the trampoline and ear muffs. Perhaps one of the most impressive things invented by a child is the language of the blind now used the world over, Braille. Louis Braille, its inventor, lost his vision in a tragic accident at age 3 and spent his early teen years developing his new language while studying at The National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris.

Almost 200 years later, American teen Ryan Patterson also improved the lives of the disabled when he invented a glove with special sensors that translates the hand motions of American Sign Language into written words on a digital display.

thanks for the pics, Elaine

JOKE OF THE DAY

thanks, Valerie

Am I Getting To THAT Age???

I found this timely, because today I was in a shoe store that sells only shoes, nothing else.

A young girl with a tattoo and green hair walked over to me and asked, "What brings you in today?

I looked at her and said, "I'm interested in buying a refrigerator."

She didn't quite know how to respond, had that deer in the headlights look.

Am I Getting To THAT Age???

Employment application blanks always ask who is to be called in case of an emergency.

I think you should write, "An ambulance."

WORD OF THE DAY

mitzvah

MEANING:
noun:
1. A good deed.
2. A duty, obligation, or commandment.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Hebrew mitzvah (commandment), from tziwwah (to command). Earliest documented use: 1723. Plural: mitzvahs or mitzvoth.

NOTES:
The most familiar usage of the word may be in the terms bar mitzvah (literally, son commandment) and bat mitzvah (girl commandment). Jewish children are considered adults at the age of 13 (in some versions of Judaism, the age for girls is 12). This comes with rights and responsibilities. The bar and bat mitzvahs are observed with rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations.

USAGE:
“There are three sorts of reaction to the commutation of [Chelsea Manning’s] jail term. First, there are those who say that what she did was a mitzvah to the world, that she should never have been tried but instead given a citation of thanks, a pension and a condo near Venice Beach.”
David Aaronovitch; America’s Might Lies in the Power to Forgive: Obama’s Decision to Commute the Sentence of the WikiLeaks Whistleblower Is a Sign of Moral Strength, Not Weakness; The Times (London, UK); Jan 19, 2017.

TODAY'S ARTIST
thanks, Natalie

Grethe Jürgens (February 15, 1899 – May 8, 1981)
was a German painter associated with the New Objectivity.

IDIOM OF THE DAY

What does 'Bells and whistles' mean?

Meaning: Bells and whistles are attractive features that things like computer programs have, though often a bit unnecessary.

thanks, Patsy

(Not So) TOTALLY USELESS FACTS OF THE DAY

NBA (National Basketball Association) players made a combined 27,955 3-point shots during the 2018-2019 regular season. That’s over 4,000 more 3-pointers than were made during the ENTIRE 1980’s (23,871).

According to an American Psychiatric Association sponsored survey, Florida is the most stressed out state in the United States.

Jay J. Armes is a private investigator… with no hands. A childhood accident (he was 11 years old) mangled both his hands. In 1972, he was the PI hired by Marlon Brando to find his missing son. He was so popular during the 1970’s that the Ideal Toy Company released a Jay J. Armes action figure, complete with detachable prosthetics.

READERS INFO
Coronavirus Style by Sylvia, CAN DO Correspondent
Golden Fish Cakes

COFFEE

thanks, Ella

PICTURES OF THE DAY

The Red Fox has the widest range of any terrestrial carnivore. They eat rodents, insects, fruits, worms, eggs, mice, and other small animals. They have 42 very powerful teeth that they use to catch their food. The foxes regularly consume from 0.5–1 kilograms (1–2 pounds) of food per day.

Arctic treasure (Russia)

An arctic fox carries its egg trophy from a raid on a snow goose nest and heads for a suitable burial spot.

knit
thanks, Ivy

City Cape

knit
thanks, Helen

Cute Cardi and Hat

knit

Weave Hat

knit

Pandorica Scarf pattern by Alexis Layton

knit .. Valentine's Day

ValentineSox / Valentinragger pattern by Wenche Roald

CROCHET PATTERNS OF THE DAY

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Winter Bird Shawl

Mary Jane Slippers

crochet .. Valentine's Day

thanks, Helen

Heart Triangle Shawl

crochet
thanks, Lois

Birthday Dog Hat

crochet

Sampler Coasters

crochet

Lacy Jacket

crochet

Andalusia Throw

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Cheddar Cheese Puffs Recipe

PANTRY RECIPE

thanks, Debbie

Lamb Sausage Cassoulet

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Julie

Tangy Barbecue Sandwiches

VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN RECIPE

Both vegetarian and vegan diets may provide health benefits, including reduced body weight, lower cholesterol levels, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is important for vegetarians and vegans to ensure that they are meeting all of their nutritional requirements.

thanks, Alice

Vegan Baked Ziti

COPYCAT RECIPE

thanks, Jenny

Copycat Recipe: DIY Uncrustables Sandwiches

RETRO RECIPE

thanks, Ann

New England Style Vintage Bread Recipes

SWEETS RECIPE

thanks, Tina

William Shatner's Cappuccino Muffins Recipe

ADULT COLORING

FUN

Answer: A Seal & a Polar Bear.

CRAFTS .. Valentine's Day

thanks, Zoey

CUTE Origami Heart Envelope Step by Step Instructions

CHILDREN'S CORNER .. Valentine's Day

Toilet Paper Roll Heart Stamps

PUZZLE

Butterfly Black Blue Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

album

brine

charlatan
county
current

easel
eats
evolve

flan
floor
font

geological
guard

leap
little
location
lost

movie

nibble

park
parlor
particular
patrol
pluck
point

reflex
result
retire

soap
spinet
spoil
still
strain
style

tram
tether
tonic
tribal

vocal

wicked

SUDOKU .. medium

solution:

ICE BREAKER

thanks, Kris

You can use 'ice breaker questions' to build a rapport, enabling strangers to engage in back and forth conversion. With a little practice and possibly a beer or two, you’ll be breaking more ice than the Titanic.