As the world’s most widely spoken language it seems appropriate that Mandarin Chinese has one day every year dedicated to it. This officially marked day of Mandarin language celebration was established by the United Nations as a way of celebrating the language’s history and overall contribution to the world. It is hoped that by having one day every year to celebrate Mandarin Chinese this additional focus on the language will encourage more people around the world to take it up. With China likely to become the largest economy in the world it is important that the wider world becomes interestingly more proficient in this wonderful language. Chinese Language Day is annually celebrated in April. A great way to get involved in the celebration is to join a Mandarin class or attend one of the many Confucian Hubs now established by China in countries around the world
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (adjective) Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine. | ||
| Synonyms: | specious, unauthentic | ||
| Usage: | The professor explained to the student that her essay had received a "C" due to numerous examples of spurious reasoning. | ||
History
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 | Pasteurization is the process of heating beverages or food, such as milk, beer, or cheese, to a specific temperature for a specific period of time in order to kill microorganisms that could cause disease, spoilage, or undesired fermentation. The process was named after its creator, French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who conducted the first pasteurization test with fellow French scientist Claude Bernard in 1862. | ||
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 | Famous for his comic portrayals of a wistful innocent with horn-rimmed glasses who blunders in and out of hair-raising situations, American movie actor Harold Lloyd was the most popular film comedian of the 1920s. He appeared in over 500 films, including many shorts, spanning both the silent and sound eras. Noted for his use of physical danger as a source of comedy, he performed his own stunts. | ||
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 | This colorful springtime festival in Zurich, Switzerland, ushers in spring by exploding the Böögg ("snowman"), the symbol of winter. Sechseläuten means the "six-o'clock ringing." On Monday, members of the guilds parade through the city in medieval costumes, accompanied by bands. Everyone converges at six that evening. The bells ring, groups on horseback gallop around the Böögg (which is stuffed with cotton wadding and firecrackers) to the music of a hunting march, and then the Böögg explodes and burns. Torchlight parades go on into the night, and feasts are held at guild halls. | ||
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 | Dog owners often talk about their pets like they're part of the family. In fact, it often seems as though the family pooch is seen as another one of the kids. Now, scientists have found that the connections between humans and their dogs have the same biochemical basis as the mother-child bond, and it's strengthened by the same things: a loving gaze. | ||
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Dogs and people bond through eye contact
A new study finds that a gaze from those puppy dog eyes boosts the hormone associated with trust and mother-child bonding
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1832 - Hot Springs National Park was established by an act of the U.S. Congress. It was the first national park in the U.S.
1841 - In Philadelphia, PA, Edgar Allen Poe's first detective story, "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," was published in Graham's Magazine.
1902 - Scientists Marie and Pierre Curie isolated the radioactive element radium.
1912 - Fenway Park opened as the home of the Boston Red Sox.
1940 - The First electron microscope was demonstrated by RCA.
1977 - Woody Allen's film "Annie Hall" premiered.
1999 - Jane Seymour received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Yesterday, Starr Inducted
Paul McCartney (left) and Ringo Starr during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies.
(AP) – Ringo Starr was ushered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a little help
from one of his famous friends.
from one of his famous friends.
The mop-topped drummer who kept the beat for the Beatles, Starr was inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on Saturday night during a ceremony jammed with scintillating performances and touching moments.
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on Saturday night during a ceremony jammed with scintillating performances and touching moments.
Starr was the last of the Beatles to be inducted for his individual work, getting in after band mates Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison. He was always the fourth Beatle — John, Paul, George … and Ringo — but now he’s been immortalized
as a front man.
as a front man.
Starr was inducted along with Green Day, underground-icon Lou Reed, Joan Jett
and The Blackhearts, soul singer-songwriter Bill Withers, guitarist Stevie Ray
Vaughan and Double Trouble, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The "5” Royales.
and The Blackhearts, soul singer-songwriter Bill Withers, guitarist Stevie Ray
Vaughan and Double Trouble, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The "5” Royales.
The 74-year-old Starr was inducted by McCartney, who said he could always count
on Starr to have his back on every song.
on Starr to have his back on every song.
Rural Education Improved, 1948
If You Were Born Today, April 20
One of your strongest qualities is your resourcefulness. You are excellent at assessing what works and what doesn't, and you easily come up with a solid approach. You can be impatient at times in your drive to succeed. Your tastes are refined and pronounced. In love, you can have a dual personality - warm and sensitive one day, and distant the next. Famous people born today: Jessica Lange, Tito Puente, Carmen Electra, Ryan O'Neal, Luther Vandross.
Shining Through
The setting sun shines through the ice on the shore of a frozen Lake Superior, traversed by Ernie Vater to reach this spot. “Part of the beauty of this place is the silence of it,” he writes of the ice caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore near Bayfield, Wisconsin. “You hear nothing except the occasional creaking of the ice (which can make you jump if it's right under you). There were a few times when I just stopped and enjoyed the quiet. In this spot the only sounds were the water drops splashing.”
knit
soap bottle apron
by showperson
by showperson
Pattern for worsted weight cotton yarn.
Circular needles, size 7
Or Straight needles, size 7, and double pointed needles size 7.
Apron skirt (knit from bottom up)
Cast on 28 stitches.
Row 1: Knit across
Row 2: Knit across
Row 3: K2, *YO, K2T, repeat from * to last two stitches, YO, K2. (29 stitches)
Row 4: Knit across
Continue knit across until piece measures about 4 ¼ inches from cast on.
Waist decrease
Row 1: K2T 7 times, knit 1. (15 stitches)
Row 2: Knit across
Row 3: K2T 3 times, knit 3, K2T 3 times. (9 stitches)
Continue Knit across until the apron top measures about 1 ½ inches from waist.
Row 1: K2, *YO, K2T, repeat from * across row, knit last stitch.
Row 2-4, Knit across.
Row 5: Knit 3 stitches. Transfer those stitches to a stitch holder (or safety pin). Bind off the 3 center stitches. Transfer the last three stitches to double point or circular needles.
Using the last three stitches, create and I-cord. Knit the 3 stitches, move the stitches to the other end of the needle. Without turning, knit the 3 stitches.
Continue knitting the I-cord until it reaches about 3 ½ inches.
Attach the 3 stitches of the I-cord to the 3 stitches on top of the apron using a kitcheners stitch.
Apron tie
At the waist, pick up two stitches. Knit each row until the tie measures about 9 inches.
Repeat on the other side of the apron.
knit, s - xl
knit
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knit
knit
crochet
crochet (must register)
Diagonal Squares Afghan
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Over 6,000 Free Patterns on LionBrand.com
Discover over 800 yarns and 6,000 free knit, crochet, and craft patterns on LionBrand.com. Discover the perfect pattern for you.
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crochet
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Ravelry: #72 Rose Swirl Crochet Dishcloth pattern by Kat...
This beautiful Rose Swirl Dishcloth was designed by Kathleen Bonatti. Kathleen wrote: “I have been crocheting for about 40 years.
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Preview by Yahoo
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crochet, swirling bag
crochet
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Jewellery from Craft Cove: Free Crochet Baby Crocs Patte...
I have been asked several times for the pattern to make these baby crocs. SO HERE THEY ARE!
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RECIPE
EASIEST NUTELLA BROWNIES
kirbie's cravings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/4 cup Nutella
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
DIRECTIONS:
1. Grease a 9 x9 baking pan and preheat oven to 350F. Mix all ingredients into a large bowl with a large wooden spoon until batter is smooth. Pour into baking pan and smooth top with spatula.
2. Bake for about 15 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Careful not to bake too long otherwise brownies will dry out. Let brownies cool and set before cutting and serving.
2. Bake for about 15 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Careful not to bake too long otherwise brownies will dry out. Let brownies cool and set before cutting and serving.
CROCKPOT RECIPE
stephanie o'dea
CrockPot Honey and Orange Tofu Recipe
This is a tofu recipe. If you don't like tofu, the marinade will taste great on chicken or pork.But tofu is good for you. You should really get over it, already.
The Ingredients.
--1 brick of extra firm tofu (this was the lite version. I had no idea tofu came in a lite version, or why it could possibly be considered high in fat, but I still bought the lite version because the package marketing evidently works.)
--2 cloves of minced garlic
--1/4 cup soy sauce (we use LaChoy because it's gluten free)
--1/4 cup orange juice
--1/4 cup honey
--fresh broccoli florets
The Directions.
--drain your tofu well and chop into bite-sized chunks
--brown in a skillet in a bit of butter with the 2 cloves of minced garlic (this isn't absolutely necessary, but will help the tofu keep it's shape and provide a texture that your tongue really kind of wants)
--add to crockpot and top with the liquid ingredients
--wash and cut your fresh broccoli--add to the mix
--cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Tofu doesn't take long (it's already cooked, anyhow)---you are really just letting the flavors meld and steam the broccoli.
If you are going to use frozen broccoli, add the last 30 min of cooking time
Serve over steamed brown rice.
The Verdict.
This makes a very good sauce that makes anything taste good. If you are scared to try tofu, give it a try with this sauce---it truly is tasty.My kids did a good job eating this meal. They like tofu a lot and will eat their weight in broccoli. And since tofu is so good for you, it's okay to have a pint of Ben and Jerry's for dessert.
CRAFT
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CHILDREN'S CORNER .. coloring
QUOTE
THE MOST SPECTACULAR FROGS YOU HAVE EVER SEEN
RIB BIT
If you live in North America, bullfrogs are a common sight. They are green and brown, and live in freshwater ponds and marshes… aka, swamps. They are not what most people would call majestic creatures.
However, there is a whole other world of frogs that are stunningly jaw dropping! Below are a few of our favorites.Enjoy!
TREE FROGS
TREE FROGS CONTAIN A LARGE NUMBER OF FROGS WITH SIMILAR TRAITS. THE MORE OBVIOUS OF THEM BEING THAT THEY RESIDE IN TREES OR OTHER ELEVATED PLANTS FOR THE MAJORITY OF THEIR LIFE.
Even though they are many species separated by vast distances, they all share very similar traits attributed to convergent evolution. In fact, the last common ancestor they shared existed before the extinction of dinosaurs!
They are nowhere near the size of dinosaurs though; tree frogs are usually small at most reaching 10cm.
AMAZON MILK FROGS
THESE UNIQUELY COLORED FROGS COME FROM THE AMAZON RAINFOREST AND WERE FIRST DISCOVERED IN BRAZIL.
The Amazon Milk Frogs usually live close to streams of water and typically can reach to a length of 4 inches! And if you like this cool looking frog as much as we do, you can even adopt one as long as you keep them very humid!
GLASS FROGS
LIKE MANY FROGS, THIS FROG’S MOST IMPRESSIVE FEATURE IS IT’S SKIN BUT THE GLASS FROG IS PARTICULARLY AMAZING BECAUSE ITS SKIN IS ALMOST COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT!
These frogs are native to South America and are more common in the Andes Mountains. These frogs are usually small ranging from 3 to 7.5 centimeters.
BIG-EYED TREE FROG
THESE FROGS WITH BIG EYES COME FROM AFRICA, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE COUNTRY OF TANZANIAN FORESTS.
They vary in size and shape: They can take a spectrum of colors between green, brown, and black with cool spots and patterns. But they don’t stay one color their entire life, the frogs start out green with black spots and later take the more brown appearance with a more random pattern. They can be as long as 85cm!
HARLEQUIN POISON FROGS
THESE BLOTCHY COLORED FROGS PRODUCE A VARIETY OF TOXINS THAT ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR EXTREME EFFECTIVENESS AND DIFFICULTY TO CREATE CURES FOR. THE FROGS HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF COLORS AND PATTERNS THAT VARY BETWEEN LOCALITIES AND GROUPS. THEY USUALLY LIVE ON THE FOREST FLOOR SO WATCH YOUR STEP!
POISON DART FROGS
THE POISON DART FROGS ARE MOST FAMOUS FOR THE USAGE OF THEIR SKIN ON BLOW DART GUNS TO PARALYZE OR EVEN KILL ANIMALS.
On the other hand, some of the toxins that the frogs produce have also been used to produce potent painkillers called apibatidine. The only downside is that a very slight overdose can kill you as well.
'where's the bathroom?' in Serbian - Gde je toalet?
CLEVER
EYE OPENER
15 Ways to Reuse Newspaper
care2
You can reuse old newspaper around your home and in the garden!
1. Clean windows or glass. Dip crumpled newspaper into water mixed with a splash of white vinegar, and clean those windows up without any streaks or harmful chemicals!
2. Burn it up. Instead of a starter log in the fireplace or at a bonfire, use tightly rolled pieces of newsprint instead.
3. Make a weed barrier. If you’re building a raised bed, lay out pieces of newspaper before you fill it up with dirt. The paper will help keep weeds from invading.
4. Wrap some gifts. It’s fun to go through your papers to find cute and colorful pages to use as gift wrap. When I was a kid, we loved wrapping presents up in the Sunday funnies.
5. Pack it up. Instead of plastic bubble wrap, wrap valuables in newspaper for shipping, and pad your box with more crumpled paper. You can take it a step further and include some ideas in the package for how your recipient can reuse all of that paper, too!
6. As origami paper. Cut your newspaper into squares and get folding! Newsprint is great at holding folds. Just be gentle, since it’s a bit more prone to tearing than store bought origami paper.
7. In the fridge. Keep the bottom of the veggie drawer from getting nasty by lining it with newspaper. It will absorb liquid and odors.
8. For ripening fruit. If you've picked up some under-ripe peaches, avocados, or other fruit, wrap them in newspaper to ripen them more quickly. Paper bags also work for this.
9. Shine on. Give the shine back to your stainless steel sink by gently scrubbing it with wadded up, wet newspaper.
10. Compost it. Newspaper makes great bedding for a worm bin. Tear into strips and let those red wigglers turn it into gardening gold!
11. Papier mache. Get crafty with that old newsprint! You can make all sorts of fun papier mache projects, like a piñata (pictured above) or cool bangle bracelets.
12. Donate them. Your local animal shelter can use newspapers to line their cages. Some even shred them up to use as kitty litter, when the budget is tight. You can also donate them to thrift stores, where they’ll use them to pack up fragile items that sell.
13. Line the puppy crate. Dog owners who are crate training can use old newspapers to line the puppy crate. It makes cleanup much easier when your sweet pup has an accident.
14. Make handmade paper. Grab your blender and turn old newspaper into pretty, recycled paper. Handmade paper is great for making invitations and little cards. You can also mix some seeds into your paper pulp to turn newsprint into recycled seed paper that your recipients can plant!
15. Spin it into yarn. Feeling crafty? If you’ve got a spindle handy, you can whip up recycled newspaper yarn, then knit or crochet your paper into anything you like!
When I saw those two hush puppies running to beat the band with jowls flying...I thought I must get to those chin exercises:) No peepers yet...but all those amphibian photos reminded me to open the windows at night for those lullabies to come.
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