They might be wildlife icons, but, sadly, elephants are in crisis. Save The Elephant Day is a chance to show our love and support for these much-loved giants and raise awareness of the threats to their future in both Africa and Asia, ranging from ivory poachers and traffickers to loss of habitat.
Also known as World Elephant Day, the occasion was founded by the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, based in Thailand, working together with Canadian film-maker Patricia Sims. The launch of this international initiative in 2012 saw the release of the documentary film ‘Return to the Forest’, narrated by Star Trek legend William Shatner.
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (noun) The use of unnecessarily wordy and indirect language. | ||
| Synonyms: | ambage, periphrasis, evasion | ||
| Usage: | He is long-winded and prone to circumlocution in his public speeches. | ||
History
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 | In Roman religion, Minerva was the goddess of wisdom and war, as well as of handicrafts and the arts. Probably of Etruscan origin, she was worshiped in various parts of ancient Rome, most notably with Jupiter and Juno in the great Capitoline temple. Her temple on the Aventine Hill was a meeting place for skilled artisans, actors, and writers. | ||
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 | On the edge of the solar system, the dwarf planet Pluto, which knows what it feels like to be banished from an exclusive club, may be cheering for the brontosaurus. While the long-necked dinosaur's name may be known by legions of fans and even made it on to a postage stamp in the 1980s, most paleontologists would be quick to correct people that the brontosaurus is not a dinosaur. But the iconic dinosaur name may finally be reinstated more than a century after researchers found the long-necked brontosaurus and apatosaurus likely belonged to the same genus. | ||
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 | Recognized as the most important female painter of the 18th century, Vigée-Lebrun began painting portraits professionally in her early teens and went on to have a long and successful career. In 1779, she was summoned to Versailles to paint Marie Antoinette, whom she would paint at least 30 more times. At the outbreak of the French Revolution, she fled France and traveled abroad, finding acclaim and prominent sitters wherever she went. | ||
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 | In Washington, DC, April 16th is celebrated as Emancipation Day, commemorating the day in 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the District of Columbia Emancipation Act, nine months prior to the Emancipation Proclamation. More than 3,000 slaves were freed under this agreement. Since 2005, the date has been a legal holiday in the District. Events are scheduled throughout the preceding week, and the observance culminates on the 16th in a day of festivities and entertainment, beginning with a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in the morning. | ||
1775 - American revolutionaries Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott rode though the towns of Massachusetts giving the warning that the Regulars were coming out. Later, the phrase "the British are coming" was attributed to Revere even though it is unlikely he used that wording.
1910 - Walter R. Brookins made the first airplane flight at night.
1923 - Yankee Stadium opened in the Bronx, NY. The Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1. John Phillip Sousa's band played the National Anthem.
1924 - Simon and Schuster, Inc. published the first "Crossword Puzzle Book."
1938 - Superman made his debut when he appeared in the first issue of Action Comics. (Cover date June 1938)
1956 - Actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco were married. The religious ceremony took place April 19.
1999 - Wayne Gretzky (New York Rangers) played his final game in the NHL. He retired as the NHL's all-time leading scorer and holder of 61 individual records.
2002 - The city legislature of Berlin decided to make Marlene Dietrich an honorary citizen. Dietrich had gone to the United States in 1930. She refused to return to Germany after Adolf Hitler came to power.
80 Today
Bobby Vinton (born Stanley Robert "Bobby" Vinton, Jr. in Canonsburg,Pennsylvania)
Bobby Vinton’s #1 charting single "Blue Velvet" in 1963 was made famous
by a film of the same name by David Lynch. Vinton was a member of the
U.S. Army and signed to Epic Records after being discharged.
by a film of the same name by David Lynch. Vinton was a member of the
U.S. Army and signed to Epic Records after being discharged.
No. 1, 1967
The single spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and nine
weeks atop the easy listening (now adult contemporary) chart, becoming
Frank’s second gold single as certified by the RIAA and Nancy’s third. It
was the first and only instance of a father-daughter number-one song in
America.
weeks atop the easy listening (now adult contemporary) chart, becoming
Frank’s second gold single as certified by the RIAA and Nancy’s third. It
was the first and only instance of a father-daughter number-one song in
America.
Frank and Nancy Sinatra recording ‘Somethin’ Stupid’.
If You Were Born Today, April 16
While you yearn for security and stability, you are easily bored with routines and can get antsy if you don't have freedom of movement. This can make you somewhat difficult to please at times! You can be quite indecisive in love, and in long-term setups you'll need to vary the routine frequently in order to keep your interest levels high. Dynamic and spirited, you have a kooky sense of humor and your interests (as well as talents) are many. Famous people born today: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Peter Ustinov, Ellen Barkin, Charlie Chaplin.
Pilgrims’ Progress
Photograph by Michael George
On the route known as the Camino Frances, pilgrims dot a trail across the Meseta, the plateau of central Spain. “The Camino has no specific stopping point each day,” wrote photographer Michael George in his journal. “If you are tired, injured, or fall in love with a town or a person, you can stop.” Exploring on foot, he concluded, is “simultaneously the simplest and most intense way to see the world.”
knit
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Fudwick's Garden Mitts pattern by Chris Rieffer
These mitts were really fun to design for the Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop 2014 and are a quick to make project. The pattern includes a left and a right that mi...
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Penny Plain pattern by Frankie Brown
Penny Plain is a stylish doll who likes to be smartly dressed at all times. She is about 33 cm tall and has long arms and legs, making her easy to dress. Her hai...
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My Hobby Is Crochet: Simple Dainty Flowers - Free Patter...
This cute crochet flowers are very easy to make, using only basic crochet stitches such as chain, single crochet and slip stitch. Click here to add this pattern t...
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crochet
crochet
crochet
crochet
RECIPE
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CROCKPOT RECIPE
stephanie o'dea
Seasoned Potato Wedges CrockPot Recipe
This was our contribution to a family barbecue yesterday. I think this will be the closest I will get to making french fries in the crockpot. They weren't overly moist, and the wedges on the side even got a bit of a crust on skin--an unexpected happy bonus.
The Ingredients.
--bag of brown baking potatoes (there were 13 lucky little guys in our bag)
--1 T seasoned salt
--1 t dried basil
--1/4 t chipotle chili powder
--cooking spray
The Directions.
--Have your kids wash the potatoes with the vegetable scrub-brush thing. Take your cup of coffee into the backyard while they "work" so you don't 1) micromanage or 2) get involved in the arguing over sink sides.
--slice potatoes into long wedges
--in a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the seasoned salt, basil, and chili powder
--spray the inside of your crock stoneware insert with cooking spray
--dump the seasoned potato wedges inside
--cook on high for 4-6 hours.
--after 2 hours, carefully dump the collected liquid. I had Adam help me with this. I dumped while he held the lid close to the potatoes and let the liquid drain out (a collinder would have worked, but I realized after the fact).
--the potatoes are done when they reach desired softness
if your crock has collected more liquid, drain one more time.
The Verdict.
These were a nice accompaniment to our hot dogs and hamburgers. We did add a bit more salt, and next time I'd like a bit more spice. It was nice to not heat up the oven today (we're having a bit of a warm streak), and I was able to make more in the crock than I could have on baking sheets.
QUOTE
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... coloring
PUZZLE
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CRAFT
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DRESS MADE OUT OF A THESAURUS
Jori Phillips picked up a used thesaurus at a thrift shop. Six months, and 2/3rds of the book later and she had a killer dress.
As a voracious reader, Jori didn't feel right tearing apart a novel. She liked the idea of deconstructing a reference book. She says she has to be very careful when wearing it. Just sitting down can cause a tear, not to mention the dress cannot be near fire or water.
'where's the bathroom?' in Romanian - Unde este toaleta?
CLEVER
Fold your shirts and place them in the drawer vertically to save space.
EYE OPENER
thanks, shelley
Sadly Neel's patterns are no longer available Crafty Living at journalgazette.net.
ReplyDeleteThe vanishing elephants make my stomach ache:(