Celebrate Endangered Species Day
We live in a world full of many animals, insects, plants and creatures which are approaching risk of extinction – or are so close to extinction, that their species needs help immediately.
When a species is defined as endangered, its numbers are especially low – in the last few thousands, hundreds, or even tens. And when the last of the species is gone, they are gone for good.
This day was created to keep us aware of how fragile the existence of some animals, plants, and insects is – and, most importantly, reminds us to take the time to learn about why it’s so important to protect endangered species from any further harm.
The History of Endangered Species Day
Since time began, there have been endangered species. Perhaps one of the earliest and most learned about extinctions in history is that of the dinosaurs. However, an endangered species is one which is still in the world today, but may not be much longer if the right steps aren’t taken.
The status of ‘endangered’ is decided by the International Union for Conversation of Nature. According to the IUCN, at least 40% of animal, insect and plant species across the world are at risk of extinction.
Some ways of helping endangered species have included captive breeding, which sees endangered or rare species in captivity encouraged to breed in an effort to improve their numbers in the wild.
Reasons for endangerment are varied – this may be down to environmental changes, overhunting by predators, poaching, the changing or destruction of habits by humans or natural disasters to name a few.
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (noun) A conceited and self-centered person. | ||
| Synonyms: | swellhead | ||
| Usage: | Mr. Whittleworth is an insufferable egotist with delusions of omnipotence, but we tolerate him because he pays us well. | ||
Idiom of the Day
(there's) no comparison— This person or thing is clearly and inarguably better than any other. |
History
The Bath School Bombing (1927) |
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Frank Russell Capra (1897)
One of the preeminent Hollywood directors of the 1930s and 40s, Capra produced idealistic populist movies that celebrate the virtues of the common American. At age six, the Sicilian-born future director immigrated with his family to the US. After holding various jobs in the film industry, he emerged as a major director in 1928. Within years, he had won his first Oscar.
Haiti Flag and University Day
National unity is a primary theme of Flag and University Day in Haiti, an independence celebration and an occasion to recognize the country's educational system. Flag Day became an annual celebration shortly after Catherine Flonsewed the first red and blue flag in 1803, a year before Haiti won its independence from France. The government incorporated University Day as part of the celebration in 1919. Haitians wave flags throughout the day's parades and fairs, which take place throughout Haiti as well as in New York and Miami, two cities with large Haitian communities.
The Milky Way's Speediest Stars Could Solve a 50-Year-Old Mystery
| Ken Shen was racing against the sun. It was 3 A.M. on April 25 and Shen—an astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley—was sitting at his kitchen table in his pajamas. At that precise moment the scientists behind the European Space Agency's Gaia ... |
The Milky Way's Speediest Stars Could Solve a 50-Year-Old Mystery
1642 - Montreal, Canada, was founded.
1798 - The first Secretary of the U.S. Navy was appointed. He was Benjamin Stoddert.
1897 - A public reading of Bram Stoker's new novel, "Dracula, or, The Un-dead," was performed in London.
1942 - New York ended night baseball games for the duration of World War II.
1951 - The United Nations moved its headquarters to New York City.
1953 - The first woman to fly faster than the speed of sound, Jacqueline Cochran, piloted an F-86 Sabrejet over California at an average speed of 652.337 miles-per-hour.
1980 - Mt. Saint Helens erupted in Washington state. 57 people were killed and 3 billion in damage was done.
2012 - Facebook Inc. held its initial public offering and began trading on the NASDAQ. The company was valued at $104 billion making it the largest valuation to date for a newly listed public company.
If You Were Born Today, May 18
While you are sociable and confident, you have a spiritual side and a strong need for privacy. You are creative, unusual, passionate, and a tad mysterious, but ultimately very reliable and trustworthy. You possess tremendous business sense, and the determination to go after what you want. You are imaginative and know how to use your imagination in the business world. Famous people born today:
1868 Nicholas II, last Tsar of Russia (1894-1917), born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1918)
1897 Frank Capra, Italian-American film director (Its a Wonderful Life, It Happened One Night), born in Bisacquino, Italy (d. 1991)
1920 Pope Saint John Paul II [Karol Wojtyla], 264th Roman Catholic Pope (1978-2005), born in Wadowice, Poland (d. 2005)
1946 Reggie Jackson, American baseball right fielder (NY Yankees, Athletics) nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason, born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania
1957 Ai Weiwei, Chinese artist and activist (Sunflower Seeds, Remembering) born in Beijing, China
1970 Tina Fey, American actress and comedian (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock), born in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania
1.
Virginia Renaissance Faire 2018
May 19-20, 2018 | Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA
Virginia Renaissance Faire is all about providing an interactive family fun fest focused on history and the arts. And the faire achieves just that. It features street theater, period activities and a cast of costuemd characters to bring history to life in an exciting way. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find demonstrations, hands-on activities, artisans, crafters and tons of street performers of all kinds. While the street performers draw people in, the delicious period and modern foods are one of the main attractions.
further information: Tickets and Schedule – Virginia Renaissance Faire
2.
Pasadena Strawberry Festival 2018
May 18-20, 2018 | Pasadena, TX
Pasadena Fairgrounds|7603 Red Bluff Rd
Pasadena Strawberry Festival is an annual festival held at the Pasadena Convention Center and Municipal Fairgrounds in Pasadena, Texas. It is a family event with fun, entertainment and activities. The festival also features food, arts, music, beauty pageants and of course, strawberries. More than 70,000 people attend the festival every year, making it easy to see why Pasadena holds the title of "Strawberry Capital of the South."
further information: Welcome to the Pasadena Strawberry Festival home of the world largest strawberry shortcake
3.
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival 2018
May 6 - Oct 28, 2018 | San Francisco, CA
Yerba Buena Gardens|773 Mission St
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival in San Francisco is an organization that celebrates the area’s cultural and artistic richness with a diverse lineup of performances and presentations held throughout the spring and fall. Open to all ages, events showcase a wide range of arts including poetry, traditional and contemporary dance, theater and more. Enjoy music from all corners of the globe or bring the little ones out for the Children’s Gardens Series, all taking place at the lush green Yerba Buena Gardens, a beautiful outdoor venue in downtown San Francisco.
further information: Homepage | Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
4.
Pictures of the day
A German ostmark banknote issued by the German Empire towards the end of World War I, for circulation in the "Upper East" region of occupied territories. Issued by the State Loan Bank in Kowno, Lithuania, this currency was equivalent to the German Papiermark and denominated from ½ Mark through 1000 Marks. It remained in use in Lithuania until 1922, when it was replaced by the litas.
knit
thanks, Violet
Slip Stitch Coasters
knit
thanks, Leah
Chevron Sunglasses Case Knitting Pattern
knit
Laid-Back Shawl
knit
Knitted Tie
knit
Double Pennant Baby Blanket
crochet
thanks, Nicky
crochet
thanks, Phyllis
Rhonda Summer Top
crochet
Crochet Organizer Caddy
RECIPE
thanks, Shelley
CROCKPOT RECIPE
SLOW COOKER POTATOES, AU GRATIN STYLE
Take to the slow cooker with this simple healthy recipe that makes potatoes au gratin a wonder to behold! Whether as the main course or served as a side dish, this dish rarely disappoints.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 3 potatoes, red, russet, or your choice
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup plain coconut milk
- Up to 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, paprika to taste
Directions:
1. Take all ingredients except for potatoes and blend in food processor or blender.
2. Pour blended mix into cooker bottom until it covers.
3. Add a layer of finely sliced potatoes and cover with sauce.
4. Repeat above step, saving enough sauce to pour on top.
5. Cook for 7-9 hours with the cooker on low and serve! Add turmeric for a healthy dash of flavor!
2. Pour blended mix into cooker bottom until it covers.
3. Add a layer of finely sliced potatoes and cover with sauce.
4. Repeat above step, saving enough sauce to pour on top.
5. Cook for 7-9 hours with the cooker on low and serve! Add turmeric for a healthy dash of flavor!
SWEETS, adult
thanks, Jane
ADULT COLORING
CRAFTS
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... three activities
answers:
PUZZLE
Scilla Hughii Jigsaw Puzzle
WORD SEARCH
| alibi allowance anvil anxiety artificial attire | baker bears bonus bulls credit debacle dream | effort exertion fears filler frame future insurance | magic manufacture maybe mull nerve peach roads | sales sire slump tack tape theft trinket |
SUDOKU ... hard
solution:
QUOTE
CLEVER
EYE OPENER
The Truth About Rin Tin Tin
todayifoundout
In comparison to the multi-million dollar star-studded display of excess that is the modern day Academy Awards, the first Academy Awards ceremony was a relatively muted affair that could even be described as quaint if you were so inclined. Held in a medium-sized banquet hall in a Hollywood hotel mostly known for being haunted today, the May of 1929 event wasn’t even broadcast to the public in any form.
As unbelievable as it may seem given how massively popular the Academy Awards are today, the idea of an awards ceremony to celebrate various achievements in filmmaking was initially thought to be absurd. You see, few in Hollywood believed that any members of the studios within the industry would vote for anything but their own films.
As for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences itself, it was a relatively new organization, in part formed by producer Louis B. Mayer in 1927 with the intent of uniting the various branches of filmmaking, as well as to try to curtail these entities from unionizing.
When it came to the Academy Awards themselves, he also hoped this would similarly allow him extra direct control over these groups. As he would later state, "I found that the best way to handle [filmmakers] was to hang medals all over them ... If I got them cups and awards, they'd kill... to produce what I wanted. That's why the Academy Award was created."
Others in the Academy had less nefarious motives, with the hope being that the Academy Awards would lend more prestige and legitimacy to the industry, helping to convince the public to take this relatively new form of entertainment more seriously. So, yes- even from the beginning the Academy Awards have always been about the individuals working in movies trying to make it seem like they are extremely important...
This all brings us around to the story of Rin Tin Tin, a German shepherd dog that was found in a half blown up kennel in France during WWI by an American gunner named Lee Duncan. When Duncan came across the kennel, most of the dogs inside were dead from the bombing of the area, excepting one mother dog and her five pups, two of which he kept for himself, naming them Rin Tin Tin and Nanette. (Named after little Rintintin and Nénette yarn dolls often given as good luck charms to soldiers and others fighting to free France.)
After the war, Duncan brought the two dogs back to the states with him, with Rin Tin Tin ultimately becoming a huge star in Hollywood, prominently appearing in a whopping 27 films during his career, almost singlehandedly popularizing the German Shepard breed in America and playing a large part in keeping the struggling Warner Bros. afloat in the early days.
In the year leading up to the first Academy Awards, he also starred in four hit films, Jaws of Steel, A Dog of the Regiment, Tracked by the Police, and Hills of Kentucky. (You can watch Rin Tin Tin in action in that one here, valiantly defending little Davey from a pack of wolves).
So when said award ceremony came around, the story goes that he, naturally, won best actor. But as a huge point of the Academy Awards was to try to make filmmakers and their films seem more important and prestigious, having a dog win one of the top awards didn't sit well with the organizers, so the Best Actor award instead went to Emil Jannings.
Nope.
When the first Academy Awards were held in 1929, votes were cast well in advance and, unlike today, weren’t kept a secret at all. As a result, all of the winners (and losers) that first year knew well ahead of time, as did the public. In fact, the LA Times published the results about three months before the ceremony took place.
From the fact that these ballots were public (and they still exist in the archives at the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library), we know definitively that Rin Tin Tin didn’t even come close to winning Best Actor, receiving only a single mocking vote by Warner Bros. executive Jack Warner, contrary to what almost literally every source we could find on the matter states.
The genesis of the rumor that he not only did receive many votes, but won, can be traced back to a different Warner Bros. executive, Darryl Zanuck. He was one of many who initially thought the Academy Awards were a stupid idea. The story goes that when he first caught wind of a ceremony celebrating Hollywood, Zanuck wrote a letter to Academy executive Frank Woods that including a faux ballot that only nominated Warner Bros. features and workers to demonstrate what he believed would happen if the idea became reality - that everyone would just vote for their own stuff. He then further showed his contempt for the idea by writing Rin Tin Tin’s name in for Best Actor.
Zanuck (who actually became a strong proponent for the awards in later years) evidently told this story one too many times at a cocktail party or two, leading to it becoming enshrined in Hollywood lore and repeated ad nauseum, which in turn resulted in the story ending up in a 2011 book by Susan Orlean, Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend . The news media picked up on this, spreading the legend as fact, and seemingly few have bothered to look into it from there.
The truth is that when official ballots were actually cast, Zanuck didn't even bother voting, joking or not.
So, sadly, despite arguably being one of the most popular stars in Hollywood and, by all accounts, a very, very good boy, Rin Tin Tin was completely snubbed by Hollywood insiders thanks to their blatant and unapologetic speciesism.
And so it was that German actor Emil Jannings, who would later go on to make many Nazi propaganda films, was honored instead... As for Rin Tin Tin, he remained a good boy and, despite being a German (shepherd), never appears to have had any Nazi leanings. On top of that, he doesn't appear to have ever discriminated against anyone based on their species, race, nor seemingly had any prejudices of any kind, except (presumably) a deep loathing of mailmen.
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