Shark Awareness Day July 14, 2018

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate Shark Awareness Day

Contrary to expectations, the purpose of Shark Awareness Day is not to stand on the beach and shout out warnings to terrified swimmers and surfers, despite the hours of innocent fun that can provide.

It’s true that sharks are impressive hunters and predators, yet the sad fact remains that these magnificent creatures are more threatened by people than we are by sharks. The worldwide demand for shark-fin soup, shark-tooth medallions, and a false sense of security on beaches everywhere, all combine to leave sharks persecuted and endangered, with millions of them being killed each year.

Like top predators in any ecosystem, sharks play an essential role in keeping the seas healthy and productive. Whilst no-one is suggesting we go out and hug a Great White on Shark Awareness Day, it’s the least we can do to respect these wonderful creatures and let them be.

thanks for the "p"unnies, Heide

Word of the Day

hard-pressed
Definition:	(adjective) Facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty.
Synonyms:	distressed, hard put, in a bad way
Usage:	Hard-pressed consumers are spending less on luxuries.

Idiom of the Day

be not in Kansas anymore  — To no longer be in a place that one knows or where one is comfortable; to be in a completely unfamiliar and/or discomfiting environment. A reference to The Wizard of Oz, in which Dorothy, upon arriving to Oz, says, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

A gang of thieves broke into a blood bank last night and stole a hundred pints of blood. Police are still hunting for the clots.

This Day in History

St. Mark's Campanile Collapses (1902)

Originally built in the 9th century, St. Mark's Campanile is the 323-foot (98.6-m) bell tower of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. It has been damaged many times in its history, including by fire and an earthquake. In 1902, a crack appeared in its north wall. On the morning of July 14, the campanile collapsed. Remarkably, no one was killed by the collapse, and only one building was damaged. Reconstruction of the campanile was completed in 1912. 

Emmeline Pankhurst (1858)

Pankhurst was a leading British suffragette. In 1889, she founded the Women's Franchise League, which in 1894 secured for married women the right to vote in local elections. She later advocated militancy, mainly in the form of arson, and was once arrested 12 times in a year. During World War I, she organized a rally of 30,000 women to encourage employers to let men fight while women did their jobs in England.

Wayne Chicken Show

This lighthearted event takes place in Wayne, Nebraska, a town that is known primarily as a pork capital. But since there were some egg-processing plants and chicken farms in the area who were willing to contribute to the cause, the Wayne Chicken Show was "hatched" in 1981. Up to 15,000 people witness competitions in rooster crowing, chicken flying, egg dropping and catching, and a national cluck-off whose winner has appeared on the Tonight Show. There are prizes for the oddest egg, the most beautiful beak, and the best chicken legs on a human.

Is Colonizing Mars the Most Important Project in Human History?

The Earth and Mars are a bit like fraternal twins that slowly grew apart. Four billion years ago, both planets were warm, sheathed by protective atmospheres, and carved with rivers and pools of liquid water. But today, Mars is an irradiated desert ...

READ MORE:

Is Colonizing Mars the Most Important Project in Human History?


1789 - French Revolution began with Parisians stormed the Bastille prison and released the seven prisoners inside.


1868 - Alvin J. Fellows patented the tape measure. 


1911 - Harry N. Atwood landed an airplane on the lawn of the White House to accept an award from U.S. President William Taft. 


1946 - Dr. Benjamin Spock’s "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" was first published. 


1951 - The George Washington Carver National Monument in Joplin, MO, became the first national park to honor an African American. 


1965 - The American space probe Mariner 4 flew by Mars, and sent back photographs of the planet. 


2003 - Jerry Springer officially filed papers to run for the U.S. Senate from Ohio


2008 - In Japan, construction began on the Tokyo Skytree tower. 


2015 - NASA's New Horizons spacecraft became the first space mission to explore Pluto. 

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, July 14

You are a very focused person, with some obsessive qualities, but as you gain life experience, you learn to ease up and enjoy yourself more. You often have a cause that you're passionate about and certainly enjoy helping people or opening others' eyes - teaching them to see the world differently. You are communicative, busy, and often on the go. You love to travel, but your home base is very important to you. Famous people born today: 

1868 Gertrude Bell, British archaeologist (Desert & The Sown), born in Washington Hall, County Durham, England (d. 1926)

1910 William Hanna, American animator (Hanna-Barbera, Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo), born in Melrose, New Mexico (d. 2001)

1913 Gerald Ford [Leslie King], 38th US President(R: 1974-77) and 41st US Vice President (R: 1973-74), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2006)

1918 Ingmar Bergman, Swedish stage and film director (Cries & Whispers), born in Uppsala, Sweden (d. 2007)

READERS INFO

1.

BASTILLE DAY - JULY 14

The French National Day commemorates the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, an important event in the French Revolution, as well as the Fête de la Fédération which celebrated the unity of the French people on 14 July 1790. Celebrations are held throughout France.

2.

Rockin' the River Summer Tubing & Music Series 2018

Jul 7 - Aug 11, 2018 | Fort Worth, TX 

Panther Island Pavilion|395 Purcey St

The Trinity River is scenic and all from afar, but how about you get your feet wet and go tubing in it with a beer in hand? Musicians nearby will keep the tunes flowing and the vibe afloat as you pop a beer open and tread on the river. Discover new music, new friends and new experiences all along the Trinity.

further information: Rockin’ the River – Every Saturday July 7 – Aug. 11, 2018 | Panther Island Pavilion, Ft Worth, Texas

3.

Fresh Fruit Festival 2018

Jul 9-22, 2018 | New York, NY

The WILD Project|195 East 3rd Street

The Fresh Fruit Festival is an event that applauds creative openness and celebrates individuals of all ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations. The festival showcases works in a wide range of styles including spoken word, theatre, dance, music, poetry and comedy. In addition to highlighting the artistic aspirations of the individual performers, the event reflects the enormous amount of diversity found in New York.

further information: FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL 2018

4.

IDEAS Immersion 2018

Jul 9-24, 2018 |  Chicago, IL

If there were a time to finally share that bright digital, scientific, entrepreneurial or artistic idea you think would do the world good, this would be it. IDEAS Los Angeles is a mixer for the thinker, from movie producers and educators, to doctors, entrepreneurs and more. Listen to keynote speeches, mingle with experts, learn and teach.

further information: July Immersion Program - Flashpoint Chicago

What do you call a cow that plays the violin in a musical?
Fiddler on the hoof.

Pictures of the day


Portrait of French actor Louis Guéymard in the title role of Giacomo Meyerbeer's Robert le diable, in the last scene of Act 1 in which Robert gambles with dice, loses his entire estate, and sings the aria "L’or est une chimère" (Gold is an illusion). Loosely based on a medieval legend, this opera in five acts tells of a young man who turns to sorcery to stop his beloved from marrying the Prince of Granada. Robert le diable was first performed in 1831 and remained a favorite in opera houses throughout the nineteenth century; this painting, for instance, is based on an 1857 performance. In recent years, the opera has seen a revival.

ANOTHER RAINY DAY IN NAGASAKI, KYUSHU

This is a view of the main street from a tram in Nagasaki on a rainy day. The tram is vintage, but retrofitted with modern ticketing equipment. A conductor is no longer on board—only the lone driver. The quiet streetscape seen through the front windshield of the tram somehow caught my attention. This view presents quite a contrast to busy urban centers in Japan, such as Tokyo and Osaka. The ride on a vintage tram through the relatively quiet main street was a memorable experience during our week-long visit to the historic city of Nagasaki. Location of Photo: Nagasaki, Japan

What did the woman say to the undertaker when he started hitting his broken down funeral car? Stop beating a dead hearse.

knit
thanks, Marcy

Athena Tunic pattern by Anna Templer

knit
thanks, Judith

Step It Up Knit Shawl

knit

Teeny Flamingo Knitting pattern by Amanda Berry

knit

Summer Knitting Project: Legwarmers and Shrug

knit

Put a Birdie on it Dishcloth

Doctor, Doctor I've got rotten teeth, bad breath and smelly feet.
Sounds like you've got Foot and Mouth disease!

crochet

thanks, Lisa

Springtime Wreath

crochet, vintage

thanks, Adele

Princess Louise Bag 1917

crochet

Playing Cats Crochet Amigurumi Pattern

crochet

wide strap tank top

crochet

Chunky Twist Torsade Necklace

Doctor Doctor I feel like biscuits!
What, you mean those square ones?
Yes!
The ones you put butter on?
Yes!
Well, that means you're crackers!

RECIPE

thanks,  Sam

I Just Discovered Melting Potatoes and I’m Officially Serving Them With Everything

Did you hear about the undertaker who buried someone in the wrong place?
He was sacked for making a grave mistake.

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Marge

Slow Cooker Meatball Subs Recipe

SWEETS

thanks, Shelley

Salted Caramel Peanut Brownie Bars Recipe



ADULT COLORING

One day a Viking named Leif returned after a long sea voyage and found that during his absence his name had been removed from the town register. He sent his wife to the town hall make a complaint to the mayor.
'I'm sorry,' said the mayor, 'I must have taken Leif off my census.' 

CRAFTS

thanks, Sandra

Wrapped and Tied 3D Fabric Animals

Policeman: Why are you driving your car in circles?
Motorist: I was just going for a little spin.

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... crafts

thanks, Grace

Craft: Weather Chart

PUZZLE

Brick Sea Window Jigsaw Puzzle


Why did the bus stop?
Because it saw the zebra crossing.

WORD SEARCH

application approve assign barrel chap choose climb cluster

dead decline domain donor dune earn eave enjoy escape

grant independent large lens museum

nice number order performance refrain require reveal

serve surrenders vanilla vixen vulnerable

SUDOKU ... very hard

solution:

What would you get if you cross a trumpet and a serpent?
A snake in the brass.

QUOTE

CLEVER

Sometimes the most difficult part about sewing is putting the thread through the needle. Spray a bit of hairspray on the end of the thread to stiffen it for easier threading.

EYE OPENER

Man With The World's Longest Fingernails Cuts Them Off After 66 Years

npr
Shridhar Chillal, 82, let his nails grow for over six decades. He cut them off this month. They are now on display in the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in New York City.

The man with the world's longest fingernails has finally cut them off.

Shridhar Chillal of Pune, India, started to let the fingernails on his left hand grow when he was 14 "after being told off by a teacher for accidentally breaking his long nail," according to Guinness World Records. 

He's now 82. And he holds the record for the longest fingernails on a single hand.

Chillal flew to the U.S. and had his nails cut off using a small circular saw at a ceremony Wednesday in New York. The Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Times Square has put them on display.

Just how long are the nails, exactly? The longest one is the thumbnail, which Guinness says clocks in at at 197.8 centimeters — or just about 6 1/2 feet long. "When last measured, his nails had a combined length of 909.6 cm (29 ft 10.1 in), about the same length as a London bus," according to Guinness.

Chillal's "unusual choice" to grow his nails out this long didn't stop him from leading a normal life, the Ripley's museum says. He married, had two children and worked professionally as a photographer.

But the decision to grow his nails so long did take a toll — Chillal cannot open his left hand from a closed position or flex his fingers, the museum says.