DIANE'S CORNER: World Elephant Day

DIANE'S CORNER ...

Celebrate World Elephant Day

They’re intelligent. They’re family-oriented. They have great memories. They are capable of feeling a wide range of deep emotions, from intense grief to joy bordering on elation, as well as empathy and stunning self-awareness. They create complex, supportive societies much like our own. Taking into consideration all of that and much, much more, what’s not to love about elephants? Still, countless elephants are brutally killed every year for their ivory by greedy poachers who then leave their carcasses to rot in the sun. As Graydon Carter, Editor of Vanity Fair, put it:

We admire elephants in part because they demonstrate what we consider the finest human traits (…) but the way we treat them puts on display the very worst of human behavior.

World Elephant Day is the perfect time to find out more about these amazing animals and what we can do to preserve and protect them so they do not go the way of the mammoth.

The History of World Elephant Day

World Elephant Day was created in 2011 by two Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sims and Thailand’s Elephant Reintroduction Foundation and was first celebrated on August 12, 2012. The initiative was greatly supported by film star William Shatner who narrated the documentary Return to the Forest, a fascinating 30-minute film about the reintroduction of captive Asian elephants to the wild. Currently, the demand for ivory is the biggest in China, with the price of ivory often exceeding the price of gold, something that makes elephants bigger targets than ever. Habitation loss is also a danger to the world’s elephant population as it deprives elephants of the hundreds of pounds of food they need every day, making it more difficult for them to breed and making it easier for poachers to track them down. Circuses and tourism are also serious threats to the animals’ well-being. Luckily, an increasing number of both celebrities and politicians have become interested in the cause, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ashley Judd and President Barack Obama.

thanks for the 'Old or Young" funnies, Cher

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Word of the Day

rappel

Definition:

(verb) Lower oneself with a rope coiled around the body from a mountainside.

Synonyms:

abseil, rope down

Usage:

She decided to try and overcome her fear of heights by learning to rappel.

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Idiom of the Day

out of (one's) shell

— Less shy, reserved, or reticent and in a more sociable, outgoing, or enthusiastic state.

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This Day in History

Russian Submarine K-141 Kursk Sinks in Barents Sea (2000)

While completing naval exercises with dummy torpedoes on August 12, 2000, the Russian submarine Kursk suffered two explosions two minutes and 15 seconds apart. The second explosion registered about a 3.5 on the Richter scale. The blasts destroyed the front hull, and all 118 crew members died. It was initially believed that the entire crew died quickly.

James Buchanan "Diamond Jim" Brady (1856)

Financier and philanthropist "Diamond Jim" Brady exemplified the American Dream. He started out as a bellboy and messenger before getting a job with the New York Central Railroad and then working his way up through the industry, eventually amassing a fortune selling railroad supplies. With his newfound wealth, he indulged in his two greatest weaknesses: food—one restaurant owner reportedly called him "the best 25 customers I ever had"—and jewels.

Hora at Prislop

The Hora is a dancing festival held at Mount Prislop at the Transylvania-Moldaviaborder in Romania. The dancers of the hora carry big rings that symbolize the friendship of the people of the regions of Moldavia, Maramures, and Transylvania. The top artistic groups gather at Prislop Pass to present a parade in colorful folk costumes and then a program of songs and dances, ending with the lively peasant horas. Typical food dishes of the area are served and folk art is on display.

Amid seizures, man sketched his 'beautiful' hallucinations

At first, he would see a colorful circle. It would grow a shimmering, flashing tail "dripping" down, which he compared to fireworks. "It's beautiful!" he said of one of these episodes -- but they gave him headaches, blinded him when they occurred ...
READ MORE:

A man drew an image of the "beautiful" visual phenomena he saw while having a seizure.

Amid seizures, man sketched his 'beautiful' hallucinations

Image result for 1851 - Isaac Singer was issued a patent on the double-headed sewing machine.

Image result for 1851 - Isaac Singer was issued a patent on the double-headed sewing machine.

1851 - Isaac Singer was issued a patent on the double-headed sewing machine.

Image result for 1877 - Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and made the first sound recording.

Image result for 1877 - Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and made the first sound recording.

1877 - Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and made the first sound recording.

Image result for 1915 - "Of Human Bondage" by William Somerset Maugham was first published.

Image result for 1915 - "Of Human Bondage" by William Somerset Maugham was first published.

1915 - "Of Human Bondage" by William Somerset Maugham was first published.

Image result for 1937 - Red Skelton appeared on network radio for the first time on the "Rudy Vallee Show" on NBC.

Image result for 1937 - Red Skelton appeared on network radio for the first time on the "Rudy Vallee Show" on NBC.

1937 - Red Skelton appeared on network radio for the first time on the "Rudy Vallee Show" on NBC.

Image result for 1939 - "The Wizard of Oz" premiered in Oconomowoc, WI. Judy Garland became famous for the movie's song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." The movie premiered in Hollywood on August 15th.

Image result for 1939 - "The Wizard of Oz" premiered in Oconomowoc, WI. Judy Garland became famous for the movie's song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." The movie premiered in Hollywood on August 15th.

1939 - "The Wizard of Oz" premiered in Oconomowoc, WI. Judy Garland became famous for the movie's song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." The movie premiered in Hollywood on August 15th.

Image result for 1960 - The balloon satellite Echo One was launched by the U.S. from Cape Canaveral, FL. It was the first communications satellite.

Image result for 1960 - The balloon satellite Echo One was launched by the U.S. from Cape Canaveral, FL. It was the first communications satellite.

1960 - The balloon satellite Echo One was launched by the U.S. from Cape Canaveral, FL. It was the first communications satellite.

Image result for 1977 - The space shuttle Enterprise passed its first solo flight test

Image result for 1977 - The space shuttle Enterprise passed its first solo flight test

1977 - The space shuttle Enterprise passed its first solo flight tes

Image result for 1986 - Rod Carew became the first player in the history of the California Angels franchise to have his uniform (#29) retired.

Image result for 1986 - Rod Carew became the first player in the history of the California Angels franchise to have his uniform (#29) retired.

1986 - Rod Carew became the first player in the history of the California Angels franchise to have his uniform (#29) retired.

Image result for 1998 - Swiss banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion as restitution to World War II Holocaust victims.

Image result for 1998 - Swiss banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion as restitution to World War II Holocaust victims.

1998 - Swiss banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion as restitution to World War II Holocaust victims.

Image result for 1999 - Hang Thu Thi Ngyuen shot an arrow from a bow with her feet on "Guinness World Records: Primetime" and hit a target that was 16 feet and 5 inches away.

Image result for 1999 - Hang Thu Thi Ngyuen shot an arrow from a bow with her feet on "Guinness World Records: Primetime" and hit a target that was 16 feet and 5 inches away.

1999 - Hang Thu Thi Ngyuen shot an arrow from a bow with her feet on "Guinness World Records: Primetime" and hit a target that was 16 feet and 5 inches away.

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DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, August 12

You have a wonderful sense of humor. A "doer," you tend to always keep yourself busy. You are one of the most resourceful people around, as you are often assessing usefulness and value of the things around you. You love to play, throughout life, and seem to be looking for ways to entertain yourself at every turn. Even so, you are a hard worker. You are a true pioneer in whatever you do, although you also do your best when you feel secure. As such, although you are a self-starter, the risks you take in life tend to be calculated ones. A true individualist, you also have very high ideals. You have a good sense of opportunities. In love, you are quite brave emotionally. Your emotions tend to be quite up and down, however, when it comes to matters of the heart, and you can surprise partners with great warmth and interest one day, and cool detachment the next. Famous people born today:

1881 Cecil B. DeMille, American filmmaker (The Ten Commandments), born in Ashfield, Massachusetts (d. 1959)

1910 Jane Wyatt, American actress (Father Knows Best, Star Trek), born in Mahwah, New Jersey (d. 2006)

1918 Guy Gibson, British aviator, awarded Victoria Cross, born in Simla, India (d. 1944)

1954 François Hollande, 24th President of France (Socialist: 2012-), born in Rouen, France

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MAGAZINE SUNDAY

Spin Off Special 2014 Enchanted Knits

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Pictures of the day

A map of Margarita Island, the largest island in the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta. Situated off the northeastern coast of the country, in the Caribbean Sea, it is the site of the state capital, La Asunción. Primary industries of this island, which covers 1,020 sq km (390 sq mi), are tourism, fishing and construction.

Be like Wes Anderson

“During a winter morning walk. When I saw this old fashion farmhouse with this twisted orange tree, I simply couldn’t resist, and for a moment I felt like I was in a Wes Anderson movie…” Santa Agnès de Corona, Ibiza