DIANE'S CORNER ...
Celebrate World Thinking Day
Thinking Day originated from a desire by Girl Guides / Girl Scouts to dedicate a day to thinking about and appreciating the global spread of these movements. Each year a participating country is selected and its culture and general living conditions pondered on for the day by all guides and scouts. The idea is to create a greater awareness and understanding of different cultures and any global concerns regarding that particular region. It sounds a little like those endless, global conferences attended at great cost by politicians, which rarely show results. The Girl Guides and Scouts Associations, however, do things differently.
A 1p donation is requested from each member in support of projects that aid Girl Guides / Girl Scouts from member countries in need. Politicians should perhaps dedicate one day annually to thinking about the simplicity of good ideas as formatted by the caring and uncluttered minds of the world’s youth.
Word of the Day
throttlebottom
VP Throttlebottom, Prez John P. Wintergreen, and the beauty contest winner Diana Devereaux in Of Thee I Sing, Eureka Theatre, San Francisco
MEANING:
noun: A purposeless incompetent in public office.
ETYMOLOGY:
After Alexander Throttlebottom, a Vice Presidential character in Of Thee I Sing, a 1931 musical comedy. Earliest documented use: 1932.
NOTES:
In honor of Presidents Day, this week we’ve been looking at words with presidential connections. It’s about time we paid our dues to the Vice President too. A VP, by its very nature, is meant to play a second fiddle though it’s not uncommon to find an eminence grise in that office. Here’s how the term throttlebottom came to represent VPs and other similar (mostly) harmless figures.
The first musical comedy to win the Pulitzer Prize, Of Thee I Sing, is a brilliant political satire that gave us today’s word. In this masterly operetta (music: George Gershwin; lyrics: Ira Gershwin; libretto: George Kaufman and Morris Ryskind), presidential candidate John P. Wintergreen runs a political campaign based on the theme of love. His National Party sponsors a beauty contest, with Wintergreen to marry the winner. Instead, Wintergreen falls in love with Mary Turner, a secretary at the pageant, and marries her on the day of his inauguration. Diana Devereaux, the contest winner, sues President Wintergreen for breach of contract; France threatens to go to war, since Devereaux is of French descent; and Congress impeaches him. Wintergreen points out the United States Constitution provision that when the President is unable to perform his duty, the Vice President fulfills the obligations. VP Throttlebottom agrees to marry Diana and forever etches his name in the language.
USAGE:
“[Lyndon B. Johnson] wanted to be Vice President, both to position himself as JFK’s successor someday and because he believed that he could convert any job -- even Throttlebottom’s -- into a power base.”
James MacGregor Burns; The Crosswinds of Freedom; Knopf; 1989.
The first musical comedy to win the Pulitzer Prize, Of Thee I Sing, is a brilliant political satire that gave us today’s word. In this masterly operetta (music: George Gershwin; lyrics: Ira Gershwin; libretto: George Kaufman and Morris Ryskind), presidential candidate John P. Wintergreen runs a political campaign based on the theme of love. His National Party sponsors a beauty contest, with Wintergreen to marry the winner. Instead, Wintergreen falls in love with Mary Turner, a secretary at the pageant, and marries her on the day of his inauguration. Diana Devereaux, the contest winner, sues President Wintergreen for breach of contract; France threatens to go to war, since Devereaux is of French descent; and Congress impeaches him. Wintergreen points out the United States Constitution provision that when the President is unable to perform his duty, the Vice President fulfills the obligations. VP Throttlebottom agrees to marry Diana and forever etches his name in the language.
James MacGregor Burns; The Crosswinds of Freedom; Knopf; 1989.
Idiom of the Day
A Piece of Cake
A task that can be accomplished very easily.
Example usage: Fixing my bicycle was a piece of cake.
Where did it come from? It is thought the expression originated from the fact that for most people, eating a piece of cake is an easy thing to do!
This Day in History
1630 - Quadequine introduced popcorn to English colonists at their first Thanksgiving dinner.
1860 - Organized baseball’s first game was played in San Francisco, CA.
1879 - In Utica, NY, Frank W. Woolworth opened his first 5 and 10-cent store.
1885 - The Washington Monument was officially dedicated in Washington, DC. It opened to the public in 1889.
1920 - The first dog race track to use an imitation rabbit opened in Emeryville, CA.
1924 - U.S. President Calvin Coolidge delivered the first presidential radio broadcast from the White House.
1956 - Elvis Presley entered the music charts for the first time with "Heartbreak Hotel."
1969 - Barbara Jo Rubin became the first woman to win a U.S. thoroughbred horse race.
1977 - The Eagles released the single for "Hotel California."
1989 - Milli Vanilli won a Grammy for Best New Artist. It was admitted later that they were not the vocalists on the album.
1997 - Scottish scientist Ian Wilmut and colleagues announced that an adult sheep had been successfully cloned. Dolly was actually born on July 5, 1996. Dolly was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell.
2010 - A copy of "Action Comics #1" sold at auction for $1 million. The comic featured the introduction of Superman.
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, February 22
While sensitive and concerned with others' welfare, you are not afraid to be different. In fact, many of you feel a "calling" early in life, or feel special or different. This can lead you on an unusual path, but always a very expressive one. Your ideas are unique and creative, and you feel compelled to share them! In fact, you can be very persuasive and intriguing. Many of the choices you make in life are altruistic ones. Famous people born today:
1732 George Washington, 1st President of the United States (1789-97) and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, born in Westmoreland, Virginia (d. 1799)
1857 Robert Baden-Powell, British officer and founder of the modern scouting movement, born in Paddington, London (d. 1941)
1918 Alfred J. Gross, American inventor (invented the walkie-talkie), born in Toronto, Canada (d. 2000)
1934 Sparky Anderson [George Lee Anderson], American MLB manager (Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers), born in Bridgewater, South Dakota (d. 2010)
1950 Julius Erving "Dr. J," American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (11-time NBA All Star), born in East Meadow, New York
1962 Steve Irwin, Australian naturalist & TV personality (The Crocodile Hunter), born in Melbourne, Victoria (d. 2006)
1965 Pat LaFontaine, American NHL center (NY Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, NY Rangers), born in St. Louis, Missouri
1972 Michael Chang, American tennis star (1989 French Open), born in Hoboken, New Jersey
1975 Drew Barrymore, American actress (ET, Firestarter, Poison Ivy), born in Los Angeles, California
READERS INFO
1.
2,700-year-old seal -
The seal mark discovered in Jerusalem (Eilat Mazar/Biblical Archaeological Society)
(Fox News) – Archaeologists in Israel say that they have found a clay seal mark that may bear the signature of the Biblical Prophet Isaiah. The 2,700-year-old stamped clay artifact was found during an excavation at the foot of the southern wall of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. In ancient times a seal stamp, or bulla, was used to authenticate documents or items.
A painting of the Prophet Isaiah.
2.
1630 - Quadequine introduced popcorn to English colonists at their first Thanksgiving dinner.
1920 - The first dog race track to use an imitation rabbit opened in Emeryville, CA.
1924 - U.S. President Calvin Coolidge delivered the first presidential radio broadcast from the White House.
1969 - Barbara Jo Rubin became the first woman to win a U.S. thoroughbred horse race.
1997 - Scottish scientist Ian Wilmut and colleagues announced that an adult sheep had been successfully cloned. Dolly was actually born on July 5, 1996. Dolly was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell.
2010 - A copy of "Action Comics #1" sold at auction for $1 million. The comic featured the introduction of Superman.
DAILY SQU-EEK
1975 Drew Barrymore, American actress (ET, Firestarter, Poison Ivy), born in Los Angeles, California
READERS INFO
A painting of the Prophet Isaiah.
2.
Lexington One World Film Festival 2019
Feb 10 - Mar 16, 2019 | Lexington, KY
Kentucky Theatre and UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital Pavilion A Auditorium|214 E Main St
Don't leave your brain unattached at the popcorn counter. The One World Film Festival in Lexington, Kentucky, insists you keep it while you watch an exceptional selection of thought-provoking films. As society becomes increasingly more diverse and complex, so do the films shown here. Don't miss out on a wonderful opportunity to engage in thoughtful discussion as you watch these powerful films with your fellow movie-goers. Be sure to check the Lexington One World Film Festival website for exact film dates and venues.
further information: Home - One World Film Festival
3.
3.
Providence Children's Film Festival 2019
Feb 15 - 28, 2019 | Providence, RI
More than 140 thoughtfully curated films from 35+ countries will be featured at PCFF’s 10th Anniversary “A Decade of Wonder” film festival in venues across Rhode Island. Highlights include East Coast premieres Film School Africa (South Africa), Supa Modo (Kenya) and Los Bando (Norway), 30th Anniversary show of Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service (Japan) and 2019 Sundance Film Festival KIDS film pick, The Witch Hunter (Serbia).
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2019
Feb 15 - 24, 2019 | Missoula, MT
The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is the premier venue for non-fiction film in the American West. Big Sky offers an ideal setting for filmmakers to premiere new work and develop lasting relationships with fellow filmmakers and industry. The festival draws an audience of 20,000 and film entries from every corner of the globe to a uniquely intimate mountain town setting with local Montana flavor.
Papilio machaon, also known as the Old World swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is present throughout the entire Palearctic region, ranging from western Europe and Russia to China and Japan, including the Himalayas and Taiwan, across into Alaska, Canada, and the United States, and as far south as Saudi Arabia and Oman. The adult butterfly typically has yellow wings with black vein markings, and a wingspan of 65–86 millimetres (2.6–3.4 in). The hindwing has a pair of protruding tails, similar to that of a swallow, and just below each tail is one red and six blue eyespots. In the caterpillar stage, P. machaonhas a length of 45 millimetres (1.8 in) and resembles a bird dropping, giving it camouflage.
Yellowstone
A herd of frosty buffalo walking in the snow towards thick fog produced by the Yellowstone geothermal activity.
thanks, Emily
knit
thanks, Sheri
knit
knit
knit
thanks, Jessica
crochet
thanks, Mary
crochet
crochet
RECIPE
thanks, Shelley
CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Dana
thanks, Dana
SWEETS
thanks, Gloria
CRAFTS
Shower Curtain Ring Bracelets
Last night as I was cleaning my bathroom (bleh) one of these rings rolled out from the sink cabinet.
Put some water in a pot to boil. Once it's boiling, throw the ring in and let it sit in there for a few minutes. Take it out with some tongs and it looks like this:
It looks the same, it's just much more flexible. First thing to do is cut those ends off. Grab a sharp knife and carefully cut 'em off. After you cut one side it might make it easier to throw it back in the boiling water to soften again, and then cut the other end off.
The ends might be a little sharp around the edges (mine were) so I took some fine-grit sandpaper and lightly rubbed the edges. Then throw it back in the water for just a little bit, maybe 30 seconds, take it out with the tongs, and bend it so it's the right size for your wrist. Quickly now, it hardens back up pretty fast!
Run it under some cold water, and it's ready for some color! You could probably use some acrylic paint and make your own pattern, but I chose to use scrapbook paper. Fabric would be awesome, too! Measure the width of the inside of the bracelet, mine was about 5/16", and cut a strip of paper that is that wide and long enough to wrap around the inside of the ring... plus some.
Grab your trusty Mod Podge, and with a small brush, brush a coat onto the inside of the ring and stick the paper on, print side down.
Then trim off the excess paper, and cover the paper with another coat of Mod Podge. Make sure the sides of the paper are glued down well, and wipe off any podge that gets on the top or sides of the bracelet.
Let it dry, and it's done! Super fast and super easy and super inexpensive!
Put some water in a pot to boil. Once it's boiling, throw the ring in and let it sit in there for a few minutes. Take it out with some tongs and it looks like this:
It looks the same, it's just much more flexible. First thing to do is cut those ends off. Grab a sharp knife and carefully cut 'em off. After you cut one side it might make it easier to throw it back in the boiling water to soften again, and then cut the other end off.
The ends might be a little sharp around the edges (mine were) so I took some fine-grit sandpaper and lightly rubbed the edges. Then throw it back in the water for just a little bit, maybe 30 seconds, take it out with the tongs, and bend it so it's the right size for your wrist. Quickly now, it hardens back up pretty fast!
Run it under some cold water, and it's ready for some color! You could probably use some acrylic paint and make your own pattern, but I chose to use scrapbook paper. Fabric would be awesome, too! Measure the width of the inside of the bracelet, mine was about 5/16", and cut a strip of paper that is that wide and long enough to wrap around the inside of the ring... plus some.
Grab your trusty Mod Podge, and with a small brush, brush a coat onto the inside of the ring and stick the paper on, print side down.
Then trim off the excess paper, and cover the paper with another coat of Mod Podge. Make sure the sides of the paper are glued down well, and wipe off any podge that gets on the top or sides of the bracelet.
Let it dry, and it's done! Super fast and super easy and super inexpensive!
CHILDREN'S CORNER ...
thanks, Lucy
PUZZLE
WORD SEARCH
| about alibi artichoke bathe clear contaminate dance deem | false floor gamble handle hides honest image information introduce | known late load market miracle nadir noise | parade plague point prose ranges rape real release | send spread stack told towel treaty tremble |
SUDOKU ... hard
solution:
QUOTE
CLEVER
thanks for keeping us safe, Rae - "This came to me from Snopes"
Do NOT Try This at Home |
Does kinking a live electrical wire stop electricity and make it safe? An internet meme declares that you can safely work on live electrical wires by simply kinking them "like a garden hose."
|
EYE OPENER
HOW POPULAR IS YOUR NAME?
WHEN DID A WORD BEGIN BEING USED?
I have to admit that I spent hours playing around with this
