World Hello Day - November 21, 2019

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate World Hello Day

World Hello Day may sound extremely basic, as it encourages us to take the opportunity to simply greet people, and to recognize how important simple communication is in our daily lives. The story of how it came to be, however, is a long and interesting one.

History of World Hello Day

World Hello Day was first created in 1973 in order to show people, especially the people of the Middle East that conflicts can and should be resolved through communication, and not violence. The idea is that clear, honest communication breeds peace. In the 1970s, the conflict between Egypt and Israel was quite severe, and many people began to fear yet another huge war would end up coming of it.

World Hello Day was in fact created as a direct response to the Yom Kippur War that had just finished in October of 1973, during which thousands of both soldiers and innocent civilians were killed. Some soldiers had also been tortured and flat out executed.

The peace discussion at the end of the war was the first time that Arab and Israeli officials met for direct public discussion in 25 years. The concept of World Hello Day was created by Brian McCormack, a Ph.D. Graduate of Arizona State University, and Michael McCormack, a graduate of Harvard. Over the last 42 years since its creation, World Hello Day has been celebrated in 180 countries, as citizens of each of these countries take advantage of this time to express their concerns for world peace.

Thirty-one winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have stated that World Hello Day carries substantial value as an instrument for preserving peace, and as an occasion that makes it possible for anyone in the world, individual, organization or government, to contribute to the process of creating peace.

Talking Turkey

Question: This turkey planter is a cute addition to my Thanksgiving tablescape. The bottom is marked Relpo 5503. How would it originally have been sold, and what is it worth?

Answer: Long before Benjamin Franklin ever promoted the turkey to be the national bird, the gobbler was a symbol of Thanksgiving. This planter or centerpiece, which retailed for a dollar or two, was made in Japan in the 1950s for Relpo, an importer based in Chicago. One source says Relpo was a shortened name of Reliable Glassware & Pottery Company, which was founded in 1933. The Relpo name is well known among collectors of ceramic lady head vases. Relpo turkey planters in several sizes and varieties are readily available on internet sites. Prices for the 5-inch 5503 model range from $10 to $25. As with all ceramics, be watchful of chips, which are often found on the edges of the feathers.

Joke of the Day

STANDING AT THE ATM

Saw a lad standing on one leg at an ATM.

Confused, I asked him what he was doing?

He was just checking his balance.

Word of the Day

gangrel

MEANING:

noun:
1. A vagrant or drifter.
2. A tall, thin, long-limbed person.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Old English gang/gong (manner of going, way, passage), from gangen (to go). Earliest documented use: 1450.

USAGE:

“She is an enthusiastic reader and collector of books, provides shelter to the gangrels in her tower.”
Dietmar Bohnke; Shades of Gray; Galda + Wilch Verlag; 2004.

Idiom of the Day

HANG IN THERE

To persist with something, to not give up
Hang in there! I know it’s tough but you’re almost halfway through the course.

This Day in History

1620 - The Mayflower reached Provincetown, MA. The ship discharged the Pilgrims at Plymouth, MA, on December 26, 1620.

1783 - The first successful flight was made in a hot air balloon. The pilots, Francois Pilatre de Rosier and Francois Laurent, Marquis d'Arlandes, flew for 25 minutes and 5― miles over Paris.


1789 - North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.


1871 - M.F. Galethe patented the cigar lighter.


1877 - Thomas A. Edison announced the invention of his phonograph.


1922 - Rebecca L. Felton of Georgia was sworn in as the first woman to serve as a member of the U.S. Senate.


1929 - Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali had his first art exhibit.


1934 - The Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes" opened.


1942 - The Alaska Highway across Canada was formally opened.


1953 - British Natural History Museum authorities announced that "Piltdown Man" was a hoax.


1975 - Elton John received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.


1980 - An estimated 83 million viewers tuned in to find out "who shot J.R." on the CBS prime-time soap opera Dallas. Kristin was the character that fired the gun. (Texas)


1983 - In Los Angeles, movie theatres premiered Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video.


1989 - The proceedings of Britain's House of Commons were televised live for the first time.


2001 - Microsoft Corp. proposed giving $1 billion in computers, software, training and cash to more than 12,500 of the poorest schools in the U.S. The offer was intended as part of a deal to settle most of the company's private antitrust lawsuits.

thanks, Natalie



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, November 21

You are a unique mix of playfulness and passion. Although you can light up a room with your sunny personality, you are also determined, deep, and ambitious. You will often deliberate on a problem for some time, and then ignore your analyses and jump into a decision impulsively. Your desires are deep, and you want to experience life on all levels. No one can rightfully label you superficial! You are playful, passionate, dynamic, and inspired. Famous people born today: 

1694 Voltaire [Francois-Marie Arouet], French writer, philosopher and playwright (Candide), born in Paris (d. 1778)

1785 William Beaumont, American surgeon and father of gastric physiology, born in Lebanon, Connecticut (d. 1853)

1920 Stan Musial, American MLB outfielder (St Louis Cardinal, 7 times NL bat champ), born in Donora, Pennsylvania (d. 2013)

1985 Carly Rae Jepsen, Canadian singer ("Call Me Maybe"), born in Mission, British Columbia

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Originally for Men

Going back to the 15th century, men wore high heeled shoes as it helped secure their feet in horse stirrups. It also made them appear taller and (in their eyes) more powerful. Women started wearing high heels around the 16th century.

September 3, 1967 started out as the typical Sunday morning in Sweden. Except for one little detail. This was the day that Swedish officials decided to switch from driving on the left side to driving on the right side of the road. Apparently not everyone was aware of this switch. There was chaos, confusion, and crashes.

Theophilus Van Kannel invented revolving doors because he hated opening doors for women.

2.

1934 -

 

On this day in 1934, the Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes" opened on Broadway.

3.

Light Up Appleton 2019

Nov 23, 2019 | Appleton, WI

Celebrate the holidays in charming downtown Appleton through dazzling displays of light. Around downtown you can expect to find art-inspired installations that put a new spin on your typical tree lights.

further information: Light Up Appleton

4.

Detroit Tree Lighting Ceremony 2019

Nov 22, 2019 | Detroit, MI

Campus Martius Park|800 Woodward Ave

The annual Detroit Tree Lighting Ceremony gathers thousands of Detroiters and revelers from the surrounding area for a heart-warming night of holiday cheer and merriment. Each year, a 60-foot tall Christmas tree is decorated with nearly 19,000 multi-colored lights and dozens of sparkling ornaments. Following a public countdown, the Christmas tree is lit up in the center of downtown Detroit, which itself is decorated with thousands of lights as well. Best of all, attendees can also enjoy hours of ice skating on the city’s dazzling, top-notch rink.

further information: Detroit Tree Lighting

5.

Magnificent Mile Lights Festival 2019

Nov 22. 2019 | Chicago, IL

One of the nation’s largest holiday celebrations, the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival offers family-friendly attractions, concerts by chart-topping musicians, a grand Tree-Lighting Parade, fireworks and so much more. This event promises to boost your holiday spirit and keep you coming back for years to come.

further information: Lights Festival | Chicago Event - The Magnificent Mile

Pictures of the day

The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a species of woodland antelope in the genus Tragelaphus found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation and poaching. The greater kudu is one of two species commonly known as kudu, the other being the lesser kudu, T. imberbis. Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown or bluish grey to reddish brown. They possess between four and twelve vertical white stripes along their torso. The head tends to be darker in colour than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron running between the eyes. The helical horns of adult males grow as the animal ages, reaching ​2 ¹⁄₂ rotations at about 6 years old. This picture shows a greater kudu bull photographed near Groot Okevi in Etosha National Park, Namibia. Bulls weigh 190–270 kg (420–600 lb), up to a maximum of 315 kg (690 lb), and stand up to 160 cm (63 in) tall at the shoulder.

NEAR FURNES, NORWAY

Oddvar Brå is a Norwegian former cross-country skier. He was among the best skiers in Norway, the three-times winner of the World Cup and the winner of 16 national championships.

knit ... Christmas
thanks, Martha

Mrs Claus Purse with Knit Cables

knit
thanks,  Wendy

Sunshine Crop Sweater

knit

Romper Suit

knit

Square-Shaped Leaf-Pattern Knit Pillow

knit

Penguin Baby Sack

Crochet Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Kagan Boho Crossbody Free Crochet Pattern!

crochet
thanks,  Lois

Justjen's Easy Ripple Tea Cosy

crochet ... Christmas
thanks, Ava

Nativity Set

crochet

A Chance of Rain Crochet Dishcloth

crochet

Shell Stitch Blanket

crochet ... Thanksgiving

Pilgrim Pair

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Olive Tapenade

CROCKPOT RECIPE

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe

SWEETS

thanks, Lesley

Small-batch Apple Pie Bars

ADULT COLORING

CRAFTS ... Christmas

thanks, Stella

A Simple Cute Scandi Felt Christmas Craft For Your Home

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... Thanksgiving

thanks, Betty

CORN HUSK FLOWER PAINTING WITH KIDS

PUZZLE

Light Pink Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

armor around attraction bale below bezel birth blade bodyguard

border bright build damsel delay dolt fresh

grace hose hurry lights lint lithe

raid riot rough rusty scatter seem settle shine singers still

thing though today trickle verse wanted weary window

SUDOKU ... medium

solution:

QUOTE

thanks, Jenny

thanks, Heide

CLEVER ... Christmas

How to Send Soldiers Christmas Cards 2019

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

EYE OPENER 

A Brief History of the Balloons 

in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

time

The turkey’s bathing in brine, the relatives are preparing their political arguments and the children are parked in front of the television, watching a larger-than-life Pikachu pursue a too-big-for-his-britches SpongeBob SquarePants. Since the first balloon debuted at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927, balloon-spotting has been as much a Thanksgiving tradition as donning elastic-waisted pants. But those gargantuan rubber characters—which can require as many as 90 handlers, a number that still hasn’t prevented run-ins with lampposts and the occasional bystander injury—have been the source of nearly as much Thanksgiving drama as have dinner-table debates.

Below is a brief history of those balloons, from their helium-filled highs to their dangerous, windswept lows.

1924: The first Macy’s Parade takes place along a six-mile route beginning at 145th St. in Harlem. The floats are designed with a nursery-rhyme theme in mind—Little Miss Muffet and Little Red Riding Hood included—to match the store’s holiday window displays. Although the parade is held on Thanksgiving, it is billed as a Christmas Parade, kicking off the beginning of the holiday season (which helps explain Santa’s appearance on the final float). Instead of balloons on the parade route, real animals, borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, entertain the crowds.

1927: The first giant helium balloon, Felix the Cat, makes its debut at this year’s parade, replacing the real animals, which had proven to be less than enthused about their participation—as were some frightened young spectators. Because parade organizers in these early years have no plans for deflating the balloons, they allow them to float away. This decision proves to be one that requires rethinking, as many of the balloons pop shortly after release.

1942-1944: Like many major cultural events, the annual parade takes a hiatus during World War II. After the supply of natural rubber from Southeast Asia was cut off at the beginning of the war, the U.S. faced a major shortage. Consequently, the Macy’s balloons are deflated and donated to the government to support the war effort. The war also sees an increased demand for helium, which is required to inflate Navy patrol blimps, limiting its availability for less dire purposes.

1946: The parade is televised locally for the first time. The following year, the parade would be broadcast to a national audience on NBC, the same network that broadcasts it today. Television, of course, would come to be the way by which millions of Americans experienced the larger-than-life balloons, if only on a smaller-than-life screen.

1957: An already drenched crowd, watching the parade in inclement weather, gets even wetter when Popeye the Sailor’s hat fills with water and spills onto spectators. Though the balloon’s hat is remade to prevent a repeat occurrence, the same thing would happen five years later when rainwater that had collected in Donald Duck’s hat gave bystanders an impromptu cold shower.

1982: Olive Oyl, Popeye’s damsel-in-distress girlfriend, becomes the first female character represented in balloon form in the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

1990: Macy’s introduces a new spectacle (and a new word) with the “falloon”—a cold-air balloon that originates from a float in the parade (hence the portmanteau of “float” and “balloon”). The first falloons bring to life characters from The Wizard of Oz and Paddington Bear.

1997: High winds cause a six-story Cat in the Hat balloon to collide with a lamppost, sending debris into the audience below. A 34-year-old Manhattan woman, the mother of an 8-month-old baby, sustains severe head injuries and enters a month-long coma.

2002: Little Bill, the animated Nickelodeon character created by Bill Cosby, becomes the first African-American character depicted in a Macy’s Parade balloon.

2005: Macy’s debuts the “Blue Sky Gallery,” a collection of balloons that aims to bring modern art to the masses. The series has highlighted work by artists like Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Keith Haring (whose balloon was based on a work created in 1987, three years before Haring died).

2005: Dora the Explorer, the animated Nickelodeon character, becomes the first Latina (or Latino) character rendered in a Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon.

2015: At this year’s parade, the Angry Bird made his debut and Snoopy will defend his record as the character who has appeared in the most parades (he’s creeping in on 40).

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Work saves us from three great evils: boredom, vice, and need. -Voltaire, philosopher (21 Nov 1694-1778)

OPTICAL ILLUSION

In spite of what your eyes are telling you, 

the smaller off-center circle is actually perfectly round.