Law Enforcement Appreciation Day - January 9, 2020

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

Have you ever wanted to be a police officer as a kid? In today’s day and age, police officers have been getting a bad reputation in the United States due to reports of incidents with police officers and unfair treatment. Despite these tensions, there is a day dedicated to the lives of police officers and the services they provide.

That day is called Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and it is all about saying thank you to those who have one of the toughest positions in the country. Whether you are a police officer, have family members who are police officers, or have no clue what that’s like, this holiday is all about bringing light into a dark perspective of the police force.

History of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

This day was founded in 2015 by multiple organizations who joined together to show appreciation for officers in the United States. One of the main organizations, Concerns of Police Survivors, encourages citizens to thank their police officers on this day in support of their services. According to C.O.P.S, they believe that there is a need to show law enforcement officers that people recognize the difficult careers that have chosen as a public service to protect lives and uphold the law.

This holiday was sparked by the events of 2014 when an officer was involved shooting in Ferguson, Missouri and the violence and negativity that brewed over that event led to C.O.P.S hoping to change that. They discourage the negative attention that police officers have been getting in recent news and hope to turn the image of police officers into a positive one. Because there are over 900,000 law enforcement officers in America, CO.P.S believes it is vital to show them support during times of difficulty, and thus the holiday helps bring awareness to the difficult decisions police officers have to make each day in the best interest of the law and people.

Joke of the Day

BURNING CALORIES

Me: "I just burned 2000 calories in 20 minutes."

Friend: "How?"

Me: "I forgot to take my brownies out of the oven."

Word of the Day

singultus

MEANING:

noun: A hiccup.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin singultus (sob, gasp, hiccup). Earliest documented use: 1754.

USAGE:

“He waved at me -- for silence and focus -- as I was endeavoring to control my singultus which often occurs whenever I see a quarry.”
Yemi D. Prince; The Birth of a Child in a Fishing Boat; Langaa; 2016

Idiom of the Day

LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS

To look very good, often due to what you’re wearing
You look like a million dollars in that black dress!

This Day in History

1788 - Connecticut became the 5th state to join the United States.

1902 - New York State introduced a bill to outlaw flirting in public.


1929 - The Seeing Eye was incorporated in Nashville, TN. The company's purpose was to train dogs to guide the blind.


1937 - The first issue of "Look" went on sale. Within a month, "Look" became a biweekly magazine.

  
1951 - The United Nations headquarters officially opened in New York City.


1981 - Hockey Hall of Famer, Phil Esposito, announced that he would retire as a hockey player after the New York Rangers-Buffalo Sabres hockey game. The game ended in a tie. (NHL)


1984 - Clara Peller was first seen by TV viewers in the "Where's the Beef?" commercial campaign for Wendy's.


2003 - Archaeologists announced that they had found five more chambers in the tomb of Qin Shihuang, China's first emperor. The rooms were believed to cover about 750,000 square feet.


2007 - Steve Jobs, Apple Inc.'s CEO, announced the first generation iPhone.

thanks, Alice



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, January 9

Although you can be impatient when things are not turning out according to plan, you are very patient with people overall. Forever curious about how others "tick", you are a natural psychologist and extremely observant. At times, you are restless and certainly thrive on change more than the typical Capricorn. You are extremely committed to what you do, however, and you can most certainly be counted on. You are able to look at the big picture, which is very comforting to others. Famous people born today: 

1908 Simone de Beauvoir, French author & feminist (The Mandarins, The Second Sex), born in Paris, France (d. 1986)

1913 Richard Nixon, 37th US President (Republican 1969-74) and actor, born in Yorba Linda, California (d. 1994)

1935 Bob Denver, American actor (The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Gilligan's Island), born in New Rochelle, New York (d. 2005)

1944 Jimmy Page, English rock guitarist (Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven), born in London, England

1967 Dave Matthews, South African singer & musician (Dave Matthews Band), born in Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa


1982 Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge [Kate Middleton], English wife of Crown Prince William, born in Reading, Berksire

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

A pangram is a sentence using every letter of the alphabet at least once. Pangrams have been used to display typefaces, test equipment, and develop skills in handwriting, calligraphy, and keyboarding. 

The best-known English pangram is "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog".

At the age of 31, Jackie Kennedy captivated the nation with her youth and beauty when John F. Kennedy was elected president. But you might be surprised to learn that she is only the third-youngest first lady in American history. Who was the youngest First Lady of the United States? 

That title belongs to Frances Folsom Cleveland, who was only 21 when she married President Grover Cleveland on June 2, 1886, in the Blue Room of the White House. They are the only president and first lady to wed in the executive mansion.

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve is an annual New Year's Eve television special. 

Its creator and namesake was the entertainer Dick Clark, who conceived New Year's Rockin' Eve as a younger-skewing competitor to Guy Lombardo's popular New Year's Eve big band broadcasts on CBS. The first two editions, in
1973 and 1974, were hosted by Three Dog Night and George Carlin, respectively, and featured Dick Clark assuming the role of Times Square reporter, and were broadcast by NBC. In 1974–75, the program moved to its current home of ABC, and Clark assumed the role of host.

2.

1886 -

Ida Cohen Rosenthal, co-founder of Maidenform, the first company to make modern bras, was born in Tsarist Russia

3.

The Toronto Fringe Next Stage Theatre Festival 2020

Jan 8 - 19, 2020 | Toronto, ON 

Factory Theatre|125 Bathurst St

Now running strong for over 10 years, Toronto’s Next Stage Festival offers culture-lovers a glimpse at the future of indie art. This inspired festival works to encourage talented, little-known artists to graduate and showcase their acts to a wider audience, bringing creative minds and keen learners a once-in-a-year opportunity to grow and discover one another. Where were you when the next big thing hit the scene?

further information: Next Stage

4.

SF Sketchfest 2020

Jan 9 - 26, 2020 | San Francisco, CA 

The talents of the Bay Area comedy scene are showcased at the annual SF Sketchfest. Multiple venues in the city offer live improv comedy, film and television tributes and reunions, solo performances, podcasts and stand-up comedy. The event draws some of the biggest names in comedy from across the country including writers, performers and actors while also spotlighting local favorites and talented emerging comics.

further information: SF Sketchfest

5.

Chicago Young Playwrights Festival 2020

Jan 10, 2020 | Chicago, IL 

Pegasus Theater Chicago|1105 W Chicago Ave

The Young Playwrights Festival is a Chicago-wide playwriting competition for teenagers hosted by Chicago’s Pegasus Theatre. Each year, Pegasus works with local schools to aid students in creating one-act plays as part of the festival’s productions. Students receive support from professional theatre artists in the various stages of writing their scripts, from workshops to in-school playwriting residencies. The competition phase begins in April and ends with selection of 3-4 winning student plays are then featured as part of the theatre’s main season, providing a unique opportunity for students to dive into the world of theatre.

further information: Young Playwrights Festival

Pictures of the day

Mantella baroni, commonly known as Baron's mantella,  variegated golden frog or Madagascar poison frog, is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is native to Madagascar and is seen here in Ranomafana National Park in the southeastern  part of the country. The species was described in 1888 by  George Albert Boulenger, who named it after its collector,  Richard Baron. It has been classified as a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its  relatively wide distribution, but is threatened by habitat loss. The frog's diet includes mites, which cause it to accumulate a high  alkaloid concentration in its skin, making it toxic. The bright colours may serve as a warning sign to potential predators of  the frog's toxicity.

India

A frozen waterfall in the Drang area of Tangmarg, north of Srinagar.

knit
thanks, Cindy

Toasted Teacake

knit
thanks, Helen

Woolwinding Eyelet Shawl pattern by Kate Criafol

knit

Matinee Coat

knit

Crescent Knit Shawl

knit

Garter Ear Flap Hat

Knit Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Katia Funny Rainbow Shawl

crochet ... Valentine's Day
thanks, Adele

Valentine's Day crochet heart pattern by Anabelia Handmade

crochet
thanks, Ava

EASY DOG HARNESS pattern by Tisha LeBreton

crochet

Bruinen Shawl

crochet

8" Pumpkin Spice Latte Tapestry Afghan Square

crochet

Bella Ruffled Bag



RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Roasted Cauliflower Lasagna

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Debbie

Slow-Cooker Celery Soup with Bacon

This is part of packaging our bread.

SWEETS

thanks, Ida

Berry Chia Granola Bars

ADULT COLORING

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

CRAFTS ... Valentine's Day

thanks, Kris

Nail polish hearts

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... beauty

thanks, Renee

DIY Kid Safe Nail Polish with only three ingredients

thanks, Sheri

PUZZLE

Greek Columns Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

abandon advertisers beach bees bills bless cease cheat costs

dear electricity empty everyone evidence false focus forum

house lists order patch pierce pitiful proof pull

quill revenue servant short slash stab suppose

tarnish tern visitors water wonder

SUDOKU ... hard

solution:





thanks, Heide


QUOTE

thanks, Frances

CLEVER 

BUBBLE WRAP

You know how handbags, hats and coats always look so perfect in the store, but so slouchy in your own closet? Help those items keep their shape by filling them with bubble wrap when they're not in use.

Stuff it inside tall boots to keep them standing up even when empty. You can even make your own padded hangers by wrapping bubble wrap around standard hangers, which will help keep the shoulders of your coats and shirts rounded between wearings.

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

EYE OPENER 

Barbet, Dogo Argentino Are Two Dog Breeds Newly Recognized by the AKC

THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB ANNOUNCED THAT THE BARBET AND DOGO ARGENTINO ARE JOINING THEIR OFFICIAL REGISTRY.

bestlifeonline

Put your paws together, because there are officially two new dog breeds for you to love. On Tuesday, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced that the Barbet and the Dogo Argentino were joining their registry, which means they'll be able to participate in competitions. These new additions bring the number of dog breeds officially recognized by the AKC up to 192.

The organization describes the Barbet as a medium-sized dog from France that was originally used to hunt waterfowl. They're smart, so they require mental stimulation and their activity levels are described as "moderate." Their thick, curly locks don't shed, meaning they're hypoallergenic. They're friendly, loyal, even-tempered, and love to be around their owners, so they'd make a good family dog. Oh, and for those curious, it's pronounced bar-bay, as it comes from the French word barbe, meaning "beard."

The Dogo Argentino, on the other hand, is a hunting dog from Argentina that was originally used to sniff out big game like boar and mountain lions. Strong and powerful, they are also loyal, courageous, and humble. The AKC notes that they are "not for an inexperienced dog owner," however, as they tend to be protective and territorial and need a lot of exercise and socialization. The Dogo Argentino is also a big dog breed—these pups typically weigh 80 to 100 pounds, so they'll need quite a bit of kibble, too.

"We're happy to have the Barbet and Dogo Argentino as part of AKC's family of recognized breeds," AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo said in a statement. "Both are unique, offering dog lovers very different choices. As always, we encourage people to do their research to find the best breed for their lifestyle when looking to add a dog to their home."

And of course, you don't need to get a purebred in order to find your new best friend! Animal shelters are easy to find by putting onto your search engine the name of your hometown.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

It seems to me that those songs that have been any good, I have nothing much to do with the writing of them. The words have just crawled down my sleeve and come out on the page. -Joan Baez, musician (b. 9 Jan 1941)

OPTICAL ILLUSION

The diagrams below feature two sets of identical red and green squares within a striping pattern. Do the colors on each side of the stripes appear different? 

In each case, the squares on the left side appear darker and the right side appears lighter. View the images from the side of your monitor to exaggerate this effect.