Public Radio Broadcasting Day - January 13, 2020

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate Public Radio Broadcasting Day

Imagine life without the internet. This may not be all that hard for everyone, as there are many people who grew up without the internet and managed quite well. So now, try to imagine life without television. A little worse, right?

But many people are not fans of sitting in front of the TV, so having so television may seem perfectly bearable as well. Now for the hardest part: imagine life without either of the aforementioned things, and now without radio, either. You come home after a long day at work, and are greeted by silence. Complete and utter silence. Even if you do like to read, you have to admit that a life without any kind of broadcasting whatsoever. And that’s what life was like just one hundred years ago.

I think by now we can all agree that all forms of broadcasting have contributed to making our lives happier and more interesting, and have provided plenty of entertainment on cold dark nights that would have otherwise been spent, well, sleeping. Public Radio Broadcasting Day is a day dedicated to appreciating technology and how much it has improved our lives.

The History of Public Radio Broadcasting Day

The first public radio broadcast in history took place on January 13, 1910, when a live opera featuring some of the most renowned opera singers of the day was broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House.

This first-ever broadcast was several hours long and consisted of Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticanaand Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, two very popular opera at the time, performed by such opera stars as Emmy Destin, Riccardo Martin and Enrico Caruso. Not many people were able to actually pick up the broadcast, which was heard only in the De Forest Radio Laboratory, on board ships in New York Harbor, and in large hotels on Times Square.

Several public receivers had also been set up in various locations around New York City so the public could listen to the music as well. The furthest the music was reported heard was on a ship about 20 kilometers away from the city.

Even though the experiment was considered largely unsuccessful due to the poor quality of all of the devices used, and the amount of static and “homeless song waves”, as the New York Times later put it, the fact remains that that was the very first public radio broadcast in human history, and one that changed the entertainment industry forever.

Fragonard's work is at once emblematic of the 18th century and singular, elevating popular genre scenes to meditations on French society through careful use of symbols and lavish brushwork. The painter's reputation rests on his love scenes, which hold great density of meaning, and for his use of light and color to transform both subjects and surrounding environments into showcases of virtuosity that capture emotions and reward extended examination. Fragonard's expressive brushstrokes, which lead figures and landscapes to dissolve into individual strokes when seen closely, had a strong influence on the Impressionists, while his themes have been picked up by 21st-century artists interested in gender, race and sexuality.

Joke of the Day

ALL NIGHT

An 80-year-old gentleman was being interviewed on his 60 years of marriage.

"Is there one big difference in your marriage today compared to when you were first married?" asked the interviewer.

"Well," said the man after pondering for moment, "it now takes me all night to do what I used to do all night."

Word of the Day

eftsoons

MEANING:

adverb:
1. Soon after.
2. Again.
3. From time to time.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Old English ęft (again) + sona (soon). Ultimately from the Indo-European root apo- (off or away), which is also the source of after, off, awkward, post, puny, appose, and apposite. Earliest documented use: 1000.

USAGE:

“Eftsoons we turned to the volume of Shakespeare that we had at hand.”
Al Sicherman; Al’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’; Minneapolis Star and Tribune (Minnesota); Aug 9, 1987.

Idiom of the Day

MISS THE BOAT

To be slow and not take an opportunity when it’s offered to you
I would call the company back now about the job and not wait until the morning. You don’t want to miss the boat!

This Day in History

1794 - U.S. President Washington approved a measure adding two stars and two stripes to the American flag, following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the union.

1854 - Anthony Faas of Philadelphia, PA, was granted the first U.S. patent for the accordion. He made improvements to the keyboard and enhanced the sound.


1942 - Henry Ford patented the plastic automobile referred to as the "Soybean Car." The car was 30% lighter than the average car.


1966 - Elizabeth Montgomery’s character, Samantha, on "Bewitched," had a baby. The baby's name was Tabitha.


1990 - L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, the nation's first elected black governor, took the oath of office in Richmond.


1997 - Debbie Reynolds received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


1998 - One of the 110 missing episodes of the British TV show "Doctor Who" was found in New Zealand.


1999 - Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) announced his retirement from the NBA.

thanks, Dana



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, January 13

You are a determined and driven person who is acutely aware of the need for change. Although you fear change on one level, you rarely let things slide because you know you have to work for the things you want in life, and you don't want to let things slip by. Some of you are a little neurotic, needing to solve problems immediately! However, most of you are simply proactive, hard-working, and wise. You have strong managerial skills. Most of you born on this day are highly perceptive and compassionate, and some are downright psychic. Famous people born today: 

1934 Rip Taylor, American actor and comedian (Gong Show, $1.98 Beauty Show), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2019)

1961 Julia Louis-Dreyfus, American comedienne and actress (Elaine Benes-Seinfeld, SNL, Veep), born in NYC, New York

1966 Patrick Dempsey, American actor (Grey's Anatomy),born in Lewiston Maine

1977 Orlando Bloom, English actor (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings), born in Canterbury, England

1990 Liam Hemsworth, Australian actor (Hunger Games films), born in Melbourne, Victoria

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Beware a hungry female octopus! 

If a male octopus tries to mate while the female is hungry and not in the mood, trouble awaits him. The female octopus will lure him in, kill him, and then feed on his corpse.

Most football/soccer fans throughout the world know the name Pelé. The legendary player from Brazil is considered by many to be the greatest of his sport.

He became a known name at the young age of 17, when he lead Brazil to victory at the 1958 FIFA World Cup tournament. He is the only player in World Cup History to lead his country to 3 gold medals (1958, 1962, and 1970). And while he is famously known by his one word nickname, he was actually named after the famous inventor. Inspired by Mr. Thomas Edison, Pelé’s parents named their son Edson Arantes do Nascimiento.

You are thirsty. You just poured yourself a cold beer or a cold soda (or pop, depending on where you are from). You can’t wait to take a sip. But you have to wait.

Why? Because of those dreaded enemies, foam and fizz. They will take their sweet time, ignoring any and all pleas, purposefully delaying your pleasure. Think you have wait for them?  Think again. Put your finger in it. That’s right, put your finger in the foam and fizz and watch it disappear at a quicker speed. But why does that happen? Science, my friend. Foam and fizz are nothing but gas bubbles that are rising above the liquid beverage. The oil from your finger literally bursts the bubble of… well, the bubble (sorry, I had to do it). And there you have it.

2.

1947 -

Douglas Edwards (July 14, 1917 – October 13, 1990)

Edwards anchored CBS's first network nightly television 

news broadcast from 1947– 1962, which was later to be 

titled CBS Evening News. 

 

John Cameron Swayze (April 4, 1906 – August 15, 1995)

Swayze was chosen in 1949 to host NBC’s first 

television newscast, the 15-minute Camel News Caravan. 

3.

Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival 2020

Jan 11 - 12, 2020 | Litchfield Park, AZ 

Litchfield Park Town Center|Litchfield Park

Native American art is fascinating because it has told us stories spanning hundreds of years, starting in caves and on rocks. In Litchfield Park, Arizona, this art festival pays tribute to Native American heritage and their rich history with the arts. Over 100 Native American artists will be invited to showcase their exquisite work in clothing, pottery, weaving, beadwork and much more. If your money is collecting dust, you can purchase these amazing pieces to add a bit of spark to your life.

further information: 2020 Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival

4.

Sarasota Fine Art Festival 2020

Jan 11 - 12, 2020 | Sarasota, FL 

JD Hamel Park|199 Bayfront Dr

Never mind the seasons, Sarasota has ideal weather to host a fine art festival year-round. This Gulf town south of Tampa is swarming with artistic genius, featuring a rich collection ceramics, paintings, sculptures, mixed-media and many other types of artwork. Discovery is never impossible when the weather is consistently agreeable.

further information: Sarasota Fine Art Festival

5.

MediaMax Home Improvement & Design Expo 2020

Jan 18, 2020 | Shakopee, MN 

Canterbury Park|1100 Canterbury Rd

Does your home look like such a pigsty that not even Tim Allen can salvage it? MediaMax has 9 annual shows devoted to home improvement in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, and attending just one may be all it takes to turn your slum village into a dazzling, comforting home. Dozens of vendors are set up throughout the venue with the latest in home improvement goods, providing shine for your walls, windows, designated rooms and more with the best in home décor.

further information: Shakopee - Home Improvement & Design Expo

Pictures of the day

François-Henri d'Harcourt (12 January 1726 – 22 July 1802) was a French general, administrator and peer of the realm.  Living in turbulent times, he emigrated to Britain during the  French Revolution and became a representative of Louis XVIII to the British government. This picture is a half-length oil-on- canvas portrait, painted around 1769 by French painter  Jean-Honoré Fragonard, depicting d'Harcourt looking over his  left shoulder. One of Fragonard's Fantastical Portraits, it was  sold in 1971 for £340,000 (equivalent to £3,972,000 in 2016),  when the d'Harcourt family collection was dispersed. It was  sold again in 2013 for £17,106,500, setting a world-record  price for the artist at auction.

A Moscow Suburb

A man pulls a child sitting on a sleigh as it snows in a park.

knit
thanks, Nancy

Fluorescent Sun pattern by Priadka Handspun Art

knit
thanks, Sue 

Knit Lace Sampler Triangular Shawl pattern by Susan McKinnell

knit

Cotton Koala Amigurumi pattern by Pear Dinkum

knit

Graphic Chevron Blanket

knit ... Valentine's Day

Valentine Mug Hug

Knit Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Funny Papers Poncho

crochet ... Valentine's Day
thanks, Marge

Lighthearted Tunic

crochet
thanks, Mary

Winter Indulgence Wrap

crochet

Little Mary lamb lovey

crochet

Saturn Rings

crochet

Paw Socks Knitting Pattern

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Easy Swedish Meatball Skillet

CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Stacy

Texas Chili Fries

SWEETS

thanks, Sandy

2 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE HAZEL PALMIERS

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 3/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

Yield

Serves: a dozen cookies

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry out until flat. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread all over the puff pastry to cover. Starting with one long side of the sheet, roll the puff pastry in a spiral to the middle of the puff pastry sheet. Do the other to the same side to make a really long palmier shape.

Using a sharp knife, cut the log into cookies 1/2-inch thick and place them onto a parchment-lined sheet tray.

ADULT COLORING

CRAFTS

thanks, Zoey

Paper Heart Doily Wreath

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... Valentine's Day

thanks, Mindy

Pipe Cleaner Heart-Shaped *LOVE* Goggles

PUZZLE

Pink Hangers Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

alien astir bees better boast caress carry coat concentrate

facts fondle fortune gavel makeup messy methodical moot moribund

needs nude party point pretty proven pure

reach reef screen series smiles spin steal stone

teeth telephone test tournament trade trunk

SUDOKU ... very hard

solution:

QUOTE

thanks, Mia

CLEVER 

CARS - Clean vents with silicon gel

Air vents are extremely important. Whether it’s to blast the air conditioning on the hottest day of the summer or to warm your car on those frosty winter days when the mercury drops down to -30.

But have you looked at those vents? They’re kinda gross. To make sure that you stay comfortable and that your air quality is good, take silica gel to get out all of the dust.

EYE OPENER 

thanks, Sheri

Missing Cat Posters That Are A Bit Stranger Than Most

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

To move freely you must be deeply rooted. -Bella Lewitzky, dancer (13 Jan 1916-2004)

OPTICAL ILLUSION

Monkey or Lion Optical Illusion

If you could see both Monkey are Lion, then it is time to move take a nap.