ASL Day - April 15, 2020

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate ASL Day

There are many ways to communicate, and thousands of languages, each with their own various dialects. However, when considering the languages of the world many people forget those that don’t use the voice at all. Throughout the world there are those who are not born with the gift of verbal speech, and have had to find another way to communicate. The written word is one such method, but away from a computer it’s clumsy for casual conversation, and thus was born languages that include the use of hand signs to express meaning and share ideas. Appropriately enough, they’re known as Sign Languages, and American Sign Language (ASL) is one of the most prominent forms in the world.

History of ASL Day

ASL has an incredibly long history, given the age of the country in which it was born. In 1815 a school for the deaf was established with the intent of creating a cohesive language for those who could not use verbal speech. It was a remarkable leap forward for the time, and through the combination of several extant sign languages, Native American signals, French Sign Language, and even one for that was specifically created in Martha’s Vineyard (Known appropriately enough as Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language) the American Sign Language (ASL) was born.

Since it’s creation ASL has expanded throughout the world, being used in the majority of Canada, all throughout America, and has even expanded to areas like Central Africa, West Africa, and even Southeast Asia. Given it’s origin, it shares many commonalities with French Sign Language, and has even been considered a creole of that language.

Not sure what a creole is? Neither were we! It’s basically a language formed from two other languages, that is in turn passed on to another generation. Whatever it’s technical designation, ASL has certainly opened the doors of communication for many people with various speech impairments that prevent them from using verbal speech. Even more interesting is that ASL has been being taught as a second language in many places in the word, creating a scenario where even where the two involved may not share a spoken language, they’re able to communicate through sign. How amazing is that?

Thomas Hart Benton (April 15, 1889 – January 19, 1975) was an American painter and muralist. Along with Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry, he was at the forefront of the Regionalist art movement. His fluid, sculpted figures in his paintings showed everyday people in scenes of life in the United States. Though his work is strongly associated with the Midwestern United States, he studied in Paris, lived in New York City for more than 20 years and painted scores of works there, summered for 50 years on Martha's Vineyard off the New England coast, and also painted scenes of the American South and West.

Joke of the Day

Three Vampires Walk Into A Bar

Three vampires walk into a bar. The bartender looks at them suspiciously, but decides to serve them anyway. "What’ll be, boys?"

The first vampire says, "Blood. Give me blood."

The second vampire says, "I too wish for blood!"

The third vampire says, "Give me plasma."

The Bartender smiles and says, "Got it. Two bloods and one blood-light."

Word of the Day

pleb

MEANING:

noun:
1. A commoner, one belonging to the working class.
2. An uncultured or unsophisticated person.
3. A person of low social status.

ETYMOLOGY:

Short for plebeian, from Latin plebeius (of the common people), from plebs (common people). Earliest documented use: 1795.

NOTES:

In 2012, the British MP Andrew Mitchell resigned when it was reported that he called a police officer this word. There’s more to the story and the incident has come to be known as the Plebgate.

USAGE:

“For Cicero, free speech was the prerogative of the ‘best men’ in the Senate, not the plebs.”
Jacob Mchangama; Even Noxious Ideas Need Airing-Censorship Only Makes Them Stronger; The Economist (London, UK); Jan 31, 2020.

Idiom of the Day

7. Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning: Being inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation.

This Day in History

1817 - The first American school for the deaf was opened in Hartford, CT.

1850 - The city of San Francisco was incorporated.

1871 - "Wild Bill" Hickok became the marshal of Abilene, Kansas.

1892 - The General Electric Company was organized.

1923 - Insulin became generally available for people suffering with diabetes.

1934 - In the comic strip "Blondie," Dagwood and Blondie Bumstead welcomed a baby boy, Alexander. The child would be nicknamed, Baby Dumpling.

1947 - Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Previously he had only appeared in exhibition games.

1956 - The worlds’ first, all-color TV station was dedicated. It was WNBQ-TV in Chicago and is now WMAQ-TV.

1967 - The Nancy and Frank Sinatra duet "Somethin' Stupid" hit #1 on the U.S. singles chart. It was the first father and daughter act to hit #1.

1983 - In Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, the Tokyo Disneyland themepark opened.


1997 - Christopher Reeve received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2003 - Kelly Clarkson's debut album "Thankful" was released.


2010 - In Prospect Harbor, ME, the Stinson Seafood plant stopped sardine processing after 135 years in operation.

thanks, Marge



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, April 15:

You always seek to be fair with others, trying to find a balance. As security-minded as you are, however, you tend to follow your heart in love rather than to listen to your voice of reason, and there are times when you can be extremely impulsive. Your intelligence tends to come more from your perceptiveness and innate understanding of the world around you than through studies. Famous people born today:

1452 Leonardo da Vinci, Italian painter, sculptor, scientist and visionary, born in Vinci, Florence, Italy (d. 1519)

1707 Leonhard Euler, Swiss mathematician (Euler's Constant), born in Basel, Switzerland (d. 1783)

1894 Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1953-64), born in Kalinovka, Russia (d. 1971)

1933 Elizabeth Montgomery, American actress (Samantha/Serena-Bewitched), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1995)

1943 Robert Lefkowitz, American physician (Nobel Prize for Chemistry), born in NYC, New York

1959 Emma Thompson, British actress (Henry V, Howards End, Oscar 1992), born in London, England

1960 Philippe of Belgium, King of the Belgians (2013-), born in Brussels, Belgium


1982 Seth Rogen, Canadian actor and writer (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Interview), born in Vancouver, British Columbia


1990 Emma Watson, English actress (Hermione Granger-Harry Potter Series), born in Paris, France

1997 Maisie Williams, English actress (Game of Thrones), born in Bristol, England

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Stock car racing has its origins in bootlegging during Prohibition, when drivers ran bootleg whiskey. Bootleggers needed to distribute their illicit products, and used fast vehicles to better evade the police. When the runners weren’t
smuggling alcohol, many spent their free time racing other runners for bragging rights. Once Prohibition had ended, runners found themselves with souped-up cars yet of work. On December 14, 1947, one of these runners, Big Bill France, held a meeting with other drivers to put in place some standardized rules for the races—thus NASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, was
born. The first official race was held two months later.

If Earth's entire history were compressed into a single year, modern humans would first appear on December 31 at about 11:00pm.

The Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVDs have a disclaimer at the beginning given by Whoopie Goldberg. She explains that the cartoons are a product of their time and contain racial and ethnic stereotypes that have not been censored because "editing them would be the same as denying that the stereotypes existed".

2.

1667 -

TODAY: At the première of Edward Howard’s play “The Change of Crowns,” actor John Lacy improvises some lines about influence-peddling at court, which angers King Charles II. (The theater is closed, and Lacy is jailed.)

3.

Coronavirus Style by Sylvia, CAN DO Correspondent

When I got off the phones for the foodbank, I started a new knitting project I downloaded through The Corner last week. But today I started worrying about my chubby liver....hmmmmm-m-m...

Since we may be stuck at home in for the long haul, now that spring is coming on, this is the perfect time to do a liver cleanse for detoxifying. Order in some herbs, drink a lot of herbal tea and juices, and get busy learning to make some new salads. Here’s one that is truly amazing with a touch of Middle Eastern exotica:

Aussie Breakfast Compote

1 honeydew, 1" cubes

1 canteloup, 1" cubes

2 ripe apples, cubed

2 ripe oranges, in sections

2 bananas, sliced

2 c. grapes

1 c. berries

Toss the fruit with a mixture of:

1/2 c. orange juice (we mix in a little or orange brandy)

1 T. honey

1/4 t. orange blossom water

1/4 t. rose water

And for special occasions or a healthy potluck dessert, top the compote with:

2 c. yogurt

2 T. honey

And garnish with:

6 ground pistachio nuts, mixed with

pinch of ground green cardamom.

And don’t forget the herbs!

Detoxification Herbs For The Liver

Milk Thistle really cleanses those ducts

Triphala means "the three fruits" and it's comprised of the Indian fruits amalaki, haritaki, and bibhitaki for use in Ayurvedic medicine.

Dandelion Root, available as a coffee substitute at your health food store

Artichocke (altilix)

Tumeric (I eat 1/2” of the raw root daily, but powdered in a tea is also good

Pictures of the day

Paisley Abbey is a parish church of the Church of Scotland, located in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, about 12 miles (19 km) west of Glasgow. Saint Mirin founded a community here in the 7th century, and a priory was established in 1163. A succession of fires and the collapse of the tower during the 15th and 16th centuries left the building in a partially ruined state. From 1858 to 1928, the north porch and the eastern choir were reconstructed on the remains of the ruined walls. This photograph shows the interior of Paisley Abbey, looking eastwards from the transept towards the choir, with the high altar and the great east window visible in the background and the organ on the right.

Sewage surfer (US)

This tiny estuary seahorse ‘almost hopped’ from one bit of bouncing natural debris to the next, bobbing around on a reef near Sumbawa Island, Indonesia. As a brisk surface wind picked up, the seahorse took advantage of something that offered a stable raft: a waterlogged plastic cottonbud. 

knit
thanks, Vicky

LADY EMMELINE

Petite Purls - Issue 14

knit
thanks, Amber

American Flag Shawl pattern by Yarn Works Ltd/ Cheryl Miller

knit

Celtic Cables Dishcloth

knit

Knitted Toy: Egg to Turtle

knit ... Mother's Day

Mother's Day Brooch Crochet Free Download


Crochet Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Crochet shawl for spring: Pom Pom Happiness Shawl by Wilmade

The Skittles Poncho

crochet
thanks, Emily

The Perfect Combination of Vintage and Modern - A Free Crochet Apron Pattern

crochet
thanks, Helen

Mini Pom Pom Slippers

crochet

Stool Cover

crochet

Little wilde flower square

crochet
We love nurses. They are the glue holding us all together right now. 

Nurse Doll Amigurumi pattern by Viktorija Dineikiene

RECIPE

thanks, Sandy

Dandelion Salad Recipe

CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Slow-Cooker Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

SWEETS

thanks, Lesley

You Would Never Guess This Banana Bread Is Vegan.

ADULT COLORING

CRAFTS

thanks, Jessica

How To Locker Hook Tutorial

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... crafts

thanks, Lucy

DIY Bookmark

PUZZLE

Caribbean marina Jigsaw Puzzle



WORD SEARCH

clean convalescent crush cube dais droplet evict expensive

failed fault file freight habit hills kraft

lied little lost motor nation never

personality picture propulsion rale robot rove search seduce snack

spook stand system taco think woman yield

SUDOKU ... very hard

solution:







QUOTE

thanks, Nora

CLEVER 

thanks, Emma

Ultimate Guide to Being a Freelancer [2020 Update]

EYE OPENER 

thanks, Becky

Over 100 Fun Things to Do at Home Right Now, from Virtual Tours to Animals Cams and More

Thomas Hart Benton

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The greatest analgesic, soporific, stimulant, tranquilizer, narcotic, and to some extent even antibiotic -- in short, the closest thing to a genuine panacea -- known to medical science is work. -Thomas Szasz, author, professor of psychiatry (15 Apr 1920-2012)

OPTICAL ILLUSION

Illusion of rotation

A kinetic sculpture creates the illusion of a rotating head. Is yours spinning yet?

www.DianesDailyCorner.Blogspot.com