International Tiger Day - July 29, 2020

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Tiger Day

The tiger is the largest of the world’s big cats and this magnificent creature, with its distinctive orange and black stripes and beautifully marked face, has a day that is dedicated to it.

Learn about International Tiger Day

International Tiger Day has been created so that people around the world can raise awareness for tiger conservation. The aim of the day is to help promote a worldwide system whereby we are dedicated to protecting tigers and their natural habitats.

We can also use this day to support tiger conservation issues and to raise awareness. After all, when more people are aware of something, they are going to be more inclined to help, and that is why this day is so important.

There are a number of different issues that tigers all around the world face. There are a number of treats that are driving tigers close to extinction, and we can do our bit to make sure that we do not lose these incredible creatures. Some of the threats that tigers face include poaching, conflict with humans, and habitat loss. 

Poaching and the illegal trade industry is a very worrying one. This is the biggest threat that wild tigers face. Demand for tiger bone, skin, and other body parts is leading to poaching and trafficking. This is having a monumental impact on the sub-populations of tigers, resulting in localized extinctions. We often see tiger skins being used in home decor.

Moreover, bones are used for medicines and tonics. This has seen illegal criminal syndicates get involved in the tiger trade in order to make huge profits. It really is a worrying industry. In fact, it is thought to be worth 10 billion dollars per annum in the United States alone. This is why we need to support charities and work hard to put an end to poaching and the illegal trade of tiger parts. 

While this represents the biggest threats to tigers, there are a number of other threats as well. This includes habitat loss. Throughout the world, tiger habitats have reduced because of access routes, human settlements, timber logging, plantations, and agriculture.

In fact, only around seven percent of the historical range of a tiger is still intact today. That is an incredibly small and worrying amount. This can increase the number of conflicts between tigers, as they roman about and try to locate new habitats. Not only this, but genetic diversity can reduce because it can cause there to be inbreeding in small populations.

History of International Tiger Day

This was first celebrated in 2010 and was founded at an international summit that had been called in response to the shocking news that 97% of all wild tigers had disappeared in the last century, with only around 3,000 left alive.

Tigers are on the brink of extinction and International World Tiger Day aims to bring attention to this fact and try to halt their decline. Many factors have caused their numbers to fall, including habitat loss, climate change, hunting and poaching and Tiger Day aims to protect and expand their habitats and raise awareness of the need for conservation.

Many international organizations are involved in the day, including the WWF, the IFAW and the Smithsonian Institute.

Joke of the Day

thanks, Bev

"Children's Opinions"

NUDITY

I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. 

She was stark naked! 

As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'

Word of the Day

willowy

MEANING:

adjective
1. Of or related to a willow tree. For example, bordered, shaded, or covered by willows.
2. Gracefully tall, slender, and lithe.

ETYMOLOGY:

Gracefully drooping branches of a willow have, for more than two centuries, inspired people to evoke the tree when describing a woman. The word willow is from Old English welig, ultimately from the Indo-European root wel- (to turn or roll), which also gave us waltz, revolve, valley, walk, vault, volume, wallet, helix, voluble, welter, and devolve. Earliest documented use: 1766.

USAGE:

“As soon as Steve Jobs learned that his beautiful, willowy, blonde girlfriend, Laurene Powell, was pregnant in 1991, he began musing that he might still be in love with the previous beautiful, willowy, blonde girlfriend, Tina Redse.”
Maureen Dowd; Limits of Magical Thinking; The New York Times; Oct 25, 2011.

Idiom of the Day

A penny for your thoughts

This idiom is used as a way of asking someone what they are thinking about.

This Day in History

1773 - The first schoolhouse to be located west of the Allegheny Mountains was built in Schoenbrunn, OH.


1874 - Major Walter Copton Winfield of England received U.S. patent for the lawn-tennis court.


1940 - John Sigmund of St. Louis, MO, completed a 292-mile swim down the Mississippi River. The swim from St. Louis to Caruthersville, MO took him 89 hours and 48 minutes.


1957 - Jack Paar began hosting the "Tonight" show on NBC-TV. The name of the show was changed to "The Jack Paar Show." Paar was host for five years.


1958 - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was authorized by the U.S. Congress.

1963 - Peter, Paul and Mary's "Blowin' In The Wind" was released.

1980 - David Bowie made his theatrical debut when he opened in the title role of "Elephant Man."

1981 - England's Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married.

1997 - Minamata Bay in Japan was declared free of mercury 40 years after contaminated food fish were blamed for deaths and birth defects.

2005 - Astronomers announced that they had discovered a new planet (Xena) larger than Pluto in orbit around the sun.



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, July 29

You are magnetic, affectionate, and project much warmth. Very likable, others sense that you care more than most. You conduct yourself with grace and you are especially fair, never discounting emotions in favor of logic when dealing with others. You are highly intuitive, sometimes dramatic, and have a flair for gently leading others. Moodiness can sometimes interfere with your material or professional path. There can be a great fear of boredom and restriction. Famous people born today: 

1796 Walter Hunt, American inventor (safety pin, sewing machine), born in Martinsburg, New York (d. 1859)

1888 Vladimir K. Zworykin, Russian-American inventor (development of television, cathode ray tube), born in Murom, Russian Empire (d. 1982)

1905 Clara Bow, American silent screen actress (It, Saturday Night Kid), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1965)

1937 Charles Schwab, American investor and entrepreneur (Charles Schwab Corporation), born in Sacramento, California

1938 Peter Jennings, Canadian-American news anchor (ABC Evening News), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2005)

thanks, Judy

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

If the entire history of the Earth were compressed into one year, the T. Rex wouldn't have appeared until December 26th, dinosaurs would have gone extinct by December 27th, and humans would have arrived on December 31st.

In 1960, Chile experienced the largest earthquake ever recorded. This earthquake reached a 9.5 on the Richter Scale.

Lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars are the four big cats that can roar, but they cannot purr. Cougars (aka mountain lions, panthers, pumas) and cheetahs cannot roar, but
they can purr.
2.

1981 -

 
England’s Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married on this day in 1981.

3.

Coronavirus Style by Sylvia, CAN DO Correspondent

CHERRY TOMATO THREE-CHEESE TARt

Cherry Tomato Three-Cheese Tart

Pictures of the day

Thomas Corwin (July 29, 1794 – December 18, 1865) was a politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. He represented Ohio in both houses of Congress, and served as the 15th governor of Ohio from 1840 to 1842 and the 20th U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1850 to 1853. He is best known for his sponsorship of the proposed Corwin Amendment, which was presented in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the oncoming American Civil War.

This picture is a line engraving of Corwin, produced around 1902 by the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), as part of a BEP presentation album of the first 42 secretaries of the treasury.

Reunion Island, Indian Ocean

Baby Whale: This is a baby humpback whale, born in September of 2013.

knit ... Christmas in July

Jingle all the Way pattern by Jolijn Copier Designs

knit ... Christmas in July

Deer John

knit ... Christmas in July

Ultimate Christmas hat pattern by Vicki Marais
knit ... Christmas in July

Winter stories pattern by Ruta Sab.

knit ... Christmas in July

Mini Gingerbread Friends pattern by Esther Braithwaite


Crochet Pattern of the Day ... Christmas in July

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Angel in Flight Ornament

Angels. Boys and girls

crochet ... Christmas in July

Christmas Cat with Santa Hat pattern by Suzy Dias

crochet ... Christmas in July

Christmas Baby Overalls

crochet ... Christmas in July

Yes Sir Snowflake pattern by Jessica Wifall

crochet ... Christmas in July

Tiny Christmas Bauble pattern by Louise Preston

crochet ... Christmas in July

Pinewood Cowl



Quarantine Cooking Recipes

thanks, Debbie

Sourdough Bread (Meals for Hard Times)

Servings per Recipe: 2

Keyword: no-yeast sourdough bread

Initial Starter

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Bread

• 8-12 cups flour, divided
• 1 additional quart milk, divided
• 1/4 cup oil

Starter Food

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour

Instructions

Make the Starter

• Blend 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, and sugar and place in a warm spot covered by a paper towel.
• Leave for 2 days, checking to be sure it starts to smell sour after 1 day.

Split & Feed the Starter (2 days after making starter)

• In a large bowl place three quarters of your starter and set aside.
• To the rest of the starter add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of milk. Mix the starter and put it into the refrigerator.

Make the Bread (2 days after making starter)

• Take 1 egg and put it into a glass of hot tap water (do not crack it).
• Warm some milk, about 1 quart, not hot just warm.
• Take the egg out of the water. Crack it and beat it.
• To the portion of the starter you put into the bowl, add your beaten egg, 1/4 cup oil, the remaining warm milk, flour (start with 5 cups and add a little at a time until the dough is the right consistency), and mix and knead well (about 8 minutes).
• Allow to rise in a warm place overnight.
• In the morning, punch down the risen bread dough and form into two loaves. Let dough rise again for 1 1/2 hours, then bake at 350°F until golden brown

RECIPE

thanks, Denise

Ingredients: 48 chicken wings (ideally humanely-raised)

For wet brine: 1 cup kosher salt, ½ cup sugar, 4 cups water (hot), 7 cups ice

For dry rub: ¼ cup neutral oil, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup paprika, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp ginger powder, 1 tbsp onion powder

For maple chipotle sauce: 1 can (7 oz)  chipotle in adobo, 1 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1 cup cider vinegar, ½ cup tamari, ½ tsp salt

Directions 

1. Combine kosher salt and sugar.
2. Pour hot water over the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until dissolved (water will be clear when dry ingredients are fully dissolved).
3. Add ice and stir until ice melts.
4. Pour wet brine over wings and refrigerate for two hours.
5. Drain brine from wings and let dry in the refrigerator overnight (uncovered).
6. Make the dry rub by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl.
7. Once the wings have dried overnight in the refrigerator, toss them in the dry rub spice blend until coated.
8. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and roast the coated wings on a rack-lined sheet tray, flipping halfway through the cooking process, about 30-35 minutes (internal temperature of 165 degrees F). Cook for an additional 10 minutes if you want fall-off-the-bone meat.
9. While wings are in the oven, prepare the maple chipotle sauce by blending all of the ingredients until smooth.
10. Once wings are finished, toss them in the maple chipotle sauce and serve with ranch or bleu cheese dressing and crudités

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Slow-Cooker Swedish Meatballs

VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN RECIPE

Both vegetarian and vegan diets may provide health benefits, including reduced body weight, lower cholesterol levels, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is important for vegetarians and vegans to ensure that they are meeting all of their nutritional requirements.

thanks, Alice

Authentic Chinese Cooking - 

Citrus Snow Peas

(Makes 20 pieces)

• 20 fresh snow peas, blanched*, or 20 defrosted snow peas
• 20 sections of fresh tangerines or canned mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice concentrate
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Wrap one snow pea around each citrus section and secure with toothpicks or skewers.

Combine the remaining ingredients to make the marinade.

Allow the snow pea-citrus sections to soak in the marinade for at least 1 hour. Drain marinade and arrange snow peas on a serving platter. Serve cold or at room temperature.

*Note: Snow peas need to be bendable. If using fresh snow peas, drop them into boiling water for several seconds, then rinse under cold water and drain. Leave the snow peas in the boiling water for the shortest amount of time necessary for them to become flexible.

COPYCAT RECIPE 

thanks, Jenny

Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi Recipe

SWEETS

thanks, Sara

Lemon Lavender Poppy Seed Cookies

ADULT COLORING

FUN

The way you talk can give a lot of clues about where you're from. Take this assessment that's so accurate at pinpointing your origins it's scary. 

How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk

me: Assessed me as being from New York City. I kid you not!

CRAFTS

thanks, Sally

Face Mask Neck Cord to Crochet

CHILDREN'S CORNER

thanks, Lucy

How to build a soap-powered boat



PUZZLE

Insect on Yellow Jigsaw Puzzle



WORD SEARCH

blunder cancel chain decline demand doll dome dove

economy elevator endure exclude foster habit loose lucky

maul meet mute nudity orgasm queue

report second seem silver something staff stag symptom

textbook thrive tourist viewer whole yogurt

SUDOKU ... hard

solution:

QUOTE

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

CLEVER 

thanks, Alice

Albert Einstein: The chicken did not cross the road. The road passed beneath the chicken.

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

EYE OPENER 

thanks, Stacy

How to go out and not spread coronavirus this summer

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

If only I may grow: firmer, simpler, -- quieter, warmer. -Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary General of the United Nations, Nobel laureate (29 Jul 1905-1961)

OPTICAL ILLUSION

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