Coast Guard Day - August 4, 2020

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate Coast Guard Day

Coast Guard Day honors the courageous work of coast guards. When Hurricane Katrina struck the Atlantic coast of America, the US Coast Guardsmen saved over 33,500 lives, an estimated 24,000 of these were rescued from peril in severely dangerous conditions.

The Coast Guards are one of the five Armed Services of the United States, and the only military branch within the Department of Homeland Security. In addition to its role as an Armed Service, the Coast Guard is a first responder and humanitarian service that provides aid to people in distress or impacted by natural and man-made disasters whether at sea or ashore. The Coast Guard is a member of the Intelligence Community, and is a law enforcement and regulatory agency with broad legal authorities associated with maritime transportation, hazardous materials shipping, bridge administration, oil spill response, pilotage, and vessel construction and operation. 

Coast Guard Day is mainly an internal event, however we feel that such is the importance of the work that is carried out byt he Coast Guard, more should be done to thank, honor and celebrate them. It is celebrated primarily by Coast Guardsmen, both active duty and reserve, as well as retirees, civilian employees, dependants, and auxiliarists. Coast Guard units across the country organize picnics and sport competitions. So why not show your appreciation for those people involved and the service they provide and support any local events that may take place, or simply educate others about the work they do?

Thank you for sending me some of your bloggers kudos about my Escape artwork .... so many flattering and endearing comments! 

                                                                       Unk Simon xo 

Joke of the Day

thanks, Mary

Word of the Day

pugnacious

MEANING:

adjective: Having a quarrelsome nature; belligerent.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin pugnare (to fight), from pugnus (fist). Ultimately from the Indo-European root peuk- (to prick) which is also the source of point, puncture, pungent, punctual, poignant, pounce, poniard, oppugn, repugn, impugn, pugilist, and repugnant. Earliest documented use: 1642.

USAGE:

“Sean Hannity, the pugnacious Fox host whose tough-guy persona attracted a passionate right-wing audience.”
Julian E. Zelizer; Burning Down the House; Penguin; 2020.

Idiom of the Day

A problem shared is a problem halved

If you talk about your problems, it will make you feel better.

This Day in History

1735 - Freedom of the press was established with an acquittal of John Peter Zenger. The writer of the New York Weekly Journal had been charged with seditious libel by the royal governor of New York. The jury said that "the truth is not libelous."

1790 - The Revenue Cutter Service was formed. This U.S. naval task force was the beginning of the U.S. Coast Guard.

1821 - "The Saturday Evening Post" was published for the first time as a weekly.

1922 - The death of Alexander Graham Bell, two days earlier, was recognized by AT&T and the Bell Systems by shutting down all of its switchboards and switching stations. The shutdown affected 13 million phones.

1944 - Nazi police raided a house in Amsterdam and arrested eight people. Anne Frank, a teenager at the time, was one of the people arrested. Her diary would be published after her death.

1957 - Florence Chadwick set a world record by swimming the English Channel in 6 hours and 7 minutes.

1958 - Billboard Magazine introduced its "Hot 100" chart, which was part popularity and a barometer of the movement of potential hits. The first number one song was Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool."


1984 - Carl Lewis won a gold medal in the Los Angeles Olympics.


1987 - A new 22-cent U.S. stamp honoring noted author William Faulkner, went on sale in Oxford, MS. Faulkner had been fired as postmaster of that same post office in 1924.


996 - Josia Thugwane won a gold medal after finishing first in the marathon. He became the first black South African to win a gold medal.


2007 - NASA's Phoenix spacecraft was launched on a space exploration mission of Mars. The Phoenix lander descended on Mars on May 25, 2008.

thanks, Bev

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, August 4

You are good at networking, considering others, and giving of yourself. You are very sensitive, and at times dramatic. You are at your best when you’re generous and productive. Those who don’t learn this may experience many ups and downs. While you feel things deeply, you also bounce back from setbacks, often with more power than you had previously. You can be charming and would do well in any position that involves promoting, selling, and connecting. Relationships tend to be long-term, responsible, and possibly traditional. While you are a progressive thinker, your family values are strong. Famous people born today: 

1821 Louis Vuitton, French founder of the Louis Vuitton brand of leather goods now owned by LVMH, born in Anchay, France (d. 1892)

1900 Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, British consort of King George VI and Queen Mother after his death, born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England (d. 2002)

1961 Barack Obama, 44th United States President (Democrat: 2009-17) and first African-American president, born in Honolulu, Hawaii

1962 Roger Clemens, MLB pitcher (Red Sox, Blue Jays, 7 Cy Youngs, MVP), born in Dayton, Ohio

1981 [Rachel] Meghan Markle, American former actress, Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry, born in Los Angeles, California

thanks, Maria

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Who eats the most cheese in the world? The answer is the country of Denmark. They eat cheese at the rate of 28 kg per person (according to 2016 numbers). Iceland came in second place with Finland rounding out the top three.

Alive some 37 millions years ago (give or take a few years), the Colossus penguin roamed the land of Antartica. The penguins reached heights of 6'8" and weighed about 250 lbs.

Johnny and the Moondogs was the brief group name for the Beatles. Johnny was John Lennon and the Moondogs were Paul (McCartney), Ringo (Starr), and George (Harrison).

2.

1913 -

TODAY:  In 1913, Robert Hayden, poet, essayist, and educator who served as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1976–78 (the first African-American writer to hold the title, which is today known as US Poet Laureate), is born.

3.

Coronavirus Style by Sylvia, CAN DO Correspondent

Here’s a recipe for biscuits. They are fairly quick, and I think you will enjoy them!

Tip: To make them vegan, substitute the butter with coconut oil, milk with nut milk, and the Parmesan with about 2 tablespoons each cashews and good-tasting nutritional yeast ground fine, with a few drops of lemon juice or a pinch of sour salt. Keep what you don’t use in an air-tight jar for next time!

Pictures of the day

This image shows Car 10 of the San Francisco cable car system photographed using strip photography, a technique which captures a two-dimensional image as a sequence of single-dimensional images over time. This technique can be implemented in various ways; in film photography, a camera with a vertical slit aperture can either have fixed film and a moving slit, or a fixed slit and moving film. One of the characteristics of strip photography is that moving objects are distorted based on the relative speed of their motion and the image capture. Slower-moving objects occupy more time, and thus appear wider, while faster-moving objects are narrower, as they occupy the slit for a shorter period of time. Stationary objects, particularly in the background, are rendered as a constant stripe.

MAHARASHTRA STATE, INDIA

Ten-month-old cubs at a tiger reserve.

knit
thanks, Marilyn

Cycowl pattern by Sarah B. Abram

knit
thanks, Ruth

Squibble Cat Toy pattern by Esh Crochet

knit

How To Make A Knit Elbow Patches

knit

Edith Shawl
knit

Fresh Air Washcloths


Crochet Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Arrow Wrap

crochet sweater 



crochet
thanks, Laura

Crochet Little Zoo Mobile

crochet
thanks, Helen

Simple V-stitch Shawl

crochet

thanks, Joy

Rudi Goldfish cat toy pattern by Marie Lize

crochet

Summer Market Tote

crochet

Ollie the Owl Free Download

Quarantine Cooking Recipes

thanks, Debbie

It only takes one skillet and a few ingredients to make this incredibly flavorful and filling Chorizo Sweet Potato Skillet. 

CHORIZO SWEET POTATO SKILLET

Total Cost: $7.09 recipe / $1.81 serving

 Prep Time: 10 mins

 Cook Time: 45 mins

 Total Time: 55 mins

Servings: 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.13)
• 1 sweet potato (1 lb.) ($1.50)
• 1/2 lb. Mexican chorizo ($2.75)
• 1 15oz. can black beans ($0.59)
• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice ($0.33)
• 1 cup salsa (red or green) ($0.46)
• 1 3/4 cup chicken broth ($0.23)
• 1 cup shredded cheese ($0.90)
• 2-3 green onions, sliced ($0.20)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Peel and dice the sweet potato into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes (size matters, make them small). Sauté the sweet potato cubes in a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have softened about half way through (they'll cook more later).
• Add the chorizo to the skillet (squeeze it out of its casing if it came in links) with the sweet potatoes. Sauté the chorizo and sweet potatoes together, breaking the chorizo up into small pieces as it browns.
• Once the chorizo is fully browned, pour off any excess grease if needed. Rinse and drain the black beans. Add the beans, salsa, and uncooked rice to the skillet. Stir them into the sweet potatoes and chorizo until everything is well combined.
• Add the chicken broth, stir briefly, then place a lid on the skillet. Allow the contents of the skillet to come up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let the skillet simmer on low for 30 minutes. Make sure it is simmering the whole time (you should be able to hear it quietly simmer away). If it is not, turn the heat up slightly.
• After 30 minutes the rice should be tender and have absorbed all of the liquid. Turn off the heat, fluff the mixture, sprinkle the cheese on top, then return the lid to trap the residual heat and help the cheese melt. Slice the green onions while the cheese is melting, then sprinkle them on top and serve.

NOTES

You can use either green or red salsa for this dish, but I prefer green to compliment the sweet potatoes and chorizo.

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Denise

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak 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

Low Carb Blueberry Cobbler

COPYCAT RECIPE 

thanks, Jenny

Copycat Bo-Berry Biscuits

SWEETS

thanks, Tina

Small Batch Lemon Sugar Cookies

ADULT COLORING

FUN

Answer:

There’s a leopard hidden near the tree.

CRAFTS

thanks, Miriam

Easy to Sew Face Masks with Removable Nose Wire and Filter Pocket - Corgi, Tiger, Otter, Dino, Cat, Shark, Hamster, Dragon

CHILDREN'S CORNER

thanks, Iris

Kid Made Bird Feeders

PUZZLE

Echeveria Agavoides Jigsaw Puzzle



WORD SEARCH

arrest assault averse bacon behind broadcast

cast cliff condition drive expect former

happen health honey investment latest leave moment

network nevermind percent place premium protection retail rode

seal seen speak strain summer today torn

From Uncle Simon 


SUDOKU ... hard

solution:

Did he do what I just saw him do?

QUOTE

thanks, Helen

Juggling from above

How about that casual finishing move?

CLEVER 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent
COVID Alert is Canada's free exposure notification app.

Together, let's limit the spread of COVID-19 and prevent future outbreaks.

COVID Alert helps us break the cycle of infection. The app can let people know of possible exposures before any symptoms appear.

That way, we can take care of ourselves and protect our communities.

Download COVID Alert today - Canada.ca

Every golf course needs the challenge

EYE OPENER 

The New York Times Magazine’s covers hold a mirror up to life as we know it. Even if you don’t click through to read the articles, scroll to watch the last several years fly by.

Issue Archive

Organic bug spray

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Appealing to tribe, appealing to fear, pitting one group against another, telling people that order and security will be restored if it weren't for those who don't look like us or don't sound like us or don't pray like we do, that's an old playbook. It's as old as time. And in a healthy democracy it doesn't work. Our antibodies kick in, and people of goodwill from across the political spectrum call out the bigots and the fear mongers, and work to compromise and get things done and promote the better angels of our nature. -Barack Obama, 44th US President (b. 4 Aug 1961)

Office Olympics

OPTICAL ILLUSION

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Anyone in the mood to bowl? 

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