Thursday, May 31, 2012

We Speak Russian Here!

Russia Map : Russian federation map
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

I'm learning Russian, and I wondered today which other countries I could visit and use the Russian language.  These countries are:  Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia.  Russian is also one of the six official languages of the U.N.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Dragon in the Sky

Dragon : Dragon rolled the world with orion in the space, Dragon year concept Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

In Chinese astrology this is the year of the Water Dragon.  In thinking about that, I wondered if there was a dragon constellation, and indeed there is:  Draco.  One of the Greek myths about Draco is that when Minerva was fighting the Giants, they threw this dragon at her, and she caught it and slung it into the heavens.  For more information about the myths and the  words "dragon" and "slung", click here.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Hillary & Norgay & Everest

Mount Everest : mount peak Everest
Photo of Mt. Everest courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first two people to climb to the top of Mount Everest.  The mountain was named in honor of Sir George Everest, the British Surveyor General from 1830-1843, who had mapped the Indian subcontinent.  For more information click here1, and click here2, and click here3, and click here4.

Monday, May 28, 2012

aka Decoration Day

Arlington National Cemetary : View of the Washington Monument from Arlington Cemetary
Photo of Arlington National Cemetery with the Washington Memorial in the background courtesy 123rf.com

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, and there was a hymn dedicated to Southern women who decorated the graves of the Confederate dead.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Golden Gate Bridge's Engineer & Poet

Joseph Strauss Statue : San Francisco, USA - October 19, 2011: Joseph Strauss Memorial with Golden Gate Bridge in the background in San Francisco. This memorial honors the man who built the bridge
Photo of the Joseph Strauss statue by the Golden Gate Bridge courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened in San Francisco.  Having lived in San Francisco, I am one of the 1.5 billion people who have traversed this bridge, having done so many times on the way to and from spending a day viewing art and eating seafood in Sausalito, or going up to the wine country.

Joseph Strauss (1870-1938), the Chief Engineer of the bridge's construction, was also a poet whose mother was a pianist and father was a writer and painter.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Polydactyl Felines...or Six-Toed Cats!

Cat Paw : Bengal cat
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Cats normally have five toes in their front paws and four toes on their back paws.   Cats with six or more toes on their paws (polydactyl cats) are commonly found in New England, Nova Scotia, and Sweden.  Polydactyl cats are virtually never found in Europe.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, May 25, 2012

RCMP Anniversary

Rcmp : Ottawa Ontario Canada. May 2011. Each year before they start their tour, the RCMP musical ride performs an Inspectors Review, once approved they commence their summer tour.
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Yesterday was the 130th anniversary of the beginning of the famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In 1873 the Northwest Mounted Police was founded; in 1920 the name was changed to what is used today, the RCMP. For more information click here and click here. What did you learn today?

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Telegraph Anniversary

Telegraph Machine : isolated obsolete vintage morse telegraph machine on white background
Photo of obsolete vintage telegraph machine courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1844 Samuel Morse sent the first telegraphed message between cities via his patented single-wire telegraph system.  He telegraphed a message from the Bible, which was chosen by the Patent Commissioner's daughter:  "What hath God wrought?"  The message was transmitted from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, Maryland.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

101st Birthday of NYPL

New York Public Library : The entrance to the New York Public Library in Black and White Stock Photo
Photo of one of the NYPL lions, Patience and Fortitude, courtesy 123rf.com

101 years ago the New York Public Library was dedicated and opened for service.  At the time it was the largest completely marble structure in the U.S.A.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today? 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Abraham Lincoln's Patent

Dock : Young girl sitting in the dock of the lake
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Abraham Lincoln invented a floating dry dock, and had it patented.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Monday, May 21, 2012

Swiss Army Knife

Swiss Army Knife : iconic pocket knife of the swiss army. lots of uses for designers
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

One of my prized possessions, which I use regularly and carry in my pocketbook (next to one of my grandmother's lace handkerchiefs, incidentally) is my Swiss Army Knife.  Using it in setting up for my studio's Spring Recital yesterday, I wondered about the knife's history.

Click here and click here to read about the history of the Swiss Army Knife.  One of the things I didn't know was that it is standard issue for the U.S. Space Shuttle members.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, May 20, 2012

7,000 Years of Eclipse History!

Nasa : CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA - OCTOBER 10: Space Shuttle Enterprise at the National Air and Space Museum on October 10, 2011. The Enterprise was the first Space Shuttle orbiter. On September 17, 1976 the first full scale prototype was completed. Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Click here for a NASA website that includes 7,000 years of eclipse history, as well as information on today's eclipse.  What did you learn today?

Saturday, May 19, 2012

A Centaur, A Dog, and Two Bears

North Sky Chart : sky map and constellations with titles, vector Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Tomorrow at 9:00 P.M. in the Northern Hemisphere, you should be able to see the constellations Centaurus and Canes Venatici.  Canes Venatici is the hunting dog used to hunt the bears in the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, May 18, 2012

Fireproof Trees!

Redwood Tree : Giant redwood trees in Sequoia National Park, CA.  Vertically framed shot.
Photo of redwood tree courtesy 123rf.com

The bark of the redwood tree can be up to a foot thick, and contains tannins that help the tree be virtually fireproof.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Happy 220th Birthday NYSE

New York Stock Exchange : NEW YORK CITY - MAY 26: Behind the George Washington Statue looking towards the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street May 26, 2010 in New York, NY.
Photo taken behind the George Washington statue looking toward the N.Y. Stock Exchange courtesy 123rf.com

Two-hundred-twenty years ago today the New York Stock Exchange was established.  On May 17, 1792 twenty-four people met by that legendary tree on what is now Wall Street.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

When the Mississippi River Went Backwards

Riverboat On Mississippi River : red river boat paddle wheel in water with trees
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

A series of earthquakes in 1812 caused the mighty Mississippi to flow backwards!  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Graham: Vegetarian Cracker?!

Graham Cracker : Graham cracker chocolate smores on white background
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The graham cracker was invented in 1829 by Sylvester Graham (American, 1794-1851) for a high fiber addition to his vegetarian diet.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Monday, May 14, 2012

From a Ship to the Toybox

Slinky : series object on white: isolated -Toy_spring
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Richard James, the inventor of the Slinky, was a World War II naval engineer, who came up with the idea of using the spring as a toy while he was working with the springs on a ship.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Mothering Day and Mother's Day

Carnations Red White : Beautiful red flowers of carnations
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Mothering Day has been celebrated in England since the early 18th century.  Mother's Day has been celebrated in the United States since the early 20th century.  In England and Scotland special cakes called furmety, carlings, and simnel cake have been made on Mothering Day.  Carnation is the flower most commonly associated with Mother's Day in the U.S.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Saturday, May 12, 2012

That's Some Salty Water!

Saltwater : Fishermen on blue sea
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Earth's oceans have different levels of salinity due to rainfall, evaporation, river runoff, and ice formation.  For more information and lists of oceans' salinity levels click here, and click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, May 11, 2012

How Old Is Aspirin?

Aspirin : Tablet and glass of water Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

People have been using the ingredients in the aspirin tablet as a pain reliever since 400 B.C.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Mona Lisa's Shadows

Mona Lisa : Paris, France - May 20, 2011: Visitors at the Louvre museum in Paris take pictures of the Mona Lisa portrait. Mona Lisa is a portrait painted in oil on a poplar panel by the Florentine artist Leonardo da Vinci.
Photo of people taking photos of the Mona Lisa courtesy 123rf.com

Leonardo da Vinci used 30 layers of paint, about 40 micrometers each, on the Mona Lisa in order to execute a technique called Sfumato, which makes shadows look realistic.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The Big Village Of North America

Canada Map : Abstract vector color map of Canada country  Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

In the language of native Indians in Canada, Canada means "Big Village".  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Can't Buy Antarctica...

Antarctica Map : Vector color Map of Antarctica  Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Antarctica is the only land on Earth not owned by any country, nor is there any military presence.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Monday, May 7, 2012

Are You As Tall As You Think You Are Right Now?

Standing Tall : Brothers looking up
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Humans are about 1/2 inch shorter in the evening than in the morning.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Starting A Fire With Ice

Ice Fire : Fire and Ice
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

You can start a fire by using clear ice as a lens, same as you would use a magnifying glass.  For mor information click here.  What did you learn today?

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Bones Then and Now!

Skeleton : 3D render of a female medical skeleton in a yoga position Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

You were born with about 300 bones, but as an adult you will have only 206!  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, May 4, 2012

Who Shares Your Birthday?

Earth Birthday Cake : party world
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

You share your birthday with about 1/365 of the world's population.  Therefore, you share your birthday with about 19 million other people.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Pumping Blood

Human Heart : Male anatomy of human heart in x-ray view
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The human heart pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood every day.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Coin-Edge Ridges

Dime Quarter : Stacked pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

There are 118 ridges on the edge of a dime, and 119 ridges on the edge of a quarter.  There are no ridges on the edges of pennies and nickels.  For more information about the history of U.S. coins, click here and click here.

What did you learn today?

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Ancient May Day Rituals

May 1  2012 : calendar sheet
Photo courtesy 123rf.com
The ancient Pagans celebrated May 1 as the day that divided the year in half.  Among other rituals, they set new fires on this day for luck and purification.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?