July 15, 2016 Cats
have worked as the world's fuzzy exterminators for at least 10,000 years.
That's when
wild cats cozied up
to the Natufians, the first human farmers who stored grain, which attracted
rodents. Agile and nocturnal, cats need
little light to hunt. With rodents most
active at night, cats became their perfect nemesis. Cats have worked as rat catchers in New York
bodegas, Disneyland and ships during World War II. Knowing
this history, Tree House Humane Society of Chicago organizers started the Cats at Work roject http://www.treehouseanimals.org/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_trap_neuter_return_our_services
five years ago. It transplants these colonies to areas that
need their kind of help. Jen
Christensen http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/15/health/cats-chicago-rat-patrol/ Cats don't talk back. They are terrific employees. They work for mice. Read about the “working cat” program of the
Animal Humane Society at http://www.startribune.com/working-cats-program-gives-felines-a-job-and-a-home/374560061/
What is Indian summer and where does this term come
from? As with so many words and phrases,
there’s debate over precisely where and when this one arose. But most sources put it in the same general
time and place: late Colonial America,
sometime between the 1770s and 1790s.
The term had probably been in use for some time. Some individuals insist, quite stridently,
that an Indian summer can
take place only after the first frost.
Many disagree. There’s enough
slack in the meaning of this word that it might be considered a regionalism: in some places, Indian
summer is simply warm
weather after cool; in others, the first frost rule holds firm. Those who won’t budge on the frost idea
sometimes invoke the National Weather Service to support their claims, but
that’s a mistake. Their definition is
fairly simple: “An unseasonably warm period near the middle of autumn, usually
following a substantial period of cool weather.” You’ll note no mention of frost. An example of
how arbitrary some definitions can be comes from The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which has by far the strictest qualifying time frame,
insisting that Indian summer can only take place in a 10-day window from November
11th to November 20th. In case you’re
wondering: typographically, a small
minority of users capitalize both words.
This isn’t standard, and no major source capitalizes the “summer”
portion. Christopher Daly Read much more at https://thebettereditor.wordpress.com/2016/09/29/indian-summer-what-and-when-is-it/
The Nicholas Brothers were a team of dancing brothers, Fayard (1914–2006)
and Harold (1921–2000),
who performed a highly acrobatic technique
known as "flash dancing". With a
high level of artistry and daring innovations, they were considered by many to
be the greatest tap dancers of their day.
Their performance in the musical number "Jumpin' Jive" (with Cab Calloway and his orchestra) featured in the movie Stormy Weather is considered by many to be the most
virtuosic dance display of all time. Fayard Antonio Nicholas was born October 20, 1914, in Mobile,
Alabama. Harold Lloyd Nicholas was born March 17, 1921, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Nicholas Brothers grew up in Philadelphia,
the sons of college-educated musicians who played in their own band at the old Standard Theater—their mother at
the piano and father on drums. At the
age of three, Fayard would always sit in the front row while his parents
worked, and by the time he was ten, he had seen most of the great
African-American vaudeville acts—particularly the dancers,
including such notables of the time as Alice
Whitman, Willie
Bryant, and Bill
Robinson. The brothers were
fascinated by the combination of tap dancing and acrobatics. Fayard often imitated their acrobatics and
clowning for the kids in his neighborhood.
Neither Fayard nor Harold had any formal dance training. Fayard taught himself how to dance,
sing, and perform by watching and imitating the professional entertainers on
stage. He then taught his younger
siblings, first performing with his sister Dorothy as the Nicholas Kids, later
joined by Harold. Harold idolized his
older brother and learned by copying his moves and distinct style. Dorothy later opted out of the act, and the
Nicholas Kids became known as the Nicholas Brothers. The Nicholas
Brothers taught master classes in tap dance as teachers-in-residence at Harvard University and Radcliffe as Ruth Page Visiting Artists. Among their
known students are Debbie Allen, Janet Jackson,
and Michael Jackson. One of their signature moves was to leapfrog down a long, broad flight of stairs,
while completing each step with a split.
Its most famous performance formed the finale of the movie Stormy Weather. In that routine, the Nicholas Brothers
leapt exuberantly across the orchestra's music stands and danced on the top of
a grand piano in a call and response act with the pianist, to the tune of Jumpin' Jive. Fred
Astaire once told the
brothers that this dance number was the greatest movie musical sequence he had
ever seen. In another signature move,
they would rise from a split without using their hands. Gregory
Hines declared that if their
biography were ever filmed, their dance numbers would have to be computer
generated because no one now could emulate them. Ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov once called them the most amazing
dancers he had ever seen in his life. See filmography at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Brothers
dissensus (plural dissensuses) noun Disagreement,
especially when widespread.
From Latin dissēnsus (“disagreement, quarrel; dissension, conflict”);
or a blend of dissent + consensus. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dissensus
Paul Beatty
became the first American to
win the Man Booker Prize October 25, 2016. His novel,The Sellout, was chosen unanimously by the judges,
who lauded the book for its “inventive comic approach to the thorny issues of
racial identity and injustice.” Philip Roth’s book collection arrives October 27, 2016 at the Newark
Public Library, the setting of his novella Goodbye,
Columbus. Nearly four thousand books
will be sent to the library from Roth’s home in Connecticut, where the
collection “has more or less taken over the premises.” Roth says his decision to donate his books
comes from his advanced age and lack of heirs. “I’m glad that my books are all going to be
together.” Roth said.
Which States Allow Voters to Snap Ballot Box Selfies? by Erik Ortiz and Phil McCausland "These states, as well as Washington, D.C., have no laws on the
books explicitly banning selfies or electronic recordings, although many
election officials told NBC News that they discourage the act because it holds
up lines or can compromise other voters' privacy." Find
chart at http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-election-day/which-states-allow-voters-snap-ballot-box-selfies-n673376
The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the
Culinary Arts announced in May 2016 that Rick Bayless would be the
recipient of the second-annual award. (Jacques Pepin was the inaugural recipient.) "To get this award, it's like my career
has come full circle," Bayless said at the time. "I grew up at a barbecue restaurant with
a very limited menu; I used to watch every single 'French Chef' episode. I'd sit in front of the TV, because I couldn't
afford to buy the book, and write down and make those dishes. "If it weren't for Julia Child, I
wouldn't be where I am now." The
award honors an individual who has made a profound and significant difference
in the way America cooks, eats and drinks. The award carries with it a $50,000 grant,
which will go to Bayless' Frontera Farmer Foundation, which awards grants to
small Midwestern farms. The award
ceremony is part of the Smithsonian Food History Gala, held October 27, 2016 at
the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Phil
Vettel http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-bayless-receives-julia-child-award-tonight-20161027-story.html
The Food History Gala is a black-tie fundraising dinner to benefit the
programs and exhibitions of the museum’s Smithsonian Food History Project. Rick Bayless created the three-course menu for
the evening: Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche
Verde, Carne Asada in Mole Negro and Mesquite chocolate cake. Wines paired with the meal have been provided
by Margerum Wine Co., Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards, and Andrew Murray Vineyards.
Beers paired with the meal have been
provided by Alaskan Brewing Co., Allagash Brewing Co., Dogfish Head Brewery and
New Belgium Brewing Co.
http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com Issue 1543
October 28, 2016 On this date in 1846, Auguste Escoffier, French chef and author, was born. On this date in 1897, Edith Head, American costume designer, was born. Word of the Day greeking noun Nonsense text or graphics inserted
into a document as a placeholder to create a dummy layout, or to demonstrate a type font;
the practice of
using such placeholder text or graphics.
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