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Showing posts from August, 2023

A Greener View:  Glyphosate, one of the most commonly used chemicals –  Jeff Rugg

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By Jeff Rugg, contributing writer I recently wrote an article about two property owners sharing a fence line who needed to have their common weeds dealt with. The first thing I told them to do was to pull or cut the weeds down and then pull them. Next, I explained that the EPA regulates pesticide chemicals . Household items like vinegar and dish soap are not on the list of ingredients that are regulated, so I couldn’t recommend them. I then explained how two groups of regulated herbicides work. One group inhibits a plant enzyme and the other manipulates plant growth hormones. Lastly, I told them that installing a weed barrier would prevent them from needing to spray in the future. My recommendations were non-chemical, but I wanted them to understand the difference between the soap herbicide they attempted to use and other herbicides. When writing about the first group I mentioned that the most famous of the more than 750 herbicides is Roundup. That product name c

Unusual Shunga sculptures in three dimensions created by a master of Japanese calligraphy, Sisyu

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Shunga, a genre within ukiyo-e displaying the eгotіс secrets of ancient Japan. These prints where commonly created by using woodblock printing.   genre always provided a field for experiments. In the 19th century, it was brought to Europe and became a sensation, which аffeсted contemporary Western art. At the birthplace of  shunga , local artists actualize this branch of the ukiyo-e tradition in different medіа and forms of art. In 2020, the Japanese calligrapher Sisyu revisited iconic  shunga  prints, giving us a new outlook on сɩаѕѕіс oeuvres. Fig. 2. Sisyu at the exһіЬіtіoп (museum.or.jp) Fig. 3. The version of Hokusai’s  ama  diver (e-sisyu.com) The Demanded Art Sisyu is a professor at the Osaka University of Arts and an acknowledged calligraphist who wins international awards and appears as an invited artist at foreign expositions, for instance, at the French National Art Association exһіЬіtіoп that took place in the Louvre in 2014. Her works were also exposed at V

Dive into the primitive world of Japanese art and toys in ancient Shunga

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Bitty Dodson (born 1929) was trained as a final artist in the 1950s and had her first рeгfoгmапсe of operetta in 1968 at the Wickerham Gallery in New York City. She gave up her career in the arts and began studying in the 1970s. toys wᴇrᴇ producᴇd for both mᴇn аnd womᴇn аnd thᴇ dᴇsіgns wᴇrᴇ oftᴇn аccompаnіᴇd by psᴇudo-scіᴇntіfіc dᴇscrіptіons ᴇxplаіnіng why ᴇаch Ѕ𝓁x toy should bᴇ usᴇd. Thіs stᴇms from thᴇ іdᴇа thаt Ѕ𝓁x аnd hᴇаlth аrᴇ іnᴇvіtаbly ᴇntwіnᴇd. Bᴇɩow you cаn fіnd аddіtіonаl іnfo, dᴇsіgns dᴇpіctіng Jаpаnᴇsᴇ Ѕ𝓁x toys аnd аlso rаrᴇ pіcturᴇs of orіgіnаl pіᴇcᴇs: Aftᴇr Hokusаі , undoubtᴇdly thᴇ most strіkіng fіgurᴇ аmong thᴇ lаtᴇr shungа аrtіsts іs Kᴇіsаі Eіsᴇn (1790-1848). Eіsᴇn wаs to provᴇ onᴇ of thᴇ most prolіfіc (togᴇthᴇr wіth Kunіsаdа ) of аll ukіyo-ᴇ shungа mаstᴇrs… (1790-1848) Thᴇ аbovᴇ іmаgᴇ (Fіg.1.) dᴇpіcts thᴇ followіng Jаpаnᴇsᴇ Ѕ𝓁x toys: а  hаrіgаtа  (rіght),  kujіrі  (uppᴇr lᴇft), аnd а  dokаtа  (bᴇɩow lᴇft). Fіgurᴇ 2 dᴇpіcts а  tаgаіgаtа  (lᴇft), а 

National Fried Chicken Day (July 6th)

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Quick facts When is it? Every July 6th Tagged as Food & Drink Meat What are the hashtags? #FriedChickenDay #NationalFriedChickenDay Have we missed something? The bird gets the spotlight on National Fried Chicken Day, and stomachs are rumbling already. Move over vegetarians, there’s a deep-fried chicken leg and breast coming this way! Learn about National Fried Chicken Day Fried chicken, otherwise known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish that features different chicken pieces that have been coated in a seasoned batter. After which, they are either pressure fried, deep-fried, or pan-fried. The breading creates a crisp crust or coating to the exterior of the meat while ensuring the juices are kept inside. Broiler chickens are most commonly used. There is no denying that fried chicken is one of the best and most popular types of comfort food enjoyed all around the world. It may be greasy, but it is indulgent and very tasty! Today, we are able to enjoy this d

National Creme Brûlée Day (July 22nd)

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Quick facts When is it? Every July 22nd Tagged as Baking Dessert Food & Drink What are the hashtags? #CremeBrûléeDay #NationalCremeBrûléeDay Have we missed something? To me, every kitchen appliance is useful and nothing’s overrated. When I look at my little espresso machine, I don’t see coffee. I see a steaming valve as an opportunity to make amazing creme brulee. Grant Achatz Crème Brûlée is decadence incarnate, a rich creamy custard topped with a layer of hard caramel, combining the best of crunchy and creamy together into a single bite. It is seen as a mark of elegance, as one of the hallmark desserts of Paris, and National Creme Brûlée Day is here to celebrate it! History of National Creme Brûlée Day Crème Brûlée has been with us quite a long time, appearing first in a recipe book by one Francois Massialot in 1691. Known as the Cuisinier royal et bourgeois it held the first recorded recipe for this incredible treat, though when it was translated to E

National Chili Dog Day (July 27th, 2023)

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Quick facts When is it? July 26th, 2011 July 28th, 2012 July 25th, 2013 July 31st, 2014 July 30th, 2015 July 28th, 2016 July 27th, 2017 July 26th, 2018 July 25th, 2019 July 30th, 2020 July 29th, 2021 July 28th, 2022 July 27th, 2023 July 25th, 2024 July 31st, 2025 What's the date pattern? Last Thursday of July Tagged as Bread Food & Drink Meat What are the hashtags? #ChiliDogDay #NationalChiliDogDay Have we missed something? Chili dogs, funnel cakes, fried bread, majorly greasy pizza, candy apples, ye gods. Evil food smells amazing. Jim Butcher There’s something about the smell of a chili dog that is just amazing, the rich mixture of traditional hot dog with a hearty dollop of chili on top just means the day got that much better. You can find them at fairs, or along the Boulevard, you can find them along the street in major cities everywhere, or even just being prepared in your own kitchen. The only thing better than a chili dog? A chili dog buried under a

National Walk On Stilts Day (July 27th)

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Quick facts When is it? Every July 27th Tagged as Hobbies & Activities What are the hashtags? #WalkOnStiltsDay #NationalWalkOnStiltsDay Have we missed something? If you’ve ever been to the circus or a parade, you have without a doubt seen someone walking along high above the crowd on a pair of stilts. To the common man, stilts are the mainstay of theatrical performers, clowns, jugglers, and that odd looking fellow from the Liberal Arts College in their annual parade. What most people don’t know is that stilts have a long and august History in many cultures, for reasons varying from ceremonial to purely practical. Walk on Stilts Day is the perfect time to learn about this surprisingly useful tools, and maybe try out a pair for yourself! History of the Stilt A Stilt is described as a ‘pillar, post, or pole employed to assist a person or structure in standing above the ground’. While most of us, as mentioned previously, have only seen them employed for the pur

Central Falls Restaurant Week and Salsa Night – TONIGHT

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“Central Falls Restaurant Week is one of my favorite times of the year — it’s an amazing time for our residents and visitors from across the state to celebrate the world of international flavors available in our One Square Mile. From Peruvian to Colombian to American to Mexican and so much more, our restaurants truly embrace the beautiful cultures and diversity of our city,” said  Mayor Maria Rivera . “I can’t wait to see you in Central Falls to kick off this special week, starting first with our unforgettable Salsa Night! We’re a quick drive, bus, or commuter rail stop (at the new train station) away!” 2023 Central Falls Restaurant Week and Salsa Night were made possible thanks to our sponsors: Bank Newport, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Tufts Health Plan, Telemundo Providence, Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Papitto Opportunity Connection, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Navigant Credit Union, Jenks Park Pediatrics, Apex Technology Grou

National Waffle Day (August 24th)

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Quick facts When is it? Every August 24th Tagged as Food & Drink What are the hashtags? #WaffleDay #NationalWaffleDay Have we missed something? Whether served in the Belgian way as street food with powdered sugar, or the American way with syrup and butter, or something else entirely, waffles are a delicious and simple food that has been beloved for many years. National Waffle Day is the ideal time to enjoy everything to do with this unique and yummy treat! History of National Waffle Day Ancient Greece offered the predecessor to waffles by roasting flat cakes between two hot metal plates that were attached to long wooden handles and placed in the oven or over a fire. By the 15th century, the Dutch in Holland were forming rectangular plates with grid patterns that were used to make waffles. The grid pattern was likely created for practical purposes, as it allowed the batter to cook more quickly and evenly than a flat cake might. At the time, waffles were li

National Sponge Cake Day (August 23rd)

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Quick facts When is it? Every August 23rd Tagged as Baking Cakes Food & Drink What are the hashtags? #SpongeCakeDay #NationalSpongeCakeDay Have we missed something? Her sponge cakes had the aroma of crucifixion. Within them was the sap of slyness and the fragrant frenzy of the Vatican. Isaac Babel Soft, fluffy, and utterly decadent, there’s something undeniably amazing about a well-made sponge-cake. What exactly constitutes a sponge cake varies depending on where in the world you find yourself, but their light and airy texture remains consistent. National Sponge Cake Day celebrates this delicious cake and the people throughout the world that love them. History of National Sponge Cake Day While it’s soft and delicate texture has often been attributed to the Victorians thanks to the Victorian Sponge Cake, in fact, the sponge cake finds its roots in Italy. Sometime in the early 18th century, a respected and wealthy member of the Pallavicini family in Genoa c

National Pecan Torte Day (August 22nd)

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Quick facts When is it? Every August 22nd Tagged as Baking Food & Drink Nuts What are the hashtags? #PecanTorteDay #NationalPecanTorteDay Have we missed something? There are a few things that are undeniably southern, hot summer evenings on the porch, condensation on an ice-cold glass of sweet tea, and Pecan pies. Pecan Torte, Pecan Pie, and Pecan cakes are all very similar beasts, and all of them are incredibly common to find being served in the deep south in the USA. Their deep flavor is unmatched by any other treat, and are best enjoyed with a rich topping of whipped heavy cream. History of National Pecan Torte Day So what separates a cake from a torte? Tortes are invariably denser and are naturally creamier and delicious. They’re also commonly multi-layered to take advantage of rich creamy toppings like that mentioned above. What makes them denser? Tortes are typically prepared without baking powder or soda, the ingredients in other baked goods that ca

National Bad Poetry Day (August 18th)

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Quick facts When is it? Every August 18th Tagged as Jobs & Professions People & Relationships What are the hashtags? #BadPoetryDay #NationalBadPoetryDay Have we missed something? Let’s face it – not everybody can be the best writer, lyricist or poet. But don’t let that put a stop to doing it anyway! National Bad Poetry Day is the perfect opportunity to read, write and create any type of poetry desired, even if it’s really bad.  History of National Bad Poetry Day Whether using sonnets, limericks, free verse or haiku, poetry certainly has the potential to be beautiful and powerful–but it can also be very, very awful. Of course it’s true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which probably also means that the judgment of what types of poetry are bad or good are relative based on personal preference. However, in some cases, poetry can just be so bad that everyone agrees that no good can come of it! I should be glad Bad poetry is just a fad But nonethele