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10 Things About Lego
On January 10, 2021 January 10, 2021 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10th, History/Trivia, Mom LifeLeave a comment
I have two sons who love to play with Lego. I want to say Legos because that's what looks correct to me, but as I researched for this post, I discovered that the company officially confirmed some time ago that the plural of Lego is Lego. Also, they have decided it's an adjective, not actually a noun because it describes parts (Lego bricks, Lego wheel, Lego minifigure, etc). They've clearly given it quite some thought.
But I digress. My two boys (I'm sure if I had a daughter she could very well be just as enamored, but I only have boys), adore building anything they can dream up out of their Lego sets. Dinosaurs, laboratories, jails, zoos, houses, spaceships, time machines, etc, they never stop imagining and building. And since our country (the United States) is trying to deal with a lot of crazy right now, I thought I'd spend this month focusing on something simple and wholesome. Toys.
Here are 10 Things You Might Not Know About Lego:
The company started during the Great Depression. A Danish man named Kirk Kristiansen stopped building expensive wooden furniture that nobody could afford to buy during such a time, and instead began making small wooden toys. The company name is a mash up of two Danish words Leg and Godt. They mean "play well".
It wasn't until 1949 that a salesman pitching a plastic mold injection machine changed the fate of the company. For part of his sales pitch, he had a small, studded, interlocking brick to help demonstrate what the machine could make. Kristiansen and his son, who by now had joined the enterprise, soon began making their own little brick toys not knowing that someone else held the patent! By 1958, Lego had improved upon the design and the mistake involving the patent violation wasn't discovered until after the original patent holder passed away. The company's official stance is that Kristiansen was "inspired" by the original patent holder, and they did eventually buy out that man's company to avoid any messy legal issues.
The margin of error on a Lego brick is 0.005 millimeters. But the process is so streamlined and precise that only about eighteen bricks per million have to be discarded due to irregularities. And with over 400 billion bricks in circulation around the world, it's important to be consistent.
A Lego brick made in 1958 and a Lego brick made today would still interlock with each other.
Lego didn't begin making the little people–minifigures, or minifigs for short–until the 1970s. Yellow was chosen as the universal color for them because the company thought it was the the most "racially neutral". Minifigs didn't start to have any other skin colors until licensing contracts began for already existing products, properties, or people. The first were NBA players.
It wasn't until the company started having financial difficulty in the late 1990s that they started considering licensing Star Wars products. The prequel trilogy was being hyped and they needed something that would guarantee revenue, but the official company stance had always been that no toy should represent war. They'd never before made a Lego firearm of any kind, real or imagined. The Star Wars series would require weaponry. It took six month of arguing before the board convinced the head of the company, Kristiansen's grandson at this time, to sign the contract. It basically saved the company and opened the door for many, many more licensing agreements.
A single Lego brick and withstand up to 950 lbs of force without breaking and can be hit thousands of times before cracking. It might be the most durable (and painful to step on) toy in history!
Lego produces more tires for their playsets each year than Goodyear does.
The heads of all minifigs are hollow and have small holes on either side (sometimes hidden under helmets or hair attachments). This is so if a child swallows one, there is a way for air to get through the obstruction.
During the Christmas shopping season, approximately 28 Lego sets are purchased every second worldwide.
For a television show on BBC, a team of master builders once built an entire, functioning–e.g. with working electricity and a flushing toilet–house entirely out of Lego just to prove it could be done. So not only can they be used to build small scale buildings like the ones my children love to make, they can be used as actual construction material! Though, I will say that my husband and I once tried to build a night stand for my eldest son out of Lego and it takes a lot more little bricks than you think. I feel like of the 400 billion Lego bricks around the world, approximately half of them stay scattered about my living room floor pretty regularly. It took a significant portion of the ones we had at the time to put together that night stand and it took a sweet forever. In the end, my son decided they were more fun to take apart and rebuild than they were to use as furniture, but it is doable!
10 Things About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
On December 10, 2020 December 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10th, History/Trivia, Southern StuffLeave a comment
Last weekend, I ran the St. Jude 10k. I never really thought I'd do it before, but this year I started running and since the race went virtual, even an introvert with social anxiety couldn't say no. I'm glad I did it. I love to support St. Jude and this is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.
I was never much of a runner before this year. But 2020 has done weird things to a lot of people. For me, I started running. And soon after I started, I knew that I would want to run for St. Jude. My husband has run for St. Jude for years, but he's naturally athletic and built to run. Me, not so much. Still, I wanted to try. When the race went virtual, meaning I wouldn't have to be in the midst of roughly 26,000 runners (based on previous years' numbers), I decided to go for it. So I ran a 5k and then a 10k for a dual race challenge.
Why was a non-runner like me so keen to run so much? St. Jude. I love their mission and I love supporting what they do. I don't live terribly far from St. Jude and I know plenty of people who work there, but I've also met many families of patients there. St. Jude is a special place and I hope they continue to do amazing things for generations to come.
What's so special about St. Jude? It's not just a children's hospital. It's a place where families of pediatric cancer patients go to find hope. Let me tell you a little more. Here are 10 things you might not know about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Danny Thomas, born Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz, was an American comedian, singer, actor, producer and philanthropist. He founded St. Jude after his career took off. He said that in the early days of his career, when work was hard to come by and he wasn't sure he could truly provide for his wife who was pregnant with their first child, that he prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus. One night, in a church in Detroit, he begged the saint for help and vowed that in return, he would build a shrine.
St. Jude Thaddeus is known as the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes.
Shortly after that pivotal moment in the entertainer's life, things began to pick up. He would eventually be a household name. And by the 1950s, he was ready to make good on his promise. He turned to Cardinal Samuel Strict, the man who confirmed him into the Catholic church as a boy. Cardinal Strict hailed from Memphis, Tennessee and suggested Thomas start there. Thomas knew he wanted it to be a children's hospital, but his vision was for something bigger than a general hospital.
In the mid-1950s, the childhood cancer survival rate was barely 20%. The survival rate for ALL, the most common form of childhood cancer, was only 4%. When Thomas enlisted the help of several Memphis area businessmen to help fund his hospital project, he declared that "no child should die in the dawn of life" and the decision was made that St. Jude was focus specifically on pediatric cancer care and research.
That decision made, Thomas had another declaration to make. He wanted to remove the burden of the cost of treatment for patient families. No St. Jude family would ever be turned away for lack of insurance, nor would they ever receive a bill. They would forever be free to focus on their child during a critical time. That's still true today. No family at St. Jude is ever billed for treatment, travel, accommodations, etc. Other charities partner with St. Jude to provide housing for families from out-of-town so they are not met with hotel costs. Meals are provided, and, of course, world class medical care.
Funding the hospital without ever billing a patient is a major endeavor even today. But before it was even built? Thomas and his group of original donors knew they were going to need more help. Once again, Thomas knew where to turn, his fellow Arab Americans. In Chicago in 1957, 100 representatives of the Arab American community met to discuss the prospect of funding St. Jude. The American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC) was founded during that meeting and is still responsible for 80% of the hospital's funds. It is America's second largest healthcare charity.
On February 4, 1962, St. Jude opened their doors. They stayed true to the vision of Danny Thomas to never turn away a family based on race, religion, or financial status. St. Jude was an integrated hospital from the very first day, making it the first such hospital in the South. And it wasn't just the patients who were integrated. At a time when many "white" hospitals refused to hire Black doctors, St. Jude hired an integrated medical and research staff.
Since the opening of the hospital and research center, the way childhood cancer is treated has changed in many way thanks to scientific breakthroughs made there. The childhood cancer survival rate is now 80%, and the ALL survival rate is 94%. The research teams there have also made strides in treating sickle cell anemia, found a cure for "bubble boy disease", and recently announced a discovery of how to successfully treat COVID-19.
In 1996, Peter Doherty, PhD–the Immunology Chair at St. Jude at the time–won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
The child Thomas's wife was pregnant with when he first made that desperate prayer to St. Jude Thaddeus would eventually be known to the world as Marlo Thomas, an actress, author, social activist and the current National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. If you've ever seen a St. Jude commercial asking for donations that she or any of her celebrity friends star in, the kids around them in the clips are actual St. Jude patients in Memphis.
St. Jude race weekend is one of the hospital's biggest fundraisers of the year. This year 15,000 people participated, down from over 26,000 last year. And while so many people are not in a place to be able to donate during the pandemic, childhood cancer doesn't care. I had the means to donate a small sum, solicit additional donations, and to run, so I did. I'm proud of myself for running the distance, but I'm more excited to be even a miniscule part of what goes on at St. Jude.
Because I agree with the late Mr. Thomas, who passed away in 1991. No child should die in the dawn of life.
10 Things About Birthday Celebrations
On November 10, 2020 November 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10th, History/TriviaLeave a comment
My eldest son recently turned seven years old. We don't usually do big birthday parties, but we do like to take weekend trips to fun (and generally educational) places. Last year his obsession with dinosaurs began in earnest, so we took a day trip to a museum where he could see fossils and learn more about the types of dinosaurs discovered in our region. He loved it. But as you can imagine, the pandemic prevented us from continuing that tradition this year.
Sure, some places are open. No, we aren't in lockdown at the moment. We are all healthy (knock on wood). But it just didn't seem prudent. The fact that we were even able to make that decision based on practicality and not financially instability is something I recognize as a huge privilege in the uncertainty of 2020. I am grateful for that.
Luckily, my son had a great time anyway. Knowing there was only so much we could really do, he was over the moon at what we pulled off. I made him a dinosaur shaped cake, we took him to the local Lego specialty store (we were all in our masks) and let him pick out a new set–it was dinosaur related, and we took him to a restaurant to sit outside on the patio and let him order some of his favorite foods. He was all smiles and laughter the whole time. He didn't seem some big birthday tradition of museums, zoos, or aquariums. He just wanted to have fun with his family.
I've been pondering that. I know it sounds like we go over the top for birthdays. And maybe we do. But I have found that it is easier and cheaper to take a day trip to a museum a couple of hours away than it is to prepare and host a room full of children. Even so, we make a big deal out of it.
Growing up, my family didn't make a gargantuan deal out of a birthday. Maybe we had a party. Or maybe we went out to dinner. There were always gifts, to be sure, and there was no lack of love. But since my birthday was very close to a major holiday, a lot of the time if there was a party, it wasn't for me. It just happened to take place on my birthday. It never bothered me. In fact, I never thought all that much about it except when I joked about how big some of the parties were. "Look at this place. These people really went all out for my birthday!" "These people" of course being people I probably had only met a handful of times, if that, and were acquaintances my parents knew. It might not have been for me, but those parties were often pretty fun and certainly on a bigger scale than any one event has any right to be. On more than one occasion, I got to ride in a limo or even a private plane on my birthday at someone else's expense. I didn't care it wasn't specifically for me, it was cool. But my husband grew up in a family where birthdays are a big deal. He very fondly remembers birthday traditions in his childhood and wanted to pass that along to our children. We agreed to do so and I have no regrets. I find it's more fun to celebrate their birthdays than it is to celebrate my own.
With so many birthday traditions in every culture being affected by the global pandemic, it got me thinking about where some of our traditions originated. Obviously traditions can vary from family to family, and certainly from culture to culture, but everything starts somewhere. Research target fully locked, I began combing through sources to find the answers and found a few interesting* snippets along the way.
*Interesting is in the eye of the beholder. I'm a nerd who likes history and random trivia so take my evaluation of the aforementioned snippets with a grain of salt.
And so we have it. 10 Things about Birthday Celebrations:
Most sources cite Ancient Egypt as the first observed birthday celebrations. Pharaohs celebrated their coronation dates as their birthday because it was thought that when a person became a pharaoh, they were reborn as a deity. It was more of a sacred observance than anything and no mere mortal celebrated their own birthday.
Historians believe the tradition of candles on a birthday cake stems from the Greeks. Like the Egyptians, they celebrated the birthdays of deities, not mortals. To honor the birthday of the goddess Artemis, it was common to make a moon shaped cake with a candle in it.
The Ancient Romans are credited with taking the tradition of a celebrating a deity's birthday and expanding it to the common man. Man, of course, is the key word there. In Rome, *only* men celebrated their birthdays (the first celebration of a woman's birthday in the Western World that we have record of isn't until the 12th century).
A set of slabs made of "wooden leaf fragments" from 100 A.D., prepared by Claudia Severa, are believed to be the first birthday invitations. She prepared them for her husband, Roman Commander Aelius Brocchus. Discovered in Northern England, the invitations are part of the collection of Vindolanda Tablets that were unearthed in the 1970s. The invitations are thought to be the oldest surviving writing in Latin by a woman.
Evidence of gift giving is also found in the Roman tradition. However, it was not guests who brought gifts to the birthday boy. The man being celebrated was expected to provide gifts to his guests. The gifts were meant to represent his thankfulness to his friends and family that he did not have to live his life in isolation (especially in largely agrarian areas where people lived great distances from each other).
The "Happy Birthday" song is actually a rip-off. The tune was written by sisters and Kentucky school teachers Mildred and Patty Hill in 1893. They wrote it as a song to start of the school day. "Good Morning to All" was the original song. Patty wanted a song easy enough for her youngest students to be able to sing and remember. Mildred was a gifted pianist and composed the music. The newer lyrics pertaining to a birthday were first published in 1912 and in the 1930s a copyright was filed by The Summy Company. Years later that copyright would be challenged first by the Hill sisters and then their estate. They won, but had to split the royalties with the company. The copyright was challenged again in the late 1980s after another company bought up The Summy Company and increased royalties on the song. Eventually the decision was that the copyright really only ever applied to a specific piano arrangement of the tune, never the words, and that it should have expired anyway. The song is now in the public domain in the US and UK.
The concept of the birthday cake as we know it today can be traced by to the early 1700s in Germany. Children, both male and female, celebrated their birthdays with "kinderfeste". Instead of sweet bread, German bakers began making sweet cakes for such occasions. Unfortunately, at that time the ingredients it took to make a sweet cake with sweet icing were still fairly astronomical in price so only the rich could afford such a luxury. That wouldn't change until the Industrial Revolution.
The Chinese birthday tradition of "longevity noodles" dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). I had never heard of this before, but it sounds pretty delicious. Golden Egg Noodles are consumed and the longer the noodles, the longer the person's lifespan will be–never, ever cut someone's longevity noodles. I am given to understand that this is also a common dish at Chinese funerals to celebrate the deceased's long life.
There are cultures and religions that still refuse to celebrate birthdays. Early Christianity associated the celebration of birthdays (apart from the coming of age celebration of a bar mitzvah that many early Christians still celebrated) with pagans. It was sinful to celebrate one's earthly birth because each person is born a sinner. This could be tied to why saints are celebrated on the day of their death (their birth into heaven) instead of the birthday (their birth into sin and a sinful world). In any case, sometime around the 4th century, the church began annually celebrating the birthday of Jesus* and it quickly lead to the celebration of everyone's birthday.
*Since the actual birthday of Jesus was not specifically mentioned in the Bible, it is unknown. In fact, most evidence suggests it is much more plausible that he was born in late summer or early fall. However, choosing to celebrate his birthday near Hannukah and also near Saturnalia was thought to make it easier for new converts to adjust to the different celebrations of Christianity.
**I give this information without judgement. I am a Christian and do not see historical accuracy as a threat to my beliefs, nor do I see the efforts of the early church in this matter as inherently awful. Moreover, it is not my place to judge anyone's religious affiliation or lack thereof. If you do not know and love my God, why would I hold you to the same standard as those who claim to do so?
Sir Henry Cole is credited with the invention of the Christmas card in 1843 in England because he had too many friends sending him Christmas letters thanks to the new "Penny Post" system and it was considered impolite not to respond. He had an artist draw up a picture that he described (a family around a dinner table flanked by renderings of them serving the poor) and then had a printer make him 1,000 copies with a generic message on each–"Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you." All Sir Cole had to do was write the recipient's name and attach postage. This idea immediately took off and birthday cards (and subsequently other types of greeting cards such as "Get Well" cards) evolved from the idea shortly thereafter.
So while birthday celebrations are very personal–one family goes big, while another chooses a smaller celebration–our modern idea of a birthday celebration is really the result of several different ancient traditions (and a few more not so ancient ones) put into a blender. I find this interesting both from a trivia standpoint, but also from a worldbuilding one. In fiction, when we create our worlds and cultures, even if we don't feature a character's birthday, perhaps thinking about how their birthday would be celebrated might help us round out the character a bit more.
10 Things About Scary Stories
On October 10, 2020 October 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10th, History/TriviaLeave a comment
When I was younger, I used to love ghost stories, scary movies, haunted house attractions–the works. If it could make me jump out of my skin or lose sleep, I loved it. This changed at some point in my life. I don't remember the exact moment that I stopped enjoying them, it may have been more of a gradual thing.
Now I don't care much for scary stories. Maybe it's because as an adult (with anxiety) I have enough things keeping me up at night. I don't really know, but I still have fond memories of being scared out of my wits as a kid with horror movies and ghost stories told during the wee hours of an October sleepover party. I've even called for Bloody Mary in the mirror.
These days I'm much more interested in the origins of the scary stories we all know. All stories start somewhere. And with Halloween just around the corner this seemed like as good a time as any to dive into the history of a few famous ghost stories.
Here are 10 things you might not know about scary stories.
The oldest (known) ghost story *written* in *Western Culture* (these are my disclaimers because I have heard some spine tingling things from Eastern cultures and have no idea how old they are, and because even in the West, so much was passed by word of mouth for so many centuries that who knows how old some of our favorite ghosties really are) is credited to Pliny The Younger of Ancient Rome. He wrote of a house in Athens that, though large and luxurious, had to be rented out of cheap because anyone who stayed there was tormented by spooky sounds and menacing whispers throughout the night. It was said one could hear chains rattling if you listened closely enough. Finally, one determined fellow waited for the apparition to appear and marked the spot where the ghost stood. The next morning, he had a crew come dig up that area of the floor. They found the decomposing body of an emaciated man in chains. They gave the unknown man a proper burial and the ghost was never heard from again.
The Headless Horseman. In Washington Iriving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow we meet an apparition who stalks a particular road through the woods looking for a head to replace the one he's missing. Some think that this story evolved after rumors of a Revolutionary War soldier losing his head to cannon fire in upstate New York being seen post mortem. However, if you look back far enough, you can find a character in Celtic Mythology–The Dullahan–who rides a dark horse and carries his own head under his arm. He is also said to stalk the night terrorizing the unwitting.
The Exorcist. Before Linda Blair spewed green gunk across movie screens in the the mid 1970s, she spun her head around in a book. That book was based on an account of an actual exorcism in the late 1940s. A young boy that the records call "Roland Doe" because they would not record his true name, was said to scream, speak gibberish, and suddenly have terrifying powers manifest. His mother called priests who thought he must be possessed by demons and tried to exorcise them to save the boy. It wasn't pretty. The Catholic Church admits this happened, though they'd rather people forget about it, and agrees that it was the wrong thing to do. In hindsight, it is believed the boy may have suffered from more than one psychological disorder and needed an entirely different kind of care.
Ghost stories have been translated from Egyptian Hieroglyphics that could be even older than Pliny the Younger's 1st Century A.D. story. The inscription was found in Luxor and parts of the story are missing or too damaged to read, but it is definitely about a ghost.
The Mummy. A lot of the inspiration for this tale of a tomb raiding releasing the powerful mummy spirit comes from the discovery of King Tut's tomb. The world was fascinated when the tomb was found and followed the story of it closely in newspaper accounts. However, very shortly after the tomb was opened, one of the team members died of a sudden and unidentified illness. One member was poisoned, another smothered by his own father who was then so distraught over what he'd done that he committed suicide. Even one of the first visitors of the tomb, who wasn't involved in the actual opening of it, was shot by his wife shortly after returning from the site. All of these events may have been explained away, but at the time it caused rumors of ancient curses and vengeful spirits.
Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Silence of the Lambs were all inspired by the same, very real murderer. Ed Gein of Wisconsin. In 1957, some of Gein's crimes came to light when authorities discovered he'd been snatching women's bodies from local graveyards and making "trophies" out of their skin and bones. He also admitted to the murders of two women, but was declared legally insane and spent the rest of his life in a mental health facility.
Amityville Horror. Ronnie DeFeo murdered his entire family while living in this New York town. He claimed during his trial that "the voices" made him do it. The Lutzes soon bought the house, not so surprisingly at a really good price since nobody else wanted to live there. Practically before they were done unpacking they claimed to experience terrifying and dangerous things they couldn't explain. They called in famous paranormal investigators, The Warrens (yes the same couple mentioned from above) who agreed the house had way too much paranormal activity and was absolutely haunted. However, what The Warrens, and most of Amityville, didn't know was the the Lutzes were working very closely with DeFeo's lawyer to try to help him get a lesser sentence. It didn't work. No other family who has lived in the house since the Lutzes moved out has mentioned any unusual happenings.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on a young German woman named Annelise. While today it is believed she suffered from epilepsy, during her own lifetime her parents and the local priests thought she was possessed. The poor girl went through not just one, but numerous exorcisms, and died less than a year after the last of them was performed. Some think that all of the exorcisms weakened her, but the records claim her death is the result of parental neglect. Since they thought she was possessed, they didn't think taking her to a doctor would do any good.
Dracula, and by association the German knock-off Nosferatu (because the film company couldn't get the rights from Bram Stoker's estate), is based on European pagan folklore. It was basically how people explained deaths by plagues, heart attacks, pretty much anything they couldn't understand with the limited resources and knowledge the average peasant had at the time. Some say Stoker based Dracula on Vlad the Impaler of Wallachia in Romania. And while Stoker's research notes mention that "dracula" means "devil" in Wallachian, there is some doubt about whether the connection goes further than that. I'd argue that it does, but I'm not a scholar or a historian, I'm just a nerd with a website and a heavy dose of skepticism. But I digress. In any case, by the time Stoker's vampire came to life, so to speak, vampiric novels, epic poems, etc were already rising in popularity throughout Europe, some written by his own friends.
La Llorona, or the Weeping Woman, about a woman who murders her own children and then is so overcome with grief that she commits suicide and her ghost wanders the night wailing over the loss of her offspring (and in some recitations, taking or killing other children to replace her lost ones), traces all the way back to an Aztec earth goddess tale. Meaning she predates the use of Spanish as the primary language in Latin America, but I cannot seem to find the name the Aztecs used.
In any case, each of these stories, both the ancient and the horrifyingly more recent, shows that scary stories, especially those about the afterlife, have existed all around the world since the days of old. Some scholars argue that this is merely evidence of the humans' persisting and inherent fear of death, but others argue that the apparitions and monsters have more often been used to critique something about society, while thinly masking the message behind a "campfire tale" in order to escape retribution from society, or authority. Is Frankenstein's monster really any more frightening than a doctor and scientist who is willing to disrespect the dead enough to use them like jigsaw puzzles? In the exorcism stories, is it the unhinged actions of the "patient" that are so scary, or the fact that the person is suffering from something unidentifiable and instead of really listening to their needs, everyone around them chalks it up to demons? Is Dracula a threat because he's a vampire, or because he has the power to lure otherwise "virtuous" maidens into his lair with suggestions of a pleasure they aren't supposed to even know about?
Happy Halloween.
10 Things You'll (Probably) Only Hear in the South
On September 10, 2020 September 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10th, Southern StuffLeave a comment
I grew up in the southeastern portion of the United States, as did my parents, grand-parents, great-grandparents, etc before me. There are some things we say and do in the South that I truly didn't realize weren't normal until I got old enough to notice that nobody else seemed to do or say them. And before you think it, I'm not talking about racism. I've seen that every place I've ever traveled. I'm not excusing it by any means, but based on my experience, it's not particular to the South–or the U.S.
Now, while my family tree harbors Natives who called this land home long before Europeans ever set foot on the continent and slaves that were brought here against their will, I'm a white girl. So I can only give the perspective of a white girl. And yes, that could be very different of the perspective, actions, and opinions of a POC in the South. I'm openly admitting that.
Having provided you with my general disclaimers, the South is a special place to me. I love to travel, both domestically and internationally, but there is always something special about coming home, and the South is my home. I love it. But we are a special breed.
When I worked in New York, my coworkers would often give me blank stares or quizzical looks and I'd have to back track in my head to figure out what I had said. It was usually a southern colloquialism that I had to explain. The same was true when I lived abroad briefly. Some stuff just doesn't translate.
I've written a post before about colorful southern sayings, so if you'd like you can consider this part two. It can be just for kicks and giggles, or if you're a writer you can use it to help shape your characters. What are the colloquialisms that unite them with or separate them from other characters? If a "chosen one" girl from the province is suddenly dropped in the palace and has to fulfill her destiny of slaying the monarch who is secretly a member of the legion of the undead, there's a solid chance she's not going to blend in seamlessly. And I don't mean just because she still has a beating heart. Bless her.
So here is a small smattering of sayings that you'll most likely only hear in the South.
"If the creek don't rise." This is actually the shorthand of a longer saying, "God willing and the creek don't rise." It means that I intend to and will, unless something completely out of my control happens; e.g. a local flood that washes out the road. "I'll be there by six o'clock, God willin' and the creek don't rise."
"Aren't you precious?" This falls in line with "Bless your heart." It can sometimes be taken at face value, a sweet compliment. Other times is can absolutely be said sarcastically and be a huge insult. We're versatile like that. So whether it means you're adorable or screw you is all about the context clues.
"Quit being ugly." This refers to bad or rude behavior, not the way someone looks. If a person is "being ugly" it means they're acting like a jerk.
"That dog won't hunt." Never gonna happen.
"Can't never could." It means if you start off with a defeatist attitude, the odds of success are nil. Generally used when someone is whining that they're incapable of doing something.
"Too big for his britches." First off, britches are pants. I assume it somehow traces back to the term breeches, but that's more of a theory than an actual etymology of the word. If someone is too big for their britches, it means they are so full of themselves that they can't even fasten their pants.
"Ain't got the good sense God gave dirt." Stupid. Epically stupid. Dumber than dirt.
"Useless as a screen door on a submarine." This one is pretty vivid, so I probably don't need to explain it.
"I'm fixin' to." I am preparing to do so. Example: "I'm fixin' to go to the grocery store, do you need me to get anything for you?"
"All gussied up." Dressed up fancier than normal. Cinderella couldn't go to the ball until her Godmother helped her get all gussied up.
I'm sure I'll come back around and do another one of these someday. There are just too many things to choose from. This doesn't even scratch the surface. We are a culture that loves similes and metaphors, that's for sure.
I want to know what the sayings from your home are. Let me know in the comments!
10 Things About Unsolved Mystery (U.S. Television Series)
On August 10, 2020 August 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10thLeave a comment
When I was a very young child, my family lived out on a farm. We got three television channels. This was in the late 1980s and very early 1990s, so it was not the norm for people who didn't live out in the boondocks. But for us, it was all there was unless we went to our grandparents' house "in town".
My grandmother had a small television set up in her family room, so she could see it while she cleaned or worked in the kitchen. She and her maid loved to watch their stories, and heaven help the person who interrupted All My Children. But at night when the soap operas were done for the day and my grandmother didn't much care for most of the contemporary sitcoms, I remember getting to watch Unsolved Mysteries.
It doesn't sound like much, but it was a show about missing persons cases, unsolved homicides, even paranormal stuff. Any interesting cold case the show could get its hands on. And it was entertaining. And also the creepiest television show in the history of ever. And this is from a kid who was of the generation where Tales from the Crypt was considered a perfectly normal and acceptable kids' show.
Now that it's being revived on Netflix, I thought I'd share some info about the show in general. Partly because I thought it would be fun for those of us who watched it way back in the day, and partly because it's time for me to write this month's post and other than this I got nothin'.
So here are 10 Things About Unsolved Mysteries:
It actually started as a series of seven specials that premiered on NBC beginning in January of 1987. The specials were split between three different hosts, including Robert Stack.
By the fall of 1988, the show was green-lit at a full fledged series with Robert Stack at the full-time host. It is his voice most of us remember creeping us out as youngsters. It was iconic.
The series was dropped by NBC, but picked up by CBS in 1997 where it ran for two seasons before being dropped. Lifetime picked up the show's last season, ending when Robert Stack fell ill and could no longer host. When he eventually passed away, the network didn't try to replace him, they simply cancelled the show.
Six years later, a fourth network laid claim to the concept and Spike TV revived the show with a new host. Two years and 175 episodes later, Spike gave it up too. In addition to the four main host networks, several other networks paid for syndication of the show. Today you can even find original episodes through YouTube, FilmRise, Pluto TV, Tubi TV, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
Its theme song was the soundtrack to my nightmares and was composed by Michael Boyd and Gary Remal Malkin. The song has had different arrangements throughout the show's history, but has never been replaced. It is the same music that plays during the intro of the Netflix revival of the show.
When the show began, the internet wasn't yet prevalent, so they set up a caller hotline so people who saw the show could leave tips if they had information to share. Even in the first season, tips called in from around the country helped locate suspects and solve cases. As technology moved forward, so did the show. It has a website that is still live and used for tips today.
Several actors got their start by playing characters in the show's reenactments of the crimes/cases portrayed. Matthew McConaughey, Taran Killam, David Ramsey, Hill Harper, and Daniel Dae Kim are just a few of the names that have shown up in the credits of the show.
Other celebrities, including Jon Bon Jovi and Reggie White, were interviewed on the show regarding cases that were close to them.
The Netflix revival of the show has no host and depends solely on interviews to tell the story. This is actually reflective of the proposed pilot episode of the original show. It's also being produced by Shawn Levy, one of the executive producers of Stranger Things.
Since the premier of the Netflix revival of the show, people are already sending in tips and information on the newly featured cases. Multiple people who have worked on episodes of the show say they are confident that some of the cases will be solved based on information coming in.
There is no voice that compares to Robert Stack. That man could make anything sound terrifying. They tried to add co-hosts to the show as he got older, but he was undoubtedly the star. After his passing, other hosts could never quite garner the popularity that Stack had while hosting the show.
Here's a clip from YouTube of just the intro and the closing of the show to give you a taste of Robert Stack's voice, and the creepiest theme song in the history of ever.
I don't know if this can or will help my fellow writers out there in any way, but it was fun to think back to my little preschool self shaking getting so excited and then having nightmares after hearing the intro to this show. I'm not gonna lie, I'm in my 30s now and some of those old episodes are still on my nope list.
10 People that History Whitewashed
On July 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn UncategorizedLeave a comment
Last month I handed off the mic and pointed to several articles, videos, podcasts, etc that better handled the topic of racism than I was prepared or qualified to. I would love to do that again, but honestly I can't afford to pay guest posters and asking someone to donate their skills during a time when they are bombarded with requests for emotional labor to explain this or that seemed like a jerk move. So we're back to me. And while I'm not qualified to talk about the ins and outs of daily racism experience, I am entirely capable of research and editorializing.
I have screamed for years that Jesus wasn't White. No matter how movies, paintings, sculptures, statues, or any other art media portray him. He was whitewashed starting around the time of the Italian Renaissance (a weird thing, to me, since at the time Italians themselves weren't actually considered "White" by most of Europe).
Anyway, when I start that conversation people are often taken aback and then transition into "Oh…I guess you're right."
I'm fun at parties. Also, this is where a sarcasm font would absolutely come in handy.
It's doesn't stop with Jesus, though. There are a plethora of historical figures who have been whitewashed in one way or another (or, as the case with one figure on my list, erased from the narrative completely).
In writing it is all too easy to fall into a "white normative" mindset. If you only describe someone's features, ethnicity, etc when they are not White, you're essentially saying that everyone else is by default. And just for the record, while "White/Caucasian" is the majority in the U.S., Canada, and several European nations, worldwide it's not even top three. So a white normative dystopian future tale is saying something about who the author expects to survive. Be mindful of that as you write.
Because white normative narratives affect more than literature. In history, unless we are specifically told someone isn't White, it's basically assumed that they are. You know why Alexander Hamilton being mixed race shocked a lot of people? Because they don't mention his race in history books and he's light skinned in all his paintings, so the dude must have been White, right? *Annoying buzzer sound* Wrong. We're (United States education, both public and private, I can't speak for anyone else) just accustomed to a White Normative History Perspective. A Whitewashed history.
What else are we missing? A lot, actually. But I'm limiting myself to ten because that's my series. "10 Things on the 10th" not "A lot of things on the 10th". So here are 10 famous figures who have been whitewashed or erased by our culture (in no particular order, be it chronological or importance).
J. Edgar Hoover. He was part Jewish, yes. He was also (credibly) rumored to be Gay (though, some believe he was more Ace than anything). But the man who went hard against leaders of the Civil Rights Movement was also part Black. He was light skinned and began passing very early in life, and his family went to great lengths to hide that part of their heritage. But DNA analysis, genealogical research, and familial accounts all back up the claim that he was, in fact, part Black himself. There are also several accounts of people who openly questioned this while he was still alive who were immediately threatened by the man himself. It was a secret he guarded more closely than the nature of his romantic life.
Alexandre Dumas. He wrote The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers among many others. His father was a general in the French Army, well decorated, well respected and well recorded in paintings. Alexandre's grandmother was a slave in what is now Haiti. His father was a dark-skinned biracial man, something made very clear in artistic depictions of him. Alexandre was lighter skinned than his father, but still pretty clearly mixed race. Now go back and read The Count of Monte Cristo, the story of a man who is wrongly accused of a crime and imprisoned for years, who eventually gains his freedom and fortune and returns (pretending to be an Italian Count) to seek revenge on those who purposely framed him. Do you picture it differently now?
St. Augustine of Hippo. Augustine was born Northern Africa to a pagan father (who converted to Christianity before his death) and a Christian mother. His household primarily spoke Latin as a way to evidence their education in Roman society. However, genetically, his family were Berbers–a people group historically and genetically tied to Northern Africa. Yep. One of the most important and celebrated figures in post Biblical Christian history was Black. Even early artistic depictions of him by the church show him as a dark skinned man.
Saint Nicholas. Yes, I'm bring Santa Claus into the fray. Saint Nicholas was of southern Greek decent, Turkish, and not especially light skinned given the early artistic renderings of him by the church. Santa Claus wasn't a White guy. White beard is totally probable, though.
Ludwig Van Beethoven. This one has been debated, but science is on my side. While the first examinations were ruled inconclusive because his hair didn't have the "most common" characteristics of genetically African hair (do not get me started on everything wrong with that statement), follow up DNA analysis and a facial mold created from his remains and modern technology say everyone's favorite deaf musical genius was Black. And also didn't look ANYTHING like the majority of his artistic renderings. This was not uncommon for his day and time, and it was even more so for Beethoven who was rumored to use copious amounts of white facial powder and even employ body doubles for portraits to hide his true visage.
Queen Charlotte. Wife of King George III (yes, the crazy dude from Hamilton). Charlotte came from a small German ducal family, but on her father's side she was descended from Portuguese royalty. More specifically, she was descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, from the Black branch of the Portuguese Royal Family Tree. Remember when I said it was not uncommon for people to look nothing like their artistic renderings in Beethoven's day? It was true for Charlotte too. In fact, when some court painters depicted her a little more realistically, they were fired and threatened with death. Her contemporaries' written accounts of her discuss her dark skin (as compared to most White Europeans) and features, though, so her correct visage hasn't been lost to history.
Pete Wentz. Most identifiable member of Fall Out Boy. His grandfather was a Black Jamaican man who is also a cousin of Colin Powell. Pete has never hidden his heritage, and has stated proudly that he is mixed race. However, with white skin and the last name Wentz, people have actually called him a liar regarding his ethnicity before, leading the musician to to essentially throw his hands in the air over it. If you're wondering, I'm including him on this list to show that this is STILL HAPPENING.
Saint George. The patron saint of England whose flag was co-opted by Crusaders and a modern English political party. George was Turkish and Persian. He was Middle Eastern. By modern definitions, not a White guy. Something I'm almost certain is lost on the particular English political party using his personal emblem.
Alessandro de Medici. Financial gurus, power players, political powerhouse, Head of the Catholic church in their pocket, feared and revered in Florence, and an integral part of Italian history. That Medici family. Alessandro was raised as the son of Lorenzo II (son of Lorenzo the Magnficent) de Medici, but was, in actuality, the son of Lorenzo I's nephew Giulio and a Black servant in the Medici household. Giulio was only seventeen when he fathered Alessandro, but would become Pope Clement VII by the time Alessandro reached his adolescence. His mother was married off to a lesser noble and Alessandro was accepted as a legitimate Medici because the last thing you want to do is lose your cousin the Papal throne and relinquish all the power (and blackmail ability) that goes with raising his son for him on the sly. Thanks to his birth father, Alessandro would eventually become the Florentine Head of State. Possibly (I say only possibly because I don't know who else history has whitewashed) the first Black Head of State in Europe.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The Godmother of Rock and Roll. A Bisexual, guitar playing, boundary pushing, musical powerhouse who literally created rock and roll by fusing Delta Blues and New Orleans Jazz with her Gospel music. And yes, she was simultaneously bisexual and a worldwide Gospel sensation. When White artists began to copy her style and even get credit for it, she didn't have much recourse. So she traveled to Europe and toured there for decades, creating a new following and performing to large crowds until just three years before her death in the 1970s. Still, even many music enthusiasts have never heard of her because her name gets buried under names like Elvis Presley who very much used her as inspiration.
Do you have someone to add to the list? Tell me about them in the comments. I'm a history nerd who would actually be very interested.
10 Things About Racism
On June 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10thLeave a comment
Black. Lives. Matter.
I want to start with that. And if you're response to that is to say "All Lives Matter", let's talk. Yes, all lives DO matter. However, our culture, our government, our society has treated POC, ESPECIALLY the Black Community, like their lives don't. So the mantra isn't trying to say that White lives don't matter, or that police lives don't matter, or that any life doesn't matter, but instead that all lives do, in fact, matter. So let's stop leaving the Black lives out of that sentiment.
Now, I'm a White girl from the South. My family tree has a great many shades of brown running through it, but the melanin got real watered down by the time it got to me. I'm White. I didn't realize the privilege associated with that until I was an adult. I knew racism existed, but there was a lot I didn't understand.
And the difference between not being racist and being actively anti-racist? I'm still learning. But this topic is important. Too important to shy away from. I'm a Christian. I am called by my God to love my neighbor. And Jesus makes it VERY clear that my neighbors are not just the people who live next door, or who look like me, think like me, speak like me, etc. So I'm trying to learn.
Having said all that, I'm admitting I'm not qualified to lead the discussion on racism and being anti-racist. I'm doing a lot of reading and listening to people much better educated on the topic than myself.
So this month, I thought instead of rambling off ten facts that may or may not be relevant to your writing, I'd supply ten links to resources that are relevant to all our lives. I'm handing over the mic, so to speak, the best way I know how.
1.100 Ways White People Can Make Life Less Frustrating for People of Color. Pretty self-explanatory.
2. Sources to Help You Learn About Institutional Racism, a List from PBS News Hour A list of 100 books, podcasts, movies, articles, etc to help educate people about racism.
3. Access Ain't Inclusion a Ted Talk by Anthony Jack:
4. New Day Podcast, Episode: A Conversation About Racial Injustice This came recommended from a former co-worker of mine. As White people, we don't have to talk about race every day. But that's not true for many of our Black counterparts.
5. Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History This is a class from Coursera that you can audit for free. It starts today.
6. Performative Allyship is Deadly (Here's What to do Instead).
7. Racial Reconciliation: A sermon by Pastor Michael Todd of Transformation Church in Tulsa, OK. It's about two hours long and worth every single minute.
8. Racial Injustice has Benefited Me: A Confession Okay, yes, this one was written by a White guy. But maybe if you won't listen to all of the powerful statements from the Black leaders on this list, you'll listen to the guy who created Veggie Tales.
9. Here's a list of Black-owned, independent bookstores where you can buy all the books on this list and also support the Black community at the same time.
10. How to Deconstruct Racism, One Headline at a Time. A Ted Talk by Baratunde Thurston.
I have never done anything intentionally racist. I have never said anything intentionally racist. But, in hindsight and with learning, I know now that I have said, done, and thought harmful things rooted in racism. I am sorry. As I come to know better, I will do better. And I will be intentional about learning.
10 Things About Nail Polish
On May 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10th, History/TriviaLeave a comment
Today is Mother's Day, my vegetable garden has been planted, and I sprained my calf and cannot do my interval workouts for a few days, so I decided to turn to something else that brings me peace–painting my nails. I've always liked to paint my nails, but quite frankly I'm not great at it, so I don't do it terribly often. But I recently discovered nail stamping, and now with just a swipe and a press I can showcase my love for books, pretty flowers, Sci-Fi and Fantasy franchises, or even create dinosaur designs that my kids love. There's nothing quite like stamping a triceratops on your nails and then having your three-year-old look upon you with awe and declare, "Mama, you SO beautiful."
But where did the tradition of painting our nails even come from? The answer is actually pretty hard to pin down other than to call it widespread cultural appropriation. I did give it the old college try, though, and learned several interesting things along the way. So here are 10 things you might not know about nail polish.
While some sources claim the tradition of pigmenting one's nails began circa 3,000 BC in China, others claim there is evidence of soldiers from Babylon using it circa 3,200 BC. Still others point to mummified pharaohs with pigmented nails and say it all began in Egypt. However, I find the most plausible place of origin from all the different arguments to be India. Henna had been used to create intricate designs on the hands for thousands of years. And from India, the use of such a pigment could easily have geographically expanded to China, Babylonia, and even Egypt where–spoiler alert–henna was used to pigment the nails of the upper classes.
While Babylonian soldiers used kohl to color their nails and lips before going into battle (there is also archaeological evidence that they also spent time curling their hair before heading out, which leads me to call BS on many modern gender norms), Chinese women painted their nails to show their class. Women of the upper class, and especially of the royal family, wore specific colors that women of lesser classes were not allowed to wear. They also created intricate designs and even wore long, claw-like tips to protect long nails on two fingers of each hand. It was to show others they didn't have to use their hands for manual labor.
During the Rennaisance, the trend of coloring nails and then buffing them to a shine spread to Europe. However, the available colors were few and sometimes toxic. And in Victorian England, for example, simple, clean, nude nails were seen as a sign of moral purity and good upbringing (nevermind mind the abrasives and processes they used to make their nails look "naturally clean").
Towards the end of the 19th century, French women began re-popularizing the use of colored pigment on nails. And the turn of the century saw suffragettes in both England and North America don make-up and colored nail pigment to outwardly showcase their rebellion against the status quo. Some went so far as to wear bloomers (gasp) or even, dare I say it, pants. The horror.
In 1916 Cutex developed a clear lacquer to paint over nails to make them shine so that women no longer had to spend hours breathing in chemicals from the abrasives they used to buff their nails to a shine. It revolutionized the nail industry. Mary E. Cobb studied how French salons manicured the nails of their clients, both men and women alike–a tradition dating back to King Louis Philippe. She also spent years watching her husband who was a podiatrist and a cosmetics manufacturer. She divorced her husband, struck out on her own, moved to New York City, and opened the first nail parlor in America. "Mrs. Pray's Manicure" was the official name of the service and it was a runaway hit.
In the 1920s, Michelle Menard watched the automotive industry develop shiny, brightly colored paints for cars. She made some changes to the formula, and voila, modern liquid nail polish was born. Of course, her employer owned the rights to her invention and patented it himself. And in 1932 Ms. Menard's invention flooded the shelves. We can still find it there today, but alas Ms. Menard's name isn't on it. Instead, it bears the name of the company started by the man who patented her formula: Revlon.
Since 1932 was still during the Great Depression, it might make you wonder how a company based on a luxury cosmetic item could survive. The answer is that it wasn't that much of a luxury. A bottle of nail varnish in the early 1930s was about thirty-four cents in the United States. While that still put it out of reach for large swaths of the population, many women deemed it an item worth buying to lift their spirits during tough times. However, during WWII as many women entered the workplace and embodied Rosie the Riveter, painted nails became impractical. Women didn't give up painting their nails altogether, it just became more popular to paint them with clear lacquer.
In 1957 Frederick Slack changed the nail game again. Dr. Slack was a dentist who had the unfortunate experience of badly chipping a nail during his workday. A resourceful gentleman, he used tin foil and dental acrylic to create a fake nail to cover his chipped one. It looked so real and so natural that he decided to collaborate with his brother to turn his invention into a marketable venture. The result? Acrylic nails. It would still take until the 1970s for acrylics to become widely available.
With strong colors once again en vogue by the 1970s, it sometimes made it difficult for make-up artists and designers to find a way to paint the nails so they wouldn't clash with clothing during runway shows with multiple wardrobe changes. In 1976, Jeff Pink (who founded Orly) created a new type of nail design that wouldn't clash with the outfits and was understated but adored the moment it debuted in a Paris fashion show. Today we call it the French manicure.
Today the nail polish industry is a multi-billion dollar market and lacquers, varnishes, dips, powders, and polishes come in different price ranges, color schemes, and even ingredients. The most expensive bottle of nail polish available though is created by crushing black diamonds which gives the formula a one of a kind sparkle. Of course, at $250,000 there would need to be a genie in that bottle before I got too close to it.
From ancient traditions to battlefields to politics to wartime factories, the history of nail polish gives an interesting insight into changing values and ideals for women. With each new trend or available product line coinciding with women taking a step away from the societal norms of their day, it is an art that tells a story all its own. A sign of the struggle for equality. Beautiful war paint.
Maybe that will clear out the pandemic induced cobwebs and spark an idea for a new world to build. If not, don't beat yourself up. The creative juices will flow again at some point. Until then, cut yourself some slack. You're in the middle of a major historic event. It's okay to be off your game (I'm really saying this to me because I haven't written any salvageable material since school closed).
As for me, I'm going to enjoy my Mother's Day and paint my nails.
Happy Mother's Day to you. Whether you are a pet mom, a biological mom, an adoptive mom, a step-mom, a pregnant mom, a legal guardian, caretaker, or someone desperately wanting to become a mom, Happy Mother's Day.
10 Things About Trampolines
On April 10, 2020 April 10, 2020 By K. S. WattsIn 10 Things on the 10th, History/Trivia, SportsLeave a comment
Like most of the world, my family is staying home and distancing ourselves from non-essential spaces, activities, etc. I have two sons. If they can't play with their friends at school or have playdates at the park, they need to get their energy out somehow. Plus, they are young and while we have talked about the virus and the reason we have to stay home right now, I don't want them to live in fear.
Just as the virus was ramping up in the United States, my younger son had a birthday. I found a mini-trampoline that could be used indoors (a major plus considering the epic amount of rain this winter), but I could also toss it out in the yard and let them turn it into a dinosaur nest, part of an obstacle course, and flying superhero training pad, or whatever else their little imaginations could produce. It's not the same as a big trampoline, but it fit in my budget at the time and it has provided them with a blessed amount of stimulation.
Despite its size and ease of use indoors, it has become an outside toy for two reasons. The first is that they like to have it there to be part of their imaginary games of dinosaur, superhero, American Ninja Warrior contestant, etc. The second is that somehow when indoors the idea of using it to propel oneself against a wall as hard and fast as possible seemed like a capital idea.
Still, they have loved every second of having it around and for that I'm grateful. They are already campaigning to get a bigger one. My husband is against it for a plethora of safety reasons. I can't blame him, but I also have to remind him that most of the common injuries on a trampoline are caused by things our generation did on purpose when we were young. Elder millennials are the reason they now sell nets to go around the outside of backyard trampolines. We tried to bounce each other off on purpose. It was great fun.
Anyway, it got me to thinking, where did this ridiculous and fun contraption even come from? And ta-da, a 10 Things post is born.
Here are 10 things you might not know about trampolines:
Long before the modern trampoline, the Inupiat (I hope that is the correct term, please forgive and correct me if it is not), a group of Alaskan Natives, would toss dancers into the air from taught walrus skin as part of the whaling festival in the spring.
There is also evidence of this type of activity–involuntarily bouncing a person from a cloth tightly held by a group of people–being used as a type of punishment in Europe before it became a tool used by firemen to catch people who jumped from burning buildings.
In the early 19th and 20th centuries, circus performers used springboards sometimes called trampolines and "bouncing beds" in acrobatic routines and comedic performances.
What we know as the modern trampoline is an invention credited to George Nissen and his University of Iowa gymnastics coach Larry Griswald. Nissen is said to have first gotten the idea as a teenager watching acrobats use their safety net as a part of their routine at the circus to wow the audience. At some point, he even took apart his bedframe at home trying to create a smaller-scale replica of the bouncing safety net. When he was in college, his gymnastics coach helped him create a new prototype and in 1934 they filed for a patent. They named their invention a trampoline–a purposely anglicized version of el trampolín, a Spanish term for a diving board.
Trampoline was originally trademarked. The product's generic name was a "rebound tumbler". However, when the term trampoline lost its trademark, the term became synonymous with the generic product.
During World War II, the United States Navy began using trampolines as a training activity for pilots. The rebound tumbler was a way for the pilots to get a more accurate feel of orienting themselves in midair, a skill often needed during air fights and bombing raids. It was also one of the tools first used by the newly developing space program after the war ended.
As far back as 1959 and into the 1970s, outdoor trampoline parks popped up across North America. George Nissen often spoke out against this type of use, little supervision or training and with practically no safety regulations, of his invention, but could do little to stop it. He believed in the power of his invention as a training tool, exercise equipment, and even a platform for sports, but thought that safety should always be a primary concern.
In 1962 trampolining was officially recognized as a sport by the International Gymnastics Federation. It was introduced as an Olympic event in 2000 in Australia. George Nissen was there to witness the moment.
He was also, at 94 years of age, able to "test" the trampolines at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He died two years later in 2010, but his daughter–who now runs a trampolining academy in California–says it was a true highlight and an unforgettable moment for him.
Competition trampolines are made with slightly different materials than the recreational backyard version. A competition trampoline can help an athlete reach heights of approximately 33 feet (10 meters). Recreational trampolines can be expected to serve up about 1/3 of that height. Thank goodness.
It should also be noted that the added nets around the outside of a trampoline haven't actually caused a big decrease in the number of trampoline-related emergency room visits. Kids will find a way to hurt themselves.
So if you have a backyard trampoline, or just a backyard to play in, get out in the fresh air and have some fun. If your stay-at-home orders are more stringent and don't allow outside play, or perhaps you don't have an outside play space, nobody is going to judge you for the amount of screen time you allow your child right now.
Remember, during this time you are not homeschooling your child. You are providing educational triage. You are not simply parenting. You are parenting through a global pandemic, something the What to Expect series never prepared any of us for. Cut yourself some slack, and cut your kids some slack too. Most of them don't know how to appropriately express their fear or anxiety. Reach out if you need help or your kids need help. There are teletherapists that can consult with you over the phone, there are food banks to help those without a paycheck right now, there are organizations that exist to help you. Let those of us who want to reach out a hand do so. Please. Like the old song says, no one can fill those of your needs that you won't let show.
We're all in this together no matter how far apart we are.
Happy Good Friday, everyone.


Phone interviews are always risky. Without the added bonus of facial expressions and appearance, it's sometimes difficult for the interviewer and interviewee to truly get comfortable with each other. In the past, I've conversed with both the monotonic and the stimulating, the bored and the over-anxious, but nothing prepared me for my conversation with the King of Rock and Soul, Solomon Burke. I had heard he was a flamboyant character, but reserved my judgment. Beyond his '60s hits "Cry to Me," "Down in the Valley," "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," and others on a Best Of compilation, the only other bits of information I was aware of was that he had over 20 kids, was a bishop of his own church in Los Angeles and had a side practice as a mortician.
The reason for the renewed interest in the soul singer (beyond the intriguing bits about being a bishop, a mortician, and a father 20 times over) was that he had just released an album of new material on the hip indie label, Fat Possum, that has been getting rave reviews and much heralded national acclaim. Don't Give Up On Me was produced by gifted songwriter Joe Henry (who incidentally is Madonna's brother-in-law) and boasts songs from some of the greatest songwriters of our time, including Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits and others. Adding to the buzz is the fact that none of the songs have ever been released. They were either written specifically for the record, or just happened to be idly sitting around, waiting for a great like Solomon Burke, to dust them off. With all this fine fodder, I had painstakingly come up with 30 or so questions to drill Dr. (licensed mortician) Burke, and felt slightly anxious, but mostly prepared for the interview. What followed was one of the strangest interviews I've had.
Solomon Burke answered the phone in a voice I wasn't expecting. I guess I expected a rougher, deeper timbre, but what I actually heard was an extremely melodious, smooth voice with heavy emphasis on diction. He greeted me warmly asking about the weather in New Orleans (raining), and about my family. It was actually the first time someone had actually asked about me personally during an interview, and I was taken aback. As we were still kind of feeling each other out, I launched into what I assumed he'd be most interested in talking about, his new album. It was here that Mr. Burke took the reins and galloped away.
Less than two months later, Johnson called telling him that the songs had arrived. "I came over to the office and the next thing I see is this guy coming out [of Fat Possum] with spiked hair, another guy had rings in his nose, one other one had pink hair. I immediately got back into my car, got on my cell phone and called him [Johnson] asking, 'Who did you get to write these songs? If those are the writers, then I'm not really into that right now…'" Johnson assuaged his fears and brought out a big envelope stuffed with demo tapes. "He turns to me and tells me to pull out anyone I want, and what I pulled was Bob Dylan. I couldn't believe it." The wealth of music dispatched to Fat Possum when the call was sent out for material humbled Solomon. Without hesitation he told them to book the studio.
Prior to Don't Give Up On Me, Burke hadn't met any of the songwriters who gave their demos for the project. He was stunned at the response, and deeply honored. ''I'm so thrilled that these great superstars even remember my name. I just hope that there's a song on this album that will touch someone's heart, give hope. The whole album is a message." To hammer in his point, he describes giving his first copy of the new CD to his landlord and telling him to listen to the opening track, "Don't Give Up On Me." "I said to my landlord, 'Now don't give up on me, don't give up on this 30 year mortgage.'" With this quip, he begins a chuckle which gained in momentum and was so incredibly infectious that for a good 20 seconds we both had to put the phone down and breathe deep. But soon after, the mood changed. Something in him clicked over and it was at this point in the interview where it ceased being an interview and became a sermon. There was no stopping Dr. Burke as he bolted into a virtuoso performance of spiritual exhortations.
This was quite a riveting performance. He was in what I assume other preachers call "the zone," and all hopes of a normal interview were over. He continued in this manner for some time until I finally got another word in. I wanted to know if it was hard to make the transition from preaching to singing popular music, knowing that many in the sacred world view the move to secular music as turning one's back an the church. It was the opposite for Burke. "There was no transition. When you're talking about love, you're talking about God. God is love. [My message] has always been the message of love. You know, 'Everybody Needs Somebody to Love.' You don't have to go 'Down in the Valley', the valley so law. C'mon girl, 'Cry to Me!'" He was dropping his song titles again, and he did it in such a way that it fit into his explanations and conversation. The belief and faith he had in the power of his songs was truly a wonder. Forget those trendy coffee table survival guides, and cheesy self-help manuals. It seems all one would ever need is a copy of The Very Best of Solomon Burke.
So there you have it. The Bishop, the King of Rock and Soul, Solomon Burke has blessed the whole state. Bring on the miracles.


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Home News Archives YWCA's future: Ex-staffers and board pledge to work together
YWCA's future: Ex-staffers and board pledge to work together
photo by Bob Geary
In time, it may be seen that the way the YWCA's closing was so bungled helped sound the alarm that led to the organization's resuscitation. If so, last night's get-together of board members and terminated staffers at Martin Street Baptist Church — a private meeting — will be seen as an important turning point.
When it ended, both sides pledged that, from now on, there won't be two sides.
"We decided there's not going to be any more 'we' and 'they,'" the board's Maria Spaulding told several reporters waiting outside. For the first time, she said, board members had apologized face-to-face for the way the situation was mishandled. "We can't say enough how badly we feel," Spaulding said.
Representing the staffers, Olivia Robinson also expressed a desire for reconciliation. "Trust is developed when you communicate," she said. Finally, communications were begun, with emails and phone numbers exchanged and a willingness to work together also.
"The ball's in the board's court," Robinson added, but staffers are offering their expertise and experience, confident that any plan to reopen the YW will need to draw on both.
That said, there is no business plan as yet, Spaulding acknowledged, only "a plan to hopefully develop a business plan" using outside help from pro bono sources.
Will the YW reopen in its East Hargett Street building? "I think that is the vision for the community," Spaulding answered. But she didn't express it as her own vision necessarily. Her focus, she said, is on paying off the organization's debts, including back pay owed to the terminated staffers.
The debts may be as much as $500,000, according to board member Deborah Warren, who emerged from the church after Spaulding departed. They are at least $350,000, Warren said. An exact accounting hasn't been done.
The fact that it took three weeks following the closing for the board to meet with staffers is indicative of how dysfunctional the YW's organization structure had gotten. The turmoil that ensued could've been avoided.
On the other hand, the turmoil helped call attention to the YW's woes in a way that a more orderly downsizing doubtless wouldn't have. That's small consolation for workers whose jobs were yanked away on 24 hours notice, along with their health insurance unless they're able to pay for it themselves. It'll be no consolidation unless most or all of the jobs are restored — and quickly.
Paradoxically, what's clear at this point is that reopening the YW, if it occurs at all, will be a hard job, one requiring patience — and urgency. Nothing will happen if everyone waits for someone else to take the lead, and while no one person can bring the YW back, unless a few people step forward soon and take charge of the major organizing effort that's needed, the moment created by the turmoil will be lost.
Community members are organizing. The staffers are organizing. But legally, it's the board that's in charge — and it's the board that must take charge, bring people together ... and get to work.
Around Raleigh YWCA of the Greater Triangle Maria Spaulding Olivia Robinson Martin Street Baptist Church Issue: 2012-03-21 Blogs Citizen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Charter the Aquavit II with Captain Jon Moore and enjoy an original combination of experience, hospitality, and flexibility that no other boat rental company on St. Thomas can match.
Jon has been living in and around the local waters since 1976. During this time he has developed an intimate knowledge of how best to enjoy his beautiful Caribbean home. Whether you prefer snorkeling, sunbathing, beach bars, sightseeing or anything in between, Jon knows the best places to go and equally important, the best times to go there. Combine these attributes with extremely flexible hours and you have the recipe for a perfect day. You can swim with the turtles at Buck Island in the morning, and then explore enchanting reefs and mangrove lagoons in the afternoon, or create a more relaxed charter focused on cruising, cocktailing, and beach hopping St. John and the British Virgin Islands. Hourly, half-day, and full day rates are available to fit any schedule. The best way to explore the Virgin Islands is by boat. Book your adventure today!
For more information, or to make a reservation contact our head PASA Certified Kiteboarding Instructor, Jon Moore at 340-998-6240 or email info@adventurewatersportsvi.com for more information.
We require a $100 deposit for all kiteboarding reservations, which is forfeit if you cancel within 24 hours of the lesson or fail to show up.
The classes begin with a quick five to ten minute boat ride over to Cas Cay in the East End Mangrove Reverve. The shallow water grassy flats surrounding this pristine islet provide the ideal training ground for kiteboarding. Instructor Jon Moore has been giving kite lessons on St. Thomas since 2004 and knows how to make the most out of a wide range of wind and weather conditions. The fifteen foot custom skiff "Whitecap" provides transportation to the lesson site as well as a stable platform for safety briefings, beginner instructions, open water coaching, and kite setup and launch. Because kiteboarding is a weather dependent sport similar to surfing and snowboarding, Jon endeavors to keep his lesson schedule flexible in order to catch the most favorable wind conditions for his students. The focus of every lesson is to provide a fun, safe, and informative experience for kiters of all skill levels, from first timers to experienced riders looking for a safe spot to push their limits.
So come on out for a kite!
The key to riding a kiteboard is kite control, so Jon has designed this first lesson to teach his students how to fly a four line inflatable kite in the water as quickly as possible. After a briefing on safety and basic kite flying technique, it is time to pump up the kite and get into the water. The terrain of the mangrove lagoon allows for the use of a kite big enough to make the transition from kite flying to boardwork a smooth one. Once a student has learned how to control the kite with one or two hands, and they can change direction when necessary they are ready to start working with the board. Nothing in this tricky sport is ever guaranteed, but given the right wind and personal ability it is possible to get up and riding on the board by the end of the first lesson.
If you have already taken your first lesson with Jon, or you learned how to ride somewhere else this is the lesson for you. A full sized kite and plenty of wind are the name of the game at this stage of kiteboarding. Once the student is up and riding Jon shadows them in his skiff to provide coaching, safety support, and transport back upwind. Depending on your skill level you can work on a combination of basic get up and go riding, upwind riding, transitions, jumps, or tricks.


Can selectable items be designated to only one user?
In my form I have created a drop down menu where users will select a specific time, in one-minute increments.
I'd like for the specific time they choose to be designated to them alone, and not made available for subsequent peope to select that exact same time.
Perhaps the end result is that the times that have already been chosen are greyed-out or do not appear at all.
Unfortunately, that isn't possible. A workaround for this is to create your Time Field using Dropdown Menu and Apply Question Limit to the Minutes field. Guide here: How to Set Form Limits Based on a Unique Question.
Try to submit the form twice using the same minutes and you'll see the Warning Message.
You can generate number here to avoid typing each: http://textmechanic.com/Generate-List-of-Numbers.html.
I'm sorry. The method I've proposed is a reverse to what you'd like to have. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of any possible workaround for this. I guess it's not possible.


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Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
9/11 Memorial & Museum
Hornblower Sightseeing Cruises
New York City | CityPASS
see New York's top 6 attractions
New York City | C3
choose any 3—decide as you go
Compare our ticket options
Discover this impressive collection of modern art housed in one of the most significant architectural achievements of the 20th century.
Explore the great spiral rotunda, featuring critically-acclaimed special exhibitions.
Learn more about the world-renowned collection with free daily educator-led tours.
The Guggenheim is an internationally renowned art museum and one of the most significant architectural icons of the 20th century.
With continuous, open spaces flowing freely one into another, the rotunda is a grand, flexible space.
Over 90 feet above the rotunda floor of the Guggenheim, and spanning 58 feet, the building's skylight, or "oculus," is one of the most iconic in the world.
A monument to modernism, the unique architecture of the interior space, with its spiral ramp riding to a domed skylight, provides a unique forum for the presentation of contemporary art.
In 1990 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to designate the Guggenheim Museum an official landmark. It is the youngest building ever to receive such recognition.
The only real way to experience the rotunda is to move along the spiral.
The work of Sarah Crowner is on display at The Wright Restaurant at the museum. David Heald © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
1071 5th Ave. at 89th St.
Mon, Wed-Fri, Sun: 10am-5:30pm
Tue: 10am-9pm
Hours may vary; visit website for current hours and exhibitions on view.
guggenheim.org
Experience the best of New York City
Pressed for time? Walk the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed ramps and see the permanent collection in less than an hour.
Visit guggenheim.org to confirm hours and exhibitions on view.
Dining: The Wright, Café 3
Gift Shops: Guggenheim Store
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible except for the High Gallery. Wheelchairs available free of charge; please ask a security guard at entrance for assistance.
Groups: Groups of 20 or more: Call (212) 423-3636 or email groupsales@guggenheim.org. Group leader should call or email at least one week in advance to alert the Group Sales office to group's date of visit.
General admission to the Guggenheim's collection, plus special exhibits
Attraction Entry
Present your tickets at the information desk to skip the main ticket line and receive admission.
New York C3
Save at the Best Attractions
with Two Ticket Choices
See 6 Top Attractions.
View a Side-by-Side Comparison
Available New York City Attractions
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (C3 Exclusive)
Hornblower Sightseeing Cruises (C3 Exclusive)
Things To Do In New York Top Museums In New York


It still is a concept, but production is foreseeable. It's the Seat Ibiza Cupra ready to please the way only a hothatch can. Powerful, nimble and clever, this little imp has all the right acronyms – TSI, DSG and now XDS – an electronic differential lock.
A 1.4 TSI super/turbocharged engine under the hood packs a punch of around 180 hp and 250 Nm. With a set of paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, one can make good use of that power which is delivered to the road by a seven-speed DSG transmission.
The Ibiza Cupra also has the looks to match the power. Angry looks that is. Seat have focused on the car's face by adding a broad grille, sophisticated and pointy headlights and vast air intakes. The only thing that, to us, ruins the whole situation are those LED daytime running lights which surround the headlights, imprisoning them with redundancy. From the side we have a three-door profile – sharp and muscular with nice C-pillars. 17-inch wheels complement the dynamics while black exterior mirrors offer an aesthetic contrast to the mad yellow paint job of the body.
Jumping inside, we find a minimalist's idea of paradise – a steering wheel with the shifters, four air-vents, a radio and that's about it. Well, there's more than that but take the entertainment system for an example – a 5-inch screen can be unplugged and taken home as a part of Seat's Portable System – that means that in your pocket, you can have a navigation system, a hands-free phone system with voice control and an on-board computer.
Currently, this little critter (that probably has rabies) is on a stand at the 2012 Beijing International Automotive show. One of the many that will most definitely leave an impression on you or atleast a smile.


The Green Home Heating eBook contains the best articles from ReNew and Sanctuary magazines on how to have a naturally warm and energy efficient home.
This is an interactive pdf (10 MB) that can be downloaded on purchase. This publication is FREE for ATA members (please log in using your ATA webshop account).


Worcestershire is set to benefit from global investment as part of the government's multi-billion-pound 'High Potential Opportunities' (HPO) scheme.
The announcement forms part of an estimated multi-billion-pound boost to the UK economy, whereby Worcestershire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire will be promoted by the Department for International Trade to investors around the world.
The Department for International Trade's (DIT) global network, based in 177 cities around the world, will contact investors to promote the opportunities and attract top global investment into Worcestershire. The scheme identifies opportunities to attract foreign direct investment into emerging sectors, regions and clusters, creating new jobs and growth in every corner of the UK.
Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership successfully submitted the HPO bid, leading to greater opportunities for Worcestershire technology companies to increase and innovate their data security capabilities. The High Potential Opportunities Scheme is part of the International Trade Secretary's drive to secure new investment into the Midlands.
Gary Woodman, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "We are delighted that Worcestershire's 5G Industry 4.0 pilot and expertise has been recognised as a High Potential Opportunity. At a critical time for national inward investment, Worcestershire is leading on 5G progress and seeing an increase in investor interest.
For more information, visit the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership website.


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National University Blockchain Initiative Pilots Digital Transcripts
VR Brings Historic Campus Building Back to Life
By Dian Schaffhauser
University of Nebraska-Lincoln's University Hall (Photo: NET, Nebraska's PBS and NPR stations)
A project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is reviving an historic building that opened in 1869 and was demolished in 1948. Starting this week, people will be able to tour it, at least in virtual form.
University Hall, the first building ever constructed on campus, was designed to "inspire and awe visitors," as one account put it. But the construction process was "plagued by poor quality materials, cost overruns and negative publicity." Three men died during the building of the hall, when a cable attached to their scaffold snapped. Contractor J.D. Silver, who was pointed to as a negligent party in the deaths, went on to become mayor of Lincoln. The structure underwent multiple foundation replacements, steel rod reinforcements and the eventual removal of the top two floors decades later.
This Friday, the campus will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding, and as a part of that celebration, people will have opportunities to put on virtual reality headsets and walk around the structure. Eventually, they'll be able to tour the interior as well. The initial VR tour is just the first step in an ambitious effort to develop a virtual version of all of the university's facilities and grounds up to the 1890s, when electrification was added to campus.
The VR project is a collaboration between a small group of faculty and NET, the organization that runs Nebraska's PBS and NPR stations. Participants include Chad Davis, assistant general manager for emerging media at NET; Heather Richards-Rissetto, assistant professor of anthropology and a faculty fellow in the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities; Steve Kolbe, associate professor of film and new media; Mike Fields, software development manager; and Patrick Bate, a graphics specialist.
"We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to tackle the campus' very first building and bring it back as part of the sesquicentennial," said Davis in an article about the project. "It was also [an] attractive project due to the challenge of bringing back a building very few people know stood on campus."
Creation of the VR tour began with a compilation of blueprints and old photos of the structure. That led the trio to Kay Logan-Peters, a professor of libraries and unofficial campus historian. She had written a book that includes 180 historic images of Nebraska U and had led a library team in the creation of an online resource to document the timeline of university buildings up to the mid-1960s. She also knew about a model of the Hall, which had been presented to the university by the class of 1897, and which was being kept by facilities.
The VR team used digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras to capture hundreds of photos of the model, which were then stitched together through photogrammetry software to create a digital version of the building. To refine the model, the group will capture images of masonry and woodwork from the same eras as University Hall, to layer onto the exterior of the structure.
"Being accurate and getting the details right is part of our PBS ethos," Davis said. "We want the virtual reality version of University Hall to be as realistic as possible based on the data we have available. It's also important to us to show the beauty of what was a much-maligned building."
Soon, the tour will be available as a downloadable app that people can view using Google Cardboard and their smartphones.
Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @schaffhauser.


Fifty poets write on the threat to planet earth, war and peace, bullying, Brexit, the age of austerity and Jeremy Corbyn.
Poets include: Michael Bartholomew-Biggs, Neil Beardmore, Ian Birchall, Janine Booth, Alan Brownjohn, Rip Bulkeley, Olivia Byard, Di Coffey, Deborah Cox, Barbara Cumbers, Simon Curtis, Tony Curtis, Ann Drysdale, Matthew Duggan, John Freeman, Neil Fulwood, Katherine Gallagher, Owen Gallagher, John Gohorry, Adrian Green, Nicki Griffin, Steve Griffiths, Paul Groves, Mark Haworth-Booth, Stuart Henson, Kevin Higgins, Norton Hodges, Stephen Horsfall, Mike Jenkins, Helen Kidd, Louise Larchbourne, John Lucas, Thomas McColl, Alwyn Marriage, Nicholas Murray, Antony Owen, Harry Owen, Pascale Petit, Ian Pindar, Steve Pottinger, Gerard Rochford, Sue Shaw, Penelope Shuttle, Hylda Sims, Sean Street, Simon Williams, Pat Winslow, Abigail E.O. Wyatt, Neil Young.
Read the London Grip review here.


The 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, on Tuesday in Akure flagged off the 2019 edition of its annual competition for its personnel in the rank of corporal and below.
The four day-competition, which drew 55 participants each from five army formations in the Southwest Zone, is being hosted by the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure.
The participating army formations are 2 Div. Army Garrison, Ibadan:HG 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin; 32 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army, Akure; 22 Armoured Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ilorin and 42 Engineer Brigade, Ibadan.
The events for the competition include physical fitness, obstacle crossing, swimming and parade.
In his address of welcome, Maj. Gen. Okudili Azinta, the GOC, 2 Division, said the event was organised in line with the Nigerian Army forecast of event and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) training directives for 2019.
Azinta was represented by Brig.- Gen. Zakari Abubakar, Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure.
He explained that the goal of the competition was to improve leadership traits, organisational ability, use of initiative and to promote espirit-de-corps by personnel in that category.
"It is also intended to prepare them physically and mentally to contend with the contemporary security challenges confronting the nation.
"In view of this, relevant events geared toward enabling the participants to imbibe the goals of the competition were carefully selected," he said.
Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who declared the event open, lauded the Nigerian Army for its efforts in training its personnel to be able to discharge their task of securing the territorial integrity of the nation more effectively.
" When soldiers are well trained, their performance in maintaining peace and unity of the nation is guaranteed.
"I must, therefore, commend the efforts of the COAS and the GOC, 2 Division for this awesome initiative taken to help the soldiers up their game and keep fit.
"I will urge the soldiers participating in this year's competition to observe the rules and regulations guiding the conduct of the exercise.
"On our part, the government of Ondo State will continue to support the military in its activities to ensure success," the governor said.
KWIRS becomes first State revenue service to be ISO certified.
Niger State RAMP2 stimulates growth and development of rural areas.
KWSG constitutes 24-member transition committee.
Land acquisition: KWSG pays N9.5m to 24 landowners.