FYI: New Law Goes Into Effect in Westchester, September 2, 2023

September 1, 2023, by Martin Wilbur

Request-Only Plastic Utensil Law Effective on Saturday in Westchester

A new law to limit the use of plastic utensils and other items associated with food establishments will go into effect this weekend in Westchester to reduce the county’s volume of waste.

Starting this Saturday, all food service establishments can only provide plastic forks, spoons and knives, cup sleeves, and beverage lids upon the customer’s request. When those items are provided, they must be dispensed individually rather than in packets, which lawmakers believe will discourage the public from taking them unnecessarily, thereby limiting the amount of trash generated.

Furthermore, plastic stirrers and splash sticks for beverages will no longer be available in food service businesses, but consumers will still be available to buy them at retail shops.

County Legislator Erika Pierce (D-Katonah), who introduced the bill with Board of Legislators Vice Chair Nancy Barr (D-Rye Brook) that was approved earlier this year, said the volume of plastic utensils and other items exploded during the height of the pandemic when the public was ordering take-out to help their favorite restaurants survive.

She said it will take a minor habit change in order to adjust to the new law.

“We know how to change our behavior as consumers, a small change really,” Pierce said. “We just learn to ask for what we need, our businesses save money and we can cut back what goes into our waste stream and we’re helping the environment.”

Barr added that each establishment must post a sign that will be provided by the county detailing the main points of the law to help increase public awareness. With the request-only provision of the law, it will almost certainly diminish the volume of the items, she said.

“I think most importantly it’s going to help people think about what they actually need, and I think that’s going to spill over to many other areas of consumerism,” Barr said.

The utensils, in particular, are small and narrow enough where they literally slip through spaces in the conveyor belts at the trash and recycling facilities, said Lou Vetrone, commissioner of the county Department of Environmental Facilities. Therefore, many of them never get recycled and end up in the waste stream, he said.

County Executive George Latimer last week called the new legislation “good public policy.” He said the plastic items are almost never reused and to provide them upon request only seems like common sense, particularly for business owners.

“As we start to implement it, we’ll see a benefit to not only the environment of Westchester County but also the businesses that don’t have to spend the additional money to buy a product that may not be needed by the consuming public,” Latimer said.

County officials said the law will apply to in-person and over-the-phone orders as well as purchases through apps and online. It also maintains existing protocols for utensil storage within establishments. Utensils available in self-service containers for consumers must be individually wrapped or placed face-down, with single- item dispensers recommended.

Department of Health and Department of Environmental Facilities inspectors will be making rounds to make sure there is compliance. Food establishments that violate the law will be subject to a $100 fine for the first offense, a $200 fine for the second offense and a $400 for a third violation.

Latimer said the idea is not to punishabusinesses but to help everyone contribute to a more sustainable society.

“The purpose of our work is to enforce the law, not to punish; it’s to enforce the law to get compliance,” Latimer said. “What we want is compliance. We don’t want those products out there.”

Contributed by Martin Smolin

Very Punny

I never thought orthopedic shoes would really work for me. But I stand corrected.

Once upon a time there was a king who was only 12 inches tall. He was a terrible king but he made a great ruler.

A Mexican magician says he will disappear on the count of 3. He says: "Uno, dos ..." Poof. He disappeared without a tres.

I wrote a book on how to fall down the stairs. It's a step by step guide.

My son was chewing on electric cords, so I had to ground him. It's OK, though. He's doing better and conducting himself properly.

My friend claims that he "accidentally" glued himself to his autobiography, but I don't believe him. But that's his story and he's sticking to it.

An armed man ran into a real estate agency and shouted: “Nobody move.”

I asked the surgeon if I could administer my own anesthetic. He said, “Sure. Knock yourself out!”

I got into a fight today with 1,3,5,7 and 9. The odds were really against me.

In Britain, it's called a lift but Americans call it an elevator. I guess we were just raised differently.

97% of people are stupid. Glad I'm in the other 5%.

The Almighty said to John, “Come forth and ye shall receive eternal life.” But John came fifth and got a toaster instead.

AND FINALLY,

I have 2 unwritten rules:

1.

2.

Contributed by Barbara Bruno

A Romantic Interlude

The Voice Actors behind Mickey and Minnie Mouse Got Married in Real Life.

From Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, the entertainment industry is rife with tales of co-stars who fell in love while performing together. Given the sweet feelings their famous characters consistently displayed to one another, it's not surprising that the same fate befell longtime Mickey and Minnie Mouse voice actors Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor.

At the time Taylor beat out approximately 200 competitors to claim the voice role of Minnie in 1986, both she and Allwine (by then already established as Mickey for almost a decade) were married to other people. But their rapport as co-workers and friends soon blossomed into genuine affection, especially after each obtained a divorce, and they were married in Hawaii in 1991. The couple refused to talk publicly about their romance, preferring to keep the focus on the iconic characters they were tasked with portraying, although the cartoon hearts they radiated in one another’s presence were clear to all. According to one former colleague, Allwine would bring a ukulele to joint interviews with Taylor, and while he would launch into song as Mickey to serenade Minnie, “You knew it was Wayne talking to Russi.”

After Allwine died in 2009, Taylor naturally had a difficult time returning to work with Bret Iwan, the new Mickey. Yet she pulled it together to continue with Minnie's various big- and small-screen adventures, even earning her first Primetime Emmy nomination in 2018, before joining her beloved in the great soundbooth in the sky the following year.

Source: Interesting Facts

Contributed by Jane Hart

Special Observances, September 4 – 10

SEPTEMBER 4: NATIONAL EAT AN EXTRA DESSERT DAY

Eat an Extra Dessert Day encourages everyone to do something doctors probably wouldn’t recommend: eat a second dessert. And it can be at any meal: lunch, dinner—if you eat dessert at breakfast, go wild and have two. (And remind us to join you for breakfast.)

The word "dessert" comes from the French word “desservir,” which means “to clear the table.” Fruits and honey were probably the first sweeteners. The universe of desserts was bolstered by the expansion of the use of sugar. Sugar was used in India before 500 BCE. Over the next millennium or so, trade took it to places such as Macedonia and China. It didn’t hit Europe until the 12th century. During the Industrial Revolution desserts began being mass-produced. In addition, sweet delights could be processed and preserved in new ways, expanding their reach and increasing their popularity. Today, there are countless types of desserts available —home-made and store-bought — including cakes, pastries, cookies, pies, pudding (not sure Jello really counts as a dessert), and the ever-available wonderful ice cream.

The Who, Where, and Why of Eat an Extra Dessert Day are unknown. But it gives you the ultimate right — after a scoop of ice cream, a hunk of cheesecake, a slice of pie, or whatever your first choice is today — to choose a second dessert. (You might want to print this out and keep it with you, should the nutrition police stick their long noses in your business.)

SEPTEMBER 5: NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY

Okay, we know today is Tuesday, not Friday, but nevertheless today is officially National Cheese Pizza Day! True, February 9 is National Pizza Day: a day to celebrate one’s favorite pizza dish. But, National Cheese Pizza Day was born to give special appreciation to cheese pizza. Of course, every pizza deserves its own day for love — the Margherita, pepperoni, olive, mushroom, etc. — which is most likely the reason for National Cheese Pizza Day (although the exact creator and birth date are still a mystery).

The beginnings of pizza aren’t exactly known either, but most pizza scholars (yeah, that’s a thing) date it back to Ancient Greece when people covered bread with oils, herbs, and cheese. Pizza-ish, right? However, the kind of flatbread pizza that is well-known now started in Naples, Italy. There, the cheese used was buffalo mozzarella. Eventually, travel and discovery led to pizza making its way to the new world, which, by the time it got there, could better be described as the new-ish world. 1905 was the date; New York City’s Little Italy, the place. Los Angeles didn’t get this perfect food (protein, dairy, grain, vegetable) until 1939, thanks to the D’Amore family. Pizza’s popularity soared in the US following World War II. Veterans returning from the Italian Campaign led the rise in pizza consumption.

Cheese Pizza has also had an impact on pop culture, with the dish famously being Kevin Mccallister’s preferred choice in the “Home Alone” movies, lthough perhaps nobody loves pizza as much as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who became a global phenomenon in the 1990s. Joey Tribianni, the iconic “Friends” character, also introduced the Joey Special in the 1990s, which consisted of two pizzas.

Pizza achieved iconic-dish status in North America during the second half of the 20th century: a popular dish at any party or gathering of friends. In the US, pizzas is beloved, especially cheese pizza. In 1997, it was estimated that the US produced more than 2 billion pounds of pizza cheese. Today the US pizza industry is worth over $40 billion per year.

SEPTEMBER 6: GREAT EGG TOSS DAY

Great Egg Toss Day celebrates the sport of egg tossing. And, just to clarify, we’re talking raw eggs. Great Egg Toss Day takes place on September 6. Why? That was the day in 1981 when Risto Antikainen threw a fresh egg 317 feet, 10 inches, to Jyrki Korhonen. However, there is some debate over the record. Up until 2000, the Guinness World of Records listed the feat being set in 1978 with a throw of 323 feet, 2 inches, in a toss from Johnny Dell Foley to Keith Thomas. But in 2000 Guinness dropped egg tossing from their book altogether. (And that’s no yolk.)

How did all this start?! In medieval Britain, an egg throwing festival was held in churches at Easter. The priest would give out one hard-boiled egg which was tossed by choir boys around the nave of the church and the one who was holding the egg when the clock struck twelve would get to keep it.

The modern version has been around since the early 1900s as a way to get family, friends, and neighbors together for some laughs and competition. The idea is simple: toss an egg back and forth between two people, with each person trying to throw it farther than the other. The winner gets bragging rights. The pair (or pairs) stands about 3 feet apart, and a raw egg is tossed from one partner to the next. Those who catch the eggs without breaking them continue in the game, the others are out. After each successful catch, the players must take one step backward so that the tosses are longer and longer. However, different versions exist. In one, the idea is to toss an egg so it falls on the ground without breaking. This is possible on, for example, grassy meadows. In Germany, children invented a way to spin the egg during the toss so it lands on its tip still spinning. Dutch children play a game called “egg sales.” One child sells an egg to another. The new owner then throws the egg in the grass and if it does not break it must be returned to the seller.

Just one hint: You might want to hose down the area once the game is over. Raw egg on the grass will attract unwelcome animals. And besides, after a few days, well, you know how rotten eggs smell.

SEPTEMBER 7: GRANDMA MOSES DAY

Grandma Moses Day celebrates the talented primitive artist Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as Grandma Moses. The observance pays homage to an artist who remains an inspiration to people starting careers late in life. Despite her advanced age, she defied the odds and set out to become one of the most celebrated artists of her time.

Anna Mary Robertson became Anna Mary Robertson Moses in 1887 when she wed Thomas Moses. Self-taught, she painted images from her girlhood: peaceful scenes of farmsteads and rural life. She began painting in her 50s, but only kicked into gear in her 70s. Then, she began selling them at a local drugstore for about $10.

In 1938, art collector Louis Caldor, happened upon the drugstore and bought all her paintings. He was able to include her work in a folk art show at the Museum of Modern Art. And, with that, her career was launched. The following year, her paintings were displayed in New York and began selling across Europe and North America. Moses soon gained a large following across the globe. Her work spread to a larger audience when Grandma Moses paintings were adopted on Christmas cards in 1946. Sometime in the 1950s, her exhibitions shattered worldwide attendance records. She went on to feature on the front cover of LIFE magazine in 1960 when she clocked 100. She would go on to create thousands of paintings before her death in 1961 at the age of 101.

In 1960, when Granma Moses reached 100 years, Nelson Rockefeller — then New York Governor — declared September 7, her birthday, as the official Grandma Moses Day. Today we celebrate the life of an icon and how she has inspired generations to reach for the stars regardless of age.

SEPTEMBER 8: NATIONAL AMPERSAND DAY

National Ampersand Day is celebrated to honor “&.” The ampersand’s origins can be traced back to the Latin word “et,” which means “and.” The letters “E” and “T” in this word were occasionally put together to form a ligature, a character consisting of two or more joined letters. The writer saved time by using the character, with one letter flowing seamlessly into the next — a type of cursive or joined-up writing.

The ampersand has used since the 1st century AD. Most people don’t give much thought to the symbol, but it has a long and illustrious history. Though it is impossible to say when this symbol was initially written down, an early example has been discovered as graffiti on a wall in Pompeii, preserved by the Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. Tracing the evolution of symbols across time might be a challenge, but with the ampersand, the job has already been done by Jan Tschichold, a typographer born in Leipzig in 1902. Tschichold dedicated an entire study to the evolution of the ampersand in his 1953 monograph The Ampersand: its genesis and development, in which he collected hundreds of examples of it throughout history, charting its evolution from ancient graffiti to the familiar “&” used today.

Into the 19th century, the ampersand was regularly included at the end of the alphabet, being viewed as the 27th letter. The name “ampersand” came from the recitation of the alphabet, which was ended by saying “and per se and.” “Per se” means by itself, so the end of recitation meant “X, Y, Z, and, by itself, ‘and.’” The “and per se and” eventually was slurred together to create the word ampersand.

One of the main ways the ampersand is used in formal writing today is in company names, e.g., Johnson & Johnson or Boys & Girls Club of America. It is sometimes also used in formulas and computer code. Ampersands can be written using many variations of typography.

National Ampersand Day was created in 2015 by Chaz DeSimone of AmperArt, who wanted to “acknowledge & applaud the ampersand.” He chose September 8 as the holiday’s date because he found that when using ampersands in various fonts he could spell out "September 8" using only ampersands.

SEPTEMBER 9: INTERNATIONAL SUDOKU DAY

International Sudoku Day takes place September 9 (9/9). Sudoku enthusiasts will immediately grasp the date’s importance: The goal of the Sudoku game is to fill a 9×9 grid so that each column, row, and 3×3 sub-grid contains all the digits from 1 to 9, making 9/9 is the natural choice. Very logical, which is also appropriate since hardcore logical thinking is Sudoku’s raison d’etre.

Sudoku is based on a number puzzle called “Latin Squares,” developed by an 18th-century Swiss mathematician and is similar to Sudoku in that each row and column had to contain all designated numbers. However, unlike Sudoku, it involved numerals higher than 9 and emphasized solvers’ mathematical skills rather than logic. In 1892, the French newspaper “La Siècle” printed the game and in ensuing years other French papers picked up on the trend with similar games. By the start of WWI, however, those games’ popularity had waned.

Then cometh 1979. Indiana architect Howard Garns published a puzzle of his own invention (at the time named “Number Place”) in Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games magazine. That game would become what we know as Sudoku. Garns, however, died before his brainchild became an international sensation. In the meantime, in 1984, Garn’s game had set Japan’s puzzle industry on fire. It took on the name Sudoku, which means “the digits are limited to one occurrence,” along with a fan base of millions of devoted Japanese players. Since the Japanese language doesn’t work well for crossword puzzles, number games are much more popular there. Japanese buy over 600,000 Sudoku magazines.

In 1997, Hong Kong judge Wayne Gould invented a computer program that could come up with unique Sudoku puzzles. He pitched the game as a daily puzzle feature to newspapers in the UK. In 2004, the Times of London and The Conway Daily Sun in New Hampshire began publishing Sudoku puzzles. Since then, Sudoku has become a global phenomenon. In 2013, The World Puzzle Federation made September 9 the official International Sudoku Day.

Today, the game is readily available on smartphone apps and widely printed in papers and magazines. It’s the subject of multiple documentaries and game shows, and even spawned an award-nominated original tune by songwriter Peter Levy. We think it’s safe to say Sudoku isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

SEPTEMBER 10: BLAME IT ON THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER DAY

Blame It on the Large Hadron Collider Day was created in 2008 to shift blame for losing things from the people who actually lost them, to the Large Hadron Collider. “The Large Hadron Collider probably has your car keys, your missing socks, and your rent money, perhaps sucked into a black hole,” one source notes. The day takes place on the anniversary of the date that the Large Hadron Collider was first fired up in 2008.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's biggest and most powerful particle accelerator. Located just outside of Geneva, Switzerland, on the border with France, it was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). The idea for it was conceived in 1984, and the final go-ahead for its construction was given a decade later. It took $5 billion just to get it up and running. How does it work? Protons come from a tank of helium gas and are accelerated almost to the speed of light while being directed in two beams down a circular track. The track is nearly 18 miles long and is between 165 to 575 feet below ground. When the protons collide: POW! A huge amount of energy is released. One of the goals of the LHC is to test the Big Bang Theory, by creating the conditions of the beginning of the universe according to that theory. In 2012, the LHC was used to find the Higgs boson particle.

So why would the LHC be given blame? Perhaps it is because of its size—there is a lot of room for things to get lost in a machine that is 18 miles in circumference. Or perhaps blame is given because the LHC had issues just 9 days after its launch. Magnets overheated and melted and caused an explosion of helium gas. The LHC was fixed and upgraded but did not begin running again until 2009. Beginning in 2010, it had to run at half capacity to help prevent another accident from happening.

Spend September 10 (or, really, any day) blaming the Large Hadron Collider whenever something goes wrong, particularly if you can't find something. It's likely your item was sucked in by the LHC and is now inside of it — or a black hole created by it.

In and Around Kendal

Kendal’s Grilling Club Launches, August 20, 2023

It was a glorious Sunday — bright skies, cool breezes, and a hot grill. August 20 and the Grilling Club — afficionadas of all things barbecue — met for the first time. Arthur Vecchiotti and Pete Roggemann handled the hotdogs and hamburger orders, along with fare for the vegetarian set (cooked on a separate grill from the meat). Other members brought cheese and crackers and such, salads and side dishes, dessert, and other vital necessities. Each member brought a beverage of choice. Club members set it all up and took it all down. And meanwhile enjoyed each others’ company, lots of laughter and some very good food, under that Terrace tent at the first ever Grilling Club event!

Photos by Cynthia Ferguson

Sunset over the Hudson After the BBQ

Photo by Joe Bruno

In Honor of the Mighty Mushroom

Omelet Brunch by Edward Kasinec

Mushrooms Sprouting 1, by Carolyn Reiss

Mushrooms Sprouting 2, by Carolyn Reiss

Mushroom Sprouting 3, by Carolyn Reiss

The Flowers of Kendal Terrace, by Ginny Bender

Mr. Softee Visits Kendal, by Art Brady

Goat, Glorious Goat, by Edward Kasinec

And to All, a Good Night

Photo by Harry Bloomfeld

Out and About

The Plastic Pooches of Irvington

Art Brady has discovered a plethora of plastic pooches populating the principle passageway past Irvington proprietors. In other words, something’s a-foot (or a-paw) on Irvington’s Main Street. Art counted 12 and photographed 9. To learn more about the puzzle of pups, click the button below.

Meanwhile, below are pictures of the perfectly puzzling pooch perplexity.

Photos by Art Brady

A Great Event to Go Out and About For

Coming soon to Harriman Institute Atrium Gallery, Columbia University: September 7 — October 3, 2023. Curators include Edward Kasinec.

Come Watch a Bird — No Experience Necessary; Pro At Hand

BIRDWATCHING AT KENDAL

 With Anne Swaim

Saw Mill River Audubon Society

 Date:            Friday, Sept. 8, 2023

Time:           9 AM — 10 AM

Place:           Rockwood Hall (for those w/o walkers)

Limit:           10 participants

 OR

 Date:           Friday, Sept. 8, 2023

Time:           10:30 AM — 11 AM

Place:           Kendal Pergola (for those with walkers)

Limit:           20 observers

Suggested donation: $5/session (checks only payable to Saw Mill River Audubon Society)

Registration: Sign up in the Sept. section of Trips Book at Front Desk by Sept. 5, 2023

Is Your Computer Secure?

Last week, Computer Committee Chair Joe Bruno sent an interesting article on guarding your browser (you know, the thing you search the web with). This week, he’s come through again with an article on web trackers: those sometimes nefarious folks who suck in your data as you happily watch an old rerun of “I Love Lucy,” search Amazon for the doll your 8-year-old granddaughter wants for her birthday, or laugh at the cartoon your niece posted on Facebook—and there are scads of other trackers, too.

Joe noted, in particular, that the article is from Malwarebytes “which pushes their program.” He added that he likes Malwarebytes. Many of us use it and like it, as well. However, even if you don’t go the Malwarebytes route, there are plenty of good other suggestions there. Furthermore, the article is so informative, that you are definitely in the territory of “fore-warned is fore-armed.”

If you have further questions, either call Joe or staff member Anthony Bradford, both supreme experts on the wild and sometimes wonderful world of computers. Click below to read the article.

The Political Season Is Upon Us: Time to Laugh (or Nod Wisely)

As the year goes by, politics, politicians, and politicking non-politicians are more and more visible in the news and in our lives. Following are a few quips by a few wits from our own society — and abroad.

Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel. — John Quinton, American actor/writer

Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.

— Oscar Ameringer, "the Mark Twain of American Socialism."

Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.— Nikita Khrushchev

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Government. But then I repeat myself. — Mark Twain

I don't make jokes. I just watch the Government and report the facts! — Will Rogers

I contend that for a nation to try and tax itself into prosperity, is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.

— Winston Churchill

A Government which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always depend on the support of Paul! — Will Rogers

The problem we face today is because the people that work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. — George Bernard Shaw

Contributed by Jane Hart

WHERE HAVE ALL THE PILLOWS GONE?

A few years ago a resident who is an avid needlepointer came to me with a pile of finished needlepoint covers and asked what he could do with them since he had run out of family to give them to as gifts. He agreed with my suggestion to have pillows made from them which would be used to brighten up the décor on Main Street and the Residents’ Lounge. So 11 beautiful pillows were made and distributed among the chairs in that area much to the delight of residents.

NOW ONLY 7 ARE LEFT

This is an area much used by residents, staff, visitors, delivery people, etc. So, what is happening to those missing pillows? If you see any in another area of Kendal, please return them to Main Street. If you have “borrowed” one, please return it.

Marilyn Bottjer, Chair CAFA

English Is Crazy

Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane.

One goose, 2 geese. So, one moose, 2 meese?

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend?

If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?

Ship by truck and send cargo by ship?

Have noses that run and feet that smell? 

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

And why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick'?

Contributed by Barbara Bruno

Spotting the Spotted — and Getting Rid of It: Part 2

Last week, we bemoaned the arrival and proliferation of the spotted lanternfly which decimates foliage of all kinds. We included a picture of one the dastardly pest. Turns out, the picture was of a spotted lanternfly in its youth. Below are updated pictures of Spotted Lanternflies in their later years. Upon meeting one of these wretched creatures, you are encouraged to respond in one of two ways:

 1) Step forcefully on the damnable thing

2) If it is above your “range of stepping,” take off your shoe and slap it down forcefully on the damnable thing. You can also use a book or magazine, but then you’ll have squashed spotted lanternfly on your book or magazine. Ick!

Spread out version

Folded up version

A really, really folded up version

Ode to Howard, Art and Poetry by Sheila Benedis

Ode to Howard

I breathe you in

my husband

I hear your tender voice

see your tall quiet body

I gather up your strength

remember your never ending support

 

and become high

 

I remember you driving me to an art workshop

when I began creating baskets

thank you for placing our sleeping young son

on the backseat of the car

waiting patiently for me

 

never complaining

 

thank you for endlessly packing up my baskets

to send to galleries all over the country

 

thank you for climbing on ladders

when my work changed to installation pieces

hanging them on walls and from the ceiling

 

disregarding warnings of danger

 

when I went on many artist residencies

gone for a month at a time

thank you for your patience

you never complained about my meager income

 

even though you were comfortable with

the medieval art at the Frick

 thank you for appreciating my contemporary creations

my beauty my intellect

 

you understood my value

Special Observances, August 28 – September 3, 2023

AUGUST 28: WORLD DREAM DAY

There are dreams and then there are dreams. World Dream Day is not about sleepy time fantasies, but rather about the ideas, aspirations, hopes, and desires we have when wide awake, viewing the world, and wanting to make it better. Many of today’s inventions started as simple ideas. Tenacious hard work is what turned a concept into a reality.

World Dream Day encourages individuals, families, and communities to make dreams into realities. Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Sometimes the dream is more an idea or wish or desire for something to come true. Martin Luther King’s famous Dream speech radiated his desire for civil rights and an end to racism. Even if not fully realized, his dream has had an enormous impact—and still does. World Dream Day is a day of inspiration, reflection, and celebration—and planning. If you have a dream, take the first step to make it happen. Maybe you aspire to write a book. World Dream Day is a great day to start the first chapter — and finish it!

World Dream Day was started at Columbia University in 2012, by educator and “transformational strategist” (look it up) Ozioma Egwuonwu, with the aim to “heal and inspire humanity.” Her goal was to create a day that would help inspire and heal humanity. Through the years, a variety of organizations and businesses have become strategic partners with World Dream Day. In 2013, World Dream Day partnered with the United Nations’ My World 2013 initiative.

Keeping dreams alive is why we have what we do today. Without dreamers like Martin Luther King or Bayard Rustin, we wouldn’t have achieved change and progress. From civil rights to video games, nothing would have been possible without dreams and the people who helped bring them to life.Today is a day where we can rekindle the powerful dreams we have embedded in us and stimulate ways to make them a reality.

AUGUST 30: SLINKY DAY

The Slinky is known and loved the world over. This pre-compressed helical spring toy was immediately popular when it was introduced in the 1940s. But it was not until the 1950s that it became a national sensation. And Slinky has never lost its appeal, continuing to be popular — in many different forms — for successive generations of children and adults alike, even to this day. Slinky Day is the perfect day to have some fun with Slinkies: do Slinky stunts, race with Slinkies, or simply untangle Slinkies as they knot, twist, and spiral.

In 1943, Richard James, a naval engineer, was in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard working on a project using springs to hold items up on moving ships. He accidentally knocked down a spring and watched it “walk” and then coil itself up neatly on the floor. It was an idea-inspiring moment, and, along with his wife, Betty, a plan was hatched for a new toy. Betty came up with the name “Slinky.” In 1945, with a 500-dollar loan, they started James Industries. At first, Slinkys sales were flat. But when a demo table was set up in Philadelphia's Gimbels Department Store during the 1945 holiday shopping season, 400 Slinkies — at a dollar each — sold in 90 minutes. And people wanted more.

The Slinky was introduced at the American Toy Fair the following year, In 1947, the Slinky was granted a patent. Soon it was being marketed world-wide. However, in 1960 the James were divorced and the company was close to bankruptcy. Richard left Betty and their 6 children and joined a religious cult in Bolivia. Betty soldiered on, brought the company back from the brink of ruin, and made it flourish.

Betty James died in 2008 at the age of 90. By then, hundreds of millions of Slinkys had been sold. However, the Slinky has not simply been a toy. It’s also been used by NASA for experiments (such as, to show the effects of gravity on Space Shuttle missions); or as mobile radio antennas by amateur radio operators, after first being used as such during the Vietnam War; or by teachers to simulate oscillation in waves; or by physical therapists to improve hand-eye coordination. The Slinky postage stamp was issued in 1999. In 2000, the little pre-compressed-helical-spring-that-could was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. In 2019, a historical marker was put up near the spot where the first Slinky factory was located in Clifton Heights. Today the Slinky is celebrated all around the world with Slinky Day!

AUGUST 31: WE LOVE MEMOIRS DAY

A “memoir” is a non-fiction account based on the author’s memories and experiences. Memoir focus on how these events and experiences affected the writer, ranging from emotional responses to personal opinions of events at the time. Memoirs can be written about anything. From war and politics to business and travel, memoirs offer us a rare peek into a person’s life and beliefs. A memoir is different from an autobiography in that an autobiography may be a whole life, but a memoir has a narrower focus and covers a significant moment in that life. Memoirs with great historical importance include Thoreau’s Walden, and Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl.

There have been memoirs for as long as humans have written. In the past, documenting one’s life in scrolls, journals, and letters was a part of everyday life. Scholars, politicians, and military officers were the most common memoirists, along with a few royals and their associates. Some memoirs existed in the form of oral literature — passed down from generation to generation as part of a family’s heritage. One example is Libanius, a teacher who lived between 314 and 394 AD. He chose to have his memoir spread in the literary orations popular at the time. During the 13th and 14th centuries, some European diplomats, such as Philippe de Commines, and historians, such as Geoffrey of Villehardouin, wrote about great political upheavals, narrated from their perspective. In the 17th and 18th centuries, also known as the Age of Enlightenment, many intellectuals began writing memoirs: accounts of their exploits, such as in political movements and intellectual schools of thought. Most were written by esteemed members of certain professions, such as law and politics. It wasn’t until the 20th century that ordinary men and women began publishing memoirs for others to read.

After the First and Second World Wars, veterans of those conflicts began writing about the horrors experienced on the frontlines. These accounts showed the harsh reality and brutality of war when countries engaged in sustained conflict. Memoirs like Her Privates We and Storm of Steel stripped away outdated notions of war as a noble pursuit. Today, memoirs are still written by career politicians, businesspeople, and military officers. A large chunk of the market is dominated by celebrities, too.

We Love Memoirs Day was created in 2013 by two memoir authors — Victoria Twead and Alan Parks — along with a Facebook group to connect admirers, readers, and authors of memoirs. Their main aim was to create a friendly environment to discuss the memoirs and exchange opinions about them.

SEPTEMBER 1: WORLD LETTER WRITING DAY

World Letter Writing Day encourages people all around the globe to pick up a pen, grab a piece of paper, and write a letter. The letter can be a love letter, one filled with anger, news of events, to keep connections alive and well, or even one simply written to create memories. World Letter Writing Day is also a day to learn about the art of letter writing. In this digital age of text and e-mail, it’s almost unheard of to sit down and compose a letter.

There are some great reasons to write a letter:

  • It’s a thoughtful way to communicate with those you love.

  • The receiver may treasure your letter for years to come.

  • People who write letters of gratitude feel happier and more satisfied with life.

  • It’s a great way to strengthen a friendship, marriage, or other meaningful relationship.

  • It can help someone better understand your perspective or position on a certain topic.

  • Your older friends and relatives will cherish this traditional form of communication.

  • If you have beautiful handwriting, it’s a way to show off your penmanship skills.

One more reason to write a letter instead of a text or e-mail is that it forces you to really think about what you’re writing. Far too often, we send texts and e-mails without really thinking about the impact our words have. With a handwritten letter, you are forced to be more careful with the words you choose.

The day was founded by Australian author, artist, and photographer Richard Simpkin, who adores writing handwritten letters. It started when he began writing to individuals he considered Australian legends. Some wrote back! In 2005, he published Australian Legends, paying tribute to the art of writing letters and looking back on how it changed everything for him. To further honor handwritten letters, he created the World Letter Writing Day in 2014.

Letter writing itself has existed for centuries. It was present in ancient Egypt and Greece. At that point, letters were written on metal, lead, wax-coated wooden tablets, pottery fragments, animal skin, and papyrus. In the 17th and 18th centuries, letters were often used to send information, specific news, information, or greetings. Others used letters to exchange ideas and formulate critical thinking regarding particular subjects. This is why several letters gathered from the past serve historians as an archive of personal and diplomatic interactions and how many events in history actually played out.

From thereon, letters became an art form and stood out as a genre of literature. Things changed a great deal when postal services were created and people started using letters for personal interaction. In fact, during times of war, letters were the only way families and lovers could stay in touch.

SEPTEMBER 2: NATIONAL HUMMINGBIRD DAY

Today we celebrate the hummingbird! National Hummingbird Day is celebrated on the first Saturday in September. This year it falls on September 2. Hummingbirds are small colorful birds distinguished by their ability to hover mid-air rapidly flapping their wings – which produces the humming sound they are characteristically known for. They are attracted to flowering plants, especially deep-throated flowers, and feed on the nectar for survival. Their reliance on nectar has helped the development of new hummingbird species influenced by the changes in the flowers. The number of species is still growing, but about 360 species of Hummingbirds currently exist. Most species of hummingbirds can be found in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and there are no hummingbirds outside of the Western Hemisphere. Only 8 species regularly breed in the US, although, up to 24 species can be found there at various times. The historical evolution of Hummingbirds has not been traced to any verifiable or scientifically researched source. Their first public sighting was published in a journal by a French explorer on his travels to Brazil.

Even with their aggressive nature, as many as 25 different species of Hummingbirds can survive and co-exist in the same place. The hummingbird’s size makes them susceptible to being preyed upon or caught in dangerous situations that could be man-made or natural. Hummingbirds are very small — many weigh less than the weight of a nickel. The calliope hummingbird is 3 inches long, and the bee hummingbird, native to Cuba, is the smallest bird species in the world, at 2.25 inches in length. Hummingbirds have such small feet that they can't walk or hop properly. They can shuffle a bit, though, but their feet are mainly used for preening. The small size of their feet also allows them to fly quicker. They can fly up to 30 miles per hour when going forward, and up to 60 miles per hour when diving. Among other threats to the hummingbird are pesticides, bad weather, big insects or predators, loss of habitat, and bad feeders.

Each species of hummingbird makes a different humming sound because the wings of each species beat at a different rate. Generally, a hummingbird's wings beat somewhere between 50 and 200 times a second. Wings aren't the only things that beat quickly when it comes to hummingbirds: their hearts beat more than 1,200 times a minute. They also take a breath about 250 times a minute, and that number is even higher when they are flying.

Hummingbirds may fly hundreds or even thousands of miles to migrate. They mainly eat nectar, but also eat small insects, spiders, tree sap, and juice from fruit. Their lifespan ranges from 3 to 12 years and is contingent on factors such as their species, habitat, and vulnerability due to predators and other threats. Hummingbirds share the raising of the chicks. Males hummingbirds live a lot shorter time because they use so much energy in defending their nests. They use a lot of energy in flying and need to rest every 15 minutes.

Even though these creatures have survived a long time without the direct and active intervention or help of man, this is currently changing as more information is being gathered on their vulnerability and threats to their survival. National Hummingbird Day exists to celebrate these beautiful flying creatures. It recognizes their importance in pollinating our flowers and identifies threats and situations that are harmful to them. It also encourages safer practices that will ensure their survival.

SEPTEMBER 3: NATIONAL PET ROCK DAY

The first Sunday in September marks National Pet Rock Day. This year, that day is September 3. Pet rocks are — or were — extraordinary pets adopted by hundreds across the country. They really had their advantages: rocks don’t need grooming, don’t require visits to the vet, nor do they eat, get sick, and — best of all — never die!

The pet rock was created by advertising executive Gary Dahl in April 1975. Each rock was a smooth stone picked from Mexico’s Rosarito beach. It was sold in a custom-made cardboard box complete with breathing holes and straw (pet-rock bedding). Die-cutting and manufacturing cardboard boxes represented the biggest production expense for Dahl. The stones were regarded as live pets and were marketed as such.

The inspiration behind this strange creation came from complaints from Dahl’s friends about the stress of caring for their pets. During a discussion in a bar — where else? — Dahl joked about keeping a rock as a pet. He did not, however, stop at just wisecracking. He did them one better: he created the Pet Rock. Then he went on to write a pet-rock instruction manual, which included jokes and gags about how to “care” for your new pet and listed several commands that could be taught to the new pet. While “sit” and “stay” were effortless to accomplish, “roll over” usually required a little extra help from the trainer. “Come,” “stand,” and “shake hands” were found to be near-impossible to teach; however, “attack” was fairly simple (with some help from the owner’s force). The instruction manual was a popular addition to the pet rock itself, showcasing Dahl’s sense of humor. They sold like pet hotcakes.

The pet rock fad came to an end after a slight boom in sales during the festive season of 1975. Gary Dahl made a tidy profit, selling over a million pet rocks before their eventual discontinuation in February 1976. At the time, each rock sold for $4, making it one of the most fascinating marketing schemes ever. In today’s money, each pet rock would sell for $18.

Dahl had become a millionaire, and he went from a cabin to a home with a big swimming pool and a Mercedes in the garage. He opened a bar in Las Gatos and continued dabbling with inventions. His subsequent inventions — such as the Sand Breeding Kit — were far less successful than the Pet Rock. Dahl also was sued by some of his investors, and forced to pay them an amount in the six figures. Dahl died in March 2015 in Jacksonville, Oregon, at the age of 78. But Dahl's Pet Rocks are still alive, enduring in the cultural lexicon long after their scintillating six-month ascent and rapid descent. On Pet Rock Day, we celebrate them even today.

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Photographs of life at Kendal on Hudson are by residents.