How Temperature Control Works in Space

This infographic focuses on how temperature is regulated in outer space.  It explains how thermal control systems and well-tested designs allow human life to be sustained in the final frontier.  From an astronauts space suit to the food they eat, the smallest elements of daily life have to be recreated for space exploration. This inforaphic deals with how an astronaut keeps cool and warm.  I hope you find it interesting and informative.

- Joanne


Heating in Space by Radiator Valves 4u.

O. Henry's Christmas story: The Gift of the Magi - Was it written in a tavern?

"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story written by American author O. Henry (the pen name used by William Sydney Porter, 1862-1910).  O. Henry's story was originally published as "Gifts of the Magi" in the New York Sunday World on December 10, 1905.  It was subsequently published in book form in April of 1906, in the O. Henry anthology titled The Four Million.

O. Henry was a master of surprise endings and unexpected plot twists, "The Gift of the Magi" is no exception.  It's a story about a young couple, James "Jim" Dillingham, and his wife Delia.  Jim and Delia reside in a modest apartment in New York City in the early 1900s.  Their budget is very limited and they have few possessions.  Delia, however, has beautiful, long, cascading hair and Jim owns a shiny gold pocket watch that he inherited from his father and grandfather.  On Christmas Eve, desperate to buy a gift for her husband, Delia sells her hair to a local hairdresser for the sum of $20.  With the money, she purchases a platinum pocket watch fob chain for Jim.  Pleased with her purchase, she returns home and prepares pork chops for dinner.

Jim arrives home unusually late and he is stunned by the change in Delia's appearance.  She confesses to him that she sold her hair in order to buy a Christmas present for him.  Jim then reveals his gift for her - an assorted collection of fancy hair accessories (jewelled combs).  When Delia shows him the watch chain, he admits that he sold his precious gold pocket watch to buy her the hair accessories. Although they are left with gifts that neither can use, they realize the lengths they are willing to go to demonstrate their love for one another.  The narrator compares these sacrificial gifts to those of the Biblical Magi or Wise Men.


THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY:  WHERE WAS "THE GIFT OF THE MAGI WRITTEN?"

O. Henry

William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name, O. Henry, was born on September 11, 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina.  For most of his adult life, he lived in Texas.  However, not long after the turn of the century, he moved to New York City to be near to his publishers.  Most of O. Henry's stories take place during his own time and many are set in New York, including "The Gift of the Magi".

Local legend has it that O. Henry composed "The Gift of the Magi" at a drinking establishment in Manhattan called Healy's.  Healy's bar is now known as Pete's Tavern and it is located at 129 East 18th Street, between Irving Place and 3rd Ave.  From 1903 until 1907, O. Henry resided at 55 Irving Street and often frequented the nearby pub.  Today Pete's Tavern is filled with portraits of the author and signs proclaiming itself to be "The Tavern O. Henry Made Famous." Near the entrance, there hangs a plaque with the following inscription: "In this booth O. Henry wrote . .Gift of the Magi in the year 1905."

New York guidebooks have long maintained that O. Henry composed "The Gift of the Magi" at a booth in Healy's bar.  It is true that O. Henry lived across Irving Place from the tavern.  It is also true that he drank their often; but did he actually compose his famous short story at Healy's?  A retired science teacher from Queen's, New York, Richard McDermott, was able to unearth evidence to the contrary,  A September 10, 1996 article in The New York Times by Michael Cooper relates that McDermott discovered a book titled The Quiet Lodger of Irving Place, written by William Wash Williams in 1936.  Williams, a colleague of O. Henry, revealed that 'The Gift of the Magi" was written in the writer's room.

Pete's Tavern  PHOTO ATTRIBUTION: Dmadeo

              

O. Henry was a heavy drinker and by about 1908 his health had noticeably deteriorated.  On June 5, 1910, he died in New York City.  His death was attributed to cirrhosis of the liver, complications from diabetes and an enlarged heart.  He was only 47 years old at the time of his passing.  However, despite the sad circumstances of his death, he left us with a literary treasure of short stories.  Among them is "The Gift of the Magi." a beautiful and powerful Christmas tale.


- Joanne

Office Capsule Wardrobe Guide

Sometimes it's difficult to decide what to wear to work every morning. If you need some guidance, this infoqgraphic will provide you with you some ideas about how to create an ideal capsule wardrobe for the office.  I hope that you will find it informative and useful.

- Joanne


by Euroffice.

Grey Cup 2016: Toronto hosted a party and the locals didn't care

Congratulations to the Ottawa Redblacks for winning the 104th Grey Cup on Sunday.  Led by 41-year-old quarterback Henry Burris, the Redbacks won a thrilling football game by a score of 39 to 33 in overtime. They brought the championship back to Canada's capital city after a drought of 40 years and they engineered one of the biggest upsets in Grey Cup history by defeating the heavily-favoured. Calgary Stampeders,

The game was exciting.  Weather conditions were ideal and it was great to see Canadian football legend Russ Jackson in attendance.  So, why was I left with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth?  I was disappointed, but not surprised, by the attitude of my hometown, Toronto, which hosted the game. That attitude can only be summed up in one word - apathy.  For days prior to the game, one could troll the streets of Toronto and find little evidence that an important sporting event was about to take place in this city.  To put it mildly, there was very little enthusiasm among the locals.  There was no festive spirit.

For quite a few years now, Canada's largest city has displayed the same attitude toward its storied CFL franchise, he Toronto Argonauts.  Sure, the Argos didn't have a very good team this year (They finished last in the East Division and were tied for the worst record in the CFL).  Sure, there's a lot more competitions from the city's other professional sports clubs.  The Blue Jays, the Raptors and Toronto FC all have good teams.  The Maple Leafs finished 30th and last in the NHL in 2015.  However, Leaf Nation didn't care that their team wound up in the basement.  They are pleased as punch that the Blue and White seem to be headed in the right direction.  All that matters is that the Leafs are building a skilled, dynamic young team. Never mind that the team hasn't  won the Stanley Cup for almost 50 years.  Never mide the price of tickets at the Air Canada are astonomical. Toronto fans will always love the Leafs.  They will always support them.

In 2015, the Argos suffered through a lost season, which they could ill-afford.  During the Blue Jays play-off run, they were forced to play their home games out of town, rather than at the Rogers Centre.  For six successive weeks, they were on the road and they were completely overshadowed by the Blue Jays.  Things were supposed to improve for the 2016 season as the Argos moved into their new home at  BMO Field at Exhibition Place.  The Argos continued to be spurned as the city's soccer team, Toronto FC, was not exactly thrilled about having CFL football at BMO.

Nevertheless, the Argos began the 2016 season with a sense of optimism.  They hoped that their new home would reignite interest in the team.  Alas, this did not come to pass.  It didn't help that they were 2-7-0 in their new venue and attendance was ridiculously low.  Granted, the Argos have not marketed the team well.  They did not made their presence felt.  Still, they deserve better.  They deserve more support and more respect.  After all, the team was founded in 1873 and it is the oldest existing sports franchise in North America still using its original name.  The price of tickets is relatively affordable.

I have made the following observations:

* Toronto is not really a great sports town.  It is simply a great hockey town.  Except for the Leafs, Toronto fans are trendy fans. They are fair-weather fans.  The only team that they'll support rain and shine is the Maple Leafs.  Sadly, there is little support for the Argonauts, even when they put a winning team on the field.  In 2012, the 100th edition of the Grey Cup was held in T.O. and the Argos were victorious.  The lack of excitement was palpable.  There were no buttons, flags or honking of horns.

In 2012, I attended some Grey Cup festivities at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.  I sat at a table in the pavilion of the Atlantic Schooners, a Maritime CFL team that doesn't exist yet.  Their claim to fame is that they are "still undefeated."  A little background:  The Schooners were a conditional CFL expansion franchise that was to begin play in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, provided a 30,000 seat stadium were built in time for the opening of the 1984 season.  The financing for the stadium fell through and the application for the franchise was withdrawn.

Many years have passed and there is still no stadium on the East coast.  Yet, the dream of a CFL franchise in the Maritimes is still alive and kicking.  Only the Canadian Football League would have a pavilion for a team that doesn't exist.  Nevertheless, the Schooners' pavilion has some down-home East Coast entertainment and lobster rolls  When I was there in 2012, some Americans from Baltimore were sitting at my table.  Why, you may ask, were some people from Baltimore attending the Grey Cup festivities in Toronto?  Well, back in the 1990s, the CFL underwent an "American experiment," allowing several American franchises to join the league.  The experiment ultimately failed.  However, in 1995, the Baltimore Stallions became the first American-based franchise to win the Grey Cup.  The team folded, but the American fans at my table had fond memories of the Stallions and the 1995 Grey Cup.

This year I went downtown on the Friday before the Grey Cup.  I enjoyed talking to some fans from Calgary fans resplendent in red soups and cowboy hats.  I also spoke to some enthusiastic fans from Regina.  Those Saskatchewan Roughrider fans are remarkable in their devotion to their Green Riders and their loyalty to the CFL.  They travel a long way to attend a Grey Cup in Toronto, even when their team is not in the game.  That's what "Rider Pride" is all about.  They and visitors from other parts of Canada must have been disappointed by the ho-hum attitude of the host city.

The Saskatchewan fans told me all about the new home of the Riders.  The team is set to open the 2017 season at Regina's Mosaic Stadium.  The new state-of-the-art facility has a seating capacity of 33,000, which can be expanded to 40,000.  There will be no problem selling it out.  Yes, I know!  Saskatchewan doesn't have any other big league teams.  Toronto is much bigger and has several pro teams.  Remember though, that Toronto has a much larger population.  The population of the entire province of Saskatchewan was 1,150,532 on July 1, 2016.  The Greater Toronto Area has a population of over 6 million.  This season, the Argonauts attracted an average crowd of only 16,380.3 at BMO Field.  Seating capacity at BMO is 27,000.

* Many Toronto sports fans believe that Canadian leagues are second rate.  The history and the tradition of the Grey Cup doesn't matter to them.  They prefer the glitz and glamour of the Super Bowl.  They are memorized by Beyonce, Katy Perry and Bruno Marx.  The CFL is not glitzy.  It's fun and quirky.  Most of all, it's a piece of Canadiana.  It's ours and it brings Canadians together from coast to coast.

In 2017, the Grey Cup will be held in Ottawa.  It will coincide with the celebration of Canada's 150th birthday.  I'm sure there will be more enthusiasm there.


- Joanne

Inspirational Home Offices

This infographic provides some creative ideas for home office decor.  With more and more people working at home, it couldn't be more timely.  I hope readers will find it interesting and useful and that it will spark your imagination.

- Joanne


by Euroffice.

Is there anything wrong with going to the movies alone?

While listening to a radio talk show recently, I came upon a discussion about going to the movies alone. The show's host thought that going to the cinema by oneself was weird and gauche.  His attitude was that only losers view a film alone because they have no significant other and nary a friend or family member to accompany them.  He was challenged by a guest speaker who argued that there was nothing wrong with going to a movie theatre alone.  He said he did it himself.  His opinion was that it didn't matter anyway because the theatre is dark.  No one notices you.  Meanwhile, the host countered with the argument that if you attend a movie alone, you don't have anyone to discuss the film with afterwards.

Yours truly is a cinephile, so the conversation piqued my interest.  I was especially interested because I sometimes view films on my own.  My view is that there is nothing wrong with going to a movie alone  It doesn't mean that you are a friendless loser. There are occasions when you really feel like seeing a particular film but all your friends and family members are occupied with work or other obligations.  You are then left with the choice of staying home or watching the film by yourself.  What is so wrong about the second choice?

Perhaps you've  made plans to see a film with someone and he or she suddenly falls ill. It's quite difficult to find another person to go with you on such short notice.  What if you really want to see that film and it's only playing for a limited time?  Why should you relinquish  the opportunity to see it simply because you can't find anyone to accompany you to the cinema..

Then there are times when you can't find anyone among your companions who shares an interest in a film that appeals to you.  What do you do then?  Do you just forget about seeing that movie when you have the option of viewing it by yourself?

Why must a person need a reason or an excuse to see a movie alone? Why must there be a stigma attached to doing so?  It's not shameful and it shouldn't be embarrassing.  So what if encounter someone you know while entering or exiting a theatre by yourself!  Big deal!  It's certainly not a crime and it's not weird. There may even be times when you truly feel like going solo to the movies. What's wrong with that?  If you wish to discuss the film you can still have a conversation with someone about it later. My advice is to just sit back and enjoy the show.  Oh, and don't forget to turn off your cell phone.


- Joanne

How to entertain kids on long car trips

Do you need some ideas on how to entertain children on lengthy car journeys?  Tired of hearing, "Are we there yet? Here is an infograph with some suggestions to help you deal with juvenile restlessness. I hope you find them useful.  Let the fun and games begin!

- Joanne



Keeping Kids Entertained on Long Car Journeys by Wooden Toy Shop

What is your sales power up song?

Take this quiz to discover your sales power up song.  This personality test will help you determine what music inspires you before making an important sales presentation or conference speech.  I hope you find it both useful and enjoyable.

- Joanne

What’s your sales power up song? by Euroffice.

U.S. Presidents and First Ladies Quiz #3

With the Americans going to the polls on November 8th to elect a new president, Number 16 proudly presents its third quiz on U..S. Presidents and First Ladies.  If you think you think you know your presidential trivia, give it a try.  Good luck and enjoy! By the way, if you are interested in the first two quizzes, you can find them by clicking the "QUIZ PAGE" tab at the top of the webpage.


U.S. Presidents and First Ladies Quiz #3


1.  What two American presidents share the same birthday - November 2?

A.  Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy

B.  Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter

C.  Calvin Coolidge and George W. Bush

D.  James Knox Polk and Warren G. Harding

E.  John Adams and William Howard Taft



2.  Which U.S. president was licenced as a bartender?

A.  William Howard Taft

B.  Abraham Lincoln

C.  Thomas Jefferson

D.  John Quincy Adams

E.  Martin Van Buren



3.  Which of these 20th century U.S. president did not have a college degree?

A.  Harry S. Truman

B.  Lyndon B. Johnson

C.  Herbert Hoover

D.  Warren G. Harrding

E.  William Howard Taft



4.  Which of the following living Presidents of the United States is NOT left handed?

A.  George H.W. Bush (term in office: 1989 to 1993)

B.  Bill Clinton (term in office: 1993 to 2001)

C.  George W. Bush (term in office 2001 to 2009)

D.  Barack Obama (2009 - present).

E.  All of the above are left handed.




5.  Which American president held approximately 200 slaves, although he opposed the institution and supported legislation to free slaves?  Many historians believe that he fathered multiple children with his biracial slave.

A.  John Adams

B.  James Knox Polk

C.  William Henry Harrison

D.  Andrew Jackson

E.  Thomas Jefferson



6.  Who was the most recent American president to have facial hair while in office?

A.  Grover Cleveland

B.  William Howard Taft

C.  James Garfield

D.  Abraham Lincoln

E.  Benjamin Harrison



7.  Where was Woodrow Wilson born?

Woodrow Wilson

A.  Princeton, New Jersey

B.  Springfield, Illinois

C.  Erie, Pennsylvania

D. Staunton, Virginia

E.  West Branch, Iowa



8.  Which U.S. president was the youngest to die?

A.  John F. Kennedy

B.  James Garfield

C.  James Knox Polk

D.  William McKinley

E.  William Henry Harrison



9.  Who was the first First Lady of the United States to have been both a wife and a mother to a U.S. president?

A.  Dolly Madison

B.  Barbara Bush

C.  Anna Harrison

D.  Letitia Tyler

E.  Abigail Adams


10.  Who was the first U.S. president to have been born in a hospital?

A.  John F. Kennedy

B.  Jimmy Carter

C.  Richard Nixon

D.  Gerald Ford

E.  Bill Clinton



 11,  Who was the first President of the United States to die of cancer?

A.  James Monroe

B.  Rutherford B. Hayes

C.  Franklin D. Roosevelt

D.  Ulysses S. Grant

E.  Calvin Coolidge




12.  What American president's name at birth was Leslie King, Jr.

A.  Bill Clinton

B.  Herbert Hoover

C.  Gerald Ford

D.  Calvin Coolidge

E.  Warren G. Harding



13.  Who was the first First Lady to hold the Bible for her husband's presidential oath of office?

A.  Jacqueline Kennedy

B.  Lady Bird Johnson

C.  Eleanor Roosevelt

D.  Laura Bush

E.  Bess Truman




ANSWERS

1.  D

James Knox Polk

Warren G. Harding

James Knox Polk and Warren G. Harding share the same birthday.  James Knox Polk, the 11th President of the United States was born in a log cabin on  November 2, 1795 in what is now Pineville, North Carolina, in Mecklenburg County, near Charlotte. Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States, was born on November 2, 1865 on a farm in the tiny Ohio community of Corsica (present-day Blooming Grove).


2.  B

Lincoln

Before he entered politics, Abraham Lincoln was co-owner, along with his friend, William F. Berry, of a general store/drinking establishment in New Salem, Illinois called the Berry-Lincoln Store. Berry and Lincoln purchased the store in January of 1833.  In March of 1833, they were issued a tavern or liquor licence.  The two men were very different as Lincoln preferred not to drink, while Berry was apparently an alcoholic.  According to the website of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the business failed, leaving Lincoln heavily in debt.  In 1834, he gave up bartending to run for state
legislator.


3. A

Truman

Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, did not have a university degree. Truman graduated from high school in Independence, Missouri and found employment as a bank clerk in Kansas City.  He then moved to the family farm near Grandview, Missouri and managed the farm after his father's death in 1914.  In 1917, when the United States entered World War I, Truman served overseas.  When he returned to the U.S. in 1919, he married Elizabeth (Bess) Wallace.  He also opened a haberdashery with an army friend, but the business venture failed.  Truman began his political career in 1922 when he ran successfully for county judge.

Truman actually spent a semester at a business college in Kansas City.  He dropped out to find a job, although he later attended some night classes at the University of Missouri's law school.  Three other U.S. presidents enrolled in college but did not complete a degree.  They are James Monroe, William Henry Harrison and William McKinley.  McKinley, who was assassinated in Buffalo in 1901, attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvaia for a year.  He also studied at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.  He did not graduate from either university.  Beginning in 1866, Mckinley attended Albany Law School in New York.  He was admitted to the bar in 1867 in Warren, Ohio without having earned a degree.


4.  C.

George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, is right-handed.  His father, George H.W. Bush is left-handed as are Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.  Note: The next American president will be right-handed as both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are right handed.


5.  E

Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the American Declaration of Independence was a slave owner.  Many historians believe that he had children with his biracial slave Sally Hemings, the half-sister of his wife, Martha Wales Skelton Jefferson.  It is thought that Hennings, Martha's half-sister, became Jefferson's concubine after Martha's death in 1782.


6.   B

William Howard Taft - moustache

Ulysses S. Grant -  full beard

William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States (1909-1913), is the most recent president to have facial hair.  Taft wore a moustache.  The last president to wear a full beard in office was Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President of the United States (1889-1893).  Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States (1861-1865) was the first bearded American president.  However, Lincoln's beard was not a full beard.  It was a "chinstrap"  because he shaved his upper lip.  Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869-1877) was the first U.S. president to have a full beard.


7.  D

Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, was born in  Staunton, Virginia on December 28, 1856.  He spent his early years in Augusta, Georgia and Columbia, South Carolina.  Although Wilson later became President of Princeton University and Governor of New Jersey, he was born a Southerner.  His father, Joseph Ruggles Wilson, was a Presbyterian minister who defended slavery.

Virginia is known as the "Birthplace of Presidents."  Four of the first five presidents were born in that state.  To date, eight U.S. presidents have been born in Virginia, the most recent of whom is Wilson. The other seven Virginia-born American presidents are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler and Zachary Taylor.


8.  A

John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States was the youngest to die.  Kennedy was 46 years old when he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.  James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States,was the second youngest president to die.  He was 49 years old when he was assassinated at a railroad station in Washington, D.C. in 1881.  The youngest president to die of natural causes was James Knox Polk, 11th President of the United States.  Polk died of cholera at the age of 53 on June 15, 1849.  His death came just three months after he had left the office.of the presidency.


9.  E

Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was the first First Lady to be both a wife and a mother to an American president.  Her husband was John Adams, 2nd President of the United States and her son was John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States.  In 2001, Barbara Bush, wife of George H.W. Bush, became the second First Lady to be both spouse and mother to a U.S. President when her son, George W. Bush, became president.


10.  B

Birthplace of Jimmy Carter, now the Lillian G. Carter Nursing Home  

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, 39th President of the United States, was the first American president to be born in a hospital.  Carter, now 92 years old,  was born on October 24, 1924 at the Wise Sanitarium, a small hospital in Plains, Georgia.  His mother, Lillian, was a registered nurse there. Jiimmy Carter's birthplace is currently a nursing care facility called the Lillian G. Carter Nursing Center.


11.  D

Grant and his cigar

Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States was the first president to die of cancer.  Grant, a heavy cigar smoker, died of throat cancer on July 23, 1885.  He was 63 years old.


12.  C

Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudoph Ford, Jr., 38th President of the United States, was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska on July 14, 1913.  His mother, Dorothy, claimed that her husband was physically abusive and moved to the home of her parents in Grand Rapids, Michigan  She divorced Leslie King and then married Gerald Rudolff in 1916.  The three-year-old future president took on his stepfather's name but did not change his name legally until 1935.


13,  B

Lady Bird Johnson became the first First Lady to hold the Bible at her husband Lyndon B. Johnson's inauguration.ceremony on January 20, 1965.  She did this at LBJ's request.  Until then, the Bible had always been held by the executive secretary of the Joint Congressional Inaugural Committee.  LBJ and his wife began a tradition that has continued to the present.


- Joanne

Around the World in School Lunch Boxes

Here's an infographic on school lunches from around the world.  I hope you find it interesting and informative.  Take note that the Asian diet is the healthiest, followed by the Mediterranean and Scandinavian diets.  The British and American diets are the least healthy.  

- Joanne


by Euroffice

Halloween Trivia

HALLOWEEN TRIVIA JUST FOR YOU

DID YOU KNOW that Halloween or Hallowe'en is a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day or All Saints' Day (November 1), which is dedicated to honouring martyrs, saints and the departed?  It is widely believed The Americanized version of Halloween, with costumes, candies and pumpkins, originated with the Celtic harvest festivals in Britain, which may have been pagan, and that those customs were later adapted to Christian and immigrant tranditions.  However, some academics contend that Halloween began as an independent Christian feast.

DID YOU KNOW that the famed illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini died on Halloween?

Harry Houdini, born Erik Weisz, died on October 31, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan, USA from a ruptured appendix and peritonitis (inflamation of the peritoniium. the tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen)  He was 52 years of age at the time of his passing.  Houdini's death occurred after an incident in the Princess Theatre in Montreal, Canada.  A McGill University student, J. Gordon Whitehead, apparently delivered multiple munches to Houdini's abdomen.   According to some eyewitness, Houdini was asked whether it was true that punches in the stomach did not hurt him.

Houdini had a high fever and acute appenditis when he later arrived in Detroit.  He ignored advice to undergo immediate surgery. Instead, he performed his final show at Garrick Theatre in great pain and died at Detroit's Grace Hospital.




DID YOU KNOW that Nevada joined the United States on Hallween?

Nevada became the 36th state in the union on October 31, 1864, just eight days before the presidential election of that year. Statehood was rushed to help ensure the reelection of Abraham Lincoln and post-Civil War Republican control of Congress.  As it turned out, Lincoln won the November 8th election handily anyway.  (Coincidentally, the presidential election of 2016 will be held on November 8th, just eight days from today).




DID YOU KNOW that Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977, was assassinated on Halloween?

Born on November 19, 1917, Indira Gandhi was India's first female prime minister and head of government.  On October 31, 1984, two of her Sikh bodyguards shot her to death with their service weapons in the garden of the Prime Minister's Residence in New Delhi.  The shooting occurred just before she was to be interviewed by British actor Peter Ustinov, who was filming a documentary about her for Irish television.

In her last speech, the day before her death, Indira Gandhi delivered an inspiring and prophetic speech.  She spoke the following words:

I am her today, I may not be here tomorrow.  But the respsosibilty to look after national interest is on the sholulder of every citizen of India.  I have often mentioned this earlier.  Nobody knows how many attempts have been made to shoot me, lathis have been used to beat me.  In Bhubaneswar itself, a brickbat hit me.  They have attack me in every possible manner.  I do not care if I live or die.  I have lived a long life and I am proud that I spend the whole of my life in the service of my people.  I am only proud of this and nothing else.  I shall continue to serve until my last breath and when I die, I can say, that every drop of my blood will invigorate India and strengthen it."




DID YOU KNOW that Jimmy Durante left an imprint of his nose on Halloween?

On October 31, 1945, American singer, pianist and comedian Jimmy Durante, left an imprint of his "schnozzola" in the cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.  Durante passed away on January 29, 1980 at the age of 86.




DID YOU KNOW that Harry Potter's parents were killed on Halloween night?

According to the timeline of the Harry Potter novels by British author J.K. Rowling, Voldemort killed Harry's mother and father on the night of October 31, 1981.  Volemort, the archenemy of the boy wizard first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997.



DID YOU KNOW that Benito Mussolini took power in Italy on Halloween?

Fascist leader Benito Mussolini became the 27th Prime Minister of Italy on October 31, 1922.  At 39 years old, he was the youngest Italian prime minister until the appointment of Mateo Renzi in February of 2014.  Known as Il Duce, (The Leader), Mussolini ruled constitutionally until 1925, when he established a legal dictatorship.  On June 10, 1940, Il Duce's Italy officially entered World War II on the side of Germany.  On April 27, 1945, Mussolini and his mistress, Clara were captured by Communist partisans near the village of Dongo on Lake Como.  They and other Fascists were summarily shot.




DID YOU KNOW that the English poet John Keats was born on Halloween?

John Keats, the celebrated romantic poet, was born on October 31, 1795 in Moorgate, London, England.  He died of tuberculosis in Rome in 1821,  He was only 25 years old at the time of his passing.




DID YOU KNOW that Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins was born on Halloween?

Astronaut Michael Collins was born on October 31, 1930 in Rome, Italy, the son of U.S. Army General James Lawton (1882-1963).  In July of 1969, he was the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 11, the first spaceflight that landed humans on the Moon.  He piloted Columbia alone in lunar orbit while his colleagues Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin walked on the moon.  Collins celebrates his 86th birthday today.




DID YOU KNOW that Nationalist Chinese leader Chiag Kai-Shek was born on Halloween?

Chinese political and military leader Chiang Kai-Shek was born on October 31, 1887.  He served as the leader of the Nationalist government of China from 1928 until his death on April 5, 1975 at the age of 87.  While training in the Japanese military, Chiang became a believer in republican ideals.  Upon his return to China, he opposed the dying Manchu imperial dynasty.  He joined forces with the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) of Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary, founding father and first president of the Republic of China in 1912.

A Happy Halloween to all from Number 16.

- Joanne

Do Your Own Plumbing: Five Plumbing Jobs You Should Be Doing Yourself

Here is an infographic tip sheet on how to do five common plumbing repairs.  Keep in mind, though, that it is not recommended that you try to fix anything more complicated without calling a plumber, especially if you are not particularly good at handiwork or mechanically inclined.  Nevertheless, there are a few jobs that you could do on your own and save the expense of a plumber.

- Joanne


Plumbing Hacks by Radiator Valves 4u.

Mrs. Miller: Cult figure of the 1960s

Listeners loved the novelty of Mrs. Miller. She sang off key and out of sync with the band, but she was a good-natured, plump 59-year-old woman whose enthusiasm for performing and overconfidence in her singing ability seemed authentic.

- Suzanne Raga
"The '60s Housewife Who Couldn't Sing - But Landed on the 'Billboard' Charts Anway"
mentalfloss.com, May 29, 2015 

Recently I saw the movie Florence Foster Jenkins, starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant.  The film is based on the true story of a New York socialite by that name.  Florence Foster Jenkins, who was portrayed by Streep in the film, was an amateur soprano with poor singing ability.  Known for her flamboyant costumes, she became something of a cult figure in New York City during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. On October 25, 1944, at the age of 76, Florence performed at a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall. The concert turned out to be her swan song.  She died about a month later, on November 26, 1944.

After viewing the film about Florence Foster Jenkins, I was reminded of Elva Miller, who recorded under the name of "Mrs. Miller" and was a cult figure of the 1960s.  Since I have an interest in '60s pop culture, I decided to do some research on Mrs. Miller.  I wanted to know how in the midst of the of the Vietnam era and the civil rights struggle, she became so popular.  At a time when young people were told not to trust anyone over 30, how did this 59 year-old suburban housewife become a star?

Elva Ruby Connes was born in Joplin, Missouri on October 5, 1907, the third of the seven children of Edward Connes and Ada Martin.  Elva's family soon moved to a farm in Jetmore. Kansas.  As a teenager, Elva left Jetmore  and went to live with a family in Dodge City, Kansas.  In Dodge City, she continued her high school education and sang in a church choir.

On January 17, 1934, Elva married John Richardson Miller, a professional investor and horsebreeder who was thirty years her senior.  In 1935, the couple left Kansas behind and moved to Claremont, California where Elma studied music and voice at Pomona College. Elva kept busy with church and community work and produced several recordings which she financed on her.own, mainly classical, gospel and children's songs.  When arranger Fred Bock heard her, he persuaded her to record some contemporary songs and offered the recordings to various record companies.

In the early 1960s, Gary Owens of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in fame was a disc jockey at KMPC radio in Los Angeles.  Owens, who was a friend of Fred Bock, played Elva's songs on his radio show. In 1965, she was signed to Capitol Records,

The story of Mrs. Miller's rise to success is extraordinary.  Within 18 months, she rocketed to fame. Her debut album, Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits, sold 250,000 copies within three weeks.  In April of 1966, her rendition of Petula Clark's hit song "Downtown" reached the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, peaking at Number 82.

Below is a promotional ad from Capitol Records for Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits.  The ad also highlights Elva's whistling and humming ability.

Meet Mrs. Miller.

You've been teased long enough.

This is Mrs. Elva Miller, our newest vocal find, with her distinguished and well-mannered sound.  

Mrs. Miller is a singer a whistler, and a hummer.  She is also a founder of the Foothill Drama and Choral Society, located near her Claremont, California home.  

Mrs. Miller is not one to live in the past.  Today's music is her music.  Classics-to-be such as "Downtown," "A Hard Days Night," "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," and "Let's Hang On" are inimitably rendered in her new album.  Thus,we believe they now belong to the ages.  

By that token, we at Capitol proudly introduce a new talent and a superlative musical document, "Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits."

Was Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits all just a gag, a tongue-in-cheek joke on Capitol's part.  How serious did Mrs. Miller take herself?  In a December 1967 interview with Bob Thomas for The Associated Press (AP) ("Mrs Miller Tries to Change Image"), Elva shed some light on the issue and seemed determined play it straight with a new image.  She stated that "Capitol Records created the angle that 'she's so bad that she's good.  Or it's what you call camp." Elva also claimed that she wasn't originally in on the gag.  She insisted that she didn't sing off key. She said that "They got me to do so by waiting until I was tired and then making the record. Or they would cut the record before I could become familiar with the song. At first I didn't understand what was going on. But later I did, and I resented it. I don't like to be used."

Mrs. Miller's second album for the Capitol label was titled Will Success Spoil Mrs. Miller? While Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits focused on contemporary hits, Will Success Spoil Mrs. Miller? contained traditional pop standards such as "Moon River" and "Strangers in the Night."  In 1967, Mrs. Miller's third and final album for Capitol was released.  It was called The Country Soul of Mrs. Miller and it did not sell very many copies.

At the height of her fame, Elva Miller performed at the Hollywood Bowl and entertained U.S. Servicemen in Vietnam.  She made television appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The Ed Sullivan Show, Art Linkletter's House Party and Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.  In December of 1966, she appeared on Hollywood Palace with Jimmy Durante and they sang a duet of "Inka Dinka Do."  Mrs. Miller was also featured in the film The Cool Ones, starring Roddy McDowall.  She sang "It's Magic." in the 1967 comedy about a has-been pop star and a go-go dancer.

Mrs. Miller with Jimmy Durante

Mrs. Miller singing "It's Magic" in The Cool Ones"

After three albums, Capitol Records unceremoniously dropped Mrs. Miller from its label.  In a December 1967 AP article by Bob Thomas, Elva related her feelings about being rejected by Capitol.  "I could see that they were doing nothing for my records in the way of promotion," she stated, "and I felt this was a signal.  So we asked for my release. Without consulting us, Capitol released the news that I was being dropped."

In 1968, Elva released one album, Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing, on the Amaret Records label.  She then released some singles on her own label, Vibrato Records. On the album cover, she is dressed in a psychedelic hippie outfit, holding a plate of green brownies.  The album included songs with drug symbolism.

By the early 1970s, Mrs. Miller's career was largely non-existent.  In 1973, she officially retired.   
Elva Miller spent the last years of her life in Hollywood and then in Northridge, California (in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles) where she occupied herself with charity work.  In 1994, her Northridge apartment building collapsed during an earthquake and she was immediately moved to a convalescent hospital.  On July 5, 1997, Elva  passed away in Garden Terrace Retirement Home in Vista, California.  Mrs. Miller was 89 years old at the time of her death.


END NOTES

* In The Book of Lists 2 by Irving Wallace and David Wallechinsky, Mrs. Miller's voice was likened to the the sound of "roaches scurrying across a trash can lid."

* Elva and John Miller did not have any children.

* In a September 1967 interview with Life magazine, Elva Miller talked about whistling.  She that "for whistling you need a good tight pucker.  I use ice clamped between my lips.  I leave it there about 20 minutes.  It doesn't hurt.  It just freezes up."


- Joanne

Teched Out House: A Look at a Technology Friendly Home of the Future

This infographic provides a glimpse of how technology may affect the homes of the future.  I hope you enjoy it and that you find it thought-provoking.  Think about how prophetic it will turn out to be.  Challenge yourself.

- Joanne


Teched Out House Infographic by The Rug Seller by The Rug Seller