On This Day
671 – Emperor Tenji of Japan introduces a water clock (clepsydra) called Rokoku. The instrument, which measures time and indicates hours, is placed in the capital of Ōtsu.
A water clock or clepsydra (Greek κλεψύδρα from κλέπτειν kleptein, ‘to steal’; ὕδωρ hydor, ‘water’) is any timepiece by which time is measured by the regulated flow of liquid into (inflow type) or out from (outflow type) a vessel, and where the amount is then measured.
Water clocks are one of the oldest time-measuring instruments.[1] The bowl-shaped outflow is the simplest form of a water clock and is known to have existed in Babylon, Egypt, and Persia around the 16th century BC. Other regions of the world, including India and China, also have early evidence of water clocks, but the earliest dates are less certain. Some authors, however, claim that water clocks appeared in China as early as 4000 BC.[2]
Born On This Day
1835 – Rebecca Latimer Felton, American educator and politician (d. 1930)
Rebecca Ann Latimer Felton (June 10, 1835 – January 24, 1930) was an American writer, lecturer, reformer, and politician who became the first woman to serve in the United States Senate, although she served for only one day.[1][2]
Felton was the most prominent woman in Georgia in the Progressive Era, and was honored by appointment to the Senate. She was sworn in on November 21, 1922, and served just 24 hours. At 87 years, nine months, and 22 days old, she was the oldest freshman senator to enter the Senate. She was the only woman to have served as a Senator from Georgia until the appointment of Kelly Loeffler in 2020, nearly a hundred years later.
Her husband William Harrell Felton was a member of the United States House of Representatives and Georgia House of Representatives and she ran his campaigns. She was a prominent society woman; an advocate of prison reform, women’s suffrage and educational modernization; a white supremacist and slave owner; and a woman who spoke vigorously in favor of lynching. Numan Bartley wrote that by 1915 she “was championing a lengthy feminist program that ranged from prohibition to equal pay for equal work.”[3]
FYI
Weekly digest for Elena Gissi, on April 19, 2021
STORIES FROM NORTHERN CANADA AND ALASKA: Cairns along the Highway
STORIES FROM NORTHERN CANADA AND ALASKA: Colonel Hoge
STORIES FROM NORTHERN CANADA AND ALASKA: Bishop Coudert’s Frozen Dinner
STORIES FROM NORTHERN CANADA AND ALASKA: We Fought the Road and A Different Race
STORIES FROM NORTHERN CANADA AND ALASKA: Three Hundred Sixty-five Miles
By Colin Marshall, Open Culture: Scientists Create an Interactive Map of the 13 Emotions Evoked by Music: Joy, Sadness, Desire, Annoyance, and More
By Josh Jones, Open Culture: A Data Visualization of Every Italian City & Town Founded in the BC Era
Our Third Thirds: Silver Linings
Eat Your Words from Edible Alaska: #8: Summer is here; time to eat the flowers
Ideas
By Little Lightning Bug: Mini Hummingbird Feeder Earrings
Kristin Gambaccini Blog: The Kelly Clarkson Show Homemade Rainbow Scented Giant Bubbles
Recipes
I Wash You Dry: Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus
By Chocolate Covered Katie: Cauliflower Recipes
Salty Lemon Sister: The Best Healthy Creamy Bow Tie Pasta Salad
By Sara Tane, The Kitchn: I Tried the Pasta Queen’s “Devil’s Kiss Pasta” and It’s Outrageously Good
By sweet strawberry: Eggless Rainbow Crêpe Cake
By Sara Tane, The Kitchn: I Tried Making 3-Ingredient, No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream to See If It Was Worth the Hype
By Betty Crocker Kitchens: Refreshing Key Lime Desserts That’ll Keep You Cool All Summer
RecipeTinEats
- 2024 Ultimate Christmas menu planning guide December 12, 2024Here’s a handy list of my Christmas recipes, organised by make-ahead and reheating suitability, and those best made fresh. Perfect for menu planning, especially alongside the new Christmas recipe index! I thrive on holiday menu planning. It’s like the Olympics of cooking – except less athleticism and more butter! The goal, as always, is a... […]Nagi
- Easy Christmas Cheesecake Slab – no bake! December 6, 2024This no bake Christmas cheesecake is designed for sizzling Aussie summers – no sweating over a hot oven! Designed to serve a crowd, it’s the easiest cheesecake recipe I know yet it still captures all the hallmarks of a beautiful classic baked cheesecake. Decorate with whipped cream, berries and rosemary sprigs for an effortless, pretty... […]Nagi
wikimedia
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for December 25 December 25, 2024Picture of the day Nativity of Christ scene from the Kefermarkt Altarpiece. Today is Christmas.
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for December 24 December 24, 2024Picture of the day Silhouettes at the Fort of Santo Antônio da Barra, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. It was constructed to guard the entrance to the Bay of All Saints, during the time of the Portuguese Empire.
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Welcome to the Stump the Bookseller blog!
Stump the Bookseller is a service offered by Loganberry Books to reconnect people to the books they love but can’t quite remember. In brief (for more detailed information see our About page), people can post their memories here, and the hivemind goes to work. After all, the collective mind of bibliophiles, readers, parents and librarians around the world is much better than just a few of us thinking. Together with these wonderful Stumper Magicians, we have a nearly 50% success rate in finding these long lost but treasured books. The more concrete the book description, the better the success rate, of course. It is a labor of love to keep it going, and there is a modest fee. Please see the How To page to find price information and details on how to submit your Book Stumper and payment.
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