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Let's start off this issue with the next state to learn about, Connecticut:
The first telephone book ever issued contained only fifty names. The New Haven District
Telephone Company published it in New Haven in February 1878.
Connecticut and Rhode Island never ratified the 18th Amendment (Prohibition).
The Scoville Memorial Library is the United States oldest public library. The library collection began in 1771, when Richard Smith, owner of a local blast furnace, used community contributions to buy 200 books in London. Patrons could borrow and return books on the third Monday of every third month. Fees were collected for damages, the most common being "greasing" by wax dripped from the candles by which the patrons read.
On April 9, 1810, a Salisbury town meeting voted to authorize the "selectmen draw upon the town treasurer for the sum of one hundred dollars" to purchase more books for the Scoville Memorial Library collection, making the library the first publicly supported free town library in the United States.
Mary Kies, of South Killingly was the first woman to receive a U.S. patent. On May 15th, 1809 for a method of weaving straw with silk.
On January 28, 1878, 21 venturous citizens of New Haven became the world's first subscribers to telephone exchange service.
In Hartford, you may not, under any circumstances, cross the street walking on your hands!
Connecticut is home to the first hamburger (1895), Polaroid camera (1934), helicopter (1939), and color television (1948).
The first automobile law was passed by the state of CT in 1901. The speed limit was set at 12 miles per hour.
In colonial New Haven cut pumpkins were used as guides for haircuts to ensure a round uniform style. Because of this fashion, these New Englanders were nicknamed "pumpkin-heads."
West Hartford is the birthplace of Noah Webster, the author of the first dictionary published in 1807.
Although West Haven is Connecticut's youngest city, being incorporated in 1972, it is a community that dates back over 360 years, making it one of the oldest settlements in the country.
PEZ® Candy is made in the city of Orange.
Thomas Sanford made the first friction matches in Beacon Falls in 1834...
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~Cool Picks by Phyllis~
Hi everyone. I hope you've been enjoying my Cool Pick websites.....and remember, if you have a cool website to share, please do! Even though this column is called Cool Picks by Phyllis, it is open to anyone who has a great website to tell us about.
This weeks website is http://www.futureme.org/what.php
FutureMe is a website where you can write a letter to yourself and pick a date in the future for it to be sent to your email. Wouldn't it be cool to write a letter now and then recieve it a year or two (or more) from now? You could write a letter about whats going on in your life now, or about your hopes, dreams and goals. Then when the letter is delivered to your email address in the future, you can enjoy a visit from your past self, and see how your life has changed and how many of your dreams have come true. Another cool feature of FutureMe is the "public but private" section, in which you can read letters that others have posted, or even post your own. Your letters will be anonymous, so no one will know who wrote it.
So go ahead, write a letter to your future self!
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This is the last week for salt uses. I thought I had four parts, but instead there are just three:
Extinguishing grease fires - Keep a box of salt handy at your stove and oven and if a grease fire flares up, cover the flames with salt. Do not use water on grease fires; it will splatter the burning grease. Also a handful of salt thrown on flames from meat dripping in barbecue grills will reduce the flames and deaden the smoke without cooling the coals as water does.
Drip-proofing candles - Soak new candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours, then dry them well. When burned they will not drip.
Removing soot - Occasionally throw a handful of salt on the flames in your fireplace; it will help loosen soot from the chimney and salt makes a bright yellow flame.
Cleaning fish tanks - Rub the inside of fish tanks with salt to remove hard water deposits, then rinse well before returning the fish to the tank. Use only plain, not iodized, salt.
Invigorating goldfish - Occasionally add one teaspoon of salt to a quart of fresh water at room temperature and put your goldfish in for about 15 minutes. Then return them to their tank. The salt swim makes them healthier.
Cleaning flower vases - To remove deposits caused by flowers and water, rub with salt; if you cannot reach the deposits to rub them, put a strong salt solution in the vase and shake, then wash the vase with soap and water.
Keeping cut flowers fresh - A dash of salt added to the water in a flower vase will keep cut flowers fresh longer.
Holding artificial flowers - Artificial flowers can be held in an artistic arrangement by pouring salt into the container, adding a little cold water and then arranging the flowers. The salt will solidify as it dries and hold the flowers in place.
Keeping patios weed-free - If weeds or unwanted grass come up between patio bricks or blocks, carefully spread salt between the bricks and blocks, then sprinkle with water or wait for rain to wet it down.
Killing poison ivy - Mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water and apply to leaves and stems with a sprayer.
Keeping windows frost-free - Rub the inside of windows with a sponge dipped in a saltwater solution and rub dry; the windows will not frost up in sub-freezing weather. Rubbing a small cloth bag containing salt that has been moistened on your car's windshield will keep snow and ice from collecting.
Deicing sidewalks and driveways - Lightly sprinkling rock salt on walks and driveways will keep snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and allow for easy removal. Don't overdo it; use the salt sensibly to avoid damage to grass and ornamentals.
Deodorizing shoes - Sprinkling a little salt in canvas shoes occasionally will take up the moisture and help remove odors.
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Here's a few more websites Phyllis thought might be helpful for this time of the year:
http://shipgooder.com/
This is a site that helps you compare shipping rates from FedEx, USPS, and local carriers. Good for making sure you save money when mailing Christmas presents.
http://www.loosefillpackaging.com/
This site will show you where you can recycle foam "peanuts."
Phyllis sent this joke to me several weeks ago and somehow I've neglected to put it in...
Q: Did you hear about what happened to the peanut in the park?
A: It was a salted.
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~Marie's Laughter~
A couple, desperate to conceive a child, went to their priest and asked him to pray for them. "I'm going on a sabbatical to Rome," he replied, "and while I'm there, I'll light a candle for you."When the priest returned three years later, he went to the couple's house and found the wife pregnant, busily attending to two sets of twins. Elated, the priest asked her where her husband was so that he could congratulate him."He's gone to Rome, to blow that candle out" came the harried reply
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I saw this on a TV show last week and thought it was really interesting. It's where you buy a frisbee and then after you play with it for a bit you toss it and leave it for someone else to find. It has a web site to go to register it so the frisbee's travels can be tracked. At first I thought it sounded too much like a summer activity to share now, then I thought maybe this might be a fun Christmas gift for someone on your list.
http://www.tossntrack.com/
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Sue sent this in and asked me to share it. It's really a great idea:
http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/
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~Healthy Living by Phyllis~
If you've ever been on a diet, you probably already know that its harder to stick to that diet during the holidays. Temptations abound, whether it be the beautifully decorated Christmas cookies at the grocery store bakery, the call of the food court while you're at the mall Christmas shopping, or at holiday dinners. Since Thanksgiving is almost here, this week I'm going to give you a few tips on how to eat right at your family dinner.
Don't starve yourself in anticipation of a big meal. Starving yourself now will only mean you'll be more likely to overindulge later! Have a high protein snack ahead of time. Apple slices with a tablespoon of peanut butter is high in protein to help you feel fuller.
Don't deny yourself completely. Its just going to frustrate you if you say NO to every holiday goodie. The trick is to indulge but with moderation. Make trade offs. If you decide to have a small slice of pumpkin pie, pass up the stuffing during your meal to make up for it.
Eat soup. Studies have shown that you may eat 20% less calories at a meal if you eat soup first. Just avoid creamy soups...they are higher in calories and fat.(Source;http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-452198/Why-eating-soup-help-lose-weight.html
Another tip? Use a smaller plate! Believe it or not, a 1994 study showed that 7 out of 10 people on a diet felt satisfied with less food when it was served on a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
And after that holiday meal, try to get some exercise to burn some of those calories! Its as easy as just going for a nice brisk walk.
And if you're hosting a dinner...send the leftovers home with your guests. Get them out of the house so they're not there to tempt you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Great idea sent to us by Cathy:
If you're like most people, you get a new toothbrush every six months, but you really should be changing your toothbrush more often, like every three to four months. When the bristles get worn and lose their rigidity, they don't remove plaque as well. But you should also do some maintenance within that three months, when your toothbrush is just sitting out in the open... After all, think about all the germs and bacteria floating around that would love to attach themselves to your moist toothbrush.
So to prevent colds, flu, and other sicknesses, Reader's Digest recommends that once or twice a week you run your toothbrush through the microwave on high for 10 seconds immediately before brushing. If someone in your home is sick, you may want to sterilize it in the microwave each time you brush. If you're the one who's sick, after the illness passes, ditch your old toothbrush and replace it with a new one.
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Quick and yummy recipe from Cheryl:
Quickie No-Bake Cheese Cake
Make 1 package of vanilla pudding, according to directions. Mix in one 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese until blended. Add this to a pre-made graham cracker pie crust and then refrigerate until it's solid. When you are ready to serve, top with your favorite canned pie filling. Store in the refrigerator.
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I saw the origin of this phrase and thought it was interesting:
Several people have emailed me asking where the phrase happy as a clam comes from. They are confused about why anyone would assume that clams were happy. Frankly, I don’t understand their confusion. Wouldn’t you be happy if you got to spend your life at the beach, just lying in the surf with no responsibilities?
Well, they wouldn’t be confused if they knew the whole phrase. Originally, the phrase went happy as a clam in high water. The phrase is an Americanism, dating to at least the 1834 when it appeared in Harvardiana: That peculiar degree of satisfaction, usually denoted by the phrase “as happy as a clam.” The full phrase is recorded in Jonathan Slick’s 1844 High Life in New York: They seemed as happy as clams in high water.
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Here is a thought-provoking quote sent to us by Cheryl:
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards."
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I happened upon this site and have found it really interesting. I especially like the feature of being able to enter an author's name and getting a list of all of their books. If you love books and reading, check it out http://www.fictiondb.com/
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I have a new book to recommend. It's called Over and Under by Todd Tucker. I will say upfront that this book is about two 14-year-old boys one summer and there is, spattered here and there, bad language. For myself personally I read the book and was able to ignore the language and totally enjoy the story...
In the summer of 1979, Andy and Tom are two fourteen-year-old boys---best friends, expert cave explorers, and crack shots with their Springfield M-6 Scout rifles. In rural southern Indiana they are blissfully unaware of the local labor strife surrounding the Borden Casket Company. The fact that Andy's dad is a manager and Tom's dad is a union laborer has no bearing on their fun and adventure.But in the building summer heat, violence quickly erupts---including an explosion, a murder, and the escape of two fugitives---and the young boys can no longer ignore that the world around them has forever changed. Through their secret observations of labor meetings, both boys feel the effect of the dissolution, and it tests their loyalty and friendship, as well as the town's spirit.What began as a season of independence becomes a summer of growth and change, of adventure and misbehavior. Reminiscent of Stand by Me and To Kill a Mockingbird, Over and Under is the quintessential story of ruddy-faced, scheming, precocious boys who must navigate that hazy boundary between growing up and making the most of their last summer of innocence and freedom as they explore the wilds of rural Indiana, see the most amazing gunshot of their lives, and discover what it means to be friends.
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Have you ever noticed a tree standing naked against the sky,
Have you ever noticed a tree standing naked against the sky,
How beautiful it is?
All its branches are outlined, and in its nakedness
There is a poem, there is a song.
Every leaf is gone and it is waiting for the spring.
When the spring comes, it again fills the tree with
The music of many leaves,
Which in due season fall and are blown away.
And this is the way of life.
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