Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Traffic Signals ~ Tortellini Bacon Broccoli Salad ~ Alex Corsaro ~ National Tortellini Day

 

Good 33º dark cloudy rain predicted morning. 

Yesterday sunshine and we topped at 60º.

 

 

Picture of the Day

 

 

Interesting about traffic signals.........

 

Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa – are signaling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traffic.

 

Traffic lights consist normally of three signals, transmitting meaningful information to drivers and riders through colors and symbols including arrows and bicycles. The regular traffic light colors are red, amber (also known as yellow), and green arranged vertically or horizontally in that order. Although this is internationally standardized, variations exist on national and local scales as to traffic light sequences and laws.

 

The method was first introduced in December 1868 on Parliament Square in London to reduce the need for police officers to control traffic. Since then, electricity and computerized control has advanced traffic light technology and increased intersection capacity. The system is also used for other purposes, for example, to control pedestrian movements, variable lane control (such as tidal flow systems or smart motorways), and railway level crossings.

 

The first system of traffic signals was installed as a way to replace police officer control of vehicular traffic outside the Houses of Parliament in London on 9 December 1868. In the first two decades of the 20th century, semaphore traffic signals like the one in London were in use all over the United States with each state having its own design of the device. In many cases, it was controlled by a traffic officer who would blow a whistle before changing the commands on this signal to help alert travelers of the change.

 

In 1912, the first electric traffic light was developed by Lester Wire, a policeman in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was installed by the American Traffic Signal Company on the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. The first four-way, three-color traffic light was created by police officer William Potts in Detroit, Michigan in 1920. He was concerned about how police officers at four different light signals could not change their lights all at the same time. The answer was a third light that was colored amber, which was the same color used on the railroad. In 1922 traffic towers were beginning to be controlled by automatic timers. The main advantage of the use of the timer was that it saved cities money by replacing traffic officers. The city of New York was able to reassign all but 500 of its 6,000 officers working on the traffic squad; this saved the city $12,500,000.

 

^{If you want to read a whole lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_light}

 

 

 

From Allrecipes

 

Tortellini Bacon Broccoli Salad

 

 

2 (9oz) packages refrigerated three-cheese tortellini

1 pound bacon

4 cups chopped broccoli

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 cup bottled coleslaw dressing

 

1. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions.

2. Drain and rinse with  cold water, and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.

3. Place bacon in a large deep skillet and cook over medium high- heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes.

4. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate.

5. Chop bacon into half inch pieces while still warm.

6. Place the tortellini, bacon, broccoli, grape tomatoes, and green onions into a salad bowl. Pour dressing over the ingredients and toss lightly to coat.

7. Chill in refrigerator before serving.

 

Special birthday today.... my Italian son Alex Corsaro. Alex and Brian were BFFs and he lived with us during high school years. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON! Love you!

 

 

Alex and Brian are one day apart in birthdays.... here they were washing windows .....

 

 

And Alex, like Brian, was also a Marine..

 

 

Historically this date..........

1970 – Black Sabbath, arguably the very first heavy metal album, is released.

1971 – Vietnam War: Backed by American air and artillery support, South Vietnamese troops invade Laos.

 

 

 

1991 – Gulf War: Two laser-guided "smart bombs" destroy the Amiriyah shelter in Baghdad. Allied forces said the bunker was being used as a military communications outpost, but over 400 Iraqi civilians inside were killed.

2011 – For the first time in more than 100 years the Umatilla, an American Indian tribe, were able to hunt and harvest a bison just outside Yellowstone National Park, restoring a centuries-old tradition guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1855.

2017 – Kim Jong-nam, brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, is assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

 

 

And births this date include....

1919 – Tennessee Ernie Ford, American musician (d. 1991)

 

1923 – Chuck Yeager, American fighter and test pilot (d.2020)

 

1933 – Kim Novak, American actress

She left Hollywood and wanted to continue with her artistic talent. She lives just northeast of here in Sams Valley.

 

1934 – George Segal, American actor (d.2021)

 

1942 – Carol Lynley, American actress (d.2019)

 

1942 – Peter Tork, American musician and actor (The Monkees)

(d.2019)

1944 – Stockard Channing, American actress

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Monday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Pasta lovers will enjoy a traditional stuffed pasta during National Tortellini Day on February 13th!

Tortellini is a signature dish from the Italian region of Bologna, where they claim to have created this stuffed pasta packed with flavor. Ravioli, tortellini, and tortellacci are all part of the same family of stuffed pasta. The most common fillings for tortellini are ham, white meat, and Parmesan cheese.

Members of an organization called The Learned Order of the Tortellini in the city of Bologna wear special hats to their meetings that are red and gold and shaped like tortellini. They also wear a ribbon, around their neck that has a gold tortellini hanging on it.  The Learned Order of the Tortellini has a large membership dedicated to the preservation of the traditional tortellini.

There are many ways to prepare a tortellini dish.  You may want to top it with a cheese sauce, cream sauce, pesto or tomato sauce, or follow one of the thousands of cooking blogs available for a great tortellini recipe.