Did you know that no other city in the United States has as many public staircases as Pittsburgh? More than 700 sets of steps connect communities and give residents vital access to transportation and other amenities. The steps are as much a part of Pittsburgh’s identity as its rivers, bridges, hills, and tunnels. Pittsburgh has […]
“The Eagle has Landed.”
On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy and Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were on their way to perform the first manned lunar landing. An estimated 650 million people worldwide watched Neil Armstrong land on the Moon and heard him say the […]
You’ve Finished Watching Stranger Things? Code Red!
You didn’t mean to do it, but it happened: you’ve already binge-watched the third season of Stranger Things. Who can blame you? Stranger Things has it all: creepy monsters, tight friendships, suspense, and warm, fuzzy nostalgia (not to mention an amazing soundtrack). The downside: with only eight episodes, it’s over way too fast. What are […]
“Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.” —T.S. Eliot
Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? National Poetry Month was founded by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 with the goal of highlighting the ongoing achievements of American poets, inspire the reading of poems, encourage the increased publication of poetry books, and gain support for poets and poetry. It’s the largest […]
Train Your Brain With Puzzles!
Do you flip right to the crossword puzzle in the newspaper? When you need to unwind, do you reach for sudoku? During a stressful day, do you long for a logic puzzle? You’re doing your brain a favor when you solve puzzles! When you solve a word puzzle, you increase your vocabulary and spelling skills. […]
SelectReads: A Newsletter Just For You!
There are some tools that you can use to find bestsellers, new books, and movies, but sometimes these tools might include genres you are not interested in. Wouldn’t it be great if you could receive information about only genres you like or titles written by your favorite authors? You can with SelectReads! SelectReads allows you […]
Happy Birthday, Judy Blume!
Happy birthday to Judy Blume, born on this date in 1938 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Well-known for her works of fiction for kids and young adults, Blume tackled topics that were often viewed as controversial. Judy Blume graduated from New York University in 1961 with a degree in education and later took a writing course […]
“Winter is not a season, it’s a celebration.” – Anamika Mishra
Today marks the winter solstice, the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The winter solstice was viewed by some ancient cultures as a time of death and rebirth, the beginning of the solar year, and the rebirth of the Sun. While we no longer worry about the return of the sun, many […]
December is Universal Human Rights Month
In December, we celebrate Universal Human Rights Month, a time to honor the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. One of the first objectives of the United Nations was to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’ and ‘to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights.’ The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was the […]
2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off last week. It is ongoing in Russia, and started on June 14th, and will end with the final match on July 15th, 2018. The final tournament will involve 32 national teams including the 2014 FIFA World Cup Champion, Germany. After four years of waiting, soccer fans won’t want to miss a single minute of this riveting […]