【推荐1】It must have been a very clever human who looked at a sheep walking past and thought of the use its wool might have!

The oldest surviving textile (纺织品)made out of wool is around 3,500 years old. Wool was probably the first fiber to be woven into textiles. Because when humans stopped hunting and started raising animals, it was their first step from a wild life to a civilized one. Sheep became a convenience store for the new lifestyle of our ancestor during the Stone Age, a walking food supply that required little care. Sheep provided all — meat and milk for food, skin and bones for clothing, shelters and tools.

Some sheep were suitable to roast while others were to produce wool, as sheep fit for eating do not necessarily have high-quality wool. Early wild species of sheep had long outer hair protecting their short wool undercoats. It was this underlayer that was highly suitable for textile use, so they were selectively bred into modern sheep.

Great empires were built on the backs of sheep and their wool. Around 1800 BC, the civilization of Babylonia was famous for its wool. After the Romans conquered Spain, they developed a new breed (品种)that would come to be known as Spanish Merino, with the whitest, finest wool ever known. Today, the Merino is the most highly regarded breed in the world.

The Chinese held onto the secret of silk for thousands of years before Europeans even got an idea about how to put two threads together. With wool, they seem to have got their revenge.

【推荐2】Black Friday signals the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Although it's not an official holiday, millions of employers give their employees the day off, and many people use that day to get a jumpstart on their holiday shopping. A similar day in Canada and the Great Britain is called “Boxing Day”.

Black Friday has become a marketing hit in recent years. Since 2005, it has been the busiest shopping day of the year. To lure shoppers, retailers(零售商) open their doors as early as 4 am and offer special sales and promotions to the shoppers that arrive early. Some of the special deals offered by stores are only available in limited quantities. That is why some shoppers planning to get the best deals often camp out in front of stores overnight so that they will be the first in line when the doors open.

But why Black Friday? Historians believe the name started in Philadelphia in the mid 1960s. Bus drivers and police used the “Black Friday” name. In the early 1980s, a more positive explanation of the name began to spread. According to this explanation, Black Friday is the day when retailers finally begin to turn a profit for the year. In accounting terms, operating(运营) at a loss is called being “in the red” because accountants traditionally used red ink to show negative amounts. Positive amounts were usually shown “in black ink”. Thus, being in the black is a good thing because it means stores are operating at a profit.

Recently, for those who are too busy to shop on Black Friday, or who just don’t want to fight the crowds, the Monday following Black Friday has become known as Cyber Monday for shoppers can take advantage of the comfort of getting many online deals at their homes.

【推荐3】There is nothing in the US quite like Black Friday. Before midnight on Thursday, in malls across the US, people start queuing up outside the locked entrances of stores, making longer and longer lines, holding coupons(优惠券), sipping coffee and hot chocolate, rubbing their hands and stamping(跺脚) their feet for warmth, excitedly chatting, and waiting for the clerks to open the door when the time arrives.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, “has become in recent decades a special American holiday”, said the International Business Times. Indeed, up to 147 million Black Friday shoppers were expected to put up with the dark of night and the elbows(手肘) of other shoppers so that they could bring home some bargains, according to the US National Retail Federation.

But why does the shopping festival have such a name?

The name was first used in Philadelphia in the 1970s. The streets and sidewalks of the city became so packed with traffic and crowds on the day after Thanksgiving Day that the local police did not look forward to it. Because of this, they called the day “Black Friday”, said The Huffington Post. However, others believe that Black Friday takes its name from the fact that because of the increase in sales on the day, shops are able for the first time in the year to move out of the “red” —that is, debt—and into the “black”, or profit. Businesses, of course, try to take advantage of this day. A decade ago, retailers(零售商) opened at 5 or 6 am. Now, many of the big stores open at midnight.

People really seem to like the whole experience of queuing up before midnight, “for it isn’t just about the bargains”, noted CNN. “For many shoppers, it’s just fun to be part of a large crowd. Those who go to the malls at midnight are driven by the same thing that makes a million people get together in Times Square each New Year’s Eve.”

【推荐1】International Observe the Moon Night is a worldwide celebration of lunar science and exploration, space observation, and our cultural and personal connections to the Moon. This event always occurs in September or October when the Moon is in the first quarter. This year, it falls on October 16.

Moon Night Schedule

10-11 am — The American Space Museum opens. All-day activities for kids include: Making model rockets; coloring & drawing; making Moon craters (坑) & more!

11-12 am — NASA Solar System Ambassador reports on the Artemis Project!

1-2 pm — Learn about constellations (星座) and watch space movies!

2-3 pm — Guides will share facts about the Moon and the Apollo program. Also a chance to share your own memories of the Moon race. Kids can do the Moon science, too!

3-5 pm — Amateur astronomers from the Brevard Astronomical Society (BAS) talk about how to use the telescopes you may own. Learn how to study the stars without a telescope as BAS members arrive to set up for the night’s “Moon Gaze”.

5 pm — The Museum closes.

7-10 pm — Observe the Moon Night FREE! Telescopes will be set up in the car park of the Museum. BAS amateur astronomers will be on hand to show you the universe! Bring a chair or blanket to best enjoy the night!

Notes

Earlier daytime events require museum admission - Adults $ 10: Kids 13 -19 $5, 12 & under free. The night events cost nothing.

【推荐3】On today’s blog post, I’ll talk about my favorite magazines. I love reading books and magazines, and I’m learning so many useful tips about health y living, daily life, etc.

Women’s Health

Women’s Health has a unique content. You can find various interesting information about healthy living or exercises you can do at home. I also love their writers because they explain every topic so simply that you can even understand biological articles.

Healthy Food Guide

I totally recommend it to everyone because it has lots of useful information about being healthy during your daily life. In this magazine, you can find articles about foods you often eat but don’t have much idea what they contain or if they’re healthy. If you are searching for new diets, this magazine gives you all the information.

Time Out

Time Out is a well-known magazine and it’s free in my city. Every time I see a Time Out magazine, I get it because it has lots of useful tips. I got Time Out London when I was in London, and I discovered new restaurants, galleries, museums and events. This magazine has various information about the city life. For example, it gives you the events that are happening near you. It gives you tips for the railway stations and other transportation choices.

La Cucina Italiana

If you love cooking Italian food, this magazine is for you! It has lots of recipes and also restaurant reviews. You can also find popular restaurants near you in this magazine. I’ve also read articles by famous chefs from my city.