American Red Cross

Hi Puzzlers,

Today’s blog post was created from a conversation Jill had with fellow puzzler Chris P. who works for the American Red Cross. Chris orders puzzles to put in the rooms where people go to wait for processing or to recuperate after they donate blood. What a great idea we all thought. As most of you already know, puzzling is a great way to pass time and reduce stress-and having blood drawn can definitely cause stress. This conversation got us all thinking about the Red Cross, blood and blood types.

In 1901 Australian physician Karl Landsteiner discovered the first three human blood groups (A, B, O) and in 1940, with the assistance of Alexander Wiener and Philip Levine, discover the Rh blood factor.

Edwin Cohn, in 1940, developed cold ethanol fractionation, which is the process of breaking down blood into albumin, gamma globulin and fibrinogen. That same year “John Elliott developed the first blood container, a vacuum bottle extensively used by the Red Cross.” In 1941 the Red Cross began its National Blood Donor Service to collect blood for the U.S. military. This service was instrumental in the treatment of wounded soldiers; they were treated with dried plasma during WWII and with albumin for shock after the Pearl Harbor attack. In 1945, after collecting more than 13 million pints of blood, the Red Cross ended its WWII blood program.

The first civilian blood collection program began in Rochester, NY in 1948 and by 1949 there were 1,500 hospital blood banks, 46 community blood centers, and 31 American Red Cross regional blood centers. What a difference a year makes!

Hang on puzzlers-here’s where it gets wild! Since 1901 there have been over 300 blood types discovered, each fitting into one of the major four groups which are A, B, AB and O, and, the Rh positive and Rh negatives are as important as the major four groups, especially if you are receiving a transfusion.

The oldest of the blood types is O. It comes from the birthplace of humanity, Africa, and is associated with the hunter-gatherer societies. If you’re a type O you represent about 45% of the American population. Next oldest is A. It is thought to have evolved from the agricultural societies and represents about 42% of the American population. Then there is type B, which makes up for about 8% percent, and the AB’s are at about 5%.

Thank you American Red Cross, and remember "Every minute of every day, someone needs blood. That blood can only come from a volunteer donor, a person like you who makes the choice to donate. There is no substitute for your donation."

Happy Puzzling!

Crown Jewels

Hi Puzzlers,

The whole world is talking about the recent marriage of Prince William to Catherine “Kate” Middleton. Their engagement and marriage captured and continues to capture tons of media attention. For a lot of people, myself included, this has been a pleasant distraction from everyday life. Those two kids are just so darn lovable! Our office discussions and new puzzle got Jill and me thinking about the “Crown Jewels.”

Was Kate’s borrowed tiara part of that collection? It was made in 1936 for King George VI for his then Duchess (Queen Elizabeth-The Queen Mother). Princess Elizabeth received the tiara from her mother on her 18th birthday. Kate had several crown choices and, yes, this one is considered part of the Crown Jewels. WOW! It brings the “something borrowed” to a whole new level!

The term Crown Jewels refers to a collection of regalia and vestments (garments) worn by the sovereign during the coronation ceremony and at other state functions. “The collection contains crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords, rings, spurs (think cowboys here), colobium sindonis ( white sleeveless shirt), dalmatic (a Deacon's long white robe), armill (bracelets), and the royal robe and several other items related to the ceremony.” The largest and most impressive collection of Crown Jewels belongs to the British Monarch.

These famous jewels are kept at the Tower of London, which isn’t a actual tower but an fortress with six foot thick walls and portcullises. Prior to 1671 the jewels were kept in the Martin Tower. The towers were changed after an attempted robbery by Colonel Thomas Blood and three accomplices. Thomas pretended to be a Parson and hid the Crown Jewels under his cloak. All three men were caught and Thomas refused to speak with anyone but King Charles, who later released Blood and gave him a royal pardon and pension. Rumor has it that the King was behind the robbery, due to his lack of funds.

Two of the most famous diamonds in the world are among this collection-the Great Star of Africa discovered in Africa, in 1905, and the Kohinoor Diamond. The Great Star of Africa, also referred to as the Cullian diamond, weighed in at an impressive 530.20 carats after it was cut! Next is the Kohinoor, which weighs 108.93. This diamond was set in a special crown commissioned by the Queen Mother in 1937.

Ladies, how would you like to have that kind of jewelry box?

Happy Puzzling!

Photograph:©2011 Rune Hellestad/Corbis...This new puzzle will be available the week of 5/17/11!

Happy Mother's Day

Hi Puzzlers,

Sunday May 8th is Mother’s Day, the one day a year set aside to honor those women who wiped our noses and helped us grow to into the wonderful people we are. Cultures across the globe have been honoring motherhood since antiquity. In ancient times only goddesses, mythological female deities and the Christian church was honored. The recognition of the human mother has come about only in the last few centuries.

The ancient Greeks dedicated the annual spring festival to Rhea the mother of many Gods, while the ancient Egyptians held an annual festival to honor Isis, she was considered the mother of the pharaohs. These celebrations would last several days with parades, games, decorations and food.

Prior to the 1600s, European Christians celebrated Lent and the Mother Church on the fourth Sunday during Lent. Christians would honor the church they were baptized in. It was know to them as their Mother Church and they would decorate it with jewels, flowers and other offerings.

In the 1600s a clerical decree allowed for the broadening of the celebration to include human mothers and declared it a day of Mothering, or Mothering Day. It was a day when servants and trade workers had permission to take the day off and go home to visit their families and honor their mothers. It also allowed for a one-day break from the penance of Lent. Mothers would traditionally receive flowers and cakes.

When British colonists came to America they chose, many believe because of the harsh living conditions, not to celebrate Mothering Day. Centuries later Appalachian homemaker Anna Jarvis, “organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it ‘Mother's Work Day.’ Fifteen years later, Julia Ward Howe, author of the lyrics to the ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic,’ organized a day to encourage mothers to rally for peace. Julia believed “mothers bore the loss of human life more harshly than anyone else.”

Anna Jarvis died in 1905 and her daughter, also named Anna, vigilantly continued campaigning for her mother. Finally in 1914, eight years later, Woodrow Wilson signed a bill making Mother’s Day a national holiday!

Happy Puzzling!