Interesting Things with JC #552: “The New York Renaissance” (Rens) were founded in Harlem February 13th, 1923. They were the first all-black, fully professional basketball team owned by an African-American. The team was originally known as the Spartan Braves before changing its name to the New York Renaissance and playing their home games at William Roach's Renaissance Ballroom. They would go on to dominate basketball, winning several championships along the way, including the World Championship of Professional Basketball in 1939.

Interesting Things with JC #550: "75 Years and an Ocean Apart: KT and Jeannine" - A young American soldier, who met a young French woman, while stationed in France during World War II. Experience the power of love in this heart-warming tale of two strangers from different worlds. Will their love conquer all?

Interesting Things with JC #549: "General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren" - Discover the fascinating love story of General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren, two legendary American performers who rose to the heights of fame in the late 1800's United States and around the world.

Interesting Things with JC #548: "Copernicium" - Discover the fascinating story of Copernicium, the radioactive element synthesized in a lab by Victor Ninov and Sigurd Hoffmann. Uncover its unique properties & journey from discovery to periodic table inclusion.

Interesting Things with JC #547: "The NASDAQ" - Invest in innovation! Discover the story of NASDAQ's 1971 debut as the first computerized stock exchange for fast & efficient trading.

Interesting Things with JC #545: "Schumann: Symphony No. 3 - Rheinisch" premiered Feb 1851 in Düsseldorf, a significant & beloved work in classical music.

Robert Schumann was a composer and conductor of the Romantic era. His "Rhenish" Symphony, also known as Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, was a masterpiece that demonstrated how he experimented with orchestration and musical language. Schumann's "Rhenish" Symphony was premiered in Düsseldorf in February 1851.

This was a big deal in the music world at the time, and it cemented Schumann's reputation as one of the best composers of his generation. While traveling through Germany's Rhineland, Schumann had inspiration for the symphony. It wasn't your typical classical symphony, and it included local folk music.

The "Rheinisch” (or “Rhenish") Symphony is still an important and well-loved piece of classical music because it expresses emotion, employs inventive musical language, and employs novel ways of arranging music.

Interesting Things with JC: #543 "Stratospheric Balloons" offer a unique platform for scientific discovery and capture stunning images of Earth. They are marvels of engineering and symbolize human determination.

Interesting Things #542: "Datil Pepper" - Sweet, fruity, tangy chili from Florida. Unique flavor, slightly hotter than Jalapeno, staple in St. Augustine cuisine.

Interesting Things with JC #541: "Punxsutawney Phil" - the most famous groundhog in the world, from one of the worlds most charming towns, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Interesting Things with JC #540: "The Shard" - a 310m tower in London, opened on Feb 1, 2013 with 72 floors. Designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, The Shard is a mixed-use structure that includes offices, residential apartments, a hotel, restaurants, and a three-story observation deck. This true work of art was inspired by the spires of London's historic churches and the masts of tall ships as painted by Canaletto in the 18th century.

Interesting Things with JC #539: "NATIONAL HOT CHOCOLATE DAY" is celebrated annually on Jan 31st, honoring a timeless cold-weather treat with a rich history and health benefits.

Interesting Things with JC #535: "Disc of Sabu" - a mysterious 5000-year-old artifact in Cairo's antiquities museum, discovered by British Egyptologist Walter Bryan Emery.

Interesting Things with JC #534: "The Underground City of Mardin Turkey" - A 2,000-year-old underground city has been discovered, and ongoing excavations have revealed the home of an ancient civilization.

Interesting Things with JC #533: "Ferrari 208 GT4" - A small V8 engine road car with impressive aerodynamics, sound, and speed.

Interesting Things with JC #532: "Bosco Verticale" towers in Milan, Italy, are covered in 900 trees, 2,000 shrubs, and have solar panels, a green innovation in urban architecture.

Interesting Things with JC #528: "Antarctic Meteorite" - International scientists discover 5 meteorites, including one weighing 16.7 pounds, in Antarctica using satellite imagery.

Ref - https://actus.ulb.be/fr/actus/recherche/mission-en-antarctique-decouverte-dune-meteorite-de-7-6-kg

Interesting Things with JC #527: "Debt Ceiling" - In the United States this is a pretty big current event. What exactly is the Debt Ceiling though? Let's find out!

Interesting Things with JC #525: "British Leyland" was formed on this date in 1968. The company produced iconic cars such as the Morris Marina, Triumph TR7, Austin Allegro and the Leyland Atlantean double-decker bus.

Interesting Things with JC #523: "Veal Parmigiana" a classic Italian-American dish that has its roots in the early 20th century, made by breading and frying veal cutlets, layering them with tomato sauce, mozzarella, & Parmesan cheese!

Interesting Things with JC #522: "Sir Edmund Halley" who calculated the famous comet's orbit, died January 14th, 1742, leaving legacy in science and astronomy.