Smile of the Day Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Wednesday Jan. 27, 2021’s Smile of the Day: The National Geographic Society

On this Day:

In 1888, The National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, D.C. for “the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge.”

The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history. The National Geographic Society’s logo is a yellow portrait frame—rectangular in shape—which appears on the margins surrounding the front covers of its magazines and as its television channel logo. Through National Geographic Partners (a joint venture with The Walt Disney Company), the Society operates the National Geographic magazine, TV channels, a website, worldwide events, and other media operations.

The National Geographic Society began as a club for an elite group of academics and wealthy patrons interested in travel and exploration. On January 13, 1888, 33 explorers and scientists gathered at the Cosmos Club, a private club then located on Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., to organize “a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge.” After preparing a constitution and a plan of organization, the National Geographic Society was incorporated two weeks later on January 27. Gardiner Greene Hubbard became its first president and his son-in-law, Alexander Graham Bell, succeeded him in 1897.

In 1899, Bell’s son-in-law Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor was named the first full-time editor of National Geographic magazine and served the organization for fifty-five years (until 1954), and members of the Grosvenor family have played important roles in the organization since. Bell and Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor devised the successful marketing notion of Society membership and the first major use of photographs to tell stories in magazines (per Wikipedia).

First, a Story:

A guy walks into the bank, pulls out a gun, points it at the teller and screams, “Give me all your money or you’re geography!”

The teller replies, “Don’t you mean history?”

The robber says, “Don’t change the subject!”

Second, a Song:

Here is five minutes from National Geographic Wild’s “A Celebration of Wildlife and Nature | Symphony For Our World.”

About Symphony for Our World:

Driven by a five-part composition, Symphony for Our World combines artistry and science. The show brings viewers from the depths of the sea, up to coastlines, over mountains, and soaring into the sky. Each movement results in a powerful musical tribute to the beauty and wonders of our wild world (per National Geographic).  This short clip highlights the photography that sets National Geographic apart.

National Geographic Wild (shortened as Nat Geo Wild and abbreviated NGW) is a global pay television network owned by National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (73%) and the National Geographic Society (27%). The channel primarily focuses on wildlife and natural history non-fiction programming. It is a sister network to National Geographic TV.

The channel first launched in Hong Kong on 1 January 2006. It later launched in the United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland, Romania, India, Vietnam, and Poland replacing the now defunct Adventure One. The channel remains the world’s first bilingual wildlife service, available in English and Cantonese in the Hong Kong market as well as Tagalog in The Philippines. It launched in Latin America on 1 November 2009 as a high definition channel. In 2010, it launched in the United States.

Its broadcast area includes: Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, Canada, United States, Middle East & Africa.

Its programming language(s) currently are: English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil and Bulgarian (per Wikipedia).

Here is National Geographic Wild’s “A Celebration of Wildlife and Nature | Symphony For Our World.” I hope you enjoy this 5 minute excerpt: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzUutdbRW9Q)

Thought for the Day:

“I never leaf through a copy of National Geographic without realizing how lucky we are to live in a society where it is traditional to wear clothes.” – Erma Bombeck

Cheers!

Have a great day!

Dave & Colleen

© 2021 David J. Bilinsky and Colleen E. Bilinsky