Aug 27, 2010

Global Warming Explained

Finally we have a simple explanation of a global warming cause. The following is from then US Department of State Report - KEY UNCERTAINTIES AFFECTING PROJECTED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

"Any projection of future emissions is subject to considerable uncertainty. In the short term (less than 5 years), the key factors that can increase or decrease estimated net emissions include unexpected changes in retail energy prices, shifts in the competitive relationship between natural gas and coal in electricity generation markets, changes in economic growth, abnormal winter or summer temperatures, and imperfect forecasting methods.

Additional factors may influence emission rates over the longer term, notably technology developments, shifts in the composition of economic activity, and changes in government policies." My summary, they still have no idea.

Vice President Song

There is only one song written by a US Vice President. "Melody in A Major" was written in 1911 by Charles Dawes, who became vice president under Calvin Coolidge. Of course that is not the famous part. Words were added in 1951 and it became a hit when it was re-recorded in 1958. If you were not listening to music back then, you can stop here, but if you were - go to the link to find the answer. LINK  Hint, the singer's first name was Tommy.

Johnny Carson

Carson Entertainment Group, which owns the archive of the late-night host's 30 years on "The Tonight Show," is set to announce that it has digitized all 3,300 hours of existing footage from the program and created a searchable online database for producers and researchers. 

The library will initially be available just for professional clip-licensing purposes, but the company also plans to release 50 full-format shows on DVD and post a rotating series of historic clips for public viewing on http://www.johnny carson.com There are some clips on the site now for your viewing pleasure.

Aug 25, 2010

Cleveland Recycles

The city plans to sort through curbside trash to make sure residents are recycling and fine them $100 if they don't. The move is part of a high-tech collection system the city with new trash and recycling carts embedded with radio frequency identification chips and bar codes.

The chips will allow city workers to monitor how often residents roll carts to the curb for collection. If a chip show a recyclable cart hasn't been brought to the curb in weeks, a trash supervisor will sort through the trash for recyclables.

Trash carts containing more than 10 percent recyclable material could lead to a $100 fine. It plans to roll out to nearly all of the city's 150,000 residences.

The city stepped up enforcement of ordinances governing trash collection last year by issuing 2,900 tickets, nearly five times more tickets than in 2008. Those infractions include citations for people who put out their trash too early or fail to bring in their garbage cans from the curb in a timely manner. The Division of Waste Collection is on track to meet its goal of issuing 4,000 citations this year. Fines for excessive trash will range from $250 to $500 depending on the amount.

The Washington, D.C. suburb of Alexandria, Va., earlier this year announced it would issue carts to check whether people are recycling.

English School Lunches

The chairman of England's School Food Trust (part of the Department of Education), said parents are hampering efforts to cut obesity in children by sending them to school with crisps (chips), fizzy drinks, and biscuits. He also suggested chocolates, crisps, and sugary drinks could be banned in packed lunches altogether by tightening the rules on what children can bring into school.

The chairman said the best solution would be for parents to pay for their children to eat healthy hot meals in canteens rather than giving them lunch boxes. Stricter measures on what can be included in school dinners were implemented by the Trust five years ago, but he said many middle class parents remain unconvinced that packed lunches are less healthy than canteen meals.

Parents' groups, however, said the Trust and the government should "get off our backs" and stop attempting to prescribe to parents what they can and cannot feed their children.

Ring Finger

The Chinese have a good explanation for what the fingers represent.

The Thumb represents your Parents
The Second (Index) finger represents your Siblings
The Middle finger represents your Self
The Fourth (Ring) finger represents your Life Partner, and
The Last (Little) finger represents your Children

First, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers down and hold them together - back to back.
Second, open and hold the remaining three fingers and the thumb - tip to tip.
Now, try to separate your thumbs (representing the parents). They will open, because your parents are not destined to live with you (or you with them) forever.

Join your thumbs as before and separate your Index fingers (representing siblings). They will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will lead their own separate lives.

Now join the Index fingers and separate your little fingers (representing your children). They will open too, because the children also will get married and leave.

Finally, join your Little fingers, and try to separate your Ring fingers (representing your spouse).

You cannot do it, because husband and wife should remain together all their lives.

Cream Cheese

This American invention was developed in 1872 in New York state. Cream cheese is similar to French Neufchatel in that it is made from cow's milk, but differs in that it is unripened and often contains emulsifiers to lend firmness and lengthen shelf-life. USDA law requires standard cream cheese must contain at least 33 percent fat and no more than 55 percent water, although there are low-fat and nonfat varieties now on the market.

What's in a Name

Iowa and DOA: The state changed the name of its Department of Elder Affairs to the Department on Aging, or DOA, in 2009. It has since learned the unintended consequences of the acronym and changed to IDA, for Iowa Department on Aging.

Sioux City and SUX: The Sioux City Iowa Gateway Airport has the FAA moniker of “SUX.” Airport authorities petitioned for a new code, and the FAA (not a joke) offered them “GAY” recognizing the “Gateway” part of the airport’s name. The city declined. Other contenders are Fresno’s "FAT", and Perm, Russia’s is "PEE."

Seattle and SLUT:  In 2007, Seattle opened a new streetcar line connecting the South Lake Union neighborhood to downtown. The project was officially called the South Lake Union Streetcar, but local residents began calling it the South Lake Union Trolley, or SLUT. The city tried to change the opinion, but residents still refer to it as the SLUT. Some local places sell t-shirts that read, “Ride the SLUT.”

Aug 20, 2010

Graham Crackers

The namesake of the graham cracker is a Presbyterian minister who claimed that overeating could not only make you fat, it could make you lecherous, too. Sylvester Graham ran health retreats during the 1830s for like-minded parishioners featuring a strict meat-free, bland diet. It must work, because you do not see many lechers running around eating graham crackers. Although I love them with peanut butter and jelly. Mmmm!