Between
1718 and 1776, British authorities exiled approximately 50,000
male and female convicts to American colonies in a policy
euphemistically known as 'transportation'. Once in America, the
convicts fell under a life of servitude or outright slavery,
underfed and overworked.
They had to obey their
masters or risk being imprisoned. In the early period of
transportation, half of them died while in bondage. The
Americans’ demands for independence caused Britain to stop
sending its convicts to America and forced the Brits to send
them to Australia instead. The Australian convict trade was
about three times as large as the American version.
Sep 16, 2017
Sep 8, 2017
Happy Friday
If you cannot change,
how can you ever discover that each day is better than the last.
Today is a better day to celebrate a Happy Friday!
Today is a better day to celebrate a Happy Friday!
Wordology, Laughing Hyena
It is used to describe someone cackling: "laughing
like a hyena."
Scientists who have studied hyenas will tell you the unique sounds they make are not actually laughing. Hyenas do indeed make loud barking noises that sound like cackling laughter, but it is not because they are amused by anything.
Instead, a hyena's sound is actually a form of communication used to convey frustration, excitement, warning, or fear. Most often, you hear this unique vocalization during a hunt or when the animals are feeding on prey as a group.
What sounds like maniacal giggling to humans lets other hyenas know that one of the other members of their pack has either made a kill or been attacked. When sharing a fresh kill, the sound might also indicate frustration on the part of a younger animal that did not get its fair share yet. Likewise, the animal in possession of the meat might also 'laugh' as a warning to others that it is not ready to share yet.
There are several species of hyenas, and they all have a variety of unique vocalizations. Only one of these species, the spotted hyena makes the laughing sound that has become synonymous with hyenas, in general.
Researchers have also learned that the pitch of a hyena's sound usually varies dependent upon its social status. Hyena packs are matrilineal, which means that females are dominant and lead the pack. There is intense competition for food within a pack, and the subordinate animals, often male tend to make the sound more frequently with a higher pitch.
Scientists who have studied hyenas will tell you the unique sounds they make are not actually laughing. Hyenas do indeed make loud barking noises that sound like cackling laughter, but it is not because they are amused by anything.
Instead, a hyena's sound is actually a form of communication used to convey frustration, excitement, warning, or fear. Most often, you hear this unique vocalization during a hunt or when the animals are feeding on prey as a group.
What sounds like maniacal giggling to humans lets other hyenas know that one of the other members of their pack has either made a kill or been attacked. When sharing a fresh kill, the sound might also indicate frustration on the part of a younger animal that did not get its fair share yet. Likewise, the animal in possession of the meat might also 'laugh' as a warning to others that it is not ready to share yet.
There are several species of hyenas, and they all have a variety of unique vocalizations. Only one of these species, the spotted hyena makes the laughing sound that has become synonymous with hyenas, in general.
Researchers have also learned that the pitch of a hyena's sound usually varies dependent upon its social status. Hyena packs are matrilineal, which means that females are dominant and lead the pack. There is intense competition for food within a pack, and the subordinate animals, often male tend to make the sound more frequently with a higher pitch.
Scrolling Tip
If you tap the space bar while on a web page you will scroll
down, but if you hold down the shift key and hit the space bar
you will scroll up.
Costco Liquor Facts
Costco is the US largest wine seller.
In many states, like Texas you do not need to have a membership to buy liquor.
It sells more bottles of Dom Perignon champagne than any other store in the country.
Costco brand wine, beer, and liquor is Kirkland.
Costco's Kirkland brand vodka scored higher than Grey Goose in blind tastings and its water comes from the same region in France.
In many states, like Texas you do not need to have a membership to buy liquor.
It sells more bottles of Dom Perignon champagne than any other store in the country.
Costco brand wine, beer, and liquor is Kirkland.
Costco's Kirkland brand vodka scored higher than Grey Goose in blind tastings and its water comes from the same region in France.
Behind the Scenes
Just came across this web site and found some fascinating
behind the scenes special effects that movie makers use. An
educating look at the process LINK.
What's in a Name, Genghis Khan
That was his title, his name was Temüjin,
which means “of iron” or “blacksmith.” He was the Great Khan and
founder of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest
contiguous empire in history after his death. First Khagan (Great
Kahn) of the Mongol Empire and Supreme Khan of the Mongols, the
King of Kings.
Between 1206 and his death in 1227, the Mongol leader Genghis Khan conquered nearly 12 million square miles of territory, more than any individual in history. He was responsible for the deaths of as many as 40 million people.
He came to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia. After founding the Empire and being proclaimed "Genghis Khan," he launched the Mongol invasions that conquered most of Eurasia.
The Mongol Empire ended up ruling, or at least briefly conquering, large parts of modern day China, Mongolia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, and Kuwait. Many of these invasions repeated the earlier large-scale slaughters of local populations.
Between 1206 and his death in 1227, the Mongol leader Genghis Khan conquered nearly 12 million square miles of territory, more than any individual in history. He was responsible for the deaths of as many as 40 million people.
He came to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia. After founding the Empire and being proclaimed "Genghis Khan," he launched the Mongol invasions that conquered most of Eurasia.
The Mongol Empire ended up ruling, or at least briefly conquering, large parts of modern day China, Mongolia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, and Kuwait. Many of these invasions repeated the earlier large-scale slaughters of local populations.
Scissors Facts
Many people mistakenly give credit to Leonardo da Vinci for
inventing scissors, but scissors were invented many years before
him. Some believe scissors were invented in the Middle East over
3,000 years ago. The device consisted of two bronze blades
connected by a spring-like mechanism that kept the blades apart
until they were squeezed together.
A pair of scissors more like modern scissors with a cross-blade design was developed by the ancient Romans around 100 A.D.
Cross-blade scissors were made by hand for hundreds of years and were not mass-produced until 1761 when English manufacturer Robert Hinchliffe adapted the design so it could be manufactured in a factory. He was also the first to make scissors with steel.
Today, there are a wide variety of scissors with specific purposes. Scissors with a length in excess of six inches are often referred to as shears. Children's or safety scissors have dull blades and rounded tips to ensure their safe use in school environments. Nail scissors were specially developed to cut fingernails and toenails. There are also specialty scissors used by hairdressers, seamstresses, doctors, and more.
A pair of scissors more like modern scissors with a cross-blade design was developed by the ancient Romans around 100 A.D.
Cross-blade scissors were made by hand for hundreds of years and were not mass-produced until 1761 when English manufacturer Robert Hinchliffe adapted the design so it could be manufactured in a factory. He was also the first to make scissors with steel.
Today, there are a wide variety of scissors with specific purposes. Scissors with a length in excess of six inches are often referred to as shears. Children's or safety scissors have dull blades and rounded tips to ensure their safe use in school environments. Nail scissors were specially developed to cut fingernails and toenails. There are also specialty scissors used by hairdressers, seamstresses, doctors, and more.
Gas is Not a Gas
Soon after oil was found in Pennsylvania during 1859, John
Cassell, publisher and coffee merchant, began importing it to
London. Cassell came up with a name for the substance, inspired
by his own name, cazeline. On 27 November 1862 he placed an
advertisement in The Times that stated, "The Patent Cazeline
Oil, safe, economical, and brilliant … possesses all the
requisites which have so long been desired as a means of
powerful artificial light.
The first use of gasoline to be found in America is in an 1864 Act of Congress which declared a tax on the oil.
Cassell discovered a shopkeeper in Dublin, Samuel Boyd selling counterfeit cazeline and wrote to him to ask him to stop. Boyd did not reply, but instead went through his stock, changing with a single dash of his pen, every ‘C’ into a ‘G’ and gazeline was born.
The first use of gasoline to be found in America is in an 1864 Act of Congress which declared a tax on the oil.
Cassell discovered a shopkeeper in Dublin, Samuel Boyd selling counterfeit cazeline and wrote to him to ask him to stop. Boyd did not reply, but instead went through his stock, changing with a single dash of his pen, every ‘C’ into a ‘G’ and gazeline was born.
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