Dec 27, 2014
Happy Friday Christmas Thought
Christmas is the day to skip the past, skip the future, and
enjoy the present, presents, and presence of family and friends.
Merry and Happy Christmas 2014
Merry Christmas in any language sounds as sweet. Happy Christmas, Joyeaux Noel, Froehliche Weihnachten, Mele Kalikimaka, Blithe Yule, Nollaig Shona Dhuit, Buone Feste Natalizie, Buon Natale, Bon Natali, krismas mubarak, Feliz Navidad, Glædelig Jul, Hyvää Joulua, Meri Kirihimete, Maligayang Pasko, Linksmu Kaledu, Craciun fericit, Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva s Novim Godom, Schöni Wiehnachte, Z Rizdvom Khrystovym, Cestitamo Bozic, Vrolijk Kerstfeest.
Xmas vs. Christmas
Some people use Xmas as shorthand for
Christmas, the abbreviation is not modern and was not invented for
the purpose of being disrespectful to Christians. It is not supposed
to eliminate the word “Christ” and the X is not meant to stand for
anonymity. The X is actually considered to represent the letter Chi
from the Greek alphabet, the first letter in the word Christos. The
“-mas” part on the end of Christmas and Xmas comes from the Old
English word for “mass”.
Xmas is sometimes pronounced xmas, but it and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation of Christmas. There is a common misconception that the word Xmas stems from a secular attempt to remove the religious tradition from Christmas by taking the 'Christ' out of 'Christmas', but its use dates back to the 16th century.
In the United States, in 1977 New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson sent out a press release saying that he wanted journalists to keep the 'Christ' in Christmas, and not call it Xmas, which he called a pagan spelling of Christmas. Many of those who dislike abbreviating the word are unfamiliar with a long history of Christians using X in place of 'Christ' for various purposes.
The word 'Christ' and its compounds, including 'Christmas', have been abbreviated in English for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. Christ was often written as "Xρ" or "Xt" as far back as 1021. This X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters χ (Ch) and ρ (R) used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for Christ), and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ. The two Greek letters shown as ☧, is a symbol often used to represent Christ in Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian Churches. Bottom Line; it was once positive to use xmas, but has now become bad form to use anything but Christmas.
Xmas is sometimes pronounced xmas, but it and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation of Christmas. There is a common misconception that the word Xmas stems from a secular attempt to remove the religious tradition from Christmas by taking the 'Christ' out of 'Christmas', but its use dates back to the 16th century.
In the United States, in 1977 New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson sent out a press release saying that he wanted journalists to keep the 'Christ' in Christmas, and not call it Xmas, which he called a pagan spelling of Christmas. Many of those who dislike abbreviating the word are unfamiliar with a long history of Christians using X in place of 'Christ' for various purposes.
The word 'Christ' and its compounds, including 'Christmas', have been abbreviated in English for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. Christ was often written as "Xρ" or "Xt" as far back as 1021. This X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters χ (Ch) and ρ (R) used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for Christ), and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ. The two Greek letters shown as ☧, is a symbol often used to represent Christ in Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian Churches. Bottom Line; it was once positive to use xmas, but has now become bad form to use anything but Christmas.
The Yule Lads
Jolasveinar, or Yulemen, or Christmas boys
are figures from Icelandic folklore who in modern times have become
the Icelandic version of Santa Claus. Their number has varied
throughout the ages, but currently is thirteen. They put rewards or
punishments into shoes placed by children on window sills during the
last thirteen nights before Christmas Eve. Every night, one Yuletide
lad visits each child, leaving gifts for good children or rotting
potatoes for bad children.
In 1932 the poem "Jólasveinarnir" was published as a part of the popular poetry book "Christmas Arrives" by Icelandic poet Jóhannes úr Kötlum. The poem reintroduced Icelandic society to Icelandic Yuletide folklore and established what is now considered the thirteen Yule Lads, their personalities, and connection to other folkloric characters.
The Icelandic Santas first appeared in the 17th century as the sons of two trolls. Gryla and Leppaludi are frightening creatures, and have a reputation for stealing and eating naughty children. Grýla is a dreadful character, described as part troll, part animal, and the mother of 13 precocious boys (the Yule Lads). Grýla lives in the mountains with her third husband, Leppaludi, her thirteen children, and a black cat. Every Christmas, Grýla and her sons come down from the mountains: Grýla in search of naughty children to boil in her cauldron and the boys in search of mischief. She can only capture children who misbehave, but those who repent must be released.
The first Jolasveinar arrives Dec 12 and leaves Dec 25, the second arrives Dec 13 and leaves Dec 26, etc. Below are the names and mischief they cause. They sound like a fun bunch.
Sheep-Cote Clod - Harasses sheep, but is impaired by his stiff peg-legs.
Gully Gawk - Hides in gullies, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk.
Stubby, abnormally short - Steals pans to eat the crust left on them.
Spoon-Licker - Steals spoons to lick and is extremely thin due to malnutrition.
Pot-Scraper - Steals leftovers from pots.
Bowl-Licker - Hides under beds waiting for someone to put down their bowl, which he then steals.
Door-Slammer - Likes to slam doors, especially during the night.
Skyr-Gobbler - A Yule Lad who loves skyr (like yogurt).
Sausage-Swiper - Hides in the rafters and snatches sausages that are being smoked.
Window-Peeper - A voyeur who looks through windows in search of things to steal.
Doorway-Sniffer - Has an abnormally large nose and an acute sense of smell which he uses to locate laufabrauð (Christmas bread).
Meat-Hook - Uses a hook to steal meat.
Candle-Stealer - Follows children in order to steal their candles, which are made of tallow and thus edible.
In 1932 the poem "Jólasveinarnir" was published as a part of the popular poetry book "Christmas Arrives" by Icelandic poet Jóhannes úr Kötlum. The poem reintroduced Icelandic society to Icelandic Yuletide folklore and established what is now considered the thirteen Yule Lads, their personalities, and connection to other folkloric characters.
The Icelandic Santas first appeared in the 17th century as the sons of two trolls. Gryla and Leppaludi are frightening creatures, and have a reputation for stealing and eating naughty children. Grýla is a dreadful character, described as part troll, part animal, and the mother of 13 precocious boys (the Yule Lads). Grýla lives in the mountains with her third husband, Leppaludi, her thirteen children, and a black cat. Every Christmas, Grýla and her sons come down from the mountains: Grýla in search of naughty children to boil in her cauldron and the boys in search of mischief. She can only capture children who misbehave, but those who repent must be released.
The first Jolasveinar arrives Dec 12 and leaves Dec 25, the second arrives Dec 13 and leaves Dec 26, etc. Below are the names and mischief they cause. They sound like a fun bunch.
Sheep-Cote Clod - Harasses sheep, but is impaired by his stiff peg-legs.
Gully Gawk - Hides in gullies, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk.
Stubby, abnormally short - Steals pans to eat the crust left on them.
Spoon-Licker - Steals spoons to lick and is extremely thin due to malnutrition.
Pot-Scraper - Steals leftovers from pots.
Bowl-Licker - Hides under beds waiting for someone to put down their bowl, which he then steals.
Door-Slammer - Likes to slam doors, especially during the night.
Skyr-Gobbler - A Yule Lad who loves skyr (like yogurt).
Sausage-Swiper - Hides in the rafters and snatches sausages that are being smoked.
Window-Peeper - A voyeur who looks through windows in search of things to steal.
Doorway-Sniffer - Has an abnormally large nose and an acute sense of smell which he uses to locate laufabrauð (Christmas bread).
Meat-Hook - Uses a hook to steal meat.
Candle-Stealer - Follows children in order to steal their candles, which are made of tallow and thus edible.
Origin of Christmas Stockings
The tradition of Christmas
stockings is said to have originated from the actions of a kind
noble man named Nicholas, who was born in March, 270 AD, in Patara,
at the time Greek, but now Turkey. While still young, his wealthy
parents died in an epidemic. Nicholas became a Christian priest and
used all his riches to help the poor, the needy, the sick, and the
suffering. He was made Bishop of Myra (modern Turkey) at a young age
and became known for his kindness and generosity. He traveled across
the country helping people, giving gifts of money and other
presents. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as
putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a
practice celebrated on his feast day - St Nicholas Day, December 6
in Western Christianity and 19 December in Eastern Christianity. He
died December 6, 343 AD. Many still observe December 6 as a St.
Nicholas holiday. I grew up enjoying the candy treats thrown on
my porch the evening of December 6.
Nicholas was so widely revered that thousands of churches were named for him, including three hundred in Belgium, thirty-four in Rome, twenty-three in the Netherlands and more than four hundred in England.
Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of Saint Nicholas' life and deeds. One popular account (with many variations) tells us of a poor peasant who lived happily in a small cottage in Saint Nicholas' hometown, with his wife and three daughters. The wife suddenly died of an illness, leaving the poor man and his three daughters in despair. All the burden of household chores now fell upon the daughters.
When the daughters reached a marriage age, the poor father became depressed for he knew he could in no way marry them off to good men. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value - a dowry, which he could not afford.
Saint Nicholas found out about peasant and his daughters and decided to help him. He went to the peasant's house the night before the eldest daughter came of age, with a bag of gold and waited for the family to go to bed. That night, after finishing their washing for the day, the daughters hung their stockings by the fireplace to dry. As they turned off the lamps and fell asleep, St. Nicholas tiptoed to the cottage window and saw the daughters' stockings hanging close to his reach. He carefully put in his bag of gold in one of the stockings and went away.
When the father found the bag the next morning and opened it, he was delighted to find enough gold in the stocking to pay for the dowry of one daughter. The father was able to provide for his eldest daughter and saw that she got married to a nice groom.
Soon after, Saint Nicholas took another bag of gold, and threw it carefully into another stocking. The next morning the man opened the stocking and found enough gold to marry off his second daughter.
The father had grown eager to discover his mysterious benefactor, and each night he stayed awake. When Saint Nicholas came up with another bag of gold, the man recognized him. He fell on his knees and cried of gratitude and thanked him with all his heart.
This is how the tradition of Christmas stockings is said to have begun.
And below, my Christmas stockings.
Nicholas was so widely revered that thousands of churches were named for him, including three hundred in Belgium, thirty-four in Rome, twenty-three in the Netherlands and more than four hundred in England.
Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of Saint Nicholas' life and deeds. One popular account (with many variations) tells us of a poor peasant who lived happily in a small cottage in Saint Nicholas' hometown, with his wife and three daughters. The wife suddenly died of an illness, leaving the poor man and his three daughters in despair. All the burden of household chores now fell upon the daughters.
When the daughters reached a marriage age, the poor father became depressed for he knew he could in no way marry them off to good men. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value - a dowry, which he could not afford.
Saint Nicholas found out about peasant and his daughters and decided to help him. He went to the peasant's house the night before the eldest daughter came of age, with a bag of gold and waited for the family to go to bed. That night, after finishing their washing for the day, the daughters hung their stockings by the fireplace to dry. As they turned off the lamps and fell asleep, St. Nicholas tiptoed to the cottage window and saw the daughters' stockings hanging close to his reach. He carefully put in his bag of gold in one of the stockings and went away.
When the father found the bag the next morning and opened it, he was delighted to find enough gold in the stocking to pay for the dowry of one daughter. The father was able to provide for his eldest daughter and saw that she got married to a nice groom.
Soon after, Saint Nicholas took another bag of gold, and threw it carefully into another stocking. The next morning the man opened the stocking and found enough gold to marry off his second daughter.
The father had grown eager to discover his mysterious benefactor, and each night he stayed awake. When Saint Nicholas came up with another bag of gold, the man recognized him. He fell on his knees and cried of gratitude and thanked him with all his heart.
This is how the tradition of Christmas stockings is said to have begun.
And below, my Christmas stockings.
Origin of Santa Claus
It is believed that Santa Claus
is actually an alteration of this same Saint Nicholas, Santa for
Saint and Claus for Nicholas. The original Santa Claus (and many
current European) outfits resemble a Bishop's clothing, hat, and
staff. The modern figure of Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch
figure of Sinterklaas, whose name is a dialectal pronunciation of
Saint Nicholas.
The 19th century was a time of cultural transition and many wanted to domesticate the Christmas holiday. Through the first half of the 19th century, Presbyterians, Baptists, Quakers, and others continued to regard December 25th as a day without religious significance.
In 1809, Washington Irving published the satirical fiction, Knickerbocker's History of New York, with numerous references to a jolly St. Nicholas character. This was not the saintly bishop, rather an elfin Dutch burgher with a clay pipe. Irving's work was regarded as the "First notable work of imagination in the New World."
In 1810, the New York Historical Society commissioned artist Alexander Anderson to create the first American image of Nicholas for St. Nicholas Day. Nicholas was shown in a gift-giving role with children's treats in stockings hanging at a fireplace.
During 1821, the first lithographed book in America, the Children's Friend described how "Sante (sic) Claus" arrived from the North in a sleigh with a flying reindeer. The anonymous poem and illustrations proved pivotal in shifting imagery away from a saintly bishop. Sante Claus rewarded good behavior and punished bad. Gifts were safe toys, "pretty doll . . . peg-top, or a ball; no crackers, cannons, squibs, or rockets to blow their eyes up, or their pockets. No drums to stun their Mother's ear, nor swords to make their sisters fear; but pretty books to store their mind with knowledge of each various kind." The sleigh had a bookshelf for the "pretty books." The book also marked Sante Claus' first appearance on Christmas Eve, rather than December 6th. The book may have actually been penned a few years earlier according to some accounts.
In 1823, a poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" was penned. It is now better known as "The Night Before Christmas."
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. . . .
This is how St. Nicholas was transformed into Santa Claus.
The 19th century was a time of cultural transition and many wanted to domesticate the Christmas holiday. Through the first half of the 19th century, Presbyterians, Baptists, Quakers, and others continued to regard December 25th as a day without religious significance.
In 1809, Washington Irving published the satirical fiction, Knickerbocker's History of New York, with numerous references to a jolly St. Nicholas character. This was not the saintly bishop, rather an elfin Dutch burgher with a clay pipe. Irving's work was regarded as the "First notable work of imagination in the New World."
In 1810, the New York Historical Society commissioned artist Alexander Anderson to create the first American image of Nicholas for St. Nicholas Day. Nicholas was shown in a gift-giving role with children's treats in stockings hanging at a fireplace.
During 1821, the first lithographed book in America, the Children's Friend described how "Sante (sic) Claus" arrived from the North in a sleigh with a flying reindeer. The anonymous poem and illustrations proved pivotal in shifting imagery away from a saintly bishop. Sante Claus rewarded good behavior and punished bad. Gifts were safe toys, "pretty doll . . . peg-top, or a ball; no crackers, cannons, squibs, or rockets to blow their eyes up, or their pockets. No drums to stun their Mother's ear, nor swords to make their sisters fear; but pretty books to store their mind with knowledge of each various kind." The sleigh had a bookshelf for the "pretty books." The book also marked Sante Claus' first appearance on Christmas Eve, rather than December 6th. The book may have actually been penned a few years earlier according to some accounts.
In 1823, a poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" was penned. It is now better known as "The Night Before Christmas."
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. . . .
This is how St. Nicholas was transformed into Santa Claus.
Perspective
Here is a thought as we ponder our place in the
universe. "Put three grains of sand inside a vast cathedral, and
the cathedral will be more closely packed with sand than space is
with stars." James Jeans
How Many Kisses
A popular study showed that
kissing as a greeting is healthier than a handshake because you
don't know what someone has just been touching.
What we call the 'Eskimo kiss', or rubbing noses is called a kunik by the Inuit. It is an expression of affection, usually from an adult to a child. The Inuit also kiss on the lips as we do. The myth of rubbing noses grew out of a Hollywood silent documentary.
French disagree on the number of greeting kisses, but mostly for central France it's two kisses, and for the North, four. There are exceptions - in Finistère, one kiss is normal - and even disparities within the same area: half the population of Calais prefer deux bises, while the other half will greet you with quatre. The number of kisses can depend on whether someone is a friend or family member, and varies between generations. To the upper-class French any more than two kisses is a faux pas.
Of course, it is not just in France that people greet each other with a kiss; in the Netherlands three is normal, and in Belgium it's one kiss for your peers, but if someone is 10 years older than you, then three is respectful. In Spain, two is normal, but you must kiss the right cheek first.
The French don’t necessarily French kiss more than anyone else; the term probably comes from our belief that French sexuality is more sophisticated. In France, it's known as baiser anglais ('English kissing'), baiser florentin (Florentine kiss) or rouler une pelle (to roll a spade). In Quebec, it is frencher.
Kissing in public is illegal in India and a similar law has been proposed in Russia and Indonesia.
What we call the 'Eskimo kiss', or rubbing noses is called a kunik by the Inuit. It is an expression of affection, usually from an adult to a child. The Inuit also kiss on the lips as we do. The myth of rubbing noses grew out of a Hollywood silent documentary.
French disagree on the number of greeting kisses, but mostly for central France it's two kisses, and for the North, four. There are exceptions - in Finistère, one kiss is normal - and even disparities within the same area: half the population of Calais prefer deux bises, while the other half will greet you with quatre. The number of kisses can depend on whether someone is a friend or family member, and varies between generations. To the upper-class French any more than two kisses is a faux pas.
Of course, it is not just in France that people greet each other with a kiss; in the Netherlands three is normal, and in Belgium it's one kiss for your peers, but if someone is 10 years older than you, then three is respectful. In Spain, two is normal, but you must kiss the right cheek first.
The French don’t necessarily French kiss more than anyone else; the term probably comes from our belief that French sexuality is more sophisticated. In France, it's known as baiser anglais ('English kissing'), baiser florentin (Florentine kiss) or rouler une pelle (to roll a spade). In Quebec, it is frencher.
Kissing in public is illegal in India and a similar law has been proposed in Russia and Indonesia.
Dec 12, 2014
Happy Friday
Even a quantum smile produces exponential benefits.
It is difficult to calculate the exponential benefits of a Happy Friday!
It is difficult to calculate the exponential benefits of a Happy Friday!
Free Microsoft Books
Came across this site recently and
thought it is worth passing along. The site offers over one
hundred Microsoft e-books for free. Topics like Windows 8.1,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Office 2013, Office 365, Office 2010,
SharePoint 2013, Keyboard shortcuts, CRM, PowerShell, etc. Likely
will appeal more to the technical bunch, but also useful to get
the most out of software you may already be using. For instance,
instructions for using Windows voice commands to tell your
computer to perform many actions. LINK
Six Tape Types
Beyond duct tape (Duck tape is a brand
name), scotch tape, packing tape, and others are a few relatively
unknown to many. Here are a few of the more interesting types of
tape.
Speed
tape is an aluminized adhesive tape used to do minor
repairs on aircraft, and as a temporary repair material until a
more permanent repair can be carried out. It has an appearance
similar to duct tape, with which it is sometimes mistaken, but
its adhesive is capable of sticking on an airplane fuselage or
wing at high speeds. It is resistant to water, solvents, and
flames, and will reflect heat and UV light. It is also able to
expand and contract through a wide range of temperatures.
Bondage
tape adheres to itself without using adhesives. Bondage
tape is a 2-to-3-inch-wide (51 to 76mm) and 0.0051 inch-thick
(0.13mm) strip of thin plastic material, usually latex. It is
typically intended to be used for erotic bondage. Since it does
not stick to the hair or skin, a person can be tightly bound or
gagged without causing harm when the tape is removed
Elastic
therapeutic tape, also known as K tape and kinesiology
tape, is an elastic-cotton strip backed with acrylic adhesive.
It is used for treating various physical disorders. It is
claimed to be able to stretch up to 140% of its original length.
As a result, if the tape is applied to a patient with a stretch
greater than its normal length, it will recoil after being
applied and therefore create a pulling force on the skin that it
is being applied to. This elastic property allows much greater
range of motion compared to traditional white athletic tape and
can also be left on for long periods of time.
Gecko
tape is being designed with directional adhesion
properties, which is the ability to grip a load in one direction
and to release its grip when the direction is reversed. The same
structures on Scotch tape revealed that this material could
support a shear stress of 36N/cm2, nearly four times higher than
a gecko foot. This new material can adhere to a wider variety of
materials, including glass and Teflon. When pulled parallel to a
surface, the tape releases, not because the CNTs lose adhesion
from the surface, but because they break, and the tape cannot be
reused. It only works for small area (approximately 1 cm2).
Researchers are currently working on a number of ways to
strengthen the nanotubes.
Lingerie
tape, also called cleavage tape or fashion tape is
double-sided adhesive tape used to keep clothing in place. It
is used to secure the edges of a strapless dress or top to the
cleavage or side of the breasts or on shoulders to secure bra
straps from slipping, in order to keep the item of clothing in
place. It may also be referred to as toupee tape or wig tape, a
similar double-sided tape intended for a different function.
Road
marking tape is reformed polymer tape that can be applied
permanently or temporarily on pavement to create road surface
markings. It is heavy-grade material with reflective beads
embedded in the plastic. It is commonly used to mark crosswalks,
stop bars, and traffic guidance, such as turn lanes, HOV lanes,
train crossings, pedestrian crossings, taxi lanes, bus lanes,
etc.
Holiday Meal Cures
This also a bit tacky, but it is a
real product. Pills to change the smell of flatulence to something
less offensive. Just in time for the holidays. LINK
Searing Meat
A 19th century German chemist Justus von
Liebig was one of the first people to propose that by applying
very high temperatures to meat you would create a 'sealed' layer
of cooked meat through which liquid inside the meat couldn't
escape.
Liebig's experiment compared the liquid and nutrients from a piece of meat submerged in cold water which was gradually heated in that water and simmered in the cooking liquid with a dry piece of meat applied to an extremely hot surface. Liebig thought that searing meat "sealed in juices," because the resulting meat was juicier than the meat that was essentially boiled to death.
However, in the book On Food and Cooking, Harold McGee makes a direct comparison between a seared piece of meat and an un-seared piece, both cooked with identical methods. The result was that the seared piece of meat actually retained fewer juices than the un-seared piece, and at the very least the searing did nothing to preserve the moisture inside the meat. This debate still continues. Many people think that searing meat does result in moister meat, while others dispute it.
In reality, the best thing about searing meat is that when applied to high heat, the surface of the meat undergoes the Maillard Reaction, which results in some delicious browning on the surface of the meat. Bottom line; sear your steaks, not because it locks in juices, but because it is tastier.
Liebig's experiment compared the liquid and nutrients from a piece of meat submerged in cold water which was gradually heated in that water and simmered in the cooking liquid with a dry piece of meat applied to an extremely hot surface. Liebig thought that searing meat "sealed in juices," because the resulting meat was juicier than the meat that was essentially boiled to death.
However, in the book On Food and Cooking, Harold McGee makes a direct comparison between a seared piece of meat and an un-seared piece, both cooked with identical methods. The result was that the seared piece of meat actually retained fewer juices than the un-seared piece, and at the very least the searing did nothing to preserve the moisture inside the meat. This debate still continues. Many people think that searing meat does result in moister meat, while others dispute it.
In reality, the best thing about searing meat is that when applied to high heat, the surface of the meat undergoes the Maillard Reaction, which results in some delicious browning on the surface of the meat. Bottom line; sear your steaks, not because it locks in juices, but because it is tastier.
Which Sandwich
The Earl of Sandwich is purportedly the
first to put a slab of meat between two slices of bread.
The
existence of the club sandwich comes from a cook named Danny
Mears, who worked at the Saratoga Club House in Saratoga
Springs, N.Y. during the 1800s.
During
the 1920s, Reuben Kulakofsky, who was playing poker at the
Blackstone Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, ordered a sandwich with
corned beef and sauerkraut. Bernard Schimme made the sandwich by
draining the sauerkraut and mixing it with Thousand Island
dressing then layering it with corned beef and Swiss cheese on
dark rye bread. He then grilled the sandwich and served it with
it a sliced kosher dill pickle and potato chips.
A
French myth says croque monsieur was accidentally discovered in
1910 when some French workers left their lunch pails full of
cheese and ham sandwiches too close to a hot radiator. The
sandwich was originally made with ham and Gruyère cheese, later
evolving into other variations like the the croque madame, the
croque Provencal, the croque tartiflette, and the Monte Cristo (my
favorite).
The
grilled cheese sandwich was first widely eaten as a cheap meal
during the US Great Depression, when cheese and bread were some
of the least expensive food items.
In
1901, Julia David Chandler published the first known recipe for
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Peanut butter is not widely
consumed in Europe and is almost never mixed with jelly. In the
US peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple.
Joe
Lorenza added cheese to a popular chopped steak sandwich
creating the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich during the 1940s.
The
bacon chip butty is made with handfuls of French fries and large
pieces of crispy bacon between two slices of soft buttered
bread. It was originally considered a working-class meal and was served in English pubs. Yum!
The
most likely story of the origin of the New Orleans po' boy
belongs to Clovis and Benjamin Martin, who had a restaurant on
St. Claude Avenue during the 1920s. When streetcar drivers went
on strike in 1929, the brothers created an inexpensive sandwich
consisting of gravy and bits of roast beef on French bread that
they served unemployed workers out of the back of their
restaurant. A worker would come to get one and the restaurant
employees would yell, “Here comes another poor boy.” which
eventually transferred to the name of the sandwich, po’ boy.
Wordology, Lector
The word ‘lector’ usually makes us think of
university lecturers and public speakers, but in the 1900s, a
lector was actually a form of entertainment. A factory lector
was employed to entertain workers in cigar factories by reading
out loud, usually newspapers and sometimes novels. The
profession started in Cuba, later becoming more prominent in New
York and Florida.
Life in a cigar factory was mostly manual labor, such as rolling cigars by hand, so the lectors proved to be good for the morale of workers. The employees would pool money together to help pay the lector’s salary. Lectors had a huge influence on the workers, providing an education for them through their reading. Lectors were eventually replaced by radios during the 1920’s.
Life in a cigar factory was mostly manual labor, such as rolling cigars by hand, so the lectors proved to be good for the morale of workers. The employees would pool money together to help pay the lector’s salary. Lectors had a huge influence on the workers, providing an education for them through their reading. Lectors were eventually replaced by radios during the 1920’s.
Expired Milk Dates
That date on the carton of milk could
mean very different things depending on what US state you are in.
Some states require a sell by date, which indicates the last day a
store can legally sell the milk. It is calculated to give the
consumer a reasonable amount of time to enjoy. Other states have a
use by date that indicates the date milk is believed to be at peak
flavor. For instance, milk cartons in Montana are labeled with a
sell by date 12 days after pasteurization, Washington requires a
use by date that is 21 days after pasteurization.
While the pasteurization of milk kills most of the harmful bacteria, precautions always need to be made by the consumer to keep the milk from going bad. One way to keep milk as fresh as possible is to keep it on a shelf, never in the door of your fridge, where temperature fluctuates the most.
Depending on whom you ask, the refrigerator temperature should be 34-38 °F or 38-40 °F. Warmer temperatures give bacteria more of a chance to develop.
One rule of thumb is that if you are properly refrigerating it, whole milk's expiration date is five days after the "sell-by" date. If it is non-fat, skim, or reduced fat, you will have a bit less time. Ultra pasteurized milk has a longer shelf life than other types of milk and can be left in the pantry until opened, and then it must be chilled.
While the pasteurization of milk kills most of the harmful bacteria, precautions always need to be made by the consumer to keep the milk from going bad. One way to keep milk as fresh as possible is to keep it on a shelf, never in the door of your fridge, where temperature fluctuates the most.
Depending on whom you ask, the refrigerator temperature should be 34-38 °F or 38-40 °F. Warmer temperatures give bacteria more of a chance to develop.
One rule of thumb is that if you are properly refrigerating it, whole milk's expiration date is five days after the "sell-by" date. If it is non-fat, skim, or reduced fat, you will have a bit less time. Ultra pasteurized milk has a longer shelf life than other types of milk and can be left in the pantry until opened, and then it must be chilled.
Dec 5, 2014
Meeting Minutes
Meeting minutes have nothing to do with
time, but rather small, as in minute (my-newt). Minutes in this
sense first appeared in the early 18th century, possibly directly
from the Latin “minuta scriptura”, meaning small notes.
Minutes as in 'meeting notes' references condensing something, such as information down, as in the 'my-newt' pronunciation, not as in 'seconds, minutes, hours'.
Minutes as in 'meeting notes' references condensing something, such as information down, as in the 'my-newt' pronunciation, not as in 'seconds, minutes, hours'.
Straight Teeth Talk
Though fillings do crack and decay over
time, you rarely need all of them replaced at once. Some dentists
claim that old silver fillings need to be removed for safety
reasons, because they leech mercury, but that idea is a myth.
There is enough fluoride in our drinking water and in over-the-counter toothpastes to prevent cavities in most people, so additional fluoride from a dentist is additional cost, with little benefit.
There is enough fluoride in our drinking water and in over-the-counter toothpastes to prevent cavities in most people, so additional fluoride from a dentist is additional cost, with little benefit.
Circadian Rhythms
These are physical, mental and behavioral
changes that follow an approximately 24-hour cycle, responding
primarily to light and darkness in an organism’s environment. The
study of circadian rhythms is called chronobiology.
The master clock that controls circadian rhythms consists of a group of nerve cells in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN. The SCN contains about 20,000 nerve cells and is located in the hypothalamus, an area of the brain just above where the optic nerves from the eyes cross. SCN controls the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy. When there is less light, like at night, the SCN tells the brain to make more melatonin so we get drowsy.
Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature, and other important bodily functions. They have been linked to various sleep disorders, including insomnia. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder.
Clock genes contain instructions for making clock proteins, whose levels rise and fall in a regular cyclic pattern. This pattern in turn regulates the activity of the genes.
Many of the clock genes and proteins are similar across species, allowing researchers to make important findings about human circadian processes by studying the clock components of other organisms. They have identified genes that direct circadian rhythms in people, fruit flies, mice, fungi, bread mold, plants, and several other model organisms used for studying genetics.
Jet lag occurs when travelers suffer from disrupted circadian rhythms. When you pass through different time zones, your body’s clock will be different from your wristwatch. For example, if you fly in an airplane from California to New York, you 'lose' 3 hours of time. So when you wake up at 7:00 a.m., your body still thinks it is 4:00 a.m., making you feel disoriented. Your body’s clock will eventually reset itself, but this often takes a few days. My circadian clock tells me this is a Happy Friday.
The master clock that controls circadian rhythms consists of a group of nerve cells in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN. The SCN contains about 20,000 nerve cells and is located in the hypothalamus, an area of the brain just above where the optic nerves from the eyes cross. SCN controls the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy. When there is less light, like at night, the SCN tells the brain to make more melatonin so we get drowsy.
Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature, and other important bodily functions. They have been linked to various sleep disorders, including insomnia. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder.
Clock genes contain instructions for making clock proteins, whose levels rise and fall in a regular cyclic pattern. This pattern in turn regulates the activity of the genes.
Many of the clock genes and proteins are similar across species, allowing researchers to make important findings about human circadian processes by studying the clock components of other organisms. They have identified genes that direct circadian rhythms in people, fruit flies, mice, fungi, bread mold, plants, and several other model organisms used for studying genetics.
Jet lag occurs when travelers suffer from disrupted circadian rhythms. When you pass through different time zones, your body’s clock will be different from your wristwatch. For example, if you fly in an airplane from California to New York, you 'lose' 3 hours of time. So when you wake up at 7:00 a.m., your body still thinks it is 4:00 a.m., making you feel disoriented. Your body’s clock will eventually reset itself, but this often takes a few days. My circadian clock tells me this is a Happy Friday.
Bacon’s Blood Balancing Bounty
Several university and
medical center studies have shown that including bacon as a regular,
moderate part of one’s diet, naturally works to lower the body's
blood pressure and blood sugar levels, helping to prevent and / or
alleviate the effects of diabetes, as well as heart disease, and
stroke.
What's in a Name, Budapest
Óbuda united with Buda and Pest
in 1873. Budapest is the capital and largest city of Hungary.
Pest is the eastern, mostly flat part of Budapest, Hungary, comprising about two thirds of the city's territory. It is separated from Buda by the Danube River. In colloquial Hungarian, "Pest" is often used for the whole capital of Budapest. Harry Houdini was from Pest
Buda is the former capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and the western part Budapest. Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and is mostly wooded and hilly. Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, and was first completed in 1265.
Obuda means old Buda and it is located on the western side of the city. It has a sculpture in the town square of people waiting for the rain to stop.
Pest is the eastern, mostly flat part of Budapest, Hungary, comprising about two thirds of the city's territory. It is separated from Buda by the Danube River. In colloquial Hungarian, "Pest" is often used for the whole capital of Budapest. Harry Houdini was from Pest
Buda is the former capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and the western part Budapest. Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and is mostly wooded and hilly. Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, and was first completed in 1265.
Obuda means old Buda and it is located on the western side of the city. It has a sculpture in the town square of people waiting for the rain to stop.
Adware, Malware, Phishing, Spyware, Trojan Horse, Virus, and Warez
These terms show up often, especially during the
holidays when more people than ever are cruising the web for
bargains. Here are a few descriptions to help you understand the
lingo.
Adware is typically an application that shows users an excessive amount of advertising in return for providing a service of little value. There is a grey area from most anti-virus companies as to how to handle adware, because so many applications have begun to show ads.
Malware generally is an all-encompassing term used to describe any harmful program. This includes spyware, viruses, and phishing scams.
Phishing and spyware are closely related. They work by tricking users and sending user information to a third party. A phishing application or website will pretend to be from a trusted source to try and trick a person into entering personal information.
Spyware tries to hide itself from users. It is an application that reads user information and data without the user actually knowing it - and reporting it back to a third party. This includes keystroke loggers to steal passwords or credit card information.
A trojan horse is a specific type of virus. The app pretends to be something useful, or helpful, or fun while causing harm or stealing data. This term is often used to describe spyware and phishing attacks as well.
The term virus term has mostly been replaced by malware, although there is a subtle difference. Virus typically takes control of the operating system and either damages it, or uses it for its own purposes. An example might be sending emails to everyone in the email address book.
Warez typically refers to pirated or unlicensed software. The files are stolen from the real developers.
Bottom line - Adware is aggravating, but not usually harmful. Phishing and trojan horses wear masks and steal data, while spyware hides itself and steals data. Malware is the new all-encompassing term, except for Warez. Malware aggravates or steals from us while Warez steals from developers.
Adware is typically an application that shows users an excessive amount of advertising in return for providing a service of little value. There is a grey area from most anti-virus companies as to how to handle adware, because so many applications have begun to show ads.
Malware generally is an all-encompassing term used to describe any harmful program. This includes spyware, viruses, and phishing scams.
Phishing and spyware are closely related. They work by tricking users and sending user information to a third party. A phishing application or website will pretend to be from a trusted source to try and trick a person into entering personal information.
Spyware tries to hide itself from users. It is an application that reads user information and data without the user actually knowing it - and reporting it back to a third party. This includes keystroke loggers to steal passwords or credit card information.
A trojan horse is a specific type of virus. The app pretends to be something useful, or helpful, or fun while causing harm or stealing data. This term is often used to describe spyware and phishing attacks as well.
The term virus term has mostly been replaced by malware, although there is a subtle difference. Virus typically takes control of the operating system and either damages it, or uses it for its own purposes. An example might be sending emails to everyone in the email address book.
Warez typically refers to pirated or unlicensed software. The files are stolen from the real developers.
Bottom line - Adware is aggravating, but not usually harmful. Phishing and trojan horses wear masks and steal data, while spyware hides itself and steals data. Malware is the new all-encompassing term, except for Warez. Malware aggravates or steals from us while Warez steals from developers.
Subway Restaurant Facts
There are currently 42,859 Subway
restaurants in 108 countries around the world. Subway has overtaken
McDonald’s in number of locations. Subway has plans to have 50,000
restaurants around the world by 2018, which means the company will
need to open more than six restaurants a day, every day, for the
next four years. Subway has opened, on average, more than two
restaurants per day since 1965.
Holiday Travel Tip
While traveling, carry-on bags, purses,
and wallets can be easily lost or stolen. This is an easy hack to
prevent potential headaches, especially for international travel.
Scan driver's license, passport, traveler's checks, credit card
number, and card help line phone numbers, or any other important
information, then e-mail the information to yourself. Now you can go
to any computer in the world and get a copy of your documents and
information.
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