Nov 25, 2016

Happy Friday

A genuine smile is the greatest courtesy.

I always extend my courtesies to all, especially on a Happy Friday!

Paper Towels Origin

Scott Paper Company capitalized on the demand for improved hygiene by essentially 'inventing' the market for toilet paper. Nearly a decade later, a manufacturing error at Scott’s mills revolutionized the company by producing tissue that was too thick to use as toilet paper.

Remembering a story about a schoolteacher who cut up copy paper for her students to use as hand wipes (as opposed to a communal cloth that spread germs), company founder Arthur Scott set his sights on marketing the world’s first disposable paper towel.

By perforating the thick, unusable paper so that it could be dispensed in individual sheets, Scott targeted his sales to railroad stations, hotels, industrial buildings, and schools under the name “Sani-Towels.” By 1931, a paper manufacturer’s mistake had become a successful household item throughout America.

Cannabis Genotype vs. Phenotype

There are there are defining characteristics for every strain, but each plant uniquely expresses genes according to its garden environment. That is why the government is so determined to control the production process, from seed to distribution.

Two things influence the structural formation of any given cannabis plant: genetics and environment. The plant’s genetic makeup, also called a genotype, acts as a blueprint for growth: it allows a spectrum of physical possibilities, but it is up to the environment to induce these characteristics.

The physical expression of a genotype is referred to as a phenotype, which is simply defined as the traits that the environment pulls out from the plant’s genetic code. Everything from color, shape, smell, and resin production are affected by the environment.

Cannabis breeding took a major turn during the 1970s and 1980s when federal anti-cannabis sentiments peaked, driving cultivation from the great outdoors to inside. Indoor gardens, raised by soil, electric lights, and hydroponic systems, produce a bulk of the cannabis in the market today. The plant’s phenotypic expression depends on: nutrients, temperature, the amount and angle of light, soil type, photoperiod length, time of harvest, and the distance between the plant and light source. These and other conditions affect a plant’s characteristics.

Narrowing diversity even further, growers during this time were primarily motivated by THC content and selectively chose this characteristic over other important chemical constituents like CBD.

Windows 10 Sign-in

Are you required to sign in to your computer each time you turn it on? Do you hate that? If you are not worried that someone will use your computer without your permission, there is a way to turn this 'feature' off.

Click Start > Settings > Accounts. On the left choose “Sign-in options.” Up at the top, under “Require sign-in” set the drop-down box to say Never.

Now you can turn on your PC, go get a cup of coffee, and when you return it will be ready for you to use.

AVOD, SVOD, TVOD

These days there is much talk about 'cutting the cord', or eliminating the increasingly high cable TV costs. People are looking for decreased costs and instant gratification. The irony is, while people are installing ever larger TV screens in the home, many people are opting to choose their entertainment on miniscule phone screens and tablets. There are common terms for this instant gratification.

VOD is Video On Demand. Wherever there is a screen, in your pocket, in your car, etc., you can watch the latest episode of your favorite show or watch a movie.

AVOD is Advertising or Ad-based VOD. It is a model that is free of monthly or on demand cost, but you pay by letting yourself be subjected to commercials. Think YouTube as an example or commercial, non-cable TV.

SVOD is Subscription VOD, a type of service that requires a paid subscription agreement, which grants access to movies, shows, or other content. The fees are typically charged monthly.

TVOD is Transactional VOD. It is a service that is paid for as you watch. TVOD is typically free sign up, then pay for any content you watch. This is like an electronic version of the old Blockbuster model, watch a movie, pay a fee, watch another movie, pay another fee.

There are examples of services that operate with mixed models, where the customer will pay a monthly fee, which will grant access to certain types of content, but there are extra fees applied to watch particular pieces of content, such as a live sports event. Cable TV, Rabbittv, Selecttv, and VRV are mixed models.

The Internet, with its Over-The-Top (OTT), or Over-The-Air (OTA) watch anything, anywhere, anytime for free is disrupting most of the paid schemes and forcing cable operators to rethink their business models and outrageous fees.

Phone and Internet Use

The International Telecommunication Union reports that Earth has as many phone subscriptions as people (7 billion), even if it does not translate to a phone for each person.

It also finds internet usage is not evenly distributed. Though broadband networks are available to 84 percent of the world’s population, just 47 percent actually use the internet.

GMT and UTC

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is often confused with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). GMT and UTC share the same current time in practice, but there is a basic difference between the two. GMT is a time zone and UTC is a time standard.

GMT is a time zone officially used in some European, African, and other countries. The time can be displayed using both the 24-hour format (0 - 24) or the 12-hour format (1 - 12 am/pm).

UTC is not a time zone, but a time standard that is the basis for civil time and time zones worldwide. This means that no country or territory officially uses UTC as a local time.

Neither UTC nor GMT ever change for Daylight Saving Time. However, some of the countries that use GMT switch to different time zones during their Daylight Saving Time periods. For example, the United Kingdom is not on GMT all year, it uses British Summer Time (BST), which is one hour ahead of GMT, during the summer months. Seems to me all Daylight Saving Time should adopt the British acronym and call it for what it is - BST, for Bull S... Time.

Einstein the Horse

 Miniature horses were first developed in Europe during the 1600s, and by 1765, they were seen frequently as the pets of nobility. Miniature horse life span is 25 to 35 years, but often live longer, with the oldest known ones living 50 years of age.

The English began using small ponies in their mines. At the peak of this practice in 1913, there were 70,000 ponies underground in Britain. In later years, mechanical haulage was introduced on the main underground roads replacing the pony haulers. As of 1984, 55 ponies were still in use at the pit in Ellington, Northumberland. When Ellington closed in 1994, the last four pit ponies were brought out.

Einstein, who was born during 2010 in New Hampshire, US is a miniature pinto stallion and not a dwarf. This tiny steed is just 20 inches tall and weighs 47 pounds. His father and mother are 32 inches and 30 inches respectively and are national mini horse champions.

Nov 18, 2016

Happy Friday

Sadness cannot open the door to a happy house.

My doors are always open to celebrate a Happy Friday!

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

Steamboat Willie was first released on November 18, 1928, in New York. It was co-directed by Walt Disney. “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.” Walt Disney

International Men's Day

International Men’s Day is celebrated every year on November 19. It is dedicated to celebrating men and raising awareness of men’s issues and rights.

World Toilet Day

Totally, completely, and absolutely not related to International Men's Day. World Toilet Day is a day to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.

Happy Thanksgiving next Week

Hope your Holiday is filled with good fun, good family, good friends, good drinks, and good food!

Bottled Water Sources

Companies are not required to publicly disclose exactly where their sources of collection are. Ironically, most US bottled water comes from (drought stricken) California. Almost all US tap water is better regulated and monitored than bottled water is.

Purified water is a different story. It is usually produced by distillation, de-ionization or reverse osmosis. This water can originate from either the tap or from ground water. Often labeled "purified" or drinking water," this processed water often has minerals added to it to give it taste.

There are more than 3,600 brands of bottled water available. Many now come packed with vitamins, minerals, probiotics,  flavors, and natural and artificial sweeteners.

The various types of bottled water are sourced from:
  • Well water (water found underground that is trapped by rocks or sand)
  • Spring water (collected at the source of a spring)
  • Groundwater (mineral water contains natural minerals dissolved from the source)
  • Distilled water (collected from the steam of boiled water)
  • Purified water (water from anywhere, but it is treated to remove chemicals).
About 55 percent of bottled water in the United States is spring water, including Crystal Geyser and Arrowhead.
Evian, Perrier, and Vittel come from natural springs in France. FIJI Water comes from a source in the Yaqara Valley of Viti Levu, one of Fiji’s two principal islands, and is now the number one imported bottled water in the United States. San Pellegrino comes from mountain springs in Italy. Mountain Valley Spring Water comes from Arkansas. Saratoga springs comes from New York and is injected with additional carbonation during bottling. Everest water comes from Texas, Glacier Mountain comes from Ohio, and only about a third of Poland Springs water comes from the actual Poland Spring, in Maine.

Aquafina and Dasani use tap water and treat it. In fact, Aquafina, was recently forced to change their labels to reflect the true source of their water: Public Water Source, in other words, tap water. Coca-Cola bottling plants, which produce Dasani, use 1.63 liters of water for every liter of beverage produced in California.
The following are bottled water brands who refuse to release the location of their water source.

    Big Y Natural Spring Water
    Cool Springs Purified Drinking Water
    Crystal Clear Bottled Water Purified Drinking Water
    Deja Blue Purified Drinking Water
    Floravita 2000 Super Aqua Ultrapure Premium Water
    H20m Natural Spring Water
    Kroger Distilled Water
    Nursery Purified Water
    Publix Drinking Water
    Simply H20
    Smart Sense Purified Water
    Sunnyside Farms Purified Water
    Trader Joe’s Electrolyte Enhanced Water
    Vintage Natural Spring Water
    Voss Artisian Water
    Whole Foods Italian Still Mineral Water
    365 Everday Value Spring Water

The International Bottled Water Association lists more than 20 brands of bottled water that contain fluoride. A few of the brands are Arrowhead, Deer Park, Hinkley Springs, Nursery Water, Ozarka, and more. DS Services and Nestle Waters North America are the most common manufacturers listed.
A new type, Alkaline water, also called ionized water has claimed health benefits. However, researchers have not yet verified claims that alkaline water can cure illnesses or prevent certain conditions. Most doctors agree more studies are needed.


The consensus between the two main water quality regulating groups EPA and EWG, and health research is that bottled water is inferior in quality to tap water. This is due to the extreme filtering process and type of disinfection used.

Lost Cat Tip

Was not sure I believed this, but verified it with a few cat sites and it appears to be true. Here are things you can do to assist in having your cat return home. Put the litter box or scoop of used litter outside along with any of the following: articles of  your own worn clothing, a slept on pillowcase, a used bath mat or towel, a vacuum bag or canister and kitty’s favorite bed or blanket. These will be familiar scents that will appeal to kitty. It is said they can smell from long distances. Putting out cat food does not work.

Incidentally, statistics show many cats return from 8pm to 2am and from 4am to 7am.

Indica vs. Sativa vs. Hybrid

With the recent election, another sea change is beginning. That change stems from a number of states approving legislation for the legalization of marijuana, either for recreational or medical purposes.
It seems odd to me that any substance can be classified as either medical or recreational. I guess that pouring vodka on a wound to cleanse it might be considered medical use and drinking it might be considered recreational. However, marijuana can be ingested the same way for both purposes. The practical distinction appears to be political.
Cannabis classification has been around for a long time. Early taxonomic distinctions between Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa began in the 18th century when differences between their structure and resin production were first noted. The hybrid category was adopted later on, as growers began mixing genetics from different geographic locations. In addition to the major strains, each can have many minor strains that produce different effects.

Indica strains are known for being physically sedating, perfect for relaxing with a movie or as a nightcap before bed.

Sativas typically provide more invigorating, uplifting cerebral effects that pair well with physical activity, social gatherings, and creative projects.

Hybrids tend to fall somewhere in between the indica-sativa spectrum, depending on the traits they inherit from their parent strains.
Other unique attributes:
Indica and sativa plants have differences in appearance.
Sativa plants have a longer maturation cycle than indica plants.
Indica strains tend to produce heavier yields than sativa strains.
Indica and sativa strains tend to have different flavor profiles.

Because of these differences, medical patients using cannabis to treat their symptoms and conditions may also consider a strain’s classification. A patient suffering from fatigue or depression may use a sativa during the day, and another treating pain and insomnia will likely choose an indica strain at nighttime.


Incidentally, most countries use the word cannabis vs. the US use of the word marijuana. Also, the US stock market and valuations for cannabis companies is vigorously growing. See also my blog LINK

Great TP Tax

In New York, sales tax for toilet paper is 8.875 percent. Many New Yorkers are unaware of the taxation on a product that is a necessity of everyday life.
After discovering Florida’s sales tax laws, Sun Sentinel columnist Michael Mayo launched a petition pleading for legislators to exempt toilet paper from taxation.  His lone petition drew a mere 89 supporters.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania are the only two states that specifically exempt toilet paper from tax. during 2016, Costco in New Jersey was sued for charging toilet paper tax. Case is still pending. Target in Pennsylvania was also sued for charging tax on toilet paper.

All toilet papers today break down well in the septic system. However, thinner is better. 1 ply bath tissue will break down easier and is best in recreational vehicles and boats.


Incidentally, In 1996, President Clinton passed a “Toilet Paper Tax” of 6 cents per roll.

Movember Fact

A scientist found the average drinker takes ten sips to finish a pint of beer, of which 0.56 millilitres of Guinness is trapped in the average mustache at every sip. That means almost 163,000 pints of Guinness is wasted each year due to mustaches. This can be seen as a tribute to the sacrifice men who grow mustaches during the month of November to benefit prostate cancer research.

Nov 11, 2016

Happy Friday

If you marry happiness, laughter and joy will be your offspring.

I am wed to creating many a Happy Friday!

Love Your Lawyer Day

Last Friday was Love Your Lawyer Day. Really! It was created in 2001 by attorney Nader Anise, American Lawyers Public Image Association, to begin a campaign of “No Lawyer Bashing or Jokes for a day.” That's it, just do not tell lawyer jokes today. Seems easy enough - Uh, did you hear the one about the lawyer, the donkey and the pig. . .

Splitting States

The United States is strange for many reasons, not the least of which is separating states into two. For Instance, North and South Carolina's evolution from the colony to two separate colonies and then two states occurred back in the 1700s and was caused partly by messy beginnings of governance and poor leadership, and partly by the fact that the original land grant was too large.

West Virginia split from the eastern portion of Virginia in 1861, because the latter voted to secede from the United States in the lead-up to the Civil War.

North and South Dakota had at least two reasons to split. From the creation of the Dakota Territory in 1861 until 1883, Yankton was the capital, in the southeastern corner of the territory. It was a steamboat landing along the Missouri River. However, the landing was crushed by the breaking of an ice dam, in 1881, and the entire riverfront and downtown area were flooded.

Two years later, the northern region of the Dakota Territory declared Bismarck as the capital of the territory. The people living in the southern region planned to become a separate state from the northern territory, so that they could have their own capital. The government balked and said there were not enough people for two states. When North Dakota was finally populated enough to become a state, in 1889, there was a rivalry about which state would be admitted first.


Another, perhaps more important, reason for two separate states instead of one large state was four senators, instead of two, and more representatives. Since Dakotans from the north and the south routinely voted Republican, the admission of two Dakotas gave the Republicans a majority in Congress. I am surprised the residents of the various Hawaiian Islands have not thought of that tactic.

Pumpkin Reuse

Now that Halloween is over and you want to preserve the feeling a while longer, here are a few things you can do.

Use some WD40. The main ingredient in WD-40 is mineral oil—the same stuff in Vaseline It will keep your pumpkins hydrated, protected from moisture, and fresh looking. It also contains several alkanes that are water-repellant and freeze-resistant. So go forth and use it to preserve both carved and uncarved pumpkins.



Spray all over your uncarved pumpkin to keep it looking shiny and new. For carved pumpkins, spray inside and outside making sure every part is saturated. Keep in mind that mineral oil is flammable, so you may want to be cautious about putting a lit candle inside

Another idea. Get three pumpkins of varying sizes, small, medium, and large. Paint them white. Then stack them up like a snowman. add a hat, scarf or other typical snowman clothes. The paint will help preserve the pumpkins and you can enjoy them for months as wintry guests on the front porch.

Affogato

In Italian, the word affogato means 'drowned'. For those of you not in the know, affogato is a coffee-based treat usually consisting of a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream drowned in a shot of espresso. Sometimes there are even additions like Grand Marnier, Amaretto, or whipped cream. It is difficult to decide whether this is a drink or a desert. Either way, it is easy to put together and will make your guests happy.

Freeze ice cream in ice cube trays, then top your ice cream cubes with room temperature coffee, they will naturally float to the top. If you like, add a shot of liqueur, a dollop of whipped cream, berries, or some ground coffee beans on top.

Diet Drink, Coffee with Butter

Some people have only coffee for breakfast, thinking it can help them lose weight, because caffeine does suppress appetite. Butter makes plain coffee considerably thicker, which makes you feel more physically full.

You can take a tip from paleo dieters and add real butter to your cup of Joe. Adding butter, which is higher in fat than cream or whole milk, will slow down the digestive process and maximize the beneficial effects of caffeine. Drop two tablespoons of melted, unsalted butter into your coffee.


One product on the market is called Bulletproof Coffee. It combines coffee beans, butter, and a few teaspoons of coconut oil to combat hunger and help your body burn fat throughout the day. This beneficial fat is a key reason the drink has taken off among paleo dieters. Ingesting butter provides nutrients that frequent breakfast-skippers miss out on.

According to dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot, butter's fat content is key to keeping your caffeine buzz, because fat slows down the digestion process, it takes longer for your body to absorb coffee's caffeine. Rather than running through the energy boost quickly, butter helps prolong coffee's effects.

The traditional coffee additives of cream and sugar can't match butter's meal-like effects. Real butter contains the best benefits. Spreads won't offer the same texture and are made of different ingredients.

Of course, adding butter to your coffee also affects the taste. Many Bulletproof drinkers love the creamy, smooth feel of the drink, and it is often compared to the taste of a latte.

GMO Myth

Many headlines proclaim that GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) produced food is bad for us, however science debunks that myth. Sales of such GMO-free products are skyrocketing and they represent about $16 billion in annual sales. GMOs currently on the market provide ample cases of tangible benefit with relatively negligible risk. In the US, 70% of the food in US supermarkets contains GMO ingredients.

Organizations like the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the European Commission have publicly proclaimed GMO foods to be safe to eat. A large 2013 study on GMOs found no "significant hazards directly connected with the use of genetically engineered crops."

Other experts cite the fact that practically all the food we eat today has been genetically modified in some way; everything from corn to watermelons have been selectively bred for thousands of years to give us the traits we find desirable, like large amounts of sweet, edible flesh, or small and fewer seeds. Brings to mind the early ugly looking and untasty small kernel corn, tiny potatoes, tomatoes, and purple carrots.


Thousands of years ago when people simply gathered wild fruits and vegetables for food, these plants were found naturally growing in the wild. Then, about 10,000 years ago, people began to domesticate these wild fruits and vegetables and eventually improve upon them.

For instance, potatoes were domesticated about 10,000 years ago. Following centuries of selective breeding, there are now over a thousand different types of potatoes. Over 99% of the presently cultivated potatoes worldwide descended from varieties that originated in the lowlands of south-central Chile.

Selective breeding is the process of developing a plant or animal based on selecting desirable characteristics of the parent. For example, saving seed for replanting from plants within a crop that have shown to be particularly robust; or breeding a white dog with a black patch over its eye via two parents that have the same trait. Selective breeding is a form of genetic modification which does not involve the addition of any foreign genetic material (DNA) into the organism. It is the conscious selection for desirable traits. GMO adds different genetic material into the organism, in order to create desirable traits.



Incidentally, during October 1995, the potato became the first vegetable to be grown in space. NASA and the University of Wisconsin, created the technology with the goal of feeding astronauts on long space voyages, and eventually, feeding future space colonies.

A Different Election Perspective

Seems everyone likes to claim a victor as their own. The Buchan Observer, based in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, ran a presidential announcement with the headline: "Aberdeenshire Business Owner Wins Presidential Election."

Donald Trump owns the Trump International golf course in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, which opened in 2011. He has visited the area several times, most recently earlier this year. Trump is also half-Scottish. His mother, Mary Macleod, grew up on the Isle of Lewis.

Speaking after the result became official, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon congratulated Trump on his victory and said it's time for all those who share "progressive values" to speak up loudly together.