Giving away a smile is
an inexpensive gift that returns a wealth of joy.
I always like to
give away smiles, especially on a Happy Friday!
Apr 28, 2017
Tai Chi Day
Last Saturday of April each year we celebrate World Tai Chi and Qigong Day in 80
nations. People come together, to breathe together and provide a
healing vision for our world. Click the link to see videos of
past events - http://www.worldtaichiday.org/photovideogallery.html
Talking Bandages
Bandages now can detect how a wound is healing and send
messages back to a doctor. 3-D
printing is used to manufacture the dressings. Nano-sensors
within the bandages report to doctors about events such as
detected infections and blood clotting.
The work on smart bandages is at Swansea University, and could be set for trials within the next twelve months. The smart bandage effort is part of a 5G test hub for digital innovation. Professor Marc Clement said experts at the Welsh Wound Innovation Centre are also involved in the project.
The work on smart bandages is at Swansea University, and could be set for trials within the next twelve months. The smart bandage effort is part of a 5G test hub for digital innovation. Professor Marc Clement said experts at the Welsh Wound Innovation Centre are also involved in the project.
Routers and Modems
Routers and modems perform different functions. Modems connect
to the Internet and (MOdulate and DEModulate) the incoming
signals and routers send/route wired (Ethernet) and wireless
traffic around the house. Most home boxes contain both a modem
and router and, because of this the terms are often used
interchangeably.
Internet Speed
Here is a look as the average internet speed for selected
countries. Interesting stuff.
Older is Better
Research has shown getting older could also mean getting
happier. During 2016, research from the UK Office for National
Statistics concluded the most joyful age bracket was 65-79.
The survey looked at more than 300,000 adults across the UK and found life satisfaction peaked at that age before declining over 80. However, those in their 40s were shown to be less happy and with the highest levels of anxiety.
In a blog post on Psychology Today, Dr. Romeo Vitelli says that happiness can be a tricky thing to define. It can mean the kind of joy that only occurs at key moments in our lives, or it can simply be the amount of positive emotion we happen to feel at any given time. There appears to be an upswing as we get older.
A United States research project found happiness was relatively stable for people in their mid-20s to late 30s, then it declined during the 40s and slowly rose to a peak from 60 to 69 years old.
It is all relative, and there is no set rule for how happy anyone will be at certain times in life. I believe, regardless of age, you can be as happy as you choose to be.
The survey looked at more than 300,000 adults across the UK and found life satisfaction peaked at that age before declining over 80. However, those in their 40s were shown to be less happy and with the highest levels of anxiety.
In a blog post on Psychology Today, Dr. Romeo Vitelli says that happiness can be a tricky thing to define. It can mean the kind of joy that only occurs at key moments in our lives, or it can simply be the amount of positive emotion we happen to feel at any given time. There appears to be an upswing as we get older.
A United States research project found happiness was relatively stable for people in their mid-20s to late 30s, then it declined during the 40s and slowly rose to a peak from 60 to 69 years old.
It is all relative, and there is no set rule for how happy anyone will be at certain times in life. I believe, regardless of age, you can be as happy as you choose to be.
Need to Read
We just passed World Book Day and it reminded me of the pleasure
of reading. In fact, reading is the cheapest and easiest form of
intellectual pleasure. TV and movies may be fun, but
are rarely intellectual.
There are various ways in which pleasures may be derived. It may be the pleasures of eating delicious food, listening to music, sitting in the cool shade of a tree and enjoying the beauty of nature, inhaling the perfume of flowers, or simply delighting in the soft touch of petals. These, basically, are pleasures of the senses.
Reading, however, is an Intellectual Pleasure and should be nurtured from an early age. Learning the truths of science or philosophy is also a form of intellectual pleasure.
There are various elements that make reading a pleasure. The reader may appreciate the style of the author, the language skills used in expressing ideas, or the arrangement of ideas. Logical sequence of thoughts or the thoughts themselves may also be appealing. The pleasures of reading are truly inexhaustible as there are a variety of books, essays, novels, dramas, sagas, poems, and speeches.
The sages of old recommend that whenever you feel dejected, depressed and under the weather, get into the company of great authors and read their books. Books can be your never failing friends and they can never get you into trouble.
Reading improves your vocabulary and enhances your imagination. The more you read, the more knowledgeable you become. With more knowledge comes more confidence and confidence builds self-esteem. Reading widens your horizons. Finally, reading exercises your memory muscles. I hope my blog and my books provide fodder for great conversations.
There are various ways in which pleasures may be derived. It may be the pleasures of eating delicious food, listening to music, sitting in the cool shade of a tree and enjoying the beauty of nature, inhaling the perfume of flowers, or simply delighting in the soft touch of petals. These, basically, are pleasures of the senses.
Reading, however, is an Intellectual Pleasure and should be nurtured from an early age. Learning the truths of science or philosophy is also a form of intellectual pleasure.
There are various elements that make reading a pleasure. The reader may appreciate the style of the author, the language skills used in expressing ideas, or the arrangement of ideas. Logical sequence of thoughts or the thoughts themselves may also be appealing. The pleasures of reading are truly inexhaustible as there are a variety of books, essays, novels, dramas, sagas, poems, and speeches.
The sages of old recommend that whenever you feel dejected, depressed and under the weather, get into the company of great authors and read their books. Books can be your never failing friends and they can never get you into trouble.
Reading improves your vocabulary and enhances your imagination. The more you read, the more knowledgeable you become. With more knowledge comes more confidence and confidence builds self-esteem. Reading widens your horizons. Finally, reading exercises your memory muscles. I hope my blog and my books provide fodder for great conversations.
Apr 21, 2017
Happy Friday
You can't find a recipe
for happiness on the web.
My recipe includes a good mix of laughter, joy, and smiles spread on a Happy Friday!
My recipe includes a good mix of laughter, joy, and smiles spread on a Happy Friday!
National Pig in a Blanket Day
April 24th is National Pig in a Blanket
Day. Pig in a blanket is a humble dish enjoyed throughout the
world.
National Pretzel Day
April 26 was declared National Pretzel Day during 2003.
This year there are a few places that serve free pretzels. Click
on this LINK
to find out where.
Wordology, MacGuffin
A MacGuffin is an object, event, or person that the characters
in a story value greatly. Almost the whole plot revolves around
it, even though the thing itself isn’t actually important to the
unfolding story. The most common type of MacGuffin is a person,
place, or thing, such as money or an object of value.
Think of the falcon in the Maltese Falcon movie. The black falcon statuette, called the “Maltese Falcon” is the MacGuffin in the movie and the plot revolves around ownership and finding it. The Rabbit's Foot in Mission: Impossible III is a modern MacGuffin.
Scenario editor Angus MacPhail established the term MacGuffin for the unknown plot objective which you did not need to choose until the story planning was complete. Some say it comes from the word guff, which is defined as meaning nonsense and MacPhail added Mac from his name to the front of it. Alfred Hitchcock adopted and used the word to the end of his career.
Think of the falcon in the Maltese Falcon movie. The black falcon statuette, called the “Maltese Falcon” is the MacGuffin in the movie and the plot revolves around ownership and finding it. The Rabbit's Foot in Mission: Impossible III is a modern MacGuffin.
Scenario editor Angus MacPhail established the term MacGuffin for the unknown plot objective which you did not need to choose until the story planning was complete. Some say it comes from the word guff, which is defined as meaning nonsense and MacPhail added Mac from his name to the front of it. Alfred Hitchcock adopted and used the word to the end of his career.
3D Printed Shoes
Adidas announced it is partnering with a 3D printing company
to mass-produce a line of shoes with 3D printed mid-sole
cushions. It plans to make 5,000 pairs by the end of the 2017,
and up to 100,000 pairs during 2018. Adidas plans a single
design to test the tech, but wants to eventually customize each
shoe to fit the unique contours of a person’s foot.
Incidentally, Nike, Under Armour, and New Balance also have their own 3D printed shoe projects.
Incidentally, Nike, Under Armour, and New Balance also have their own 3D printed shoe projects.
Uninsured vs. Insured
Did a comparison on the number of US uninsured
vs. insured between 2007 (before Affordable Care Act) and 2016.
Medicare and Medicaid added 18.7 million more people than the
uninsured reduction.
In addition, this does not count the number of insured, whose premiums are being subsidized by the Affordable Care Act.
As the chart shows, Uninsured dropped by 18.4 million people. However, the number of people covered by Medicaid and Medicare increased by 37.1 million during the same period. Medicaid, alone added 5.7 million more people than were dropped from the uninsured rolls. At the same time, Medicare added an additional 13 million people.
Bottom line, the pea shuffle of uninsured numbers looks like all is well, except the rest of us are paying more for Medicaid, more for Medicare, more for subsidies to cover insurance for the poor - and more for increases in the cost of our own health insurance.
In addition, this does not count the number of insured, whose premiums are being subsidized by the Affordable Care Act.
As the chart shows, Uninsured dropped by 18.4 million people. However, the number of people covered by Medicaid and Medicare increased by 37.1 million during the same period. Medicaid, alone added 5.7 million more people than were dropped from the uninsured rolls. At the same time, Medicare added an additional 13 million people.
Bottom line, the pea shuffle of uninsured numbers looks like all is well, except the rest of us are paying more for Medicaid, more for Medicare, more for subsidies to cover insurance for the poor - and more for increases in the cost of our own health insurance.
Eliminate Nasty Paint Smells
Add one tablespoon of imitation vanilla
extract per quart of freshly-opened paint and mix thoroughly
until well-incorporated. Your family will appreciate the fresh
smell.
Russia and US Border
The news media usually fails to mention that Russia and the US
share a border. There is no wall and not much traffic of
refugees trying to pass illegally.
The Russia / United States maritime boundary follows the June 1, 1990 USA/USSR Maritime Boundary Agreement, but it has yet to be approved by the Russian parliament. The United States Senate gave its consent to ratification on September 16, 1991.
Two islands, Little Diomede, US and Big Diomede, Russia lie between Russia and the United States. The islands are only 35 km away from both Chukotka, Russia and Alaska, US. Because the international Date Line runs between them, the time difference between them is about 21 hours.
Incidentally, Russia's Eastern border is with China.
The Russia / United States maritime boundary follows the June 1, 1990 USA/USSR Maritime Boundary Agreement, but it has yet to be approved by the Russian parliament. The United States Senate gave its consent to ratification on September 16, 1991.
Two islands, Little Diomede, US and Big Diomede, Russia lie between Russia and the United States. The islands are only 35 km away from both Chukotka, Russia and Alaska, US. Because the international Date Line runs between them, the time difference between them is about 21 hours.
Incidentally, Russia's Eastern border is with China.
International Space Station Facts
The International Space Station if reduced
to two dimensions is roughly the size of a soccer pitch, at
about 73 meters (239 feet) in length and 109 meters (356 feet)
in width. It orbits the Earth at an altitude of 330 to 435 km
(205 to 270 miles).
Incidentally, In 2001, Pizza Hut paid the Russian space agency $1 million to send a pizza to the ISS, Including a Pizza Hut logo on a Soyuz rocket and a video of a cosmonaut Yuri Usachov giving a thumbs up after eating some of the pizza. The space pizza, per the BBC, “spending a long time in space has the effect of deadening the taste buds, so extra salt and spices were added to the pizza and salami had to be used as pepperoni lacked the necessary shelf life, growing moldy.”
Incidentally, In 2001, Pizza Hut paid the Russian space agency $1 million to send a pizza to the ISS, Including a Pizza Hut logo on a Soyuz rocket and a video of a cosmonaut Yuri Usachov giving a thumbs up after eating some of the pizza. The space pizza, per the BBC, “spending a long time in space has the effect of deadening the taste buds, so extra salt and spices were added to the pizza and salami had to be used as pepperoni lacked the necessary shelf life, growing moldy.”
WiFi vs. Plugged In Speeds
Each Wi-Fi standard is rated according to its
maximum theoretical network bandwidth. The newest, 802.11ac
offers up to 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps). However, the performance of
Wi-Fi networks practically never approach these theoretical
maximums, usually performing at about half of peak speed. If you
compare 300 Mbps WiFi to wired Fast Ethernet at 100 Mbps, the
Ethernet connection most often outperforms in real world usage.
Wi-Fi networks have a range that is limited by the transmission power, antenna type, the location, physical obstacles, such as walls, number of other devices sharing the signal, and the environment. A typical indoor wireless router might have a solid range of about 32 meters (105 ft). Distance from the source also degrades performance. The fastest theoretical WiFi 802.11 ac is maximum speed of 866.7 Mb/s.
Plugged in (Ethernet) offers advantages, such as faster speeds, lower latency, and no wireless interference problems. A wired Ethernet connection can theoretically offer up to 10 Gb/s.
Bottom line, when it comes to speed necessary for streaming movies and TV WiFi may be more convenient, but is much slower and may cause delays and hesitations. Also, when looking at your speed, consider 10Mbs as the absolute minimum for streaming - and more is better.
Incidentally, no matter how fast your WiFi is within your house, it does not increase the speed of the connection between your house and the Internet.
Wi-Fi networks have a range that is limited by the transmission power, antenna type, the location, physical obstacles, such as walls, number of other devices sharing the signal, and the environment. A typical indoor wireless router might have a solid range of about 32 meters (105 ft). Distance from the source also degrades performance. The fastest theoretical WiFi 802.11 ac is maximum speed of 866.7 Mb/s.
Plugged in (Ethernet) offers advantages, such as faster speeds, lower latency, and no wireless interference problems. A wired Ethernet connection can theoretically offer up to 10 Gb/s.
Bottom line, when it comes to speed necessary for streaming movies and TV WiFi may be more convenient, but is much slower and may cause delays and hesitations. Also, when looking at your speed, consider 10Mbs as the absolute minimum for streaming - and more is better.
Incidentally, no matter how fast your WiFi is within your house, it does not increase the speed of the connection between your house and the Internet.
Apr 14, 2017
Happy Friday
A smile is like a push-up bra for your
face.
I always get a lift when I smile, especially on a Happy Friday and even more on a Happy Good Friday!
I always get a lift when I smile, especially on a Happy Friday and even more on a Happy Good Friday!
Happy Easter
Easter is celebrated on April 16 2017. Put on your Easter bonnet
and read some of the traditions around the world.
The Ukrainian Easter tradition of Pysanka Eggs is a special craft. These highly-decorated eggs have been made during Holy Week for generations. While people once made eggs to ensure fertility and avoid fires and nasty spirits, today they take to the art form for the aesthetic allure.
After designing a pattern on an uncooked or empty egg, it is then dipped in a colored dye. Between the dyeing stages, the craftsman draws patterns on the egg with wax, so as to seal the color currently on the egg and create the intricate patterns you see on the final product.
Passion Plays - Villagers take part in an Easter Passion Play re-enacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday at Gantang Village near Magelang, in the province of Central Java.
One of the longest running traditions of Easter is the Passion Play. Because a lot of people in medieval times could not read, plays were a great way to educate the masses about the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. There are passion plays held all over the world, but one of the most famous is the Oberammergau Passion Play. Its roots began during the black plague, when the residents of Oberammergau were on high alert to keep the disease out. A farmer coming home from a nearby village brought the plague back with him, which killed one-fifth of the town. With the disease ravaging the town, the elders declared that the church would hold a passion play every 10 years in exchange for God’s blessing and protection. The play has been performed every 10 years since 1633, with only a ban in 1770, World War I, and World War II stopping three shows.
Don't forget to decorate your Osterbaum - Easter tree with colorful decorated eggs.
The Ukrainian Easter tradition of Pysanka Eggs is a special craft. These highly-decorated eggs have been made during Holy Week for generations. While people once made eggs to ensure fertility and avoid fires and nasty spirits, today they take to the art form for the aesthetic allure.
After designing a pattern on an uncooked or empty egg, it is then dipped in a colored dye. Between the dyeing stages, the craftsman draws patterns on the egg with wax, so as to seal the color currently on the egg and create the intricate patterns you see on the final product.
Passion Plays - Villagers take part in an Easter Passion Play re-enacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday at Gantang Village near Magelang, in the province of Central Java.
One of the longest running traditions of Easter is the Passion Play. Because a lot of people in medieval times could not read, plays were a great way to educate the masses about the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. There are passion plays held all over the world, but one of the most famous is the Oberammergau Passion Play. Its roots began during the black plague, when the residents of Oberammergau were on high alert to keep the disease out. A farmer coming home from a nearby village brought the plague back with him, which killed one-fifth of the town. With the disease ravaging the town, the elders declared that the church would hold a passion play every 10 years in exchange for God’s blessing and protection. The play has been performed every 10 years since 1633, with only a ban in 1770, World War I, and World War II stopping three shows.
Don't forget to decorate your Osterbaum - Easter tree with colorful decorated eggs.
Spring Cleaning with Beer
Wash wooden furniture
to get the winter grime off, then pour a bit of flat beer onto a
microfiber or soft cloth and rub it onto the surface of your
favorite outdoor wood furniture. It works like a traditional
furniture polish product, removing the dullness of years of wear
and tear and instilling a shining, rich color. Works indoors.
also.
Block My Name
If you do not want someone to
know you are calling them. Just type *67 or #31# before the
ten-digit mobile number of the person you are calling. Some
providers will provide a confirmation beep or tone after you
dial *67, so wait for the regular dial tone to return before
dialing the 10-digit number you wish to call. Some countries
have different codes, such as 141 in the United Kingdom or 1831
in Australia.
Drive C
Early PCs did not come with internal storage
devices due to the expense. Instead, they generally had some
form of a floppy disk reader, such as those used to read 5 1/4″
floppy disks, initially labeled as “A” in MS-DOS and certain
other operating systems.
Some systems came with two such floppy disk drives necessitating the need for a “B”. When the 3.5″ floppy disk was commonly added, using both “A” and “B” for floppy drives was firmly entrenched.
When hard disk drives became standard in most PCs during the 1980s, since the first two letters were already commonly used for these floppy drives, they logically labeled the third storage device “C”, even though it now tended to be the main storage for the computer.
Even though no longer used, the drive designation remains, with A and B not used. Now you can easily change, remove or add drive letters for both physical and logical drives.
Some systems came with two such floppy disk drives necessitating the need for a “B”. When the 3.5″ floppy disk was commonly added, using both “A” and “B” for floppy drives was firmly entrenched.
When hard disk drives became standard in most PCs during the 1980s, since the first two letters were already commonly used for these floppy drives, they logically labeled the third storage device “C”, even though it now tended to be the main storage for the computer.
Even though no longer used, the drive designation remains, with A and B not used. Now you can easily change, remove or add drive letters for both physical and logical drives.
Freddie Mercury
Was just discussing Zoroastrianism with
friends a few nights ago and it reminded me of this. The late Farrokh Bulsara
(Freddie Mercury) was proud of his Zoroastrian heritage. “I’ll
always walk around like a Persian popinjay and no one’s gonna
stop me, honey,” he once
said. His sister Karishma Cooke also talked about the
role of Zoroastrianism in the family. “We as a family were very
proud of being Zoroastrian. I think what [Freddie’s] Zoroastrian
faith gave him was to work hard, to persevere, and to follow
your dreams.”
Texas Rangers Food
It is baseball season
again and the Texas Rangers are changing their famous
“Boomstick” and taking it up a notch for the 2017 season.
Here is the “Most Valuable Tamale”, a 2-foot tamale filled with the Rangers’ 24-inch “Boomstick” hot dog and covered with all sorts of foodie goodies.
Here is the “Most Valuable Tamale”, a 2-foot tamale filled with the Rangers’ 24-inch “Boomstick” hot dog and covered with all sorts of foodie goodies.
Hottest Planet
Even though it is not closest to the sun
(Mercury is), the hottest planet in our Solar system is Venus,
second closest. The average temperature on the Venus does not go
below 462 degrees while that of Mercury reaches only up to 420
degrees.
Taxi Medallion Value
New York taxi medallions that are
tightly regulated by the city and allow yellow cabs to legally
pick up fares on the streets have drastically come down in value
during the past three years. The tags sunk from about $1.05
million in 2014 to $241,000 for one sold during March 2017. The
main cause is rivals Uber, Lyft, Via, and Gett.
Also, during March, Philadelphia Parking Authority, which regulates the city's taxi industry, sold new medallions for $80,000 falling from last year with an initial asking price of $475,000, but received no bids. The value of taxi medallions in other cities, such as Boston and Chicago have also fallen sharply.
Also, during March, Philadelphia Parking Authority, which regulates the city's taxi industry, sold new medallions for $80,000 falling from last year with an initial asking price of $475,000, but received no bids. The value of taxi medallions in other cities, such as Boston and Chicago have also fallen sharply.
Good Neighbors
The Canada–United States border
officially known as the International Boundary, is the longest
international border in the world between two countries. Eight
Canadian provinces and territories and thirteen US states are
located along the border.
At one point the border between Canada on the north and the US runs through the villages of Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec - and though the middle of the town library.
It physically snakes through side streets, in and out of houses, through the public library, and straight down the middle of a main road that residents affectionately call “Canusa Avenue." An apartment building in town has two addresses, one for each country.
Incidentally, Canada borders are east, west, north, and south of the US. In Alaska, Canada is directly East. In many northern US continental states, Canada is directly North. In Maine, it is directly West and North. In Detroit, Michigan, Canada is directly South. Part of Washington State is both North and South of Canada. See my blog LINK
At one point the border between Canada on the north and the US runs through the villages of Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec - and though the middle of the town library.
It physically snakes through side streets, in and out of houses, through the public library, and straight down the middle of a main road that residents affectionately call “Canusa Avenue." An apartment building in town has two addresses, one for each country.
Incidentally, Canada borders are east, west, north, and south of the US. In Alaska, Canada is directly East. In many northern US continental states, Canada is directly North. In Maine, it is directly West and North. In Detroit, Michigan, Canada is directly South. Part of Washington State is both North and South of Canada. See my blog LINK
Apr 8, 2017
Happy Friday
“You cannot do a
kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too
late.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I always try to be kind, especially on a Happy Friday!
I always try to be kind, especially on a Happy Friday!
Video Watching
It is estimated that around ten billion videos are watched
online annually. Of those ten billion videos, user created videos are most viewed,
followed by news and movie trailers.
Wyatt Earp and John Wayne
Wyatt Earp was not satisfied sticking to one job
for too long. During his life he was a lawman, buffalo hunter,
brothel keeper, miner and boxing referee, among others. But he
was best known for being an infinitely tough cowboy.
Earp took part in the most famous shootout in the history of the American Wild West, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, a 30-second gun battle that has inspired dozens of feature-length films. What you might not realize is that, unlike most people involved in that event, Earp lived long enough to see the earliest movies inspired by his exploits.
Toward the end of his life, Earp settled in California and tried to break into Hollywood. Perhaps noticing an alarming lack of westerns where his character was always surrounded by naked ladies, Earp decided he wanted to tell his story from his own perspective. Unfortunately, the closest he got was reportedly a background part in a single scene of an obscure 1915 film. However, Earp did get to befriend some Hollywood actors, including a 17-year-old nobody called Marion Morrison, whose stage name is John Wayne.
While hanging out on movie sets, casually choreographing historical gunfights for directors like John Ford, Earp would share stories from the Wild West with the actors. The future Wayne, then an extra and prop man, soaked them up. He also paid close attention to the way Earp talked and carried himself.
Earp took part in the most famous shootout in the history of the American Wild West, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, a 30-second gun battle that has inspired dozens of feature-length films. What you might not realize is that, unlike most people involved in that event, Earp lived long enough to see the earliest movies inspired by his exploits.
Toward the end of his life, Earp settled in California and tried to break into Hollywood. Perhaps noticing an alarming lack of westerns where his character was always surrounded by naked ladies, Earp decided he wanted to tell his story from his own perspective. Unfortunately, the closest he got was reportedly a background part in a single scene of an obscure 1915 film. However, Earp did get to befriend some Hollywood actors, including a 17-year-old nobody called Marion Morrison, whose stage name is John Wayne.
While hanging out on movie sets, casually choreographing historical gunfights for directors like John Ford, Earp would share stories from the Wild West with the actors. The future Wayne, then an extra and prop man, soaked them up. He also paid close attention to the way Earp talked and carried himself.
Six Interesting April Facts
1. The Romans called this month Aprilis which may
derive from the verb aperire meaning “to open”, referring to
flowers and fruits opening.
2. April was the 216th most popular name given to a baby girl in England and Wales in 2015 and the 191st most popular in Scotland.
3. Of the eight US presidents who died in office, three died in April.
4. April is the first month of the year with exactly 30 days and the only month with an “i” in its name.
5. In the UK, April is national awareness month for pets, mathematics, stress, irritable bowel syndrome, bowel cancer and jazz.
6. The Anglo-Saxons called April Eostre-Monadh, possibly named after a pagan goddess.
2. April was the 216th most popular name given to a baby girl in England and Wales in 2015 and the 191st most popular in Scotland.
3. Of the eight US presidents who died in office, three died in April.
4. April is the first month of the year with exactly 30 days and the only month with an “i” in its name.
5. In the UK, April is national awareness month for pets, mathematics, stress, irritable bowel syndrome, bowel cancer and jazz.
6. The Anglo-Saxons called April Eostre-Monadh, possibly named after a pagan goddess.
Windows no Longer King
The technology world passed a potentially huge
marker during March 2017 as Google developed Android, with
37.93% overtook Microsoft's Windows at 37.91% software in terms
of worldwide users. Apple IOS is at 13%
Google's mobile software tops Windows after almost 30 years as number one. The news comes from online research company StatCounter, which continually monitors the number of users worldwide.
Windows still dominates the worldwide desktop market, at 84%. Android had just 2.4% of all internet usage five years ago.
Google's mobile software tops Windows after almost 30 years as number one. The news comes from online research company StatCounter, which continually monitors the number of users worldwide.
Windows still dominates the worldwide desktop market, at 84%. Android had just 2.4% of all internet usage five years ago.
Hacking Browsers
Google Chrome is the least hackable web browser, the results
of the 10th annual Pwn2Own event shows. The computer hacking
contest is held each year at the Vancouver, Canada CanSecWest
security conference and sees contestants desperately try to
exploit popular software and hardware with previously unknown
vulnerabilities.
Those who manage to successfully find an exploit win a cash prize, a jacket emblazoned with the year of their win, and, the device they broke into. During the three days of Pwn2Own, Microsoft Edge was successfully attacked five times – racking up $300,000 in bounties. Safari was exploited three times, Firefox was attacked twice, but only once successfully. Google Chrome had no attacks completed in time.
Those who manage to successfully find an exploit win a cash prize, a jacket emblazoned with the year of their win, and, the device they broke into. During the three days of Pwn2Own, Microsoft Edge was successfully attacked five times – racking up $300,000 in bounties. Safari was exploited three times, Firefox was attacked twice, but only once successfully. Google Chrome had no attacks completed in time.
Movie Trailer Facts
The color of the background for movie rating cards is
important. The rating for the film itself shows up in text, but
is also indicated by the background color of the rating card
splash screen.
There are three colors used - red, yellow, and green. The specific regulations surrounding what can be shown in the preview for each of these rating cards are set by the MPAA.
The most commonly seen one is the green rating card. Before April of 2009, a green background meant that the preview was approved for all audiences. Since April of 2009, the MPAA now states that the green card is for “appropriate audiences”. This basically means it is appropriate for audiences in theaters, taking into account what movie the audience is about to watch.
A yellow rating card indicates the preview is for age-appropriate Internet viewers and is used on internet trailers only. The red rating card indicates that content in the preview is only appropriate for mature audiences. These previews can only be shown in theaters where the movie about to be watched is R-rated, NC-17-rated, or unrated.
Theatrical trailers must be less than two minutes and 30 seconds, as mandated by the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). The MPAA gives each movie studio one exception to this a year where they are allowed to show a trailer that is longer than 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Trailers shown online can be any length. The rating system itself is entirely voluntary on the part of studios. However, having a film rated tends to boost revenues significantly, so nearly all major studios submit all their films for rating.
There are three colors used - red, yellow, and green. The specific regulations surrounding what can be shown in the preview for each of these rating cards are set by the MPAA.
The most commonly seen one is the green rating card. Before April of 2009, a green background meant that the preview was approved for all audiences. Since April of 2009, the MPAA now states that the green card is for “appropriate audiences”. This basically means it is appropriate for audiences in theaters, taking into account what movie the audience is about to watch.
A yellow rating card indicates the preview is for age-appropriate Internet viewers and is used on internet trailers only. The red rating card indicates that content in the preview is only appropriate for mature audiences. These previews can only be shown in theaters where the movie about to be watched is R-rated, NC-17-rated, or unrated.
Theatrical trailers must be less than two minutes and 30 seconds, as mandated by the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). The MPAA gives each movie studio one exception to this a year where they are allowed to show a trailer that is longer than 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Trailers shown online can be any length. The rating system itself is entirely voluntary on the part of studios. However, having a film rated tends to boost revenues significantly, so nearly all major studios submit all their films for rating.
Wordology, Portmanteau
[pawrt-man-toh] It would be a terrible shame
if portmanteau were not itself a portmanteau. The word
originally referred to a large traveling case made of stiff
leather, derived from a combination of the French porter,
meaning "to carry," and manteau, meaning "mantle" or "cloak."
The word's literary significance is the work of Lewis Carroll. In Through the Looking-Glass, Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice that the strange compound words she hears in Wonderland are "like a portmanteau--there are two meanings packed up into one word."
The word's literary significance is the work of Lewis Carroll. In Through the Looking-Glass, Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice that the strange compound words she hears in Wonderland are "like a portmanteau--there are two meanings packed up into one word."
Deserts and Sand and Ice
The two biggest deserts are the Antarctic
and the Arctic. Even though they are covered with ice, they are
dry enough to be considered deserts.
The Sahara, spanning an area of 8.5 million square kilometers (covers 29.6% of Africa) is the world’s hottest desert and third in size. The Sahara is only twenty percent sand, the rest of it is mostly made up of bare rock, gravel, and pebbles.
The Sahara, spanning an area of 8.5 million square kilometers (covers 29.6% of Africa) is the world’s hottest desert and third in size. The Sahara is only twenty percent sand, the rest of it is mostly made up of bare rock, gravel, and pebbles.
Happy Friday
The road to happiness
passes through the sea of smiles.
I am swimmingly happy today, because it is Happy Friday!
I am swimmingly happy today, because it is Happy Friday!
Cheese Weasel Day
It is the only Internet holiday to say thanks to Techies for all
they do. It began in the early 1990s, is celebrated on April 3
or the first Monday after April 3, and has been dishing out
great fun ever since then.
Legend has it the Cheese Weasel travels the world, leaving a bit of cheese under keyboards or mouse pads of good techie boys and girls, men and women. Have some fun and surprise your favorite geek to some cheese on that day.
Give your favorite techie a Thank You shout out using #cheeseweaselday on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your favorite social site. If you are not close by on that day, send a picture of some cheese.
Legend has it the Cheese Weasel travels the world, leaving a bit of cheese under keyboards or mouse pads of good techie boys and girls, men and women. Have some fun and surprise your favorite geek to some cheese on that day.
Give your favorite techie a Thank You shout out using #cheeseweaselday on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your favorite social site. If you are not close by on that day, send a picture of some cheese.
National Tartan Day
The US Senate Resolution on National Tartan
Day was passed on March 20, 1998. Tartan Day is a celebration of
Scottish heritage on 6 April, the date on which the Declaration
of Arbroath was signed in 1320.
It commemorates the Scottish Declaration of Independence, from which the American Declaration of Independence was modeled. It also recognizes achievements of Americans of Scottish descent. National Tartan Day parades occur in major cities on or around April 6. They often feature bag-pipe bands playing Scottish music and people dressed in kilts with tartan patterns that represent their Scottish clans.
It commemorates the Scottish Declaration of Independence, from which the American Declaration of Independence was modeled. It also recognizes achievements of Americans of Scottish descent. National Tartan Day parades occur in major cities on or around April 6. They often feature bag-pipe bands playing Scottish music and people dressed in kilts with tartan patterns that represent their Scottish clans.
Olympic Camera 1936
Nazi Olympics in Berlin in 1936 were the first to be televised.
The six feet long zoom cameras were called "Fernsehkanonen"
(television canon). Three of these cameras were used at that
Olympics.
Snapping Windows
Windows 10 supports four window snap
positions, one for each corner. You can use this feature to see
two equal size windows at the same time. Useful if you want to
compare things from. If you have Windows snap activated (It is
usually default on), snapping a window into one of these quadrants
with keyboard shortcuts takes a double move: Windows key plus
left/right arrow, followed by Windows key + up/down arrow.
To snap a window into the upper-left quadrant for example, press Windows key + left arrow and then, while continuing to hold down the Windows key, press the up arrow.
To snap a window into the upper-left quadrant for example, press Windows key + left arrow and then, while continuing to hold down the Windows key, press the up arrow.
Quick Clean Humor
I told my girlfriend she drew her eyebrows too high.
She seemed surprised.
What's the difference between in-laws and outlaws?
Outlaws are wanted.
And God said to John, come forth and you shall be granted eternal life.
But John came fifth and won a toaster.
I bought some shoes from a drug dealer.
I don't know what he laced them with, but I have been tripping all day.
I bought the world's worst thesaurus yesterday.
Not only is it terrible, it's terrible.
She seemed surprised.
What's the difference between in-laws and outlaws?
Outlaws are wanted.
And God said to John, come forth and you shall be granted eternal life.
But John came fifth and won a toaster.
I bought some shoes from a drug dealer.
I don't know what he laced them with, but I have been tripping all day.
I bought the world's worst thesaurus yesterday.
Not only is it terrible, it's terrible.
Wordology, Noisome
Noisome (noy some) It comes from Middle
English noysome, from noy
- shortened annoyance, alteration of anoi, from
Anglo-French anui, from anuier to harass, annoy.
Noisome sounds like it might be a synonym of noisy, but it is not. Something noisome is disgusting, offensive, or harmful, often in its smell. Also highly obnoxious or objectionable as noisome habits. English words annoy and annoyance are also related to noisome.
Noisome sounds like it might be a synonym of noisy, but it is not. Something noisome is disgusting, offensive, or harmful, often in its smell. Also highly obnoxious or objectionable as noisome habits. English words annoy and annoyance are also related to noisome.
What's in a Name, Java Jacket
Your fancy coffee cup
holder was originally named Java Jacket, and now it has been
morphed into the modern-day names as a coffee sleeve, coffee cozy,
coffee clutch, or a paper zarf.
See my blog for another reference LINK
See my blog for another reference LINK
Butter Types
The three main types are uncultured,
cultured, and European-style.
Uncultured or sweet cream butter, churned from pasteurized cream is the supermarket standard.
Cultured butter is made from cream that has been fermented with 'good bacteria', and it is churned longer and slower, according to the American Butter Institute.
European-style butter is made similarly, but not all European-style butters are cultured.
Both cultured and European-style butter have less water, more butterfat (from 82 to 87 percent) and a tangier, deeper flavor than mellow, sweet cream butter. There are salted and unsalted versions of each.
There are other variations of butter, such as 'light' butter, which has more water and about half the fat and calories than regular butter, but because it is made to be spreadable, it also contains preservatives and emulsifiers. Whipped butter gets its light, spreadable texture from nitrogen whipped into it after churning. USDA-certified organic butter comes from cows raised on organic, pesticide-free feed, without antibiotics or growth hormones.
Salt adds flavor and extends the shelf life of butter. According to the US Butter Institute, unsalted butter has a two-week refrigerator shelf life and salted butter two months. The USDA is a bit more generous, giving a range of one to three months. What you buy from the store has probably been in cold storage for longer than that. If you are not using your butter quickly, it will stay fresher if you store it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to nine months.
Uncultured or sweet cream butter, churned from pasteurized cream is the supermarket standard.
Cultured butter is made from cream that has been fermented with 'good bacteria', and it is churned longer and slower, according to the American Butter Institute.
European-style butter is made similarly, but not all European-style butters are cultured.
Both cultured and European-style butter have less water, more butterfat (from 82 to 87 percent) and a tangier, deeper flavor than mellow, sweet cream butter. There are salted and unsalted versions of each.
There are other variations of butter, such as 'light' butter, which has more water and about half the fat and calories than regular butter, but because it is made to be spreadable, it also contains preservatives and emulsifiers. Whipped butter gets its light, spreadable texture from nitrogen whipped into it after churning. USDA-certified organic butter comes from cows raised on organic, pesticide-free feed, without antibiotics or growth hormones.
Salt adds flavor and extends the shelf life of butter. According to the US Butter Institute, unsalted butter has a two-week refrigerator shelf life and salted butter two months. The USDA is a bit more generous, giving a range of one to three months. What you buy from the store has probably been in cold storage for longer than that. If you are not using your butter quickly, it will stay fresher if you store it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to nine months.
Happy Friday
Happiness does not
require acclimation.
I am firmly acclimated to Happiness, especially on a Happy Friday!
I am firmly acclimated to Happiness, especially on a Happy Friday!
World Bipolar Day
I went back and forth as to whether to include this, then
decided I should. Seriously, the day, March 30 was chosen,
because it is the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who is believed
to have had bipolar disorder.
World Bipolar Day is a day to remember that those who have bipolar disorder are capable of achieving great things and to remind them that they are not alone. The vision of World Bipolar Day is to bring world awareness to bipolar disorders and to eliminate social stigma.
World Bipolar Day is a day to remember that those who have bipolar disorder are capable of achieving great things and to remind them that they are not alone. The vision of World Bipolar Day is to bring world awareness to bipolar disorders and to eliminate social stigma.
National Protocol Officer’s Week
I hesitated to include this one also,
but it seemed like the right thing to do. It is celebrated, the
week of March 26-April 1 (last week of month). A Protocol
Officer is educated and trained to be a skilled advisor, expert,
and leader who plans and orchestrates VIP visits and trips,
meetings, ceremonies, and events. Leaders rely on Protocol
Officers to guide them in U.S. and foreign order of precedence,
customs, and cultural differences. I presume they need a week,
because all those protocols difficult to accomplish in a day.
Phytocannabinoids
Prior to the US Marihuana (sic) Tax Act of 1937,
phytocannabinoids found in hemp were prevalent in a vast majority
of the food supply. Hemp oils and hemp proteins were used to
fortify food formulations and consumed daily worldwide. Hemp was
used as feed stock for nearly all animals that were consumed.
Farmers would feed hemp to chickens, pigs, and cattle for its high
protein and essential amino acids. The animals would then pass
along to humans phytocannabinoids through their meat or milk and
mothers would pass phytocannabinoids to their babies during breast
feeding.
Cannabis Sativa, including hemp, is one of the only medicinal plants on Earth that grows naturally on nearly every continent of the world. The history of cannabis can be traced well beyond the beginnings of civilization. It has been used as both food and medicine since people began walking this planet. Humans and animals have evolved a system of cells that are nourished and replenished by phytocannabinoids.
Cannabinoids are active chemicals in cannabis that cause drug-like effects throughout the body, including the central nervous system and the immune system. They are also known as phytocannabinoids. At least 85 different cannabinoids have been isolated from the Cannabis plant
Other plants that have cannabinoids include: Coneflower (Echinacea), Electric Daisy (Acmella Oleracea), Helichrysum Umbraculigerum, Liverwort (Radula Marginata), Chocolate (Theobroma Cacao), and Black Pepper (Piper Nigrum).
See also my blog for more info LINK and LINK
Cannabis Sativa, including hemp, is one of the only medicinal plants on Earth that grows naturally on nearly every continent of the world. The history of cannabis can be traced well beyond the beginnings of civilization. It has been used as both food and medicine since people began walking this planet. Humans and animals have evolved a system of cells that are nourished and replenished by phytocannabinoids.
Cannabinoids are active chemicals in cannabis that cause drug-like effects throughout the body, including the central nervous system and the immune system. They are also known as phytocannabinoids. At least 85 different cannabinoids have been isolated from the Cannabis plant
Other plants that have cannabinoids include: Coneflower (Echinacea), Electric Daisy (Acmella Oleracea), Helichrysum Umbraculigerum, Liverwort (Radula Marginata), Chocolate (Theobroma Cacao), and Black Pepper (Piper Nigrum).
See also my blog for more info LINK and LINK
Windows Ads
Have you noticed those annoying ads for Windows products
while you look for files? They might just be small pop-ups for
things like Office 365 subscriptions or Skype credits, but they
annoy the heck out of me.
You can turn them off by following these steps:
Launch File Explorer and the click View > Options > Change folder and search options.
In the Folder Options dialog that pops up, select the View tab.
In the Advanced Settings box, scroll down and uncheck the option labeled “Show sync provider notifications.” Hit OK.
Done, ads gone.
There are also ads on the Start Screen. Some of these can be turned off by opening Windows 10 Settings app, go to Personalization, and click the Start tab. From there, switch off “Occasionally Show Suggestions in Start”. You are welcome.
You can turn them off by following these steps:
Launch File Explorer and the click View > Options > Change folder and search options.
In the Folder Options dialog that pops up, select the View tab.
In the Advanced Settings box, scroll down and uncheck the option labeled “Show sync provider notifications.” Hit OK.
Done, ads gone.
There are also ads on the Start Screen. Some of these can be turned off by opening Windows 10 Settings app, go to Personalization, and click the Start tab. From there, switch off “Occasionally Show Suggestions in Start”. You are welcome.
Earliest Life on Earth
Scientists have recently discovered fossils of
what look like red algae in Chitrakoot, India, which suggest
that multicellular life arose several hundred million years
earlier than previously believed.
Life can be traced as far back as 3.7 billion years or earlier, preserved in "mats" of fossilized single-celled microbes, but it took much longer for multicellular forms of life to emerge. Fossils appear to have been fairly common, beginning around 540 million years ago.
The new fossils, discovered by scientists from the Swedish Museum of Natural History, provide a clearer window into when advanced life began to form. Two types of fossils were found: one with a structure like thread, and the other with a more fleshy form. They are 400 million years older than the previously earliest known examples of red algae, making them the oldest plant-like fossils by a wide margin.
Life can be traced as far back as 3.7 billion years or earlier, preserved in "mats" of fossilized single-celled microbes, but it took much longer for multicellular forms of life to emerge. Fossils appear to have been fairly common, beginning around 540 million years ago.
The new fossils, discovered by scientists from the Swedish Museum of Natural History, provide a clearer window into when advanced life began to form. Two types of fossils were found: one with a structure like thread, and the other with a more fleshy form. They are 400 million years older than the previously earliest known examples of red algae, making them the oldest plant-like fossils by a wide margin.
Blockchain
Blockchain is the world's leading software platform for digital
assets, offering the largest production block chain platform in
the world. The first blockchain was conceptualized by Satoshi
Nakamoto in 2008 and implemented the following year as a core
component of the digital currency bitcoin, where it serves as
the public ledger for all transactions. A blockchain database is
managed autonomously and registered transactions cannot be
altered retroactively.
It is a distributed database that maintains a continuously growing list of ordered records called blocks. Each block contains a timestamp and a link to a previous block. By design, blockchains are inherently resistant to modification of the recorded data. Once recorded, the data in a block cannot be altered retroactively. Blockchains are "an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way.
Blockchains are suitable for the recording of events, medical records, other records management activities, identity management, and transaction processing. Various regulatory bodies in the music industry have started testing models that use blockchain technology for royalty collection and management of copyrights around the world. Previously unimagined applications, from digitally recorded property assets to regulatory compliance and trading are now actively being developed and deployed. Automated voting systems may prove to be the ultimate blockchain-based technology beyond bitcoin.
Blockchain is a large electronic system, on top of which you can build applications. Currency, like bitcoin is one of those applications. Millions of users and hundreds of thousands of merchants currently use bitcoin digital currency. You can buy and sell bitcoins on PayPal and buy with your credit card or cash. Bitcoin is the decentralized, global, democratized, highly secure cryptocurrency. It use has grown immensely since it began and this global currency is completely separate from any government and its price is not subject to political manipulation. Last time I looked, one bitcoin was worth over a thousand US dollars.
It is a distributed database that maintains a continuously growing list of ordered records called blocks. Each block contains a timestamp and a link to a previous block. By design, blockchains are inherently resistant to modification of the recorded data. Once recorded, the data in a block cannot be altered retroactively. Blockchains are "an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way.
Blockchains are suitable for the recording of events, medical records, other records management activities, identity management, and transaction processing. Various regulatory bodies in the music industry have started testing models that use blockchain technology for royalty collection and management of copyrights around the world. Previously unimagined applications, from digitally recorded property assets to regulatory compliance and trading are now actively being developed and deployed. Automated voting systems may prove to be the ultimate blockchain-based technology beyond bitcoin.
Blockchain is a large electronic system, on top of which you can build applications. Currency, like bitcoin is one of those applications. Millions of users and hundreds of thousands of merchants currently use bitcoin digital currency. You can buy and sell bitcoins on PayPal and buy with your credit card or cash. Bitcoin is the decentralized, global, democratized, highly secure cryptocurrency. It use has grown immensely since it began and this global currency is completely separate from any government and its price is not subject to political manipulation. Last time I looked, one bitcoin was worth over a thousand US dollars.
Robot Growth
The International Federation of Robotics forecast that unit
shipments for the global market for vacuum cleaning robots,
lawn-mowing robots and other household cleaning robots will grow
at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33% through 2019.
Global medical robotics market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 21.43% during 2016 - 2021.
Agricultural robots forecast to increase from 32,000 units in 2016 to 594,000 units annually in 2024 and that the market is expected to reach $74.1 billion in annual revenue by 2024.
The Internet of Robotic Things market is expected to be $21.44 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 29.7% between 2016 and 2022.
Global medical robotics market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 21.43% during 2016 - 2021.
Agricultural robots forecast to increase from 32,000 units in 2016 to 594,000 units annually in 2024 and that the market is expected to reach $74.1 billion in annual revenue by 2024.
The Internet of Robotic Things market is expected to be $21.44 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 29.7% between 2016 and 2022.
Three Kinds of Bacon
They are: smoky, sweet, and funky.
Funky bacon is funky, because it is not necessarily made of pork, or it is cured or seasoned in a prominent way. Funky bacon can also be sweet or smoky.
A smoky bacon can be sweet, but a sweet bacon is qualified by its sweetness and has a lack of overall smokiness.
All bacon should be salty, without allowing the salt to overpower and should be cut in a way that is appropriate to its use and the bacon’s own fat-to-meat ratio.
The fat-to-meat ratio should be a one-to-one balance of fat to meat, one that errs on the fatty side. A 60 percent fat to 40 percent meat ratio is the limit of acceptability for a standard bacon slice (cut from 1∕16 to 1∕8 inch thick)
Funky bacon is funky, because it is not necessarily made of pork, or it is cured or seasoned in a prominent way. Funky bacon can also be sweet or smoky.
A smoky bacon can be sweet, but a sweet bacon is qualified by its sweetness and has a lack of overall smokiness.
All bacon should be salty, without allowing the salt to overpower and should be cut in a way that is appropriate to its use and the bacon’s own fat-to-meat ratio.
The fat-to-meat ratio should be a one-to-one balance of fat to meat, one that errs on the fatty side. A 60 percent fat to 40 percent meat ratio is the limit of acceptability for a standard bacon slice (cut from 1∕16 to 1∕8 inch thick)
Personal Calendar
Here is an interesting fun site that shows what has happened
since the day you were born. LINK
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