"Happiness has always
seemed to me a great achievement." ~Françoise Sagan
We all try to
achieve happiness, especially on a Happy Friday!
Jun 29, 2020
Over The Hump, Covid
We have officially passed
the middle of 2020. The good news is that we appear to have
escaped Armageddon. Future historians will likely replace,
"Where were you when Kennedy was shot" with "Where were you when
the virus hit?." We will endlessly debate which was worse, the
negative media hype, the lock-down, or the disease. What we do
know is that this pandemic is not the worst. Also, since the
beginning of June, there are more cured cases than active cases.
According to WebMD, early estimates predict that the overall
COVID-19 recovery rate is between 97% and 99.75%.
As of June 24, the number of people the CDC confirmed infected is at 9.2 million, or .13% of the world population and the death toll is (475 thousand) .06%.
CDC estimates that, from October 1, 2019, through April 4, 2020, there have been between 39 and 56 million seasonal flu illnesses.
From MPH Online, an independent online resource for public health students -
HIV/AIDS Pandemic had a Death Toll of 36 million. (Congo)
Between 2005 and 2012 the annual global deaths from HIV/AIDS dropped from 2.2 million to 1.6 million.
Flu Pandemic 1968 had a Death Toll of 1 million. Hong Kong))
The 1968 pandemic had a mortality rate (.5%) and resulted in the deaths of more than a million people.
Asian Flu Pandemic (1956-1958) had a Death Toll of 2 million. (China)
The World Health Organization noted approximately 2 million deaths.
Flu Pandemic (1918) had a Death Toll of 20 -50 million. (Spanish, but disputed)
Of the 500 million people infected in the 1918 pandemic, the mortality rate was estimated at 10% to 20%, with up to 25 million deaths in the first 25 weeks.
As of June 24, the number of people the CDC confirmed infected is at 9.2 million, or .13% of the world population and the death toll is (475 thousand) .06%.
CDC estimates that, from October 1, 2019, through April 4, 2020, there have been between 39 and 56 million seasonal flu illnesses.
From MPH Online, an independent online resource for public health students -
HIV/AIDS Pandemic had a Death Toll of 36 million. (Congo)
Between 2005 and 2012 the annual global deaths from HIV/AIDS dropped from 2.2 million to 1.6 million.
Flu Pandemic 1968 had a Death Toll of 1 million. Hong Kong))
The 1968 pandemic had a mortality rate (.5%) and resulted in the deaths of more than a million people.
Asian Flu Pandemic (1956-1958) had a Death Toll of 2 million. (China)
The World Health Organization noted approximately 2 million deaths.
Flu Pandemic (1918) had a Death Toll of 20 -50 million. (Spanish, but disputed)
Of the 500 million people infected in the 1918 pandemic, the mortality rate was estimated at 10% to 20%, with up to 25 million deaths in the first 25 weeks.
Wordology, Ineffectual vs. Ineffective
Both refer to failure, but
only ineffectual refers to the kind of failure that happens when
the effort was weak, impotent, and/or incompetent without
satisfactory or decisive effect. An ineffectual person does not
have the ability or confidence to do something well.
Ineffective means not producing intended results and there is no effect. For example, ineffective communication includes talking instead of listening actively.
Likely ten percent of people will notice or care when one of these words is used instead of the other.
Ineffective means not producing intended results and there is no effect. For example, ineffective communication includes talking instead of listening actively.
Likely ten percent of people will notice or care when one of these words is used instead of the other.
Text Books Online
LibraryGenesis (gen.lib.rus.ec) is a completely free
library of almost every textbook and college manual, cookbooks,
comics, etc. You can likely retrieve all of them in pdf or epub
form. Some of it is in Russian, such as magazines. Still a good
source for free books.
Volunteer
Whether it is planting trees or serving food to the homeless,
volunteering your time for the greater good makes a difference
in the lives of many. Doing good deeds also benefits your body,
too. A study from Harvard shows that people who regularly
volunteer enjoy longer, happier, healthier lives.
Researchers say that people over 50 years old who volunteer for about two hours weekly have a considerably lower risk of death. They are also less likely to develop physical impairments and do exercise more frequently. All of these benefits naturally lead to a stronger overall well-being versus people who do not volunteer.
“Humans are social creatures by nature. Perhaps this is why our minds and bodies are rewarded when we give to others,” explains lead author Dr. Eric Kim, of the Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. “Our results show that volunteerism among older adults doesn’t just strengthen communities, but enriches our own lives by strengthening our bonds to others, helping us feel a sense of purpose and well-being, and protecting us from feelings of loneliness, depression, and hopelessness.”
The researchers randomly selected nearly 13,000 participants a national study conducted between 2010-2016. Participants were split into two groups and tracked for four years each. The research team used health data, face-to-face interviews and surveys to evaluate the effects of volunteering on 34 specific physical and mental health outcomes.
Researchers say that people over 50 years old who volunteer for about two hours weekly have a considerably lower risk of death. They are also less likely to develop physical impairments and do exercise more frequently. All of these benefits naturally lead to a stronger overall well-being versus people who do not volunteer.
“Humans are social creatures by nature. Perhaps this is why our minds and bodies are rewarded when we give to others,” explains lead author Dr. Eric Kim, of the Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. “Our results show that volunteerism among older adults doesn’t just strengthen communities, but enriches our own lives by strengthening our bonds to others, helping us feel a sense of purpose and well-being, and protecting us from feelings of loneliness, depression, and hopelessness.”
The researchers randomly selected nearly 13,000 participants a national study conducted between 2010-2016. Participants were split into two groups and tracked for four years each. The research team used health data, face-to-face interviews and surveys to evaluate the effects of volunteering on 34 specific physical and mental health outcomes.
Espresso and Caffeine
Espresso is a form of coffee made by grinding
the beans very finely and subjecting them to hot water at high
pressure. Espresso has a more concentrated flavor. Ounce for
ounce, espresso does have more caffeine than a regular drip
brew. A shot of espresso has 120 to 170 mg of caffeine, whereas
a cup of coffee has 150 to 200 mg. It would take two or three
espresso shots to equal the caffeine in a 16-ounce Starbucks
coffee.
Car Production 2017
In case you were thinking the US still manufactures the most
cars, here is a startling picture.
Five Interesting Car Facts
There are 1 billion cars currently in use on
earth.
Volkswagen owns Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Audi, Ducati, and Porsche.
In 1924, half the cars in the world were Fords.
Half of all new cars in Norway are electric or hybrid.
95% of a car's lifetime is spent parked.
Volkswagen owns Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Audi, Ducati, and Porsche.
In 1924, half the cars in the world were Fords.
Half of all new cars in Norway are electric or hybrid.
95% of a car's lifetime is spent parked.
Soundbase vs. Soundbar
When it comes to speakers for TVs, some models
are described as a “soundbase.” Soundbase and sound bar are
similar,and they might even share identical technological
feature sets, but they are not the same thing. A soundbase is
specifically designed to sit on a cabinet and support the weight
of a television. Their form factor means they cannot be mounted
to the wall.
Normandy Cemetery
At the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, French
caretakers take the sand from Omaha Beach and scrub them into
the letters to give them the brown/gold coloring as a method of
remembering the names as they often get washed out being
engraved into bright white stone. One user said the sand does
not last all too long, but it is more about the intent than the
result.
YouTube Hack
If
you want to watch an ad free YouTube video, just add a period
(.) at the end of the URL. It should look like .com. - https://www.youtube.com.
Jun 19, 2020
Happy Friday
If you want to know how
rich you really are, add up all the things you have that money
can not buy.
Always enjoy what you have, especially on a Happy Friday!
Always enjoy what you have, especially on a Happy Friday!
Happy Father's Day, June 21
Father's Day always falls on the third Sunday
in June. It is the day we can remember and honor our fathers.
A woman named Sonora Smart Dodd established an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went around to local businesses to gather support for her idea, and on June 19, 1910, the state of Washington celebrated the first-ever Father's Day.
On May 1, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed Proclamation 4127, which declared Father's Day as a national holiday, with the first official celebration on June 18, 1972. "Let each American make this Father's Day an occasion for renewal of the love and gratitude we bear to our fathers, increasing and enduring through all the years," he wrote in the document. Incidentally, we are all used to telling our mothers, "I love you." It is OK to tell dad the same.
A woman named Sonora Smart Dodd established an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went around to local businesses to gather support for her idea, and on June 19, 1910, the state of Washington celebrated the first-ever Father's Day.
On May 1, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed Proclamation 4127, which declared Father's Day as a national holiday, with the first official celebration on June 18, 1972. "Let each American make this Father's Day an occasion for renewal of the love and gratitude we bear to our fathers, increasing and enduring through all the years," he wrote in the document. Incidentally, we are all used to telling our mothers, "I love you." It is OK to tell dad the same.
What's in a Name, Q-tips
The Q stands for quality. Q-tips were first
conceived by Leo Gerstenzang, who observed his wife stick bits
of cotton to toothpicks. He decided that his wife had the right
idea and decided to found the Leo Gerstenzang Infant Novelty Co.
in 1923, which would manufacture ready to use cotton swabs.
USA Geography
You want to start an argument between New Yorkers and New
Jerseyans, bring up this bone of contention. Even though the US
Geological Survey has placed Liberty Island in New York's 8th
Congressional District, the island actually resides in New
Jersey's waters, and is much closer to Jersey's mainland than
New York's.
The Mississippi River is the longest in the US at 2348 miles. The Missouri River is 2,341 miles.
The Aleutian Islands in Alaska cross over the 180th meridian, which means that the islands on the far side of the line are technically in the farthest eastern longitudes of the world an the easternmost point of North America. The islands on this side of the line also make Alaska our westernmost state as well.
The Florida Keys are a picturesque haven for tourists who flock to the southernmost geographical marker in Key West, but it is just the southernmost continental point. Hawaii, in fact, reaches down nearly to the 21st latitude, only 1,465 miles from the equator.
According to a 2016 census estimate, Wyoming has the fewest residents, with just below 586,000, ranking it No. 50 in state populations. Vermont comes after that with about 625,000, while Alaska is ahead at 48th, having nearly 742,000 residents.
The Mississippi River is the longest in the US at 2348 miles. The Missouri River is 2,341 miles.
The Aleutian Islands in Alaska cross over the 180th meridian, which means that the islands on the far side of the line are technically in the farthest eastern longitudes of the world an the easternmost point of North America. The islands on this side of the line also make Alaska our westernmost state as well.
The Florida Keys are a picturesque haven for tourists who flock to the southernmost geographical marker in Key West, but it is just the southernmost continental point. Hawaii, in fact, reaches down nearly to the 21st latitude, only 1,465 miles from the equator.
According to a 2016 census estimate, Wyoming has the fewest residents, with just below 586,000, ranking it No. 50 in state populations. Vermont comes after that with about 625,000, while Alaska is ahead at 48th, having nearly 742,000 residents.
Mobile Phone Tip
Hide
a folded bill behind your phone case so you have some emergency
cash if you forget your wallet or purse. In the old days, my
sisters used to pin a bill to their bra, in case someone ran
out of gas or had a flat tire.
Mobile Phone Facts
Most mobile phone users check their phones up to 63 times
daily.
Americans spend an average screen time of 5.4 hours on their mobile phones daily.
Currently, there are 272.6 million smartphone users in America.
13% of Millennials spend over 12 hours on their phones daily.
Baby Boomers spend 5 hours using their phones.
Americans spend an average screen time of 5.4 hours on their mobile phones daily.
Currently, there are 272.6 million smartphone users in America.
13% of Millennials spend over 12 hours on their phones daily.
Baby Boomers spend 5 hours using their phones.
Mosquitoes are Killers
The mosquito emerged 190 million years ago.
During 2018 mosquitoes killed 850,000 people, but the annual
average is around 2 million. Sharks, by contrast, killed 10.
There are 110 trillion mosquitoes stalking the world at this time (with only a few places, like Antarctica, the Seychelles and a few French Polynesian islands outside the range). These insects harbor at least 15 lethal diseases. The most deadly are malaria and yellow fever, but mosquitoes also transmit other lethal viruses, like West Nile and Zika, worms, and parasites.
Mosquitoes on average kill more humans than any other animal, including man himself. The annual average number of deaths worldwide caused by:
Mosquitoes: 2 million
Humans: 475,000
Snakes: 50,000
There are 110 trillion mosquitoes stalking the world at this time (with only a few places, like Antarctica, the Seychelles and a few French Polynesian islands outside the range). These insects harbor at least 15 lethal diseases. The most deadly are malaria and yellow fever, but mosquitoes also transmit other lethal viruses, like West Nile and Zika, worms, and parasites.
Mosquitoes on average kill more humans than any other animal, including man himself. The annual average number of deaths worldwide caused by:
Mosquitoes: 2 million
Humans: 475,000
Snakes: 50,000
Google Lens
Google Assistant has an option called "Google Lens" which can
recognize almost any flower, plant, insect, animal, logos,
landmarks, etc. that you point it at. It can also translate text
into other languages.
Open the Google Assistant and tap the camera icon to the left of the four colored dots at the bottom. This will open Google Lens, which is an AI able to recognize almost anything you point the camera at. You can even load pictures you have already taken by tapping the picture icon in the top right corner.
The free app is available to download for iPhone and Android. Great for getting the names of flowers and plants in your yard that you forgot the name of.
Open the Google Assistant and tap the camera icon to the left of the four colored dots at the bottom. This will open Google Lens, which is an AI able to recognize almost anything you point the camera at. You can even load pictures you have already taken by tapping the picture icon in the top right corner.
The free app is available to download for iPhone and Android. Great for getting the names of flowers and plants in your yard that you forgot the name of.
Coffee Bag Holes
The little holes in coffee bags are there to release carbon
dioxide. After roasting, coffee beans can release carbon dioxide
for two weeks and without the one-way hole the bag would swell
up and burst.
CDC Covid Tracker
Here is an interesting site from the CDC with various
statistics by state. Interesting. LINK
History of the Hawaiian Shirt
During 1916, Hawaiian records outsold all
other genres. During the Great Depression, Americans added
another piece of Hawaiian culture: the aloha shirt. The aloha
shirt first appeared in Hawaii in the 1920s or ’30s, probably
when local Japanese women adapted kimono fabric for use in men’s
shirting. The shirts achieved some popularity among tourists to
Hawaii and found greater commercial success when they hit the
mainland.
After Pearl Harbor service members returning to the mainland from the Pacific made the signature apparel more popular than ever. In the past five years, fashion magazines have been heralding a comeback, and high-end labels like Gucci are taking the aloha shirt to new heights, with prints that draw on Japanese designs favored in the garment’s early days. Meanwhile, some shirt makers from Hawaii’s old guard are still going strong.
After Pearl Harbor service members returning to the mainland from the Pacific made the signature apparel more popular than ever. In the past five years, fashion magazines have been heralding a comeback, and high-end labels like Gucci are taking the aloha shirt to new heights, with prints that draw on Japanese designs favored in the garment’s early days. Meanwhile, some shirt makers from Hawaii’s old guard are still going strong.
Happy Friday
Make happiness a family
trait you pass along.
It is a good habit to exhibit often, especially on a Happy Friday!
It is a good habit to exhibit often, especially on a Happy Friday!
What's in a Name, Pegman
Pegman is the name of the little yellow figure in
Google maps. Drag him to a location on the map and it changes to
street view.
Google Maps Street View
You can travel back in time with Google Maps using
Street View. You can see what a landmark looked like over the
years as part of a digital timeline.
Look for the clock icon in the upper left-hand portion of many Street View images. Click on it and move the slider that pops up left and right to travel through “time” to see images of a structure in the past and in present. There are various thumbnails you can look through to see how it looked in the past.
Look for the clock icon in the upper left-hand portion of many Street View images. Click on it and move the slider that pops up left and right to travel through “time” to see images of a structure in the past and in present. There are various thumbnails you can look through to see how it looked in the past.
Wordology, Altitude vs. Elevation
Altitude is used to describe a point above
sea level in the air. Pilots use altitude. Elevation is a point
above sea level on land.
National Monument vs. National Park
Enacted in 1906, the American
Antiquities Act established the protection of "natural and
cultural resources" in the United States, paving the way for
national monuments and parks. President Theodore Roosevelt
proclaimed four national monuments in that same year. The first
of those was Devils Tower in Wyoming. This massive column of
igneous rock attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors per
year.
The first official national park is Yellowstone in Wyoming, established by President Grant in 1872. The difference between a national monument and a national park is that parks are set aside by Congress for their scenic or natural significance, while monuments can have historic or scientific significance of any kind and are created via executive order. Buildings and ruins, for instance, can be monuments, not parks.
The first official national park is Yellowstone in Wyoming, established by President Grant in 1872. The difference between a national monument and a national park is that parks are set aside by Congress for their scenic or natural significance, while monuments can have historic or scientific significance of any kind and are created via executive order. Buildings and ruins, for instance, can be monuments, not parks.
What's in a Name, Mount Rushmore
This famous of American landmarks did not
get its name from the mountain it is built on nor is it named
after the man who sculpted it. In 1884, an attorney named
Charles Edward Rushmore visited the Black Hills area to verify
some legal titles. According to the National Parks site,
Rushmore asked a local guide what the name of the mountain was.
The guide replied, "We will name it now, and name it Rushmore."
Two More Myths Debunked
A camel’s hump does not store water. Camel humps store fat. The
fat allows the animal to remain nourished during long periods
between eating, an attribute for which camels are less well-known.
As the fat is burned by the animal’s metabolism, the humps sag,
replenished when the camel again has access to food. Camels drink
massive amounts of water, up to 20 gallons at a time, which is
stored in their bloodstream, not in their humps. In truth, a
camel’s hump holds little water, and none as storage for long
desert journeys.
Gum remains in the stomach no longer than any other food ingested. For most people is 30 minutes to two hours. For most healthy people, the stomach is emptied within that time period. Chewing gum is not intended to be swallowed, but the idea that it remains in the stomach indefinitely, growing into a larger mass, is totally false.
Gum remains in the stomach no longer than any other food ingested. For most people is 30 minutes to two hours. For most healthy people, the stomach is emptied within that time period. Chewing gum is not intended to be swallowed, but the idea that it remains in the stomach indefinitely, growing into a larger mass, is totally false.
Browser Tip
If
you are frustrated with sites that open a link on top of the
page you are reading, you can hold down the CTRL key and left
mouse click on the link and it will open in a new tab so you can
finish reading the page you are on and then switch to the linked
page.
Another way is to right mouse click and choose Open Link in New Tab.
Another way is to right mouse click and choose Open Link in New Tab.
Sayings From the Bible
"By the skin of my teeth"
This is one of the many proverbs that owe their origin to the colorful language of the Book of Job. The tormented hero Job is complaining about his woes. He has become, he says, so emaciated that “my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.” The proverbial meaning is that he has missed death by a tiny margin—as narrow as the (non-existent) skin on a person’s teeth. Biblical scholars have argued endlessly about what the phrase originally signified. Some argue for a more literal interpretation: that Satan kept Job’s mouth—the skin of his gums, jaws, and lips—healthy in order to encourage him to blaspheme against God.
"A drop in the bucket"
Stuck between the mighty pharaohs on one side, and a succession of great Mesopotamian empires on the other, Israel was always destined to be a small fish in a big and dangerous pond. By the middle of the sixth century BC, the Jewish kingdoms had been conquered repeatedly, and a decent chunk of the population was living in painful exile in Babylon. Amid all this geopolitical gloom, the Book of Isaiah had some words of comfort. Compared to God, says the prophet, “the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance.”
This is one of the many proverbs that owe their origin to the colorful language of the Book of Job. The tormented hero Job is complaining about his woes. He has become, he says, so emaciated that “my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.” The proverbial meaning is that he has missed death by a tiny margin—as narrow as the (non-existent) skin on a person’s teeth. Biblical scholars have argued endlessly about what the phrase originally signified. Some argue for a more literal interpretation: that Satan kept Job’s mouth—the skin of his gums, jaws, and lips—healthy in order to encourage him to blaspheme against God.
"A drop in the bucket"
Stuck between the mighty pharaohs on one side, and a succession of great Mesopotamian empires on the other, Israel was always destined to be a small fish in a big and dangerous pond. By the middle of the sixth century BC, the Jewish kingdoms had been conquered repeatedly, and a decent chunk of the population was living in painful exile in Babylon. Amid all this geopolitical gloom, the Book of Isaiah had some words of comfort. Compared to God, says the prophet, “the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance.”
Jun 7, 2020
Happy Friday
Happiness
is the greatest gift which life can grant us.
I
like to hand out gifts, especially on a Happy Friday!
National Doughnut Day
National Doughnut Day is celebrated
each year on the first Friday in June. Doughnut lovers all rise
to celebrate a wonderful circle of sweet, doughy goodness that
has a day set aside holey in its honor.
Smoky Bones features a 3/8th-inch thick slice of Applewood smoked bacon, hand-carved and then candied in brown sugar and black pepper. The chunk of meat is then roasted until crispy and shaped into a traditional doughnut ring. The sugary, peppery and crispy slice is then dipped in the restaurant’s “signature vanilla cake batter and cooked until perfectly golden brown.” On top of that goes a second glaze of confectioner’s sugar and maple sugar. It is then topped with even more smoked bacon pieces. Smoky Bones is a nationwide BBQ restaurant.
Incidentally, donut is the spelling from Dunkin Donuts.
Smoky Bones features a 3/8th-inch thick slice of Applewood smoked bacon, hand-carved and then candied in brown sugar and black pepper. The chunk of meat is then roasted until crispy and shaped into a traditional doughnut ring. The sugary, peppery and crispy slice is then dipped in the restaurant’s “signature vanilla cake batter and cooked until perfectly golden brown.” On top of that goes a second glaze of confectioner’s sugar and maple sugar. It is then topped with even more smoked bacon pieces. Smoky Bones is a nationwide BBQ restaurant.
Incidentally, donut is the spelling from Dunkin Donuts.
Online Tips
Here are a few interesting sites to help you use up some of the
Covid extra stay-in-place time.
Is it down for you or the entire world?
The video conferencing service Zoom recently experienced audio and video issues that left many virtual Sunday church goers without weekly service. While confused users flooded social media to try to fix their computers, phones, or tablets, they could have used this site. There was nothing they could do.
Zoom was experiencing a service outage. If a site you use is experiencing issues, Downdetector will display a live outage map, information on where the outage occurred, the time it happened, and the most reported problems.
Tap or click here for this smart trick to use when a site or service is down.
See life in numbers
You can use this site when it is someone’s birthday to give the celebrator some fun facts about his or her life so far. Try it for yourself. At Life Stats, enter your date of birth and you instantly see the number of times your heart has beaten, how many days you have spent asleep, what a dollar was worth when you were born, and more facts including life expectancy statistics.
Tap or click here to get your life stats.
Try a custom ambient sound maker
We all have preferences when it comes to sound. Would you rather get something done in a bustling coffee shop or a silent room? Do you prefer gentle white noise or complete quiet when sleeping?
A Soft Murmur is beautiful, useful and endlessly customizable. Here’s how it works. Visit the site and choose your background noise of choice from basics like rain, thunder, waves and wind to crickets, birds, fire and coffee shop chatter. Set the level for each sound to create your perfect mix. Maybe it's a coffee shop and rain or waves, wind and birds for a more calming effect.
Tap or click here to create your perfect background noise.
Cook based on your fridge and pantry
Right now, most of us are stocking up on groceries to avoid going back to the store every few days. This makes it difficult to whip up fun new recipes.
If you are stuck in a rut, try MyFridgeFood. Check off the items in your fridge and pantry, and find recipes based on what you have on-hand.
Tap or click here to get delicious recipes using what you have at home.
Is it down for you or the entire world?
The video conferencing service Zoom recently experienced audio and video issues that left many virtual Sunday church goers without weekly service. While confused users flooded social media to try to fix their computers, phones, or tablets, they could have used this site. There was nothing they could do.
Zoom was experiencing a service outage. If a site you use is experiencing issues, Downdetector will display a live outage map, information on where the outage occurred, the time it happened, and the most reported problems.
Tap or click here for this smart trick to use when a site or service is down.
See life in numbers
You can use this site when it is someone’s birthday to give the celebrator some fun facts about his or her life so far. Try it for yourself. At Life Stats, enter your date of birth and you instantly see the number of times your heart has beaten, how many days you have spent asleep, what a dollar was worth when you were born, and more facts including life expectancy statistics.
Tap or click here to get your life stats.
Try a custom ambient sound maker
We all have preferences when it comes to sound. Would you rather get something done in a bustling coffee shop or a silent room? Do you prefer gentle white noise or complete quiet when sleeping?
A Soft Murmur is beautiful, useful and endlessly customizable. Here’s how it works. Visit the site and choose your background noise of choice from basics like rain, thunder, waves and wind to crickets, birds, fire and coffee shop chatter. Set the level for each sound to create your perfect mix. Maybe it's a coffee shop and rain or waves, wind and birds for a more calming effect.
Tap or click here to create your perfect background noise.
Cook based on your fridge and pantry
Right now, most of us are stocking up on groceries to avoid going back to the store every few days. This makes it difficult to whip up fun new recipes.
If you are stuck in a rut, try MyFridgeFood. Check off the items in your fridge and pantry, and find recipes based on what you have on-hand.
Tap or click here to get delicious recipes using what you have at home.
What's in a Name, Herostratus
Herostratus burned down the
Temple of Artemis. He did it for the sole purpose of becoming
famous. His acts prompted the creation of a damnatio memoriae
law forbidding anyone to mention his name, whether orally or in
writing. The law was ultimately ineffective, as evidenced by
mentions of his existence in modern works and parlance. Thus,
Herostratus has become a metonym for someone who commits a
criminal act in order to become famous.
Clock Time
This will take you back to school days when
teachers needed to interpret everything for our curious minds.
“AM” stands for “ante meridiem” meaning “before noon” or “before
midday.”
PM
stands for “post meridiem,” meaning “after noon” or “after
midday,” and applies to the times from noon onward.
Interesting Date Facts
Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth were born
in the same year, 1926. Anne Frank and Martin Luther King junior
were born in the same year (1929). Swiss women got the right to
vote the same year the US drove a buggy on the moon (1971).
Harvard University did not offer calculus classes for the first
few years after the school was established, because calculus had
not been invented yet. Charlie Chaplin died in 1977, the same
year Apple was incorporated.
Origin of Sayings
The walls have ears - Origin: The face Louvre
Palace in France was believed to have a network of listening
tubes so that it would be possible to hear everything that was
said in different rooms. People say that this is how the Queen
Catherine de’Medici discovered political secrets and plots.
Blood
is thicker than water - Meaning: Family relationships and
loyalties are the strongest and most important ones. Origin:
Even though many might think this saying means that we should
put family ahead of friends, it actually meant the complete
opposite. The full phrase actually was “The blood of the
covenant is thicker than the water of the womb,” and it referred
to warriors who shared the blood they shed in battles together.
These ‘blood brothers’ were said to have stronger bonds than
biological brothers.
One
for the road - Meaning: A final drink before leaving a place.
Origin: During the middle ages, the condemned ones were taken
through what today is known as Oxford Street to their execution.
During this final trip, the cart would stop and they would be
allowed to have one final drink before their death.
Butter someone up - Meaning: Flatter or otherwise ingratiate oneself with someone. Origin: The people ancient India used to throw balls of clarified butter at the statues of gods in order to seek a favor.
Butter someone up - Meaning: Flatter or otherwise ingratiate oneself with someone. Origin: The people ancient India used to throw balls of clarified butter at the statues of gods in order to seek a favor.
Beat
about the bush - Meaning: Discuss a matter without coming to the
point. Origin: Beating about the bush is actually an action
performed while hunting, driving birds and other animals out
into the open. After this was done others would than catch the
animals.
Top Three Countries Internet Users
These have the most
internet users in the world.
China 854,000,000
India 560,000,000
USA 313,323,000
China 854,000,000
India 560,000,000
USA 313,323,000
Deep, Dark, and Surface Web
Surface Web: This is the web that
you and most people are already familiar with. Major websites
like Google, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook. Sites on the surface
web are “indexed,” which means they can be easily located via
search engines. Activity on the surface web can also be easily
tracked by advertisers.
Dark
Web: The “private internet” includes encrypted websites that are
hidden from search engines and other indexing services. While
not everything on the Dark Web is, strictly speaking, illegal,
this is the place to go if you run shady operations like data
laundering and cybercrime. Accessing the Dark Web requires
special encryption software like Tor Browser.
Deep
Web: The term deep web is often used interchangeably with Dark
Web, but the definitions are different. The deep web simply
includes all online data that is not registered with search
engines. This includes back-end data for most of the world’s
biggest websites and platforms, as well as encrypted information
stored on private networks and cloud servers.
Happy Friday
"An unshared happiness
is not happiness." ~Boris Pasternak
I always share my happiness, especially on a Happy Friday!
I always share my happiness, especially on a Happy Friday!
Obscura Day, May 30
Here is a set of ten places to visit to indulge your Obscura
fantasy.
Around the World in 7 Futuristic Farms
13 Places to Indulge Your Inner Horse Lover
The Definitive Guide to the World’s Hidden Blunders
A Collection of 13 Eclectic Collections
30 Places to Go Deep in the Art of Texas
8 Bars and Beverages That Outlasted the 18th Amendment
10 Big Things in America’s Smallest State
15 Wonderfully Repurposed Places
10 Bathrooms You Should Pee in Before You Die
11 Themed Eateries to Indulge Your Secret Obsessions
Wordology, Recto and Verso
The term “recto” refers to an artwork
public-facing front. “Verso” refers to the back of an artwork,
which is normally hidden.
National Burger Day
Also Hamburger Day. No matter how you say it, yesterday, May
28 was the day to be eating out and enjoying some great burgers.
This day is always toward the end of National Hamburger month.
There are 1259 people listed in whitepages.com with the last name 'Hamburger' and 17,617 people with the last name 'Burger'.
Referring to ground beef as 'hamburger' dates to the invention of the mechanical meat grinder during the 1860s.
'Filet de boeuf a la Hambourgeoise,' was sold in Boston in 1874.
Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers comprise 71% of the beef servings in commercial restaurants. Burgers account for 40% of all sandwiches sold.
The Hamburger hall of fame is located in Seymour, Wisconsin.
There are 1259 people listed in whitepages.com with the last name 'Hamburger' and 17,617 people with the last name 'Burger'.
Referring to ground beef as 'hamburger' dates to the invention of the mechanical meat grinder during the 1860s.
'Filet de boeuf a la Hambourgeoise,' was sold in Boston in 1874.
Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers comprise 71% of the beef servings in commercial restaurants. Burgers account for 40% of all sandwiches sold.
The Hamburger hall of fame is located in Seymour, Wisconsin.
YouTube Tip
If
you see something in a YouTube video that you want to share
at a particular point, you can get a link that takes people
directly to that moment. Click the Share button below the
video. Look for a checkbox below the link. It will
automatically display the time at which you currently have
the video stopped.
You can stick with this time or choose a different time. Copy the link and share it or email it to a friend. When someone views the link, the video will automatically skip right to the point you chose. Very handy, especially for long videos.
You can stick with this time or choose a different time. Copy the link and share it or email it to a friend. When someone views the link, the video will automatically skip right to the point you chose. Very handy, especially for long videos.
Smile, You are on Camera
One billion surveillance cameras will be
deployed globally by 2021, according to data compiled by IHS
Markit. China’s installed base is expected to rise to over
560 million cameras by 2021, representing the largest share
of surveillance devices installed globally. The US is rising
to about 85 million cameras. When taking populations into
account China will continue to have nearly the same ratio of
cameras to citizens as the US.
In 2018, China had 350 million cameras installed for an estimated one camera for every 4.1 people. That compared to one for every 4.6 people in the US where 70 million cameras were installed. Taiwan was third in terms of penetration with one camera for every 5.5 citizens in 2018, followed by the UK and Ireland 1 to 6.5 and Singapore 1 to 7.1.
In 2018, China had 350 million cameras installed for an estimated one camera for every 4.1 people. That compared to one for every 4.6 people in the US where 70 million cameras were installed. Taiwan was third in terms of penetration with one camera for every 5.5 citizens in 2018, followed by the UK and Ireland 1 to 6.5 and Singapore 1 to 7.1.
Cable Costs
Spectrum in Los Angeles had an advertised price of $89.97
for new subscribers to get internet, cable and phone
service. After USA TODAY tried signing up for that offer,
after adding the fees for two DVRs and cable boxes, and the
"broadcast fee" to watch local cable channels, the final
tally was $131.95.
Consumer Reports found that cable companies pocket $28 billion a year in imposed fees that are not mandated by the government and that these fees cost subscribers $37 per month and add an extra 24% to the cost of the bill. Respondents paid a median price of $173 per month for bundles, across all providers.
About 33 million people ditched their cable or satellite subscription during 2018, according to researcher eMarketer, up from 24.9 million in 2017.
22 percent of members said they use an antenna to get free over-the-air TV signals on one or more of the sets in their home.
Consumer Reports found that cable companies pocket $28 billion a year in imposed fees that are not mandated by the government and that these fees cost subscribers $37 per month and add an extra 24% to the cost of the bill. Respondents paid a median price of $173 per month for bundles, across all providers.
About 33 million people ditched their cable or satellite subscription during 2018, according to researcher eMarketer, up from 24.9 million in 2017.
22 percent of members said they use an antenna to get free over-the-air TV signals on one or more of the sets in their home.
Jun 5, 2020
Wilderness Fact
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28%. The
percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%.
Wordology, Chronophobia
As the population ages, an old phobia is
getting some news lately. Chronophobia is the fear of time. It
is characterized by an irrational persistent fear of time and of
the passing of time.
Chronophobia is related to the rare chronomentrophobia, the irrational fear of timepieces, such as watches and clocks. Chronophobia is considered a specific phobia.
Chronophobia is related to the rare chronomentrophobia, the irrational fear of timepieces, such as watches and clocks. Chronophobia is considered a specific phobia.
May Inventions
May 15, 718 - James Puckle, a London lawyer, patented the
world's first machine gun.
May 17, 1839 - Lorenzo Adkins patented a water wheel.
May 18, 1827 - 1830 - Edwin Beard Budding of England signed a licensing agreement for the manufacture of his invention, the lawn mower.
May 19, 1896 - Edward Acheson was issued a patent for an electrical furnace used to produce one of the hardest industrial substances: carborundum.
May 20, 1830 - D. Hyde patented the fountain pen. 1958 - Robert Baumann obtained a patent for a satellite structure.
May 17, 1839 - Lorenzo Adkins patented a water wheel.
May 18, 1827 - 1830 - Edwin Beard Budding of England signed a licensing agreement for the manufacture of his invention, the lawn mower.
May 19, 1896 - Edward Acheson was issued a patent for an electrical furnace used to produce one of the hardest industrial substances: carborundum.
May 20, 1830 - D. Hyde patented the fountain pen. 1958 - Robert Baumann obtained a patent for a satellite structure.
Positive and Negative Words
Smart was first used in Old English to
describe things that cause pain. Weapons, nails, and darts were
smart. Shakespeare’s Henry VI has the phrase “as smart as
lizards’ stings.” It took on connotations of sharpness,
quickness, intensity, and, through smart, pain-causing words or
wit came to stand for quick intelligence and fashionableness.
Egregious was a positive word that turned negative. It used to mean "eminent and distinguished," but because people started using it sarcastically, it came to mean "bad and offensive."
Sad started with the meaning of "satisfied or sated," also sometimes "steadfast" or "firm." It then went from meaning "serious," to "grave," to "sorrowful."
Smug first meant "crisp, tidy, and presentable." A well-dressed person was smug in this way, and it later came to mean "self-satisfied and conceited."
Devious comes from de via, "off the way." It once meant "distant" or "off the road." It took on the meaning of wandering, such as devious comets, devious minnows, and, because to do wrong was to stray from the right path, it eventually came to mean "scheming and deceitful."
Facetiousness was once to have elegant, gracious, high style, and to be jokey and witty. It came from a Latin term for playful humorousness. It is still connected with a type of humor, but with an unproductive or annoying connotation.
Bully used to be a term of endearment for men or women. A bully could be a good friend or a sweetheart. It then came to stand for a swaggering braggart and than a coward who picks on others.
Egregious was a positive word that turned negative. It used to mean "eminent and distinguished," but because people started using it sarcastically, it came to mean "bad and offensive."
Sad started with the meaning of "satisfied or sated," also sometimes "steadfast" or "firm." It then went from meaning "serious," to "grave," to "sorrowful."
Smug first meant "crisp, tidy, and presentable." A well-dressed person was smug in this way, and it later came to mean "self-satisfied and conceited."
Devious comes from de via, "off the way." It once meant "distant" or "off the road." It took on the meaning of wandering, such as devious comets, devious minnows, and, because to do wrong was to stray from the right path, it eventually came to mean "scheming and deceitful."
Facetiousness was once to have elegant, gracious, high style, and to be jokey and witty. It came from a Latin term for playful humorousness. It is still connected with a type of humor, but with an unproductive or annoying connotation.
Bully used to be a term of endearment for men or women. A bully could be a good friend or a sweetheart. It then came to stand for a swaggering braggart and than a coward who picks on others.
Friends With Benefits
When the show came to an end, the cast of the
popular TV show Friends negotiated syndication rights for
themselves. That means they receive a percentage of the revenue
(2 percent) from reruns airing across all broadcasting
companies. Since the much-loved TV show still pulls in around $1
billion of revenue, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Jennifer
Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry each make
about $20 million per year.
Costco Shopping Tip
According to Redditt, “For extra lean (and cheap) ground beef,
ask the meat department for a 10lb chub. We sell our regular
ground beef (88/12 percent) for $3.49 a pound. The way we make
it is we take our fat trimmings from cutting steaks and mix it
with the chubs to bring up the fat content and increase our
profits. The 10lb chubs are probably sitting around 5 percent –
8 percent fat and only cost $2.99 a pound. You will have to ask
for these specifically as we don’t normally put them out for
sale.”
One interesting tip is to request a chub of beef. Although most people are unfamiliar with this meat-packing term, a “chub” is a tube of ground beef, sealed in plastic. Looking a bit like an over-sized hot dog, chubs contain the same ground beef, but in packaging that is less expensive than the traditional foam box with clear plastic topper. The Costco deli can package your beef at your request and the chub is usually sold at a discount.
One interesting tip is to request a chub of beef. Although most people are unfamiliar with this meat-packing term, a “chub” is a tube of ground beef, sealed in plastic. Looking a bit like an over-sized hot dog, chubs contain the same ground beef, but in packaging that is less expensive than the traditional foam box with clear plastic topper. The Costco deli can package your beef at your request and the chub is usually sold at a discount.
Google Tip
If you know you are looking for a PDF, Excel spreadsheet,
PowerPoint presentation or another type of file that has been
uploaded to the web, you can search “filetype:PDF,”
“filetype:xlsx,” “filetype:ppt” etc. It is a quick way to find
reports from agencies, and examples of presentations on certain
topics and more.
Five Ways to be Happy
Know that you are in control of your happiness.
Science tells us that about 50 percent of our happiness is based
on genetic factors, 10 percent is on environmental factors
(marital status, health, career), and the remaining 40 percent
consists of the activities that we intentionally choose to
participate in. Simply realizing that you can do something about
how happy you are is a powerful first step on your journey to a
happier life.
Choose specific activities. The results of several "happiness experiments" in a research lab showed that people who made very specific plans, including an activity, a time, and his/her companions, were the happiest people in the study. Pick an activity that you have always wanted to try, like signing up for a dance class, exploring a museum, trying a new food, or traveling to a new place.
The more the merrier. You have probably heard this all your life, but that is because it is scientifically true. In studies, we saw that people who enjoyed an activity with someone else — a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend — were the happiest people. Find a partner in happiness, make a plan, and as the date approaches, the anticipation you experience will increase your hope, which is a major factor in creating happiness.
Exercise. This is one of those activities that you can make more fun with a partner in happiness, and it is an important one to incorporate into your lifestyle if you are seeking greater happiness. Studies show that people who exercise are about 20 percent happier on average. As you may have heard, exercising releases endorphins, which basically make the brain happier. Just 20 focused minutes of walking a day can make a difference.
Get enough sleep. People who are sleep-deprived tend to remember negative thoughts more easily than positive thoughts. Even cat naps or power naps during the day will help boost your mood.
Choose specific activities. The results of several "happiness experiments" in a research lab showed that people who made very specific plans, including an activity, a time, and his/her companions, were the happiest people in the study. Pick an activity that you have always wanted to try, like signing up for a dance class, exploring a museum, trying a new food, or traveling to a new place.
The more the merrier. You have probably heard this all your life, but that is because it is scientifically true. In studies, we saw that people who enjoyed an activity with someone else — a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend — were the happiest people. Find a partner in happiness, make a plan, and as the date approaches, the anticipation you experience will increase your hope, which is a major factor in creating happiness.
Exercise. This is one of those activities that you can make more fun with a partner in happiness, and it is an important one to incorporate into your lifestyle if you are seeking greater happiness. Studies show that people who exercise are about 20 percent happier on average. As you may have heard, exercising releases endorphins, which basically make the brain happier. Just 20 focused minutes of walking a day can make a difference.
Get enough sleep. People who are sleep-deprived tend to remember negative thoughts more easily than positive thoughts. Even cat naps or power naps during the day will help boost your mood.
Happy Friday
If you wake up with a
smile, you will go to bed happy and vice versa.
I like to do both, especially on a Happy Friday!
I like to do both, especially on a Happy Friday!
Wordology, Disgruntled
Back in the 1600s “gruntling” meant
“grumbling.” So if someone was gruntling, they were even more
upset if they were disgruntling. The first known use of
“gruntled” as an adjective to mean “in good humor” or “pleased”
in the Oxford English Dictionary is attributed to P.G.
Wodehouse, who included this sentence in his 1938 novel The Code
of the Woosters: "He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his
voice, and I could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was
far from being gruntled."
Instead of being negative, the “dis-” prefix in “disgruntled” is an intensifier. It means “utterly” or “completely” and adds emphasis to the root.
Gruntled” is a back-formation that people derived from “disgruntled.” In other words, so many people thought “disgruntled” should have the corresponding positive word, “gruntled,” that it emerged and was accepted.
Instead of being negative, the “dis-” prefix in “disgruntled” is an intensifier. It means “utterly” or “completely” and adds emphasis to the root.
Gruntled” is a back-formation that people derived from “disgruntled.” In other words, so many people thought “disgruntled” should have the corresponding positive word, “gruntled,” that it emerged and was accepted.
Superman Fact
The original comic book Superman could leap tall buildings in a
single bound, but then he had to come back down to Earth,
because he did not fly. It was not until the 1940s, when
animators for a new animated series decided it would be too
difficult to routinely draw him bending his knees, that it was
decided that Superman could take off into the air. Readers were
able to see smooth animation, and a superhero gained a new
power.
Google Tip
If
you are looking for comparisons or more varied reviews, an easy
way to find them is to type the name of the product you are
interested in into Google, followed by “vs.” An example is
iphone vs. android. You will see other popular alternatives.
Wordology, Pronounciations
Crayon - Some people pronounce it
cray-awn, rhyming with "dawn," and others pronounce it cray-ahn,
rhyming with "man." According to Crayola, the correct way to say
it is cray-awn, but even they admit that there are too many
regional differences to try and implement a single
pronunciation.
Coupon - You do not pronounce the word "cool" with a /q/ sound, so you would not think to pronounce the word "coupon" with a /q/ sound either. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Though the word's accepted pronunciation is the simple koo-pon, many an educated individual pronounce the first syllable of the word like "kyoo," as if they are sounding out the letter q.
Poem - Wherever you travel to in the United States, you will find people who pronounce the word "poem" as both pome (rhyming with "home") and po-emme. The pronunciation of this word is not limited to regions, but to personal preference.
Bowie Knife - Bow-ie knife, or Boo-wie knife, depends on who you are talking to. In the Harvard Dialect Survey, researchers found that approximately 19 percent of respondents, most of whom lived in the Northeast region pronounced it the second way.
Monday - Most people will say the days of the week—Monday, Tuesday, etc.—and pronounce the second syllable so that it rhymes with "day." A small portion of the population, however, primarily in the South and Midwest, will say this syllable so that it rhymes with "dee."
Huge - A majority of Americans pronounce the letter "h" in words like "huge. In the Harvard Dialect Survey, though, approximately 3 percent of respondents, mostly people in the Northeast, do not pronounce the "h" sound when saying words like "huge," "humor," "humongous," and "human."
Quarter - Most Americans pronounce the word "quarter" so that it has a [kw] sound at the beginning. However, some people in the Northeast and Midwestern regions pronounce this word so that the first syllable is more of a [k] sound.
Roof - There are actually two common ways to pronounce this four-letter word. While people born and raised in the West tend to pronounce the word as if it rhymes with "hoof," those from the East see it as rhyming with "poof."
Coupon - You do not pronounce the word "cool" with a /q/ sound, so you would not think to pronounce the word "coupon" with a /q/ sound either. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Though the word's accepted pronunciation is the simple koo-pon, many an educated individual pronounce the first syllable of the word like "kyoo," as if they are sounding out the letter q.
Poem - Wherever you travel to in the United States, you will find people who pronounce the word "poem" as both pome (rhyming with "home") and po-emme. The pronunciation of this word is not limited to regions, but to personal preference.
Bowie Knife - Bow-ie knife, or Boo-wie knife, depends on who you are talking to. In the Harvard Dialect Survey, researchers found that approximately 19 percent of respondents, most of whom lived in the Northeast region pronounced it the second way.
Monday - Most people will say the days of the week—Monday, Tuesday, etc.—and pronounce the second syllable so that it rhymes with "day." A small portion of the population, however, primarily in the South and Midwest, will say this syllable so that it rhymes with "dee."
Huge - A majority of Americans pronounce the letter "h" in words like "huge. In the Harvard Dialect Survey, though, approximately 3 percent of respondents, mostly people in the Northeast, do not pronounce the "h" sound when saying words like "huge," "humor," "humongous," and "human."
Quarter - Most Americans pronounce the word "quarter" so that it has a [kw] sound at the beginning. However, some people in the Northeast and Midwestern regions pronounce this word so that the first syllable is more of a [k] sound.
Roof - There are actually two common ways to pronounce this four-letter word. While people born and raised in the West tend to pronounce the word as if it rhymes with "hoof," those from the East see it as rhyming with "poof."
Six Words That Changed Meaning
Fun was first a verb meaning "to cheat
or hoax." It came from fon, an old word for "fool." It still
retains some of that sense in “make fun of,” but now also means
a good time.
Fond also goes back to fon, and it once meant "foolish and weak-minded." It came to then mean over-affectionate in a negative, cloying way. Now it is positive. At its root, being fond of something is basically being a fool for it.
Terrific root is terror, and it first meant terror-inducing. It then became an exaggerated intensifier (“terrifically good!” = so good it is terrifying) and then a positive term.
Tremendous has its roots in fear. Something tremendous was so terrible it caused trembling or shaking. It also became an intensifier (“tremendously good!”) before it became positive.
Awe originally referred to “immediate and active fear.” It then became associated with religious, reverential fear, and then to a feeling of being humbled at the sublime. While awful retains the negative sense, awesome took on the positive one.
To grin was to bare the teeth in a threatening display of anger or pain. It then became the term for a forced, fake smile, before settling into an expression of happiness.
Fond also goes back to fon, and it once meant "foolish and weak-minded." It came to then mean over-affectionate in a negative, cloying way. Now it is positive. At its root, being fond of something is basically being a fool for it.
Terrific root is terror, and it first meant terror-inducing. It then became an exaggerated intensifier (“terrifically good!” = so good it is terrifying) and then a positive term.
Tremendous has its roots in fear. Something tremendous was so terrible it caused trembling or shaking. It also became an intensifier (“tremendously good!”) before it became positive.
Awe originally referred to “immediate and active fear.” It then became associated with religious, reverential fear, and then to a feeling of being humbled at the sublime. While awful retains the negative sense, awesome took on the positive one.
To grin was to bare the teeth in a threatening display of anger or pain. It then became the term for a forced, fake smile, before settling into an expression of happiness.
Happy Friday
Keep your head up so everyone can see your smile.
I like to smile so all can see I am enjoying a Happy Friday!
National Nurse Week
Every year we celebrate this holiday, but this year is especially
relevant. National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and
ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday. Florence
Nightingale was a celebrated English, social reformer,
statistician, and the founder of modern nursing. The theme this
year is Compassion|Expertise|Trust.
SpaceX Starlink Broadband
The new satellite service from Elon Musk is
almost here. Musk said that private beta testing for the service
will begin in about three months, with public beta testing
beginning in about six months.
In early 2019, SpaceX received approval to launch 12,000 satellites into space to build a low earth orbit network of satellites, enabling the company to sell home internet. After another successful launch of 60 satellites, there are now 422 Starlink satellites in orbit.
This week, SpaceX’s director of satellite policy, David Goldman, said in a document filed with the FCC that limited service will be offered by the end of this year, with rapid expansion to “near global coverage of the populated world in 2021.”
In early 2019, SpaceX received approval to launch 12,000 satellites into space to build a low earth orbit network of satellites, enabling the company to sell home internet. After another successful launch of 60 satellites, there are now 422 Starlink satellites in orbit.
This week, SpaceX’s director of satellite policy, David Goldman, said in a document filed with the FCC that limited service will be offered by the end of this year, with rapid expansion to “near global coverage of the populated world in 2021.”
Five COVID-19 Facts
The overwhelming majority of people do not have any
significant risk of dying from COVID-19.
The recent Stanford University antibody study now estimates that the fatality rate, if infected is likely 0.1 to 0.2 percent, a risk far lower than previous World Health Organization estimates that were 20 to 30 times higher.
Protecting older, at-risk people eliminates hospital overcrowding.
We can learn about hospital utilization from data from New York City, the hotbed of COVID-19 with more than 34,600 hospitalizations to date. For people ages 65 to 74, only 1.7 percent were hospitalized. Of 4,103 confirmed COVID-19 patients with symptoms bad enough to seek medical care, Dr. Leora Horwitz of NYU Medical Center concluded "age is far and away the strongest risk factor for hospitalization." Even early WHO reports noted that 80 percent of all cases were mild, and more recent studies show a far more widespread rate of infection and lower rate of serious illness. Half of all people testing positive for infection have no symptoms.
Vital population immunity is prevented by total isolation policies, prolonging the problem.
We know from decades of medical science that infection itself allows people to generate an immune response — antibodies — so that the infection is controlled throughout the population by “herd immunity.” That is the main purpose of widespread immunization in other viral diseases, to assist with population immunity. In this virus, we know that medical care is not even necessary for the vast majority of people who are infected. It is so mild that half of infected people are asymptomatic. In fact, infected people without severe illness are the immediately available vehicle for establishing widespread immunity. By transmitting the virus to others in the low-risk group who then generate antibodies, they block the network of pathways toward the most vulnerable people, ultimately ending the threat.
People are dying because other medical care is not getting done due to hypothetical projections.
Critical health care for millions of Americans is being ignored and people are dying to accommodate “potential” COVID-19 patients and for fear of spreading the disease. Most states and many hospitals abruptly stopped “nonessential” procedures and surgery. That prevented diagnoses of life-threatening diseases, like cancer screening, biopsies of tumors now undiscovered and potentially deadly brain aneurysms. Treatments, including emergency care, for the most serious illnesses were also missed. Cancer patients deferred chemotherapy. An estimated 80 percent of brain surgery cases were skipped. Acute stroke and heart attack patients missed their only chances for treatment, some dying and many now facing permanent disability.
We have a clearly defined population at risk who can be protected with targeted measures.
The overwhelming evidence around the world consistently shows that a clearly defined group, older people and others with underlying conditions, is more likely to have a serious illness requiring hospitalization and more likely to die from COVID-19. It is a commonsense, achievable goal to target isolation policy to that group, including strictly monitoring those who interact with them. Nursing home residents, the highest risk, should be the most straightforward to systematically protect from infected people, given that they already live in confined places with highly restricted entry.
The recent Stanford University antibody study now estimates that the fatality rate, if infected is likely 0.1 to 0.2 percent, a risk far lower than previous World Health Organization estimates that were 20 to 30 times higher.
Protecting older, at-risk people eliminates hospital overcrowding.
We can learn about hospital utilization from data from New York City, the hotbed of COVID-19 with more than 34,600 hospitalizations to date. For people ages 65 to 74, only 1.7 percent were hospitalized. Of 4,103 confirmed COVID-19 patients with symptoms bad enough to seek medical care, Dr. Leora Horwitz of NYU Medical Center concluded "age is far and away the strongest risk factor for hospitalization." Even early WHO reports noted that 80 percent of all cases were mild, and more recent studies show a far more widespread rate of infection and lower rate of serious illness. Half of all people testing positive for infection have no symptoms.
Vital population immunity is prevented by total isolation policies, prolonging the problem.
We know from decades of medical science that infection itself allows people to generate an immune response — antibodies — so that the infection is controlled throughout the population by “herd immunity.” That is the main purpose of widespread immunization in other viral diseases, to assist with population immunity. In this virus, we know that medical care is not even necessary for the vast majority of people who are infected. It is so mild that half of infected people are asymptomatic. In fact, infected people without severe illness are the immediately available vehicle for establishing widespread immunity. By transmitting the virus to others in the low-risk group who then generate antibodies, they block the network of pathways toward the most vulnerable people, ultimately ending the threat.
People are dying because other medical care is not getting done due to hypothetical projections.
Critical health care for millions of Americans is being ignored and people are dying to accommodate “potential” COVID-19 patients and for fear of spreading the disease. Most states and many hospitals abruptly stopped “nonessential” procedures and surgery. That prevented diagnoses of life-threatening diseases, like cancer screening, biopsies of tumors now undiscovered and potentially deadly brain aneurysms. Treatments, including emergency care, for the most serious illnesses were also missed. Cancer patients deferred chemotherapy. An estimated 80 percent of brain surgery cases were skipped. Acute stroke and heart attack patients missed their only chances for treatment, some dying and many now facing permanent disability.
We have a clearly defined population at risk who can be protected with targeted measures.
The overwhelming evidence around the world consistently shows that a clearly defined group, older people and others with underlying conditions, is more likely to have a serious illness requiring hospitalization and more likely to die from COVID-19. It is a commonsense, achievable goal to target isolation policy to that group, including strictly monitoring those who interact with them. Nursing home residents, the highest risk, should be the most straightforward to systematically protect from infected people, given that they already live in confined places with highly restricted entry.
More Bacon Facts
Bacon dates back to 1500 BCE. The Chinese were the first to
cook salted pork bellies more than 3000 years ago. This makes
bacon one of the world’s oldest processed meats.
Romans called bacon petaso. Bacon eventually migrated westward. The Romans made petaso by boiling salted pig shoulder with figs, and then seasoning the mixture with pepper sauce. Wine was a frequent accompaniment.
The word bacon refers to the "back" of a pig. The word bacon comes from the Germanic root “-bak,” and refers to the back of the pig that supplied the meat. Bakko became the French bacco, which the English then adopted around the 12th century, naming the dish bacoun. Back then, the term referred to any pork product, but by the 14th century bacoun referred specifically to the cured meat.
LINK
Romans called bacon petaso. Bacon eventually migrated westward. The Romans made petaso by boiling salted pig shoulder with figs, and then seasoning the mixture with pepper sauce. Wine was a frequent accompaniment.
The word bacon refers to the "back" of a pig. The word bacon comes from the Germanic root “-bak,” and refers to the back of the pig that supplied the meat. Bakko became the French bacco, which the English then adopted around the 12th century, naming the dish bacoun. Back then, the term referred to any pork product, but by the 14th century bacoun referred specifically to the cured meat.
LINK
Paul Revere Myth Debunked
Paul Revere’s shouting “The British are
coming!” in the streets would have been the modern day
equivalent of running down Times Square in New York and
shouting, “The Americans are coming!”
At that point, the colonies were still technically British, and not everybody was ready for a revolution. More likely, Paul Revere, and he was just one of dozens assigned to put the word out in Boston, whispered his alarm, and instead of warning of the British, he likely said, “The regulars are coming out.” We have Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s patriotic poem to thank for anybody even knowing Paul Revere’s name.
At that point, the colonies were still technically British, and not everybody was ready for a revolution. More likely, Paul Revere, and he was just one of dozens assigned to put the word out in Boston, whispered his alarm, and instead of warning of the British, he likely said, “The regulars are coming out.” We have Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s patriotic poem to thank for anybody even knowing Paul Revere’s name.
Wordology Idiom, Metaphor, and Simile
Idiom: An idiom is an expression
that conveys something different from its literal meaning, and
cannot be guessed from the meanings of its individual words.
"Between a rock and a hard place" is an idiom that means “in a
difficult or bad position with no good way of getting out of
it.” What makes an idiom different from a figure of speech is
that its non-literal meaning is already familiar to speakers of
the language.
Metaphor: A metaphor is a word or phrase typically used to describe one thing, but unexpectedly used to describe something different. Metaphors make language interesting and help create imagery. "He was drowning in paperwork" is a metaphor that makes a connection between having to deal with a lot of paperwork and drowning in water.
Simile: A simile is an expression that uses the words like or as to describe something by comparing it with something else. A simile is like a metaphor except that a simile uses the words like or as to signal that a comparison is being made. “She is as fierce as a tiger” is a simile, but “She is a tiger when she is angry” is a metaphor.
Metaphor: A metaphor is a word or phrase typically used to describe one thing, but unexpectedly used to describe something different. Metaphors make language interesting and help create imagery. "He was drowning in paperwork" is a metaphor that makes a connection between having to deal with a lot of paperwork and drowning in water.
Simile: A simile is an expression that uses the words like or as to describe something by comparing it with something else. A simile is like a metaphor except that a simile uses the words like or as to signal that a comparison is being made. “She is as fierce as a tiger” is a simile, but “She is a tiger when she is angry” is a metaphor.
Flu Fact
There
are estimated 1 billion cases worldwide; 9.3 million to 45
million cases in the US per year. During 2019/20, in the US, the
flu has already caused an estimated 26 million illnesses this
season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Alexa Remembers
To set a reminder, use a command like, “Alexa, remember that
my wallet is on the kitchen counter.” Later, you can ask,
“Alexa, where did I put my wallet?” and Alexa will remind you of
whatever location you previously provided.
Keep forgetting your spouse’s birthday or anniversary? Can’t remember where you put your keys or your phone? Forgot the name of your new neighbor? Give the job to Alexa. Just tell Alexa what you want her to remember and when you are in a bind, she will remind you.
There are other ways you can take advantage of Alexa's built-in memory. Say, "Alexa, remember that Maggie’s shoe size is 7." Say, "Alexa, remember that we are leaving for vacation on August 3." Then, ask Alexa for Maggie’s shoe size, or when your vacation is, and she will respond with what you told her.
Making this feature even handier, its use is not tethered to your Echo. Just use your iPhone or Android device to ask Alexa to recall something when you are out and about. If you are shopping for shoes for Maggie and you forgot her size, just use the Alexa app on your phone to ask for a reminder.
Try this handy reminder say “Alexa, remind me to take out the trash at 6PM,” and she will notify you at the proper time.
Keep forgetting your spouse’s birthday or anniversary? Can’t remember where you put your keys or your phone? Forgot the name of your new neighbor? Give the job to Alexa. Just tell Alexa what you want her to remember and when you are in a bind, she will remind you.
There are other ways you can take advantage of Alexa's built-in memory. Say, "Alexa, remember that Maggie’s shoe size is 7." Say, "Alexa, remember that we are leaving for vacation on August 3." Then, ask Alexa for Maggie’s shoe size, or when your vacation is, and she will respond with what you told her.
Making this feature even handier, its use is not tethered to your Echo. Just use your iPhone or Android device to ask Alexa to recall something when you are out and about. If you are shopping for shoes for Maggie and you forgot her size, just use the Alexa app on your phone to ask for a reminder.
Try this handy reminder say “Alexa, remind me to take out the trash at 6PM,” and she will notify you at the proper time.
Happy Friday
A smile is to your face
as happiness is to your soul.
It is time to smile and be happy, especially on a Happy Friday!
It is time to smile and be happy, especially on a Happy Friday!
Walpurgisnacht
Germany is a country that
does not traditionally celebrate Halloween. Instead, it has
Walpurgisnacht, the Witches’ Night, which takes place every year
on April 30.
One of the largest Walpurgisnacht celebrations in Germany takes place at the Hexentanzplatz, the Witches’ Dance Floor, a mountain plateau looming over the sleepy town of Thale. Locals light an enormous bonfire and run wild dressed as witches, demons, and all forms of nightmarish ghouls. Statues of witches and demons from regional folklore line a square where local vendors sell all sorts of Harz specialties from sausages to schnapps.
One of the largest Walpurgisnacht celebrations in Germany takes place at the Hexentanzplatz, the Witches’ Dance Floor, a mountain plateau looming over the sleepy town of Thale. Locals light an enormous bonfire and run wild dressed as witches, demons, and all forms of nightmarish ghouls. Statues of witches and demons from regional folklore line a square where local vendors sell all sorts of Harz specialties from sausages to schnapps.
Mark Twain Quote
"The only difference
between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist
leaves the skin."
How to Pronounce It
Nutella
new-tell-uh
IKEA
ee-kay-uh
Hyundai
hun-day
Porsche
por-shuh
Bayer
buy-er
Hoegaarden
who-garden
Cetaphil
seat-uh-fill
Del Monte
del-mon-ti
Huawei
wah-way
Adidas
Ah-dee-dahs
Chevrolet
shev-ro-lay
Hermès
air-mez
Van Heusen
van hoy-sen
Givenchy
zhee-vahn-shee
Versace
ver-sa-cheh
new-tell-uh
IKEA
ee-kay-uh
Hyundai
hun-day
Porsche
por-shuh
Bayer
buy-er
Hoegaarden
who-garden
Cetaphil
seat-uh-fill
Del Monte
del-mon-ti
Huawei
wah-way
Adidas
Ah-dee-dahs
Chevrolet
shev-ro-lay
Hermès
air-mez
Van Heusen
van hoy-sen
Givenchy
zhee-vahn-shee
Versace
ver-sa-cheh
Elixir of Life
These days of Covid are
finding many people seeking the "magic cure". Throughout
history, people have sought the elixir of immortality and many of
them died in the process of consuming that which killed them,
instead. "Cures" have been found as far back as from 202 BC to 8
AD.
Just as we have no magic cure now, we did not have
one in the past. As our "quest for the "nectar of the Gods" goes
on, we are doomed to a more pragmatic cure. Those hoping for a
90 day solution to the current problem are as misguided as our
ancestors, but the beauty of human nature is that we keep
trying. Thankfully people like Jonas Salk and others come along
often enough to keep our faith. It will happen again, but we
must do our part - and keep the faith.
Covid and Closed in
If you are feeling a
bit closed in, think about this. Human beings may dominate the
planet with our sprawling cities, but we are just one species
among some 8.7 million species that live together on planet
Earth.
One 2011 study published in the journal PLoS Biology
estimated that "the various forms of life on the planet included
7.8 million species of animals, 298,000 species of plants,
611,000 species of mushrooms, mold and other fungi, 36,400
species of protozoa, and 27,500 species of algae or chromists."
It is also worth noting that the researchers did not venture to
put an estimate on the number of bacteria.
The world population of people is 7.8 billion. As of
now, 2.5 million people have been affected by Covid with 706,000
recovered, and 1.7 million active cases.
In perspective I think it is time for the media
to get over themselves and report on the vast many good things
going on in our planet rather than just focusing in on the
half-vast Covid.
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