Sep 9, 2010
Gusto
Whatever happened to the word gusto? It has been around for over 400 years, but we do not hear it much anymore. The definition says, "vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment'." Maybe we do not have enough vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment about much these days. If we each go out and do something with gusto today we can bring in that delectable word - and have some fun doing it.
YouTube
It has launched a fresh Movies category on its website, gathering about 400 full-length films for your on-demand viewing pleasure, all free of charge.
Sep 3, 2010
What's in a Name
Alfredo di Lelio, an Italian chef, was concerned about his wife who was feeling weak after recently giving birth. He prepared a sauce made from cream, butter and Parmesan cheese to help her regain strength. He then added fettuccine and a wonderful new Italian dish was born, Fettuccine Alfredo. It jumped in popularity in the United States when Hollywood couple Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford tried the recipe at Alfredo’s restaurant on their honeymoon in Rome.
Helen Porter Mitchell began her opera career and became a famous singer with the stage name Nellie Melba. While staying at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1897, Auguste Escoffier invented Melba Toast in her honor (very thinly sliced and toasted bread usually served with soups). Around the same time, Escoffier and César Ritz met and team up to create the first Ritz Hotel.
Helen Porter Mitchell began her opera career and became a famous singer with the stage name Nellie Melba. While staying at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1897, Auguste Escoffier invented Melba Toast in her honor (very thinly sliced and toasted bread usually served with soups). Around the same time, Escoffier and César Ritz met and team up to create the first Ritz Hotel.
Exercise Underwear
True - The Japanese have come up with T-shirts and boxers that are supposed to help you lose weight. Uniqlo is marketing a new line of products that claim to help wearers burn more calories from just suiting up.
Called the ‘Easy Exe’ series, after a phonetic shortening of the word “exercise” in Japanese. The design of plastic dots and lines that traces the gluteus maximus and lower back is said to encourage better posture, which will lead to a more efficient way of walking, according to Uniqlo. Both the boxers and T-shirts cost 1,500 yen ($17). The products are currently available online and in select outlets around Japan. If you buy these, I have this bridge. . .
Called the ‘Easy Exe’ series, after a phonetic shortening of the word “exercise” in Japanese. The design of plastic dots and lines that traces the gluteus maximus and lower back is said to encourage better posture, which will lead to a more efficient way of walking, according to Uniqlo. Both the boxers and T-shirts cost 1,500 yen ($17). The products are currently available online and in select outlets around Japan. If you buy these, I have this bridge. . .
Mums the Word
This means to keep quiet and comes from Shakespeare in Henry VI, Part 2, Act 1, Scene 2: “Seal up your lips and give no words but mum." It was actually pronounced with a mmmmm, as in a hum.
Bacon Butty
You probably have not heard it by that name. 'Butty' is a term the English use for sandwich. Seems the new prime minister, David Cameron is a fan of bacon butties. Daniel Craig, (James Bond), demands them on the set when he is filming and has them flown in from England.
According to a scientific study (True), an integral part of a successful bacon butty is the aural factor - how loud the crunch is when you bite into it. A classic bacon butty is soft white bread, butter, bacon fat, crispy streaky bacon. Other names are bacon bap, bacon sanger, and bacon sarnies. Ah, by any other name - Yumm!
According to a scientific study (True), an integral part of a successful bacon butty is the aural factor - how loud the crunch is when you bite into it. A classic bacon butty is soft white bread, butter, bacon fat, crispy streaky bacon. Other names are bacon bap, bacon sanger, and bacon sarnies. Ah, by any other name - Yumm!
Old Spice Gets Bacony
Here is a LINK to a quick YouTube about Old Spice, a zeppelin, a heart attack, and bacon - all in 38 seconds.
Reduce Garlic Breath
Scientists reviewing garlic odor recently came to the conclusion that water and fat can reduce garlic breath. They determined that milk, yogurt, a non-skim latte, or even ice cream, are all good breath fixers as they help move garlic quickly through your system.
Tax Cuts
In the unkindest cut of all, New York state is now imposing a tax on cuts. A recent audit by the state Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF) slammed 33 Bruegger's Bagels franchises for failing to charge sales tax on sliced bagels. Unsliced bagels are exempt.
The audit also found that Bruegger’s failed to charge tax on meals consumed on the premises.
The state slapped the owner with a hefty bill for back taxes and demanded that he begin collecting. That is not a tax cut, it is a tax on cuts. Maybe Bruegger's should pass out knives for patrons to cut their own taxes by cutting their own bagels.
The audit also found that Bruegger’s failed to charge tax on meals consumed on the premises.
The state slapped the owner with a hefty bill for back taxes and demanded that he begin collecting. That is not a tax cut, it is a tax on cuts. Maybe Bruegger's should pass out knives for patrons to cut their own taxes by cutting their own bagels.
Aug 31, 2010
Brain Myth Debunked
Many still believe that we only use about 10 percent of our brains, even after science has proven otherwise.
Many sources of this misinformation appear to point to an American psychologist of the early 1900s named William James, who said, "the average person rarely achieves but a small portion of his or her potential." The media has long perpetuated that into "only using 10 percent of our brain".
In addition to those 100 billion neurons, the brain is also full of other types of cells that are continually in use. We can become disabled from damage to just small areas of the brain depending on where it's located, so there is no way that we could function with only 10 percent of our brain in use.
Brain scans have shown that no matter what we are doing, our brains are always active. Some areas are more active at any one time than others, but unless we have brain damage, there is no one part of the brain that is absolutely not functioning. Here is an example. If you are sitting at a table and eating a sandwich, you are not actively using your feet. You are concentrating on bringing the sandwich to your mouth, chewing and swallowing it. But that doesn't mean that your feet aren't working -- there is still activity in them, such as blood flow, even when you are not actually moving them. Also true - alcohol does not really kill brain cells.
Many sources of this misinformation appear to point to an American psychologist of the early 1900s named William James, who said, "the average person rarely achieves but a small portion of his or her potential." The media has long perpetuated that into "only using 10 percent of our brain".
In addition to those 100 billion neurons, the brain is also full of other types of cells that are continually in use. We can become disabled from damage to just small areas of the brain depending on where it's located, so there is no way that we could function with only 10 percent of our brain in use.
Brain scans have shown that no matter what we are doing, our brains are always active. Some areas are more active at any one time than others, but unless we have brain damage, there is no one part of the brain that is absolutely not functioning. Here is an example. If you are sitting at a table and eating a sandwich, you are not actively using your feet. You are concentrating on bringing the sandwich to your mouth, chewing and swallowing it. But that doesn't mean that your feet aren't working -- there is still activity in them, such as blood flow, even when you are not actually moving them. Also true - alcohol does not really kill brain cells.
Wrigley
William Wrigley, Jr. founded his company in 1891 with the goal of selling soap and baking powder. He offered free chewing gum as an enticement to his customers, and eventually the customers didn’t care about the baking powder; they only wanted the gum.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)