The name refers to an Oklahoma
resident and also the OU football team. Many settlers entered
Oklahoma before the legal time for settlement in April 1889, thereby
beating out law-abiding folks who followed the rules and moved in on
time. Sooner came to mean both an Oklahoman and anyone who begins
too soon.
Jun 29, 2012
Origin of Birthstones
In the Bible, when Moses went to
Egypt, his brother Aaron stayed behind in their birth town in
Egypt's far east. When Moses asked the King of Egypt to set his
people free, it was Aaron who sold the idea to their kinsfolk.
Aaron became a high priest. His ceremonial breastplate held four rows of three stones each. Exodus 28:17-20 states, "There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes." These 12 stones also symbolized the 12 months of the year and the 12 signs of the zodiac.
Biblical scholars have a difficult time translating exactly what these stones are. The King James Bible lists the stones as: (Row 1) sardius, topaz, carbuncle; (Row 2) emerald, sapphire, diamond; (Row 3) ligure, agate, amethyst; (Row 4) beryl, onyx, jasper. The New American Standard Bible lists them as: (Row 1) ruby, topaz, emerald; (Row 2) turquoise, sapphire, diamond; (Row 3) jacinth, agate, amethyst; (Row 4) beryl, onyx, jasper.
The gems have changed a few times and different countries use different stones. Below is the US version for 2012.
It was in 15th-century Poland that wearing these birthstones gained popularity. In contrast to today's custom of wearing your birthstone throughout the year, the early proponents owned a full set of 12 and wore each month's stone, regardless of birthday. The Gemological Institute of America says the custom began in Germany in the 1560s.
Aaron became a high priest. His ceremonial breastplate held four rows of three stones each. Exodus 28:17-20 states, "There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes." These 12 stones also symbolized the 12 months of the year and the 12 signs of the zodiac.
Biblical scholars have a difficult time translating exactly what these stones are. The King James Bible lists the stones as: (Row 1) sardius, topaz, carbuncle; (Row 2) emerald, sapphire, diamond; (Row 3) ligure, agate, amethyst; (Row 4) beryl, onyx, jasper. The New American Standard Bible lists them as: (Row 1) ruby, topaz, emerald; (Row 2) turquoise, sapphire, diamond; (Row 3) jacinth, agate, amethyst; (Row 4) beryl, onyx, jasper.
The gems have changed a few times and different countries use different stones. Below is the US version for 2012.
It was in 15th-century Poland that wearing these birthstones gained popularity. In contrast to today's custom of wearing your birthstone throughout the year, the early proponents owned a full set of 12 and wore each month's stone, regardless of birthday. The Gemological Institute of America says the custom began in Germany in the 1560s.
Amazon and Texas Taxes
July 1, 2012 Amazon will be
collecting Texas state tax on items purchased online. If you live in
Texas and are thinking of buying something soon, buy it before July
1 to save a few dollars on taxes. BTW, while you are there this
might be the time to pick up a few of my books.
Most Expensive Beer in the World
Nail Brewing’s
Antarctic Nail Ale
Price: $800-$1815/500ml This high priced wonder beer was concocted by Nail Brewing in Perth, Australia. All profits go to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the Whale Wars people.
The Sea Shepherds landed a helicopter on an Antarctic iceberg, dug up some ice, melted it in Tasmania, and flew it to Perth for brewing. Only 30 bottles were made, and the first bottle sold for $800 at auction.
Another extremely expensive beer is made by Pabst. Hard to imagine, but at $44 per bottle, Chinese Pabst Blue Ribbon costs about 40 times more than what’s sold in the US.
PBR 1844 is made from German caramel malts, is aged in uncharred American whiskey barrels, and comes in a fancy glass bottle. Master brewer Alan Kornhauser designed the ale to compete with higher end wines and brandies. It is not sold outside of China.
Price: $800-$1815/500ml This high priced wonder beer was concocted by Nail Brewing in Perth, Australia. All profits go to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the Whale Wars people.
The Sea Shepherds landed a helicopter on an Antarctic iceberg, dug up some ice, melted it in Tasmania, and flew it to Perth for brewing. Only 30 bottles were made, and the first bottle sold for $800 at auction.
Another extremely expensive beer is made by Pabst. Hard to imagine, but at $44 per bottle, Chinese Pabst Blue Ribbon costs about 40 times more than what’s sold in the US.
PBR 1844 is made from German caramel malts, is aged in uncharred American whiskey barrels, and comes in a fancy glass bottle. Master brewer Alan Kornhauser designed the ale to compete with higher end wines and brandies. It is not sold outside of China.
Belfast Sparkling Cider
This drink found in many Chinese
restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, dates back to the Gold
Rush of 1849. According to the story, gold prospectors and sailors
would frequent San Francisco’s bar scene in search of a good time.
The sailors treated the bar girls to what they thought was French champagne, but which was actually Belfast Sparkling Cider, a lightly sweetened drink introduced to the region by Irish refugees who immigrated to the US during the potato famine.
Ship captains apparently paid the bar girls to play along and watched their sailors become intoxicated to the point that it wasn’t a struggle to get them back to sea.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, it can be found in almost every large Chinese restaurant in San Francisco and to retailers throughout Chinatown. Belfast is especially popular in the month of the Chinese New Year.
The sailors treated the bar girls to what they thought was French champagne, but which was actually Belfast Sparkling Cider, a lightly sweetened drink introduced to the region by Irish refugees who immigrated to the US during the potato famine.
Ship captains apparently paid the bar girls to play along and watched their sailors become intoxicated to the point that it wasn’t a struggle to get them back to sea.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, it can be found in almost every large Chinese restaurant in San Francisco and to retailers throughout Chinatown. Belfast is especially popular in the month of the Chinese New Year.
Secret Camera Symbol
Most cameras have this strange symbol
imprinted somewhere on the case. If you read the camera's manual,
you know what it is but if you didn't, that circle with a line drawn
through it marks exactly where the sensor of the camera is located.
It is called the 'film plane mark' and is helpful for people who take macro shots. Knowing exactly where the sensor plane (or film plane or focal plane) is inside the camera's body let's photographers know the exact distance between their subject and the film plane.
It is called the 'film plane mark' and is helpful for people who take macro shots. Knowing exactly where the sensor plane (or film plane or focal plane) is inside the camera's body let's photographers know the exact distance between their subject and the film plane.
Jun 22, 2012
Happy Friday
To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to
laugh at yourself is maturity.
I have made mistakes and stumbled along the way, but today I am laughing, because it is a Happy Friday!
I have made mistakes and stumbled along the way, but today I am laughing, because it is a Happy Friday!
How Many Kinds of Beer
Here is a great poster of the many
kinds of beer and how they relate to each other. You will need to
expand it to see the detail. Very interesting. LINK
Seven Un-American Brands
Firestone tires was bought
out in 1988 by Bridgestone, a Japanese rubber conglomerate based in
Tokyo.
Dial soap was bought in 2004 by by Henkel KGaA, of Germany.
Shell Oil Company is the US-based affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell from Netherlands.
Church's Chicken was sold in 2004 Arcapita of Bahrain (it removed bacon from its menu due to Sharia law).
Holiday Inn is now owned by British InterContinental Hotels Group PLC.
The Chrysler building in New York is now owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council.
Budweiser is now owned by Belgian company InBev.
Also, GM, Walmart, Symantec, Kodak (what's left of it), and McDonald's now get the majority of sales outside of the US. In fact, 53.6% of total sales from all the S&P companies were made outside of the US.
Dial soap was bought in 2004 by by Henkel KGaA, of Germany.
Shell Oil Company is the US-based affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell from Netherlands.
Church's Chicken was sold in 2004 Arcapita of Bahrain (it removed bacon from its menu due to Sharia law).
Holiday Inn is now owned by British InterContinental Hotels Group PLC.
The Chrysler building in New York is now owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council.
Budweiser is now owned by Belgian company InBev.
Also, GM, Walmart, Symantec, Kodak (what's left of it), and McDonald's now get the majority of sales outside of the US. In fact, 53.6% of total sales from all the S&P companies were made outside of the US.
What's in a Name, BVD
This men’s underwear maker was
originally founded by a group of New Yorkers named Bradley,
Voorhees, and Day to make women’s bustles. Eventually the trio
branched out into knitted union suits for men, and their wares
became so popular that “BVDs” has become a generic term for any
underwear.
Stuffed Shirt
Someone who is pompous and conceited is called
a ‘stuffed shirt’. Their description goes back to American women’s
fashion in the early 1900’s. At that time, women wore ‘shirtwaists’.
These were dresses or blouses tailored like shirts.
As dummies were not yet in existence, stores displayed the garments in their show windows stuffed with tissue paper. They may have looked good from afar, but on closer inspection they proved to be flimsy, without substance.
As dummies were not yet in existence, stores displayed the garments in their show windows stuffed with tissue paper. They may have looked good from afar, but on closer inspection they proved to be flimsy, without substance.
Spuds, Potatoes, and Fries
Among other definitions, a “spud”
is a “sharp, narrow spade” used to dig up large rooted plants.
Around the mid-19th century (first documented reference in 1845 in
New Zealand), this implement began lending its name to the things it
was often used to dig up, potatoes. This caught on throughout the
English speaking world and this slang term for a potato is still
common today.
The word “potato” comes from the Haitian word “batata”, which was their name for a sweet potato. Potatoes were grown about 2000 years ago in South America. This later came to Spanish as “patata” and eventually into English as “potato”. Potatoes were first introduced to Europe through the Spanish.
Exactly who introduced French fries to the world isn’t entirely known. Among the various theories, historical accounts indicate that the Belgians were possibly frying up thin strips of potatoes during the late 17th century. It was very common for the people to fry up small fish as a staple for their meals. However, when the rivers froze up thick enough, it was difficult to get fish. Instead of frying up fish in these times, they would cut up potatoes in long thin slices, and fry them up as they did the fish. Today, the Belgians still eat more French fries or Frites than any country in Europe.
The French originally thought potatoes caused various diseases. In fact, in 1748, the French Parliament even banned cultivation of potatoes as they were convinced potatoes caused leprosy. However, while in prison in Prussia, Antoine-Augustine Parmentier was forced to cultivate and eat potatoes and found the French notions about the potato weren’t true.
The French appeared to be the ones that spread fries to America and Britain and it, in turn, was the Americans, through fast food chains, that eventually popularly introduced them to the rest of the non-European world as 'French fries'. Because of this spread by American fast food chains, in many parts of the non-European world, 'French fries' are more often than not known as 'American fries'.
The word “potato” comes from the Haitian word “batata”, which was their name for a sweet potato. Potatoes were grown about 2000 years ago in South America. This later came to Spanish as “patata” and eventually into English as “potato”. Potatoes were first introduced to Europe through the Spanish.
Exactly who introduced French fries to the world isn’t entirely known. Among the various theories, historical accounts indicate that the Belgians were possibly frying up thin strips of potatoes during the late 17th century. It was very common for the people to fry up small fish as a staple for their meals. However, when the rivers froze up thick enough, it was difficult to get fish. Instead of frying up fish in these times, they would cut up potatoes in long thin slices, and fry them up as they did the fish. Today, the Belgians still eat more French fries or Frites than any country in Europe.
The French originally thought potatoes caused various diseases. In fact, in 1748, the French Parliament even banned cultivation of potatoes as they were convinced potatoes caused leprosy. However, while in prison in Prussia, Antoine-Augustine Parmentier was forced to cultivate and eat potatoes and found the French notions about the potato weren’t true.
The French appeared to be the ones that spread fries to America and Britain and it, in turn, was the Americans, through fast food chains, that eventually popularly introduced them to the rest of the non-European world as 'French fries'. Because of this spread by American fast food chains, in many parts of the non-European world, 'French fries' are more often than not known as 'American fries'.
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