In 1835, John Batman settled in what was
to eventually become Melbourne, Australia. He named it “Batmania”.
Two years later it was renamed Melbourne in honor of the Prime
Minister, Lord Melbourne.
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Feb 5, 2013
Feb 1, 2013
Happy Friday
A mediocre person tells. A good person explains. A superior person
demonstrates. A great person inspires others to see for themselves.
I may not always tell, or explain, or inspire, but I do always demonstrate having a Happy Friday!
I may not always tell, or explain, or inspire, but I do always demonstrate having a Happy Friday!
February
February came into English from French.
The French feverier became English feverere, or feverell. During the
16th and 17th centuries writers began re-Latinizing their spelling
to make words look more like original ancient language sources. It
was a way to make documents look more intelligent, so along with
many other words, they made February look more like Februarius.
Happy Birthday Puck
The word “puck” was first recorded in
the February 7, 1876 edition of the Montreal Gazette. The NHL
regards this date as the hockey puck’s birthday, even though they
were in use for decades before.
Early pucks were made from frozen cow dung. The first rubber pucks were made from lacrosse balls, which were sliced in thirds and only the middle third was used. Now they are constructed of vulcanized rubber.
Players are required to use frozen pucks to reduce bouncing and make them easier to control. These tend to thaw quickly and are replaced by officials on average of 12 per game. Don Rickles might have called people who started the NHL strike 'hockey pucks'.
Early pucks were made from frozen cow dung. The first rubber pucks were made from lacrosse balls, which were sliced in thirds and only the middle third was used. Now they are constructed of vulcanized rubber.
Players are required to use frozen pucks to reduce bouncing and make them easier to control. These tend to thaw quickly and are replaced by officials on average of 12 per game. Don Rickles might have called people who started the NHL strike 'hockey pucks'.
First Down Line
The big game will be played this weekend so
I thought it might be interesting to review the technology behind
the lines that TV adds to the field for down markers. Before the
game begins, technicians make a digital 3-D model of the field,
which is not flat. It is subtly curved with a crown in the middle to
help water flow away. Each field is unique.
Technicians also put together two separate color palettes before each game. One palette contains the colors for the field’s turf to automatically be converted into yellow (or whatever color is used) when the line is drawn onto the field. All other colors, such as player and official uniforms, shoes, the ball, etc., go into the other palette. Colors that appear on this second palette are never converted. If a player’s foot is situated on the line, everything around it will turn yellow, but not his foot.
Each camera used for the game contains sensors that record its location, tilt, pan, zoom and transmit this data to the graphics computers. These sensors allow the computers to process exactly where each camera is within the 3-D model, along with the perspective of each camera so the lines can be added to the picture.
One version requires a four-man crew and costs about $25,000 per game to project the lines onto the field.
Technicians also put together two separate color palettes before each game. One palette contains the colors for the field’s turf to automatically be converted into yellow (or whatever color is used) when the line is drawn onto the field. All other colors, such as player and official uniforms, shoes, the ball, etc., go into the other palette. Colors that appear on this second palette are never converted. If a player’s foot is situated on the line, everything around it will turn yellow, but not his foot.
Each camera used for the game contains sensors that record its location, tilt, pan, zoom and transmit this data to the graphics computers. These sensors allow the computers to process exactly where each camera is within the 3-D model, along with the perspective of each camera so the lines can be added to the picture.
One version requires a four-man crew and costs about $25,000 per game to project the lines onto the field.
Beer Myths Debunked
More game day stuff. The myth says if
cold beer gets warm, cooling it again will make it stale. This is a
myth was started by marketing people. Beer experiences substantial
fluctuations in temperature during shipping, although excessive heat
will ruin beer. The notion that beer can only be refrigerated once
is a total myth.
Are Bottles Better Than Cans - Canned beer is often associated with mass-market, “cheap” beer. However, craft brewers are beginning to can their beer. In fact, at least 212 breweries, according to CraftCans.com now sell canned beer.
The Huffington Post conducted a blind taste test and found participants preferred the taste of canned beer to bottled three times out of four. During the game you can pop or twist or flip a top and know the beer is all the same.
Are Bottles Better Than Cans - Canned beer is often associated with mass-market, “cheap” beer. However, craft brewers are beginning to can their beer. In fact, at least 212 breweries, according to CraftCans.com now sell canned beer.
The Huffington Post conducted a blind taste test and found participants preferred the taste of canned beer to bottled three times out of four. During the game you can pop or twist or flip a top and know the beer is all the same.
Table Salt vs. Kosher Salt
Salt is another game day treat
that goes on almost everything. The primary ingredient in each type
is sodium chloride. US requires food-grade salt be a minimum of
97.5% pure.
Table salt usually contains an anti-clumping agent, like calcium silicate, and also iodine. Kosher salt usually does not contain either. In the old days, people used to put a few grains of rice in their salt shaker to keep the salt from clumping.
The main difference between Kosher salt and regular salt is the grain size, with table salt being much smaller, because Kosher salt is less processed.
Kosher salt is not called “Kosher” because the salt is certified as kosher, but because this type of salt was used in the process of koshering meat to remove surface blood from meat without making the meat too salty.
Incidentally, iodine was first added to salt commercially in the United States in 1924 by the Morton Salt Company at the request of the government, because people weren't getting enough iodine in their diets. This caused many people to develop goiters or swelling of the thyroid gland. The practice was taken from the Swiss, who began adding iodine to salt many years earlier. Today most people get enough iodine in their diets, but many government health agencies around the world still recommend adding it to salt.
Table salt usually contains an anti-clumping agent, like calcium silicate, and also iodine. Kosher salt usually does not contain either. In the old days, people used to put a few grains of rice in their salt shaker to keep the salt from clumping.
The main difference between Kosher salt and regular salt is the grain size, with table salt being much smaller, because Kosher salt is less processed.
Kosher salt is not called “Kosher” because the salt is certified as kosher, but because this type of salt was used in the process of koshering meat to remove surface blood from meat without making the meat too salty.
Incidentally, iodine was first added to salt commercially in the United States in 1924 by the Morton Salt Company at the request of the government, because people weren't getting enough iodine in their diets. This caused many people to develop goiters or swelling of the thyroid gland. The practice was taken from the Swiss, who began adding iodine to salt many years earlier. Today most people get enough iodine in their diets, but many government health agencies around the world still recommend adding it to salt.
Africa Size Comparison
This interesting picture shows
the size of Africa compared to other continents and countries.
Wordology, Meme
The vast expanse of the internet makes
communication around the world immediate, and with it copying and
sharing of interesting (and not so interesting) information. The
neologism (a new word or phrase) 'meme' (rhymes with team) has
reached widespread use to describe the viral spread of jokes, ideas,
and more via the internet.
“Meme” was coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins before the web was in use, in his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene. He stated, "We need a name for the new replicator, a noun that conveys the idea of a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation. ‘Mimeme’ comes from a suitable Greek root, but I want a monosyllable that sounds a bit like ‘gene’. I hope my classicist friends will forgive me if I abbreviate mimeme to meme. If it is any consolation, it could alternatively be thought of as being related to ‘memory’, or to the French word même."
The French word même means “same” or “alike.” The Greek word “mimeme” he takes “meme” from comes from the Ancient Greek meaning “that which is imitated” / “something imitated” / “something copied”.
Dawkins was hoping that the word would be used as a unit of human cultural transmission, such as a melody, fashion, or catch-phrase. People refine memes as they sometimes alter the information when they transmit it to another human. Bacon, while being still being delicious has also become a meme.
“Meme” was coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins before the web was in use, in his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene. He stated, "We need a name for the new replicator, a noun that conveys the idea of a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation. ‘Mimeme’ comes from a suitable Greek root, but I want a monosyllable that sounds a bit like ‘gene’. I hope my classicist friends will forgive me if I abbreviate mimeme to meme. If it is any consolation, it could alternatively be thought of as being related to ‘memory’, or to the French word même."
The French word même means “same” or “alike.” The Greek word “mimeme” he takes “meme” from comes from the Ancient Greek meaning “that which is imitated” / “something imitated” / “something copied”.
Dawkins was hoping that the word would be used as a unit of human cultural transmission, such as a melody, fashion, or catch-phrase. People refine memes as they sometimes alter the information when they transmit it to another human. Bacon, while being still being delicious has also become a meme.
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