Have we become automotively boring? Seems like the car color choices we make are as boring as the car design choices.
The superstar of car colors has been silver since 1990, and according to PPG's latest study, it continues. For the tenth year in a row, the silver, charcoal and gray category are number one colors for new car buyers. In 2008, it accounted for 20 percent of vehicles sold, 25 percent in 2009, and currently is 31 percent.
Behind silver are black and white, tied for second with 18 percent apiece. Red is 11 percent and blue is 10 percent. Last at 4 percent is green.
Oct 15, 2010
Last Week - Lost Week
If we lived in the 1500s, we would have skipped this past week. That is when the calendars changed from Julian to Gregorian. The ten days between Oct. 4 and Oct. 15, 1582 had been declared out of existence by the pope.
By the mid-1570s, the Julian Calendar established in 45 B.C. was 10 days behind the real seasons of the year. The spring equinox was actually occurring about March 12 and Easter was falling too late in spring. All this happened because the Earth year is about 11 minutes short of the 365¼ days set by Julius Caesar. It’s really 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 46 seconds. If the drift kept up, Easter would eventually have been observed in the summer, and Christmas in the spring.
Pope Gregory XIII appointed a commission to tweak the Julian Calendar. Under the leadership of physician Aloysius Lilius and Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius, the commission consulted with scientists and clergy. After wrestling with various ideas for half a decade, the commission proposed eliminating three leap years in every 400 (years ending in 00, unless they are divisible by 400).
That would prevent further creep of the calendar against the seasons (except for a minuscule under-correction). But resetting the calendar so the equinox would come in late March needed a more drastic solution: 10 days would have to be wiped out of existence.
The commission sent its report to the pope Sept. 14, 1580. He issued a papal bull (formal proclamation issued by the pope, usually written in antiquated characters and sealed with a leaden bulla (seal)) on Feb. 24, 1582, declaring that the new calendar would go into force in October (when there were few holy days), and that 10 days would be skipped. The day after Oct. 4 would be called Oct. 15.
Only Italy, Spain and Portugal were fully ready by October.
Everyone’s birthday moved to a calendar date 10 days later, too, so 365 days would pass between one birthday and the next. Rents, interest, and wages had to be recalculated for a month that had only 21 days.
Most of Catholic Europe adopted the new, Gregorian calendar by 1584, but the old Julian calendar held on until 1752 in Britain and its colonies, and through 1918 in Russia, which used to celebrate its own October Revolution, in November. My, how time flies.
By the mid-1570s, the Julian Calendar established in 45 B.C. was 10 days behind the real seasons of the year. The spring equinox was actually occurring about March 12 and Easter was falling too late in spring. All this happened because the Earth year is about 11 minutes short of the 365¼ days set by Julius Caesar. It’s really 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 46 seconds. If the drift kept up, Easter would eventually have been observed in the summer, and Christmas in the spring.
Pope Gregory XIII appointed a commission to tweak the Julian Calendar. Under the leadership of physician Aloysius Lilius and Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius, the commission consulted with scientists and clergy. After wrestling with various ideas for half a decade, the commission proposed eliminating three leap years in every 400 (years ending in 00, unless they are divisible by 400).
That would prevent further creep of the calendar against the seasons (except for a minuscule under-correction). But resetting the calendar so the equinox would come in late March needed a more drastic solution: 10 days would have to be wiped out of existence.
The commission sent its report to the pope Sept. 14, 1580. He issued a papal bull (formal proclamation issued by the pope, usually written in antiquated characters and sealed with a leaden bulla (seal)) on Feb. 24, 1582, declaring that the new calendar would go into force in October (when there were few holy days), and that 10 days would be skipped. The day after Oct. 4 would be called Oct. 15.
Only Italy, Spain and Portugal were fully ready by October.
Everyone’s birthday moved to a calendar date 10 days later, too, so 365 days would pass between one birthday and the next. Rents, interest, and wages had to be recalculated for a month that had only 21 days.
Most of Catholic Europe adopted the new, Gregorian calendar by 1584, but the old Julian calendar held on until 1752 in Britain and its colonies, and through 1918 in Russia, which used to celebrate its own October Revolution, in November. My, how time flies.
Encyclopedia of Life
Waited a long time to post this one until the site became a bit more information rich. The site claims to develop information for "each species of organism on earth". A lofty goal and it is yet to be achieved. Anyway, this might provide some interesting reading. LINK
Top Coffee Tidbits
Here are some interesting tidbits about coffee that you probably never thought about.
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind oil.
Coffee was reportedly discovered by a goat herder, named Kaldi, in the 9th-century. He noticed his goats acting strange when they ate the cherries from the coffee tree so he tried it for himself.
Light roasted coffee beans have more caffeine than dark, because the longer coffee is roasted the more caffeine is cooked out of the bean.
Espresso is not a type of coffee bean, it is a type of coffee brewing method. There is also the espresso grind, which is very fine, close to Turkish grind. That is what I use and It makes highly flavorful coffee.
Coffee comes from a tree or bush that bears cherry fruit. The coffee bean is the seed that resides within the cherry. Coffee cherry taste is like a tart fruit that some describe as light, honey, and sweet.
Coffee was declared illegal 3 times by 3 different cultures. The first was in Mecca during the 16th century and the prohibition was lifted after 30 years of debate among scholars and jurists. The second was Charles the II in Europe banning coffee houses trying to quell the ongoing rebellion, but it was never enforced. The third was Fredrick the Great who banned the beverage in Germany in 1677 because he was concerned with the economic implications of money leaving the country. Some religions still prohibit coffee consumption .
There are over 50 species of coffee world wide. Only two, arabica and robusta, are commonly used in commercial coffee production.
Over 500 billion cups of coffee are drunk each year and over half of those are drunk at breakfast.
Coffee can actually be used to fuel a car. The test car, built by BBC1 Science Program 'Bang Goes the Theory', is powered only by roasted coffee granules. The car gets about 1 mile per pound of coffee. At that rate, it will not overtake the the gasoline engine anytime soon.
Starbucks gives away used coffee grounds for use in your garden. Next time you are in your favorite, ask for a bag. It is good for your garden.
How American coffee came to be called joe and other names is not well documented, but probably stems from the common terminology that called the 'ordinary guy' 'an ordinary Joe'. The name joe appears to have been primarily used in the military, and particularly the navy, during the first half of the twentieth century. Mocha Java is regarded as the first coffee blend. Mocha gets its name from the port of Mocha and is grown in the mountains of Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. Java is from the island of Java in Indonesia. Mud and murk are self explanatory. Having a hot cup in the morning is like starting your day with an old friend.
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind oil.
Coffee was reportedly discovered by a goat herder, named Kaldi, in the 9th-century. He noticed his goats acting strange when they ate the cherries from the coffee tree so he tried it for himself.
Light roasted coffee beans have more caffeine than dark, because the longer coffee is roasted the more caffeine is cooked out of the bean.
Espresso is not a type of coffee bean, it is a type of coffee brewing method. There is also the espresso grind, which is very fine, close to Turkish grind. That is what I use and It makes highly flavorful coffee.
Coffee comes from a tree or bush that bears cherry fruit. The coffee bean is the seed that resides within the cherry. Coffee cherry taste is like a tart fruit that some describe as light, honey, and sweet.
Coffee was declared illegal 3 times by 3 different cultures. The first was in Mecca during the 16th century and the prohibition was lifted after 30 years of debate among scholars and jurists. The second was Charles the II in Europe banning coffee houses trying to quell the ongoing rebellion, but it was never enforced. The third was Fredrick the Great who banned the beverage in Germany in 1677 because he was concerned with the economic implications of money leaving the country. Some religions still prohibit coffee consumption .
There are over 50 species of coffee world wide. Only two, arabica and robusta, are commonly used in commercial coffee production.
Over 500 billion cups of coffee are drunk each year and over half of those are drunk at breakfast.
Coffee can actually be used to fuel a car. The test car, built by BBC1 Science Program 'Bang Goes the Theory', is powered only by roasted coffee granules. The car gets about 1 mile per pound of coffee. At that rate, it will not overtake the the gasoline engine anytime soon.
Starbucks gives away used coffee grounds for use in your garden. Next time you are in your favorite, ask for a bag. It is good for your garden.
How American coffee came to be called joe and other names is not well documented, but probably stems from the common terminology that called the 'ordinary guy' 'an ordinary Joe'. The name joe appears to have been primarily used in the military, and particularly the navy, during the first half of the twentieth century. Mocha Java is regarded as the first coffee blend. Mocha gets its name from the port of Mocha and is grown in the mountains of Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. Java is from the island of Java in Indonesia. Mud and murk are self explanatory. Having a hot cup in the morning is like starting your day with an old friend.
Agnotology
A term coined by Stanford University professor Robert N. Proctor to describe the study of culturally-induced ignorance or doubt, particularly the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data. Excuse me, but is it getting warm in here?
Bowlers Coming Back
The once iconic Bowler hat is set to make a fashion a comeback, according to tailors who say they are being inundated with requests for them.
Worn by Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin and the headwear of choice for civil servants and bankers the bowler dropped out of fashion in the 1960s.
Tailors Austin Reed says it has so many customer inquiries about the headgear it will soon stock it for the first time in 12 years.
Some American celebrities have recently been pictured wearing one, which is thought to have sparked an interest in the hats which date back to 1849. Some of my favorites pictured, Laurel and Hardy, and John Steed wore them. Of course could not add Steed without adding Emma Peel.
Worn by Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin and the headwear of choice for civil servants and bankers the bowler dropped out of fashion in the 1960s.
Tailors Austin Reed says it has so many customer inquiries about the headgear it will soon stock it for the first time in 12 years.
Some American celebrities have recently been pictured wearing one, which is thought to have sparked an interest in the hats which date back to 1849. Some of my favorites pictured, Laurel and Hardy, and John Steed wore them. Of course could not add Steed without adding Emma Peel.
Oct 12, 2010
What's in a Name - Derrick
A derrick is a lifting device designed for moving large objects. They are used widely in engineering, and to drill for oil and gas reserves. Thomas Derrick was a hangman in Elizabethan England, and was a convicted rapist who was facing the death penalty.
Derrick was offered a pardon by the Earl of Essex, if he worked for the state as an executioner. During his time as a hangman, he designed a new system with a topping lift and pulley, as opposed to the rope over a beam method. Derrick executed over 3,000 people. One of whom, rather ironically, was The Earl of Essex, the man who pardoned him.
Derrick was offered a pardon by the Earl of Essex, if he worked for the state as an executioner. During his time as a hangman, he designed a new system with a topping lift and pulley, as opposed to the rope over a beam method. Derrick executed over 3,000 people. One of whom, rather ironically, was The Earl of Essex, the man who pardoned him.
Oct 11, 2010
Flowers, Foreplay, Facelifts, Flatulence
Here is a sample of my latest book 'Flowers, Foreplay, Facelifts, Flatulence' (number 42). A humorous romp through the four stages of relationships. Enjoy!
If you want a copy, you can get it on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.
click on Fullscreen to enlarge.
Flowers Foreplay Facelifts Flatulence Scribd
If you want a copy, you can get it on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.
click on Fullscreen to enlarge.
Flowers Foreplay Facelifts Flatulence Scribd
Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso was originally bred as a watchdog for Tibetan palaces and monasteries. It was difficult for an intruder to sneak in past the watchful, yipping pooches. The “Lhasa” in the name comes from the city of Lhasa, Tibet’s longtime capital. Apso is a Tibetan word meaning “bearded,” so the breed’s name signifies that it’s a longhaired dog that originated in Tibet.Oct 7, 2010
NETRA
Scientists have developed an iPhone app that can give cheap, accurate prescriptions for glasses. The Near-Eye Tool for Refractive Assessment (NETRA) works in a radically different way than conventional eye tests to diagnose the exact prescription someone will need in a matter of minutes.
The patient uses the phone's buttons to adjust the position of sets of parallel green and red lines until they overlap. Instead of just estimating which of two views is less blurry the user adjusts their own display to make a scene come into focus. The more the buttons are pressed, the worse the person’s eyesight. This test is performed eight times for each eye, then it analyzes the results and delivers a prescription within minutes. The system is even able to measure other abnormalities, such as astigmatism.
The app could drastically slash the cost of eye tests.
Patients tests their eyesight by staring into a small, cheap plastic lens which fits over the iPhone’s screen. The scientists say that even though the plastic attachment will cost around a dollar at first, it could be far cheaper if produced in bulk.
The patient uses the phone's buttons to adjust the position of sets of parallel green and red lines until they overlap. Instead of just estimating which of two views is less blurry the user adjusts their own display to make a scene come into focus. The more the buttons are pressed, the worse the person’s eyesight. This test is performed eight times for each eye, then it analyzes the results and delivers a prescription within minutes. The system is even able to measure other abnormalities, such as astigmatism.
The app could drastically slash the cost of eye tests.
Patients tests their eyesight by staring into a small, cheap plastic lens which fits over the iPhone’s screen. The scientists say that even though the plastic attachment will cost around a dollar at first, it could be far cheaper if produced in bulk.
Chinese Inventions
Did you know the Chinese invented making silk from the cocoons of certain caterpillars. They also invented the compass, gunpowder, porcelain, wheelbarrow, paper, and early computer called an abacus. This was a simple calculator using beads which were moved along wires.
Others, including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Japanese also used it to perform arithmetic problems. It can be used to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and to calculate square roots and cube root. The abacus is still in use today.
Others, including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Japanese also used it to perform arithmetic problems. It can be used to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and to calculate square roots and cube root. The abacus is still in use today.
Food Fact
The Forbes 2020 team of experts and authors predicts that by the year 2018, 20% of all food consumed in U.S. cities will come from rooftop and parking lot farms.
Reusable Grocery Bag Bacteria
They may be good for the environment, but reusable grocery bags are also a breeding ground for bacteria. Many responsible shoppers choose their groceries and put them into the same bags during each trip to the store. Bits of food and debris drop to the bottom and form a perfect haven for bacteria. New food becomes contaminated and provides new droppings for the germs already in the bag.
If you plan to use reusable bags, the best idea is to find some that are washable and wash them in hot water to kill those little buggers living in the bottom.
If you plan to use reusable bags, the best idea is to find some that are washable and wash them in hot water to kill those little buggers living in the bottom.
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