Another Google Search Tip

Use a minus sign right before a word to eliminate it from your search results. For example, if you are looking for cowboys, but not the team, you would type "cowboys -dallas -football" without the quotes. This trick goes a long way toward eliminating information that you are not interested in reading.

Saint Nikolas and Santa Claus

Though they have similar outfits, Nikolaus is not to be confused with Santa Claus, who Germans call the Weihnachtsmann, or Father Christmas. They are two different people. In fact, many religious families try to focus more on Nikolaus earlier in December to insure that Christmas is actually about Jesus’ birth, and not presents from an Americanized and commercialized Santa.

Each year on December 6, Germans remember the death of Nikolas of Myra (now part of modern Turkey), who died on that day in 346. He was a Greek Christian bishop known for miracles and giving gifts secretly, and is now the patron saint of little children, sailors, merchants and students. Known as Nikolas the Wonderworker for his miracles, he is also identified with Santa Claus. Beliefs and traditions about Nikolaus were probably combined with German mythology, particularly regarding stories about the bearded pagan god Odin, who also had a beard and a bag to capture naughty children.

The custom of leaving shoes out began because the historical St. Nicholas had a reputation for leaving secret gifts, such as coins, in people’s shoes overnight. Kids traditionally put out their boots, though shoes or stockings will suffice for those without boots. Dirty boots are unacceptable. Children polish their boots to show they’ve been good. They usually place just one boot outside their door so they don’t appear too greedy.

This Week in 2008

President-elect Barack Obama said job creation and a stronger economy are the yardsticks against which his economic recovery plan should be measured.

Happy Friday!

Man is in possession of his own life when he can control his thoughts, rule his passions, and govern his habits.

I think I can hardly control my passion for the habit of making a Happy Friday!

Deep Fried Onion Rings

According to most sources, the onion ring was invented when a careless cook at a Pig Stand in Dallas accidentally dropped an onion slice in some batter then pulled it out and tossed it in the deep fryer. The Pig Stand also claims to opening America’s first drive-in, inventing Texas toast, and being one of the first restaurants to advertise using neon signs. After consuming a batch, you might consider the following post.

Listerine

Listerine was the first over-the-counter mouthwash sold in the United States in 1914 and by 1921 it was already falsely marketing its product. Declaring itself a cure-all for common cold ailments like sore throats and coughs, a dandruff preventative, an anti-shave tonic, and a safe way to protect yourself from cuts, bruises, wounds, and stings, Listerine was slapped with numerous false advertisement lawsuits.

In 1975, the Federal Trade Commission ordered the company to spend $10 million in corrective advertising, as their product was no more effective in treating colds than gargling warm water. In 2005, the company was slapped with another lawsuit. This time because Listerine claimed it was as “effective as floss” after rigging clinical trials.

Bacon Cheddar Fries

Had to add this one sent by a friend, Jim Sheppard. The site taster says they are not all that good, but I must admit I liked the name. Of course, they are from Tom's.

Street Signs

Am sure at least one of you remembers my November 12 thoughts about street signs in New York being replaced. Here is a follow-up.

The Federal Highway Administration is ordering all local governments, from the tiniest towns to the largest cities, to go out and buy new street signs that federal bureaucrats say are easier to read. The rules are part of a tangle of regulations included in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

The 800-plus page book tells local governments they:

-- Should increase the size of the letters on street signs from the current 4 inches to 6 inches on all roads with speed limits over 25 miles per hour. The target date for this to be completed is January 2012.

-- Install signs with new reflective letters more visible at night by January 2018.

-- Whenever street name signs are changed for any reason, they can no longer be in ALL CAPS.

In Milwaukee this will cost the city nearly $2 million, or double the city's entire annual for traffic control.

"If you can't read it, you can't see it, or you can't comprehend it, it could be a distraction to you,"  said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. "You could be in an accident, negative consequences could occur." Hmmm, now about those illegal aliens that can't read English. . .

Popup Meat Timer

 Here is a silly thing that might be practical. A meat timer with legs. The legs pop up when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Now you don't have to open the oven door to check, just wait for the legs to pop up.

Awesome Stuff

People can accomplish some very awesome stunts. Here is a collection of them on YouTube. LINK

Hiccups

The first air-breathing fish and amphibians extracted oxygen using gills when in the water and primitive lungs when on land. To do so, they had to be able to close the glottis, or entryway to the lungs, when underwater. The entryway, or glottis, to the lungs could be closed. When underwater, the animals pushed water past their gills while simultaneously pushing the glottis down. We descendants of these animals were left with vestiges of their history, including the hiccup. In hiccuping, we use ancient muscles to quickly close the glottis while sucking in air. Hiccups no longer serve a function. One of the reasons it is so difficult to stop hiccuping is that the entire process is controlled by a part of our brain that evolved long before consciousness.

Decembers Past

In 1942, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered liquidation of the Works Progress Administration, created during the Great Depression to provide work for the unemployed. Seems to me that worked better than unemployment checks.

In 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

In 1768, Encyclopedia Britannica was first published.

In 1954, the first Burger King fast-food restaurant opened in Miami.

In 1975, the US Senate authorized a $2.3 billion emergency loan to save New York City from bankruptcy.

In 2009, the US unemployment rate fell to 10 percent in November, down from its peak of 10.2 percent in October. Analysts called the jobs report the strongest since the recession began two years earlier.

In 2010, the US unemployment rate went up to 9.8% in November, from 9.6% in October.

In 1929, the Ford Motor Co. raised the pay of its employees from $5 to $7 a day despite the collapse of the US stock market.

In 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant at Cape Town, South Africa.

Michael Jackson Earnings

He made $275 million last year, beating all living and dead entertainers as top earner. Too bad he couldn't keep that up while he was alive. Incidentally, Einstein's estate took in $10 million.

Executive Pay Check

Washington Mutual CEO Alan Fishman did well. When WaMu failed and was seized by government regulators, Fishman had been on the job for just 17 days. However, he was contractually guaranteed $11.6 million in cash severance on top of the $7.5 million signing bonus he got for taking the job. He netted just under $20 million for 17 days of work. Not bad for the head of a collapsing corporation.