It is official. Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his lair to see his shadow yesterday. Thus we can expect six more weeks of winter.
The groundhog is also called a "woodchuck" and its scientific name is Marmota monax. Marmots are ground squirrels, living in burrows rather than trees. The marmots are related to tree squirrels, and all these animals are classed as rodents. A groundhog is one of the largest varieties of marmot and can weigh over 30 pounds just before going into hibernation.
Births usually occur during May. After four weeks, their eyes open and they begin to explore the outdoors. By August, they establish new burrows.
By the middle of October most groundhogs are hibernating and normally hibernate until about March. They can live up to about six years in the wild. Of course Punxsutawney Phil has been around since 1887.
Feb 3, 2012
W.C. Fields
February 3, 1880, William Claude Dukenfield was born. He became one of the most celebrated comics and actors in the US, starting his career as a vaudeville juggler, then spending several decades on the musical stage before turning to films.
W.C. Fields, his stage name, made his first short, Pool Sharks, in 1915. After silent movies, he performed in many comedy classics like, My Little Chickadee with Mae West (1940), The Bank Dick (1940) and Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941).
W.C.’s famous lines became subject matter for nightclub impersonators and comedians. One of the most-repeated quotes was originally directed at the child-actor, Baby LeRoy, Fields’ on-screen nemesis: “Go away, kid, you bother me.” The one-liner that demonstrated Fields’ jaundiced humor. His most-quoted, was fired at a party hostess who offered him a glass of water. “Never touch the stuff; fish **** in it,” was his response. Other W.C. Fields witticisms: “Doctors say don’t worry about your heart, it will last as long as you live.”, “Californians talk so much about their climate, it makes their weather vane.” “I am very humble and proud of it.”, “It was a woman who drove me to drink and I never even thanked her.”
He requested that his headstone read, “All things considered, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.” Ah, Yes!
W.C. Fields, his stage name, made his first short, Pool Sharks, in 1915. After silent movies, he performed in many comedy classics like, My Little Chickadee with Mae West (1940), The Bank Dick (1940) and Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941).
W.C.’s famous lines became subject matter for nightclub impersonators and comedians. One of the most-repeated quotes was originally directed at the child-actor, Baby LeRoy, Fields’ on-screen nemesis: “Go away, kid, you bother me.” The one-liner that demonstrated Fields’ jaundiced humor. His most-quoted, was fired at a party hostess who offered him a glass of water. “Never touch the stuff; fish **** in it,” was his response. Other W.C. Fields witticisms: “Doctors say don’t worry about your heart, it will last as long as you live.”, “Californians talk so much about their climate, it makes their weather vane.” “I am very humble and proud of it.”, “It was a woman who drove me to drink and I never even thanked her.”
He requested that his headstone read, “All things considered, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.” Ah, Yes!
German Sex Meters
The German city of Bonn is calling its policy of levying a surcharge on streetwalking prostitutes via curb-side meters a success that would continue.
The municipal government said a "sex tax" covering levies on sauna clubs, "erotic centers" and automated pay stations similar to parking meters that were rolled out in August 2011 had brought in around $326,000 last year.
The former West German capital became the first city in Germany to introduce the meters for sex workers as a means of extending a general tax on prostitution beyond brothels to the streets of Bonn.
The meters were installed in an industrial area near the center of town used by prostitutes to solicit clients, with each sex worker paying €6 per night worked, regardless of how many customers they have. Those repeatedly caught without a ticket can be fined.
The municipal government said a "sex tax" covering levies on sauna clubs, "erotic centers" and automated pay stations similar to parking meters that were rolled out in August 2011 had brought in around $326,000 last year.
The former West German capital became the first city in Germany to introduce the meters for sex workers as a means of extending a general tax on prostitution beyond brothels to the streets of Bonn.
The meters were installed in an industrial area near the center of town used by prostitutes to solicit clients, with each sex worker paying €6 per night worked, regardless of how many customers they have. Those repeatedly caught without a ticket can be fined.
More Salt Less Bacon
I think not. Some people are beginning to say that salt is the new bacon. However, bacon is not so hoidy toity. Bacon lovers love bacon and do not need fancy names and additional flavors to make it better. The price of bacon has gone up over twenty percent in the past three years, but that is nothing compared to the price of specialty salts.
New salt types include Himalayan or alder-smoked and many more. Salt is in chocolate, on caramels, and even chocolate covered bacon.
SaltWorks sells Black Hawaiian sea salt, Bolivian Rose salt, Merlot-infused crystals, and Yakima apple wood smoked sea salt. It even has salt and pepper tastings. Some specialty salts can cost $8 per ounce, or $128 per pound. Bacon salt is much cheaper.
New salt types include Himalayan or alder-smoked and many more. Salt is in chocolate, on caramels, and even chocolate covered bacon.
SaltWorks sells Black Hawaiian sea salt, Bolivian Rose salt, Merlot-infused crystals, and Yakima apple wood smoked sea salt. It even has salt and pepper tastings. Some specialty salts can cost $8 per ounce, or $128 per pound. Bacon salt is much cheaper.
How Long is a Smoot
The smoot is a unit of length, defined as the height of Oliver R. Smoot, who became the president of the ISO. The unit is used to measure the length of the Harvard Bridge. In 1958 when Smoot was a Lambda Chi Alpha pledge at MIT (class of 1962), the bridge was measured to be 364.4 smoots, plus or minus one ear, using Smoot's body as a ruler. Oliver was 5 feet, 7 inches at that time. Google Earth and Google Calculator include the smoot as a unit of measurement. You have just been smitten by a smoot fact.
Jan 31, 2012
Excess Weight and Acne
Here is another one of those headlines from a national newspaper that is overshadowed by the details in the article.
It begins with the statement that researchers have found that weight gain and moderate to severe acne go hand in hand, particularly among young women.
The most recent study highlighting a link was published this month in The Archives of Dermatology and included roughly 3,600 teenagers. The researchers looked closely at their weight and its relation to their skin, factoring in several variables that could also play a role, including age, puberty and diet.
After adjusting for these and other factors that could affect acne risk, the researchers found that overweight or obese teenagers, particularly young women were significantly more likely to develop acne than normal-weight adolescents.
Researchers have proposed several explanations for the link. One is that an excess of androgen caused by obesity provokes acne. As for why girls would be more greatly affected than boys, it is possible that having bad skin and being overweight cause them greater psychological strain, which in turn prompts the release of stress hormones that only worsen the problem. So the cause is bad skin and hormones, not excess weight. I wonder if bad skin causes acne or acne causes bad skin? Yes someone actually paid them to come up with this stuff.
It begins with the statement that researchers have found that weight gain and moderate to severe acne go hand in hand, particularly among young women.
The most recent study highlighting a link was published this month in The Archives of Dermatology and included roughly 3,600 teenagers. The researchers looked closely at their weight and its relation to their skin, factoring in several variables that could also play a role, including age, puberty and diet.
After adjusting for these and other factors that could affect acne risk, the researchers found that overweight or obese teenagers, particularly young women were significantly more likely to develop acne than normal-weight adolescents.
Researchers have proposed several explanations for the link. One is that an excess of androgen caused by obesity provokes acne. As for why girls would be more greatly affected than boys, it is possible that having bad skin and being overweight cause them greater psychological strain, which in turn prompts the release of stress hormones that only worsen the problem. So the cause is bad skin and hormones, not excess weight. I wonder if bad skin causes acne or acne causes bad skin? Yes someone actually paid them to come up with this stuff.
What's in a Name, Epson
One of the innovations for the Tokyo Olympics was the development of the electronic printer which was used to print the times of results.
The printer was developed by the Seiko Group and the printer was called the “Electronic Printer” or “EP.” The printer module was successful and became incorporated into early calculators.
Years later, Seiko launched a range of dot matrix printers into the US market and the US distributor was named EPSON, or “son” of “EP.” The brand became so established that Seiko renamed itself the Epson Corporation a few years later.
The printer was developed by the Seiko Group and the printer was called the “Electronic Printer” or “EP.” The printer module was successful and became incorporated into early calculators.
Years later, Seiko launched a range of dot matrix printers into the US market and the US distributor was named EPSON, or “son” of “EP.” The brand became so established that Seiko renamed itself the Epson Corporation a few years later.
Closet Organizing
Some tips I recently saw on the web that seem to make sense for cluttered closets. Use shower curtain hooks in your closet to hang those things you want to keep off the floor, like purses, gift bags, and other small things that do not fit on a hanger. You can use pants hangers for flat things like wrapping paper and other flat items. A pegboard attached to the inside of your closet door can be used to hang everything from jewelry to watches, and umbrellas.
Those plastic travel soap dishes are great for organizing jewelry, vitamins, or other small small items when traveling.
Try those little magnets to hang stuff on the sides of your medicine cabinet, like tweezers to keep them off the shelf and close at hand when you need them.
Those plastic travel soap dishes are great for organizing jewelry, vitamins, or other small small items when traveling.
Try those little magnets to hang stuff on the sides of your medicine cabinet, like tweezers to keep them off the shelf and close at hand when you need them.
Elementary My Dear Watson
IBM's Watson supercomputer, like the one that was used on the TV Show Jeopardy, will be used to evaluate cancer treatment options for Wellpoint, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's largest health plan. It will be used as an adviser for oncologists at Cedars-Sinai's Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute in Los Angeles.
Cedars-Sinai's historical data about cancer, as well as its current clinical records, will be fed into a version of Watson that will reside at WellPoint's headquarters in Indianapolis. WellPoint will work with Cedars-Sinai physicians to design and develop applications that will help doctors prescribe specific treatments for patients.
Cedars-Sinai's historical data about cancer, as well as its current clinical records, will be fed into a version of Watson that will reside at WellPoint's headquarters in Indianapolis. WellPoint will work with Cedars-Sinai physicians to design and develop applications that will help doctors prescribe specific treatments for patients.
Jan 27, 2012
Happy Friday
True happiness involves the full use of one's power and talents.
I know I have the power and talent to have a Happy Friday!
I know I have the power and talent to have a Happy Friday!
Overdone Bacon
Now I know I must have crossed the line with so many bacon comments. LINK This site page title from Grupthink is 'Mmmm. . . Bacon' and my Bloginalia 2010 book is posted with two other food books.
One more completely useless bit is a comedian talking about bacon (with no reference to me or the book), just bacon. LINK
Sorry, looks like I might have to tone it down a bit in the future. Oh well, publicity is publicity.
One more completely useless bit is a comedian talking about bacon (with no reference to me or the book), just bacon. LINK
Sorry, looks like I might have to tone it down a bit in the future. Oh well, publicity is publicity.
Easter Island
Those famous heads that we have all seen pictures of turn out to have bodies. Many of the 887 moai known to date have been excavated and found to have bodies. The island's real name is Rapa Nui.
These statues ring the island and have been a source of fascination and conjecture for centuries. Contrary to some stories, the majority of the statues face inward, not looking out to the ocean.
These statues ring the island and have been a source of fascination and conjecture for centuries. Contrary to some stories, the majority of the statues face inward, not looking out to the ocean.
What's in a Name, Wilhelm Scream
The Wilhelm scream is a frequently-used film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums.
The effect gained new popularity (its use often becoming an in-joke) after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games. The scream is often used when someone is falling to his death from great height.
Two minutes of fun. You will recognize it the first time you hear it. LINK
The effect gained new popularity (its use often becoming an in-joke) after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games. The scream is often used when someone is falling to his death from great height.
Two minutes of fun. You will recognize it the first time you hear it. LINK
Toilet Talk
The film “Psycho” was the first movie to show a toilet flushing. The scene caused a huge number of complaints about indecency.
The Roman army didn’t have toilet paper so they used a water soaked sponge on the end of a stick instead.
The toilet is flushed more times during the super bowl halftime than at any time during the year.
The average person spends three years of their life sitting on the toilet.
Over $100,000 US dollars was spent on a study to determine whether most people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap in front or behind. The results showed that three out of four people have the flap in the front.
The first toilet cubicle in a row is the least used.
The Roman army didn’t have toilet paper so they used a water soaked sponge on the end of a stick instead.
The toilet is flushed more times during the super bowl halftime than at any time during the year.
The average person spends three years of their life sitting on the toilet.
Over $100,000 US dollars was spent on a study to determine whether most people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap in front or behind. The results showed that three out of four people have the flap in the front.
The first toilet cubicle in a row is the least used.
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