“Caught red handed”, has its origins in
Scotland around the 15th century. Given the context it was often
used in the earliest references, the phrase “red hand” or “redhand”
probably came about referring to people caught with blood on their
hands.
The first known documented instance of “red hand” is in the Scottish
Acts of Parliament of James I, written in 1432. It subsequently
popped up numerous times in various legal proceedings in Scotland,
nearly always referring to someone caught in the act of committing
some crime, such as “apprehended redhand”, “taken with redhand”,
etc.
The first documented instance of the expression morphing from “red
hand” to “red handed” was in the early 19th century work Ivanhoe,
written by Sir Walter Scott.
Jun 1, 2012
10,000 Zambonis
The ice making business was booming way
before household refrigerators were common. In 1939 Frank Zamboni
and his brother had been in their ice block business for years, but
refrigerators were becoming popular enough that they saw things
quickly changing.
They had an inventory of many large refrigeration units, so they decided to open an ice rink. It was there that Frank came up with a way to resurface the ice. Originally it took three men an hour and a half to get it done, but in 1949 he invented the precursor of the ice machine we know today.
Now one man could resurface an ice rink in ten minutes. Like Xerox and Kleenex, Zamboni is a trademarked word that we now use to refer to all ice resurfacing machines. In April 2012, the 10,000th Zamboni was sold and delivered to the Montreal Canadiens.
They had an inventory of many large refrigeration units, so they decided to open an ice rink. It was there that Frank came up with a way to resurface the ice. Originally it took three men an hour and a half to get it done, but in 1949 he invented the precursor of the ice machine we know today.
Now one man could resurface an ice rink in ten minutes. Like Xerox and Kleenex, Zamboni is a trademarked word that we now use to refer to all ice resurfacing machines. In April 2012, the 10,000th Zamboni was sold and delivered to the Montreal Canadiens.
Free Google Calendar
Free online calendar application
called Google Calendar. If you have a Google account, you can create
a Google Calendar. If you don't have one, you can register for a
free account.
You can use Google Calendar to schedule events and invite people to participate. By sharing folders, you can compare your schedule with other users. If everyone keeps his or her calendar up to date, it's easy to avoid conflicts. A single user can open multiple calendars and view all the scheduled events in a single window. Google displays each calendar's events in a different color.
Google includes its search feature within the Google Calendar system. You can search for specific calendars. Calendar owners can choose to keep a calendar private or share it openly with everyone. you can also set it up to send you an email to remind you of events in the calendar.
You can use Google Calendar to schedule events and invite people to participate. By sharing folders, you can compare your schedule with other users. If everyone keeps his or her calendar up to date, it's easy to avoid conflicts. A single user can open multiple calendars and view all the scheduled events in a single window. Google displays each calendar's events in a different color.
Google includes its search feature within the Google Calendar system. You can search for specific calendars. Calendar owners can choose to keep a calendar private or share it openly with everyone. you can also set it up to send you an email to remind you of events in the calendar.
The Charleston
The Charleston was one of the biggest dance
crazes of all time It was popularized in a song of the same name in
the 1923 Broadway show Runnin’ Wild.
The choreography for the show was most likely original, but the style came from the Juba dance moves that originated among slaves on plantations and in southern cities like Charleston, South Carolina, where the name comes from. Here are a few super examples Charleston moves set to dubstep. LINK
The choreography for the show was most likely original, but the style came from the Juba dance moves that originated among slaves on plantations and in southern cities like Charleston, South Carolina, where the name comes from. Here are a few super examples Charleston moves set to dubstep. LINK
What's in a Name, 5
One of the characters in the Peanuts
universe was “555 95472,” or “5” for short. Introduced in September
1963, 5 explained that his father was so upset about people being
seen as “just a number,” he renamed the entire family as a series of
digits.
The family’s last name is taken from their ZIP Code, though when spoken, 5 insists there’s an accent on the 4. The ZIP Code, by the way, is the real one for Sebastopol, California, where Charles Schulz lived at the time.
5’s sisters 3 and 4 made a few appearances in the strip before disappearing, but 5 was occasionally a background character until 1981. You’ve probably seen 3, 4, and 5 already and didn’t even know it. All three appear in the famous dance sequence in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. 3 and 4 are the twin girls in purple dresses, while 5 is the spiky-haired kid in orange.
The family’s last name is taken from their ZIP Code, though when spoken, 5 insists there’s an accent on the 4. The ZIP Code, by the way, is the real one for Sebastopol, California, where Charles Schulz lived at the time.
5’s sisters 3 and 4 made a few appearances in the strip before disappearing, but 5 was occasionally a background character until 1981. You’ve probably seen 3, 4, and 5 already and didn’t even know it. All three appear in the famous dance sequence in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. 3 and 4 are the twin girls in purple dresses, while 5 is the spiky-haired kid in orange.
May 25, 2012
Happy Friday
“Satisfaction of one’s curiosity is one of the greatest sources of
happiness in life.” - Linus Pauling
Although my curiosity will never be sated, my Friday Thoughts always help me have a Happy Friday!
Although my curiosity will never be sated, my Friday Thoughts always help me have a Happy Friday!
What's in a Name, Reno
It was in 1868 that a little town
in Northwestern Nevada was officially named, Reno (after General
Jesse Lee Reno, a Union officer of the Civil War).
Actually, the town just over the border from California, already existed before this date. It was first settled by the Washoe Indians who used the area for festivals and ceremonies. As settlers moved in, it was known as Fuller’s Ferry, and later, as Lake’s Crossing.
In the mid 1800s, Reno was just another settlement of silver miners. When the Comstock Lode was discovered in the Virginia City area, fortune hunters throughout the world came to the area to strike it rich. Today, they still come to strike it rich at Reno’s glitzy gambling casinos.
Reno is also a haven for quickie divorces (six-week residency is required), is known as the biggest little city in the world, the winning slogan from a contest held in 1929. If you look on a map you will find that Reno is actually west of Los Angeles.
Actually, the town just over the border from California, already existed before this date. It was first settled by the Washoe Indians who used the area for festivals and ceremonies. As settlers moved in, it was known as Fuller’s Ferry, and later, as Lake’s Crossing.
In the mid 1800s, Reno was just another settlement of silver miners. When the Comstock Lode was discovered in the Virginia City area, fortune hunters throughout the world came to the area to strike it rich. Today, they still come to strike it rich at Reno’s glitzy gambling casinos.
Reno is also a haven for quickie divorces (six-week residency is required), is known as the biggest little city in the world, the winning slogan from a contest held in 1929. If you look on a map you will find that Reno is actually west of Los Angeles.
Glass Slippers
Cinderella's slippers were originally made
out of fur. The story was changed in the 1600's. The glass slipper
is likely to have arisen from a confusion between the French, "une
pantoufle en vair" (a fur slipper) and, "une pantoufle en verre" (a
glass slipper.)
Sports Names
In the four major US professional sports,
(Baseball, Basketball, Football, and Hockey) there are only eight
teams whose nicknames do not end with an "S."
Basketball: Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic.
Baseball: Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox.
Hockey: Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild.
Football: None.
The only reason I find this interesting is because my name starts with an S.
Basketball: Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic.
Baseball: Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox.
Hockey: Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild.
Football: None.
The only reason I find this interesting is because my name starts with an S.
Ten More Interesting Names
On Night Court, Nostradamus
Shannon was better known as Bull.
2. On Entourage, Turtle’s real name is Salvatore Assante.
3. Sesame Street‘s resident game show host Guy Smiley was using a pseudonym all these years. He was born Bernie Liederkrantz.
4. The Michelin Man’s name is Bibendum.
5. Jonas Grumby was called The Skipper on Gilligan's Island.
6. The Professor on Gilligan's Island was Roy Hinkley.
7. The Shaggy of Scooby-Doo is Norville Rogers.
8. The Pillsbury Doughboy’s name is Poppin’ Fresh. He has a wife, Poppie Fresh, and two kids, Popper and Bun Bun.
9. The patient in the classic game Operation is Cavity Sam.
10. The true identity of The Lone Ranger was John Reid. He was also the uncle of the Green Hornet. Both radio series originated on Detroit radio.
2. On Entourage, Turtle’s real name is Salvatore Assante.
3. Sesame Street‘s resident game show host Guy Smiley was using a pseudonym all these years. He was born Bernie Liederkrantz.
4. The Michelin Man’s name is Bibendum.
5. Jonas Grumby was called The Skipper on Gilligan's Island.
6. The Professor on Gilligan's Island was Roy Hinkley.
7. The Shaggy of Scooby-Doo is Norville Rogers.
8. The Pillsbury Doughboy’s name is Poppin’ Fresh. He has a wife, Poppie Fresh, and two kids, Popper and Bun Bun.
9. The patient in the classic game Operation is Cavity Sam.
10. The true identity of The Lone Ranger was John Reid. He was also the uncle of the Green Hornet. Both radio series originated on Detroit radio.
May 24, 2012
Clean Up With The Boss
William Henry 'Boss' Hoover didn't
even invent the vacuum cleaner, yet his name has become a verb and a
noun, especially in England, where they hoover the floors with a
Hoover.
James Murray Spangler invented the first upright vacuum in 1908 because his asthma was exacerbated by the dust the carpet sweeper used at his work stirred up. He was making one every 2-3 weeks when he loaned a model to his cousin Susan Hoover.
Her husband was looking for a new business venture since he was a leather worker and the popularity of the car was reducing people’s need for his goods. He seized the opportunity and bought Spangler’s patent from him. Absolutely no one was interested in his weird sucking machine. He decided to put an ad in a popular magazine for possibly the first ever 'free at home trial'. The gimmick worked and within four years the Hoover Company was an international brand.
James Murray Spangler invented the first upright vacuum in 1908 because his asthma was exacerbated by the dust the carpet sweeper used at his work stirred up. He was making one every 2-3 weeks when he loaned a model to his cousin Susan Hoover.
Her husband was looking for a new business venture since he was a leather worker and the popularity of the car was reducing people’s need for his goods. He seized the opportunity and bought Spangler’s patent from him. Absolutely no one was interested in his weird sucking machine. He decided to put an ad in a popular magazine for possibly the first ever 'free at home trial'. The gimmick worked and within four years the Hoover Company was an international brand.
Walnuts and Other Handy Home Tips
My brother, a carpenter,
among other skills, says to rub a walnut over a wood scratch to hide
the scratch.
Six Uses for Butter
Butter isn't just good for topping toast and popcorn. There are plenty of other things it is useful for, such as:
Swallowing pills: Coat the pills with a thin layer of butter to make them go down easier, especially bigger pills and ones that have no coating.
De-stress cats: If you're moving or throwing a party, your cat can get a bit stressed by the sudden change in the environment. Put a little dab of butter on the top of her paws. She'll be distracted by cleaning herself.
Prevent cheese mold: Put a thin coat of butter on the cheese after you cut it so it won't get too hard or start molding, especially harder cheeses.
Preserve onions: If you cut an onion in half and decide to leave the other half in the fridge, coat the exposed side with a bit of butter to keep it fresh longer.
Swallowing pills: Coat the pills with a thin layer of butter to make them go down easier, especially bigger pills and ones that have no coating.
De-stress cats: If you're moving or throwing a party, your cat can get a bit stressed by the sudden change in the environment. Put a little dab of butter on the top of her paws. She'll be distracted by cleaning herself.
Prevent cheese mold: Put a thin coat of butter on the cheese after you cut it so it won't get too hard or start molding, especially harder cheeses.
Preserve onions: If you cut an onion in half and decide to leave the other half in the fridge, coat the exposed side with a bit of butter to keep it fresh longer.
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