Flush Tax

You pee, you poo, you pay. A while back, the Maryland Legislature took a step towards protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries when it passed what has become known as “the flush tax.”

The bill established the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Restoration Fund to be supported by a $2.50 a month fee on sewer bills and an equivalent $30 annual fee on septic system owners. These funds are collected by the County and turned over to the State which distributes the funds to utilities to upgrade waste-water treatment plants to reduce nitrogen discharge which causes algae blooms that harm other aquatic life.

The revenues from septic tank users are used to upgrade or replace failing septic systems and to provide financial assistance to farmers to help plant cover crops to prevent nutrient runoff from agricultural land. This is the government equivalent of the pay toilet. The government has now completed the cycle where what we eat and drink is taxed when it goes in and now it is taxed when it comes out.

Wordology, Taser

Few people, including police know that Taser stands for Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle.

"Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land" was a young adult novel published in 1911. It was one of a series of more than a hundred books about Tom Swift, with the most recent series in 2007.

In the novel, Swift's invention of the electric rifle, which fires bolts of electricity can be calibrated to different levels of range, intensity and lethality. It can shoot through solid walls without leaving a hole, and is powerful enough to kill a rampaging whale. With the electric rifle, Tom and friends bring down elephants, rhinoceroses, and buffalo, while he saves their lives several times in pitched battle with the red pygmies.

In one book, written in 1912, Tom develops a telephone that can actually send pictures.

The Taser was really invented by Jack Cover, completed in 1974, and marketed by Taser International.

What's in a Name, Crash Blossoms

What's in a Name, Crash Blossoms - Crash Blossoms are ambiguous headlines that usually convey more than one meaning and make you want to scratch your head. Here are a few examples.

"Chinese cooking fat heads for Holland"
"Analysis: China currency move nails hard landing risk coffin"
"Doctor Testifies in Horse Suit"
"American Ships Head to Libya"
"Don't help old, blind council tells parking officers"
"McDonald's fries the holy grail for potato farmers"
"Dog helps lightning strike Redruth mayor."
"Virginia Beach man accused of decapitating son to stay in hospital"
"Kids Make Nutritious Snacks"
"Miners Refuse to Work After Death"
"Teacher Strikes Idle Kids"
"US President Wins on Budget, but More Lies Ahead"

Gummi Bears

The sweet treats were invented in the 1920′s by German Hans Riegel Sr. when he started the Haribo company. Not only do they produce Gummi Bears, and all other chewy candy under the Haribo name, but the company also makes all Trolli brands of gummy candy, like gummi worms.

English and the Internet

According to the translation firm Smartling, native English speakers only represented 3% of the total Internet population in 2011. Yet, 56% of online pages are English-only.

Many would not spend time on a Japanese website without understanding Japanese if Google Translate didn’t exist. Conversely, many would not spend time on an English website without an online translator.

Happy Friday

If you seek happiness for yourself you will never find it. Only when you seek happiness for others will it come to you.

If you are happy after reading this, we will both have a Happy Friday!

Top Ten Movie Lines

According to the American Film Institute, here they are:
1- Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. (GONE WITH THE WIND)
2 - I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse. (THE GODFATHER)
3 - You don’t understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could’ve been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am. (ON THE WATERFRONT)
4 - Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. (THE WIZARD OF OZ)
5 - Here’s looking at you, kid. (CASABLANCA)
6 - Go ahead, make my day. (SUDDEN IMPACT)
7 - All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up. (SUNSET BLVD.)
8 - May the Force be with you. (STAR WARS)
9 - Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night. (ALL ABOUT EVE)
10 - You talking to me? (TAXI DRIVER)

Laurel and Hardy came in 60th with the famous line delivered by Ollie in many of their movies, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" You can find more of the top 100 here. LINK
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Video Gravestones

Your loved one’s memory can be eternalized with a little digital help. After purchasing a QR code (those little squares with squiggly blobs) from Katzman Monument Company, you go to memorylinks.com where you can upload information, pictures, even video. Then you attach the QR code to the headstone. After it’s read with a free app on a digital phone, pictures and/or video are available on the phone. Truly a living memory. The deceased can post a video before the event to be seen by loved ones in the future. It costs about $150.

Nuts to You

Nuts can  reduce the risk of diabetes and bring down cholesterol and you only need just a handful of nuts a day, raw if possible.

Tree nuts are increasingly regarded as wonder foods that lower the risk of heart disease, some forms of cancer and type 2 diabetes while providing essential vitamins and minerals including niacin, zinc, folic acid, selenium and magnesium.

They contain more unsaturated fats than animal proteins and can cut levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol, according to numerous studies. Their mix of omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber will help you feel full and suppress your appetite. The fat content helps release satiety hormones in the digestive system, which also helps to curb hunger, and lessen your desire to overeat later in the day.

Almonds are rich in vitamin E.

Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, a vital mineral and antioxidant. Just two Brazil nuts a day may prevent heart disease and prostate cancer and can also enhance mood.

Cashews are high in magnesium and are good sources of phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Hazelnuts, the most fiber-rich of all the nuts, contain significant levels of B-group vitamins including folate and vitamin B6.

Macadamia nuts are high in healthy mono-unsaturated fats, contain all the essential amino acids and have been shown to lower blood cholesterol.

Pecans reduce cholesterol and may delay age-related muscle nerve degeneration.

Pine nuts - the edible seeds of pine trees, removed from pine cones - contain zinc, niacin and manganese and are rich in mono-unsaturated acids.

Pistachios are packed with protein, vitamin E and are an excellent source of copper and manganese.

Walnuts are loaded with natural plant omega-3s called alphalinoleic acid or ALA.

Peanuts, technically legumes but commonly referred to as nuts, are high in vitamin E, folate (for brain development) and may reduce cognitive decline. Be healthy, go nuts.

Wordology, Moot

This definition from the Oxford Dictionary may surprise you. Definition of moot: adjective
 1 subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty: whether the temperature rise was mainly due to the greenhouse effect was a moot point
 2 North American having little or no practical relevance: the whole matter is becoming increasingly moot
- verb  raise (a question or topic) for discussion; suggest (an idea or possibility): the scheme was first mooted last October. This whole thing is becoming moot.

Third Degree

To get the third degree means to be thoroughly questioned. The third degree of something has been regarded as the upper limit, or extreme since before the the time of Shakespeare when he wrote, “For he’s in the thirde degree of drinke, he’s drown’d.” He was referring to a very drunk man. It is a natural progression when referring to the most extreme type of questioning, it would be referred to as the third degree. It has come to also mean inflicting of pain, physical or mental, to extract confessions or statements.

In Masonic Lodges there is also the rituals involved before reaching the third, or highest level, which includes intense questioning.

Aluminum Foil Tip

Check each end of the foil or plastic wrap box and you will find tabs. Press in the tabs and they hold the roll in place while you pull out the foil.

Smiling Reduces Stress

Results of an interesting study to find out if smiling, even forced smiling can reduce stress. The Study is published in the journal Psychological Science.

Researchers used chopsticks to manipulate the facial muscles of their 169 participants into a neutral expression, a standard smile, or a Duchenne smile. A Duchenne smile engages the muscles around the mouth, raises the cheeks, and includes eyes.

In addition to the chopstick placement, some were explicitly instructed to smile. Then, they were subjected to a series of stress-inducing, multitasking activities, which they struggled to perform while continuing to hold the chopsticks in their mouths. The subjects' heart rates and self-reported stress levels were monitored throughout.

The participants who were instructed to smile recovered from the stressful activities with lower heart rates than participants who held neutral expressions. Those with Duchenne smiles were the most relaxed of all, with the most positive affect. Those with forced smiles held only by the chopsticks also reported more positive feelings than those who didn't smile.

When a situation has you feeling stressed or flustered, even the most forced smiles can genuinely decrease your stress and make you happier.

Olympic Award Facts

For this year’s London Games, the gold medals are roughly 93% silver, 6% copper and 1% gold. The silver medals are 92% silver and 8% copper. The bronze medals are 97% copper, 2.5% zinc and 0.5% tin.

Gold medals made from solid gold were introduced at the 1904 St. Louis Games, and four years later in London, the medals began to be awarded to the top three placing athletes in the gold-silver-bronze order we’re familiar with today. The 1912 Stockholm Games were the last time solid gold medals were awarded.

These days, the IOC charter only requires that the first place medals be silver gilt, containing “silver of at least 925-1000 grade and gilded with at least 6g of pure gold.” The second place silver medals must contain silver of a similar grade. Beyond that, the specific composition of the medals, and their design, is largely left to the host city’s organizing committee.

When the first modern Olympic games organized by the International Olympic Committee were held in 1896 in Athens, winners got a silver medal and an olive branch, and runners-up received a bronze medal and a laurel branch.

Ancient Greek competitors were given an olive branch from a wild olive tree that grew at Olympia along with some money upon returning home.