Here is something coming to your wallet,
a new MasterCard that has LCD screen and keyboard. The credit card
with an LCD display and built-in keyboard has been launched in
Singapore by MasterCard The card will be available from January
before being rolled out globally.
The card has touch-sensitive buttons and the ability to create a
one-time password. Future versions of the card could display added
information such as the remaining balance or display information
such as loyalty or reward points or recent transaction history.
Last year, Visa announced a similar card with interactive functions.
Smartphone manufacturers are hoping that enhanced credit cards will
be quickly replaced by near-field communication feature that many
smartphones already have.
Nov 16, 2012
Nov 13, 2012
Crowns While You Wait
Instead of making a mold and
sending it to a lab for scanning, dentists are now using a small
camera to scan misshapen teeth. The digitized scan is then sent to
an on-site milling machine that carves a crown from a block of
porcelain. After preparation the crown is ready to be implanted.
The whole process is not much different than currently done. The area is numbed, and the dentist drills the tooth to shape it for the crown. Then the dentist uses a tiny camera to create a three-dimensional image of the drilled tooth. A computer program uses that to construct an image of what the tooth will look like with the crown in place. The image is transmitted to a machine on site mills the crown which is then glued on in the same process currently used.
Currently, the process is in use by about 10% of dentists, but will be used by more as the price of equipment comes down.
The whole process is not much different than currently done. The area is numbed, and the dentist drills the tooth to shape it for the crown. Then the dentist uses a tiny camera to create a three-dimensional image of the drilled tooth. A computer program uses that to construct an image of what the tooth will look like with the crown in place. The image is transmitted to a machine on site mills the crown which is then glued on in the same process currently used.
Currently, the process is in use by about 10% of dentists, but will be used by more as the price of equipment comes down.
What's in a Name, Gräfenberg
Gynecologist Dr. Ernst
Gräfenberg came to the US from Nazi Germany in 1940. He ran a
successful gynecology practice in New York until his death in 1957.
Gräfenberg researched the subject of stimulation and stated in a study, ”An erotic zone always could be demonstrated. . ." Although others had studied this before him, he is usually given credit for its 'discovery' and the name “G-spot” named for him came from a 1981 paper published in the Journal of Sex Research.
He also invented the first known Ring IUD birth control device, the Gräfenberg ring.
Gräfenberg researched the subject of stimulation and stated in a study, ”An erotic zone always could be demonstrated. . ." Although others had studied this before him, he is usually given credit for its 'discovery' and the name “G-spot” named for him came from a 1981 paper published in the Journal of Sex Research.
He also invented the first known Ring IUD birth control device, the Gräfenberg ring.
Facts About Plants and Oxygen
Plants do not turn carbon
dioxide into oxygen. The way this happens is a complex process
called photosynthesis. Plants convert carbon dioxide into
carbohydrate precursors and water as fuel for the plant. This does
not require any light.
Oxygen is a byproduct of photosynthesis where the plant uses light and converts it to potential energy.
Oxygen is a byproduct of photosynthesis where the plant uses light and converts it to potential energy.
Nov 9, 2012
My Latest Book
If you like this blog, you will love my latest book, "Amazing Facts and Bite Sized Brain Food. It is my 49th book and is now available on Amazon.
Thousands of amazing facts about things you don’t know but want to know, and facts you think you know but don’t. Nestled in among the facts are bite sized pieces of brain food you can use to spice up any conversation.
Here is the LINK
Thousands of amazing facts about things you don’t know but want to know, and facts you think you know but don’t. Nestled in among the facts are bite sized pieces of brain food you can use to spice up any conversation.
Here is the LINK
Happy Friday
Every object is beautiful in motion as a ship under sail and a tree
gently agitated with the wind.
It is time to get up, get the wind at your back, and set sail toward a Happy Friday!
It is time to get up, get the wind at your back, and set sail toward a Happy Friday!
Presidential Drinking
Our 18th president, Ulysses S. Grant
had a reputation for drinking heavily while still a young man. When
President Lincoln was warned about Grant’s drinking habits during
the civil war he is supposed to have responded “If it makes fighting
men like Grant, then find out what he drinks, and send my other
commanders a case.”
Ten Four, Roger That
The ten-codes or ten-signals are
code words used as stand-ins for common phrases in radio
communication, such as ten-four, meaning message received.
Charles Hopper, a communications director with the Illinois State
Police, developed them in 1937 to combat the problem of the first
syllables or words of a transmission being cut off or misunderstood.
Preceding every code with “ten” gave the sometimes slow equipment
time to warm up and improved the likelihood that a listener would
understand the important part of a message. The codes also allowed
for brevity and standardization in radio message traffic.
The codes were expanded by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) in 1974 and were used by both law enforcement agencies and civilian CB radio users. Over time, differing meanings for the codes came about in different agencies and jurisdictions, undoing the codes’ usefulness as a concise and standardized system. The problem came to a head in 2005 during rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina. After several instances of inter-agency communication problems, the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) discouraged the use of ten-codes and today the federal government recommends they be replaced with plain, everyday language.
In the days of the telegraph, the Morse code letter R (dot-dash-dot) was sometimes used to indicate “received” or “message received/understood.” When radio voice communication began to replace telegraphs, Roger, the code word assigned to the letter R in the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet (the radio alphabet used by all branches of the United States military from 1941 to 1956), took on the same role.
Roger means “last transmission received/understood.” Wilco (Will Comply) is the code used if the speaker intends to convey “message received and will comply.” The phrase Roger Wilco, often heard in the movies, is redundant and not really used since Wilco alone covers all the bases and acknowledges receipt of message and states intent to comply.
The codes were expanded by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) in 1974 and were used by both law enforcement agencies and civilian CB radio users. Over time, differing meanings for the codes came about in different agencies and jurisdictions, undoing the codes’ usefulness as a concise and standardized system. The problem came to a head in 2005 during rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina. After several instances of inter-agency communication problems, the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) discouraged the use of ten-codes and today the federal government recommends they be replaced with plain, everyday language.
In the days of the telegraph, the Morse code letter R (dot-dash-dot) was sometimes used to indicate “received” or “message received/understood.” When radio voice communication began to replace telegraphs, Roger, the code word assigned to the letter R in the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet (the radio alphabet used by all branches of the United States military from 1941 to 1956), took on the same role.
Roger means “last transmission received/understood.” Wilco (Will Comply) is the code used if the speaker intends to convey “message received and will comply.” The phrase Roger Wilco, often heard in the movies, is redundant and not really used since Wilco alone covers all the bases and acknowledges receipt of message and states intent to comply.
Interesting Country Facts
Most Lakes in the World – Canada: With over 3 million lakes 9% of Canadian territory is actually fresh water and over 60% of all the lakes in the world are found in Canada. It also has 50% of its population educated at the post secondary level, making it the most educated in the world.
Country Covered with the Highest Percentage of Desert – Libya: With 99% of the country covered in desert, Libya is one of the most arid places in the world and in some regions decades may go by without a drop of rain.
Russia: Siberia is home to approximately 25% of the world’s forests that span an area larger than the continental United States.
Least Densely Populated– Mongolia: With 4 people per square mile, Mongolia is the least densely populated country on Earth. Compare this to the Mong Kok district of Hong Kong that has the highest population density in the world with 340,000 people per square mile.
Suriname: It has 91% of its land covered in jungle.
Wordology, Skid Row
The term “Skid Road” or “Skid Row,”
a slang term for a run-down or dilapidated urban area, was an
actual road in Seattle, Washington during the late 1800′s. The
real name of the road was Yesler Way (now better known as Pioneer
Square), and it was the main street along which logs were
transported. It soon became a rather sketchy street that loggers
began to call “Skid Road.” It also became the dividing line
between the affluent people of Seattle and the mill workers along
with the more impoverished population of the city. It didn’t take
long for the name to catch on and eventually stick.
Honest Criticism
Need to share this about the sincerity
and wonder of children's criticism. Maurice Sendak was an American
writer and illustrator of children's literature who passed away in
May, 2012 at 83. He was particularly known for 'Where the Wild
Things Are', a 1963 children's picture book.
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“Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters, sometimes very hastily, but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I have ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.” The wonder and beautiful sincerity of children never ceases to amaze and amuse me. Adults would do well to eat up and drink in the great things we see every day.
_cover.jpg)
“Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters, sometimes very hastily, but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I have ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.” The wonder and beautiful sincerity of children never ceases to amaze and amuse me. Adults would do well to eat up and drink in the great things we see every day.
Nov 6, 2012
Drinking and Intelligence
The next time you're inclined to
enjoy an extra glass of wine, consider that it may be a reflection
of your intelligence. That is one of the findings from data from the National Child
Development Study in the United Kingdom and the National
Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in the United States.
Childhood intelligence, measured before the age of 16, was categorized in five cognitive classes, ranging from "very dull," "dull," "normal," "bright" and "very bright."
The Americans were revisited seven years later. The British youths, on the other hand, were followed in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Researchers measured their drinking habits as the participants became older.
More intelligent children in both studies grew up to drink alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities than less intelligent children. In the Brits' case, "very bright" children grew up to consume nearly eight-tenths of a standard deviation more alcohol than their "very dull" cohorts.
Researchers controlled for demographic variables, such as marital status, parents' education, earnings, childhood social class and more, that may have also affected adult drinking. The findings held true that smarter kids were drinking more as adults.
Psychology Today takes an evolutionary approach. It argues that drinkable alcohol is a relatively novel invention of 10,000 years ago. Our ancestors had previously received their alcohol kick through eating rotten fruits, so more intelligent humans may be more likely to choose modern alcoholic beverages.
Although increased alcohol consumption could be a reflection of exceptional brainpower, drinking more will certainly not make you any more intelligent than you already are. I'll drink to that.
Childhood intelligence, measured before the age of 16, was categorized in five cognitive classes, ranging from "very dull," "dull," "normal," "bright" and "very bright."
The Americans were revisited seven years later. The British youths, on the other hand, were followed in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Researchers measured their drinking habits as the participants became older.
More intelligent children in both studies grew up to drink alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities than less intelligent children. In the Brits' case, "very bright" children grew up to consume nearly eight-tenths of a standard deviation more alcohol than their "very dull" cohorts.
Researchers controlled for demographic variables, such as marital status, parents' education, earnings, childhood social class and more, that may have also affected adult drinking. The findings held true that smarter kids were drinking more as adults.
Psychology Today takes an evolutionary approach. It argues that drinkable alcohol is a relatively novel invention of 10,000 years ago. Our ancestors had previously received their alcohol kick through eating rotten fruits, so more intelligent humans may be more likely to choose modern alcoholic beverages.
Although increased alcohol consumption could be a reflection of exceptional brainpower, drinking more will certainly not make you any more intelligent than you already are. I'll drink to that.
No Name, Colorado
This place can be found west of Denver along Interstate 70 in
Glenwood Canyon in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The origin of the
town lies in its location, the unincorporated area lies between No
Name Canyon and No Name Creek.
The town received its name when the Colorado Department of Transportation was improving the signage along the interstate, when a CDOT employee noticed that there was no sign for Exit 119 he simply wrote "no name" on the map to indicate that there was no name for that exit.
The town received its name when the Colorado Department of Transportation was improving the signage along the interstate, when a CDOT employee noticed that there was no sign for Exit 119 he simply wrote "no name" on the map to indicate that there was no name for that exit.
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