Many do not know, but there are words to Taps,
written by Horace Lorenzo Trim:
Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky
All is well, safely rest
God is nigh.
Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar, drawing near
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise for our days
Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky
As we go, this we know
God is nigh.
May 24, 2013
Il Silenzio
('The Silence' in English) is an Italian
pop music instrumental piece written in 1965 by Nini Rosso and
Guglielmo Brezza, its melody is an extension of the Italian Cavalry
bugle call used by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky to open his
Capriccio Italien. It is often mistaken for Taps. This version by a
thirteen year old is likely to bring tears. LINK
May 22, 2013
Fugitive Glue
If you ever received a credit card, it was
likely stuck to a piece of paper with some icky glue that you can
rub off. The name of the glue is Fugitive Glue.
It is a low tack adhesive, which means that it is easy to remove. It leaves a minimal residue on the paper and card. The glue is used for marketing materials, as well as for mailing credit cards. The beauty is that fugitive glue tends to lose most of it's stickiness after the first application and cannot be reused. Hmmm, interesting name for credit card use.
It is a low tack adhesive, which means that it is easy to remove. It leaves a minimal residue on the paper and card. The glue is used for marketing materials, as well as for mailing credit cards. The beauty is that fugitive glue tends to lose most of it's stickiness after the first application and cannot be reused. Hmmm, interesting name for credit card use.
Morton Salt Facts
Difficult to imagine a barbecue without
some salt for the ribs, burgers, and fries. Also difficult to think
of Morton's Salt without thinking of the umbrella girl (when it
rains it pours).
During the 1880s, Joy Morton invested in a Chicago-based salt company. Salt was big business in those days, largely fueled by the demand of the explorers and pioneers who were settling the American West. Salt is a critical component of any diet and throughout history has been critical to various types of food preservation.
Salt is hygroscopic, which causes it to absorb water from the air around it. When water is absorbed, the salt tends to clump. Morton's solved this problem in 1911 by adding an anti-caking agent, magnesium carbonate, to its product. It also put the salt in a cylindrical package to aid in keeping water out.
Morton hired an advertising agency to put together a marketing campaign to promote the anti-caking properties of his salt. The ad team came up with a long list of marketing plans. Morton’s son chose the umbrella-wielding girl, accidentally pouring salt in the rain. The illustration epitomized wholesomeness, innocence and the value of Morton salt to pour easily, even if you are standing in the rain.
The additional ingredients did help, but salt still tended to clump and people put a few grains of rice in salt shakers to absorb moisture. Salt producers often add trace amounts of iodine to salt to prevent iodine deficiency, or folic acid to reduce anemia, both of which are a serious problem around the world. Today there are more than a half dozen common additives to reduce clumping, reduce health defects, and add flavors. About 17% of all salt production is used for food. The bulk of the rest is used in manufacturing, dyeing, and in soaps and detergents.
Judas Iscariot is depicted knocking over a jar of salt in Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting The Last Supper. Spilled salt was considered a bad omen and still is for some people.
During the 1880s, Joy Morton invested in a Chicago-based salt company. Salt was big business in those days, largely fueled by the demand of the explorers and pioneers who were settling the American West. Salt is a critical component of any diet and throughout history has been critical to various types of food preservation.
Salt is hygroscopic, which causes it to absorb water from the air around it. When water is absorbed, the salt tends to clump. Morton's solved this problem in 1911 by adding an anti-caking agent, magnesium carbonate, to its product. It also put the salt in a cylindrical package to aid in keeping water out.
Morton hired an advertising agency to put together a marketing campaign to promote the anti-caking properties of his salt. The ad team came up with a long list of marketing plans. Morton’s son chose the umbrella-wielding girl, accidentally pouring salt in the rain. The illustration epitomized wholesomeness, innocence and the value of Morton salt to pour easily, even if you are standing in the rain.
The additional ingredients did help, but salt still tended to clump and people put a few grains of rice in salt shakers to absorb moisture. Salt producers often add trace amounts of iodine to salt to prevent iodine deficiency, or folic acid to reduce anemia, both of which are a serious problem around the world. Today there are more than a half dozen common additives to reduce clumping, reduce health defects, and add flavors. About 17% of all salt production is used for food. The bulk of the rest is used in manufacturing, dyeing, and in soaps and detergents.
Judas Iscariot is depicted knocking over a jar of salt in Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting The Last Supper. Spilled salt was considered a bad omen and still is for some people.
Traditions
Many people put out flags for Memorial
Day and many organizations play the national anthem, but did you
ever wonder why men take off their hats for the song?
The origins are the same as the origins of the tradition of saluting. Knights, wearing helmets that covered their heads, would typically lift their visors to show their faces to their monarchs and others as a sign of friendliness and respect.
The traditions of using ones right hand for taking off the hat, saluting, and shaking hands also come from this. Most people are right handed and so, if your right hand is exposed and busy, it can’t contain a weapon.
It is the law in the United States for men to take their hat off during the national anthem and hold it over their heart, except those in the military typically, because the hat is a part of the military uniform. There is no penalty for failure to comply.
Old records of etiquette state that women must be allowed to keep their hats on because when a woman takes off her hat, her hair and possibly more of her flesh will be exposed. This will cause the men around to think lustful thoughts and thus they will be unable to focus on contemplations of patriotism or in church, unable to fully give their attentions to learning about God. I doff my hat to etiquette.
The origins are the same as the origins of the tradition of saluting. Knights, wearing helmets that covered their heads, would typically lift their visors to show their faces to their monarchs and others as a sign of friendliness and respect.
The traditions of using ones right hand for taking off the hat, saluting, and shaking hands also come from this. Most people are right handed and so, if your right hand is exposed and busy, it can’t contain a weapon.
It is the law in the United States for men to take their hat off during the national anthem and hold it over their heart, except those in the military typically, because the hat is a part of the military uniform. There is no penalty for failure to comply.
Old records of etiquette state that women must be allowed to keep their hats on because when a woman takes off her hat, her hair and possibly more of her flesh will be exposed. This will cause the men around to think lustful thoughts and thus they will be unable to focus on contemplations of patriotism or in church, unable to fully give their attentions to learning about God. I doff my hat to etiquette.
Ken Olsen Computer Quote
In 1977, Digital Equipment
Corporation (DEC) president, chairman, and founder Ken Olsen issued
his statement against computers saying–“There is no reason anyone
would want a computer in their home.” Today, nearly every home has a
computer in it, and one can only imagine how difficult life would
turn out to be without computers and the internet, both for students
and employees, individuals, and families.
May 17, 2013
Happy Friday
The most dramatic conflicts are perhaps, those that take place not
between men but between a man and himself.
There is never a conflict with having a Happy Friday!
There is never a conflict with having a Happy Friday!
New Use for Windex
Windex is a great tool to kill ants around the house and keep things clean at the same time. It only kills the active ants and is not a permanent solution, for that spread some cornmeal so they will take it back to the nest and kill the queen. It may take a few days to a week, but is a permanent solution. Sprinkle the cornmeal liberally around the house to keep those critters away.
How Some Measurements Were Named
Can You Fathom a Bushel
and a Peck? Fathom is derived from the Old English word faeom or
the Old Saxon word fathmos, meaning the length of the outstretched
arms. It was eventually standardized to the length of two yards.
Although international nautical charts have converted to meters,
the United States still measures depth with fathoms.
Bushel comes from the old French words boissel and boisseau and is a measure of dry goods equal to about eight gallons (or four pecks). Today, it is most commonly used to measure things by their weight, and that weight varies depending on the commodity measured. Typical goods sold by the bushel and their weights include oats (32lb), corn (56lb), wheat (60lb), and soybeans (60lb).
Peck is likely derived from the Old French, pek or picot, and is also a measure of dry goods or commodities. Some retailers, farmers at markets and roadside stands still sell fruits and vegetables by the peck. A peck is equal to about two gallons.
A cord is traced back to the 1600s when wood was sold in bundles tied with a cord. Today, a cord of firewood must take up 128 cubic feet, traditionally in a stack 8′ x 4′ x 4′. The size of a cord of wood is typically regulated, either by a state or national government.
Knot comes from the word of the same spelling meaning intertwined ropes. To measure speed, a long rope had knots tied regularly, about every 50 feet, and a log tied to the end. The log was dropped into the water and a sandglass upended at the same time to time how many knots per time unit. Eventually, the speed of one knot became standardized at one nautical mile (6076 feet vs. land mile 5,280 feet) per hour.
Mach (pronounced mock) was named after Ernst Mach in 1937. Mach numbers represent the ratio of the speed of an object moving through a fluid, gas, or atmosphere and the local speed of sound. When space shuttles re-entered the atmosphere, they initially traveled at a speed greater than Mach 25.
An inch was originally the width of a man’s thumb at the base of the nail. After 1066, 1 inch was equal to 3 barleycorn, dry and round, placed end to end, lengthwise.
A foot was the length of a human foot. A yard was the distance from the tip of the nose to that of the middle finger on an outstretched arm.
One thousand paces of a Roman Legion was a mile. A furlong was originally the length of one furrow in a common field, a bit over 200 feet long. In the 9th century, it was standardized to be the same as a Roman stadium, one eighth of a Roman mile.
Bushel comes from the old French words boissel and boisseau and is a measure of dry goods equal to about eight gallons (or four pecks). Today, it is most commonly used to measure things by their weight, and that weight varies depending on the commodity measured. Typical goods sold by the bushel and their weights include oats (32lb), corn (56lb), wheat (60lb), and soybeans (60lb).
Peck is likely derived from the Old French, pek or picot, and is also a measure of dry goods or commodities. Some retailers, farmers at markets and roadside stands still sell fruits and vegetables by the peck. A peck is equal to about two gallons.
A cord is traced back to the 1600s when wood was sold in bundles tied with a cord. Today, a cord of firewood must take up 128 cubic feet, traditionally in a stack 8′ x 4′ x 4′. The size of a cord of wood is typically regulated, either by a state or national government.
Knot comes from the word of the same spelling meaning intertwined ropes. To measure speed, a long rope had knots tied regularly, about every 50 feet, and a log tied to the end. The log was dropped into the water and a sandglass upended at the same time to time how many knots per time unit. Eventually, the speed of one knot became standardized at one nautical mile (6076 feet vs. land mile 5,280 feet) per hour.
Mach (pronounced mock) was named after Ernst Mach in 1937. Mach numbers represent the ratio of the speed of an object moving through a fluid, gas, or atmosphere and the local speed of sound. When space shuttles re-entered the atmosphere, they initially traveled at a speed greater than Mach 25.
An inch was originally the width of a man’s thumb at the base of the nail. After 1066, 1 inch was equal to 3 barleycorn, dry and round, placed end to end, lengthwise.
A foot was the length of a human foot. A yard was the distance from the tip of the nose to that of the middle finger on an outstretched arm.
One thousand paces of a Roman Legion was a mile. A furlong was originally the length of one furrow in a common field, a bit over 200 feet long. In the 9th century, it was standardized to be the same as a Roman stadium, one eighth of a Roman mile.
Glowing Flowers
There is a project to create glowing
plants using synthetic biology and Genome Compiler's software. The
project says it is the first step in creating sustainable natural
lighting.
LINK
This is a kickstarter project where people donate money in hopes of seeing the project succeed commercially. Backers who back the project with $40 or more receive seeds to grow a glowing plant at home and can expect around 50-100 small seeds. Backers who back the project with $150 will get a glowing rose as well when it's completed.
LINK
This is a kickstarter project where people donate money in hopes of seeing the project succeed commercially. Backers who back the project with $40 or more receive seeds to grow a glowing plant at home and can expect around 50-100 small seeds. Backers who back the project with $150 will get a glowing rose as well when it's completed.
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative projects, such as Art, Comics, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film, Food, Games, Music, Photography, Publishing, Technology, and Theater. Kickstarter is full of projects, big and small, that are brought to life through the direct support of people who donate money.
Since 2009, more than 4 million people have pledged over $612 million, funding more than 41,000 creative projects. Here is a link showing some highly funded projects. LINK It is a great way to get in on the development of new things. You may have read or heard about the Pebble watch that connects with smartphones, it was started as a Kickstarter project and has received over ten million dollars so far.
There are a number of projects for 3D printers, but one project that interests me is a pen that can draw in 3D. As you draw in the air, the output instantly dries.
Sadism and Masochism
These words were named after their first practitioners, Donatien Alphonse Francois de Sade (Marquis de Sade) and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Their sexual conduct so shocked the world that their names became synonymous with their activities. "It is always by way of pain one arrives at pleasure." Marquis de Sade
Sade was well known for his morally unrestrained sexuality. He was accused of a number of sexual crimes like imprisoning a prostitute and poisoning another one. He wrote erotic works describing his practices.
Leopold von Sacher-Masoch was a writer renowned for his romantic stories. He had a thing for dominating women in furs and once entered i a contract with a women to become her slave for 6 months, with the stipulation that she wear furs as often as possible, especially when she was in a cruel mood. “A slap in the face is more effective than ten lectures. It makes you understand very quickly.” Leopold von Sacher-Masoch,
The terms were first selected as professional scientific terminology, identifying human behavioral phenomena and intended for the classification of distinct psychological illnesses and/or malicious social and sexual orientations.
German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing introduced the terms "Sadism" and "Masochism"' into institutional medical terminology in his work Neue Forschungen auf dem Gebiet der Psychopathia sexualis ("New research in the area of Psychopathology of Sex") in 1890.
The term "Sadomasochism" has been loosely used to refer to the entire umbrella of BDSM. This is not entirely accurate as BDSM is a shorthand for the three main subdivisions of the culture: B&D (bondage and discipline), D (dominance and submission) and S&M (sadism and masochism).
Google Earth Time Lapse
Amazing The first time lapse is
for Las Vegas 1984 - 2012. Interesting to see the size reduction
of the lake on the right. You can type any place in the world you
choose and watch the changes. LINK
May 14, 2013
More About Laughter
Every time someone laughs around us, our brains must
interpret what it means. As German scientists have discovered,
it is more complex than we thought.
A joyful belly laugh is interpreted by the brain in a completely different way from a scornful titter or the giggle from someone being tickled, a group of scientists from Tübingen in south west Germany have found.
In experiments designed to help patients with chronic anxiety disorders, they found that positive non-verbal communication, such as a joyful laugh was processed by a different part of the brain from a negative, scornful snicker.
Laughing is one of the oldest forms of non-verbal communication and is also seen in rats and apes. It could be key to helping patients with psychiatric disorders, who often are unable to correctly interpret non-verbal communication.
Humans have developed several different forms of laughter, each of which can have a complex series of meanings and intentions behind them. “Laughing is a very strong signal in social interaction. If you are laughed at with joy you feel accepted. If you are the victim of scornful laughter, you feel shut out of the group,“ said Dr. Dirk Wildgruber.
In their experiments, Wildgruber and his team played various types of recorded laughter and measured how the sounds were interpreted in the brain. They found that giggles generated when someone is being tickled stimulates areas of the brain responsible for interpreting complex acoustic signals. Happy or scornful laughter, on the other hand, stimulates completely separate brain regions usually tasked with guessing the intentions of others. From there, the laughter kick-starts connections with different parts of the brain depending on the tone - negative or positive.
The next step will be to look into how people with psychological disturbances react to different laughter signals to find out which areas of the brain could be artificially stimulated to help them, said Wildgruber.
A joyful belly laugh is interpreted by the brain in a completely different way from a scornful titter or the giggle from someone being tickled, a group of scientists from Tübingen in south west Germany have found.
In experiments designed to help patients with chronic anxiety disorders, they found that positive non-verbal communication, such as a joyful laugh was processed by a different part of the brain from a negative, scornful snicker.
Laughing is one of the oldest forms of non-verbal communication and is also seen in rats and apes. It could be key to helping patients with psychiatric disorders, who often are unable to correctly interpret non-verbal communication.
Humans have developed several different forms of laughter, each of which can have a complex series of meanings and intentions behind them. “Laughing is a very strong signal in social interaction. If you are laughed at with joy you feel accepted. If you are the victim of scornful laughter, you feel shut out of the group,“ said Dr. Dirk Wildgruber.
In their experiments, Wildgruber and his team played various types of recorded laughter and measured how the sounds were interpreted in the brain. They found that giggles generated when someone is being tickled stimulates areas of the brain responsible for interpreting complex acoustic signals. Happy or scornful laughter, on the other hand, stimulates completely separate brain regions usually tasked with guessing the intentions of others. From there, the laughter kick-starts connections with different parts of the brain depending on the tone - negative or positive.
The next step will be to look into how people with psychological disturbances react to different laughter signals to find out which areas of the brain could be artificially stimulated to help them, said Wildgruber.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)