Battery Facts

A major site compared 40 batteries using fast drain and slow drain technology. Its findings mimicked other findings from a number of other tests. 

The resulting data yielded some interesting results. First, highest price is not highest value, and second, zinc batteries, although usually the cheapest are poor value as they drain faster than alkaline and lithium batteries. Brand name has no relation to quality, but are usually higher priced.

Bottom line is that buying the cheapest non-brand-name alkaline battery is almost always the best value. Lithium batteries last the longest, but are almost always not the cheapest. In the tests, Ikea alkaline batteries blew away the competition for best value.

Think about how often you change batteries for every day use items, such as TV remote, computer mouse, clock, smoke detectors, flashlights, etc., it is usually once every year or two, or even longer.

My advice - if you need long stable battery life (such as for a good camera), pay more and buy lithium. If you want the best value and do not mind changing batteries a bit more often, buy the cheapest alkaline you can find.

What Color is Crude

Crude oil is not always black as is often depicted in movies. Petroleum is another name for crude oil, which is unprocessed oil. The outputs of processing crude oil are called petrochemicals. The color varies greatly from clear to black, and and in viscosity, from water to almost solid, based on the concentration of hydrocarbon molecules and other compounds in the mixture. For instance, Pennsylvania grade crude oil is typically greenish in color.

Gas Facts

Gas is one derivative of crude oil. Heat from one gallon of gas is enough to power a 1,500-watt space heater on full blast for 24-hours. If it were possible for humans to digest gasoline, a gallon would contain about 31,000 food calories. That is about equivalent to the energy in about 110 McDonald's hamburgers.

Happy Friday

Today I am thankful for all the wonderful things in my life: my family, my friends, my work, and enjoying a Happy Friday!

Pills and Pencils

Pills go back thousands of years. They were often squished up bits of plant matter. During the early 1800s, attempts to produce pills with specific chemicals had many problems. Coatings would often fail to dissolve, and the moisture required in pill production could often deactivate ingredients.

In 1843, English artist William Brockedon was facing similar problems with graphite pencils. To get around this, he invented a machine which was able to press graphite powder into a solid lump and produce high-quality drawing tools.

A drug manufacturer saw that the device had potential for other uses, and Brockedon’s invention was soon being used to create the very first powder-based tablets. This technology was adapted to mass manufacturing for medicines. Since then there have been many other ways of produce pills, but the original is still in use.

Typewriter

Typewriters were the ancestors to today’s keyboards, and they are indeed relics. The first typewriters were massive contraptions that operated slowly and frequently malfunctioned, but they were nonetheless one of the single most important innovations in history. The first typewriter was built by Italian inventor Pellegrino Turri, who designed and built the device for his blind friend.

Google Timer

If you type in "set timer for x minutes" using the quote marks and replacing x with the number of minutes, Google will create a timer for you and begin counting down.

Gluten Myth and Facts

We read about way too many headlines and diets about gluten these days. It appears to be the latest fad ingredient to pick on. It is serious for some, but less than one percent of the population may have Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder. Some people have been found to be allergic to wheat only, but not gluten.

Gluten is a naturally occurring protein composite found primarily in wheat, but may also be found in rye, barley, and some types of oats. The US FDA considers foods containing less than or equal to 20 ppm to be gluten-free, but there is no regulation or law in the US for labeling foods as 'gluten-free'. There still is no general agreement on the analytical method used to measure gluten in ingredients and food products.

Gluten may be added as a stabilizing agent or thickener in products such as ice-cream and ketchup. It is also found in  ingredients of many over-the-counter and prescription medications and vitamins. Items such as lipstick, lip balms, lip gloss, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, gravy, canned soups, ground spices to prevent clumping, instant powdered drinks, and imitation and pasteurized cheeses, as well as glue used on envelopes may also contain gluten.

Many types of alcoholic beverages are considered gluten-free, provided no gluten colorings or other additives have been added. Distillation removes proteins, including gluten in bourbon or corn whiskey. Spirits made without any grain such as gin, vodka, scotch, rye, brandy, wine, mead, cider, sherry, port, rum, tequila, vermouth, and some beers generally do not contain gluten.

Gluten consists of gliadin and glutenin. Gliadin is one of the proteins that forms gluten. Doctors test for anti-gliadin antibodies if celiac disease or gluten hypersensitivity is suspected. Gliadin triggers immune response in celiac disease. Glutenin is the other protein of gluten. It is responsible for the strength and elasticity of dough.

Several grains and starch sources are considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet, such as corn, potatoes, rice, some oats, tapioca, quinoa, sorghum, taro, chia seed, and yam. Flours, such as bean, soybean, almond, gram derived from chickpeas, and buckwheat are used as alternatives to wheat flour.

Most humans naturally digest gluten. The human mouth contains symbiotic bacteria colonies that help break down gluten. Gluten allergies and sensitivities are different. Celiac disease sufferers are allergic. Others may have similar symptoms, such as bloating, flatulence, irritable bowel syndrome, and abdominal pain, but these same symptoms may also be caused by any number of other dietary items.

Another Use for Basil

You already know that fresh basil is delicious is many of your favorite recipes, but did you also know it's great for repelling bugs naturally? Snip a few fresh leaves and hang them in doorways or put on top of an outdoor table to repel mosquitoes and flies.

The Theremin is an original electronic instrument invented in the 1920s by Russian musician and engineer Leon Theremin. Its antenna sends out electromagnetic waves and the pitch the instrument produces is changed by moving your hand to and from it.

The sound of the Theremin is familiar from Hitchcock and science fiction soundtracks, and a version features on 'Good Vibrations' by The Beach Boys and 'Echoes' by Pink Floyd, and by Nine Inch Nails. It has also been seen played by Dr. Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory. The new Leap Motion 'no touch' controller even has an application to play a digital Theremin on your PC.

Japan's musicians recently set a new world record for the most players on the Theremin - the musical instrument used without being touched. In the central city of Hamamatsu, 272 people performed at a concert.

This is totally different from the few year old Eigenharp, which seems to have more buttons and levers than any other instrument.

Theremin taught Lydia Kavina, his grand-niece how to play this interesting, simple, and eerie instrument. Here is a demo of the instrument LINK

Waterfall Art

These have been around for a few years, but always a treat to watch. The one in the link is located in the South Gate Building of the Osaka Station City in Japan. Four minute video, but you will get the idea during the first few minutes.
LINK

As the video shows a digital time readout, scrolling patterns including floral motifs, text, and interesting water patterns. The printer emits illuminated water droplets in controlled patterns to reproduce images that are stored on a PC.

Size of England and UK

England makes up about half the total area of the UK. It is also about the size of the state of Alabama. You could fit about three of the entire United Kingdom in the state of Texas.

Dog Days of Summer

The earliest reference to this expression goes back to the Ancient Egyptians. They noted that the rising of the star Sirius began the hottest part of the summer. The star’s hieroglyph is a dog. Sirius would appear in Egypt, after about a 70 day absence, just before the season where the Nile typically floods, so it is thought the star’s hieroglyphic symbol 'watchdog'.

Romans and Greeks also referred to dog days and would often make sacrifices to Sirius, including sacrificing dogs to appease Sirius with the hope it would result in a mild summer and protect crops from scorching.

Sirius is the brightest star in the Canis Major (Latin for “Greater Dog”) constellation.

Happy Friday

True happiness involves the full use of one's power and talents.

I use always use my full power and talents to have a Happy Friday!