Nov 3, 2013 is time to turn back your
clocks. Benjamin Franklin often gets credited with the idea, but he
only mentioned it in jest in a satirical essay. The idea was never
seriously pushed until 1895 when George Vernon Hudson, presented the
idea as a way for people to have more daylight and consequently more
leisure time after work. While there was interest in Hudson’s idea,
it still didn't catch on until 1916 when Germany adopted DST as a
method to save fuel during World War I. Others, including the US and
Great Britain, used DST during World War I and II, yet reverted to
standard time during peace years.
It wasn't until about 40 years
ago, during the energy crisis of the 1970s, that Daylight Savings
Time was made permanent in many areas.
Nov 1, 2013
Wordology
I find it fascinating how some words can be a
definition of themselves, such as 'word' is a word that tells us it
is a word. Here are a few more self explanatory words:
English - Not German
Erudite - Scholarly word that means scholarly.
Noun - Is a noun
Used - This word has been used
Polysyllabic - This word has multiple syllables
Common - This word is
Unhyphenated - This word is
Floccinaucinihilipilificatious - A worthless word meaning to estimate worthless
Obfuscatory - Is and means not easy to understand
Suffixed - Has a suffix
Hyphen-bearing - Contains a hyphen
Monepic - Describes a one-word sentence
Cacophony - Sounds like and describes disagreeable sounds
Parallel - The Ls are
English - Not German
Erudite - Scholarly word that means scholarly.
Noun - Is a noun
Used - This word has been used
Polysyllabic - This word has multiple syllables
Common - This word is
Unhyphenated - This word is
Floccinaucinihilipilificatious - A worthless word meaning to estimate worthless
Obfuscatory - Is and means not easy to understand
Suffixed - Has a suffix
Hyphen-bearing - Contains a hyphen
Monepic - Describes a one-word sentence
Cacophony - Sounds like and describes disagreeable sounds
Parallel - The Ls are
Texas Motor Speedway
Last chance, NASCAR is out with a
beer-and-bacon milkshake combining real bits of bacon with vanilla
ice cream and half a bottle of Rahr & Sons Ugly Pug Black Lager.
It is a 16-ounce drink, dubbed the "Shake'N Bacon Brew," and will be
available for NASCAR's AAA Texas 500 races (Fort Worth, Texas) until
Nov. 3. The bacon bits are candied and bacon-flavored syrup is also
added into the mix. The whole thing is topped with whipped cream. Thought
you might like to know.
What's in a Name, Snake Oil
Snake oil is now a generic term
meaning a substance with no medicinal value sold as a remedy for
physical ailments. The term most likely comes from the use of oil
derived from Chinese water snakes as a topical lotion. Chinese
immigrants working on the construction of the Transcontinental
Railroad in the 1860s would use it to alleviate joint pain. This
ancient Chinese remedy was laughed at by other medicine salesmen,
who called it a scam. In time, the term “snake oil” developed a
negative connotation.
In the mid-1980s, a California psychiatrist named Richard Kunin decided to explore the question if snake oil was quackery or was it a legitimate treatment for joint pain, like the Chinese laborers claimed it was. He shared his findings in a 1989 letter to the Western Journal of Medicine.
Snake oil, especially the oil from the fatty tissue found in Chinese water snakes was unusually high in omega-3 fats. Kunin concluded, this meant that it could actually do what its advocates claimed, "snake oil is a credible anti-inflammatory agent and might confer therapeutic benefits. Since essential fatty acids are known to absorb transdermally, it is not far-fetched to think that inflamed skin and joints could benefit by the actual anti-inflammatory action of locally applied oil just as the Chinese physicians and our medical quacks have claimed.”
Kunin believed that snake oil actually worked. Subsequent research suggests that he was right. Unfortunately, while Kunin’s conclusions are mostly correct, there is one significant omission. The Chinese snake oil came from water snakes, which, perhaps coincidentally fed on fish which themselves contained high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. American-sold snake oil came from rattlesnakes, which do not have anywhere nearly the omega-3 amounts needed to provide the promised therapeutic benefits.
In the mid-1980s, a California psychiatrist named Richard Kunin decided to explore the question if snake oil was quackery or was it a legitimate treatment for joint pain, like the Chinese laborers claimed it was. He shared his findings in a 1989 letter to the Western Journal of Medicine.
Snake oil, especially the oil from the fatty tissue found in Chinese water snakes was unusually high in omega-3 fats. Kunin concluded, this meant that it could actually do what its advocates claimed, "snake oil is a credible anti-inflammatory agent and might confer therapeutic benefits. Since essential fatty acids are known to absorb transdermally, it is not far-fetched to think that inflamed skin and joints could benefit by the actual anti-inflammatory action of locally applied oil just as the Chinese physicians and our medical quacks have claimed.”
Kunin believed that snake oil actually worked. Subsequent research suggests that he was right. Unfortunately, while Kunin’s conclusions are mostly correct, there is one significant omission. The Chinese snake oil came from water snakes, which, perhaps coincidentally fed on fish which themselves contained high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. American-sold snake oil came from rattlesnakes, which do not have anywhere nearly the omega-3 amounts needed to provide the promised therapeutic benefits.
A Diversion
This guy moves like Mercury. If you want to
give your mind a break for a few minutes, watch this video. LINK
Still More Inventions by Women
In 1949, Marion Donovan's
first successful invention called "Boaters" was a waterproof baby
diaper cover that prevented diaper rash. She also created the
disposable diapers, Pampers in 1961.
Hedy Lamarr the actress, patented a secret communications system in 1941. The system manipulated radio frequencies with an unbreakable code to prevent classified messages from being intercepted by enemies. The device was meant to be used against the Nazis in WWII, but in actuality it came into use 20 years later. Lamarr was raised in Austria, grew to despise the Nazis and eventually escaped to London and then to the U.S.
African American, Alice H. Parker filed the first U.S. patent for the precursor to a central heating system in 1919. The system was able to regulate the temperature of a building and carry heat from room to room. The drawings included for the patent show a heating furnace powered by gas. An entire house required several heating units, each controlled by individual hot air ducts. The ducts directed heat to different parts of a building structure.
Hedy Lamarr the actress, patented a secret communications system in 1941. The system manipulated radio frequencies with an unbreakable code to prevent classified messages from being intercepted by enemies. The device was meant to be used against the Nazis in WWII, but in actuality it came into use 20 years later. Lamarr was raised in Austria, grew to despise the Nazis and eventually escaped to London and then to the U.S.
African American, Alice H. Parker filed the first U.S. patent for the precursor to a central heating system in 1919. The system was able to regulate the temperature of a building and carry heat from room to room. The drawings included for the patent show a heating furnace powered by gas. An entire house required several heating units, each controlled by individual hot air ducts. The ducts directed heat to different parts of a building structure.
BMI and Life Expectancy
A comprehensive review published
in 2013 in the 'Journal of the American Medical Association'
examined the relationship of BMI (Body Mass Index) to death rates.
The study researchers found that increasing levels of obesity were
associated with progressively higher premature death rates.
Mildly obese people, however, did not have a significantly greater risk of death compared to those with a normal BMI. In fact, the finding that people classified as overweight but not obese had a lower overall death rate compared to those with a normal BMI. Researchers are exploring possible reasons for this finding.
The 'International Journal of Obesity' published a study in 2012 comparing BMI and waist circumference as predictors of life expectancy. The authors reported that waist circumference is a better predictor of death from any cause than BMI. The researchers also found that adults with a high waist circumference had an increased risk of death regardless of BMI. Although neither BMI nor waist size can accurately foretell the life expectancy of any individual, waist circumference may be a better tool for estimating longevity. In other words, they are saying 'we cannot accurately tell life expectancy with either of these measurements, but it does help get us grants and headlines'.
Mildly obese people, however, did not have a significantly greater risk of death compared to those with a normal BMI. In fact, the finding that people classified as overweight but not obese had a lower overall death rate compared to those with a normal BMI. Researchers are exploring possible reasons for this finding.
The 'International Journal of Obesity' published a study in 2012 comparing BMI and waist circumference as predictors of life expectancy. The authors reported that waist circumference is a better predictor of death from any cause than BMI. The researchers also found that adults with a high waist circumference had an increased risk of death regardless of BMI. Although neither BMI nor waist size can accurately foretell the life expectancy of any individual, waist circumference may be a better tool for estimating longevity. In other words, they are saying 'we cannot accurately tell life expectancy with either of these measurements, but it does help get us grants and headlines'.
New Potato Chip Flavor
Starting this month, Lay's Canada
has a new flavor, 'Maple Moose'. Trying them will not be on my
to do list.
Six Cooking Tips from HGTV
When you deep-fry, hold
each piece of food with long tongs as you add it to the oil. Hold it
just below the oil's surface for five seconds before releasing it.
This will seal the exterior and stop it from sticking to the pot or
the other food.
If you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in a stream along the edges of the pan so that by the time the oil reaches the ingredient being cooked, it will be heated.
Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta, because it will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta. Also, After you drain pasta, while it's still hot, grate some fresh Parmesan on top before tossing it with your sauce to give the sauce something to stick to.
When making burgers, add in a bit (or a lot) of bacon bits or pork bits while mixing for added flavor.
When making mashed potatoes, after you drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan, cover tightly and let steam for 5 minutes. This allows the potatoes to mash with a beautiful texture and soak up the butter and cream more easily.
If you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in a stream along the edges of the pan so that by the time the oil reaches the ingredient being cooked, it will be heated.
Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta, because it will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta. Also, After you drain pasta, while it's still hot, grate some fresh Parmesan on top before tossing it with your sauce to give the sauce something to stick to.
When making burgers, add in a bit (or a lot) of bacon bits or pork bits while mixing for added flavor.
When making mashed potatoes, after you drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan, cover tightly and let steam for 5 minutes. This allows the potatoes to mash with a beautiful texture and soak up the butter and cream more easily.
New Non Religion
The Jedi census is a grassroots movement
that was created in 2001 for citizens of a number of
English-speaking countries to record their religion as "Jedi" or
"Jedi Knight" on the national census. The campaign was loosely
organized by circulating e-mails claiming that if enough people
entered "Jedi", it would be recognized as an official religion by
the government. The emails also implored people to report their
religion as "Jedi", "Because you love Star Wars" or "just to annoy
people".
If Jedi had been counted as an answer in the 2001 census it would have been the second largest religion in New Zealand.
If Jedi had been counted as an answer in the 2001 census it would have been the second largest religion in New Zealand.
Oct 25, 2013
Happy Friday
"Love enters a man through his eyes, woman through her ears."
My eyes and ears both appreciate a Happy Friday!
My eyes and ears both appreciate a Happy Friday!
Halloween Stuff
Halloween is next week, so I thought I would add a few thoughts
about it, beginning with a real tombstone and apt epitaph.
Eight Brain Myths Debunked
Many myths persist even after
being thoroughly proven to be incorrect. Here are some myths that
are incorrect, but still linger:
- It has been scientifically proven that fatty acid supplements (omega-3 and omega-6) have a positive effect on academic achievement. Wrong
- We only use 10% of our brain. Wrong
- The brains of boys and girls develop at the same rate. Wrong
- Individuals learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (auditory, visual, etc.). Wrong
- Mental capacity is hereditary and cannot be changed by the environment or experience. Wrong
- Brain training does not work. Wrong
- Differences in hemispheric dominance (left brain, right brain) can help explain individual differences among learners. Wrong
- Children are less attentive after consuming sugary drinks and/or snacks. Wrong
New Types of Glass
At a recent industry show, Nippon showed off some new glass
that is amazing. It first seemed like a joke as a sign said
"Invisible glass" with arrows pointing into thin air. Visitors
were asked if they could see the glass and many could not. There
really was glass, but it didn't become apparent until viewed
from the side. The glass reflects just 0.08 percent of the light
that travels through it. A normal sheet of glass reflects about
4 percent of light. Nippon Electric Glass said it is targeted at
museums where items need to be displayed, but protected.
It also showed off G-Leaf glass, which is so thin and flexible that it is supplied on a roll to customers. It looks exactly like a roll of plastic film, but the 35-micron thick sheet is actually glass. It has been used in flexible display panels and can be gently curved around corners.
Nippon also showed the impact resistance of its chemically strengthened glass that is already used in smartphones and tablet PCs. A sheet of Zero glass was on display and every thirty seconds a one pound steel ball dropped from a height of three feet onto a sheet of the glass the size of a small TV screen. Every time the ball fell, it bounced off the glass with no damage to the glass. Sorry, no picture available for the invisible glass.
It also showed off G-Leaf glass, which is so thin and flexible that it is supplied on a roll to customers. It looks exactly like a roll of plastic film, but the 35-micron thick sheet is actually glass. It has been used in flexible display panels and can be gently curved around corners.
Nippon also showed the impact resistance of its chemically strengthened glass that is already used in smartphones and tablet PCs. A sheet of Zero glass was on display and every thirty seconds a one pound steel ball dropped from a height of three feet onto a sheet of the glass the size of a small TV screen. Every time the ball fell, it bounced off the glass with no damage to the glass. Sorry, no picture available for the invisible glass.
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