Jun 20, 2014
Happy Summer 2014
Tomorrow June, 21, 2014 marks the beginning of summer
in the US and is also the longest day of the year.
Socks and Puppets
Socks have been around as a form of
footwear for thousands of years. They initially started as matted
animal hair shaped to fit inside a shoe or around the foot and
ankle. The ancient Greeks were known to have used this technique as
far back as 750 BC. The Romans innovated with thick fabrics that
were wrapped around the legs to form a shaped sock.
Knitting was invented in Egypt during the 12th century AD by nomadic sheep herders who would create fabric through the simple use of knotting wool yarn using straight twigs. The technique had advantages over traditional weaving and allowed any shepherd and his wife to produce a more valuable product instead of just selling their wool. The practice quickly spread from Egypt throughout the Middle East and into Europe. Muslim knitters in Spain started developing a variety of knitting stitches that allowed them to create shaped fabrics, the sock being one of the first knitted items of clothing to be produced.
In 1589, William Lee of Calverton in England invented the first knitting machine which overnight transformed knitted garments into something almost everyone could afford. Knitting is credited with transforming the textile industry and became the precursor to the industrial age.
In China and Japan during the first millennium BC puppets were being intricately carved from wood. Puppets were being used in India by the 11th century as devices to give morality stories a visual impact that words couldn't convey. Puppets have been used to represent good, evil, jealousy, and greed without running the risk of identifying individuals who might exact revenge against the storyteller. In ancient India puppets were constructed from carved sticks, and were often elaborately decorated. Sock puppets were likely invented when knitted socks became more widely in use.
As the puritan movement in England gained momentum, traditional puppetry was banned along with all other forms of theater. During these years in England and France, radicals would organize secret theater shows and used puppets, as they were easier to transport and conceal than sets, costumes, and large bands of actors. Socks and very basic stages made of suspended fabric hung behind a table became a popular way of getting around the ban. It was about this time that the puppet character Punch was created.
After the return of the monarchy and the end of puritan times Punch and Judy, puppets became more commonly associated with glove or hand puppets. Children used discarded socks that could be decorated to mimic a hand puppet.
Recently the term sock puppet is also used to describe a fictitious identity used online to promote a particular point of view or defend a person who is seen as controversial.
Knitting was invented in Egypt during the 12th century AD by nomadic sheep herders who would create fabric through the simple use of knotting wool yarn using straight twigs. The technique had advantages over traditional weaving and allowed any shepherd and his wife to produce a more valuable product instead of just selling their wool. The practice quickly spread from Egypt throughout the Middle East and into Europe. Muslim knitters in Spain started developing a variety of knitting stitches that allowed them to create shaped fabrics, the sock being one of the first knitted items of clothing to be produced.
In 1589, William Lee of Calverton in England invented the first knitting machine which overnight transformed knitted garments into something almost everyone could afford. Knitting is credited with transforming the textile industry and became the precursor to the industrial age.
In China and Japan during the first millennium BC puppets were being intricately carved from wood. Puppets were being used in India by the 11th century as devices to give morality stories a visual impact that words couldn't convey. Puppets have been used to represent good, evil, jealousy, and greed without running the risk of identifying individuals who might exact revenge against the storyteller. In ancient India puppets were constructed from carved sticks, and were often elaborately decorated. Sock puppets were likely invented when knitted socks became more widely in use.
As the puritan movement in England gained momentum, traditional puppetry was banned along with all other forms of theater. During these years in England and France, radicals would organize secret theater shows and used puppets, as they were easier to transport and conceal than sets, costumes, and large bands of actors. Socks and very basic stages made of suspended fabric hung behind a table became a popular way of getting around the ban. It was about this time that the puppet character Punch was created.
After the return of the monarchy and the end of puritan times Punch and Judy, puppets became more commonly associated with glove or hand puppets. Children used discarded socks that could be decorated to mimic a hand puppet.
Recently the term sock puppet is also used to describe a fictitious identity used online to promote a particular point of view or defend a person who is seen as controversial.
Embalming Facts
This was something of a surprise to
me. No state requires routine embalming and some do not require it
at all. It is also not required for cremation if performed
immediately. Some states require embalming for remains that are to
be shipped out of state. Embalming provides no public health
benefit, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and
Canadian health authorities. Hawaii and Ontario forbid embalming if
the person died of certain contagious diseases.
Modern embalming consists primarily of washing with a germicide-insecticide-olfactant. removing all blood and gases from the body and the insertion of a disinfecting fluid. Funeral home effluent is not regulated, and waste is flushed into the common sewer system or septic tank. Embalming does not preserve the body for any great length of time. It also serves no useful purpose in preventing the transmission of communicable disease. Refrigeration is just as effective as embalming for short periods of time, such as for viewing.
The US Federal Trade Commission says, "Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. Embalming may be necessary, however, if you select certain funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require you to pay for it, such as direct cremation or immediate burial." Refrigeration is an alternative to maintain a body while awaiting a funeral service or when there is a delay in making arrangements.
Charges for embalming, dressing, and cosmetology can be covered under one charge and can vary from $500 to $1500, or more. Sheltering and refrigeration of a body for up to 3 days can vary from no charge to a few hundred dollars.
Modern embalming consists primarily of washing with a germicide-insecticide-olfactant. removing all blood and gases from the body and the insertion of a disinfecting fluid. Funeral home effluent is not regulated, and waste is flushed into the common sewer system or septic tank. Embalming does not preserve the body for any great length of time. It also serves no useful purpose in preventing the transmission of communicable disease. Refrigeration is just as effective as embalming for short periods of time, such as for viewing.
The US Federal Trade Commission says, "Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. Embalming may be necessary, however, if you select certain funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require you to pay for it, such as direct cremation or immediate burial." Refrigeration is an alternative to maintain a body while awaiting a funeral service or when there is a delay in making arrangements.
Charges for embalming, dressing, and cosmetology can be covered under one charge and can vary from $500 to $1500, or more. Sheltering and refrigeration of a body for up to 3 days can vary from no charge to a few hundred dollars.
Beware Hot Spots
Comcast is doing something different,
adding your router output as free WiFi to others passing by. It is
also an opt-out solution, which means it is enabled by default and
you need to turn it off. It also does not pay you for this use by
others.
Comcast is quietly turning on public hotspots in its customers’ routers and turning private homes into public hotspots. Other Comcast customers get free Wi-Fi wherever there is a Comcast box and the company gets to build out a private network to compete with telecoms, but using your resources.
Fifty thousand users with basic modems that Comcast cable provides have already been turned into public hotspots in Houston, and there are plans to enable 150,000 more.
It is using your private residence as a corporate resource and using your electricity, your Internet connection, and potentially opening up your private browsing to hackers. Comcast says these two streams are independent, but that has never stopped hackers. There is also nothing to stop someone from downloading illicit material, software, and other junk from your hotspot, implicating you if caught. Remember, if there is a line out, that means there is also a line in. Caveat Emptor Comcast users.
Comcast is quietly turning on public hotspots in its customers’ routers and turning private homes into public hotspots. Other Comcast customers get free Wi-Fi wherever there is a Comcast box and the company gets to build out a private network to compete with telecoms, but using your resources.
Fifty thousand users with basic modems that Comcast cable provides have already been turned into public hotspots in Houston, and there are plans to enable 150,000 more.
It is using your private residence as a corporate resource and using your electricity, your Internet connection, and potentially opening up your private browsing to hackers. Comcast says these two streams are independent, but that has never stopped hackers. There is also nothing to stop someone from downloading illicit material, software, and other junk from your hotspot, implicating you if caught. Remember, if there is a line out, that means there is also a line in. Caveat Emptor Comcast users.
Five Food Hacks
To cook potatoes evenly, drop in cool
water, not hot. Hot water will make the outsides mushy and not cook
the insides evenly. Allowing to water to warm up with the potatoes
cooks the outside and inside evenly. Potatoes are more dense than
veggies.
Heat the pan before cooking veggies. Preheating the pan and using a bit of olive oil keeps the veggies from sticking and helps them evenly brown without making them mushy.
Meat should never be tossed into a cold pan, in the oven or on the stovetop.
Slicing onions vertically is to slice along with the fibers of the onion. When you slice with the fibers, the onion pieces hold up a bit better as they cook. If you do not want them to retain the shape, cut along the side like circles or dice them and they will be more mushy.
Cakes should be light and airy and one way to help is to alternately mix in dry and wet ingredients. It is bubbles, unpopped and whole, that give an open crumb in cakes. When you are beating sugar into softened butter or when you are beating eggs into a froth, you are making bubbles. Adding dry ingredients keeps the bubbles from popping and makes for a light, airy cake. Dump and stir is better for more dense things, like brownies.
Heat the pan before cooking veggies. Preheating the pan and using a bit of olive oil keeps the veggies from sticking and helps them evenly brown without making them mushy.
Meat should never be tossed into a cold pan, in the oven or on the stovetop.
Slicing onions vertically is to slice along with the fibers of the onion. When you slice with the fibers, the onion pieces hold up a bit better as they cook. If you do not want them to retain the shape, cut along the side like circles or dice them and they will be more mushy.
Cakes should be light and airy and one way to help is to alternately mix in dry and wet ingredients. It is bubbles, unpopped and whole, that give an open crumb in cakes. When you are beating sugar into softened butter or when you are beating eggs into a froth, you are making bubbles. Adding dry ingredients keeps the bubbles from popping and makes for a light, airy cake. Dump and stir is better for more dense things, like brownies.
Sit Straight, Be Confident
In a recent study,
participants were asked to think about and write down their best or
worse qualities while they were sitting down with their back erect
and pushing their chest out in a confident posture, or slouched
forward with their back curved. Then, participants completed a
number of measures and reported their self-evaluations. Researchers
found the effect of the direction of thoughts (positive/negative) on
self-related attitudes was significantly greater when participants
wrote their thoughts in the confident posture. The postures did not
influence the number or quality of thoughts listed, but did have an
impact on the confidence with which people held their thoughts.
Mason Jar Cooking
Mason jars have been around for years and
only recently have folks begun to use them for cooking things in a
microwave. Taking soup to work and heating in a mason jar is an old
standby for office workers, but have you thought of doing this for
the family?
Many other things can be cooked in mason jars for individual servings and no mess. It works for mac and cheese (with bacon bits of course). Try cobblers and pies, just be sure to put the fruits on the bottom and dough on top. Same trick for pizza, put the dough on top, so it can rise.
Have not tried this, but will do so soon. The recipe calls for putting fruit in the bottom of a small mason jar and filling it halfway with pancake mix (the mix rises from cooking), or dropping in some chocolate chips on top of the mix, then microwaving for 60 - 90 seconds. Great way to make individual pancakes quickly and with less dirty pans. A side benefit of Mason jar cooking is strict portion control, which is good if you are trying to watch your weight.
Many other things can be cooked in mason jars for individual servings and no mess. It works for mac and cheese (with bacon bits of course). Try cobblers and pies, just be sure to put the fruits on the bottom and dough on top. Same trick for pizza, put the dough on top, so it can rise.
Have not tried this, but will do so soon. The recipe calls for putting fruit in the bottom of a small mason jar and filling it halfway with pancake mix (the mix rises from cooking), or dropping in some chocolate chips on top of the mix, then microwaving for 60 - 90 seconds. Great way to make individual pancakes quickly and with less dirty pans. A side benefit of Mason jar cooking is strict portion control, which is good if you are trying to watch your weight.
Friday Votes
I steadfastly stay away from politics on this
forum, so the following is just a statement of fact. The US Senate
had four votes on Friday during 2013 and no Friday votes during
2014. My conclusion is that they must need the Friday time to
read and digest my Friday Thoughts.
Jun 13, 2014
Happy Friday
It is no coincidence that all the greatest works of art and
literature were created before the snooze button.
It is also no coincidence that the greatest Fridays happen when you have a Happy Friday!
It is also no coincidence that the greatest Fridays happen when you have a Happy Friday!
Essential Oils
An essential oil is a concentrated liquid
containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are
also known as volatile oils, or ethereal oils. An oil is 'essential'
in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the
plant. Essential oils do not form a distinctive category for any
medical, pharmacological, or culinary purpose. They are not
essential for health.
Sage is best for blood-pressure reduction. In a 2013 study, women who smelled clary sage experienced reduced blood pressure and breathing rates. They were also able to relax during a stressful medical exam. Sage also increases memory and attention.
Peppermint is best for stress relief. Research shows that breathing in eau de peppermint can decrease the body's levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. It also reduces fatigue.
Orange is best for decreasing anxiety. A study found that people who sniffed it before a stressful test were able to stay calm under pressure without anxiety spikes.
Rosemary is best for enhancing brainpower. Breathing it in can improve speed and accuracy during demanding mental tasks, per a 2012 study. Other research found its scent left people feeling refreshed and mentally stimulated. It also has been known to reduce fatigue.
Cinnamon is best for improving focus. It may stoke the area of the brain that governs alertness. Research found that drivers were more focused after breathing in cinnamon-oil scents.
Lavender increases relaxation and relieves some symptoms of PMS. A 2013 study found that it also eases pre-period symptoms such as mental confusion and depression. It also reduces some migraine pain.
Olive Oil may help you lose weight, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Nutrition. It says the scent of olive oil might help you feel full.
A diffuser is the most effective way to unleash essential oils into the air, but you can add one or two drops of oil into a bowl of steaming hot water. Another option is to place one drop of oil on a cotton ball, put it under your nose, and inhale normally for one to two minutes.
Essential oils should never be used for more than one hour at a time. Look for 100 percent pure and organic oils free of fillers, pesticides, and synthetic chemicals.
Sage is best for blood-pressure reduction. In a 2013 study, women who smelled clary sage experienced reduced blood pressure and breathing rates. They were also able to relax during a stressful medical exam. Sage also increases memory and attention.
Peppermint is best for stress relief. Research shows that breathing in eau de peppermint can decrease the body's levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. It also reduces fatigue.
Orange is best for decreasing anxiety. A study found that people who sniffed it before a stressful test were able to stay calm under pressure without anxiety spikes.
Rosemary is best for enhancing brainpower. Breathing it in can improve speed and accuracy during demanding mental tasks, per a 2012 study. Other research found its scent left people feeling refreshed and mentally stimulated. It also has been known to reduce fatigue.
Cinnamon is best for improving focus. It may stoke the area of the brain that governs alertness. Research found that drivers were more focused after breathing in cinnamon-oil scents.
Lavender increases relaxation and relieves some symptoms of PMS. A 2013 study found that it also eases pre-period symptoms such as mental confusion and depression. It also reduces some migraine pain.
Olive Oil may help you lose weight, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Nutrition. It says the scent of olive oil might help you feel full.
A diffuser is the most effective way to unleash essential oils into the air, but you can add one or two drops of oil into a bowl of steaming hot water. Another option is to place one drop of oil on a cotton ball, put it under your nose, and inhale normally for one to two minutes.
Essential oils should never be used for more than one hour at a time. Look for 100 percent pure and organic oils free of fillers, pesticides, and synthetic chemicals.
Island in a Lake
The largest island on a lake which is
itself on an island in a lake is eighty two acre Treasure Island
(Ontario, Canada) in Lake Mindemoya, which is on Manitoulin Island
in Lake Huron.
Manitoulin Island contains two more, Lake Manitou and Lake Kegawong. Each of these lakes also have islands within them.
Manitoulin Island contains two more, Lake Manitou and Lake Kegawong. Each of these lakes also have islands within them.
Monty Python
Speaking of essential, Monty Python just
updated one of its songs for the World Cup. LINK The
timeless comedy troupe is doing ten reunion shows in London
starting next month.
In addition, a box set of all their albums is also coming out. It will be called Monty Python's Total Rubbish: The Complete Collection. The set contains remastered versions of all nine UK-released albums.
Their final live show next month is to be broadcast into 450 UK cinemas and 1,500 worldwide. It will be on my calendar and always better to watch with a crowd, because laughing obscures the next rapid fire bit of humor and it is difficult for a person to take it all in at one time.
In addition, a box set of all their albums is also coming out. It will be called Monty Python's Total Rubbish: The Complete Collection. The set contains remastered versions of all nine UK-released albums.
Their final live show next month is to be broadcast into 450 UK cinemas and 1,500 worldwide. It will be on my calendar and always better to watch with a crowd, because laughing obscures the next rapid fire bit of humor and it is difficult for a person to take it all in at one time.
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