May 8, 2015
Shaft Tax
Most people think that all taxes are the shaft,
but there really is a shaft tax. For calendar year 2015, the US tax
imposed under § 4161(b)(2)(A) on the first sale by the manufacturer,
producer, or importer of any shaft of a type used in the manufacture
of certain arrows is $0.49 per shaft. Last year it was 48 cents.
May 1, 2015
Happy Friday
Life is like love, we just fall into it and both are equally
enjoyable.
I don't fall; I jump into enjoying a Happy Friday!
I don't fall; I jump into enjoying a Happy Friday!
Wordology, Assent vs. Consent
In English, consent and
assent are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle
difference. To assent is to agree with a statement made by an equal.
For instance, in the Supreme Court, one justice writes the opinion
of the majority, to which other justices assent. Those that disagree
are said to dissent, that is to disagree.
To consent implies a power relationship where the consent is granted by the party with more power. To consent is to give permission, which could have been withheld. Bottom line, consent is to give permission while assent equals agreement.
To consent implies a power relationship where the consent is granted by the party with more power. To consent is to give permission, which could have been withheld. Bottom line, consent is to give permission while assent equals agreement.
Eye Colors, Blue
Last in the series of eye colors. Naturally blue eyes are caused by having low melanin levels in the iris - the same stuff that gives skin its pigment and color. In fact, we have all had blue eyes at one point in our lives, because all babies are born with blue eyes. For most people, their eyes change color as they grow older and develop melanin, but for a select few who do not develop as much melanin, their eyes stay blue forever. Eyes appear blue for the same reason as the sky is blue. It is a process called Rayleigh Scattering.
In Iceland, 80% of the population has blue eyes. The statistics are similar in the rest of Northern Europe and Scandinavia, where blue eyes are very common. Blue eyes can also be found in some areas of Western Asia, as well as in Israel. Blue eyes are extremely rare in Africa. People with blue eyes are becoming less common in the US.
For a long time it was believed that blue eyes were caused by a recessive gene, but lately this has been found to be untrue. People with blue eyes tend to have a higher tolerance to alcohol than those without.
Silver eye color is quite rare, although many consider silver eyes to be a variation of blue eye color. Like blue eyes, silver eyes are the result of a very low amount of pigmentation in the eye, which reflects a gray-silver appearance. Silver eye color is most common in eastern European countries, and is one of the more rare eye colors worldwide.
Genetics vs. Genomics
Gene refers to a specific sequence
of DNA on a single chromosome that encodes a particular product.
Genome encompasses the entire set of genetic information across all 23 chromosome pairs, including all genes, as well as gene-modifying sequences, and everything in-between.
Genome encompasses the entire set of genetic information across all 23 chromosome pairs, including all genes, as well as gene-modifying sequences, and everything in-between.
LED, Lumen, CFL, and CRI
We are now faced with many choices
for light bulbs. Prices vary widely for not much difference in
light. Here a few things to know about the choices.
First, lumens are the new watts. Watts are power and lumens are light. An old incandescent 60 watts is about 800 lumens of light. The wattage does not matter and most of the comparisons regarding electricity costs are measured over years, so not very consequential in a monthly or annual budget. A 60W incandescent lamp may push 800 lumens, while a CFL only needs 15W and an LED only needs 10W to produce the same lumens. (A 10W incandescent is a night light.) The thing to remember is how bright you want your light to be. Look at lumens below to get the correct amount of light from your new bulbs.
incandescent bulb
watts - lumens
60 - 800
75 - 1,100
100 - 1,600
150 - 2,600
Heat might not seem important, but with a number of lights burning, it adds up, especially during the summer. One heat test - halogen bulb, a type of incandescent bulb, measured 327 degrees. A Cree LED downlight was measured 107 degrees and a Philips Par38 CFL measured 167 degrees. LEDs produce 3.4 btu's/hour, compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs.
Bugs don't fly toward many LEDs, because bugs are attracted to ultraviolet light and most LEDs do not give off this type of light.
LED are rated to last 50,000 hours, while CFLs are rated for 10,000 hours and incandescents are rated for about 1,000 hours.
LED bulbs turn on as quickly as incandescent bulbs and faster than CFLs. LEDs produce roughly the same amount of useful light, but much of that light is focused in one direction. LEDs typically shine up, rather than in all directions like incandescent bulbs. Newer LEDs can be omnidirectional, look for that word on the package.
Some LEDs do not dim well and tend to buzz or sputter when the dimming is at half. Check the package to make sure the bulb will work with a dimmer.
A new term to further confuse us is CRI, because of the number of different light types. It did not make any difference in the past as all lights were the same. CRI is color rendering index. The higher the CRI, the better the color rendering ability. Light sources with a CRI of 90 or higher are excellent at color rendering and should be used for tasks requiring the most accurate color discrimination. CRI is independent of color temperature, but I won't even go there. Too much information.
When considering lighting, I usually think of CFL as meaning 'crap for light'. They take longer to turn on (it typically takes 30 seconds to 3 minutes to complete), need more energy to turn on, contain mercury, may leak UV radiation, do not work well in cold conditions, produce artificial fluorescent color, and are less efficient than LEDs.
Although initial price is still much higher, the price of LEDs is coming down quickly. LEDs are down to $4.97 at Home Depot, a far cry from the old $20 they used to cost. Bottom Line, let your old bulbs burn out before you rush out to buy new "energy savers" the price will likely be cheaper when you are ready to replace. Also, higher lumens are brighter and higher CRI provides better color discrimination.
First, lumens are the new watts. Watts are power and lumens are light. An old incandescent 60 watts is about 800 lumens of light. The wattage does not matter and most of the comparisons regarding electricity costs are measured over years, so not very consequential in a monthly or annual budget. A 60W incandescent lamp may push 800 lumens, while a CFL only needs 15W and an LED only needs 10W to produce the same lumens. (A 10W incandescent is a night light.) The thing to remember is how bright you want your light to be. Look at lumens below to get the correct amount of light from your new bulbs.
incandescent bulb
watts - lumens
60 - 800
75 - 1,100
100 - 1,600
150 - 2,600
Heat might not seem important, but with a number of lights burning, it adds up, especially during the summer. One heat test - halogen bulb, a type of incandescent bulb, measured 327 degrees. A Cree LED downlight was measured 107 degrees and a Philips Par38 CFL measured 167 degrees. LEDs produce 3.4 btu's/hour, compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs.
Bugs don't fly toward many LEDs, because bugs are attracted to ultraviolet light and most LEDs do not give off this type of light.
LED are rated to last 50,000 hours, while CFLs are rated for 10,000 hours and incandescents are rated for about 1,000 hours.
LED bulbs turn on as quickly as incandescent bulbs and faster than CFLs. LEDs produce roughly the same amount of useful light, but much of that light is focused in one direction. LEDs typically shine up, rather than in all directions like incandescent bulbs. Newer LEDs can be omnidirectional, look for that word on the package.
Some LEDs do not dim well and tend to buzz or sputter when the dimming is at half. Check the package to make sure the bulb will work with a dimmer.
A new term to further confuse us is CRI, because of the number of different light types. It did not make any difference in the past as all lights were the same. CRI is color rendering index. The higher the CRI, the better the color rendering ability. Light sources with a CRI of 90 or higher are excellent at color rendering and should be used for tasks requiring the most accurate color discrimination. CRI is independent of color temperature, but I won't even go there. Too much information.
When considering lighting, I usually think of CFL as meaning 'crap for light'. They take longer to turn on (it typically takes 30 seconds to 3 minutes to complete), need more energy to turn on, contain mercury, may leak UV radiation, do not work well in cold conditions, produce artificial fluorescent color, and are less efficient than LEDs.
Although initial price is still much higher, the price of LEDs is coming down quickly. LEDs are down to $4.97 at Home Depot, a far cry from the old $20 they used to cost. Bottom Line, let your old bulbs burn out before you rush out to buy new "energy savers" the price will likely be cheaper when you are ready to replace. Also, higher lumens are brighter and higher CRI provides better color discrimination.
Short Shrift
A shrift is a penance (a prescribed penalty)
imposed by a priest in a confession in order to provide absolution.
During the 17th century, criminals were sent to the scaffold
immediately after sentencing and only had time for a 'short shrift'
before being hanged.
The first known use of short shrift was in 1594. Shakespeare was the first to write it down, in Richard III. RATCLIFF: Dispatch, my lord; the duke would be at dinner: Make a short shrift; he longs to see your head.
It does not appear again in print until 1814, Scott's Lord of the Isles: Short were his shrift in that debate. If Lorn encounter'd Bruce!
The original meaning has little relation to the modern sense of short shrift, which usually has negative connotations. One usually does not want to be given short shrift or little consideration in dealing with a person or matter.
Theologians and confessors viewed the sacrament of penance as a prescription that cured a moral illness. In early medieval times penances were long and arduous and had to be performed before absolution. Lengthy pilgrimages and even lifelong exile were not uncommon. However, less demanding penances could be given in extreme situations; short shrift was a brief penance given to a person condemned to death so that absolution could be granted before execution.
The first known use of short shrift was in 1594. Shakespeare was the first to write it down, in Richard III. RATCLIFF: Dispatch, my lord; the duke would be at dinner: Make a short shrift; he longs to see your head.
It does not appear again in print until 1814, Scott's Lord of the Isles: Short were his shrift in that debate. If Lorn encounter'd Bruce!
The original meaning has little relation to the modern sense of short shrift, which usually has negative connotations. One usually does not want to be given short shrift or little consideration in dealing with a person or matter.
Theologians and confessors viewed the sacrament of penance as a prescription that cured a moral illness. In early medieval times penances were long and arduous and had to be performed before absolution. Lengthy pilgrimages and even lifelong exile were not uncommon. However, less demanding penances could be given in extreme situations; short shrift was a brief penance given to a person condemned to death so that absolution could be granted before execution.
Stonewall Jackson
Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall' Jackson was
buried in a Lexington, Virginia, cemetery that now bears his name,
but he was so famous at the time of his death that his amputated
left arm was taken away to its own separate grave.
Just after dark on May 2, 1863, Jackson launched a devastating attack against Union forces at Chancellorsville. Returning to his own lines with several staff officers, Jackson decided to conduct more reconnaissance in the area. As he and his staff rode through the woods near Confederate lines, a North Carolina regiment opened fire. Jackson was struck by three bullets, two of them shattering his left arm. He was evacuated from the area and given medical treatment, but his arm could not be saved and was amputated. Pneumonia set in, and on May 10, 1863, he died. Jackson's body was sent to Lexington without the arm.
Thinking that the limb of so great a soldier was too precious to simply throw on the regular body part pile, Jackson's unofficial company chaplain wrapped the arm in a blanket and took it his family cemetery. The reverend gave the limb a standard Christian burial and placed a marker above the site.
Supposedly Stonewall Jackson's arm was dug up and reburied numerous times in the ensuing years and there is no evidence that it still resides in its original burial space. The simple gravestone remains to remember one of the oddest instances of hero worship in the history of battle.
Just after dark on May 2, 1863, Jackson launched a devastating attack against Union forces at Chancellorsville. Returning to his own lines with several staff officers, Jackson decided to conduct more reconnaissance in the area. As he and his staff rode through the woods near Confederate lines, a North Carolina regiment opened fire. Jackson was struck by three bullets, two of them shattering his left arm. He was evacuated from the area and given medical treatment, but his arm could not be saved and was amputated. Pneumonia set in, and on May 10, 1863, he died. Jackson's body was sent to Lexington without the arm.
Thinking that the limb of so great a soldier was too precious to simply throw on the regular body part pile, Jackson's unofficial company chaplain wrapped the arm in a blanket and took it his family cemetery. The reverend gave the limb a standard Christian burial and placed a marker above the site.
Supposedly Stonewall Jackson's arm was dug up and reburied numerous times in the ensuing years and there is no evidence that it still resides in its original burial space. The simple gravestone remains to remember one of the oddest instances of hero worship in the history of battle.
History of CDs
Compact discs, or CDs, were one of the
defining technologies of the 1990′s and 2000′s. They successfully
killed cassette tapes, and are likely the last physical audio
technology that we will ever have, as digital formats now dominate
the music industry.
CD’s were actually invented during 1974, nearly a decade before they even became available to the public market.
The inventors were the Dutch company Philips and the Japanese company Sony. In the mid 70′s, both companies independently began working on technologies that could imprint digital sound onto a small plastic disc. The two companies joined forces to develop the technology as fast as possible. The first album ever recorded on CD was ABBA’s The Visitors in 1981 LINK.
CD’s were actually invented during 1974, nearly a decade before they even became available to the public market.
The inventors were the Dutch company Philips and the Japanese company Sony. In the mid 70′s, both companies independently began working on technologies that could imprint digital sound onto a small plastic disc. The two companies joined forces to develop the technology as fast as possible. The first album ever recorded on CD was ABBA’s The Visitors in 1981 LINK.
Apr 24, 2015
Happy Friday
In the music of life there are no sour notes.
I always enjoy the sweet melody of a Happy Friday!
I always enjoy the sweet melody of a Happy Friday!
National Pretzel Day
April 26 was declared as National
Pretzel Day by then-Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell in 2003.
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
The last Saturday of April
each year (April 25, 2015 - 10 am local time) in hundreds of cities,
spanning 80 nations, people come together to provide a healing
vision for our world.
Tai chi (tie chee) and Qigong (chee gung) combine deep breathing techniques, gentle body movement, and visualization techniques. Tai chi is a form of Qigong and is an ancient Chinese tradition that is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing.
Tai chi is a noncompetitive, self-paced system of physical exercise and stretching. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that the body is in constant motion. It has many different styles. Each style may have its own subtle emphasis on various principles and methods. There are also variations within each style. Some may focus on health maintenance, while others focus on the martial arts aspect of tai chi. I have been learning tai chi locally for the past six months and, although some call it gentle, it is still a workout.
One World ... One Breath. Here are some interesting tai chi day videos. LINK
Tai chi (tie chee) and Qigong (chee gung) combine deep breathing techniques, gentle body movement, and visualization techniques. Tai chi is a form of Qigong and is an ancient Chinese tradition that is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing.
Tai chi is a noncompetitive, self-paced system of physical exercise and stretching. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that the body is in constant motion. It has many different styles. Each style may have its own subtle emphasis on various principles and methods. There are also variations within each style. Some may focus on health maintenance, while others focus on the martial arts aspect of tai chi. I have been learning tai chi locally for the past six months and, although some call it gentle, it is still a workout.
One World ... One Breath. Here are some interesting tai chi day videos. LINK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)