Dec 4, 2015
Salty Fact
Morton Salt is the US leader in salt sales.
Initially, salt was sold in bags, then boxes. There was a problem
with the salt clumping, because of moisture. Morton discovered
that adding magnesium carbonate to absorb moisture solved that
problem, but, salt tended to get stuck in the corner of boxes, so
the company came up with a round container. It costs more and that
cost gets passed on to the consumer. All other salt companies have
copied the round shape to sell salt. Morton sells salt in bulk, in
other kinds of containers to institutions.
Egg Terms
There are many terms grocers use to sell us
eggs and many of them do not mean much. The one that most strikes
me is 'vegetarian diet'. Since chickens are omnivores, feeding
them a vegetarian diet is unnatural.
- Farm fresh: Means nothing and is only used to make the eggs sound more appealing.
- No hormones: Means nothing and is completely misleading, because it is illegal to give poultry hormones.
- Free-range: Means the hens are cage-free, but only have "access to the outdoors." Usually a small screened off patio or enclosure.
- Pasture raised: Pasture-raised birds spend most of their life outdoors, with a fair amount of space, plus access to a barn. Many are able to eat a diet of worms, insects, and grass, etc.
- Cage Free: The hens do not live in cages. They usually live in aviaries: massive industrial barns that house thousands of birds. Each bird has, on average, 1 square foot of space.
- All Natural: This phrase has no real meaning, because [conventional chickens] are raised in the least natural conditions.
- No Antibiotics: Antibiotics are rarely used in the egg industry. However, chickens raised for their meat do commonly get antibiotics to fend off disease and increase animal growth.
- Vegetarian Diet: Chickens are not vegetarian. They are omnivores and in the wild, get most of their protein from worms, grasshoppers and other insects. Hens that are fed a "vegetarian diet" are probably eating corn fortified with amino acids.
- Omega-3: Hens are likely given a bit of flaxseed mixed in with their corn feed. This could possibly lead to higher levels of omega-3 in their eggs.
- Organic: This means something more specific, and egg producers who use it are subject to USDA regulation. Organic eggs must come from hens that are free-range, fed organic feed (no synthetic pesticides), and receive no hormones or antibiotics (most do not get these anyway).
Free College Living
Humanitas is one of the Netherlands’
main social services organizations. It provides support to people
who are temporarily unable to manage on their own, and one of its
major areas of focus is elder care.
Social isolation and loneliness is a chronic problem for the elderly, but a Humanitas nursing home has come up with a unique solution. The home offers free housing to local students if the students agree to spend a minimum of 30 hours per month interacting with the 160 elderly residents. The time can be spent doing anything from helping with meal preparation, shopping trips, teaching seniors to use computers, playing games, or just sitting and talking. The students might also learn a thing or two in the process.
Social isolation and loneliness is a chronic problem for the elderly, but a Humanitas nursing home has come up with a unique solution. The home offers free housing to local students if the students agree to spend a minimum of 30 hours per month interacting with the 160 elderly residents. The time can be spent doing anything from helping with meal preparation, shopping trips, teaching seniors to use computers, playing games, or just sitting and talking. The students might also learn a thing or two in the process.
Nov 27, 2015
Optimus Prime
Voice actor Peter Cullen did the voice of Optimus Prime in the original Transformers series, in the 2007 Transformers, 2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and 2011 Transformers: Dark of the Moon. He also did the voice of Optimus Prime in the Transformers: War for Cybertron video game.
In addition to those, he also did the voice for Eeyore, in the Winnie-the-Pooh series, and was the first person to voice Nintendo’s Mario character. He also did voices for other characters in: Duck Tales, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Adventures of Captain Planet, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Garfield and Friends, Darkwing Duck, The Jetsons, and Gremlins.
In addition to those, he also did the voice for Eeyore, in the Winnie-the-Pooh series, and was the first person to voice Nintendo’s Mario character. He also did voices for other characters in: Duck Tales, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Adventures of Captain Planet, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Garfield and Friends, Darkwing Duck, The Jetsons, and Gremlins.
What's in a Name, Applejack
Apple brandy has been
produced in the US since colonial times. Farmers would let apples
ferment, then put the fermented juice in a barrel outside when it
became cold. Since the freezing point of water is higher than that
of alcohol, the water in the mixture would freeze. The farmers
would scoop the ice out, leaving the alcohol behind. This process,
known as jacking left behind a higher proof product and it was
referred to as "applejack." The name eventually became synonymous
with apple brandy.
Cartoon Character Original Names
Tweety was not
specifically named in the original cartoon, but staff called him
Orson.
Mickey Mouse was originally to be named Mortimer by Walt Disney until his wife suggested the friendlier-sounding “Mickey.”
Pluto was originally Minnie’s dog Rover. He then became Pluto a few months after the discovery of Pluto in 1930.
Goofy was originally Dippy Dawg for a few years until 1934, when he became Goofy.
Elmer Fudd was originally Egghead until the 1940 cartoon “Elmer’s Candid Camera.”
Mighty Mouse was Super Mouse until another cartoon character by the same name came out. It was changed to Mighty to avoid confusion.
Betty Boop was originally called "Nancy Lee" or "Nan McGrew" in a few episodes. She was also originally a poodle. In her first official color cartoon, she was actually portrayed as a redhead. Later she was changed back to black hair and a red dress.
Mickey Mouse was originally to be named Mortimer by Walt Disney until his wife suggested the friendlier-sounding “Mickey.”
Pluto was originally Minnie’s dog Rover. He then became Pluto a few months after the discovery of Pluto in 1930.
Goofy was originally Dippy Dawg for a few years until 1934, when he became Goofy.
Elmer Fudd was originally Egghead until the 1940 cartoon “Elmer’s Candid Camera.”
Mighty Mouse was Super Mouse until another cartoon character by the same name came out. It was changed to Mighty to avoid confusion.
Betty Boop was originally called "Nancy Lee" or "Nan McGrew" in a few episodes. She was also originally a poodle. In her first official color cartoon, she was actually portrayed as a redhead. Later she was changed back to black hair and a red dress.
Alcohol and Calories
Good news for the holidays, a
five-ounce glass of red, white, or rosé has about 100 calories per
glass. Many believe wine is high in sugar because it is made from
grapes, but because the fermentation process in wine-making
converts sugars into alcohol. Only sweet or dessert wines are high
in sugar. Wine is considered a heart healthy drink, especially red
wine, which contains resveratrol, the antioxidant compound linked
to heart health benefits. The American Heart Association
recommends 1-2 four-ounce servings of wine per day.
Hard liquor is higher in calories per-ounce than wine, but not by much since after distillation, spirits such as vodka, whiskey, gin, and rum have nothing left but the alcohol. They contain zero carbs, which makes them a diet-friendly option, plus, the standard 1.5 ounce serving of spirits has 105 calories.
The average 12-ounce serving of beer contains 150 calories and 13g carbs, higher than wine and spirits. Choosing light versions of beer will save about 50 calories per serving and cut carbs in half. Lager and wheat beers are generally lower in both calories and carbs per serving compared to heavier beers such as ales, stouts, and porters. Beers differ in color, flavor, and consistency, and the good news all offer some nutritional value. The brewer’s yeast used to ferment beer contains B vitamins that benefit the nervous system health and reduce homocysteine, a chemical that can contribute to cardiovascular disease. Bottoms up!
Hard liquor is higher in calories per-ounce than wine, but not by much since after distillation, spirits such as vodka, whiskey, gin, and rum have nothing left but the alcohol. They contain zero carbs, which makes them a diet-friendly option, plus, the standard 1.5 ounce serving of spirits has 105 calories.
The average 12-ounce serving of beer contains 150 calories and 13g carbs, higher than wine and spirits. Choosing light versions of beer will save about 50 calories per serving and cut carbs in half. Lager and wheat beers are generally lower in both calories and carbs per serving compared to heavier beers such as ales, stouts, and porters. Beers differ in color, flavor, and consistency, and the good news all offer some nutritional value. The brewer’s yeast used to ferment beer contains B vitamins that benefit the nervous system health and reduce homocysteine, a chemical that can contribute to cardiovascular disease. Bottoms up!
Germ Fact
More germs are passed by shaking hands than by
kissing. This holiday season, be safe and liberally pass out hugs
and kisses at every opportunity.
Bug Repellant Pill
Nice go outdoors without the threat of
mosquitoes. Mozi-Q is a new bug repellant pill. This revolutionary
pill invented by Erin Bosch has been cleared by the Canadian
Health board as being safe for users as well as quite successful
at keeping the bugs away.
The pill is available online and Bosch claims its effectiveness come from the five types of flowers that it is made from. The pill takes about thirty minutes to take effect after it is ingested. It is a combination of several homeopathic remedies claimed to be up to 90% effective at reducing bites. By changing the body’s susceptibility to being bitten, bugs lose interest in the attack.
The pill is available online and Bosch claims its effectiveness come from the five types of flowers that it is made from. The pill takes about thirty minutes to take effect after it is ingested. It is a combination of several homeopathic remedies claimed to be up to 90% effective at reducing bites. By changing the body’s susceptibility to being bitten, bugs lose interest in the attack.
Turkey Sex
Some turkeys (and chickens) reproduce without
sex. Parthenogenesis is reproduction without benefit of sex. In
other words, asexual reproduction in which the offspring develops
from unfertilized eggs. It occurs spontaneously in a handful of
species, like insects, lizards, snakes, and sharks. Turkeys have a
virgin birth rate in some breeds of up to 40 percent. Virgin birth
can become more frequent in turkeys if the female is exposed to
semen having a low sperm count.
Turkey Terms
A few common labels and what they actually
mean, which is not much. I hope you are enjoying the leftovers
from your premium, young, fresh, free range turkey, with no
hormones added.
- Young: Most commercial turkeys are killed at 16 to 18 weeks, so this is mostly meaningless. The USDA does not define “young” for turkeys and only requires the label of “mature” or “yearling” for turkeys that lived more than a year.
- Fresh: This means the turkey was never frozen.
- No Hormones Added: Mostly meaningless as commercial turkeys, and other poultry are not given growth hormones, per USDA rules.
- Premium: Meaningless as premium has no USDA definition.
- Free range: Often misleading, as it means the animal was given “access to the outdoors.” In most cases, the animal is still raised in standard, crowded cages.
Immortal Lobster Myth
Photos of lobsters can be found at
many sites on the net with captions calling the crustaceans
biologically immortal. A 2007 news story that reported that
lobsters do not show typical signs of senescence, the process of
growing older. The report said that lobsters do not age the way
other living creatures do, because they do not lower their
reproductive ability, slow their metabolism, or decrease in
strength.
It is true that lobsters continue reproducing, and growing until the end. Like most decapod crustaceans, which also include crayfish and shrimp, they have indeterminate growth. That means they do not reach a set size limit in their lifetimes, continuing to grow until they die. Previous research has suggested that the biggest European lobster males in the wild live an average of 31 years, and the females an average of 54 years.
According to the Animal Aging and Longevity Database, other organisms with negligible aging includes: Rougheye rockfish – 205 years, Painted turtle – 61 years, Blanding's turtle – 77 years, Eastern box turtle – 138 years, and Red sea urchin – 200 years, among others.
It is true that lobsters continue reproducing, and growing until the end. Like most decapod crustaceans, which also include crayfish and shrimp, they have indeterminate growth. That means they do not reach a set size limit in their lifetimes, continuing to grow until they die. Previous research has suggested that the biggest European lobster males in the wild live an average of 31 years, and the females an average of 54 years.
According to the Animal Aging and Longevity Database, other organisms with negligible aging includes: Rougheye rockfish – 205 years, Painted turtle – 61 years, Blanding's turtle – 77 years, Eastern box turtle – 138 years, and Red sea urchin – 200 years, among others.
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