Many headlines are littered with these terms and I have
noticed that many reporters use them incorrectly. So, I went
searching to find the most succinct way to define each. I kept
spelling of the words consistent, but many variations apply,
depending on the writer's origin.
Islam is a religion. Islam is generally used in conversation to
denote the religion or community of believers as a whole, such
as, "The Islamic community responded to press release."
A Muslim is a person who follows the religion of Islam, a
monotheistic religion based on the Quran (Koran). Muslims
consider the Quran to be the verbatim word of Allah (God) as
revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
All people who accept the religion of Islam are Muslim, but
not all Muslims follow the religion of Islam, just as all Methodists,
etc. do not practice their religion.
Muslims agree that Allah is One, Muhammad is His last Prophet,
the Quran is His last Book for mankind, and that one day Allah
will resurrect all human beings, and they will be questioned
about their beliefs and actions. Nearly one quarter of the world
population are Muslim.
Muslims are mainly broken down into two sects: Shia and Sunni.
The great majority of Muslims are Sunnis, estimated to be about
85% to 90%. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims share the most
fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith. The
differences between these two main sub-groups within Islam
initially stemmed from political differences. Throughout
history, Shia Muslims have not recognized the authority of
elected Muslim leaders, choosing instead to follow a line of
Imams which they believe have been appointed by the Prophet
Muhammad or Allah (God) Himself.
Islam is the act of submitting to the will of God. Muslim is
person who participates in the act of submission.
All Sunni are Muslims, but not all Muslims are Sunni, just as
all Catholics are Christian, but not all Christians are
Catholic.
Islamists do not represent religious Islam. They believe Islamic
law should be implemented as a political system or theocracy.
Islamism is an extremist, and at times violent ideology that
seeks to ground its legitimacy in Islam and focuses its
recruitment efforts almost entirely on Muslims. Islamism wants
to create a new world order, grounded in the imagined past of
7th century deserts.
Current manifestations of Islamism include a variety of Islamist
movements, such as the (mostly) non-violent Muslim Brotherhood,
violent Boko Haram, and the violent Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant (ISIL). Although these groups employ different
tactics, at their core they share a common political ideology.
Although ISIS/ began as part of Al-Qaeda. It has since broken
relations and Al -Qaeda has not pledged allegiance to ISIL.
Not all Muslims are Islamist, but virtually all Islamists are
Muslims.
Islam good - Radical Islamist bad!
Terms:
The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) or simply Islamic
State - On 8 April 2013 changed its name from ISIS to ISIL
(although most journalists ignore this).
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as
the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Levant is a geographic term including Cyprus, Israel,
Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and more.
Da'ish (Daesh) is another name used by others for ISIL and is
considered derogatory to it.
A caliphate is an Islamic government operating under Sharia law.
It is led by a caliph (currently Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi), who is a
political and religious leader and successor (caliph) to the
Islamic prophet Muhammad. His power and authority is absolute.
In June, 2014, ISIL announced it has established an Islamic
caliphate across Syria and Iraq. It currently claims to control
10 million people.
On 14 May 2014, the United States Department of State announced
its decision to use Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)
as the group's primary name. However, in late 2014, top US
officials shifted toward using Daesh (da eesh or Dash), because
this is the name a growing number of countries and Arab allies
prefer to use. US officials still variously refer to all
three.
Incidently, 90% of Syrians, 97% of Iraqis, 98% Turks, 99% of
Iranis, 99.8% Afghanistanis, 96% Pakistanis, 94% Egyptians,
and 88% Indonesians are Muslim.
Many US football and basketball players are Muslim. American
Muslims include: Dave Chappele, Casey Kasem, Doctor Oz, Mike
Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Fareed Zakaria (TV), Busta Rhymes, Ice
Cube, Huma Abedin, Jermaine Jackson, and Snoop Dogg, among
others.
Hope this makes it a bit less confusing.
Dec 18, 2015
Sandwich Origins
Club - The Club Sandwich
consists of three slices of white toast making two layers, each
holding bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on top of either
turkey, chicken, or roast beef. Most agree that this classic
originated in resorts and country clubs in the late 1800s. One of
the first documented records of the sandwich appeared in an 1889
menu at the Steamer Rhode Island restaurant, where it was called
as we know it today, a Club Sandwich.
Croque-Monsieur - Originating in a café on the Boulevard de Capucines in Paris in 1910, the Croque-Monsieur is essentially a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. It is generally made with lean ham, Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese, and covered in a warm béchamel sauce. French for Crusty or Crispy Mister, depending on whom you ask, this sandwich is as famous for its variants as well as its original. With added tomato, it is the Croque-Provencal, and with mustard and topped with a fried egg, it is a Croque-Madame. The Croque Auvergnat replaces the mild cheese with a Bleu, and the Croque Norvegien uses salmon in place of the ham.
Dagwood - Named after Dagwood Bumstead in the popular comic strip Blondie, the Dagwood Sandwich was first seen in the 1930s. The only requirement is that it be comprised of a wide variety of ingredients from leftovers and other things in the kitchen. Although no formal recipe exists, some have tried. Emeril Lagasse has one with 19 ingredients, and iChef’s version includes cold spaghetti, 2-day old fish, lobster tail, and bacon.
Grinder/Hero/Hoagie/Sub - Like the Dagwood, there are an infinite number of combinations of meats, cheeses, condiments, vegetables, and pickled things.
The Grinder arose in New England and, according to one account, was named after the dockworkers whose jobs involved a lot of noisy grinding to repair and refurbish the ships. Others attribute the name to the amount of chewing and grinding it took to work through the crusty Italian bread and tough meats on the typical sandwich. Many believe the Hero Sandwich was named by food columnist, Clementine Paddleworth in 1936 when she noted, “You had to be a hero to eat it.” However, the Oxford English Dictionary credits the naming to armored car guards. Philadelphia chose the name Hoagie for its version. Most claim that the name came originally from Al De Palma who thought that a person “had to be a hog” to eat such a large sandwich. When he opened his own sandwich place during the Great Depression, he called his big subs “hoggies.” It is assumed that the strong Philadelphia accent changed the pronunciation, and eventually, the spelling. Although the Oxford English Dictionary notes that the Submarine Sandwich was around by 1940, many, especially in Connecticut, believe it originated in New London during World War II (then home to a Navy shipyard). Reportedly invented by an Italian shopkeeper who crafted the sandwich out of oblong bread, its resemblance to the nearby submarines was not lost on his patrons.
Gyro - Greek for 'turn', the Gyro (pronounced yee-ro) derived its name from the method used to cook the meat, which revolves on a vertical spit. The typical sandwich includes a large portion of thinly sliced gyro meat, tomato, onion, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce, rolled into an oiled and lightly grilled, thick pita. Gryo meat is traditionally made with lamb, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs, ground together into a paste, then packed together and slow cooked. Tzatziki sauce is made by straining yogurt and mixing it with finely chopped and strained cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and salt.
Croque-Monsieur - Originating in a café on the Boulevard de Capucines in Paris in 1910, the Croque-Monsieur is essentially a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. It is generally made with lean ham, Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese, and covered in a warm béchamel sauce. French for Crusty or Crispy Mister, depending on whom you ask, this sandwich is as famous for its variants as well as its original. With added tomato, it is the Croque-Provencal, and with mustard and topped with a fried egg, it is a Croque-Madame. The Croque Auvergnat replaces the mild cheese with a Bleu, and the Croque Norvegien uses salmon in place of the ham.
Dagwood - Named after Dagwood Bumstead in the popular comic strip Blondie, the Dagwood Sandwich was first seen in the 1930s. The only requirement is that it be comprised of a wide variety of ingredients from leftovers and other things in the kitchen. Although no formal recipe exists, some have tried. Emeril Lagasse has one with 19 ingredients, and iChef’s version includes cold spaghetti, 2-day old fish, lobster tail, and bacon.
Grinder/Hero/Hoagie/Sub - Like the Dagwood, there are an infinite number of combinations of meats, cheeses, condiments, vegetables, and pickled things.
The Grinder arose in New England and, according to one account, was named after the dockworkers whose jobs involved a lot of noisy grinding to repair and refurbish the ships. Others attribute the name to the amount of chewing and grinding it took to work through the crusty Italian bread and tough meats on the typical sandwich. Many believe the Hero Sandwich was named by food columnist, Clementine Paddleworth in 1936 when she noted, “You had to be a hero to eat it.” However, the Oxford English Dictionary credits the naming to armored car guards. Philadelphia chose the name Hoagie for its version. Most claim that the name came originally from Al De Palma who thought that a person “had to be a hog” to eat such a large sandwich. When he opened his own sandwich place during the Great Depression, he called his big subs “hoggies.” It is assumed that the strong Philadelphia accent changed the pronunciation, and eventually, the spelling. Although the Oxford English Dictionary notes that the Submarine Sandwich was around by 1940, many, especially in Connecticut, believe it originated in New London during World War II (then home to a Navy shipyard). Reportedly invented by an Italian shopkeeper who crafted the sandwich out of oblong bread, its resemblance to the nearby submarines was not lost on his patrons.
Gyro - Greek for 'turn', the Gyro (pronounced yee-ro) derived its name from the method used to cook the meat, which revolves on a vertical spit. The typical sandwich includes a large portion of thinly sliced gyro meat, tomato, onion, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce, rolled into an oiled and lightly grilled, thick pita. Gryo meat is traditionally made with lamb, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs, ground together into a paste, then packed together and slow cooked. Tzatziki sauce is made by straining yogurt and mixing it with finely chopped and strained cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and salt.
What's in a Name, Zoolophone
Like xylophones and
glockenspiels, the Zoolophone is an instrument with tuned metal
bars that produce sound when struck. The tone and amplification it
makes depends on the shape of the instrument itself. A zoolophone
can be thought of as a xylophone with keys shaped like animals,
where different shapes have different sounds.
Most zoolophones require hand-crafting to get resonant frequencies and amplification correct. They use rigid geometries, like bars and hand-drilled dimples on their undersides to create predictable sounds.
Most zoolophones require hand-crafting to get resonant frequencies and amplification correct. They use rigid geometries, like bars and hand-drilled dimples on their undersides to create predictable sounds.
Klopfelnachte
(Literally Knocking Night or loosely,
Knocking Day) In Germany on the four Thursdays before Christmas,
children in rural parts of Southern Germany dress up in masks and
go door to door chanting rhymes that always start with the word
'knock'. They make noises as the go from house to house, singing
carols, cracking whips, clattering dishes, and ringing cowbells.
This commotion is supposed to drive away evil spirits. Children
offer or receive treats such as fruit, candy, or coins. Think of
it as the opposite of Halloween trick or treat.
Dec 11, 2015
Happy Friday
A
smile is a sign of joy. A hug is a sign of love. A
laugh is a sign of happiness.
Smiles, hugs, and laughs are also all signs of a Happy Friday!
Smiles, hugs, and laughs are also all signs of a Happy Friday!
Sprinkles and Jimmies
If you are from the Northeast you likely call those chocolate little
things that are sprinkled
on ice cream as Jimmies. Most of the rest of the US calls them
sprinkles.
Jimmies were invented by the Just Born company in 1930 and named after an employee, Jimmy Bartholomew, who worked the chocolate pellet machine. Born marketed the freshness of his line of daily-made candy with a sign that declared, “Just Born.”
Samuel Born (no relation to Jason Bourne) was a Russian immigrant who invented the machine that inserted sticks in lollipops, the machine that coats chocolate on ice cream and the extruder that makes Easter 'peeps'. Before his machine, each peep was made by hand squeezing marshmallow in with a pastry tube. Other notable goodies from the company include including MIKE AND IKE® chewy fruit flavored candies, spicy, cinnamon-flavored HOT TAMALES®, and TEENEE BEANEE® gourmet jelly beans. The "Just Born" company no longer manufactures jimmies.
Jimmies were invented by the Just Born company in 1930 and named after an employee, Jimmy Bartholomew, who worked the chocolate pellet machine. Born marketed the freshness of his line of daily-made candy with a sign that declared, “Just Born.”
Samuel Born (no relation to Jason Bourne) was a Russian immigrant who invented the machine that inserted sticks in lollipops, the machine that coats chocolate on ice cream and the extruder that makes Easter 'peeps'. Before his machine, each peep was made by hand squeezing marshmallow in with a pastry tube. Other notable goodies from the company include including MIKE AND IKE® chewy fruit flavored candies, spicy, cinnamon-flavored HOT TAMALES®, and TEENEE BEANEE® gourmet jelly beans. The "Just Born" company no longer manufactures jimmies.
Space Myth, Weightless
People assume that
being on a space station or spaceship means that
you are totally weightless. This is a common
misconception, because even space has something
called microgravity. This minute version of
gravity is the pull you feel between two objects
while you are in space. For example, even though
you are not on the Earth’s surface, there is
still a gravitational pull coming from the Earth
that is extremely strong. There would also be
gravitational forces from the Sun and the Moon,
among others acting on you.
What this means is that even on a space station, you actually do not weigh that much less than you would on Earth. The reason people float on a space station is because of the way the station orbits the Earth. Technically, the people onboard are actually in a form of constant free fall, and the way the station curves around the Earth during its orbit keeps them floating. This effect can be replicated with certain airplanes in our own atmosphere. These planes what they use to train astronauts.
What this means is that even on a space station, you actually do not weigh that much less than you would on Earth. The reason people float on a space station is because of the way the station orbits the Earth. Technically, the people onboard are actually in a form of constant free fall, and the way the station curves around the Earth during its orbit keeps them floating. This effect can be replicated with certain airplanes in our own atmosphere. These planes what they use to train astronauts.
Cookie Cutter Face
Here is an interesting
way to impress/scare the relatives for
the holidays. Get your face made into a cookie
cutter. Etsy company CopyPastry will make a
cookie cutter from a picture for about $50,
and you are ready to begin sharing
your face with everyone.
Oatmeal raisin might be especially scary or maybe cranberry cookies for Halloween. Why not get one made of your significant other and you can bite their head off when you feel the need. The site even suggests getting your logo done, so you can pass out cookies instead of business cards. Here is the LINK.
Oatmeal raisin might be especially scary or maybe cranberry cookies for Halloween. Why not get one made of your significant other and you can bite their head off when you feel the need. The site even suggests getting your logo done, so you can pass out cookies instead of business cards. Here is the LINK.
Holidays and Flatulence
Every time we swallow, we gulp in
air too. Fizzy drinks compound this. Bicarbonate in the saliva and
pancreatic juices react with stomach acid to produce carbon
dioxide and many of our gut bacteria react with whatever is
passing through to produce methane, hydrogen and more C02. All of
these cause wind, but it is the tiny amounts of sulfur containing
gases that make it smell.
Things to avoid as much as possible when dining with relatives and friends for the holidays - go easy on food with a high proportion of the un-absorbable carbohydrate that provide a feeding frenzy for lower gut bacteria. These include beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, artichokes, root vegetables, prunes, apples, and fruit juice (which is heavy in fructose).
Fizzy drinks, gulping, eating too fast, and overeating pump the gut with wind that will escape either up or down, as does smoking and chewing gum. Tight clothing and restrictive underwear give your bowel gas fewer options.
A brisk outdoor walk is a great way of reliving the pressure and a charcoal biscuit or tablet from pharmacies can minimize the smell. Chemists have other anti-flatulence products and in extreme cases, Under-Tec pants have a carbon filter gusset that deals with the odor.
Things to avoid as much as possible when dining with relatives and friends for the holidays - go easy on food with a high proportion of the un-absorbable carbohydrate that provide a feeding frenzy for lower gut bacteria. These include beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, artichokes, root vegetables, prunes, apples, and fruit juice (which is heavy in fructose).
Fizzy drinks, gulping, eating too fast, and overeating pump the gut with wind that will escape either up or down, as does smoking and chewing gum. Tight clothing and restrictive underwear give your bowel gas fewer options.
A brisk outdoor walk is a great way of reliving the pressure and a charcoal biscuit or tablet from pharmacies can minimize the smell. Chemists have other anti-flatulence products and in extreme cases, Under-Tec pants have a carbon filter gusset that deals with the odor.
Disparate vs. Desperate
Disparate
means different or distinct in quality or kind; disparate
attractions as grand opera and game fishing.
Desperate means arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope. It also means showing extreme courage; a desperate cry for help or a desperate criminal.
Desperate means arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope. It also means showing extreme courage; a desperate cry for help or a desperate criminal.
Increase Sperm Count
Researchers at the universities of
Manchester and Sheffield found that smoking cannabis can have a
severe effect on male fertility, yet other lifestyle choices such
as drinking alcohol and wearing tight briefs were not considered
to cause problems, despite earlier reports suggesting otherwise.
Sperm quality has been in decline for decades, and scientists are unsure as to the exact causes. Last month a report published by Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic, following analysis of 12 studies conducted by different groups around the world, found that consumption of lycopene improved the quality, mobility, and volume of sperm dramatically, increasing sperm count by up to 70 per cent. Lycopene is an essential nutrient found commonly in red fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes, strawberries, cherries, and peppers.
A 2009 Spanish study by the Andalusian Center of Sports Medicine and the University of Las Palmas found that a prolonged spell on your bike can severely affect the shape and quality of sperm. After monitoring 15 Spanish triathletes with an average age of 33 the study found that "those that systematically cycled 300 kilometers a week, had a fertility problem."
In 2003, researchers from Sao Paolo University in Brazil studied 750 men and concluded that drinking coffee can improve the swimming speed of human sperm, although whether this means pregnancy rates are higher among coffee drinkers is unclear.
In 2012, a research team at the University of California published the results of a study which showed that men who consumed 75g of walnuts each day experienced a marked improvement in sperm vitality, motility and morphology.
Their conclusion was that there is a direct link between an increase in the consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (which exist at high levels in nuts) and an improvement in sperm quality among healthy men eating a western diet.
Like walnuts, almonds are rich with arginine, an amino acid that has been shown to increase sperm production. Peanuts contain high levels of zinc, which is also associated with an increase in sperm count and motility.
Sperm quality has been in decline for decades, and scientists are unsure as to the exact causes. Last month a report published by Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic, following analysis of 12 studies conducted by different groups around the world, found that consumption of lycopene improved the quality, mobility, and volume of sperm dramatically, increasing sperm count by up to 70 per cent. Lycopene is an essential nutrient found commonly in red fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes, strawberries, cherries, and peppers.
A 2009 Spanish study by the Andalusian Center of Sports Medicine and the University of Las Palmas found that a prolonged spell on your bike can severely affect the shape and quality of sperm. After monitoring 15 Spanish triathletes with an average age of 33 the study found that "those that systematically cycled 300 kilometers a week, had a fertility problem."
In 2003, researchers from Sao Paolo University in Brazil studied 750 men and concluded that drinking coffee can improve the swimming speed of human sperm, although whether this means pregnancy rates are higher among coffee drinkers is unclear.
In 2012, a research team at the University of California published the results of a study which showed that men who consumed 75g of walnuts each day experienced a marked improvement in sperm vitality, motility and morphology.
Their conclusion was that there is a direct link between an increase in the consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (which exist at high levels in nuts) and an improvement in sperm quality among healthy men eating a western diet.
Like walnuts, almonds are rich with arginine, an amino acid that has been shown to increase sperm production. Peanuts contain high levels of zinc, which is also associated with an increase in sperm count and motility.
Another Yosemite Sam
Somewhere in the New Mexico desert, possibly on the Laguna
Indian Reservation outside of Albuquerque, there is a radio
transmitter first noticed in 2004, that occasionally sends a
mysterious burst of transmissions. These transmissions, called
the Yosemite Sam transmission do not appear to make sense.
Spynumbers has a great post that says beginning in December 2004, the FCC began getting reports of the Yosemite Sam transmission, which begins as an 800 millisecond data burst, similar to the sound a Blu-Ray player might make when it makes some horrible error. That is immediately followed by a clip of an arch nemesis of Bugs Bunny’s, Yosemite Sam, announcing, “Varmint, I’m gonna blow you to smithereens!”
Radio geeks/conspiracy trackers/curious people pinned down the phrase from the 1949 Bugs Bunny cartoon, “Bunker Hill.” Why it is attached to a burst of compressed information, often used by intelligence community is mysterious. That it is transmitted in on four frequencies - 3700, 4300, 6500, and 10,500 kHz - for a full two minutes without any missed time mark tends to make it even more mysterious.
These are the numbers stations - radio stations on shortwave that broadcast some sort of repetitive noise followed by strings of numbers. Amateur tech geeks first identified the stations after World War II. No one is sure what their purpose is.
Spynumbers has a great post that says beginning in December 2004, the FCC began getting reports of the Yosemite Sam transmission, which begins as an 800 millisecond data burst, similar to the sound a Blu-Ray player might make when it makes some horrible error. That is immediately followed by a clip of an arch nemesis of Bugs Bunny’s, Yosemite Sam, announcing, “Varmint, I’m gonna blow you to smithereens!”
Radio geeks/conspiracy trackers/curious people pinned down the phrase from the 1949 Bugs Bunny cartoon, “Bunker Hill.” Why it is attached to a burst of compressed information, often used by intelligence community is mysterious. That it is transmitted in on four frequencies - 3700, 4300, 6500, and 10,500 kHz - for a full two minutes without any missed time mark tends to make it even more mysterious.
These are the numbers stations - radio stations on shortwave that broadcast some sort of repetitive noise followed by strings of numbers. Amateur tech geeks first identified the stations after World War II. No one is sure what their purpose is.
Lawyers and Law School
Well-known American lawyers who did not
go to law school or who did not finish
Patrick Henry (1736-1799) governor of Virginia
John Jay (1745-1829) first chief justice of the Supreme Court
John Marshall (1755-1835) chief justice of the Supreme Court
Daniel Webster (1782-1852) secretary of State
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) president, did not go
Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) representative, senator from Illinois
Clarence Darrow (1857-1938) defense attorney in Scopes trial of 1925, dropped out
Benjamin N. Cardozo (1870-1938) justice of the Supreme Court
Strom Thurmond (1902- ) US senator, governor of South Carolina
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson.
Patrick Henry (1736-1799) governor of Virginia
John Jay (1745-1829) first chief justice of the Supreme Court
John Marshall (1755-1835) chief justice of the Supreme Court
Daniel Webster (1782-1852) secretary of State
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) president, did not go
Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) representative, senator from Illinois
Clarence Darrow (1857-1938) defense attorney in Scopes trial of 1925, dropped out
Benjamin N. Cardozo (1870-1938) justice of the Supreme Court
Strom Thurmond (1902- ) US senator, governor of South Carolina
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson.
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