Mar 4, 2016
New Zealand Flag
New Zealand may be changing its national flag. The silver fern will face off against the status quo in the second round of voting between March 3 and March 24. 2016.
Aspirin Origin
On March 6, 1899 acetylsalicylic acid, was patented by The Friedrich Bayer & Co. under the trade name Aspirin at the Imperial patent office in Berlin. For over a century, it is still one of the most effective, versatile, and commonly used medications in the world.
Its active ingredient, salicin, had been used for many centuries to alleviate pain and fever. Hippocrates is known to have used it, and it had been used in modern medicine since the 19th century. As effective as it was, willow bark and salicin were used sparingly, because the taste was so bad, its use caused a severe upset stomach, and in extreme cases could even damage a stomach.
This changed when Bayer chemist Felix Hoffman created a form of the drug that was just as effective, but much better tasting and drastically easier on the stomach. Three years after Hoffman’s death in 1949, another scientist at Bayer, Arthur Eichengrün came forward claiming responsibility for Hoffman's work.
Eichengrün, who was imprisoned in the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II, maintained he was denied his due because he was Jewish.
Either Hoffman or Eichengrün also perfected another medication around the same time as Aspirin. Heroin was was believed to have even greater potential. It was created to be a non-addictive alternative to morphine for such ailments as labor pains and curing heavy coughs.
When Aspirin was first recommended to Heinrich Dreser, head of the pharmacological laboratory at Bayer, he rejected it, supposedly stating “The product has no value.” Once Heroin quickly began to fall as people realized how addictive it was, he revisited his decision regarding Aspirin and it quickly became Bayer’s best selling product. After World War I, Bayer had to give up its trademark on Aspirin as part of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
Aspirin sales slumped with the introduction of other over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, but sales rebounded when clinical trials showed that a small daily dose of Aspirin could lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Today, approximately 40 billion Aspirin tablets are consumed annually.
Its active ingredient, salicin, had been used for many centuries to alleviate pain and fever. Hippocrates is known to have used it, and it had been used in modern medicine since the 19th century. As effective as it was, willow bark and salicin were used sparingly, because the taste was so bad, its use caused a severe upset stomach, and in extreme cases could even damage a stomach.
This changed when Bayer chemist Felix Hoffman created a form of the drug that was just as effective, but much better tasting and drastically easier on the stomach. Three years after Hoffman’s death in 1949, another scientist at Bayer, Arthur Eichengrün came forward claiming responsibility for Hoffman's work.
Eichengrün, who was imprisoned in the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II, maintained he was denied his due because he was Jewish.
Either Hoffman or Eichengrün also perfected another medication around the same time as Aspirin. Heroin was was believed to have even greater potential. It was created to be a non-addictive alternative to morphine for such ailments as labor pains and curing heavy coughs.
When Aspirin was first recommended to Heinrich Dreser, head of the pharmacological laboratory at Bayer, he rejected it, supposedly stating “The product has no value.” Once Heroin quickly began to fall as people realized how addictive it was, he revisited his decision regarding Aspirin and it quickly became Bayer’s best selling product. After World War I, Bayer had to give up its trademark on Aspirin as part of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
Aspirin sales slumped with the introduction of other over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, but sales rebounded when clinical trials showed that a small daily dose of Aspirin could lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Today, approximately 40 billion Aspirin tablets are consumed annually.
Ten Steven Wright Quotes
This is one funny guy that makes us think. Here are a few:
- I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.
- Borrow money from pessimists - they don't expect it back.
- Half the people you know are below average.
- All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand.
- The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
- I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met.
- OK, so what's the speed of dark?
- Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now.
- I intend to live forever. . . So far, so good.
- If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?
Coffee and Cirrhosis
According to new research published online Jan. 25, 2016 in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, drinking more coffee could lower the risk of alcohol-related cirrhosis.
While there are observational studies that have already been reported regarding the link between coffee and cirrhosis, the researchers wanted to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish the inverse relationship between the two.
They found that by adding two or more cups of coffee a day, a person can reduce the risk of developing liver cirrhosis by 44 percent. The inverse association continues as the number of cups increases. For every additional three cups, the risk was reduced 57 percent; and for every four cups added, the risk was further reduced to 65 percent.
"Cirrhosis is potentially fatal and there is no cure as such," said lead study author Dr. Oliver Kennedy of Southampton University in the U.K. "Therefore, it is significant that the risk of developing cirrhosis may be reduced by consumption of coffee, a cheap, ubiquitous, and well-tolerated beverage."
According to the National Institution of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver, the body's largest internal organ, gradually gets worse and is unable to perform its normal functions, because of chronic damage.
There are some limitations to the study as it was not able to account for other risk factors of liver disease, such as obesity and diabetes. The study also did not mention whether the type of beans or brewing method is significant to the results.
According to one expert, while the findings of the study showed positive effects of drinking coffee on the risk of cirrhosis, it should not give people the false hope that coffee can lessen the seriousness or extent of the liver damage.
"Unfortunately, although coffee contains compounds that have antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory properties, drinking a few cups of coffee a day cannot undo the systematic damage that is the result of being overweight or obese, sedentary, excessive alcohol consumption or drastically mitigate an unhealthy diet," said Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York.
While there are observational studies that have already been reported regarding the link between coffee and cirrhosis, the researchers wanted to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish the inverse relationship between the two.
They found that by adding two or more cups of coffee a day, a person can reduce the risk of developing liver cirrhosis by 44 percent. The inverse association continues as the number of cups increases. For every additional three cups, the risk was reduced 57 percent; and for every four cups added, the risk was further reduced to 65 percent.
"Cirrhosis is potentially fatal and there is no cure as such," said lead study author Dr. Oliver Kennedy of Southampton University in the U.K. "Therefore, it is significant that the risk of developing cirrhosis may be reduced by consumption of coffee, a cheap, ubiquitous, and well-tolerated beverage."
According to the National Institution of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver, the body's largest internal organ, gradually gets worse and is unable to perform its normal functions, because of chronic damage.
There are some limitations to the study as it was not able to account for other risk factors of liver disease, such as obesity and diabetes. The study also did not mention whether the type of beans or brewing method is significant to the results.
According to one expert, while the findings of the study showed positive effects of drinking coffee on the risk of cirrhosis, it should not give people the false hope that coffee can lessen the seriousness or extent of the liver damage.
"Unfortunately, although coffee contains compounds that have antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory properties, drinking a few cups of coffee a day cannot undo the systematic damage that is the result of being overweight or obese, sedentary, excessive alcohol consumption or drastically mitigate an unhealthy diet," said Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York.
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Fried Chicken Tips
Vodka is much more volatile than water, which is the main component of buttermilk, pickle juice, or pretty much any other fried chicken marinade. As such, it evaporates much more rapidly and violently. This helps drive moisture off the crust of the chicken faster, while also creating bigger vapor bubbles, adding surface area to the crust. Both of these mean crisper, lighter fried chicken. Only about two tablespoons of vodka is needed.
Brine helps chicken retain moisture. As chicken sits in a brine, the salt dissolves proteins in the meat's muscle structure, loosening it and allowing it to retain more moisture as it cooks. Brined chickens lose 30 to 40% less moisture than un-brined chickens. Add half an ounce of salt for every cup of marinade.
For each cup of dredging flour called for in the recipe, drizzle about two tablespoons of marinade/liquid into it. After drizzling, work it into the flour with fingers or a whisk then add the chicken pieces to coat. This process makes little chunks, which make chicken crispier.
Brine helps chicken retain moisture. As chicken sits in a brine, the salt dissolves proteins in the meat's muscle structure, loosening it and allowing it to retain more moisture as it cooks. Brined chickens lose 30 to 40% less moisture than un-brined chickens. Add half an ounce of salt for every cup of marinade.
For each cup of dredging flour called for in the recipe, drizzle about two tablespoons of marinade/liquid into it. After drizzling, work it into the flour with fingers or a whisk then add the chicken pieces to coat. This process makes little chunks, which make chicken crispier.
Thought for the Voting Season
"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable." ~ J. K. Galbraith, Letter to Kennedy, 1962
Hoverboards and Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries serve as the power source for everything from smartphones, laptops, hover boards, to electric cars such as the Tesla. They are rechargeable and have four to six times the energy of standard nickel-cadmium batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries in those technologies are made by experienced and highly reliable manufacturers. They know how to construct them in a way that balances the amount of power produced with the amount of power consumed by the device during operation.
This type of battery has three primary parts: Two electrodes, an anode made of graphite, and a cathode made of lithium cobalt oxide or a similar metal oxide. Between is a thin, but porous polyethylene separator that keeps the two apart.
The electric current flows between the anode and the cathode via a liquid, called the electrolyte. If the anode and cathode are not engineered correctly for the power draw or the separator is imperfect, a short circuit can result. When that happens, the electrolyte heats up, the cathode and anode become unstable, and the two react violently with the electrolyte. The temperature may cause the battery to eject its hot internal contents, which catch fire or explode when they come in contact with oxygen in the atmosphere.
Hoverboard manufacturers had many less-than-expert battery suppliers using possible defective materials or improper engineering of parts. Hoverboards pose additional risks. They draw energy from batteries much faster than cellphones and laptops do, which strains the electrodes and raises the internal heat. They are also subject to more mechanical abuse. When they fix the battery problem, I still want/need one.
Lithium-ion batteries in those technologies are made by experienced and highly reliable manufacturers. They know how to construct them in a way that balances the amount of power produced with the amount of power consumed by the device during operation.
This type of battery has three primary parts: Two electrodes, an anode made of graphite, and a cathode made of lithium cobalt oxide or a similar metal oxide. Between is a thin, but porous polyethylene separator that keeps the two apart.
The electric current flows between the anode and the cathode via a liquid, called the electrolyte. If the anode and cathode are not engineered correctly for the power draw or the separator is imperfect, a short circuit can result. When that happens, the electrolyte heats up, the cathode and anode become unstable, and the two react violently with the electrolyte. The temperature may cause the battery to eject its hot internal contents, which catch fire or explode when they come in contact with oxygen in the atmosphere.
Hoverboard manufacturers had many less-than-expert battery suppliers using possible defective materials or improper engineering of parts. Hoverboards pose additional risks. They draw energy from batteries much faster than cellphones and laptops do, which strains the electrodes and raises the internal heat. They are also subject to more mechanical abuse. When they fix the battery problem, I still want/need one.
Font Types and Buying
The type font used by marketers to convey a price promotion affects our perception of the product and purchase behavior.
It is widely accepted that non-serif fonts, such as Helvetica or Arial, are easy to process and should create a positive effect that consumers generally mis-attribute to the quality of the related product. As a result, many companies including Target, Mattel, Staples, and The North Face use Helvetica in their brand logos. Helvetica was also used in the posters for the television show Mad Men. From this, some could assume that when fonts are easier to read, they are more liked by consumers, who would increase purchases.
However, in a new paper, coming in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, a team of researchers took a closer look at how consumers' buying decisions are influenced by fonts. They argue that when product and price information appears in difficult to read fonts, customers take more time to read and process the information, which should induce greater recall of that information and may lead to a perception that the product in question is a better value for their money. "Simply stated, we suggest that marketers might think that simplifying a consumer promotion might help increase sale. However we show that, in fact, a harder-to-read font makes them more likely to purchase a product, hence the paradox."
The researchers found that if a marketer wants consumers to notice the value communicated by a lower price, a difficult to read font might be beneficial and more effective. Even though consumers say they do not prefer difficult to read fonts or advertisements, the research shows they are actually more likely to purchase the related promoted offers.
Bottom line, when offers are monetarily similar, consumers prefer fluent fonts. However, even though consumers find prices in fluent fonts easier to grasp, prices promoted in harder-to-read fonts increase sales.
It is widely accepted that non-serif fonts, such as Helvetica or Arial, are easy to process and should create a positive effect that consumers generally mis-attribute to the quality of the related product. As a result, many companies including Target, Mattel, Staples, and The North Face use Helvetica in their brand logos. Helvetica was also used in the posters for the television show Mad Men. From this, some could assume that when fonts are easier to read, they are more liked by consumers, who would increase purchases.
However, in a new paper, coming in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, a team of researchers took a closer look at how consumers' buying decisions are influenced by fonts. They argue that when product and price information appears in difficult to read fonts, customers take more time to read and process the information, which should induce greater recall of that information and may lead to a perception that the product in question is a better value for their money. "Simply stated, we suggest that marketers might think that simplifying a consumer promotion might help increase sale. However we show that, in fact, a harder-to-read font makes them more likely to purchase a product, hence the paradox."
The researchers found that if a marketer wants consumers to notice the value communicated by a lower price, a difficult to read font might be beneficial and more effective. Even though consumers say they do not prefer difficult to read fonts or advertisements, the research shows they are actually more likely to purchase the related promoted offers.
Bottom line, when offers are monetarily similar, consumers prefer fluent fonts. However, even though consumers find prices in fluent fonts easier to grasp, prices promoted in harder-to-read fonts increase sales.
Feb 26, 2016
Happy Friday
Happiness is the last defense of old age.
Happiness is also a great offense for enjoying a Happy Friday!
Happiness is also a great offense for enjoying a Happy Friday!
Texas Independence Day
March 2 is the celebration of the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836. With this document signed by 59 people, settlers in Mexican Texas officially declared independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas.
Still More Yogi Berra Quotes
Here are my last bunch of his many famous quotes:
- Slump? I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting.
- The future ain’t what it used to be.
- We have deep depth.
- Pair up in threes.
- Why buy good luggage, you only use it when you travel.
- Even Napoleon had his Watergate.
- It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much.
- I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn’t my fault that I’m not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?
- So I’m ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face.
- The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase.
- Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.
Wordology, Escalumps
People who stand on the left while riding escalators, hindering others from passing.
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