Jun 3, 2016
Wordology, Whet One’s Appetite
This means to arouse interest in something, usually food. The whet in 'whet one’s appetite' refers to a sharpening, as in sharpening one’s interest in something. Someone may whet your appetite by providing a small taste, an example or enticing description that makes you want more of the item in question or to know more about a subject. Whet one’s appetite dates back to the early 1600s to describe stimulating an appetite for food. Whet is a verb, to sharpen, as on a whetstone, or to make more aware.
Life Hacks
Use permanent marker to write the day of purchase on anything you have that might expire.
When it’s opened, hydrogen peroxide only lasts a few months before it becomes ineffective (aka turns to water). Unopened, it should be tossed after a year. You will know when it is bad when it stops fizzing.
Cheap power strips or ones that have been overworked can be a fire hazard, and use much energy in your house. Even good-quality surge protectors are only designed to last for a certain amount of joules, which is the amount of excess electrical surges they absorb. If they start to discolor or become hot to the touch, get a new one. It is generally a good idea to replace them every three to five years to keep you and your electronics safe.
Fire extinguishers expire from five to fifteen years, depending on the type. This is definitely one thing you want to be sure is OK, when you need it.
Bleach loses some if its potency after three months. This should not be a problem for household laundry, but the disinfectant qualities fall below the EPA standards at this time, which means it is no longer effective for cleaning.
Insect repellent loses effectiveness after about two years from the manufacture date, which should be marked on the bottle.
When it’s opened, hydrogen peroxide only lasts a few months before it becomes ineffective (aka turns to water). Unopened, it should be tossed after a year. You will know when it is bad when it stops fizzing.
Cheap power strips or ones that have been overworked can be a fire hazard, and use much energy in your house. Even good-quality surge protectors are only designed to last for a certain amount of joules, which is the amount of excess electrical surges they absorb. If they start to discolor or become hot to the touch, get a new one. It is generally a good idea to replace them every three to five years to keep you and your electronics safe.
Fire extinguishers expire from five to fifteen years, depending on the type. This is definitely one thing you want to be sure is OK, when you need it.
Bleach loses some if its potency after three months. This should not be a problem for household laundry, but the disinfectant qualities fall below the EPA standards at this time, which means it is no longer effective for cleaning.
Insect repellent loses effectiveness after about two years from the manufacture date, which should be marked on the bottle.
Bisect vs. Dissect
Bisect means to divide into two equal parts, to cut in two. Bisect comes from the prefix bi- which means two, and the Latin word sect, derived from the word secare which means to cut.
Dissect means to cut apart methodically in order to learn about the internal workings of something, especially a dead animal or plant. Dissect is also used figuratively to mean to analyze something piece by piece. Dissect comes from the prefix dis- which means apart and the Latin word sect, derived from the word secare which means to cut.
Dissect means to cut apart methodically in order to learn about the internal workings of something, especially a dead animal or plant. Dissect is also used figuratively to mean to analyze something piece by piece. Dissect comes from the prefix dis- which means apart and the Latin word sect, derived from the word secare which means to cut.
More About Grilling Steaks
When your steak hits a hot surface, the smell and color change from pink to brown is part of the Maillard reaction, named for scientist Louis Camille-Maillard, who discovered the principle.
Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, and simple sugars rearrange themselves and produce thousands of molecules that result in smell and color changes, as well as flavor variation and intensification. This happens in all kinds of food, from baking bread to grilled shrimp. It is also what causes toast to smell so good and what turns beer brown.
Having a dry surface encourages the Maillard reaction, which is why so many articles and recipes for steak tell you to let the meat air dry or to pat it with paper towels before cooking it. Drier food plus hot temperatures equals more reactive compounds in your steak. More Maillard reaction equals more flavor.
Serious Eats points out that flipping your steak several times during the cooking process lets the heat from one side disperse back into the meat, which rescues the outer edges from becoming tough and overcooked. Frequent flipping cooks the meat more even, and significantly faster. Flip every minute instead of once or twice and the meat will be done in a third less time. This works because neither side has time to absorb much heat when facing the fire or lose too much heat when facing away.
To remove excess moisture, pat it dry with an absorbent kitchen towel or paper towel before you put it in a pan or on the grill.
You can even go the extra mile and salt steaks ahead of time and let them sit. The salt will add flavor and draw out surface moisture, all while slightly breaking down the proteins and improving the texture of the steak.
For the ultimate in tender, juicy beef, do not forget to slice it against the grain.
If you have any leftover uncooked steaks, freeze them properly for maximum flavor next time.
Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, and simple sugars rearrange themselves and produce thousands of molecules that result in smell and color changes, as well as flavor variation and intensification. This happens in all kinds of food, from baking bread to grilled shrimp. It is also what causes toast to smell so good and what turns beer brown.
Having a dry surface encourages the Maillard reaction, which is why so many articles and recipes for steak tell you to let the meat air dry or to pat it with paper towels before cooking it. Drier food plus hot temperatures equals more reactive compounds in your steak. More Maillard reaction equals more flavor.
Serious Eats points out that flipping your steak several times during the cooking process lets the heat from one side disperse back into the meat, which rescues the outer edges from becoming tough and overcooked. Frequent flipping cooks the meat more even, and significantly faster. Flip every minute instead of once or twice and the meat will be done in a third less time. This works because neither side has time to absorb much heat when facing the fire or lose too much heat when facing away.
To remove excess moisture, pat it dry with an absorbent kitchen towel or paper towel before you put it in a pan or on the grill.
You can even go the extra mile and salt steaks ahead of time and let them sit. The salt will add flavor and draw out surface moisture, all while slightly breaking down the proteins and improving the texture of the steak.
For the ultimate in tender, juicy beef, do not forget to slice it against the grain.
If you have any leftover uncooked steaks, freeze them properly for maximum flavor next time.
Grilling Tip
Cut a raw potato, rub it on your grill and the starch acts like a coating to keep food from sticking. Slice off the used edge and enjoy the rest of the potato.
What is IoT
We see these letters more and more, but many folks do not know what they mean. They mean the "Internet of Things." The IoT is a network of objects connected to the internet that can collect and exchange data.
The new car loaded with apps, the smart home devices that let you control the thermostat and lights with voice commands, the fitness tracker that lets you share your exercise progress with friends and health data with your doctor are all part of IoT. Think about GPS-guided agricultural equipment that can plant, fertilize, and harvest crops.
Business Insider Intelligence estimates that there will be 24 billion IoT devices installed globally by 2020, along with an additional 10 billion PCs, and other devices. It is estimated that $6 trillion will be invested in IoT solutions during the next five years.
The new car loaded with apps, the smart home devices that let you control the thermostat and lights with voice commands, the fitness tracker that lets you share your exercise progress with friends and health data with your doctor are all part of IoT. Think about GPS-guided agricultural equipment that can plant, fertilize, and harvest crops.
Business Insider Intelligence estimates that there will be 24 billion IoT devices installed globally by 2020, along with an additional 10 billion PCs, and other devices. It is estimated that $6 trillion will be invested in IoT solutions during the next five years.
Stocks and Elections
According to research, the S&P 500 has correctly "predicted" the winner in 19 of the past 22 presidential elections. If stocks are higher during the three months before the vote, the incumbent party wins; if stocks fall during August through October, a new party wins the White House. Hmmm, more stuff to watch.
May 27, 2016
Happy Friday
Action springs not from thought, but from taking responsibility
for action.
I feel responsible and am making this a very Happy Friday!
I feel responsible and am making this a very Happy Friday!
Pinch-Bum Day
Monarchists should wear oak leaves on May 29, also known as Pinch-Bum Day, to commemorate the return of Charles II to London on that date in 1660. Those who did not could be pinched. Our ancestors were clearly over-fond of this form of retribution, but at least women could do it to men, too.
Obscura Day
Celebrate the world's most curious and inspiring
places. LINK.
Explore places like Alexandria, Virginia's Taverns & Women
& Chocolate, Bozeman, Montana's Inside the American Computer
Museum, Bridgeport, Connecticut's Behind the Scenes with the
Barnum Museum and many more fascinating places around the world.
Butt Bricks
An engineer at RMIT University in Melbourne, has proposed re-purposing this waste into bricks for building. Bricks produced using cigarette waste are cheaper and less energy intensive than traditional bricks. The cigarette butts are mixed into traditional clay bricks, reducing the energy required by 58 percent. The resulting bricks are more insulating, which would cut down the cost of heating or cooling a home, and easier to move due to their lighter weight.
He believes that his techniques could make a huge dent in the problem of global pollution. “Incorporating butts into bricks can effectively solve a global litter problem as recycled cigarette butts can be placed in bricks without any fear of leaching or contamination.”
New York has its own solution to butts. Assemblyman Michael G. DenDekker, of Queens New York recently found out that cigarette butts can be turned into all kinds of useful things, so he proposed a bill for a cigarette recycling program for New York City. It would charge a one cent deposit on each cigarette to partially fund the recycling program and get those butts off the street. I presume the remainder of funding will come from all taxpayers, smokers or not.
A clothing maker in Brazil turns cigarette butts into fabric.
The Cigarette Waste Brigade pilot project recently began in Vancouver, Canada. The program’s first step was to install 110 recycling receptacles in four downtown areas where discarded butts are commonly found. The collected butts will be recycled into usable building materials such as planks and shipping pallets.
He believes that his techniques could make a huge dent in the problem of global pollution. “Incorporating butts into bricks can effectively solve a global litter problem as recycled cigarette butts can be placed in bricks without any fear of leaching or contamination.”
New York has its own solution to butts. Assemblyman Michael G. DenDekker, of Queens New York recently found out that cigarette butts can be turned into all kinds of useful things, so he proposed a bill for a cigarette recycling program for New York City. It would charge a one cent deposit on each cigarette to partially fund the recycling program and get those butts off the street. I presume the remainder of funding will come from all taxpayers, smokers or not.
A clothing maker in Brazil turns cigarette butts into fabric.
The Cigarette Waste Brigade pilot project recently began in Vancouver, Canada. The program’s first step was to install 110 recycling receptacles in four downtown areas where discarded butts are commonly found. The collected butts will be recycled into usable building materials such as planks and shipping pallets.
Bacon Cures
Cured bacon cures disease. Not a joke. Dr. Jennifer Gunter found that bacon has historically been used to stop severe nosebleeds, which can potentially be extremely hazardous, by stuffing it up your nostrils (the saltiness of the meat constricts blood vessels).
Bacon can also be used to expedite the removal of harmful Dermatobia hominis parasites by using it as bait (they like bacon, too).
Bacon can also treat scabies, by rubbing rendered bacon fat on yourself, which is apparently 88% effective compared to actual medicine.
Bonus, bacon can also reduce hunger and boredom.
Bacon can also be used to expedite the removal of harmful Dermatobia hominis parasites by using it as bait (they like bacon, too).
Bacon can also treat scabies, by rubbing rendered bacon fat on yourself, which is apparently 88% effective compared to actual medicine.
Bonus, bacon can also reduce hunger and boredom.
Wordology, Deja Vu, Jamais Vu, and Presque Vu
Deja vu, literally 'already seen' is having the strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced has already been experienced in the past.
Jamais vu, literally 'never seen' is experiencing a situation that one recognizes, but seems very unfamiliar, such as not remembering something you always see. It is most commonly experienced when a person momentarily does not recognize a word or, less commonly, a person or place, that she or he knows.
Presque vu, literally 'almost seen' is a failure to remember something, with the sense that recall is imminent. In English it is equivalent to 'tip of the tongue', failing to retrieve a word from memory, combined with partial recall and the feeling that retrieval is imminent.
Jamais vu, literally 'never seen' is experiencing a situation that one recognizes, but seems very unfamiliar, such as not remembering something you always see. It is most commonly experienced when a person momentarily does not recognize a word or, less commonly, a person or place, that she or he knows.
Presque vu, literally 'almost seen' is a failure to remember something, with the sense that recall is imminent. In English it is equivalent to 'tip of the tongue', failing to retrieve a word from memory, combined with partial recall and the feeling that retrieval is imminent.
Union Membership in US
The union membership rate, the
percent of wage and salary workers who were members of unions,
was 11.1 percent in 2015, unchanged from 2014, according to the
US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Workers in protective service occupations and in education, training, and library occupations had the highest unionization rates at 36.3 percent and 35.5 percent, respectively.
Private sector union membership rate, 24.2% in 1973, 6.6%: in 2014. Public sector rose sharply in the 1970s and has been relatively steady since 1980 at around 35 percent, more than five times higher than that of private-sector workers.
Overall union membership has fallen by about a half since 1983, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Workers in protective service occupations and in education, training, and library occupations had the highest unionization rates at 36.3 percent and 35.5 percent, respectively.
Private sector union membership rate, 24.2% in 1973, 6.6%: in 2014. Public sector rose sharply in the 1970s and has been relatively steady since 1980 at around 35 percent, more than five times higher than that of private-sector workers.
Overall union membership has fallen by about a half since 1983, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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