The words "dialect" and "accent" are often used interchangeably,
but they have different meanings. An accent might be described
by muddling up the difference between words people use and the
sounds they make, their pronunciation. It is the distinct way
that a group of persons or even one particular individual speaks
with distinctive phonetics and phonology. Groups sharing an
identifiable accent may be defined by any variety of common
traits, such as regional, the socio-economic status of its
speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their
first language (when the language in which the accent is heard
is not their native language), etc. In the US, think Boston, New
Orleans, etc. For example, the Southern accent might refer to
the pronunciation of the vowels like fire to 'fahr' or stress
shift like 'po lice versus po 'lice.
A dialect is a variation in the language itself and not only in
the pronunciation. Dialect is a type of language that is derived
from a primary language. A dialect is a variety of language
differing in vocabulary and grammar as well as pronunciation.
Dialects are usually spoken by a group united by geography or
class. It is a geographically or ethnically restricted form of a
language characterized by a combination of distinctive phonetics
(individual sounds), phonology (sound system rules), syntax,
grammar, and vocabulary. The major native dialects of English
are often divided by linguists into three general categories:
British Isles dialect, North America dialect, and those of
Australasia.
If someone from India
were to move to London and start speaking English, we would
refer to the speech as foreign accented speech, not a dialect.
Mar 2, 2018
IRS Scams
This
time of year in the US there are many IRS scams due to tax
season. If you receive an IRS scam call or a fraudulent tax
refund call, never return a phone call from someone claiming to
be with the IRS. Instead, individuals should call the IRS
directly at 800-829-1040, and businesses should call
800-829-4933.
The US Department of Justice says the IRS never discusses personal tax issues through unsolicited emails or texts, or over social media. Always be wary if you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the IRS who says you owe money.
If you receive an unexpected and suspicious email from the IRS, forward it to phishing@irs.gov.
The US Department of Justice says the IRS never discusses personal tax issues through unsolicited emails or texts, or over social media. Always be wary if you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the IRS who says you owe money.
If you receive an unexpected and suspicious email from the IRS, forward it to phishing@irs.gov.
Four Google Tips
If you are searching and want to eliminate a word, put a minus
- sign before it as in "cowboys -dallas" (without the quotes).
It will get you the information about cowboys, but very few
results about the football team.
Use an asterisk * to search and find the word you cannot remember, such as the "* of march" (without the quotes) returns results for the ides of March.
Looking for pictures, type in your search then click images on the top row. It will load your page with (mostly related) pictures. If you want animated pictures, click on search tools and choose "animated pictures".
The Google tool I use most is to filter by time. After you type in your search, click Tools, click "Anytime", then choose the time period. Many sites become outdated over time, and it is important to get the latest information. At the very least, choose "Past Year" for more recent information.
Use an asterisk * to search and find the word you cannot remember, such as the "* of march" (without the quotes) returns results for the ides of March.
Looking for pictures, type in your search then click images on the top row. It will load your page with (mostly related) pictures. If you want animated pictures, click on search tools and choose "animated pictures".
The Google tool I use most is to filter by time. After you type in your search, click Tools, click "Anytime", then choose the time period. Many sites become outdated over time, and it is important to get the latest information. At the very least, choose "Past Year" for more recent information.
Monkey and Banana Myth
Monkeys actually prefer leaves and insects rather
than bananas. In fact, bananas are not healthy for monkeys.
Bananas are too sweet for them. The UK has banned them from its
zoos. They love eating ripe fruits, seeds, vegetables, honey,
and flowers.
Incidentally, goats do not eat tin cans.
Incidentally, goats do not eat tin cans.
Draught Guinness
Draught or draft Guinness is special. There is a precise,
elaborate, and time-consuming art-form of pouring the perfect
pint of Guinness beer. Bartenders around the world are given
instructions for the proper pouring process, including details
about the type of glass used, the angle the glass is held at
during the different states of pouring, the precise length of
time the pint must be left to settle, and the force with which
the draught Guinness is poured from the tap.
During the 1950s, Guinness scientist Michael Ash was tasked with solving the 'draft problem'. At the time, dispensing a draft pint of Guinness was very complicated, and the company was losing market share to draft lagers in Britain that could be easily dispensed with CO2. “The stout was too lively to be dispensed with CO2 only,” Brady said. “Ash worked on the problem for four years, working long hours day and night, and became a bit of a recluse apparently. A lot of doubters at the brewery called the project ‘daft Guinness'.”
Then Ash attempted dispensing the beer with plain air. It worked. The secret ingredient, he discovered, was nitrogen. The air we breathe is 78 percent nitrogen. Today, a Guinness draft contains 75 percent nitrogen. Not only did the discovery make dispensing the beer easier, it created a creamy mouthfeel that has been the signature of Irish stouts since.
Nitrogen forms tighter bubbles than carbon dioxide when put under pressure in a solution and has a different appearance and texture. The bubble is a pocket of released gas that becomes trapped inside of a thin membrane of beer. There are many more little bubbles in a nitrogen pour.
Incidentally, Draught Guinness, as it is known today, was first produced in 1964. Bottled Draught Guinness was formulated in 1978 and launched into the Irish market in 1979.
During the 1950s, Guinness scientist Michael Ash was tasked with solving the 'draft problem'. At the time, dispensing a draft pint of Guinness was very complicated, and the company was losing market share to draft lagers in Britain that could be easily dispensed with CO2. “The stout was too lively to be dispensed with CO2 only,” Brady said. “Ash worked on the problem for four years, working long hours day and night, and became a bit of a recluse apparently. A lot of doubters at the brewery called the project ‘daft Guinness'.”
Then Ash attempted dispensing the beer with plain air. It worked. The secret ingredient, he discovered, was nitrogen. The air we breathe is 78 percent nitrogen. Today, a Guinness draft contains 75 percent nitrogen. Not only did the discovery make dispensing the beer easier, it created a creamy mouthfeel that has been the signature of Irish stouts since.
Nitrogen forms tighter bubbles than carbon dioxide when put under pressure in a solution and has a different appearance and texture. The bubble is a pocket of released gas that becomes trapped inside of a thin membrane of beer. There are many more little bubbles in a nitrogen pour.
Incidentally, Draught Guinness, as it is known today, was first produced in 1964. Bottled Draught Guinness was formulated in 1978 and launched into the Irish market in 1979.
Live to 90 With Booze
If you want to live into your 90s, booze actually
beats exercise, according to a long-term study. The research,
led by University of California (no surprise) neurologist
Claudia Kawas, tracked 1,700 nonagenarians enrolled in the 90+
Study that began in 2003 to explore impacts of daily habits on
longevity.
Researchers discovered that subjects who drank about two glasses of beer or wine a day were 18% less likely to experience a premature death. Meanwhile, participants who exercised 15 to 45 minutes a day, cut the same risk by 11%.
“I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity,” Kawas stated at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference in Austin, Texas.
Other factors were found to boost longevity, including weight. Participants who were slightly overweight, but not obese, cut their odds of an early death by 3%. “It’s not bad to be skinny when you are young, but it is very bad to be skinny when you’re old,” Kawas noted in her address.
Also, subjects who kept busy with a daily hobby two hours a day were 21% less likely to die early, while those who drank two cups of coffee a day cut that risk by 10%.
Researchers discovered that subjects who drank about two glasses of beer or wine a day were 18% less likely to experience a premature death. Meanwhile, participants who exercised 15 to 45 minutes a day, cut the same risk by 11%.
“I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity,” Kawas stated at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference in Austin, Texas.
Other factors were found to boost longevity, including weight. Participants who were slightly overweight, but not obese, cut their odds of an early death by 3%. “It’s not bad to be skinny when you are young, but it is very bad to be skinny when you’re old,” Kawas noted in her address.
Also, subjects who kept busy with a daily hobby two hours a day were 21% less likely to die early, while those who drank two cups of coffee a day cut that risk by 10%.
God's Aging Plan
Related to the above, most seniors never get enough exercise.
In His wisdom God decreed that seniors become forgetful so they
would have to search for their glasses, keys and other things,
thus doing more walking. And God looked down and saw that it was
good.
Then God saw there was another need. In His wisdom He made seniors lose co-ordination so they would drop things, requiring them to bend, reach, and stretch. And God looked down and saw that it was good.
Then God considered the function of bladders and decided seniors would have additional calls of nature, requiring more trips to the loo, thus providing more exercise. God looked down and saw that it was good.
God saw that the knights of the round table were getting weak, so he took the wheels off the chairs, thus causing them to actually pull on chairs before sitting down to stuff their faces. God looked down and saw that it was good.
So if you find as you age, you are getting up and down more, remember it is God's will. It is all in your best interest even though you mutter under your breath.
Then God saw there was another need. In His wisdom He made seniors lose co-ordination so they would drop things, requiring them to bend, reach, and stretch. And God looked down and saw that it was good.
Then God considered the function of bladders and decided seniors would have additional calls of nature, requiring more trips to the loo, thus providing more exercise. God looked down and saw that it was good.
God saw that the knights of the round table were getting weak, so he took the wheels off the chairs, thus causing them to actually pull on chairs before sitting down to stuff their faces. God looked down and saw that it was good.
So if you find as you age, you are getting up and down more, remember it is God's will. It is all in your best interest even though you mutter under your breath.
Calculate Anything
We all need to calculate things from time to time. Here is a
site that has almost 400 different free calculators. There are
calculators for business, health, finance, statistics,
construction, and more. LINK
Feb 23, 2018
Happy Friday
The joy of happiness is
immeasurable.
I count on staying happy, especially on a Happy Friday!
I count on staying happy, especially on a Happy Friday!
Wordology, Mnemonic
Mnemonics
make it easy to remember facts. There are many examples that
have been around for years, such as this mnemonic
sentence, "Super Heroes Must Eat Oats." For instance, the
names of the five Great Lakes spell the word HOMES. If you want
to remember them them in order of size from largest to smallest
surface area, try “Super Heroes Must Eat Oats” - Superior,
Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario. If you want to remember them
from left to right on a map, change Super Heroes to “Super Man
Helps Every One.”
Famous Olympians After Olympics
Some Olympians become famous for
other accomplishments
long after the medal glory wears off. Here are a few folks you
might not remember for participating in the Olympics.
Dr. Benjamin Spock, author of the bestselling Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (1946), was the authority on child rearing in Baby Boomer America. Spock rowed with Yale's crew team and made the men's eights team for the 1924 Paris Olympics. He won a gold medal at age 21. He also placed third in a 4-mile rowing contest at age 84.
General George S. Patton, World War II officer who led the U.S. Third Army on the Western Front, was famous for his foul mouth, rousing speeches, and tenacious leadership. He placed fifth in the inaugural modern pentathlon (swimming, riding, fencing, running, shooting) at the 1912 Olympics.
Bruce Dern was second in 1500 meters and 800 meters events in the Senior Olympics.
Geena Davis picked up archery as a hobby, but almost made the 2000 USA Olympic Team, where she placed 24th out of 300 at the tryouts. She had only been shooting for two years prior to trying out.
Jason Statham developed an interest in diving at age 11, joined Britain’s National Diving Team and competed in the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
Dolph Lundgren was asked to serve as the Team Leader for the 1996 US Olympic Modern Pentathlon team.
Strother Martin, from Cool Hand Luke movie, "What we've got here is failure to communicate." He entered the adult National Springboard Diving competition in hopes of gaining a berth on the US Olympic team, but finished third in the competition.
Dr. Benjamin Spock, author of the bestselling Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (1946), was the authority on child rearing in Baby Boomer America. Spock rowed with Yale's crew team and made the men's eights team for the 1924 Paris Olympics. He won a gold medal at age 21. He also placed third in a 4-mile rowing contest at age 84.
General George S. Patton, World War II officer who led the U.S. Third Army on the Western Front, was famous for his foul mouth, rousing speeches, and tenacious leadership. He placed fifth in the inaugural modern pentathlon (swimming, riding, fencing, running, shooting) at the 1912 Olympics.
Bruce Dern was second in 1500 meters and 800 meters events in the Senior Olympics.
Geena Davis picked up archery as a hobby, but almost made the 2000 USA Olympic Team, where she placed 24th out of 300 at the tryouts. She had only been shooting for two years prior to trying out.
Jason Statham developed an interest in diving at age 11, joined Britain’s National Diving Team and competed in the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
Dolph Lundgren was asked to serve as the Team Leader for the 1996 US Olympic Modern Pentathlon team.
Strother Martin, from Cool Hand Luke movie, "What we've got here is failure to communicate." He entered the adult National Springboard Diving competition in hopes of gaining a berth on the US Olympic team, but finished third in the competition.
Talk to a Human Help
These days it seems like companies deliberately hide the phone
number to speak to a real human being. Even if a company
provides a number, the computer leads us through a seemingly
random set of questions to keep punching in numbers until we
want to scream.
There is a way to bypass much of this hassle. A website https://gethuman.com/ provides real numbers and real techniques to get to a live human being. It even offers to help (for a fee) if you are completely exasperated.
There is a way to bypass much of this hassle. A website https://gethuman.com/ provides real numbers and real techniques to get to a live human being. It even offers to help (for a fee) if you are completely exasperated.
Longest Gestation
In humans, the period of time it takes for a baby to grow in
the womb to the point when it's ready to be born is called the
gestation period and it averages about 40 weeks or nine months.
Relative to many animals, that is a short period of time
When it comes to mammals, no one has to wait as long to give birth as the elephant. weighs approximately 230 pounds when born, to develop. The average gestation period for an elephant is about 95 weeks or 23 months.
Black alpine salamanders have gestation periods that can last two to three years. The higher they live in the Alps, the colder it is and the longer their gestation period lasts.
Certain species of sharks also have long gestation periods, such as a basking shark carries its young almost three years, while the frilled shark has a gestation period of three and a half years.
Deeper beneath the sea is another marine animal the a deep-sea octopus at over 4,500 feet deep in the ocean waters off California. Babies were born after a gestation period of 53 months. That is more than twice as long as most that live in more shallow waters.
When it comes to mammals, no one has to wait as long to give birth as the elephant. weighs approximately 230 pounds when born, to develop. The average gestation period for an elephant is about 95 weeks or 23 months.
Black alpine salamanders have gestation periods that can last two to three years. The higher they live in the Alps, the colder it is and the longer their gestation period lasts.
Certain species of sharks also have long gestation periods, such as a basking shark carries its young almost three years, while the frilled shark has a gestation period of three and a half years.
Deeper beneath the sea is another marine animal the a deep-sea octopus at over 4,500 feet deep in the ocean waters off California. Babies were born after a gestation period of 53 months. That is more than twice as long as most that live in more shallow waters.
TV is Watching Us
Your smart TV is watching you. Some may not mind being tracked
as it allows more personal ads sent to you. Others may not like
being tracked for any reason. Saw this in USA Today and thought
I would share how to turn off smart TV tracking.
LG - In the menu, click to Settings, which brings you to All Settings, and find your way to General. The feature to look for here is LivePlus, which is what LG calls the ACR technology. This is the one you want to turn off.
Samsung - On newer sets, go for Settings in the menu, then Support, then Terms & Policies. From there, Consumer Reports suggests pulling Viewing Information Services to opt out of. On older models, Consumer Reports says to click on Support and then select Terms & Policy and then SyncPlus and Marketing to turn off ACR.
Sony - Consumer Reports notes that ACR is turned on during setup of the TV, via agreements with Sony, which makes the TV; Google, which provides the AndroidTV operating system; and Samba TV, a company that gathers analytics on viewers' habits that advertisers can use for targeted ad campaigns. On Sony TVs, you need to get go back to the setup, available within Settings, to turn off ACR. If you want some of the Web connectivity, but not everything, you can agree to Sony and Google policies, and then when you come to Samba TV, opt out of ACR by clicking 'disable'.
TCL/Roku - TCL, Hisense, Hitachi, Insignia, Philips, RCA and Sharp.
Turn off ACR by going to Settings, then Privacy, and "Smart TV Experience." Consumer Reports says you can uncheck "Use Information for TV Inputs" to disable ACR.
Vizio - Select System, click on Reset & Admin and opt for Viewing Data to opt out of ACR.
LG - In the menu, click to Settings, which brings you to All Settings, and find your way to General. The feature to look for here is LivePlus, which is what LG calls the ACR technology. This is the one you want to turn off.
Samsung - On newer sets, go for Settings in the menu, then Support, then Terms & Policies. From there, Consumer Reports suggests pulling Viewing Information Services to opt out of. On older models, Consumer Reports says to click on Support and then select Terms & Policy and then SyncPlus and Marketing to turn off ACR.
Sony - Consumer Reports notes that ACR is turned on during setup of the TV, via agreements with Sony, which makes the TV; Google, which provides the AndroidTV operating system; and Samba TV, a company that gathers analytics on viewers' habits that advertisers can use for targeted ad campaigns. On Sony TVs, you need to get go back to the setup, available within Settings, to turn off ACR. If you want some of the Web connectivity, but not everything, you can agree to Sony and Google policies, and then when you come to Samba TV, opt out of ACR by clicking 'disable'.
TCL/Roku - TCL, Hisense, Hitachi, Insignia, Philips, RCA and Sharp.
Turn off ACR by going to Settings, then Privacy, and "Smart TV Experience." Consumer Reports says you can uncheck "Use Information for TV Inputs" to disable ACR.
Vizio - Select System, click on Reset & Admin and opt for Viewing Data to opt out of ACR.
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