2019
will usher in new 5G phones, but do we need one? First, 5G
service will not be available in many places, so the technology
will be useless to most. Second, 5G pioneers will suffer the
slings and arrows of new technology and we all know the first
generation of most new technology is buggy. Third, the
technology is expensive and may cost a few hundred dollars more
per phone with 5G.
5G mmWave has worse range and worse penetration compared to the
current LTE. A mmWave signal can be blocked by buildings, trees,
and even your hand. It also does not work well in the rain or
fog, and the ~60GHz chunk of this spectrum can actually be
blocked by the air around you. To get around the hand blockage,
extra antennas will be added to phones, taking up valuable
battery space. One redeeming feature is the phones will be
backward compatible, so you can spend more money to get the same
service you have now.
First generation 5G chips will be much larger compared to the
other extremely-small smartphone components. They will also
require more power to use. More size for technology means less
size for battery and smaller battery means less usage time
between charging.
Bottom line, increased cost, limited availability of 5G
coverage areas, new technology woes, and less use time from
the battery all point to waiting to buy, unless you have a
desire to be 'first on your block' to have new technology for
bragging rights.
Dec 21, 2018
Hershey Almonds
The first
Hershey chocolate bars with almonds were produced during 1908,
because they were cheap to make. The nuts took the place of some
of the more expensive milk chocolate, which meant Hershey’s
could keep the price of the candy at a nickel.
Christmas Goat
In the Swedish town of Gävle, about 100 miles north of
Stockholm, residents have been erecting a giant straw goat in
the town center since 1966. The Gävle Goat, also known as the
Yule Goat and the Gävlebocken, may be a massive Christmas
decoration, but there is never any guarantee that it will still
be standing for the holiday. That is because there is a second,
illegal annual Christmas tradition in Gävle. It is trying to
burn down the Yule Goat before Christmas.
Yule goats have been a Christmas-time tradition in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia for many centuries, though how exactly the practice got its start has been lost to history. During 1966, advertising consultant Stig Gavlén developed the idea of constructing a giant straw Yule goat for the holiday season, hoping it would function as something of an attraction to bring business to the shops around it.
The idea was subsequently executed by the town’s fire department. With funding provided by local businessman Harry Ström, they built a 43-foot tall, 23-foot long, 3-ton straw goat in the town center. It was completed on December 1, 1966 and it stood through that month. On New Year’s Eve, a vandal from a nearby town set the goat on fire. Being made of straw with a wood framework, it quickly burned to the ground.
During the following four years local merchants known as the Söders Köpmän (Southern Merchants) took over financing the Gävle Goat. For the first two years, nothing of note happened; the goat was put up and taken down with no issue. Then in 1969, vandals managed to again set the goat aflame. The following year, they did it again. In fact, in the 1970 burning, drunken teenagers had managed to burn down the goat just six hours after construction of the goat was complete.
Fortunately for Gävle’s Yule Goat tradition, the Natural Science Club from the nearby School of Vasa took charge in 1971 and the Gävle’s Yule Goat lived on. Their first goat made it through the season without incident. However, sabotage in 1972 led to the goat’s collapse. Two years later, the goat was burned down once again and two years after that, it got hit by a drunk driver and was destroyed.
From the ashes of all this, the tradition of attempting to destroy the Gävle Yule Goat was born. Since 1980, the Gävle Goat has only managed to survive through the holiday season 13 times. This is despite the fact that a fire station is incredibly close by and several attempts have been made to make it more difficult for vandals to destroy the giant straw decoration. For instance, they tried spraying flame-retardant on the straw, only to have it wash off and the treated goat easily burned down.
Of course, despite all this and other efforts, half the fun of the tradition for many is seeing if the goat will make it to Christmas.
After years of trying, it appears they may have hit on the right mix of protection for the Gävle Yule tradition in 2014. After adding even better flame retardant chemicals that will not wash away easily, they moved a busy taxi stand to the town center right near the goat. They also positioned security personnel near the goat and had a 24-hour webcam trained on the decoration. Although there were reportedly a few close calls, the 2014 goat ultimately survived the Christmas season and was disassembled on December 29th, a bit earlier than previous surviving goats.
The 2015 Gävle Goat, which was erected on November 26th, made it through 2015’s Christmas but was burned down at approximately 3 am on December 27 by what police described as a heavily intoxicated man in his twenties. The man, who smelled of petrol, was caught red-handed carrying lighters and newspapers shortly after the goat was set ablaze. The man’s clothes were also singed as they briefly caught fire. Ah, fun traditions continue. . .
Yule goats have been a Christmas-time tradition in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia for many centuries, though how exactly the practice got its start has been lost to history. During 1966, advertising consultant Stig Gavlén developed the idea of constructing a giant straw Yule goat for the holiday season, hoping it would function as something of an attraction to bring business to the shops around it.
The idea was subsequently executed by the town’s fire department. With funding provided by local businessman Harry Ström, they built a 43-foot tall, 23-foot long, 3-ton straw goat in the town center. It was completed on December 1, 1966 and it stood through that month. On New Year’s Eve, a vandal from a nearby town set the goat on fire. Being made of straw with a wood framework, it quickly burned to the ground.
During the following four years local merchants known as the Söders Köpmän (Southern Merchants) took over financing the Gävle Goat. For the first two years, nothing of note happened; the goat was put up and taken down with no issue. Then in 1969, vandals managed to again set the goat aflame. The following year, they did it again. In fact, in the 1970 burning, drunken teenagers had managed to burn down the goat just six hours after construction of the goat was complete.
Fortunately for Gävle’s Yule Goat tradition, the Natural Science Club from the nearby School of Vasa took charge in 1971 and the Gävle’s Yule Goat lived on. Their first goat made it through the season without incident. However, sabotage in 1972 led to the goat’s collapse. Two years later, the goat was burned down once again and two years after that, it got hit by a drunk driver and was destroyed.
From the ashes of all this, the tradition of attempting to destroy the Gävle Yule Goat was born. Since 1980, the Gävle Goat has only managed to survive through the holiday season 13 times. This is despite the fact that a fire station is incredibly close by and several attempts have been made to make it more difficult for vandals to destroy the giant straw decoration. For instance, they tried spraying flame-retardant on the straw, only to have it wash off and the treated goat easily burned down.
Of course, despite all this and other efforts, half the fun of the tradition for many is seeing if the goat will make it to Christmas.
After years of trying, it appears they may have hit on the right mix of protection for the Gävle Yule tradition in 2014. After adding even better flame retardant chemicals that will not wash away easily, they moved a busy taxi stand to the town center right near the goat. They also positioned security personnel near the goat and had a 24-hour webcam trained on the decoration. Although there were reportedly a few close calls, the 2014 goat ultimately survived the Christmas season and was disassembled on December 29th, a bit earlier than previous surviving goats.
The 2015 Gävle Goat, which was erected on November 26th, made it through 2015’s Christmas but was burned down at approximately 3 am on December 27 by what police described as a heavily intoxicated man in his twenties. The man, who smelled of petrol, was caught red-handed carrying lighters and newspapers shortly after the goat was set ablaze. The man’s clothes were also singed as they briefly caught fire. Ah, fun traditions continue. . .
McDonald's Bacon Cheese Fries
According to some sources on the web,
McDonald's might be planning to sell bacon cheese fries sometime
in 2019. They are available now in some locations in California
and Hawaii. Yea!
Dec 14, 2018
Happy Friday
"If
you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun." ~Audrey Hepburn
There
is always time for more fun, especially on a Happy Friday!
Pig Hearts and Baboons
Some anubis baboons were the recipients of a new
heart, courtesy of an international team of researchers. With
the new hearts, which came from pigs, the baboons were able to
live normal and healthy lives for months.
According to a study published last month in the journal Nature, the researchers managed to keep two of the baboons alive for 90 days before they euthanized them in accordance with the terms of the study. The other two baboons survived for 180 days before the researchers put them down.
Prior to this study, the longest a baboon with a life-supporting pig heart survived was 57 days, and 60 percent of recipients died within just two days.
According to a study published last month in the journal Nature, the researchers managed to keep two of the baboons alive for 90 days before they euthanized them in accordance with the terms of the study. The other two baboons survived for 180 days before the researchers put them down.
Prior to this study, the longest a baboon with a life-supporting pig heart survived was 57 days, and 60 percent of recipients died within just two days.
Bacon Vending Machine
My brother and a friend Deby, both sent this
info along to me, almost the same day I came across it on the
web (great minds). Ohio State University students have a new
vending machine and it is going hog wild for bacon, offering
strips and bits for just $1. The machine was courtesy of the
Ohio Pork Council.
Located in the Animal Sciences building at the school’s College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, profits from the vending machine will benefit the meat science program, according to the Ohio Pork Council. The porky contents were donated by Hormel, Sugardale and Smithfield. It is like having your own personal cook in the house. Wouldn't it be nice if it also served up a side of eggs. Yumm!
Located in the Animal Sciences building at the school’s College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, profits from the vending machine will benefit the meat science program, according to the Ohio Pork Council. The porky contents were donated by Hormel, Sugardale and Smithfield. It is like having your own personal cook in the house. Wouldn't it be nice if it also served up a side of eggs. Yumm!
Generations
The media is always writing about generations, but many people
do not know exactly what ages they represent. Now you do. Some
reporting sources vary slightly, causing overlaps.
| start |
end |
|||
| The Interbellum Generation | 1901 |
1913 | ||
| The Greatest Generation | 1914 | 1924 | ||
| The Silent Generation | 1925 | 1945 | ||
| Baby Boomer Generation | 1946 | 1964 | ||
| Generation X (Baby Bust) | 1965 | 1979 | ||
| Xennials |
1977 | 1983 | ||
| Millennials Generation Y, Gen Next |
1980 | 1994 | ||
| iGen / Gen Z | 1995 | 2012 | ||
| Gen Alpha | 2013 | 2025 |
Picture Hanging Tip
The middle of hanging piece of art should be
57 inches from the floor.
Picture is 20" tall
Middle is at 10" (this mid point should be at 57" from the floor)
Wire comes to 2" below the top
10" - 2" = 8"
Lightly mark 8" above your first mark or 65" on the wall
Hang up art. You are welcome.
Picture is 20" tall
Middle is at 10" (this mid point should be at 57" from the floor)
Wire comes to 2" below the top
10" - 2" = 8"
Lightly mark 8" above your first mark or 65" on the wall
Hang up art. You are welcome.
How To Be Happy
In The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky
shares the results of years of research into what makes people
happy. She is concerned with “chronic happiness” (as opposed to
temporary happiness), with people who maintain an elevated sense
of well-being over time. Based on her work, Lyubomirsky
believes:
-
About half of human happiness is biological. Each of us seems to
have a happiness “set point” which accounts for roughly 50% of
our level of contentment. Because this set point is genetic, it
is tough to change.
- Another 10% of happiness is circumstantial, based on external factors. These include traits like age, race, nationality, and gender, as well as things like marital status, occupational status, job security, and income. Your financial situation is part of this 10%, which means it accounts for a tiny fraction of your total happiness.
- The final 40% of happiness comes from intentional activity, the things you choose to do. A huge chunk of contentment is based on your actions and attitude. You can increase your level of well-being through exercise, gratitude, and meaningful work.
Because circumstances play such a small role in your well-being, and because many of your circumstances are unchangeable, it makes more sense to boost your bliss through intentional activity, by controlling the things you can control while ignoring the things you can't.
You can't wait for someone or something to make you happy. Happiness is not something that just happens; happiness is a byproduct of the the things you think and say and do.
- Another 10% of happiness is circumstantial, based on external factors. These include traits like age, race, nationality, and gender, as well as things like marital status, occupational status, job security, and income. Your financial situation is part of this 10%, which means it accounts for a tiny fraction of your total happiness.
- The final 40% of happiness comes from intentional activity, the things you choose to do. A huge chunk of contentment is based on your actions and attitude. You can increase your level of well-being through exercise, gratitude, and meaningful work.
Because circumstances play such a small role in your well-being, and because many of your circumstances are unchangeable, it makes more sense to boost your bliss through intentional activity, by controlling the things you can control while ignoring the things you can't.
You can't wait for someone or something to make you happy. Happiness is not something that just happens; happiness is a byproduct of the the things you think and say and do.
Just
as you should become a money boss to take charge of your
financial life, you should become a happiness boss to take
charge of your emotional life. Believe it or not, you can
control your emotional responses. It just takes a bit of
knowledge and practice.
Dec 7, 2018
Happy Friday
If you moderate your desire for happiness, you moderate your
ability to achieve it.
Some things should never be moderated, especially on a Happy Friday!
Some things should never be moderated, especially on a Happy Friday!
Aunt Bertha
Aunt Bertha is the largest closed loop referral network for free
and reduced cost social services in the United States. Since
2010, it has been connecting people in need and the programs
that serve them, with dignity and ease. Go to the site and type
in your zip code. Especially great for seniors or others on
fixed budgets. LINK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)