Jan 24, 2020
Canary Island Facts
The Canary Islands were named after canary birds, but the
location was actually named after dogs. Although it is off the
coast of northwestern Africa, the archipelago is part of Spain.
In Spanish, the area's name is Islas Canarias, which comes from
the Latin phrase Canariae Insulae for "island of dogs."
2020 Quirk
Because of a quirk in our calendar, which began on January 1 at
year 1 (1AD) we have some question about when a specific named
decade begins and ends. Since there was no year 0, between year
1 BC and year 1 AD, it can be confusing.
A decade, by definition is ten years, regardless when you begin counting, but decade names begin in the “1” year, not the “0” year. The 2020s will begin in 2020, but the next named decade will begin in 2021. When the year is 2021, 2020 years would have passed since the beginning of our calendar at year one.
2020 is also a leap year, so we get to enjoy an additional day of fun next year.
Incidentally, Chronométrophilia, the Swiss Association for the History of Timekeeping, pointed out a practical shortcut applies to the century system. "The 20th [Century] started with 1901, ended with 2000, so the two first digits of the last year of any century give it its name."
Year ending in 1 is named decade and year ending in 0 is century.
A decade, by definition is ten years, regardless when you begin counting, but decade names begin in the “1” year, not the “0” year. The 2020s will begin in 2020, but the next named decade will begin in 2021. When the year is 2021, 2020 years would have passed since the beginning of our calendar at year one.
2020 is also a leap year, so we get to enjoy an additional day of fun next year.
Incidentally, Chronométrophilia, the Swiss Association for the History of Timekeeping, pointed out a practical shortcut applies to the century system. "The 20th [Century] started with 1901, ended with 2000, so the two first digits of the last year of any century give it its name."
Year ending in 1 is named decade and year ending in 0 is century.
Explode vs. Implode
Take a plastic bottle. Fill it with water until it is full.
Continue filling it with water - plastic will expand, stretch,
and eventually burst. This is an explosion, an outward
expansion.
Now take same bottle, and suck air out of it. Keep sucking air out, creating vacuum, and pulling sides of the bottle inside. The bottle is experiencing an implosion, an inward expansion.
To add to this - if you EXplode a building, debris ends up everywhere - spread out for many yards/meters. If you IMplode a building, 99% of the debris falls into the footprint of the building.
Now take same bottle, and suck air out of it. Keep sucking air out, creating vacuum, and pulling sides of the bottle inside. The bottle is experiencing an implosion, an inward expansion.
To add to this - if you EXplode a building, debris ends up everywhere - spread out for many yards/meters. If you IMplode a building, 99% of the debris falls into the footprint of the building.
Two Way Mirror Tricks
Move up to the mirror and place your fingertip or nail against
it. If the reflection of your finger directly touches your
finger, it is a two-way mirror. If there is about 1 centimeter
of distance between your finger and the reflection, it is not.
Another way is turn the lights off in the room, then place a bright flashlight against the mirror surface. If there is a hidden chamber behind the mirror, the flashlight will illuminate it, and since you are in a darkened room, you will see the hidden room. Of course, any mirror hung in front of a wall will be a mirror and pane of glass installed into the wall, like any other window, will have window framing.
The recommended lighting ratio for surveillance purposes is 10:1, with the subject side being ten times brighter than the observer side.
Another way is turn the lights off in the room, then place a bright flashlight against the mirror surface. If there is a hidden chamber behind the mirror, the flashlight will illuminate it, and since you are in a darkened room, you will see the hidden room. Of course, any mirror hung in front of a wall will be a mirror and pane of glass installed into the wall, like any other window, will have window framing.
The recommended lighting ratio for surveillance purposes is 10:1, with the subject side being ten times brighter than the observer side.
Man on the Moon
There is one human whose ashes are on the moon. Eugene
Shoemaker is often credited with inventing the field of
planetary science and after a career filled with stellar
accomplishments, he spent his days traveling around the world to
study impact craters. He trained the astronauts headed to the
Moon and named many of the craters, valleys, and mountains on
the Moon.
When he passed away in 1997 his wife sent his ashes to the moon in a metal cylinder that was inscribed with a quote from Romeo and Juliet: "And, when he shall die/Take him and cut him out in little stars/And he will make the face of heaven so fine/That all the world will be in love with night/And pay no worship to the garish sun."
Since his ashes were interred on the Moon, Shoemaker has remained the only person ever buried on an extraterrestrial surface.
When he passed away in 1997 his wife sent his ashes to the moon in a metal cylinder that was inscribed with a quote from Romeo and Juliet: "And, when he shall die/Take him and cut him out in little stars/And he will make the face of heaven so fine/That all the world will be in love with night/And pay no worship to the garish sun."
Since his ashes were interred on the Moon, Shoemaker has remained the only person ever buried on an extraterrestrial surface.
Compost Your Remains
A new Washington State law was the first-in-the-nation, to
legalize the practice of “natural organic reduction” of human
remains. A Seattle-based company named Recompose opens in 2021,
offering $5,500 services that turn a human body into one cubic
yard of soil during the course of 30 days. Families of the
deceased can take as much soil as they like and any remainder
goes to sustaining conservation land in the Puget Sound region.
It claims the (not-so-cheap) service is a more eco-friendly
way to go.
Largest Libraries
The British Library with 170 to 200 million items is the largest
library in the world.
The US Library of Congress is the second largest library in the world with more than 168 million items in 450 languages, followed by the Library and Archives Canada with 55 million items, the New York Public Library with 54 million items, Shanghai Library with 50 million items, and the Russian State Library with 47 million items.
The US Library of Congress is the second largest library in the world with more than 168 million items in 450 languages, followed by the Library and Archives Canada with 55 million items, the New York Public Library with 54 million items, Shanghai Library with 50 million items, and the Russian State Library with 47 million items.
What's in a Name, FISA
Many headlines have used FISA during the past few
years, but a good number of people do not really know what it
is. It is a United States federal law that establishes
procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and
collection of "foreign intelligence information" between
"foreign powers" and "agents of foreign powers" suspected of
espionage or terrorism. The Act created the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Court (FISC) to oversee requests for surveillance
warrants by federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) permits the National Security Agency (NSA) to collect massive amounts of internet communications and associated data. NSA was founded in 1952 and is a member of the Defense Department and an Intelligence Community agency. Its goals are to discover adversaries' secrets, protect U.S. secrets, and outmaneuver our adversaries in cyberspace while at the same time protecting the privacy rights of the American people.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) permits the National Security Agency (NSA) to collect massive amounts of internet communications and associated data. NSA was founded in 1952 and is a member of the Defense Department and an Intelligence Community agency. Its goals are to discover adversaries' secrets, protect U.S. secrets, and outmaneuver our adversaries in cyberspace while at the same time protecting the privacy rights of the American people.
Dec 20, 2019
Happy Friday
"We cannot really love
anybody with whom we never laugh." ~ Agnes Repplier
Every day is good to have a hearty laugh, especially on a Happy Friday!
Every day is good to have a hearty laugh, especially on a Happy Friday!
Winter Solstice
Winter solstice 2019 in Northern Hemisphere will be on
Saturday, December 21. It is officially the shortest day of the
year. The first full day of winter, a full moon will shine like
a beacon on the long dark night. The December full moon, also
known as the Cold Moon or Long Night’s Moon, arrives less than a
day after the solstice, on December 22.
Yea! From now on days will be getting longer and that means more sunshine and that means warmer weather is coming.
Yea! From now on days will be getting longer and that means more sunshine and that means warmer weather is coming.
Reindeer Sex
Here is something appropriate for the season. Both male and
female reindeer grow antlers, and despite the depiction of
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen,
and Rudolph as males in media; they are most likely females.
Most male reindeer lose their horns in the winter when Christmas occurs. Females lose their antlers during the warm summer months. Males are much less nourished and fattened than the females at this time of year. Santa’s reindeer must be big and strong enough to pull a sleigh full of toys and would need to be in peak physical condition. Hmmm!
Most male reindeer lose their horns in the winter when Christmas occurs. Females lose their antlers during the warm summer months. Males are much less nourished and fattened than the females at this time of year. Santa’s reindeer must be big and strong enough to pull a sleigh full of toys and would need to be in peak physical condition. Hmmm!
Slovak Christmas Drink
Hriatô (Pronounced
hree-AH-two-oh) is traditionally served around
Christmas and is easy to make. It is a mouthful even before the
pork fat hits your lips, but this honey-infused, bacon-dappled
hot brandy cocktail graces the upper echelons of winter warmers
in Slovakia.
Home cooks begin by frying up bacon in a healthy dollop of lard. Once it is crisp, they drizzle in honey, allowing the sweet and salty blend to mingle. Finally, they add a good amount of potent fruit brandy. Hriatô’s base brandy, often the plum-based slivovka, is a potent distillate (usually more than 50 percent alcohol by volume).
Hriatô can indeed look a bit unappetizing on first glance. As the cloudy liquid begins to cool, the fat separates, initially forming glistening droplets on the drink’s surface, then a layer of settled fat. When enjoyed fresh, the fried bacon bobs in the boozy brew, balancing the honeyed liquid with a savory umami pork flavor. Pork is central to Slovakian cuisine, and even the national dish, bryndzové halušky, a rich meal of gnocchi-like dumplings and sheep’s milk cheese, receives a healthy smattering of bacon.
Home cooks begin by frying up bacon in a healthy dollop of lard. Once it is crisp, they drizzle in honey, allowing the sweet and salty blend to mingle. Finally, they add a good amount of potent fruit brandy. Hriatô’s base brandy, often the plum-based slivovka, is a potent distillate (usually more than 50 percent alcohol by volume).
Hriatô can indeed look a bit unappetizing on first glance. As the cloudy liquid begins to cool, the fat separates, initially forming glistening droplets on the drink’s surface, then a layer of settled fat. When enjoyed fresh, the fried bacon bobs in the boozy brew, balancing the honeyed liquid with a savory umami pork flavor. Pork is central to Slovakian cuisine, and even the national dish, bryndzové halušky, a rich meal of gnocchi-like dumplings and sheep’s milk cheese, receives a healthy smattering of bacon.
Bacteria vs. Germs
Bacteria are tiny, one-celled creatures that get nutrients
from their environments in order to live. Bacteria can reproduce
outside of the body or within the body as they cause infections.
Bacteria is a type of germ and can be either good or bad. There
are bacteria that live in water, soil, air, clouds, carpet, the
ocean, and inside your body. There are bacteria types ranging
from tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of different
species.
Germs are tiny organisms, or living things, that can cause disease. The four major types of germs are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. They can invade plants, animals, and people. Viruses need to be inside living cells to grow and reproduce. Fungi are multi-celled, plant-like organisms. Unlike other plants, fungi cannot make their own food from soil, water, and air. Instead, fungi get their nutrition from plants, people, and animals. Protozoa are one-cell organisms that love moisture and often spread diseases through water. Some protozoa cause intestinal infections that lead to diarrhea, nausea, and pain.
All bacteria are germs, but not all germs are bacteria.
Germs are tiny organisms, or living things, that can cause disease. The four major types of germs are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. They can invade plants, animals, and people. Viruses need to be inside living cells to grow and reproduce. Fungi are multi-celled, plant-like organisms. Unlike other plants, fungi cannot make their own food from soil, water, and air. Instead, fungi get their nutrition from plants, people, and animals. Protozoa are one-cell organisms that love moisture and often spread diseases through water. Some protozoa cause intestinal infections that lead to diarrhea, nausea, and pain.
All bacteria are germs, but not all germs are bacteria.
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