There are three kinds of people: those who want to improve the
world, those who want to enjoy the world, and those who do both.
I try to do both by sharing smiles and celebrating a Happy
Friday!
Apr 25, 2014
ANZAC Day
ANZAC Day is the solemn day of remembrance of
those Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who fought and
died at Gallipoli in 1915. It is also a day of remembrance for all
soldiers who died while fighting for their country.
On 25 April 1915, eight months into the First World War, Allied soldiers landed on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula. The troops were there as part of a plan to open the Dardanelles Strait to the Allied fleets and force a Turkish surrender. The Allied forces encountered unexpectedly strong resistance from the Turks, and both sides suffered enormous loss of life. The forces from New Zealand and Australia, fighting as part of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), played an important part in the Gallipoli campaign.
The day is marked with parades, tributes, and playing Reveille and The Last Post (now used in British Ceremonies and funerals).
On 25 April 1915, eight months into the First World War, Allied soldiers landed on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula. The troops were there as part of a plan to open the Dardanelles Strait to the Allied fleets and force a Turkish surrender. The Allied forces encountered unexpectedly strong resistance from the Turks, and both sides suffered enormous loss of life. The forces from New Zealand and Australia, fighting as part of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), played an important part in the Gallipoli campaign.
The day is marked with parades, tributes, and playing Reveille and The Last Post (now used in British Ceremonies and funerals).
Origin of Safety Glass
Safety glass is used widely today and
has saved millions of people, especially during vehicular mishaps.
French chemist Edouard Benedictus in 1901 discovered the unique
properties by accident.
When he accidentally bumped a flask, causing it to fall and crash, he discovered the flask was broken, but not shattered. After researching, he discovered the glass contained cellulose nitrate, which served as an adhesive and held the broken pieces together.
"Indestructo" safety glass was originally manufactured by British Indestructo Glass Ltd of London. This glass was first used as gas masks during WWI and has become a standard in manufacturing windshields since 1939 and many other items today.
When he accidentally bumped a flask, causing it to fall and crash, he discovered the flask was broken, but not shattered. After researching, he discovered the glass contained cellulose nitrate, which served as an adhesive and held the broken pieces together.
"Indestructo" safety glass was originally manufactured by British Indestructo Glass Ltd of London. This glass was first used as gas masks during WWI and has become a standard in manufacturing windshields since 1939 and many other items today.
Top Ten Pistachio Facts
Pistachio seeds were a common food
as early as 6750 BC. Remains of the Atlantic pistachio and pistachio
seed along with nut-cracking tools were discovered by archaeologists
at the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov site in Israel's Hula Valley, dated to
780,000 years ago. The seed, commonly thought of as a nut, is a
culinary nut, not a botanical nut. When they split open while on the
tree, there is an audible pop.
The United States is currently the world leader in pistachio (Pistacia vera) production and second is Iran. Exports more than doubled during the past six years from 100 million pounds to almost 270 million pounds. Chine is the largest importer of pistachios.
One ounce of pistachios provides:
- More dietary fiber than 1/2 cup of cooked broccoli
- Six grams of protein – the same amount as 1 ounce of soybeans
- Seven grams of monounsaturated and four grams of polyunsaturated fats, which are considered heart healthy
- Less than 2 grams of saturated fat
- As much potassium as 1/2 of a large banana.
Pistachios contain more potassium than any other nut.
They contain only three to four calories each.
Pistachios help maintain healthy blood glucose control, and tend to minimize a rise in blood glucose levels when added to certain high carbohydrate meals.
Pistachios have four hundred times the amount of vitamin A as almonds.
Pistachio trees, a member of the cashew family, take from five to seven years to produce nuts and are biennial bearers, with a heavy crop one year and a smaller crop the next.
California, Arizona, and New Mexico represent 100 percent of the US commercial pistachio production.
Eating pistachios may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer. Pistachios are an excellent source of phytosterols, plant compounds that have been found to decrease levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), and they are packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants (including the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein, which gives the pistachio kernel its distinct green color.
Red pistachios do not exist in nature. Pistachio importers used to dye the nuts red to hide blemishes resulting from traditional harvesting methods.
The United States is currently the world leader in pistachio (Pistacia vera) production and second is Iran. Exports more than doubled during the past six years from 100 million pounds to almost 270 million pounds. Chine is the largest importer of pistachios.
One ounce of pistachios provides:
- More dietary fiber than 1/2 cup of cooked broccoli
- Six grams of protein – the same amount as 1 ounce of soybeans
- Seven grams of monounsaturated and four grams of polyunsaturated fats, which are considered heart healthy
- Less than 2 grams of saturated fat
- As much potassium as 1/2 of a large banana.
Pistachios contain more potassium than any other nut.
They contain only three to four calories each.
Pistachios help maintain healthy blood glucose control, and tend to minimize a rise in blood glucose levels when added to certain high carbohydrate meals.
Pistachios have four hundred times the amount of vitamin A as almonds.
Pistachio trees, a member of the cashew family, take from five to seven years to produce nuts and are biennial bearers, with a heavy crop one year and a smaller crop the next.
California, Arizona, and New Mexico represent 100 percent of the US commercial pistachio production.
Eating pistachios may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer. Pistachios are an excellent source of phytosterols, plant compounds that have been found to decrease levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), and they are packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants (including the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein, which gives the pistachio kernel its distinct green color.
Red pistachios do not exist in nature. Pistachio importers used to dye the nuts red to hide blemishes resulting from traditional harvesting methods.
What's in a Name, Meringue
The name meringue came from a
pastry chef named Gasparini in the Swiss town of Merhrinyghen. In
1720, Gasparini created a small pastry of dried egg foam and sugar
from which the simplified meringue evolved. Its fame spread and
Marie Antoinette is said to have prepared the sweet with her own
hands at the Trianon in France.
Undiscovery Day
Officially passed October 1986 by Ocean
Shores city council. Each year on the last Saturday in April, the
citizens of Ocean Shores, Washington, celebrate “Undiscovery Day”
to commemorate the night in 1792 when British explorer Capt.
George Vancouver sailed past Ocean Shores without discovering it.
Vancouver was en route to Nootka Sound, on what is now Vancouver
Island, to settle a controversy between Spain and Great Britain,
He passed the area where Ocean Shores is now located, near the
mouth of Grays Harbor, at about midnight on April 27,1792.
Undiscovery Day will be observed at the entrance to a harbor that was finally discovered by an intrepid Yankee named Robert Gray. About 75 to 100 people are expected to gather at Lumpy’s Tavern from noon to 2 p.m.
At midnight they gather on the shore. Preliminary ingestions are deemed necessary before braving the elements and promptly at the stroke of 12 the intrepid celebrants wend their way down to the shore, giggling and shrieking, “Hey George, over here!” and other appropriate instructions, hoping that Vancouver's ghost will answer and explain his oversight. To date, there has never been a reply.
Undiscovery Day will be observed at the entrance to a harbor that was finally discovered by an intrepid Yankee named Robert Gray. About 75 to 100 people are expected to gather at Lumpy’s Tavern from noon to 2 p.m.
At midnight they gather on the shore. Preliminary ingestions are deemed necessary before braving the elements and promptly at the stroke of 12 the intrepid celebrants wend their way down to the shore, giggling and shrieking, “Hey George, over here!” and other appropriate instructions, hoping that Vancouver's ghost will answer and explain his oversight. To date, there has never been a reply.
Dictionary
I looked it up and found that this week, in
1828, Noah Webster published his "American Dictionary of the
English Language." It was the first dictionary of American English
to be published.
Arousal Ice Cream
Not a joke. Ice cream maker Charlie
Harry Francis of 'Lick Me I’m Delicious' has a new flavor called
the Arousal. The flavor combines two key ingredients, Champagne
and Viagra. It is dosed with 25mgs of Viagra and is flavored with
bubbly champagne. The presentation picture says it all.
Other flavors from Charlie include Chocolate Rhubarb Macaroon, Glow in the Dark Ice Cream, and Salted Whiskey Caramel Cupcake, among others. There is a Facebook page and the official website boasts, "We specialize in making the most delicious incredible frozen treats your mouth will have the pleasure of melting." Yes, he is serious and he obviously loves his job.
Other flavors from Charlie include Chocolate Rhubarb Macaroon, Glow in the Dark Ice Cream, and Salted Whiskey Caramel Cupcake, among others. There is a Facebook page and the official website boasts, "We specialize in making the most delicious incredible frozen treats your mouth will have the pleasure of melting." Yes, he is serious and he obviously loves his job.
National Pretzel Day
April 26 is unofficially National
Pretzel Day. National Pretzel Day was declared in 2003 by
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.
During the 19th century, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America. Pennsylvania is the center of American pretzel production for both the hard crispy and the soft bread types of pretzels.
Pretzels are believed to be the world's oldest snack. The commonly held story is that pretzels date back to 610AD. Monks baked thin strips of dough into the shape of a child's arms folded in prayer as a reward for students saying their prayers. The strips of baked dough were called ‘pretiola’ (little rewards).
During the 17th century, pretzels symbolized the bond of marriage. This is where the phrase “tying the knot” originated.
Helen Hoff is the world-champion pretzel twister, at 57 pretzels a minute.
The annual United States pretzel industry is worth over $550 million. The average American consumes about 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) of pretzels per year.
Pretzels without salt are called baldies.
During the 19th century, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America. Pennsylvania is the center of American pretzel production for both the hard crispy and the soft bread types of pretzels.
Pretzels are believed to be the world's oldest snack. The commonly held story is that pretzels date back to 610AD. Monks baked thin strips of dough into the shape of a child's arms folded in prayer as a reward for students saying their prayers. The strips of baked dough were called ‘pretiola’ (little rewards).
During the 17th century, pretzels symbolized the bond of marriage. This is where the phrase “tying the knot” originated.
Helen Hoff is the world-champion pretzel twister, at 57 pretzels a minute.
The annual United States pretzel industry is worth over $550 million. The average American consumes about 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) of pretzels per year.
Pretzels without salt are called baldies.
EEyore's Birthday
Also on April 26 is Eeyore's birthday. If
you want to attend the biggest birthday party dedicated to a donkey,
you need to go to Austin, Texas for Eeyore's Birthday Party. Each
April, Austinites and visitors gather in Pease Park for live music,
drum circles, outrageous costumes and an extra dose of Austin
weirdness, all to celebrate Winnie the Pooh's companion. LINK
Apr 18, 2014
Happy Friday
If you don't get up before dawn, how can you enjoy the sunrise?
I am always up, bright and early to enjoy a Happy Friday!
I am always up, bright and early to enjoy a Happy Friday!
High Fructose Corn Syrup Myths Debunked
High
fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is basically the same as sugar, both in
terms of composition and in the number of calories it contains. HFCS
is produced by milling corn (maize) to produce corn starch, then
processing that starch to yield corn syrup, which is almost entirely
glucose, and then adding enzymes that change some of the glucose
into fructose.
High fructose corn syrup contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives.
High fructose corn syrup and sugar have almost the same level of sweetness.
It has either 42% or 55% fructose, which is comparable to sugar with 50% fructose. Studies found no differences in the metabolic effects of high fructose corn syrup as compared to sugar. Since high fructose corn syrup and sugar are so similar, the human body absorbs them the same way.
There is no scientific evidence that high fructose corn syrup is to blame for obesity and diabetes. In fact, the US Department of Agriculture data shows that consumption of high fructose corn syrup has actually been declining while obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise.
Studies have shown that the body does not recognize a difference between high fructose corn syrup and regular sugar. They both contain the same ingredients, in the same quantities. The only difference is in how they are extracted and combined.
"After studying current research, the American Medical Association concluded that high fructose syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners..."
High fructose corn syrup contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives.
High fructose corn syrup and sugar have almost the same level of sweetness.
It has either 42% or 55% fructose, which is comparable to sugar with 50% fructose. Studies found no differences in the metabolic effects of high fructose corn syrup as compared to sugar. Since high fructose corn syrup and sugar are so similar, the human body absorbs them the same way.
There is no scientific evidence that high fructose corn syrup is to blame for obesity and diabetes. In fact, the US Department of Agriculture data shows that consumption of high fructose corn syrup has actually been declining while obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise.
Studies have shown that the body does not recognize a difference between high fructose corn syrup and regular sugar. They both contain the same ingredients, in the same quantities. The only difference is in how they are extracted and combined.
"After studying current research, the American Medical Association concluded that high fructose syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners..."
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