Happiness is an age eraser. Be happy and you will never grow old.
Stay Happy, stay
young and enjoy a Happy Friday!
Jul 29, 2016
Why Donkeys and Elephants
Washington insiders considered Andrew Jackson
as intemperate, vulgar, and stupid. Opponents called him a
jackass. During the 1828 presidential campaign, he embraced the
label and began including a jackass on his campaign posters. He
became the first Democrat president.
Incidentally, donkeys are in the same family as horses. A male donkey is called a jackass.
During the 1870s, influential political cartoonist Thomas Nast helped popularize the donkey as a symbol for the entire Democrat Party. It first appeared in a cartoon in Harper's Weekly in 1870, and was supposed to represent an anti-Civil War faction. Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. By 1880 it had already become the unofficial symbol of the party.
Thomas Nast, in an 1874 Harper’s Weekly cartoon portrayed various interest groups as animals, including an elephant labeled “The Republican Vote,” which was shown standing at the edge of a pit. He employed the elephant to represent Republicans in additional cartoons during the 1870s, and by 1880 other cartoonists were using the creature to symbolize the party.
Democrats say the donkey is smart and brave and Republicans say the elephant is strong and dignified.
Incidentally, donkeys are in the same family as horses. A male donkey is called a jackass.
During the 1870s, influential political cartoonist Thomas Nast helped popularize the donkey as a symbol for the entire Democrat Party. It first appeared in a cartoon in Harper's Weekly in 1870, and was supposed to represent an anti-Civil War faction. Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. By 1880 it had already become the unofficial symbol of the party.
Thomas Nast, in an 1874 Harper’s Weekly cartoon portrayed various interest groups as animals, including an elephant labeled “The Republican Vote,” which was shown standing at the edge of a pit. He employed the elephant to represent Republicans in additional cartoons during the 1870s, and by 1880 other cartoonists were using the creature to symbolize the party.
Democrats say the donkey is smart and brave and Republicans say the elephant is strong and dignified.
Wordology, Chorale, Choral and Corral
A chorale
is a slow, dignified hymn that employs harmony. In the United
States, a chorale is also a choir or chorus of people. Chorale
comes from the German word Choral which means metrical hymn in
Reformed church.
Choral is the adjective form of chorale, meaning written for or sung by a chorale or group of singers.
A corral is a fenced enclosure used to hold livestock, especially horses or cattle. Corral is also used as a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object, to mean 'to contain livestock in a fenced enclosure or to round up'. Related words are corrals, corralled, corralling. Corral is an American word, based on the Spanish word corro which means ring.
Choral is the adjective form of chorale, meaning written for or sung by a chorale or group of singers.
A corral is a fenced enclosure used to hold livestock, especially horses or cattle. Corral is also used as a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object, to mean 'to contain livestock in a fenced enclosure or to round up'. Related words are corrals, corralled, corralling. Corral is an American word, based on the Spanish word corro which means ring.
Google Energy Use
In 2011, Google's data centers reportedly used 0.01% of the world's electricity, even though it uses low-power servers and high-efficiency data centers. Its networks use 900,000 servers across the world to power the search engine and other services. It uses artificial intelligence to monitor and make best use of electricity.
Six More Peanut Butter Facts
Peanut butter may have long-term health benefits. One recent study showed that girls between the ages of 9 and 15 who regularly ate peanut butter were 39 percent less likely to develop benign breast disease by age 30.
Peanut butter is loaded with potassium, which is shown to help counteract the effects of a high-sodium diet by relaxing the blood vessels. This is especially helpful when pairing peanut butter with bacon.
Animal trainers for movies and TV achieved a 'talking horse' effect by feeding them sticky peanut butter and letting them flap their jaws.
Thomas Jefferson did peanut farming before becoming president.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are considered the all-American school lunch food, but Canadians and the Dutch consume more peanut butter per capita than Americans do.
The peanuts in your peanut butter today are a different variety than the ones used 50 years ago. In the 1960s, peanut butter was made with a combination of Spanish peanuts and Virginia peanuts. Now the less expensive runner peanuts are used.
Peanut butter is loaded with potassium, which is shown to help counteract the effects of a high-sodium diet by relaxing the blood vessels. This is especially helpful when pairing peanut butter with bacon.
Animal trainers for movies and TV achieved a 'talking horse' effect by feeding them sticky peanut butter and letting them flap their jaws.
Thomas Jefferson did peanut farming before becoming president.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are considered the all-American school lunch food, but Canadians and the Dutch consume more peanut butter per capita than Americans do.
The peanuts in your peanut butter today are a different variety than the ones used 50 years ago. In the 1960s, peanut butter was made with a combination of Spanish peanuts and Virginia peanuts. Now the less expensive runner peanuts are used.
TV Types
High Dynamic Range (HDR) is now entering the market, traditional light emitting diode (LED) TVs are benefiting from the extra performance. If you watch movies with the lights off HDR is fine, but the best HDR-equipped full back lit LED TVs can also look good in a bright room.
Among LED TVs, there are two backlight types: Direct LED (full-array) where a large back-light shines through the whole screen, and edge-lit where lights emit from the edges.
Organic light emitting diode (OLED) TVs tend to shine, especially when the lights are off. This is because every pixel emits its own light. OLED is still the best, but if you want a TV above 65 inches you likely will be choosing an LED TV, unless you have a spare $30,000, which is the current cost of large OLED TVs.
Among LED TVs, there are two backlight types: Direct LED (full-array) where a large back-light shines through the whole screen, and edge-lit where lights emit from the edges.
Organic light emitting diode (OLED) TVs tend to shine, especially when the lights are off. This is because every pixel emits its own light. OLED is still the best, but if you want a TV above 65 inches you likely will be choosing an LED TV, unless you have a spare $30,000, which is the current cost of large OLED TVs.
Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar cheese has been around since at least the 12th century and takes its name from the English village of Cheddar. The nearby Cheddar Gorge is full of caves that offer ideal conditions for aging cheese, so dairy farmers began using their surplus milk to make a new kind of cheese. Unlike other cheeses with geographically protected names, modern cheddar can come from anywhere, not just the area around Cheddar.
Cheddar cheese eventually became one of England’s most popular snacks. In 1170, King Henry II bought over five tons of the cheese for the bargain price of just a little over £10. By the time Charles I took over the throne in 1625, demand for the cheese had grown so high that the only place one could find it was at the king’s court.
Cheddar cheese eventually became one of England’s most popular snacks. In 1170, King Henry II bought over five tons of the cheese for the bargain price of just a little over £10. By the time Charles I took over the throne in 1625, demand for the cheese had grown so high that the only place one could find it was at the king’s court.
Holey Swiss Cheese
The majority of holes in Swiss cheese, by USDA regulation, must measure between 11/16 and 13/16 of an inch in diameter.
Armies of microbes consume lactic acid excreted by other bacteria. They belch and otherwise exude carbon dioxide gas. This produces the familiar Swiss cheese holes. These big holes are tough on current cheese slicing machines, so the industry is asking that the regulations for Grade A Swiss be revised to make the average hole 6/16 of an inch in diameter. Many are upset that the government even bothers to regulate Swiss cheese hole size.
Armies of microbes consume lactic acid excreted by other bacteria. They belch and otherwise exude carbon dioxide gas. This produces the familiar Swiss cheese holes. These big holes are tough on current cheese slicing machines, so the industry is asking that the regulations for Grade A Swiss be revised to make the average hole 6/16 of an inch in diameter. Many are upset that the government even bothers to regulate Swiss cheese hole size.
Jul 28, 2016
Happy Friday
A smile is brighter than
a thousand light bulbs.
Smile, light up today and enjoy a Happy Friday!
Smile, light up today and enjoy a Happy Friday!
Carousel vs. Merry-go-round
They are the same. In England and
much of Europe, these rides usually go clockwise. In the US
they move counterclockwise. To some Americans, a
merry-go-round is a simple spinning playground fixture for
children and a carousel is a more elaborate ride, with
music, fancy horses, and other creatures.
They both can be a revolving circular platform fitted with seats, often in the form of animals, ridden for amusement, or a piece of playground equipment consisting of a small circular platform that revolves when pushed or pedaled.
Another definition of carousel is a tournament in which groups of knights took part in chariot races and other demonstrations of equestrian skills. Still one more is a continuously revolving belt, track or other device on which items are placed for later retrieval, such as a food or luggage carousel.
They both can be a revolving circular platform fitted with seats, often in the form of animals, ridden for amusement, or a piece of playground equipment consisting of a small circular platform that revolves when pushed or pedaled.
Another definition of carousel is a tournament in which groups of knights took part in chariot races and other demonstrations of equestrian skills. Still one more is a continuously revolving belt, track or other device on which items are placed for later retrieval, such as a food or luggage carousel.
Chemotherapy Origin
During the
early 1900s, German chemist Paul Ehrlich focused his
attention on immunology as well as combating infectious
diseases through the use of drugs. Ehrlich coined the term
'chemotherapy', which he described as a process of treating
diseases with chemicals.
He tested his chemicals on animal models and was the first person to show the potential effect that drugs could have. In 1908, Ehrlich used arsenicals to treat syphilis in a live rabbit, which he cured before penicillin was created in 1929.
In time, he turned his interest to the cure of cancer, ultimately using the first alkylating agents and aniline dyes that proved to be effective. His pioneering research and the therapies that he discovered, such as using chemicals that combated not only diseases, but tumors as well led to groundbreaking contributions that gave birth to modern chemotherapy.
He tested his chemicals on animal models and was the first person to show the potential effect that drugs could have. In 1908, Ehrlich used arsenicals to treat syphilis in a live rabbit, which he cured before penicillin was created in 1929.
In time, he turned his interest to the cure of cancer, ultimately using the first alkylating agents and aniline dyes that proved to be effective. His pioneering research and the therapies that he discovered, such as using chemicals that combated not only diseases, but tumors as well led to groundbreaking contributions that gave birth to modern chemotherapy.
Wordology, On Accident, By Accident
A survey by
Indiana State University indicates that people born after
1990 almost always say 'on accident', and are not aware
that 'by accident' is proper usage. Those born before 1970
almost always say 'by accident'.
European Union Origins, Changes
Many are aware of the recent
headlines of the 'Brexit' or British secession from the
European Union (EU), but are not aware of what the European
Union is, how young it is, and
how it began and changed over time. Here is a quick summary of
the volatility,
tenuousness,
and fluidity of the EU.
During 1986 the Single European Act was signed. It is a treaty which provides the basis for a six-year program aimed at reducing problems with the free flow of trade across EU borders and creating a single market. In 1993 the Single Market was completed with the four freedoms of: movement of goods, services, people, and money.
During that time, there was major political upheaval when, during 1989 the Berlin Wall was pulled down and the border between East and West Germany was opened for the first time in 28 years, leading to the reunification of East and West Germany. The collapse of communism across central and eastern European brought Europeans closer together.
The Maastricht Treaty (formally, the Treaty on European Union) signed by the then 12 member nations, entered into force in 1993 with the goal of creating an economic and monetary union by 1999 for all EU states except the UK and Denmark. It aimed at unifying policies of defense, currency, and citizenship among the member nations. It has been amended by the treaties of Amsterdam, Nice, and Lisbon.
The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency during January 1999 and in 2002 notes and coins began to circulate, with legacy currencies exchangeable at commercial banks in the currency's nation generally until 30 June 2002.
The Treaty of Amsterdam, which amended the Single European Act, other treaties establishing the European Communities, and certain related acts, was signed during 1997, and entered into force on 1 May 1999. It also made substantial changes to the Treaty of Maastricht.
Under the Treaty of Amsterdam, member states agreed to devolve certain powers from national governments to the European Parliament across diverse areas, including legislating on immigration, adopting civil and criminal laws, and enacting foreign and security policy, as well as implementing institutional changes for expansion as new member nations join the EU.
The Treaty of Nice came into force on 1 February 2003. It provided for an increase after enlargement of the number of seats in the European Parliament, which has ceremonial precedence over all authority at European level to 732 (currently 751), which exceeded the cap established by the Treaty of Amsterdam. It also provided for the creation of subsidiary courts below the European Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance to deal with special areas of law such as patents, among others. The treaty caused much consternation and debate among members.
The Treaty of Lisbon amends the two main treaties which formed the constitutional basis of the European Union. The Treaty of Lisbon was entered into force on 1 December 2009. The stated aim of the treaty was to "complete the process started by the Treaty of Amsterdam and by the Treaty of Nice with a view to enhancing the efficiency and democratic legitimacy of the Union and to improving the coherence of its action." It contained stronger powers for the European Parliament and a new role for national parliaments. One article called for "the word 'assent' shall be replaced by 'consent'". See my blog for definitions. LINK
The exact impact of the treaty on the functioning of the EU left many uncertainties which have led to calls for yet another new treaty to be drafted.
The European Union now consists of 28 countries, including Croatia, last to join the EU on July 1, 2013. Stay tuned folks as this remains a very fluid situation.
During 1986 the Single European Act was signed. It is a treaty which provides the basis for a six-year program aimed at reducing problems with the free flow of trade across EU borders and creating a single market. In 1993 the Single Market was completed with the four freedoms of: movement of goods, services, people, and money.
During that time, there was major political upheaval when, during 1989 the Berlin Wall was pulled down and the border between East and West Germany was opened for the first time in 28 years, leading to the reunification of East and West Germany. The collapse of communism across central and eastern European brought Europeans closer together.
The Maastricht Treaty (formally, the Treaty on European Union) signed by the then 12 member nations, entered into force in 1993 with the goal of creating an economic and monetary union by 1999 for all EU states except the UK and Denmark. It aimed at unifying policies of defense, currency, and citizenship among the member nations. It has been amended by the treaties of Amsterdam, Nice, and Lisbon.
The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency during January 1999 and in 2002 notes and coins began to circulate, with legacy currencies exchangeable at commercial banks in the currency's nation generally until 30 June 2002.
The Treaty of Amsterdam, which amended the Single European Act, other treaties establishing the European Communities, and certain related acts, was signed during 1997, and entered into force on 1 May 1999. It also made substantial changes to the Treaty of Maastricht.
Under the Treaty of Amsterdam, member states agreed to devolve certain powers from national governments to the European Parliament across diverse areas, including legislating on immigration, adopting civil and criminal laws, and enacting foreign and security policy, as well as implementing institutional changes for expansion as new member nations join the EU.
The Treaty of Nice came into force on 1 February 2003. It provided for an increase after enlargement of the number of seats in the European Parliament, which has ceremonial precedence over all authority at European level to 732 (currently 751), which exceeded the cap established by the Treaty of Amsterdam. It also provided for the creation of subsidiary courts below the European Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance to deal with special areas of law such as patents, among others. The treaty caused much consternation and debate among members.
The Treaty of Lisbon amends the two main treaties which formed the constitutional basis of the European Union. The Treaty of Lisbon was entered into force on 1 December 2009. The stated aim of the treaty was to "complete the process started by the Treaty of Amsterdam and by the Treaty of Nice with a view to enhancing the efficiency and democratic legitimacy of the Union and to improving the coherence of its action." It contained stronger powers for the European Parliament and a new role for national parliaments. One article called for "the word 'assent' shall be replaced by 'consent'". See my blog for definitions. LINK
The exact impact of the treaty on the functioning of the EU left many uncertainties which have led to calls for yet another new treaty to be drafted.
The European Union now consists of 28 countries, including Croatia, last to join the EU on July 1, 2013. Stay tuned folks as this remains a very fluid situation.
Smartphone Camera Hack
Have you ever been somewhere when you needed to scan a document, but no scanner was available. Use your phone camera to take a picture of the document. It is quick and easy. You can send the picture as a PDF file or as a JPG picture file to your home computer or directly to whomever you choose. It is also handy to use for snapping pictures of bills for itemizing expenses. Other ideas for smartphone use can be found HERE.
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