Scientists have found that aromas can
profoundly affect people's cognitive abilities. In a 2003 study,
psychologists asked 144 volunteers to perform a series of long-term
memory, working memory, and attention and reaction tests. Some
subjects worked in a scent-free cubicle, some in a cubicle infused
with essential oil from rosemary, and the rest worked in cubicles
scented with lavender oil.
Those in the rosemary-infused cubicles demonstrated significantly
better long-term and working memory than those in the unscented
cubicles. Also, those exposed to the smell of rosemary reported
feeling more alert than the control (scent-free) group.
Participants working in the lavender cubicles reported feeling less
alert and those in the lavender-scented cubicles performed worse
than the others in tests of working memory.
If you need your brain to perform at its best, you can try placing a
rosemary plant on your windowsill. Research also shows that
eating chocolate may improve memory and cognition, because it is
rich in antioxidants called flavanols.
Mar 1, 2013
Oil Imports
The five countries that supply the most oil to
the US (during 2011), in order, are Canada 133.8 million tonnes
(sic), South America 111.2, Saudi Arabia 95.5, Nigeria Africa 68.3,
and Mexico 59.8. Taken from a series of 36 maps that explain the
world. LINK
Feb 26, 2013
Semi-Automatic Defined
In a semi-automatic firearm, whether
it’s a pistol, rifle, or shotgun, when the round is fired, the
expanding gas from the cartridge launches the projectile and then
opens the chamber, ejecting the spent cartridge and, if available,
using a spring system to slide the next cartridge into place ready
for the next trigger pull.
The gun will not fire the next round and most guns are designed to prevent this from happening. This means one trigger pull for each shot.
The gun will not fire the next round and most guns are designed to prevent this from happening. This means one trigger pull for each shot.
Fascinating Aztec Facts
The Westerners who came up with
the name Aztecs likely took it from one of the original places that
the Aztecs lived around the twelve century, called Aztlan, which was
in the Northern part of Mexico. However, the Aztecs themselves
actually referred to themselves as Mexica, which is actually where
the name for the country of Mexico originally came from.
The Aztecs had their own language called N’ahuatl. The alphabet for this language was a form of picture writing. Knowledge about how to write things down was very specialized and was mostly performed by learned scribes and priests who had the needed training.
Records were kept on paper made of bark, or deer skin. The writing was usually performed using charcoal and then colored with vegetables and other substances. They kept tax records, historical records, records of religious sacrifices and other ceremonies and even poetry. Sometimes they put their writings together in a makeshift book that they called a codice.
Aztec men were allowed to have more than one wife, however, there were certain strict rules governing these relationships. The first wife the man took was considered his “principal” wife, and was the only one he went through marriage ceremonies with. The other wives were secondary, but still recognized in the official records. While the first wife was considered the most important, the man was still expected to treat all of his wives with equal respect. The man was the head of the household, but women still had power in the relationship and were well treated in Aztec society. Extra wives contributed to the wealth of the family and were considered a mark of great status and afforded them a high position in the culture. The Aztecs allowed divorce in some situations, but adultery by either party was punishable by death.
While the Aztecs put strong emphasis on parents teaching their children properly, they also had mandatory public schooling for all children. Those of a noble class had different schools to attend and schools were also separated by gender. Boys of nobility would be sent to the Calmecac School where they learned from the priests about history, astronomy, art, and how to govern and lead. Boys of lower caste were sent to the Cuicacalli School, which was much more focused on preparing them for possible service in the military as warriors. Girls were sent to separate schools and much more of their education was focused at home where they were taught domestic duties such as cooking and weaving.
The Aztecs had their own language called N’ahuatl. The alphabet for this language was a form of picture writing. Knowledge about how to write things down was very specialized and was mostly performed by learned scribes and priests who had the needed training.
Records were kept on paper made of bark, or deer skin. The writing was usually performed using charcoal and then colored with vegetables and other substances. They kept tax records, historical records, records of religious sacrifices and other ceremonies and even poetry. Sometimes they put their writings together in a makeshift book that they called a codice.
Aztec men were allowed to have more than one wife, however, there were certain strict rules governing these relationships. The first wife the man took was considered his “principal” wife, and was the only one he went through marriage ceremonies with. The other wives were secondary, but still recognized in the official records. While the first wife was considered the most important, the man was still expected to treat all of his wives with equal respect. The man was the head of the household, but women still had power in the relationship and were well treated in Aztec society. Extra wives contributed to the wealth of the family and were considered a mark of great status and afforded them a high position in the culture. The Aztecs allowed divorce in some situations, but adultery by either party was punishable by death.
While the Aztecs put strong emphasis on parents teaching their children properly, they also had mandatory public schooling for all children. Those of a noble class had different schools to attend and schools were also separated by gender. Boys of nobility would be sent to the Calmecac School where they learned from the priests about history, astronomy, art, and how to govern and lead. Boys of lower caste were sent to the Cuicacalli School, which was much more focused on preparing them for possible service in the military as warriors. Girls were sent to separate schools and much more of their education was focused at home where they were taught domestic duties such as cooking and weaving.
Finicky Finns
Finnish tradition is to assess fines
according to gross income. For years, this was based on the honor
system. Finnish police would ask the person pulled over how much
they made per year, consult a table, and fine them accordingly.
The police hated it, because they were constantly lied to about how much people made. They recently developed new high-tech tools for calculating traffic fines and motorists began protesting and complaining about the prices. They thought it wasn't fair that they were charged on their gross income instead of their net income. So, in 1999 the government made major changes, including basing fines on net income.
The biggest change was that the police can use their cell phones to tap into official public records and find out motorists’ income. The changes have allowed for fines to be more accurate, much to the dismay of the motorists.
The police hated it, because they were constantly lied to about how much people made. They recently developed new high-tech tools for calculating traffic fines and motorists began protesting and complaining about the prices. They thought it wasn't fair that they were charged on their gross income instead of their net income. So, in 1999 the government made major changes, including basing fines on net income.
The biggest change was that the police can use their cell phones to tap into official public records and find out motorists’ income. The changes have allowed for fines to be more accurate, much to the dismay of the motorists.
Free Stuff
We all like something for nothing. Here is a
site that gives you free stuff from dog food to baseball hats and
everything in between. http://www.ilovefreestuff.com/
Feb 22, 2013
Michigan Map Names
University of Michigan alum go to great
lengths to taunt their sports rivals. One particularly astute grad,
state highway commission chairman Peter Fletcher memorialized his on
Michigan’s official state map in 1978.
He asked a cartographer to add two towns to nearby Ohio. Thus the fictitious towns of Goblu and Beatosu were created. The map can be seen on the official michigan.gov web site. It noted that after the hoax was discovered, new maps were issued, minus the bogus towns. A few collector item maps remain in the public and copies are also available in the official Michigan archives.
Fletcher noted in a 2008 interview that he placed the fake towns in Ohio, safely outside Michigan state lines. “We have no legal liability for anything taking place in that intellectual swamp south of Monroe,” he said. He added that he had never forgiven Ohio for the Toledo War of 1835.
He asked a cartographer to add two towns to nearby Ohio. Thus the fictitious towns of Goblu and Beatosu were created. The map can be seen on the official michigan.gov web site. It noted that after the hoax was discovered, new maps were issued, minus the bogus towns. A few collector item maps remain in the public and copies are also available in the official Michigan archives.
Fletcher noted in a 2008 interview that he placed the fake towns in Ohio, safely outside Michigan state lines. “We have no legal liability for anything taking place in that intellectual swamp south of Monroe,” he said. He added that he had never forgiven Ohio for the Toledo War of 1835.
Nobel and Noble Dates
Next week Thursday marks an
interesting date. It is the birthday of Mario Andretti, Bernadette
Peters, Zero Mostel, Bubba Smith, Charles Durning, Tommy Tune, and
Earl Scheib (I'll paint any car any color, etc.) among others.
The two most common birth dates among the 555 Nobel laureates are May 21 and February 28 (seven apiece).
The two most common birth dates among the 555 Nobel laureates are May 21 and February 28 (seven apiece).
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