The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a draft last month to develop a voluntary identification system and set up a website to gather input from experts and Internet users about how it should be structured.
From the web site - The Nation faces sophisticated threats against the sensitive and confidential data of our citizens, industries and government. Securing identities in transactions and creating a trusted online environment has become a critical national priority, and the President’s Cyberspace Policy Review called for development of a strategy to address this issue.
"The technology that has brought many benefits to our society and has empowered us to do so much has also empowered those who are driven to cause harm," said White House cyber czar Howard Schmidt in a blog posting that outlined the need for better security online.
The plan, he said, envisions a future in which people would be able to get a secure identifier - such as a smart identity card or a digital certificate - from a variety of service providers. Customers could then use the card or identifier to prove who they are as they make their online transactions.
The draft plan is part of an administration effort to promote cyber-security among society as a whole. Lawmakers have introduced a number of bills aimed at furthering those goals. Oh, and about those jobs, crisis over!
Jul 16, 2010
Scot Free
Many people think that getting off 'scot free' refers to Scottish people being tight with money, but word “scot” is an old Norse word which means payment, specifically a payment made to a landlord or sheriff. So this phrase means what most people think it means, but has no connection to the Scottish people. It just means to get off without having to pay.
Jul 13, 2010
Two More Google Search Tips
Type "google patents" in a search bar, and the first hit you get will take you to Google Patent Search. Google and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have struck an agreement, and you can now have access to more than 7 million patents, including drawings.
When searching for something and you only want current information, click on the 'search tools' on the left. It opens a list of other features, such as 'Past 24 hours', past week, etc. Try one, then click the search button again and it refines your search to whatever time you chose.
When searching for something and you only want current information, click on the 'search tools' on the left. It opens a list of other features, such as 'Past 24 hours', past week, etc. Try one, then click the search button again and it refines your search to whatever time you chose.
Four More Uses for Potatoes
We all know that potato chips and french fries are natures almost perfect food, (next to bacon, of course). There are also more uses for potatoes you may enjoy.
Potatoes hold heat well, so warm one up and wrap it in a dishcloth and you have a great hot compress. Put a potato in the freezer for a while and you have a cold compress.
Cut a potato and rub on your hands to remove those stains from fresh berries. It the stains are extra tough, add some lemon juice to the potato.
Press a piece of raw cut potato against a cooking burn and it will soothe and remove the sting.
Mix some room temperature plain mashed potatoes with lemon juice and some milk for a soothing facial. Leave on your face for about 20 minutes and then rinse off to reveal soft skin.
Cut a potato in half and press the cut surface of a potato into the sharp edges of a broken light bulb. Unscrew the broken bulb with the potato. Don't forget to throw away the used potato with the broken bulb.
Potatoes hold heat well, so warm one up and wrap it in a dishcloth and you have a great hot compress. Put a potato in the freezer for a while and you have a cold compress.
Cut a potato and rub on your hands to remove those stains from fresh berries. It the stains are extra tough, add some lemon juice to the potato.
Press a piece of raw cut potato against a cooking burn and it will soothe and remove the sting.
Mix some room temperature plain mashed potatoes with lemon juice and some milk for a soothing facial. Leave on your face for about 20 minutes and then rinse off to reveal soft skin.
Cut a potato in half and press the cut surface of a potato into the sharp edges of a broken light bulb. Unscrew the broken bulb with the potato. Don't forget to throw away the used potato with the broken bulb.
Siamese Twins
Did you ever wonder where the name Siamese Twins came from? Chang and Eng Bunker were conjoined twins born in Siam and their condition and place of birth became the name for this phenomenon. They were joined at the sternum by a small piece of cartilage and their livers were fused.
The two became American citizens and owned a plantation and slaves. In 1843, they married two sisters: Chang to Adelaide Yates and Eng to Sarah Anne Yates. Chang and his wife had ten children; Eng and his wife had twelve.
They eventually set up two separate households in White Plains, North Carolina and would alternate spending three days at each home. The twins died on the same day in 1874.
The two became American citizens and owned a plantation and slaves. In 1843, they married two sisters: Chang to Adelaide Yates and Eng to Sarah Anne Yates. Chang and his wife had ten children; Eng and his wife had twelve.
They eventually set up two separate households in White Plains, North Carolina and would alternate spending three days at each home. The twins died on the same day in 1874.
Six Brands That You Thought Were All American
Some common names in the US have non-American owners.
Henkel KGaA, Germany, owns Dial Soap
Arcapita, Bahrain, owns Church's Fried Chicken - (that's why they took bacon off the menu)
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, UK, owns Holiday Inn
Abu Dhabi Investment Council, UAE, owns the Chrysler building in NY
Seven & I Holdings, Japan, owns Denny’s and 7Eleven
Willis Group Holdings, UK, owns the former Sears Tower in Chicago, now officially called Willis Tower
InBev, Belgium, owns Budweiser.
Henkel KGaA, Germany, owns Dial Soap
Arcapita, Bahrain, owns Church's Fried Chicken - (that's why they took bacon off the menu)
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, UK, owns Holiday Inn
Abu Dhabi Investment Council, UAE, owns the Chrysler building in NY
Seven & I Holdings, Japan, owns Denny’s and 7Eleven
Willis Group Holdings, UK, owns the former Sears Tower in Chicago, now officially called Willis Tower
InBev, Belgium, owns Budweiser.
Bacon Found in Closet
Here is the headline, "Third-degree burns, stitches for South Bend brothers-in-law fighting over frying pan" Here is the LINK. I couldn't make this funny stuff up.
Jul 9, 2010
Going to Hell in a Handbasket
This phrase does not seem to be used anywhere but the US. It appears to come from the way criminals heads rolled into a basked when decapitated by a guillotine. The prisoner presumably was going directly to hell for his misdeeds.
Going Metric
Back when I was in grade school, they were going to change the country to the metric system and began to teach us meters, kilometers, etc., but somewhere along the way gave up. Actually, the metric system is easier to use, once you have learned it.
History shows that the US mint created the first decimal currency in the world in 1792. Congress first authorized the use of metrics in 1866 and in 1875 became one of the original seventeen signatory nations to the Treaty of the Meter. Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 "to coordinate and plan the increasing use of the metric system in the United States." It also established the US Metric Board, which was dissolved in 1982. The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 amended the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and designated the metric system as the "preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce."
It is back. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued two publications calling for the amendment of labeling laws to allow the voluntary use of only metric units on some consumer products. It says that adoption of metric labeling will simplify domestic and international commerce.
So, the current Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), which has both, is recommended to be the Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation (UPLR), which has only one - metric. This time they forgot the 'first teach 'em in school' part.
Only 91.44 meters for a touchdown, hmmm. Hey, don't judge me until you have walked almost two kilometers in my shoes. It's 28 today, damn it's hot!
Comparisons:
* 1 gram is about the weight of a paperclip.
* 1 kilogram is a little more than 2 pounds.
* 1 liter is a little more than a quart.
* 1 kilometer is a little more than half a mile.
* 1 meter is a little more than a yard.
* 1 centimeter is a little less than half an inch.
* 1 millimeter is about the width of a pencil point.
Since we have decided to go with one unit of measurement, maybe we should consider going back to one language (English) on our packages. . .
History shows that the US mint created the first decimal currency in the world in 1792. Congress first authorized the use of metrics in 1866 and in 1875 became one of the original seventeen signatory nations to the Treaty of the Meter. Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 "to coordinate and plan the increasing use of the metric system in the United States." It also established the US Metric Board, which was dissolved in 1982. The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 amended the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and designated the metric system as the "preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce."
It is back. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued two publications calling for the amendment of labeling laws to allow the voluntary use of only metric units on some consumer products. It says that adoption of metric labeling will simplify domestic and international commerce.
So, the current Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), which has both, is recommended to be the Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation (UPLR), which has only one - metric. This time they forgot the 'first teach 'em in school' part.
Only 91.44 meters for a touchdown, hmmm. Hey, don't judge me until you have walked almost two kilometers in my shoes. It's 28 today, damn it's hot!
Comparisons:
* 1 gram is about the weight of a paperclip.
* 1 kilogram is a little more than 2 pounds.
* 1 liter is a little more than a quart.
* 1 kilometer is a little more than half a mile.
* 1 meter is a little more than a yard.
* 1 centimeter is a little less than half an inch.
* 1 millimeter is about the width of a pencil point.
Since we have decided to go with one unit of measurement, maybe we should consider going back to one language (English) on our packages. . .
Food by Weight
TRUE - Buying a dozen eggs in the UK could be a thing of the past, as a new European Union labeling law may soon kick in. The new rule from Brussels, decrees that you can no longer sell food by numbers.
Even promotional offers, such as eight chocolate bars for the price of six, might be banned by the legislation, according to trade magazine The Grocer.
For the first time, eggs and other products, such as bread rolls will be sold by weight instead of by the number contained. The new rules will mean that instead of the package listing it contains twelve eggs, it will show the weight in grams of the eggs inside, for example 672g.
Buns will show 400g inside instead of eight. The rules do not allow both the weight and the quantity to be displayed. Since rolls, eggs, and other items do not weigh exactly the same, each package must be individually weighed and individually labeled.
Needless to say, the food manufacturers, distributors, and consumers are violently opposed to the change. The politicians say it allows the consumers to make more informed choices. Ah, more political wisdom in action. . .
Even promotional offers, such as eight chocolate bars for the price of six, might be banned by the legislation, according to trade magazine The Grocer.
For the first time, eggs and other products, such as bread rolls will be sold by weight instead of by the number contained. The new rules will mean that instead of the package listing it contains twelve eggs, it will show the weight in grams of the eggs inside, for example 672g.
Buns will show 400g inside instead of eight. The rules do not allow both the weight and the quantity to be displayed. Since rolls, eggs, and other items do not weigh exactly the same, each package must be individually weighed and individually labeled.
Needless to say, the food manufacturers, distributors, and consumers are violently opposed to the change. The politicians say it allows the consumers to make more informed choices. Ah, more political wisdom in action. . .
Speaking of Weight
Girls, don't despair. Here is an ad from the 50s that should make you feel better.
Pets and Chocolate
Most folks know that chocolate is bad for dogs. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine. Theobromine does not affect the human nervous system as much as caffeine, nor is it as addictive as caffeine, but theobromine addictive and believed to cause chocolate addiction. It is also believed to be responsible for chocolate’s notoriety as an aphrodisiac. Although theobromine increases heart rate in humans, it also dilates blood vessels, which reduces blood pressure. In fact, it is superior to codeine at suppressing cough and can be helpful in relaxing muscles to alleviate symptoms of asthma.
Dogs, cats, rats and other species cannot digest it efficiently. This leads to a buildup known as theobromine poisoning. Incidentally, this can also happen to elderly people who consume large quantities of chocolate.
For animals, milk chocolate is not as dangerous as semisweet, and that is not as dangerous as cocoa powder.
There are other human foods that are not recommended and poisonous to pets, such as Alcohol, Avocado, Coffee, Fatty Foods, Onions, Raisins and grapes, Salt, Yeast dough, Garlic, and Artificial sweetener.
Dogs, cats, rats and other species cannot digest it efficiently. This leads to a buildup known as theobromine poisoning. Incidentally, this can also happen to elderly people who consume large quantities of chocolate.
For animals, milk chocolate is not as dangerous as semisweet, and that is not as dangerous as cocoa powder.
There are other human foods that are not recommended and poisonous to pets, such as Alcohol, Avocado, Coffee, Fatty Foods, Onions, Raisins and grapes, Salt, Yeast dough, Garlic, and Artificial sweetener.
Jul 6, 2010
Bacon Camp
During June, a number of people from around the country descended into Ann Arbor, Michigan for Camp Bacon.
It started early Saturday morning as they sat down to breakfast under a big white tent. Their plates were piled high with hickory-smoked bacon from Edwards of Surry, Va.; long pepper bacon from Arkansas' Ham I Am; and applewood-smoked bacon from Nueske's in Wisconsin; plus bacon scones and a slice of bacon-apple coffee cake for good measure.
This event was more than a destination for porky excess. Camp Bacon was a one-day resort of cured and smoked pork. Many luminaries of the bacon world were there plus new rising stars from California to New York.
"It's a thinking person's bacon camp," said Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Ann Arbor's gourmet mecca Zingerman's, which hosted the event. "I want to get people off the 'I love bacon' thing: 'Give me any and give me more.' I want them to know the differences between them and how to use them." Camp Bacon was Weinzweig's attempt to re-channel bacon enthusiasm. I didn't know it needed to be re-channeled.
It started early Saturday morning as they sat down to breakfast under a big white tent. Their plates were piled high with hickory-smoked bacon from Edwards of Surry, Va.; long pepper bacon from Arkansas' Ham I Am; and applewood-smoked bacon from Nueske's in Wisconsin; plus bacon scones and a slice of bacon-apple coffee cake for good measure.
This event was more than a destination for porky excess. Camp Bacon was a one-day resort of cured and smoked pork. Many luminaries of the bacon world were there plus new rising stars from California to New York.
"It's a thinking person's bacon camp," said Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Ann Arbor's gourmet mecca Zingerman's, which hosted the event. "I want to get people off the 'I love bacon' thing: 'Give me any and give me more.' I want them to know the differences between them and how to use them." Camp Bacon was Weinzweig's attempt to re-channel bacon enthusiasm. I didn't know it needed to be re-channeled.
Oil Wells in the Gulf of Mexico
API says, "There are 3,559 platforms in the Gulf that have been operating safely for 30 years. An excellent safety record. From 1947 until now, spills in the Gulf represented 1/1000th of 1% of all the oil produced. That's multiple times better than natural seepage. Much better than nature."
These are some of the US agencies that cover oil and gas drilling and production:
Bureau of Land Management,
Department of Energy,
Department of Interior,
Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline Safety,
Energy Information Administration,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Environmental Protection Agency - Oil Program,
Environmental Protection Agency - Region 8 (Utah, etc.),
EPA Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Site,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Fossil Energy.Gov (DOE),
Minerals Management Service,
National Energy Policy Development Group (The White House),
National Petroleum Technology Office (DOE),
National Response Center,
Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration.
These are some of the US agencies that cover oil and gas drilling and production:
Bureau of Land Management,
Department of Energy,
Department of Interior,
Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline Safety,
Energy Information Administration,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Environmental Protection Agency - Oil Program,
Environmental Protection Agency - Region 8 (Utah, etc.),
EPA Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Site,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Fossil Energy.Gov (DOE),
Minerals Management Service,
National Energy Policy Development Group (The White House),
National Petroleum Technology Office (DOE),
National Response Center,
Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)