Oct 15, 2010
Encyclopedia of Life
Waited a long time to post this one until the site became a bit more information rich. The site claims to develop information for "each species of organism on earth". A lofty goal and it is yet to be achieved. Anyway, this might provide some interesting reading. LINK
Top Coffee Tidbits
Here are some interesting tidbits about coffee that you probably never thought about.
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind oil.
Coffee was reportedly discovered by a goat herder, named Kaldi, in the 9th-century. He noticed his goats acting strange when they ate the cherries from the coffee tree so he tried it for himself.
Light roasted coffee beans have more caffeine than dark, because the longer coffee is roasted the more caffeine is cooked out of the bean.
Espresso is not a type of coffee bean, it is a type of coffee brewing method. There is also the espresso grind, which is very fine, close to Turkish grind. That is what I use and It makes highly flavorful coffee.
Coffee comes from a tree or bush that bears cherry fruit. The coffee bean is the seed that resides within the cherry. Coffee cherry taste is like a tart fruit that some describe as light, honey, and sweet.
Coffee was declared illegal 3 times by 3 different cultures. The first was in Mecca during the 16th century and the prohibition was lifted after 30 years of debate among scholars and jurists. The second was Charles the II in Europe banning coffee houses trying to quell the ongoing rebellion, but it was never enforced. The third was Fredrick the Great who banned the beverage in Germany in 1677 because he was concerned with the economic implications of money leaving the country. Some religions still prohibit coffee consumption .
There are over 50 species of coffee world wide. Only two, arabica and robusta, are commonly used in commercial coffee production.
Over 500 billion cups of coffee are drunk each year and over half of those are drunk at breakfast.
Coffee can actually be used to fuel a car. The test car, built by BBC1 Science Program 'Bang Goes the Theory', is powered only by roasted coffee granules. The car gets about 1 mile per pound of coffee. At that rate, it will not overtake the the gasoline engine anytime soon.
Starbucks gives away used coffee grounds for use in your garden. Next time you are in your favorite, ask for a bag. It is good for your garden.
How American coffee came to be called joe and other names is not well documented, but probably stems from the common terminology that called the 'ordinary guy' 'an ordinary Joe'. The name joe appears to have been primarily used in the military, and particularly the navy, during the first half of the twentieth century. Mocha Java is regarded as the first coffee blend. Mocha gets its name from the port of Mocha and is grown in the mountains of Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. Java is from the island of Java in Indonesia. Mud and murk are self explanatory. Having a hot cup in the morning is like starting your day with an old friend.
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind oil.
Coffee was reportedly discovered by a goat herder, named Kaldi, in the 9th-century. He noticed his goats acting strange when they ate the cherries from the coffee tree so he tried it for himself.
Light roasted coffee beans have more caffeine than dark, because the longer coffee is roasted the more caffeine is cooked out of the bean.
Espresso is not a type of coffee bean, it is a type of coffee brewing method. There is also the espresso grind, which is very fine, close to Turkish grind. That is what I use and It makes highly flavorful coffee.
Coffee comes from a tree or bush that bears cherry fruit. The coffee bean is the seed that resides within the cherry. Coffee cherry taste is like a tart fruit that some describe as light, honey, and sweet.
Coffee was declared illegal 3 times by 3 different cultures. The first was in Mecca during the 16th century and the prohibition was lifted after 30 years of debate among scholars and jurists. The second was Charles the II in Europe banning coffee houses trying to quell the ongoing rebellion, but it was never enforced. The third was Fredrick the Great who banned the beverage in Germany in 1677 because he was concerned with the economic implications of money leaving the country. Some religions still prohibit coffee consumption .
There are over 50 species of coffee world wide. Only two, arabica and robusta, are commonly used in commercial coffee production.
Over 500 billion cups of coffee are drunk each year and over half of those are drunk at breakfast.
Coffee can actually be used to fuel a car. The test car, built by BBC1 Science Program 'Bang Goes the Theory', is powered only by roasted coffee granules. The car gets about 1 mile per pound of coffee. At that rate, it will not overtake the the gasoline engine anytime soon.
Starbucks gives away used coffee grounds for use in your garden. Next time you are in your favorite, ask for a bag. It is good for your garden.
How American coffee came to be called joe and other names is not well documented, but probably stems from the common terminology that called the 'ordinary guy' 'an ordinary Joe'. The name joe appears to have been primarily used in the military, and particularly the navy, during the first half of the twentieth century. Mocha Java is regarded as the first coffee blend. Mocha gets its name from the port of Mocha and is grown in the mountains of Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. Java is from the island of Java in Indonesia. Mud and murk are self explanatory. Having a hot cup in the morning is like starting your day with an old friend.
Agnotology
A term coined by Stanford University professor Robert N. Proctor to describe the study of culturally-induced ignorance or doubt, particularly the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data. Excuse me, but is it getting warm in here?
Bowlers Coming Back
The once iconic Bowler hat is set to make a fashion a comeback, according to tailors who say they are being inundated with requests for them.
Worn by Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin and the headwear of choice for civil servants and bankers the bowler dropped out of fashion in the 1960s.
Tailors Austin Reed says it has so many customer inquiries about the headgear it will soon stock it for the first time in 12 years.
Some American celebrities have recently been pictured wearing one, which is thought to have sparked an interest in the hats which date back to 1849. Some of my favorites pictured, Laurel and Hardy, and John Steed wore them. Of course could not add Steed without adding Emma Peel.
Worn by Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin and the headwear of choice for civil servants and bankers the bowler dropped out of fashion in the 1960s.
Tailors Austin Reed says it has so many customer inquiries about the headgear it will soon stock it for the first time in 12 years.
Some American celebrities have recently been pictured wearing one, which is thought to have sparked an interest in the hats which date back to 1849. Some of my favorites pictured, Laurel and Hardy, and John Steed wore them. Of course could not add Steed without adding Emma Peel.
Oct 12, 2010
What's in a Name - Derrick
A derrick is a lifting device designed for moving large objects. They are used widely in engineering, and to drill for oil and gas reserves. Thomas Derrick was a hangman in Elizabethan England, and was a convicted rapist who was facing the death penalty.
Derrick was offered a pardon by the Earl of Essex, if he worked for the state as an executioner. During his time as a hangman, he designed a new system with a topping lift and pulley, as opposed to the rope over a beam method. Derrick executed over 3,000 people. One of whom, rather ironically, was The Earl of Essex, the man who pardoned him.
Derrick was offered a pardon by the Earl of Essex, if he worked for the state as an executioner. During his time as a hangman, he designed a new system with a topping lift and pulley, as opposed to the rope over a beam method. Derrick executed over 3,000 people. One of whom, rather ironically, was The Earl of Essex, the man who pardoned him.
Oct 11, 2010
Flowers, Foreplay, Facelifts, Flatulence
Here is a sample of my latest book 'Flowers, Foreplay, Facelifts, Flatulence' (number 42). A humorous romp through the four stages of relationships. Enjoy!
If you want a copy, you can get it on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.
click on Fullscreen to enlarge.
Flowers Foreplay Facelifts Flatulence Scribd
If you want a copy, you can get it on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.
click on Fullscreen to enlarge.
Flowers Foreplay Facelifts Flatulence Scribd
Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso was originally bred as a watchdog for Tibetan palaces and monasteries. It was difficult for an intruder to sneak in past the watchful, yipping pooches. The “Lhasa” in the name comes from the city of Lhasa, Tibet’s longtime capital. Apso is a Tibetan word meaning “bearded,” so the breed’s name signifies that it’s a longhaired dog that originated in Tibet.Oct 7, 2010
NETRA
Scientists have developed an iPhone app that can give cheap, accurate prescriptions for glasses. The Near-Eye Tool for Refractive Assessment (NETRA) works in a radically different way than conventional eye tests to diagnose the exact prescription someone will need in a matter of minutes.
The patient uses the phone's buttons to adjust the position of sets of parallel green and red lines until they overlap. Instead of just estimating which of two views is less blurry the user adjusts their own display to make a scene come into focus. The more the buttons are pressed, the worse the person’s eyesight. This test is performed eight times for each eye, then it analyzes the results and delivers a prescription within minutes. The system is even able to measure other abnormalities, such as astigmatism.
The app could drastically slash the cost of eye tests.
Patients tests their eyesight by staring into a small, cheap plastic lens which fits over the iPhone’s screen. The scientists say that even though the plastic attachment will cost around a dollar at first, it could be far cheaper if produced in bulk.
The patient uses the phone's buttons to adjust the position of sets of parallel green and red lines until they overlap. Instead of just estimating which of two views is less blurry the user adjusts their own display to make a scene come into focus. The more the buttons are pressed, the worse the person’s eyesight. This test is performed eight times for each eye, then it analyzes the results and delivers a prescription within minutes. The system is even able to measure other abnormalities, such as astigmatism.
The app could drastically slash the cost of eye tests.
Patients tests their eyesight by staring into a small, cheap plastic lens which fits over the iPhone’s screen. The scientists say that even though the plastic attachment will cost around a dollar at first, it could be far cheaper if produced in bulk.
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