Cell Phones and Driving Bans

It's legal in 41 states for drivers to use hand-held cell phones, and a leading highway safety organization recommends keeping it that way for now. Nine states have bans in place.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, or GHSA, urges states to hold off on banning the practice until more research is done to gauge the effectiveness of such laws. "The problem is the research is conflicting on the issue," says Barbara Harsha, executive director of the group, which advises states on traffic safety. "We don't know if hand-held bans are effective, and we don't know if they actually make the problem worse."

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said last year it found no reduction in crashes after hand-held cellphones were banned in California, Connecticut, New York and Washington, D.C.

At the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency that tracks road deaths, "we feel strongly there is robust evidence on the dangers of distracted driving," says Lynda Tran, NHTSA's director of communications. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has made curbing distracted driving a signature issue.

Texting while driving is illegal in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Twelve states banned it in 2009, another 11 did so last year, and two have this year.

No states ban all cellphone use by all drivers.

What's in a Name, Hollywood

The name Hollywood, California is derived from the small, bright red, holly-like pomes of California holly, a common native shrub in the hills where the city was established. California holly is not related to true holly, a member of the holly family.

The fruits of California holly are about the size of a pencil erasure. They resemble miniature apples. Like true apples, the freshly-cut fruit readily becomes oxidized and turns yellowish-brown in the air. Yes, they are edible.

I Like You

Fifteen things to ponder.
1. At least 5 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don’t like you.
5. Every night, someone thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. If not for you, someone may not be living.
8. You are special and unique.
9. Someone that you don’t even know exists loves you.
10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.
12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won’t get it, but if you believe in yourself, probably, sooner or later, you will get it.
13. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
14. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know.
15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

Bacon Guitar

Here is something you don't see every day. Sounds OK, but would smell better if it was cooked.
For those who might be interested, here is a LINK that shows how you can make your own, along with a song from the author, "Bacon Loves Blues." Am sure you can play some crispy sounds on this instrument.

Google What Do You Love

Here is another Google feature that is fun. It is called What Do You Love, or WDYL. Looks like a Google search page, but shows results in categories. It has latest news, books, start a discussion group, pictures, dates for events, blogs, 3D, translation, maps, patents, and more. You can enter a name, word, topic, such as bacon, or anything you can search for in Google. Just another fun way to find out about those things you love.  LINK

Six Mosquito Bite Fixes

Here are a few things that will take the sting out of mosquito bites. Just rub on and the sting will go away. White vinegar, toothpaste, lemon juice, ice, Garlic, aloe. All work about the same, but some smell better than others.

Illusioneering

Here is a fun site that teaches science by way of magic tricks. LINK  The site is a brainchild of Peter McOwan and Matt Parker from Queen Mary, University of London. It just hit the web this month and the purpose is to help teachers and students to better understand science by making fun tricks using scientific principles. It also shows some common magic tricks and explains how they work. The site has downloadable explanations, videos, and more, including Penn and Teller's world's most expensive card trick. Great for children, grandchildren, teachers, and the curious child in all of us.

Happy Friday

Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you die, live.

I think I have earned the right to live for a Happy Friday!

St. Swithin's Day

Happy St. Swithin's (or Swithun's) Day, July 15. Legend says that if it rains today, it will rain for the next forty days. If it is dry, it will be dry for the next forty days.

A Rose by Any Other Name

Apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, loquats, peaches, pears, plums, quinces, raspberries, and strawberries, wild or cultivated, are all relatives of roses.

Typically, they have showy flowers with five equal petals arranged around a central cup bearing one or more fruit-forming pistils and a large number of pollen-bearing stamens. Their leaves are placed alternately on the twigs or stalks. Some of them simple leaves and some of them compound leaves divided into three, five or more leaflets like the rose itself. Some are trees, some are shrubs, and some are vining herbs. All are roses and all taste good and are good for us.

Older is Better

A new poll looking at American attitudes, health, and behavior concludes that people over age 65 consistently have a higher degree of well being than any other age group.

The findings are based on more than 1 million surveys done since 2008. Healthways works with health care professionals to help people thrive and to allow officials to track health and wellness by congressional districts.

Multiple behaviors, from smiling and laughing to having access to learn new things, eating well, and getting plenty of exercise  Even when aches and pains set in and health begins to decline, the older group also is less sad and depressed than any other group, according to the Gallup-Healthways Wellbeing index.

If younger people don't adopt healthier ways, they are not likely to do as well as these seniors. Those at the bottom end of the well being scale are those aged 45 to 64.

What is a Donkra

It is the offspring of a female zebra and a male donkey. The one shown was recently born in China and is doing well.

It's in the Bag

Margaret Knight fought a sexist employee to claim her rightful title as the inventor of the flat-bottomed paper bag in 1858. She was working in paper bag factory when she noticed how difficult it was to pack things into the flimsy, shapeless sacks. So, she decided to invent a machine that folded and glued paper to make a flat-bottomed bag.

Knight spent many late nights drawing up plans before creating a wooden prototype. She couldn't, however, obtain a patent until she made one out of iron.

While it was being produced at machine shop, an employee named Charles Annan copied her idea and got a patent for it. Knight sued Annan for copyright infringement. Annan argued that, because she was a woman, she couldn't have been the true inventor.  However, Knight's sketches and detailed plans helped her win the case. She ended up establishing her own paper bag company and received large royalties for her invention.

Yakety Yak

During this week in 1958 Yakety Yak, by the Coasters hit number one and was the first stereo song son to do so. Don't talk back.