Adding to the library of salt studies is
yet a new one which again finds that salt is not that bad and that
too little salt may be as bad for us as too much salt. The same can
be said for calories or carbohydrates.
More than 100,000 people from the general public in 17 countries
were observed for nearly four years and sodium levels were
determined from urine tests. The researchers found people who
consume 3 to 6 grams of sodium a day (salt contains about 39% sodium
by weight) had the lowest risk of heart problems or death from any
cause. About three-fourths of the world's population is in the ideal
range, including the US, which averages 4 grams a day salt
consumption.
The new study published this week in the New England Journal of
Medicine suggests the US's daily consumption of about 3,400
milligrams is not only perfectly fine, but may be healthier than
abstaining. It suggests eaters should shoot for between 3,000 and
6,000 mg of salt each day. Dr. Suzanne Oparil, a cardiologist at the
University of Alabama, Birmingham, who wrote an editorial
accompanying the publication, added, "Japan, one of the highest salt
consumers, has one of the longest lifespans."
Table salt also contains iodine, and desiccants to keep it from
clumping. Sodium is essential for human nutrition, but too much
sodium or too little sodium raises health risks. Sodium levels
generally correlate with the risk of high blood pressure, but
correlation (are related) is not causality (one causes the other).
Chlorine is also important to overall health. Our bodies, like salt
water swimming pools separate sodium from chlorine for use.
Potassium, found in vegetables and fruits appears to lower blood
pressure and heart risks, and offsets sodium's effect. Potatoes,
bananas, avocados, leafy greens, nuts, apricots, salmon, and
mushrooms are high in potassium.
Determining that worldwide deaths are caused by one ingredient,
without relation to complete diet, or other factors, is like saying
global warming is caused only by CO2, or that drinking only diet
soda makes us fat.
As with all studies, results 'should be taken with a grain of
salt'. Reducing or increasing one item from the panoply of
food we ingest is interesting fodder for highly funded studies,
but taking results too seriously can be hazardous to our health.
Aug 22, 2014
Three Quick Hacks
Put a few of those small ketchup packs in
the freezer. They stay soft and can be used for small bruises or
bumps.
Use the microwave to soften some chocolate in an ice cube tray, then add strawberries for an easy and clean way to make chocolate covered strawberries with no mess (not as pretty, but taste just as good).
If you mix a tablespoon of vanilla extract to a gallon of paint, the smell will be much more pleasant and it will not change the color of the paint.
Use the microwave to soften some chocolate in an ice cube tray, then add strawberries for an easy and clean way to make chocolate covered strawberries with no mess (not as pretty, but taste just as good).
If you mix a tablespoon of vanilla extract to a gallon of paint, the smell will be much more pleasant and it will not change the color of the paint.
Internet Radio
Many of us think the radio is for the car,
or background music while at home, but do not think of listening to
the radio on the Internet. Some internet radio stations require free
signup, some require nothing but your ears. Since these are Internet
based, they are available on your PC, tablet, smartphone, etc. A few
require an app for your phone, but most are just available as a web
site.
Below are a few free (most accept donations) stations you can tune into while derping around the net. You can find many more by Googling "Internet Radio Stations."
Many genres available, but some have commercials embedded - http://www.internet-radio.com/
Large collection of stations - http://www.sky.fm/
Smartphone favorite - http://www.pandora.com/
Very cool option to check real radio stations that also broadcast live. Check by hometown, country, or genre. http://radio-locator.com/
Was going to add links to specific stations, but thought why limit you to my musical proclivities. Enjoy!
Below are a few free (most accept donations) stations you can tune into while derping around the net. You can find many more by Googling "Internet Radio Stations."
Many genres available, but some have commercials embedded - http://www.internet-radio.com/
Large collection of stations - http://www.sky.fm/
Smartphone favorite - http://www.pandora.com/
Very cool option to check real radio stations that also broadcast live. Check by hometown, country, or genre. http://radio-locator.com/
Was going to add links to specific stations, but thought why limit you to my musical proclivities. Enjoy!
Wordology, Cappuccino
Espresso, hot milk, and steamed milk
foam are ingredients for making a cappuccino. Cappuccino comes from
German/Austrian 'kapuziner', and is the diminutive form of cappuccio
in Italian, meaning 'hood' or something that covers the head, thus
'cappuccino' reads 'small capuchin'. The Capuchin monks of the 16th
century, an offshoot of the Franciscan Catholic order wear long and
pointy hoods, known as capuche. The monks subsequently received a
formal nickname, Capuchin, for their hoods. The color of cappuccino
resembles the brown shade of the hoods and thus the naming of the
coffee drink.
Cappuccino differs from latte in size. Cappuccino is traditionally small while latte traditionally is large. Latte is often served in a large glass and cappuccino mostly in a cup with a handle. Here is some Java Jive music to listen to while sipping your cappuccino.
Cappuccino differs from latte in size. Cappuccino is traditionally small while latte traditionally is large. Latte is often served in a large glass and cappuccino mostly in a cup with a handle. Here is some Java Jive music to listen to while sipping your cappuccino.
Voicemail Tips
In each of the following, ignore the quote
marks as they are used as a separator. You can halt an incoming
message by pressing "33". You can still press "4" to replay the
message. You can also use "#" so message will be ready to listen to
again as a "skipped message" after you heard the rest of your
messages. Some carriers allow you to press "7" mid message to
eliminate, if not, press "77" to immediately erase.
Some carriers allow you to press "*" to interrupt the recipient's greeting and go right into leaving your voicemail.
Some carriers allow you to press "*" to interrupt the recipient's greeting and go right into leaving your voicemail.
Text-to-911
By the end of 2014, US carriers will be
required to route all of our emergency texts to 911. The Federal
Communications Commission voted 3-2 to require all mobile carriers
to route text messages sent to 911, to local emergency response
centers, just like phone calls.
The problem is most emergency services agencies are not yet equipped to receive them.
The big four operators have already implemented text-to-911 voluntarily, but many smaller operators have not. In fact, only about 2 percent of 911 response centers are capable of receiving SMS, so most emergency messages just get sent into the cloud.
The FCC also now requires messaging apps linked to phone numbers must all support 911. That means an app that works within the phone’s SMS client must be able to send 911 texts, but a social messaging app like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp does not. Am having difficulty understanding how someone with a phone finds it easier to text than to call, especially when 911 usually requires a series of questions and answers. Thumbs may not be faster than lips, but apps like EVA, SIRI, Skyvi, and Jeannie, etc. might be more linguistically understandable.
The problem is most emergency services agencies are not yet equipped to receive them.
The big four operators have already implemented text-to-911 voluntarily, but many smaller operators have not. In fact, only about 2 percent of 911 response centers are capable of receiving SMS, so most emergency messages just get sent into the cloud.
The FCC also now requires messaging apps linked to phone numbers must all support 911. That means an app that works within the phone’s SMS client must be able to send 911 texts, but a social messaging app like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp does not. Am having difficulty understanding how someone with a phone finds it easier to text than to call, especially when 911 usually requires a series of questions and answers. Thumbs may not be faster than lips, but apps like EVA, SIRI, Skyvi, and Jeannie, etc. might be more linguistically understandable.
Sunburn and SPF
SPF is an acronym for Sun Protection
Factor. SPF is actually a measure of protection from amount of UV-B
exposure and it is not meant to help you determine duration of
exposure. Sunbathers often assume that they get twice as much
protection from SPF 100 sunscreen as from SPF 50. In reality, the
extra protection is negligible. Properly applied SPF 15 blocks 93%
of UV-B rays; SPF 50 sunscreen blocks 98 percent of sunburn rays.
Dermatologists recommend using a SPF15 or SPF30 sunscreen. Higher
SPFs do not actually give much more protection.
Sunblock and sunscreen block the rays from the sun being absorbed by our skin. Ninety five percent of the UV (Ultra violet) energy hitting the earth’s surface is UV-A. The other 5% is UV-B. Most of UV-B radiation is absorbed by our atmosphere. UV-A penetrates the skin more deeply than UV-B. However, UV-B causes more problems generally associated with exposure to the sun’s rays, like skin cancer, aging, and DNA damage. UV-B waves are primarily responsible for sunburned skin. Scientists know less about the dangers of UV-A radiation, but the general consensus is that it is less obvious than UV-B damage, but possibly more serious.
Sunscreens generally only block UV-B rays, and not UV-A. To get broad spectrum protection, sunscreen must contain both the organic compounds associated with UV-B absorption and an inorganic associated with UV-A reflection.
Sunburn reactions usually begin about 4 hours after exposure and peak between 8-24 hours, so what we feel while being exposed is just the beginning.
--------------
Sunblock and sunscreen block the rays from the sun being absorbed by our skin. Ninety five percent of the UV (Ultra violet) energy hitting the earth’s surface is UV-A. The other 5% is UV-B. Most of UV-B radiation is absorbed by our atmosphere. UV-A penetrates the skin more deeply than UV-B. However, UV-B causes more problems generally associated with exposure to the sun’s rays, like skin cancer, aging, and DNA damage. UV-B waves are primarily responsible for sunburned skin. Scientists know less about the dangers of UV-A radiation, but the general consensus is that it is less obvious than UV-B damage, but possibly more serious.
Sunscreens generally only block UV-B rays, and not UV-A. To get broad spectrum protection, sunscreen must contain both the organic compounds associated with UV-B absorption and an inorganic associated with UV-A reflection.
Sunburn reactions usually begin about 4 hours after exposure and peak between 8-24 hours, so what we feel while being exposed is just the beginning.
--------------
Aug 15, 2014
Happy Friday
Only the pessimist thinks good morning is an oxymoron.
No one could possibly think that, when waking up to a Happy Friday!
No one could possibly think that, when waking up to a Happy Friday!
Biggest, Longest, Tallest
The tallest living person
is Sultan Kosen from Ankara, Turkey, at 8′ 3″ tall. He also holds
the record for the widest hand span at 12 inches. The tallest man in
history was Robert Pershing Wadlow, who was 8 feet 11.1 inches (2.72
m) tall. His feet were the largest in history at US Size 37AA, or 18
½ inches long.
Jyoti Amge, from Nagpur, India, is the world’s shortest woman and stands 24.7 inches tall (she has been selected to join the cast of American Horror Story season 4). Chandra Bahadur Dangi was declared the shortest human adult ever documented and verified, measuring 21.51 in (54.64 cm).
Matthew McGory had a big toe that was 5 inches long and his little toe was 1.5 inches.
Mehmet Ozyurek from Artuin, Turkey has the longest nose ever at 3.46 inches from the bridge to the tip.
The person born with the most fingers and toes was Akshat Saxena of India. He was born with 14 fingers, 7 on each hand, and 20 toes, 10 on each foot.
The longest tongue belongs to Stephen Taylor from the United Kingdom. From the middle of his closed lip to the tip, it is 3.86 inches long. The longest female tongue belongs to Chanel Tapper of California, at 3.8 inches. The widest tongue belongs to Jay Sloot of San Remo, Australia and is 3.1 inches wide.
The widest mouth belongs to Fransisco Domingos of Angola, at 6.69 inches. The record for the most teeth in a human mouth belongs to two people, Kanchan Rojawat of India and Luca Meriano of Italy, who each have 35 adult teeth.
The longest legs belong to Svetlana Pankratova, who has 51.9 inch legs.
The longest natural head hair belongs to Xie Qiuping of China whose hair measured 18 feet 5.54 inches.
Hans Langseth of Norway had the longest beard ever recorded, at 18 feet 6 inches long.
Mark Lyleate ate 54 Pieces of Bacon in 5 Minutes at the 2010 Beggin' Strips World Bacon Eating Championship. In 2013, Molly Schuyler, Bellevue, Nebraska, was the first person to eat 3 pounds of cooked bacon within less than 5 minutes. Peter Czerwinski of Mississauga, Ontario holds the record for drinking a bacon shake the fastest at 47.72 seconds. It contained five pounds of bacon. I know, these last facts have nothing to do with body records, but are about bacon and I couldn't resist.
Jyoti Amge, from Nagpur, India, is the world’s shortest woman and stands 24.7 inches tall (she has been selected to join the cast of American Horror Story season 4). Chandra Bahadur Dangi was declared the shortest human adult ever documented and verified, measuring 21.51 in (54.64 cm).
Matthew McGory had a big toe that was 5 inches long and his little toe was 1.5 inches.
Mehmet Ozyurek from Artuin, Turkey has the longest nose ever at 3.46 inches from the bridge to the tip.
The person born with the most fingers and toes was Akshat Saxena of India. He was born with 14 fingers, 7 on each hand, and 20 toes, 10 on each foot.
The longest tongue belongs to Stephen Taylor from the United Kingdom. From the middle of his closed lip to the tip, it is 3.86 inches long. The longest female tongue belongs to Chanel Tapper of California, at 3.8 inches. The widest tongue belongs to Jay Sloot of San Remo, Australia and is 3.1 inches wide.
The widest mouth belongs to Fransisco Domingos of Angola, at 6.69 inches. The record for the most teeth in a human mouth belongs to two people, Kanchan Rojawat of India and Luca Meriano of Italy, who each have 35 adult teeth.
The longest legs belong to Svetlana Pankratova, who has 51.9 inch legs.
The longest natural head hair belongs to Xie Qiuping of China whose hair measured 18 feet 5.54 inches.
Hans Langseth of Norway had the longest beard ever recorded, at 18 feet 6 inches long.
Mark Lyleate ate 54 Pieces of Bacon in 5 Minutes at the 2010 Beggin' Strips World Bacon Eating Championship. In 2013, Molly Schuyler, Bellevue, Nebraska, was the first person to eat 3 pounds of cooked bacon within less than 5 minutes. Peter Czerwinski of Mississauga, Ontario holds the record for drinking a bacon shake the fastest at 47.72 seconds. It contained five pounds of bacon. I know, these last facts have nothing to do with body records, but are about bacon and I couldn't resist.
What's in a Name, Spumoni
Spumoni originated in Naples and
is the ancestor of Neapolitan ice cream. Spumoni ice cream, like
Neapolitan ice cream is a molded Italian ice cream made with layers
of different colors and flavors. The difference is that Spumoni
usually also contains candied fruits and nuts. The name Spumone
comes from spuma or 'foam'. The plural form is spumoni.
Typically it is of three flavors, with a fruit/nut layer between them. The ice cream layers are often mixed with whipped cream. Cherry, pistachio, and either chocolate or vanilla are the typical flavors of the ice cream layers, and the fruit/nut layer often contains cherry bits, causing the traditional red/pink, green, and brown color combination. It is popular in places with large Italian immigrant populations such as the United States and Argentina. August 21 is National Spumoni Day in the United States. November 13 is National Spumoni Day in Canada.
Typically it is of three flavors, with a fruit/nut layer between them. The ice cream layers are often mixed with whipped cream. Cherry, pistachio, and either chocolate or vanilla are the typical flavors of the ice cream layers, and the fruit/nut layer often contains cherry bits, causing the traditional red/pink, green, and brown color combination. It is popular in places with large Italian immigrant populations such as the United States and Argentina. August 21 is National Spumoni Day in the United States. November 13 is National Spumoni Day in Canada.
National Senior Citizens Day
This is celebrated on August
21 with various events and activities held across the United States,
in recognition of National Senior Citizens Day. This day was created
as a day to support, honor, and show appreciation to our seniors and
to recognize their achievements and the contributions they make to
our communities.
On August 19, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5847 declaring August 21 as National Senior Citizens Day. Someday I may be forced to grow up and celebrate this day, but for now, every day is a good day to celebrate the achievements of others.
On August 19, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5847 declaring August 21 as National Senior Citizens Day. Someday I may be forced to grow up and celebrate this day, but for now, every day is a good day to celebrate the achievements of others.
USB Business Card
Here is a novel use of high tech and low
tech. It is a folding business card that turns into a USB drive.
Currently it is still in the Kickstarter stage, but is planned to be
available October, 2014.
A swivelCard is a premium paper business card that includes a USB drive and analytics that can be updated even after giving it out. LINK
A swivelCard is a premium paper business card that includes a USB drive and analytics that can be updated even after giving it out. LINK
French Fry Facts
The origin of French fries is Belgium.
According to some historians, potatoes were being fried by 1680 in
the Meuse Valley of Belgium. Locals often ate small fried fish, when
the river was frozen they used potatoes as a substitute. They used
to cut potatoes lengthwise and fry them in oil to use them as a fish
substitute.
Thomas Jefferson gets the credit for introducing French fries to America when he served them at a White House dinner in 1802 after reportedly requesting, "Potatoes, fried in the French manner.
The average American eats thirty pounds of French fries per year.
The earliest known reference to fries in English literature is in A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Dickens refers to, “Husky chips of potato, fried with some reluctant drops of oil”.
In general, potatoes cooked with the skin on are healthier, as most of the nutrients in a potato come from the skin
French fries are eaten all over the world and every culture has its own preferred condiment. Americans dunk them in ketchup, Brits eat their chips with salt and malt vinegar, mayonnaise is a popular accompaniment in Belgium and they look forward to steamed mussels and fries, in Vietnam they serve fries with soft butter and a sprinkling of sugar. "Clams and chips" is a very popular dish in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. French fries served with hot mustard is very popular in Ireland
There is a museum in Belgium entirely devoted to the classic fast-food snack frites.
French Fries in France are known as frites, patates frites, or pommes frites in French. These names are also used in many non-French areas.
About seven per cent of the potatoes grown in the US are sold by McDonald’s. It sells more than one third of all the French fries sold in restaurants in the U.S. each year.
According to the Agricultural Research Service in Navarre, potato skins are packed with 60 phyto-chemicals, many of these are flavonoids which help lower bad cholesterol and keep arteries clear.
Belgians may or may not have invented the French fry, today, they do consume the most French fries per capita of any country in Europe.
Belgians, who are the world’s connoisseurs when it comes to French fries, occasionally will serve French fries with egg as a topping. The raw egg is cracked over the French fries immediately after the fries have been pulled from the fryer. This tends to mostly cook the egg, but leaves the yoke somewhat runny for dipping the fries in.
Thomas Jefferson gets the credit for introducing French fries to America when he served them at a White House dinner in 1802 after reportedly requesting, "Potatoes, fried in the French manner.
The average American eats thirty pounds of French fries per year.
The earliest known reference to fries in English literature is in A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Dickens refers to, “Husky chips of potato, fried with some reluctant drops of oil”.
In general, potatoes cooked with the skin on are healthier, as most of the nutrients in a potato come from the skin
French fries are eaten all over the world and every culture has its own preferred condiment. Americans dunk them in ketchup, Brits eat their chips with salt and malt vinegar, mayonnaise is a popular accompaniment in Belgium and they look forward to steamed mussels and fries, in Vietnam they serve fries with soft butter and a sprinkling of sugar. "Clams and chips" is a very popular dish in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. French fries served with hot mustard is very popular in Ireland
There is a museum in Belgium entirely devoted to the classic fast-food snack frites.
French Fries in France are known as frites, patates frites, or pommes frites in French. These names are also used in many non-French areas.
About seven per cent of the potatoes grown in the US are sold by McDonald’s. It sells more than one third of all the French fries sold in restaurants in the U.S. each year.
According to the Agricultural Research Service in Navarre, potato skins are packed with 60 phyto-chemicals, many of these are flavonoids which help lower bad cholesterol and keep arteries clear.
Belgians may or may not have invented the French fry, today, they do consume the most French fries per capita of any country in Europe.
Belgians, who are the world’s connoisseurs when it comes to French fries, occasionally will serve French fries with egg as a topping. The raw egg is cracked over the French fries immediately after the fries have been pulled from the fryer. This tends to mostly cook the egg, but leaves the yoke somewhat runny for dipping the fries in.
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