Tomorrow is Pi day (not to be confused
with Pi approximation day celebrated July 22)
- On 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 in the morning will be a once in a century
happening and we all get to celebrate it.
Pi Day was invented by physicist Larry Shaw and the first Pi Day
celebration was held at the San Francisco Exploratorium in 1988. In
2009 the US Congress officially recognized March 14 as Pi Day in the
United States.
Mar 13, 2015
National Potato Chip Day
March 14 is also National Potato Chip day in the US. Americans consume 1.2 billion pounds (over 17 billion US dollars) of potato chips each year. It remains the nation’s favorite snack food. A recent survey showed 86% of US and France consume potato crisps/potato chips followed by 84% of Brits and 72% of Egyptians. Bottom of the scale is China with 28% consumption.
Detroit, Michigan leads the way in potato chip consumption; in fact, it is the potato chip consumption capital of the country. Detroiters consume an average of seven pounds of chips per year; the rest of the country about four pounds.
Have some fun, eat more chips and rest assured that all calories have been removed from all potato chips in the world for one day only. I have eaten hundreds of brands of chips from around the world, including the original Saratoga chips, but still prefer Better Made Potato Chips from Detroit Michigan, USA. Celebrity chef Rachael Ray named the Better Made's salt-and-vinegar chips the best in the nation.
Detroit, Michigan leads the way in potato chip consumption; in fact, it is the potato chip consumption capital of the country. Detroiters consume an average of seven pounds of chips per year; the rest of the country about four pounds.
Have some fun, eat more chips and rest assured that all calories have been removed from all potato chips in the world for one day only. I have eaten hundreds of brands of chips from around the world, including the original Saratoga chips, but still prefer Better Made Potato Chips from Detroit Michigan, USA. Celebrity chef Rachael Ray named the Better Made's salt-and-vinegar chips the best in the nation.
St. Patrick's Day
This coming week is another holiday, St. Patrick's Day, March 17. It is celebrated globally and is a time to get your green on and celebrate the many major parades, wear green, drink green beer, have a party, and remember the patron saint of Ireland. Why not save a few potato chips to savor with your favorite green beer. Erin go Braugh!
Internet Immortality
While recently browsing Forbes, found
an interesting web site. It allows you to post up to 16Gb of any
documents, pictures, videos, family tree info, etc. It promises to
post the info on the site in a private 'room' for you where you can
make any or all of the information public or private. It also
promises, for a onetime fee, to keep the info "at least as long as
civilization exists". Very interesting concept and worth a read. If
you try it, click on the 'About Us' and 'FAQ'. For a sample, click
on search and type in "lindstrom" the site owner's name. LINK
Wordology, Stave Off
To 'stave off' means to keep at bay, fight off, or defend against. In its original noun form, around 1400, the Oxford English Dictionary says, a “stave” was a thin strip of wood that was curved to make a cask or barrel. Staves was originally the plural of staff, a long rod or walking stick. So by extension, many kinds of sticks or rods, including the staffs of a lance or other weapon, were known as staves.
By the 1600s, stave evolved to mean drive off or beat with a staff or stave. The use was meant literally, as in to stave off an attack on the castle, possibly using lances or other weapons with staves. The common use today has become figurative, as in to stave off a cold.
By the 1600s, stave evolved to mean drive off or beat with a staff or stave. The use was meant literally, as in to stave off an attack on the castle, possibly using lances or other weapons with staves. The common use today has become figurative, as in to stave off a cold.
Five Company Name Origins
Etsy, The online crafts marketplace tried to use a “complicated name-generating script” that never worked. Rather than fix the kinks, they ran with the program’s codename, Etsy, and told the media it was an interpretation of the Italian (“oh yes”) and Latin (“and if”) sayings.
Microsoft, Paul Allen not Bill Gates, came up with the name for their billion-dollar PC dynasty. He found inspiration from the creation of MICROprocessors and saw the future of computers in SOFTware, leading to the blend of terms.
Instagram, Seeking a title that personified the belief of “right here, right now,” the folks behind Instagram merged the terms “instant camera” and “telegram” to play off the app’s speedy interaction. It took them a week and half to think of something that could be recognized and “spellable” for bar crowds.
Sony, Combine the Latin term for sound ‘sonus’ with the American slang for bright youngster ‘sonny’ and you have the name for a billion-dollar electronics business. Founder Akio Morita believed ‘Sony’ was a way of letting the public know they “were sonny boys working in sound and vision” in the industry at the time. It is also an easy pronunciation in all languages.
Twitter, The social network considered Twitch. Former CEO Jack Dorsey was not sold on it, so he had the team pick a name from a hat and ‘Twitter’ became its dual-meaning of bird chirping and chattering to describe the service.
Microsoft, Paul Allen not Bill Gates, came up with the name for their billion-dollar PC dynasty. He found inspiration from the creation of MICROprocessors and saw the future of computers in SOFTware, leading to the blend of terms.
Instagram, Seeking a title that personified the belief of “right here, right now,” the folks behind Instagram merged the terms “instant camera” and “telegram” to play off the app’s speedy interaction. It took them a week and half to think of something that could be recognized and “spellable” for bar crowds.
Sony, Combine the Latin term for sound ‘sonus’ with the American slang for bright youngster ‘sonny’ and you have the name for a billion-dollar electronics business. Founder Akio Morita believed ‘Sony’ was a way of letting the public know they “were sonny boys working in sound and vision” in the industry at the time. It is also an easy pronunciation in all languages.
Twitter, The social network considered Twitch. Former CEO Jack Dorsey was not sold on it, so he had the team pick a name from a hat and ‘Twitter’ became its dual-meaning of bird chirping and chattering to describe the service.
Wordology, Fat Free and Free Range
When the dangers of saturated and trans fat became popular headlines, the market was flooded with products that touted their fat-free status. They sometimes contained nearly as many calories as full-fat versions. “Just because it says it’s fat-free, doesn't mean you get a free ride,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix. “Packages could say it is fat free, but be loaded with sugar, and sugar-free products could be loaded with fat.” Check the label for calorie content, and compare it to the full-fat version.
Although a food label may say free range chicken, do not assume your bird was dancing around the farmer's field. The US Department of Agriculture does define the words free range, but there are no requirements for the amount, duration, and quality of outdoor access. “What it’s supposed to mean is that they are out running in a field,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, nutrition expert and author of Read It, Before You Eat It. “But what it really means is they just have exposure to the outdoors.”
Although a food label may say free range chicken, do not assume your bird was dancing around the farmer's field. The US Department of Agriculture does define the words free range, but there are no requirements for the amount, duration, and quality of outdoor access. “What it’s supposed to mean is that they are out running in a field,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, nutrition expert and author of Read It, Before You Eat It. “But what it really means is they just have exposure to the outdoors.”
Nine Porcupine Facts
The porcupine is one of the world's
largest rodents and weigh about 12 kg (26 pounds).
There are about thirty different species of porcupine.
Porcupines have weak eyes and rely entirely on their nose for food search.
One of the olfactory signals porcupines use is a pungent odor that lets potential predators know they have raised their quills and they are not afraid to use them.
Salty is porcupine’s favorite flavor, so it will eat anything salty, such as axe handles, canoe paddles, etc.
Female porcupines mate once a year, and often the males bring them into estrus by urinating on them.
Babies are called porcupettes and they are born with soft quills, which will begin to harden in a few hours to days.
Young porcupine will leave its parents after a few months and begin solitary life.
Some porcupines have up to 30,000 quills on their body. Porcupines cannot shoot out their quills, but they will be easily released when predators touch the animal.
There are about thirty different species of porcupine.
Porcupines have weak eyes and rely entirely on their nose for food search.
One of the olfactory signals porcupines use is a pungent odor that lets potential predators know they have raised their quills and they are not afraid to use them.
Salty is porcupine’s favorite flavor, so it will eat anything salty, such as axe handles, canoe paddles, etc.
Female porcupines mate once a year, and often the males bring them into estrus by urinating on them.
Babies are called porcupettes and they are born with soft quills, which will begin to harden in a few hours to days.
Young porcupine will leave its parents after a few months and begin solitary life.
Some porcupines have up to 30,000 quills on their body. Porcupines cannot shoot out their quills, but they will be easily released when predators touch the animal.
Double Meaning Animals
We do not often think of the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg, and we ignore how many times we egg someone on by calling them chicken. Here are a few more ways we use animals in discussions.
I was fishing for how to begin this.
Am not trying to be a leech or to sponge off of you.
Sometimes we hound someone for no good reason.
Too often we wolf down food or just plain pig out.
We feel playful and horse around or monkey around.
When we get caught, it is time to pony up.
Children often ape their parents and too often parrot what they say.
When someone gooses you, it is time to duck out, but most often they just did it for a lark.
You probably think it is time for me to clam up, but I am not done yet.
There are a few more squirreled away, just to badger you a bit more.
Luckily there were no moles in the crowd to give away my secrets.
Am still crowing that I managed to finished this.
I was fishing for how to begin this.
Am not trying to be a leech or to sponge off of you.
Sometimes we hound someone for no good reason.
Too often we wolf down food or just plain pig out.
We feel playful and horse around or monkey around.
When we get caught, it is time to pony up.
Children often ape their parents and too often parrot what they say.
When someone gooses you, it is time to duck out, but most often they just did it for a lark.
You probably think it is time for me to clam up, but I am not done yet.
There are a few more squirreled away, just to badger you a bit more.
Luckily there were no moles in the crowd to give away my secrets.
Am still crowing that I managed to finished this.
FDA Terms Defined
Although the FDA has definitions for terms like reduced sugar, no added sugar, and sugar free, companies sometimes come up with marketing lingo that is just made up. One of those terms is lightly sweetened, which is not defined by the FDA. “Whether Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats Bite Size is “lightly sweetened” should be determined by federal rules, not the marketing executives of a manufacturer,” according to a CSPI report from 2010.
Cholesterol free does not mean no cholesterol. Cholesterol-free products must contain less than 2 mg per serving while low-cholesterol products contain 20 mg or less per serving. Foods that say reduced or less cholesterol need to have at least 25% less than comparable products. Cholesterol is made by the liver, so only animal products like meat, dairy, eggs, and butter can contain it. If a plant-based product, such as corn oil touts its cholesterol-free status, there is no benefit compared to other vegetable oils, which also do not contain it.
Sugar free does not mean a product has fewer calories than the regular version; in fact it may have more calories. (Food makers are supposed to tell us if a product is not low-cal). Sugar-free products have less than 0.5 grams of sugars per serving, but they still contain calories and carbohydrates from other sources. These products often contain sugar alcohols, which are lower in calories (roughly 2 calories per gram, compared to 4 per gram for sugar). We need to compare labels to see if the sugar-free version is any better than the regular version. (Common sugar alcohols are mannitol, xylitol, or sorbitol).
Products that say trans fat free or no trans fat can contain less than 0.5 grams per serving. If a product says 0 trans fat on it, it may not be zero. If you have two servings, then you may get a good amount added to your diet. Check for words on the ingredient list such as hydrogenated oils and shortening, which mean trans fat is still present.
Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat or rye and can cause problems for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Gluten-free products are becoming easier to find, which is great for those with Celiac Disease (less than 1% of the population). For the other 99% of us there is no advantage to buying them. In fact, gluten-free whole grains may have less fiber than the regular version. Unless you have metabolic problems, gluten-free products do not help you lose weight and are not necessarily good for you, but because it’s a buzz word, it is put on packages.
Cholesterol free does not mean no cholesterol. Cholesterol-free products must contain less than 2 mg per serving while low-cholesterol products contain 20 mg or less per serving. Foods that say reduced or less cholesterol need to have at least 25% less than comparable products. Cholesterol is made by the liver, so only animal products like meat, dairy, eggs, and butter can contain it. If a plant-based product, such as corn oil touts its cholesterol-free status, there is no benefit compared to other vegetable oils, which also do not contain it.
Sugar free does not mean a product has fewer calories than the regular version; in fact it may have more calories. (Food makers are supposed to tell us if a product is not low-cal). Sugar-free products have less than 0.5 grams of sugars per serving, but they still contain calories and carbohydrates from other sources. These products often contain sugar alcohols, which are lower in calories (roughly 2 calories per gram, compared to 4 per gram for sugar). We need to compare labels to see if the sugar-free version is any better than the regular version. (Common sugar alcohols are mannitol, xylitol, or sorbitol).
Products that say trans fat free or no trans fat can contain less than 0.5 grams per serving. If a product says 0 trans fat on it, it may not be zero. If you have two servings, then you may get a good amount added to your diet. Check for words on the ingredient list such as hydrogenated oils and shortening, which mean trans fat is still present.
Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat or rye and can cause problems for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Gluten-free products are becoming easier to find, which is great for those with Celiac Disease (less than 1% of the population). For the other 99% of us there is no advantage to buying them. In fact, gluten-free whole grains may have less fiber than the regular version. Unless you have metabolic problems, gluten-free products do not help you lose weight and are not necessarily good for you, but because it’s a buzz word, it is put on packages.
Flushing Fat With Flavor
People have heard horror stories for years that bacon is full of harmful fat, but facts show the opposite, as bacon helps to fully satiate appetite with high protein, low carb energy, helping the body lose weight, raise metabolism, and build leaner, stronger muscles. Bacon actually has less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than many cuts of beef and chicken. Some fish have less fat and cholesterol than bacon, but bacon has more protein and does not contain mercury toxin. One strip of bacon has 43 calories and .1g carbohydrates.
Brumal, Hibernal, and Hiemal
I am officially tired of
brumal, hibernal and hiemal.
brumal - adj. wintry
hibernal - adj. of, pertaining to, or proper to winter
hiemal - adj. of or relating to winter
Am ready for Spring - The first day of spring this year is March 20, 2015. Starting in the 14th century, this time of year was called 'springing time' and then in the 15th century this was shortened to 'spring-time', and then further shortened in the 16th century to just 'spring'. The 14th century 'springing time' came about in reference to plants springing from the ground. Before those, the season was called 'Lent' in Old English.
brumal - adj. wintry
hibernal - adj. of, pertaining to, or proper to winter
hiemal - adj. of or relating to winter
Am ready for Spring - The first day of spring this year is March 20, 2015. Starting in the 14th century, this time of year was called 'springing time' and then in the 15th century this was shortened to 'spring-time', and then further shortened in the 16th century to just 'spring'. The 14th century 'springing time' came about in reference to plants springing from the ground. Before those, the season was called 'Lent' in Old English.
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