The exact causes of grey eyes are a bit
uncertain, but there is a possibility that it is the eyes having
more collagen and less melanin than blue eyes. As a result, when
light enters the eye it is scattered slightly different, causing
them to look grey, rather than blue.
Those with grey eyes are generally believed to have strong
characters, with a dominant, rational, analytic mindset.
Grey eyes are most commonly found in Northern and Eastern areas
of Europe. They can also be found at various locations around the
world, including North West Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Incidentally, Gray and grey are different spellings of the
same word, and both are used throughout the English-speaking
world. Gray is more common in American English, while grey is
more common in all other varieties of English.
Apr 10, 2015
Millions of Lakes
There are 117 million lakes on Earth,
covering 3.7 percent of the continental land surface. This does
not include Antarctica, Greenland, or the Caspian Sea. About 90
million of these lakes are less than two football fields in size,
or 0.5 to 2.5 acres (0.2 to 1 hectares).
Weekday Name Origins
Sunday has been set aside as the “day
of the sun” since ancient Egyptian times in honor of the sun-god Ra.
The Egyptians passed their idea of a 7-day week onto the Romans, who
also started their week with the Sun’s day, dies solis. When
translated into early German, the first day was called sunnon-dagaz,
which made its way into Middle English as sone day. For some in the
Christian tradition, the first day of the week is named in
accordance with the creation tale in the first book of the Bible,
Genesis, where one of the first things God did was say “let there be
light, and there was light.” Not every culture has Sunday as its
first day, and notable exceptions are found in the Slavic languages,
where Sunday is the last day of the week and is not named in honor
of the sun. For example, in Hungary, Sunday is called Vasárnap and
means market day, and in old Russian, where Sunday was sometimes
called free day.
Monday was named after the moon. In Latin, it was known as dies lunae (day of the moon), and this made its way into Old English as mon(an)dæg and the monday in Middle English. In early pagan traditions, Monday was dedicated to the goddess of the moon, although in some Christian traditions, assigning the moon to the second day also follows the story of Genesis, where in between the first and second days, darkness was separated from light and “evening came.”
Tuesday has always been dedicated to a war god, and in ancient Greek, it was known as hemera Areos (day of Ares), modified only slightly by the Roman dies Martis (day of Mars), and later in Old English Tiwesdæg, in honor of a Norse god of war and law, Tiwaz or Tiw.
Wednesday was dedicated to the messenger of the gods, and for the Greeks, it was known as hemera Hermu (day of Hermes), then to the Romans as dies Mercurii (day of Mercury). When it was adopted by the Anglo-Saxons, as Mercury’s areas of expertise overlapped with his, they dedicated the day to Odin, Woden in Old English (calling the day wodnesdæg).
Jupiter was awarded the fifth day, dies Jovis, by the Romans, and it was assigned to Thor by the Norse, where it was originally called thorsdgr, later modified by Old English into thurresdæg, and then into Middle English’s thur(e)sday.
Friday was assigned to Aphrodite and Venus, in Latin dies Veneris. In Old Norse and English, Venus was associated with Frigg, a goddess of knowledge and wisdom. By Old English, the day’s name had been modified into frigedæg (Frigg’s day) and by Middle English, to fridai. TGIF, for Thank God It’s Friday, dates back to 1946.
Saturday historically was dedicated to Saturn or Cronus to the Greeks, Jupiter’s father and a god associated with dissolution, renewal, generation, agriculture and wealth. In Latin, the day was originally called dies Saturni, which was transformed into sæter(nes)dæg in Old English and saterday in Middle English. For some religions, Saturday is celebrated as the weekly day of rest, known as the Shabbat in Judaism and Sabbath for Seventh Day Adventists.
Monday was named after the moon. In Latin, it was known as dies lunae (day of the moon), and this made its way into Old English as mon(an)dæg and the monday in Middle English. In early pagan traditions, Monday was dedicated to the goddess of the moon, although in some Christian traditions, assigning the moon to the second day also follows the story of Genesis, where in between the first and second days, darkness was separated from light and “evening came.”
Tuesday has always been dedicated to a war god, and in ancient Greek, it was known as hemera Areos (day of Ares), modified only slightly by the Roman dies Martis (day of Mars), and later in Old English Tiwesdæg, in honor of a Norse god of war and law, Tiwaz or Tiw.
Wednesday was dedicated to the messenger of the gods, and for the Greeks, it was known as hemera Hermu (day of Hermes), then to the Romans as dies Mercurii (day of Mercury). When it was adopted by the Anglo-Saxons, as Mercury’s areas of expertise overlapped with his, they dedicated the day to Odin, Woden in Old English (calling the day wodnesdæg).
Jupiter was awarded the fifth day, dies Jovis, by the Romans, and it was assigned to Thor by the Norse, where it was originally called thorsdgr, later modified by Old English into thurresdæg, and then into Middle English’s thur(e)sday.
Friday was assigned to Aphrodite and Venus, in Latin dies Veneris. In Old Norse and English, Venus was associated with Frigg, a goddess of knowledge and wisdom. By Old English, the day’s name had been modified into frigedæg (Frigg’s day) and by Middle English, to fridai. TGIF, for Thank God It’s Friday, dates back to 1946.
Saturday historically was dedicated to Saturn or Cronus to the Greeks, Jupiter’s father and a god associated with dissolution, renewal, generation, agriculture and wealth. In Latin, the day was originally called dies Saturni, which was transformed into sæter(nes)dæg in Old English and saterday in Middle English. For some religions, Saturday is celebrated as the weekly day of rest, known as the Shabbat in Judaism and Sabbath for Seventh Day Adventists.
Deepweb and Darknet
These two words are often spoken by
the news media and we hear them on some TV shows, but they are never
explained.
The Deepweb refers to part of the Internet, specifically the world wide web (anything that starts www) that isn't indexed by search engines, and can't be accessed by Google.
The Darknet refers to non-www networks, where users may need separate software to access them. For example, Silk Road and many illicit markets are hosted on Darknet networks like I2P and Tor.
The Deepweb refers to part of the Internet, specifically the world wide web (anything that starts www) that isn't indexed by search engines, and can't be accessed by Google.
The Darknet refers to non-www networks, where users may need separate software to access them. For example, Silk Road and many illicit markets are hosted on Darknet networks like I2P and Tor.
Amazon May Print Your Product
Amazon plans to create and
patent 3D-printing delivery trucks. The patent, called 'Providing
Services Related to Item Delivery via 3D Manufacturing on Demand',
describes an effort to deliver 3D printed items manufactured on a
truck to customers.
3D printing is a process, which three dimensional objects can be printed on demand.
The 3D printing trucks that Amazon is proposing will double as delivery trucks. The patent lays out a sequential series of steps in regards to how this process will likely happen: first, a customer places an order, the 3D printable order is sent to the delivery truck closest to the customer, and the item is produced en route and delivered once complete.
The patent also covers subtractive printing, which is the process of taking a block of material, usually metal and removing pieces in order to obtain the desired shape.
3D printing is a process, which three dimensional objects can be printed on demand.
The 3D printing trucks that Amazon is proposing will double as delivery trucks. The patent lays out a sequential series of steps in regards to how this process will likely happen: first, a customer places an order, the 3D printable order is sent to the delivery truck closest to the customer, and the item is produced en route and delivered once complete.
The patent also covers subtractive printing, which is the process of taking a block of material, usually metal and removing pieces in order to obtain the desired shape.
Rabbits and Hares
Rabbits and hares are often confused with
one another. Rabbits and hares do not breed with one another in
their natural habitats. Jackrabbits are a type of hare.
From the moment they are born, rabbits and hares are easily distinguished. Baby rabbits, called kittens, are born blind and furless. They are unable to move around much on their own and are weak. Baby hares, called leverets are born with their fur and their eyes open. A baby hare explores its new world shortly after birth.
Rabbits are more social and when they are in the wild they prefer to share their burrows with other members of their colony. They sleep in their burrows during the day, hiding from potential predators. If mother rabbit needs to leave her kittens, she will cover them up with fur and leaves to keep them warm and safe.
Each group of rabbits tends to have a dominant male that gets to mate with the majority of the females. Rabbits prefer softer foods, such as grass and vegetables. Rabbits have been domesticated while hares have not.
Hares are generally larger, lithe, wiry, and have larger back legs and paws. Their ears are longer, and stick straight up from the head. Usually, a hare’s ears will have black markings. Additionally, hares usually change color according to season; they are grayish brown in spring, summer, and fall, and turn white in the winter. A hare’s skull is slightly different in shape to a rabbit’s skull.
Hares prefer to live alone, coming together only to mate (with little contention among males over mating rights), and usually make their homes in nests among tall grasses rather than dig a burrow. They also are not afraid to leave their leverets just hours after the babies are born. Baby hares are well equipped to living without their mothers at just an hour old. Hares are more likely to choose harder foods like bark and twigs.
From the moment they are born, rabbits and hares are easily distinguished. Baby rabbits, called kittens, are born blind and furless. They are unable to move around much on their own and are weak. Baby hares, called leverets are born with their fur and their eyes open. A baby hare explores its new world shortly after birth.
Rabbits are more social and when they are in the wild they prefer to share their burrows with other members of their colony. They sleep in their burrows during the day, hiding from potential predators. If mother rabbit needs to leave her kittens, she will cover them up with fur and leaves to keep them warm and safe.
Each group of rabbits tends to have a dominant male that gets to mate with the majority of the females. Rabbits prefer softer foods, such as grass and vegetables. Rabbits have been domesticated while hares have not.
Hares are generally larger, lithe, wiry, and have larger back legs and paws. Their ears are longer, and stick straight up from the head. Usually, a hare’s ears will have black markings. Additionally, hares usually change color according to season; they are grayish brown in spring, summer, and fall, and turn white in the winter. A hare’s skull is slightly different in shape to a rabbit’s skull.
Hares prefer to live alone, coming together only to mate (with little contention among males over mating rights), and usually make their homes in nests among tall grasses rather than dig a burrow. They also are not afraid to leave their leverets just hours after the babies are born. Baby hares are well equipped to living without their mothers at just an hour old. Hares are more likely to choose harder foods like bark and twigs.
Satellite Orbits
The reason we do not hear about satellites
bumping into each other is because they each have their own
protected orbit, kind of like a one lane highway. Orbits aren't
patented, but “useful systems which incorporate particular orbits,
such as technological solutions for providing telecommunications
which utilize equipment in those orbits, are patent-eligible.”
So while a company couldn't attempt to patent a specific set of gravitational dynamics, it could exert control over an orbit by patenting the specific set of innovations needed to keep a satellite in that orbit.
US Patent No. 5,410,728, was issued to Motorola, and outlines how a formation of several satellites can optimize cellular coverage. The satellite orbit is not subject to this patent, but the process of deploying them into those orbits for some use as telecommunications is patented.
Incidentally, Sci-Fi author Arthur C. Clarke wrote about patenting orbits way back in 1945. The geostationary orbit he proposed that year is now home to hundreds of satellites, and has been officially designated the Clarke orbit by the International Astronomical Union.
So while a company couldn't attempt to patent a specific set of gravitational dynamics, it could exert control over an orbit by patenting the specific set of innovations needed to keep a satellite in that orbit.
US Patent No. 5,410,728, was issued to Motorola, and outlines how a formation of several satellites can optimize cellular coverage. The satellite orbit is not subject to this patent, but the process of deploying them into those orbits for some use as telecommunications is patented.
Incidentally, Sci-Fi author Arthur C. Clarke wrote about patenting orbits way back in 1945. The geostationary orbit he proposed that year is now home to hundreds of satellites, and has been officially designated the Clarke orbit by the International Astronomical Union.
Apr 3, 2015
Happy Friday
"Life is a mirror, if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you
smile, it returns the greeting." William Makepeace Thackeray
I smile in the mirror every morning and it sticks, especially on a Happy Friday!
I smile in the mirror every morning and it sticks, especially on a Happy Friday!
The Easter Bunny
Today’s Easter Bunny grew out of
religious practices in pre-Christian Germany. Eostra, a goddess of
fertility and spring, was associated with the rabbit because of
the animal’s high reproductive rate. The legend was subsequently
merged with the Christian celebration of Jesus’ rebirth.
Easter Eggs
Decorated eggs predate Easter and have been
found as early as 60,000 years ago. About 3000 BC in Persia, eggs
were dyed red given as gifts in celebration of the first day of
spring.
The practice of giving red Easter eggs, symbolizing the blood of Christ, became a Christian tradition, with the hatching of an egg symbolizing the resurrection. The Easter egg is also a byproduct of Lent, as many families would give up eggs during those fast days, which ended with Easter.
Some of the oldest egg dyes were made from a variety of materials, including onion peels, tree bark, flower petals, and vegetable and fruit juices.
Cadbury sells over 200 million cream eggs each year in the UK. More than three for each person who lives there.
The PAAS Dye Co. launched its product during the 1880s. The first packets contained five colors for 5 cents. The company now claims to sell more than 10 million kits annually including dyes, paints, stickers, glitter, etc.
In some European countries, children go from house to house to collect eggs.
The White House Easter Egg Roll, an annual tradition on the Monday after Easter, is the only time that tourists are allowed to gather on the White House lawn. The tradition actually started on the lawn of the Capitol, by Dolly Madison during the early 1800s, and was moved to the White House in 1878, when Rutherford B. Hayes was president.
Many Easter eggs are formed from chocolate. In Scotland, a popular treat sold in fish-and-chips shops is deep-fried chocolate eggs.
The most valuable Easter eggs are the jewel-encrusted Fabergé eggs, crafted in the late 1800s and early 1900s as Easter gifts for the families of Russian czars. Only 65 were known to have been made. Most are worth millions of dollars.
The world's largest Easter egg, as recognized by Guinness World Records, was made of chocolate in 2005 in Belgium and weighed 1,200 kilograms or more than 2,600 pounds.
The term for intentional inside joke, hidden message, author's names, or feature in a work such as a computer program, video game, movie, book, or crossword is Easter Egg. The term was coined at Atari after a programmer put his name in a hidden room in the game Adventure, released in 1979. The name evokes an Easter egg hunt.
The practice of giving red Easter eggs, symbolizing the blood of Christ, became a Christian tradition, with the hatching of an egg symbolizing the resurrection. The Easter egg is also a byproduct of Lent, as many families would give up eggs during those fast days, which ended with Easter.
Some of the oldest egg dyes were made from a variety of materials, including onion peels, tree bark, flower petals, and vegetable and fruit juices.
Cadbury sells over 200 million cream eggs each year in the UK. More than three for each person who lives there.
The PAAS Dye Co. launched its product during the 1880s. The first packets contained five colors for 5 cents. The company now claims to sell more than 10 million kits annually including dyes, paints, stickers, glitter, etc.
In some European countries, children go from house to house to collect eggs.
The White House Easter Egg Roll, an annual tradition on the Monday after Easter, is the only time that tourists are allowed to gather on the White House lawn. The tradition actually started on the lawn of the Capitol, by Dolly Madison during the early 1800s, and was moved to the White House in 1878, when Rutherford B. Hayes was president.
Many Easter eggs are formed from chocolate. In Scotland, a popular treat sold in fish-and-chips shops is deep-fried chocolate eggs.
The most valuable Easter eggs are the jewel-encrusted Fabergé eggs, crafted in the late 1800s and early 1900s as Easter gifts for the families of Russian czars. Only 65 were known to have been made. Most are worth millions of dollars.
The world's largest Easter egg, as recognized by Guinness World Records, was made of chocolate in 2005 in Belgium and weighed 1,200 kilograms or more than 2,600 pounds.
The term for intentional inside joke, hidden message, author's names, or feature in a work such as a computer program, video game, movie, book, or crossword is Easter Egg. The term was coined at Atari after a programmer put his name in a hidden room in the game Adventure, released in 1979. The name evokes an Easter egg hunt.
Cheese Weasel Day
April 3rd is Cheese Weasel Day, the
holiday where the Cheese Weasel brings dairy goodness to all the
boys and girls in the tech industry. It seems to have started
about 1992 when a weasel was spotted carrying a Kraft Cheese
Single. They assumed it must be the Cheese Weasel and therefore,
that it must be Cheese Weasel Day. He was off to put it under the
keyboards of good tech workers everywhere and that is what many
techies do today. Some offices put out a spread of exotic cheeses
for all to enjoy. Some still hide cheese slices under keyboards of
the unsuspecting.
What's in a Name, Cutty Sark
"Cutty Sark" is a
brand of whisky, and before that it was the name of a legendary
sailing ship. Originally, it referred to ladies' underwear. Cutty
sark comes from the now outdated words cutty (short) and sark
(shirt). The term first appeared in an 18th century Scottish poem
where it described a skimpy nightgown worn by a seductive, but
dangerous witch.
Incidentally, since the 1960s, American writers have increasingly used whiskey as the accepted spelling for aged grain spirits made in the US and whisky for aged grain spirits made outside the US. However, some prominent American brands, such as George Dickel, Maker's Mark, and Old Forester use the 'whisky' spelling on their labels, and the Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, the legal regulations for spirit in the US, also use the 'whisky' spelling throughout.
Whisky/ey is an umbrella term for a type of spirit distilled from a mash of fermented grains. Within the broad category of whisky/ey are sub-categories, including bourbon, rye, Tennessee, Scotch, Irish, and Canadian style whiskies. Whisky usually denotes Scotch whisky and Scotch-inspired liquors, and whiskey denotes the Irish and American liquors.
A way to remember - Countries that have E’s in their names (UnitEd StatEs and IrEland) tend to spell it whiskEy (plural whiskeys). Countries without E’s in their names (Canada, Scotland, and Japan) spell it whisky (plural whiskies)
Incidentally, since the 1960s, American writers have increasingly used whiskey as the accepted spelling for aged grain spirits made in the US and whisky for aged grain spirits made outside the US. However, some prominent American brands, such as George Dickel, Maker's Mark, and Old Forester use the 'whisky' spelling on their labels, and the Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, the legal regulations for spirit in the US, also use the 'whisky' spelling throughout.
Whisky/ey is an umbrella term for a type of spirit distilled from a mash of fermented grains. Within the broad category of whisky/ey are sub-categories, including bourbon, rye, Tennessee, Scotch, Irish, and Canadian style whiskies. Whisky usually denotes Scotch whisky and Scotch-inspired liquors, and whiskey denotes the Irish and American liquors.
A way to remember - Countries that have E’s in their names (UnitEd StatEs and IrEland) tend to spell it whiskEy (plural whiskeys). Countries without E’s in their names (Canada, Scotland, and Japan) spell it whisky (plural whiskies)
RIP Gary Dahl
Gary Dahl got the idea for the Pet
Rock, an ordinary rock, packaged in a pet carrier, requiring no
food or care, at a California bar.
Pet Rocks made Mr. Dahl a millionaire practically overnight. He passed away March 28, 2015
Pet Rocks made Mr. Dahl a millionaire practically overnight. He passed away March 28, 2015
Rich Folk Facts
In 2013, the world had about 2,170
billionaires. Women make up 8.5% of those. Ten of America's 43
self-made billionaires dropped out of college.
Sheldon Adelson dropped out of City College of New York ($36.4 billion)
Paul Allen dropped out of Washington State ($16.2 billion)
Andy Beal dropped out of Baylor University ($11.1 billion)
Michael Dell dropped out of University of Texas ($15.3 billion)
Larry Ellison dropped out of University of Chicago ($52 billion)
Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard ($81.6 billion)
Jan Koum dropped out of San Jose State University ($7.5 billion)
Jack Taylor dropped out of Washington University ($11.4 billion)
Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard ($33.1 billion)
Four of the youngest billionaires in the world are connected to Facebook (Dustin Moskovitz, Sean Parker, Eduardo Severin, and Mark Zuckerberg, ).
America's youngest self-made female billionaire is 30 years old and a college dropout.
New York has the largest number of billionaires, with 96, Hong Kong has 75, Moscow 74 and London 67.
Carlo Slim Helu, a Mexican billionaire worth $69 billion, is considered to be the first “world’s richest man from a developing nation.” He has lived in the same modest home for the past 30 years. His wealth is equal to 5% of Mexico’s economic output.
Millionaires -
The average millionaire goes bankrupt at least 3.5 times.
In the United States, approximately 7% of households are millionaires.
A 2010 study shows that millionaires pay approximately 40% of all taxes in the United States.
According to the book The Millionaire Next Door, only 20% of millionaires inherited their wealth. The other 80% earned their cash on their own.
Half of all millionaires are self employed or own their own business.
Eighteen percent of millionaires have Master’s degrees, eight percent have law degrees, six percent have medical degrees, and six percent have PhDs.
Those with Russian ancestry have the highest concentration of millionaire households in America, with $1.1 trillion, or nearly 5% of all the personal wealth in America. The Scottish rank second, Hungarians rank third, and English ancestry groups rank fourth.
A pentamillionaire is someone with the net worth of $5 million. A decamillionare has a net worth of $10 million. A hectamillionaire has a net worth of $100 million.
The number of U.S. millionaires dropped by 129,000, to about 5 million in 2011.
On average, millionaires are 61 years old with $3.05 million in assets.
Just twenty percent of millionaires are retirees.
In 2008, there were 10 million people around the world who were classified as millionaires in US dollars.
There were 185,000 millionaires in Canada in 2011.
The largest increase in the number of millionaires in the past year were in India (21%), China (16%), and Singapore (14%).
Top five countries with highest percent of millionaires.
Rank, Country, Percentage of Population with Millionaire Status, Total Number of Millionaires
#1 Singapore 17.1% 188,000
#2 Qatar 14.3% 47,000
#3 Kuwait 11.8% 63,000
#4 Switzerland 9.5% 322,000
#5 Hong Kong 8.8% 212,000
Sheldon Adelson dropped out of City College of New York ($36.4 billion)
Paul Allen dropped out of Washington State ($16.2 billion)
Andy Beal dropped out of Baylor University ($11.1 billion)
Michael Dell dropped out of University of Texas ($15.3 billion)
Larry Ellison dropped out of University of Chicago ($52 billion)
Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard ($81.6 billion)
Jan Koum dropped out of San Jose State University ($7.5 billion)
Jack Taylor dropped out of Washington University ($11.4 billion)
Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard ($33.1 billion)
Four of the youngest billionaires in the world are connected to Facebook (Dustin Moskovitz, Sean Parker, Eduardo Severin, and Mark Zuckerberg, ).
America's youngest self-made female billionaire is 30 years old and a college dropout.
New York has the largest number of billionaires, with 96, Hong Kong has 75, Moscow 74 and London 67.
Carlo Slim Helu, a Mexican billionaire worth $69 billion, is considered to be the first “world’s richest man from a developing nation.” He has lived in the same modest home for the past 30 years. His wealth is equal to 5% of Mexico’s economic output.
Millionaires -
The average millionaire goes bankrupt at least 3.5 times.
In the United States, approximately 7% of households are millionaires.
A 2010 study shows that millionaires pay approximately 40% of all taxes in the United States.
According to the book The Millionaire Next Door, only 20% of millionaires inherited their wealth. The other 80% earned their cash on their own.
Half of all millionaires are self employed or own their own business.
Eighteen percent of millionaires have Master’s degrees, eight percent have law degrees, six percent have medical degrees, and six percent have PhDs.
Those with Russian ancestry have the highest concentration of millionaire households in America, with $1.1 trillion, or nearly 5% of all the personal wealth in America. The Scottish rank second, Hungarians rank third, and English ancestry groups rank fourth.
A pentamillionaire is someone with the net worth of $5 million. A decamillionare has a net worth of $10 million. A hectamillionaire has a net worth of $100 million.
The number of U.S. millionaires dropped by 129,000, to about 5 million in 2011.
On average, millionaires are 61 years old with $3.05 million in assets.
Just twenty percent of millionaires are retirees.
In 2008, there were 10 million people around the world who were classified as millionaires in US dollars.
There were 185,000 millionaires in Canada in 2011.
The largest increase in the number of millionaires in the past year were in India (21%), China (16%), and Singapore (14%).
Top five countries with highest percent of millionaires.
Rank, Country, Percentage of Population with Millionaire Status, Total Number of Millionaires
#1 Singapore 17.1% 188,000
#2 Qatar 14.3% 47,000
#3 Kuwait 11.8% 63,000
#4 Switzerland 9.5% 322,000
#5 Hong Kong 8.8% 212,000
What's in a Name, Birdseye
The namesake of
Birds Eye Frozen Foods was the company’s founder, Clarence
Birdseye, who introduced the concept of flash freezing to the
world. He developed his technique after seeing food freezing in
action in the Arctic, and noting how much better frozen fish
tasted if it had been frozen immediately after been caught. He
helped pioneer flash freezing as a frozen food standard and helped
develop in-store freezer cases and refrigerated boxcars that
allowed his frozen foods to travel in comfort.
Birdseye’s food was the first frozen food sold commercially in the United States. On March 6, 1930, Birds Eye frozen foods were put on sale at Davidson’s Market in Springfield, Massachusetts, the first product of its kind.
Birdseye’s food was the first frozen food sold commercially in the United States. On March 6, 1930, Birds Eye frozen foods were put on sale at Davidson’s Market in Springfield, Massachusetts, the first product of its kind.
Eye Colors, Brown
Each of the various eye colors show
something about us.
Brown is the most common eye color in the world, because it is caused by a dominant gene. Brown eyes contain large amounts of melanin, a pigment that also causes skin to darken in the sun. If you are lucky enough to have brown eyes, you are much less likely to develop melanoma skin cancer than those with less melanin and those with fairer coloring.
There is a common myth that people with brown eyes are very confident, but it is not always true, as eye color does not determine confidence.
Very dark eyes are sometimes mistaken for being black, but truly black eyes only exist in fiction. Those people who do have incredibly dark brown, almost black, eyes share many of the same traits as those with a lighter shade of brown.
It is very uncommon to find people with brown eyes in some parts of the world, especially Iceland and other parts of Scandinavia. Conversely, brown eyes are everywhere in Africa and Asia.
Technically in the brown eye family, amber eyes are of a solid color and have a strong yellowish/golden and russet/coppery tint from the yellow colored pigment lipochrome in the iris (which is also found in green eyes). Amber eyes should not be confused with hazel eyes; although hazel eyes may contain specks of amber or gold, they usually tend to comprise many other colors, including green, brown and orange. Amber eyes are very rare worldwide, and are most common in Asia and South American countries. Amber eye color can range from golden yellow to a more copper tone. There is a new laser treatment undergoing human testing in Costa Rica that turns brown eyes blue. Reminds me of a song LINK.
Brown is the most common eye color in the world, because it is caused by a dominant gene. Brown eyes contain large amounts of melanin, a pigment that also causes skin to darken in the sun. If you are lucky enough to have brown eyes, you are much less likely to develop melanoma skin cancer than those with less melanin and those with fairer coloring.
There is a common myth that people with brown eyes are very confident, but it is not always true, as eye color does not determine confidence.
Very dark eyes are sometimes mistaken for being black, but truly black eyes only exist in fiction. Those people who do have incredibly dark brown, almost black, eyes share many of the same traits as those with a lighter shade of brown.
It is very uncommon to find people with brown eyes in some parts of the world, especially Iceland and other parts of Scandinavia. Conversely, brown eyes are everywhere in Africa and Asia.
Technically in the brown eye family, amber eyes are of a solid color and have a strong yellowish/golden and russet/coppery tint from the yellow colored pigment lipochrome in the iris (which is also found in green eyes). Amber eyes should not be confused with hazel eyes; although hazel eyes may contain specks of amber or gold, they usually tend to comprise many other colors, including green, brown and orange. Amber eyes are very rare worldwide, and are most common in Asia and South American countries. Amber eye color can range from golden yellow to a more copper tone. There is a new laser treatment undergoing human testing in Costa Rica that turns brown eyes blue. Reminds me of a song LINK.
Mar 27, 2015
Happy Friday
Absorb life like a sponge and squeeze out every drop of joy you can.
I always squeeze hard enough to have a swimmingly Happy Friday!
I always squeeze hard enough to have a swimmingly Happy Friday!
DNA
DNA is DeoxyriboNucleic Acid. The blueprint of every
living thing on the planet is encoded in DNA. It can hold a lot of
information. We could theoretically encode all the world's data
(emails, movies, books, pictures, etc.) on just a few grams of DNA.
According to New Scientist, a gram of DNA could theoretically store 455 exabytes of data. The world has about 1.8 zettabytes of data, according to a 2011 estimate. All the world's information would fit on a four-gram DNA hard drive the size of a teaspoon. Also, given the right conditions, DNA can survive for thousands of years. Long past the time traditional hard drives have degraded.
Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich encapsulated DNA in tiny, dry glass spheres. The researchers say that DNA kept at a temperature of 10 °C would remain uncorrupted and readable for 2,000 years. At even lower temperatures the data could last two million years.
However, preserving data in DNA is currently very expensive. Swiss researchers spent $1,500 to encode 83-kilobytes, which is smaller than the size a picture taken on a smartphone uses. There are a nearly two quintillion kilobytes in the world's 1.8 zettabytes.
According to New Scientist, a gram of DNA could theoretically store 455 exabytes of data. The world has about 1.8 zettabytes of data, according to a 2011 estimate. All the world's information would fit on a four-gram DNA hard drive the size of a teaspoon. Also, given the right conditions, DNA can survive for thousands of years. Long past the time traditional hard drives have degraded.
Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich encapsulated DNA in tiny, dry glass spheres. The researchers say that DNA kept at a temperature of 10 °C would remain uncorrupted and readable for 2,000 years. At even lower temperatures the data could last two million years.
However, preserving data in DNA is currently very expensive. Swiss researchers spent $1,500 to encode 83-kilobytes, which is smaller than the size a picture taken on a smartphone uses. There are a nearly two quintillion kilobytes in the world's 1.8 zettabytes.
Top Ten Sports
These are the top ten sports in the world
from the lowest to highest, according to number of fans. Seems it is
not the age of the sport, but the sport itself that makes it
popular.
- American Football, # of fans: 400 million (began 1800s)
- Basketball, # of fans: 400 million (began late 1800s)
- Golf, # of fans: 450 million (began 1400s)
- Baseball, # of fans: 500 million (began late 1800s)
- Table Tennis, # of fans: 850 million (began 1900s)
- Volleyball, # of fans: 900 million (began late 1800s)
- Tennis, # of fans: 1 billion (began in 1300s)
- Field Hockey, # of fans: 2 billion (began 3rd century BC)
- Cricket, # of fans: 2.5 billion (began 1600s)
- Soccer, # of fans: 3.5 billion (began 200s BC)
Baseball Season Opens
Abner Doubleday is routinely touted
as the inventor of baseball, but there is little, if any historical
evidence to back that claim. Much like Betsy Ross and the flag,
Doubleday had a good story which circumvented the truth. When
baseball started getting really popular, there was actually a
committee called the Mills Commission organized with the purpose of
tracking down the origins of the sport.
One of the men on that commission, Albert Spalding, did not like the fact that baseball was seen as a variation on the English game of rounders. He wanted this new beloved pastime to be 100% American and Doubleday’s story fit the bill perfectly. He had a decorated Civil War general who created the sport in his youth living in a small town in New York. And so the legend began. . .
One of the men on that commission, Albert Spalding, did not like the fact that baseball was seen as a variation on the English game of rounders. He wanted this new beloved pastime to be 100% American and Doubleday’s story fit the bill perfectly. He had a decorated Civil War general who created the sport in his youth living in a small town in New York. And so the legend began. . .
White and Black
The Proto-Indo-European word bhel evolved
into many modern words meaning "white," including Spanish blanco,
French blanc, Italian bianco, and Portuguese branco, as well as
white-related words such as bleach and blank. Bhel also referred to
anything bright, like fire, and the result of fire is blackened,
charred remains. Hence, black. Symbols and sayings about white and
black:
White
A white flag is the universal symbol for truce.
White means mourning in China and Japan.
Angels are usually depicted wearing white robes.
The ancient Greeks wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams.
The Egyptian pharaohs wore white crowns.
The ancient Persians believed all gods wore white.
A “white elephant” is a rare, pale elephant considered sacred to the people of India, Thailand, Burma, and in Sri Lanka it is either a possession that costs more than it is worth to keep or an item that the owner does not want, but cannot get rid of.
It's considered good luck to be married in a white garment.
White heat is a state of intense enthusiasm, anger, devotion, or passion.
To whitewash is to gloss over defects or make something seem presentable that is not.
A white knight is a rescuer.
A white list contains favored items (as opposed to a blacklist).
A whiteout occurs when there is zero visibility during a blizzard.
A white sale is a sale of sheets, towels, and other bed and bath items.
A whited sepulcher is a person who is evil inside, but appears good on the outside.
White lightning is slang for moonshine, a home brewed alcohol.
A white room is a clean room as well as a temperature-controlled, dust-free room for precision instruments.
White water is the foamy, frothy water in rapids and waterfalls.
Black
The ancient Egyptians and Romans used black for mourning, as do most Europeans and Americans today.
The Blackshirts were the security troops in Hitler's German army, also known as the S.S.
Black humor is morbid or unhealthy and gloomy humor.
A blackhearted person is evil.
If a business is “in the black,” it is making money.
A “blacklist” is a list of persons or organizations to be boycotted or punished.
Black is associated with sophistication and elegance. A “black tie” event is formal.
A black belt in karate identifies an expert.
A black flag in a car race is the signal for a driver to go to the pits.
A blackguard is a scoundrel.
The ancient Egyptians believed that black cats had divine powers.
Black lung is a coal miner's disease caused by the frequent inhaling of coal dust.
Blackmail is getting things by threat.
Black market is illegal trade in goods or money.
A black sheep is an outcast.
A blackout is a period of darkness from the loss of electricity, for protection against nighttime air raids, or, in the theater, to separate scenes in a play.
When you “black out,” you temporarily lose consciousness.
White
A white flag is the universal symbol for truce.
White means mourning in China and Japan.
Angels are usually depicted wearing white robes.
The ancient Greeks wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams.
The Egyptian pharaohs wore white crowns.
The ancient Persians believed all gods wore white.
A “white elephant” is a rare, pale elephant considered sacred to the people of India, Thailand, Burma, and in Sri Lanka it is either a possession that costs more than it is worth to keep or an item that the owner does not want, but cannot get rid of.
It's considered good luck to be married in a white garment.
White heat is a state of intense enthusiasm, anger, devotion, or passion.
To whitewash is to gloss over defects or make something seem presentable that is not.
A white knight is a rescuer.
A white list contains favored items (as opposed to a blacklist).
A whiteout occurs when there is zero visibility during a blizzard.
A white sale is a sale of sheets, towels, and other bed and bath items.
A whited sepulcher is a person who is evil inside, but appears good on the outside.
White lightning is slang for moonshine, a home brewed alcohol.
A white room is a clean room as well as a temperature-controlled, dust-free room for precision instruments.
White water is the foamy, frothy water in rapids and waterfalls.
Black
The ancient Egyptians and Romans used black for mourning, as do most Europeans and Americans today.
The Blackshirts were the security troops in Hitler's German army, also known as the S.S.
Black humor is morbid or unhealthy and gloomy humor.
A blackhearted person is evil.
If a business is “in the black,” it is making money.
A “blacklist” is a list of persons or organizations to be boycotted or punished.
Black is associated with sophistication and elegance. A “black tie” event is formal.
A black belt in karate identifies an expert.
A black flag in a car race is the signal for a driver to go to the pits.
A blackguard is a scoundrel.
The ancient Egyptians believed that black cats had divine powers.
Black lung is a coal miner's disease caused by the frequent inhaling of coal dust.
Blackmail is getting things by threat.
Black market is illegal trade in goods or money.
A black sheep is an outcast.
A blackout is a period of darkness from the loss of electricity, for protection against nighttime air raids, or, in the theater, to separate scenes in a play.
When you “black out,” you temporarily lose consciousness.
Roller Skate Dancing
Received this from my cousin and
thought I would share this little skating, tap dancing, musical
interlude. Four minutes long with amazing Gene Kelly. Enjoy! LINK
Internet, IP, Web, and URL
The Internet is a collection of
computers and cables that form a communications network.
The Web (World Wide Web) is a collection of HTML (web) pages on the Internet. The Web is the user part of the Internet.
The term Interweb is a combination of the words Internet and Web. It is most often used in the context of joking or sarcasm.
A URL (universal resource locator) is synonymous with Internet address. A URL is usually a combination of code and text, such as 'http://www.google.com', but numbers are also allowed. A URL always starts with a protocol prefix like http://, but most browsers will type those characters for you. URLs are internally converted to IP addresses
IP address (Internet Protocol address), is a unique identifying number given to every device on the Internet. Like a car license plate, an IP address is a special serial number used for identification, such as 208.185.127.40 = www.about.com.
Bottom line, all URLs have an IP address, but not all IP addresses have a URL.
The Web (World Wide Web) is a collection of HTML (web) pages on the Internet. The Web is the user part of the Internet.
The term Interweb is a combination of the words Internet and Web. It is most often used in the context of joking or sarcasm.
A URL (universal resource locator) is synonymous with Internet address. A URL is usually a combination of code and text, such as 'http://www.google.com', but numbers are also allowed. A URL always starts with a protocol prefix like http://, but most browsers will type those characters for you. URLs are internally converted to IP addresses
IP address (Internet Protocol address), is a unique identifying number given to every device on the Internet. Like a car license plate, an IP address is a special serial number used for identification, such as 208.185.127.40 = www.about.com.
Bottom line, all URLs have an IP address, but not all IP addresses have a URL.
Google News is Cool
Why read twenty newspapers to
get a glimpse of what is going on around the world? Google News
watches more than 4,500 news sources worldwide and you can search
about 200 years of articles. You can personalize news to your
specific taste if you have a Google account and you can get alerts
of topics that interest you. It also works on your smartphone. Type
google news in Google and it will take you to the site.
Computer on a Stick
Intel is coming out with a 'Compute
Stick' that is a full personal computer. It is about the size of a
USB memory stick. On one end, the device has a full-size HDMI plug
which attaches to your TV or monitor. On its side is a microUSB port
which plugs into the wall for power using a standard USB cable. A
second, full-size USB port allows you to attach peripherals and a
microSD card slot provides for memory expansion.
Not to get too technical, but it is a quad-core Atom-powered mini PC with 2GB of RAM, 32GB eMMC storage, running Windows 8.1. The price when it comes out later this spring should be about US $150.
It also has a power button, and in addition to its USB port, it can pair with a keyboard and mouse using Bluetooth. Since Bluetooth sends a signal to about 30 feet, you can sit in your easy chair and have the best of TV and PC on one device, with no extra wires or gadgets. It also supports 802.11n Wi-Fi for connecting to the Internet and your home network. Now you can have a real PC TV with a keyboard, etc. No longer necessary to send YouTube videos from your PC as they are already on the screen. Am very sure I need one of these and hope by the time it is available I will be able to explain/justify to myself why.
Not to get too technical, but it is a quad-core Atom-powered mini PC with 2GB of RAM, 32GB eMMC storage, running Windows 8.1. The price when it comes out later this spring should be about US $150.
It also has a power button, and in addition to its USB port, it can pair with a keyboard and mouse using Bluetooth. Since Bluetooth sends a signal to about 30 feet, you can sit in your easy chair and have the best of TV and PC on one device, with no extra wires or gadgets. It also supports 802.11n Wi-Fi for connecting to the Internet and your home network. Now you can have a real PC TV with a keyboard, etc. No longer necessary to send YouTube videos from your PC as they are already on the screen. Am very sure I need one of these and hope by the time it is available I will be able to explain/justify to myself why.
You've Got Mail
This phrase and other familiar phrases
spoken by your computer including 'Welcome', 'File’s done' and
'Goodbye' were voiced by Elwood Edwards. He said his wife worked for
a company called Quantum Computer Services that became AOL and she
volunteered his voice in 1989 to the then future CEO, Steve Case. He
recorded the words on a cassette deck in his living room. The
familiar voice made it into a movie of the same name and continues,
even though Edwards has been retired for a few years.
Mar 20, 2015
Happy Friday
Happiness is like a coin. It's better on the obverse.
I always flip over having a Happy Friday!
I always flip over having a Happy Friday!
Happy International Day of Happiness
Today is also known as International Happiness Day. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 June 2012. The General Assembly, says, "Recognizing also the need for a more inclusive, equitable, and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness, and the well-being of all peoples. Decides to proclaim 20 March the International Day of Happiness, invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day of Happiness in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities."
Happiness Activists are getting together to take action in cities across the globe, from Washington DC to London and Milan. Here is a short video of people around the world celebrating Happiness Day. LINK
Happiness Activists are getting together to take action in cities across the globe, from Washington DC to London and Milan. Here is a short video of people around the world celebrating Happiness Day. LINK
International Pizza Expo
You might think this type of expo would be held in Italy, but it is held in the Las Vegas, NV Convention Center. The 31st Annual International Pizza Expo is billed at the World's Largest and Oldest Pizza Tradeshow. It is held March 23-26, 2015.
Air Traffic Control Towers
Air traffic control towers always have windows that slope toward the tower at the base. Many people assume they are designed that way to prevent the sun's reflection or glare from blinding incoming pilots.
The benefit is not for those outside the tower, but those inside it. Ordinarily, we see reflections in glass all the time, for example from computer monitors or car windows, but air traffic controllers must not have any distracting reflections as they monitor flights. By tilting the glass away, any light from inside the tower (such as video screens, lights, etc.) are reflected up onto the ceiling, which is painted black. That way, the glow from a wristwatch across the room won't be mistaken for an incoming UFO.
The benefit is not for those outside the tower, but those inside it. Ordinarily, we see reflections in glass all the time, for example from computer monitors or car windows, but air traffic controllers must not have any distracting reflections as they monitor flights. By tilting the glass away, any light from inside the tower (such as video screens, lights, etc.) are reflected up onto the ceiling, which is painted black. That way, the glow from a wristwatch across the room won't be mistaken for an incoming UFO.
Foiling Garden Pests
Cut up small strips of used aluminum foil and mix in with garden soil to keep away aphids and other garden pests.
Canadian Coins
When Canada introduced its 1-dollar coin in 1987 with the queen on front and a loon on back, it became known as the “loonie” for the loon on its back.
When it introduced the 2-dollar coin in 1996 with a picture of the queen on front and a bear on the back, Canadians tried hard to find a nickname. Toonie or twoonie won. Some of the failed suggestions included “doubloonie,” “doozie,” and, “moonie.” Moonie was suggested, because the coin depicts the queen with a bear behind.
When it introduced the 2-dollar coin in 1996 with a picture of the queen on front and a bear on the back, Canadians tried hard to find a nickname. Toonie or twoonie won. Some of the failed suggestions included “doubloonie,” “doozie,” and, “moonie.” Moonie was suggested, because the coin depicts the queen with a bear behind.
Wordology, Orchid
Take a look at certain orchids’ roots, and you will probably notice that they look like testicles. If not, you have set yourself apart from multiple generations of language-makers that simply could not help but name the whole plant family after this observation.
The contemporary word for the flower, introduced in 1845, comes from the Greek orchis, which literally translates as testicle. Speakers of Middle English in the 1300s came up with a phonologically different word inspired by the same exact dirty thought. They called the flower ballockwort from ballocks, or testicles, which itself evolved from beallucas, the Old English word for balls.
The contemporary word for the flower, introduced in 1845, comes from the Greek orchis, which literally translates as testicle. Speakers of Middle English in the 1300s came up with a phonologically different word inspired by the same exact dirty thought. They called the flower ballockwort from ballocks, or testicles, which itself evolved from beallucas, the Old English word for balls.
Four Interesting Facts
The FBI call Ted Kaczynski 'The Unabomber', because his early mail bombs were sent to universities (UN) and airlines (A).
Even though most black bears are black, they also come in white, brown, cinnamon, and blue, depending on where in the world they are found.
During the last 3,500 years, it is estimated that the world has had a total of 230 years in which no wars took place.
Rhode Island is the smallest state with the longest name. The official name, used on all state documents, is 'Rhode Island and Providence Plantations'.
Even though most black bears are black, they also come in white, brown, cinnamon, and blue, depending on where in the world they are found.
During the last 3,500 years, it is estimated that the world has had a total of 230 years in which no wars took place.
Rhode Island is the smallest state with the longest name. The official name, used on all state documents, is 'Rhode Island and Providence Plantations'.
Sound Mirrors
Mirrors can actually reflect sound as well as light. Mirrors that reflect sound waves are known as “acoustic mirrors,” and were used in Britain during World War I to detect certain sound waves coming from enemy aircraft from 8 to 15 miles away. This was before the development of radar.
Several were built around the coast of Britain, and are still standing today. They are located on both the north and south shores of England. They are also called listening stones.
Concrete acoustic mirrors were built on the south and northeast coasts of England between about 1916 and the 1930s. The ‘listening ears’ were intended to provide early warning of incoming enemy aircraft.
They did work, but the development of faster aircraft made them less useful, as an incoming aircraft would be within sight by the time it had been located. Increasing ambient noise made the mirrors harder to use successfully, and then radar rendered acoustic detection redundant.
There is also an example of one that is a parabolic sound mirror carved into boulders to dramatically magnify the sound of a nearby stream for listeners. It is inspired by satellite dishes, the seating in choir lofts where curved walls reflect sound and the antique hand-held sound magnifiers used in the days before hearing aids.
Several were built around the coast of Britain, and are still standing today. They are located on both the north and south shores of England. They are also called listening stones.
Concrete acoustic mirrors were built on the south and northeast coasts of England between about 1916 and the 1930s. The ‘listening ears’ were intended to provide early warning of incoming enemy aircraft.
They did work, but the development of faster aircraft made them less useful, as an incoming aircraft would be within sight by the time it had been located. Increasing ambient noise made the mirrors harder to use successfully, and then radar rendered acoustic detection redundant.
There is also an example of one that is a parabolic sound mirror carved into boulders to dramatically magnify the sound of a nearby stream for listeners. It is inspired by satellite dishes, the seating in choir lofts where curved walls reflect sound and the antique hand-held sound magnifiers used in the days before hearing aids.
11 Interesting Uses For Butter
- If you have anything sticky on your hands, like glue, tar, or paint, just rub with butter, then wash with soap and water.
- Gum in hair comes off easier if rubbed with butter.
- Tree sap on a car comes off easier if rubbed with butter before washing.
- Cutting things like marshmallows, pies, toffee, dates is easier if you slice the knife through butter first so it does not stick.
- Butter works like oil to shine shoes, baseball gloves, etc. Just put some on a cotton swab and rub in.
- Large pills can go down a bit easier if rubbed with a bit of butter before swallowing.
- Butter works like expensive skin oils to soften cuticles and nails and to soften dry skin. it can also be used in a pinch to replace shaving lotion.
- Rubbing butter on hard cheese helps keep down mold if you rub it on the cut edge before wrapping.
- Dingy dusty holiday candles can be brought back to life by rubbing with butter. It cleans and brings back the shine.
- Difficult to remove rings slide off easy if you apply butter first.
- After handling and cleaning fish, rub some butter on your hands before washing with soap and water to remove the smell.
- Last, butter is not good to rub on burns, use an ice cube instead.
Mar 13, 2015
Happy Friday
You can't have the best time of your life if you keep hitting the snooze button.
I never sleep in, especially when celebrating the gift of life on a Happy Friday!
I never sleep in, especially when celebrating the gift of life on a Happy Friday!
Pi Day
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.
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.
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.
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