Nov 13, 2015

Space Explosions Myth

There are two popular misconceptions about how explosions work in space. The first is the kind you see in sci-fi movies, a giant explosion when a spaceship blows up, often big enough to destroy other ships with the shock wave. The second, believed by many is that because there is no oxygen in the vacuum of space, explosions are categorically impossible .

The reality is somewhere in the middle. The latter misconception is predicated on the idea of setting fires in a literal vacuum, wherein you are in the vacuum of space and trying to flick a lighter on. That would not work, but if an explosion were to occur inside a spaceship, the oxygen inside could briefly mix with other gases and form the necessary chemical reactions for a fire. Depending on the gas concentrations, it could even be large enough to blow up a ship. Since there is no pressure in space, the explosion would dissipate in a matter of milliseconds once it hit the vacuum. If you blinked, you’d miss it. There would also be no shock wave, which is the deadliest part of an explosion in the Earth’s atmosphere. 

Carotenoids

They are yellow, orange, and red pigments in plants. The most common carotenoids in a Western diet are alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene. Each of these carotenoids carries a distinct set of actions, benefits and originating fruits and vegetables. There are more than 600 carotenoids.

Carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, papaya, watermelon, cantaloupe, mangos, spinach, kale, tomatoes, bell peppers, and oranges are among the fruits and vegetables in which carotenoids can be found.

In order to be properly absorbed, carotenoids should be consumed with a fat. Carotenoids are associated with antioxidant activity, eye health, immune system activity, intercellular communication, and reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.

The body can convert alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin into vitamin A (retinol), which is associated with anti-aging and immune system function. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids found in the retina and are associated with lower risks of macular degeneration.

Manga vs. Anime

Manga is a Japanese style of graphic novels and comic books that is aimed at adults as well as children. In manga, the characters have oversized eyes and the drawings are often in black and white. Manga stories are told in serial form. Manga style descends from Japanese aesthetics, though many see the influence of American comic books brought into Japan during after World War II. Katsushika Hokusai coined the term manga in 1814 to describe a free-flowing, quirky style.  Manga style has been popular since 1984 and literally means involuntary pictures.

Anime is a Japanese style of animation for television and film, often based on previously published manga. Anime appears in Japan in 1985 as the Japanese word for animation, taken from the French verb, animé. So, manga is printed material and anime is video material.

Seventeen More Banana Facts

Here are a few more facts about why bananas, nature's wonder fruit, are so good for us.

  1. Bananas contain tryptophan which turns into serotonin after consumption.
  2. The boost in serotonin is an effective and natural way to reduce the effects of depression.
  3. Potassium in bananas greatly reduces the likelihood of getting muscle cramps.
  4. Bananas are a great source of calcium.
  5. Bananas have been known to reduce the prevalence of menstrual cramps.
  6. Bananas are high in vitamin B, promoting the production of white blood cells.
  7. Bananas contain a healthy amount of iron.
  8. The FDA says bananas can help lower blood pressure.
  9. Bananas contain pectin, which is a great digestion aid.
  10. Bananas are natural antacids and can calm heartburn.
  11. Bananas are one of the only foods that can combat the pain of stomach ulcers.
  12. Bananas are known to be natural protection against kidney disease and brittle bones.
  13. Bananas are high in antioxidants.
  14. Bananas can normalize blood sugar levels between meals.
  15. Rub the inside of a banana peel on a bug bite for quick itch relief.
  16. If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, bananas can reduce the effects due to their high level of tryptophan.
  17. To quit smoking, help curb the withdrawals with the high levels of vitamins, potassium, and magnesium in bananas.
    (Make banana ice cream. Peel two bananas and put in freezer for an hour. Take out, slice, put in blender with two tablespoons peanut butter, or some chocolate chips, or bacon - blend, scoop, enjoy.)

Oct 30, 2015

Happy Friday

“When we argue for our limitations, we get to keep them.” ~ Evelyn Waugh

I never place limitations on enjoying a Happy Friday!

Daylight Saving

Finally the US catches up with the rest of the world. In the US, 2am Sunday morning, November 1. Remember to "fall back." Also, replace your smoke and fire detector batteries.

Keeping Pumpkins Fresh

It is that time of year again and we all know pumpkins can turn mushy after a few days.

Here are a few hacks to keep it fresh longer. After your pumpkin has been carved, rinse it out with water to get rid of excess strings and gunk. Take a large bucket or tub and fill it with a few gallons of water.
Stir in three teaspoons of bleach, dunk in the pumpkin. Be sure to hold it down as it will try to float. Let it sit in the solution for two minutes, remove and let dry.

Spray the whole thing, inside and out with WD40 to keep it fresh and shiny.

If you want to spend a bit more, you can now buy a product, Pumpkin Fresh to spray the whole thing. Of course, you need to apply daily.

Vaseline or any oil you might have in your kitchen applied to the inside and cut edges will keep it fresh, but are all a bit messy.

Boat Truck

Very cool video of special boat truck. Surprise ending, two minutes. LINK

Helpful Happiness Hack

At the end of the day just before you go to bed, write down something good that happened to you, or something that made you happy, or made you smile that day. Put the note where you will find it in the morning as you are getting ready. It also helps if you look in the mirror and smile when you read the note in the morning.

Do this for seven days and you will be at least 20% happier - and it will last for another week, even if you stop doing it.

If you want to stay happy, date the notes and save them. You will be amazed when you go back and look at them, the smallest things keep you happiest the longest.

Cara Mia

Gomez (Bubeleh) Addams' pet name, 'cara mia' for Morticia means 'my beloved'. It is also the title of a song made popular by Jay and Americans. This 2011 update to a 1965 hit from Jay Black, 73 years young then and still making people happy after all these years. LINK

Lasgna vs. Lasagne

North American English speakers use lasagna. English speakers from outside North America usually use lasagne. The word comes from Italian, of course. In that language, lasagna is the singular noun and lasagne is the plural, but this does not carry over into the words’ treatment in English. Both the plural and the singular forms are usually treated as mass nouns, taking singular verbs.

Beer Benefits and Sexual Performance

Moderate beer drinking decreases risk of heart disease by 31 percent (the same as wine). A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology also found that moderate consumption of beer reduces the risk of developing kidney stones by 41 percent, and is one of the few plant sources of vitamin B12.

It makes you last longer. The phytoestrogens in beer can help delay premature ejaculation.

Dark brews can help get you in the mood better, because they increase both red blood cells and overall circulation. Dark contains more iron than pale beers.

Beer increases stamina and is good for heart health.

Guinness is great for stomach issues, low in calories and alcohol content, and is rich in vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. It contains only 128 calories and 11 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

50 Shades of Green beer is like green juice and Viagra combined. It is specifically engineered to enhance performance. It contains ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and damiana to achieve increased sexual desire, blood flow, and nerve stimulation. Gives a whole new meaning to 'Bottoms up!'

Grammagrams

A Grammagram is a word, made of letter sounds which are pronounced aloud. Great way to code things. Here are a few interesting ones:
DEVIOUS - DVS (say each letter quickly D V S)
EFFENDI - FND
ENEMY - NME
ENVIOUS - NVS
ESCAPEE - SKP
ODIOUS - ODS
OPIUM - OPM
TEDIOUS - TDS
EXCELLENCY - XLNC

Weather Patterns

As we begin another change of season, the weather changes dramatically from day to day. Seems like many of us check the weather to see what to wear, should we take an umbrella, etc. The Weather Company owns the fourth-most used mobile app in the U.S., and their cloud handles 26 billion requests a day.

IBM just made a bid to buy the digital assets for a few billion dollars and will feed the info into Watson for even more analysis.  IBM said, "Weather is probably the single largest swing factor in business performance - it impacts 1/3 of the world's GDP and in the US alone; weather is responsible for about half a trillion dollars in impact." Next spring we might see a battle between Punxsutawney Phil and Watson.