Nov 20, 2015

Origin of Bowl Games

During 1916, the Roses Association decided to sponsor a football tournament between WSU (then called The State College of Washington) and Brown.  This game was held at Tournament Park in Pasadena, as were subsequent annual matches.

Fast-forward five years and they needed a larger stadium to play the game as attendance outgrew that venue. Myron Hunt was commissioned to design a stadium for this purpose which was named Rose Bowl.  The Rose Bowl was modeled after the design of Yale’s stadium, Yale Bowl, which resembled a bowl.  This tournament sponsored by the Roses Association then was named the “Rose Bowl,” after the stadium.

As other universities with football teams saw the money making opportunities and promotional value of these tournament games, they began creating their own 'bowl' games, even though many of these games were not played in bowl shaped stadiums.

The NFL borrowed this terminology when it created the Pro Bowl in 1951. In 1970, the AFL and NFL merged and they created a championship game called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Once the merger was completed two years later, the championship game was re-branded the Super Bowl, using the college naming convention. The third match-up, was named Super Bowl III and also set the tradition of using Roman numerals for the Super Bowl.

Brownie Points

The term originated with the points earned for various achievements by the youngest group of the Girl Scouts, called Brownies. Brownie points are imaginary points earned by someone for doing a good deed, and lost by doing something bad.

The Girl Scout or Girl Guide Brownies took their name from the mythical creature, the brownie. The mythical brownies were known for being kind and helpful and performing household chores while a family slept. The girl-brownies are supposed to emulate this behavior, being quietly helpful without asking for much in return. (Historical Dictionary of American Slang argues that Brownie points, was US army slang from WWII.)

The slang brown-noser, seems to have first popped up around 1939. It is defined in the 1944 edition of American Speech, as: "A person who is always asking and answering questions in class to impress the instructor. Also a person who stays after class to try to insinuate himself into the teacher’s good graces." This hints at the brown-noser / brownie points connection and how the behavior of Brownies might have overlapped with that of brown-nosers. However, it is American military slang and alludes to the practice of 'brown nosing', or 'arse-licking'. The older term brown-nose is used for a person who curries favor to such an extent that his nose seems to be up his superior’s backside.

Holiday and Booze Myths

Drink dark liquor and get a hangover, drink light and you are good all night. Congeners are in alcoholic beverages, mostly as a result of the processes used in fermenting and aging, or are leached from oak barrels. They are toxins such as acetone, histamines, and tannins. Although they are only slightly toxic in the small amounts found in booze, some believe congeners are to blame for typical hangover symptoms. Gin and vodka have the least congeners while bourbon and scotch have the most as dark liquors have more than clear ones in general. However, the biggest determinant of getting hung-over is alcohol intoxication, not dark vs. light drinks.

The old saying: “Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” People tend to down liquor but sip beer. As such, drinking liquor first might do more damage because of greater speed of drinking. The one truth in this adage is that if you drink much beer before drinking much liquor, you very well could get sick. The truth is that it is more about how much you drink than the order you drink it. If you drink enough, you will probably get sick either way.

Meaning of Emojis

Have you ever wondered what the meaning of a particular emoji is, or how to use it? Here is a LINK to the emojipedia. You can find all those confusing and amusing emoji pictures and you might find that you are likely using some of them to mean something completely different than you intend. Beware bad emoji use can get you in trouble. 

Old Movie Dance Mashup

This will stir some emotion and get your heart pumping. Some of the greatest dancers on the big screen to Mark Ronson-Uptown Funk ft.Bruno Mars. My toes are still tapping. LINK

Nov 13, 2015

Happy Friday

You cannot be satisfied until you do something to be satisfied about.

I am always satisfied when I smile and celebrate a Happy Friday!

Wholistic vs. Holistic

Wholistic emphasizes the organic or functional relation between parts and the whole. Wholistic refers to a philosophy of life.

Holistic is the philosophy that all parts of a thing are interconnected. In medicine, holistic treatment is the treatment of a person as a whole, mind, body and social factors. Related words are holism and holistically. The word holistic is first seen in 1926, holistic medicine appears in 1960. Wholistic and holistic are words that are interchangeable, though holistic is used more often when referring to holistic medicine and wholistic when referring to a philosophy of life.

Holy Mackerel

It is an exclamation of surprise. Holy Mackerel dates back at least 200 years and is one of very many blasphemous oaths with the Holy prefix. Holy Mackerel was almost certainly a reference to Catholics eating fish on Fridays (rather like Holy Cow is a reference to Hindus, and Holy Smoke is a reference to incense burning and funeral pyres. Mackerel was popular because it did not cost much.

Holy Moses was shortened to the rhyming Holy Moley or Holy Moly. The way that words roll off the tongue is significant in how these expressions become widely used and adopted.

Another slang for Catholics of the 19th century was mackerel snatchers. The word Mackerel has historically been a strong fish symbol and fish stereotype.

Anchovy vs. Sardine

Speaking of fish, anchovies and sardines come from two different families, but they do share some traits - both are small, silvery fish that are available fresh, preserved, and canned.

Sardine is an imprecise term for any number of small, silvery saltwater fish related to the herring and found throughout the world. They tend to travel in large schools close to the water's surface and are harvested fresh in the summer.

In the US, sardines are usually canned in oil or sauce, salted or smoked. In Europe, larger sardines are also eaten fresh, roasted in the oven or cooked on the grill either whole or in fillets. The name 'sardine' may be a reference to the Sardinian coast, where pilchards were one of the first fish to be packed in oil. The sardine is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and generally considered to be a brain food.

Anchovy refers to a family of small fish found in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. There is no single “anchovy fish” to be found, but rather a series of aquatic relatives that make them recognizable to us as members of the same fish family. Anchovies are sold flat or rolled, filleted and either salt-cured or oil-packed. The curing process is comparable to that of aged hams in that it is basically the anchovy’s own juices that make it happen, with bacterial fermentation playing a supporting role. For most of human history this salt packing was the way that anchovies were sold.

In Europe, marinated fresh anchovies are eaten frequently, available in restaurants and Spanish, Greek, and Italian groceries. Known mostly for their strong flavor and aroma, anchovies can be soaked in water to remove excess brininess.

What's in a Name, Tank

WWI (1914 - 1918) military war machines were called tanks, because they were originally disguised to resemble water tanks. Tanks with cannons were called male tanks and tanks with machine guns were called female tanks.

'Little Willie' was developed in 1915 by British scientists and inventors, and it was the first World War 1 tank. The British produced over 2,600 tanks during the war, but by the end of the war British Tank Corps had only 8 tanks left.

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.)