Wordology, Accumagate

When an individual, while under the influence of alcohol, stumbles over his or her words and accidentally invents a new one, they have accumagated, such as while trying to say 'communicate' you accidentally say 'accumagate'. It goes with the next morning feeling crapulous.

Addyi a Year Later

So, my friend Jeff asked another puzzler this week, "What happened to Addyi?" Addyi is the brand name for a little pink pill called flibanserin and known as the 'female Viagra'.  It received approval from the FDA, in August, 2015. It is a non-hormonal serotonin to treat a little or no sexual desire disorder in pre-menopausal women. The manufacturer states that flibanserin corrects an imbalance of dopamine and norepinephrine, both responsible for sexual excitement, while decreasing levels of serotonin, responsible for sexual inhibition.

The difference between Addyi and Viagra type drugs is that the men's medications are physiological. Addyi targets lack of libido and affects the balance of certain chemicals in the brain. It also requires a daily (taken at bedtime) dose. JAMA reported a benefit for flibanserin over a placebo.

One study showed marginal results for women, compared to Viagra's immediate physical results for men.  Severe adverse reactions have been observed, including dizziness, low blood pressure, and passing out after taking the drug along with much alcohol.

Incidentally, in English the meaning of the name Addy is ardent (characterized by intense emotion).

Internet Users

Here is a chart that shows the increasing number of internet users for the past few years.

Number Seven

I may be a day late, but seven is still a special number. The world was formed in seven days, there are seven wonders of the world, seven deadly sins, seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, seven hills of Rome, seventh heaven, etc.

•     Shabbat is the seventh day of the week. Shabbat connects the six days of the week. All of the other days revolve around it. It serves as the center for the three days before it and the three days after it.
•     Number 7 is the number of perfection, security, safety, and rest.
•     Number Seven contains the number three of the heavens and soul with the number four of the earth and body.
•     The Pythagoreans called the number 7 “the Septad”.
•     Seven colors of the rainbow. Isaac Newton identified the seven colors of the rainbow as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
•     There are seven days in a week.
•     Each airplane in Boeing's line of passenger jets is named with a 3-digit number beginning and ending in 7.
•     There are seven dwarfs.
•     As You Like It by William Shakespeare's contains Shakespeare's 7 Ages of Man theory.
•     There are seven notes to the diatonic scale.
•     Music has seven notes in an octave (the eighth is a repeat of the first): Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La Ti, Do.
•     There are seven letters in the Roman numeral system.
•     Seven circles form the symbol called “The Seed of Life”. The Seed of Life symbolizes the six days of creation. The central circle symbolizes the day of rest.
•     Number seven is the number of Neptune.
•     In the Harry Potter series of novels by J.K. Rowling, seven is said to be the most powerfully magical number.
•     Number seven is lucky for Cancer and Pisces.
•     In the Tarot, seven is the card of the Chariot. The Chariot is symbolic of the need to focus.
•     September means “the seventh month” in Latin.
•     The British fifty pence coin is a heptagon (seven sided).
•     Nitrogen (N) has the atomic number 7.
•     Number 7 is the international country calling code for Russia.
•     Lotus Seven was an open top, two-seater sports car.
•     The opposite sides of a dice always equal the number seven when added.
•     In Japan there are Seven Lucky Gods. They have a ship called Takarabune, the Treasure Ship. They arrive in town every New Year and give gifts to all worthy people.
•     In Hindu weddings the bride and groom walk around the holy fire seven times during the wedding ceremony.
•     Seven people have been beheaded privately on Tower Green within the walls of the Tower of London.
•     There are seven continents – Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.

I could go on, but it is already the eighth.

What's in a Name, Frisbie

William Russell Frisbie bought a bakery in Connecticut in the late 19th century, which he called the Frisbie Pie Company. After Frisbie's death, his company continued to flourish and it 1956 reached a peak production of 80,000 pies per day. Pies and cookies made by the company came with plate-shaped tin bearing the name 'Frisbee Pies'.

Yale students discovered a second use for the tins, and began to hurl them around the university campus. As the flying disk approached its target, the thrower would shout "Frisbie" as a warning. The slightly different spelling "frisbee" is now used for the toy.

Internet and Web

The Associated Press announced that the next edition of its stylebook will endorse 'internet' over 'Internet' and 'web' over 'Web'.

The change is the latest in a long-running debate over whether 'the internet' is a proper noun,  no different than a television or a hair roller. AP Standards Editor Thomas Kent said, “The changes reflect a growing trend toward lowercasing both words, which have become generic terms.” Hopefully the automated spell checkers will be updated by then.

Amazing Facts III Trivia Treasures

Amazing Facts III Trivia Treasures is now available on Amazon (my 52nd book). If you liked the first two Amazing Facts, you will love this one. If you have not read the others. Try this one and you can always go back to buy the others. LINK

Thousands more amazing facts about things you don’t know, but want to know, and facts you think you know but don’t. Hundreds of facts about food, laughter, health, medicine, technology, etc. Origins of words and sayings. Popular myths debunked and so much more. If you are interested, disinterested, lazy, or sharp of wit, this book will keep you amazed, interested, entertained, and anxious to share your new-found knowledge to impress friends and family. All organized and fully indexed for your inner geek to find specific information.

Happy Friday

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.” ~ Lucius Seneca

There is always an opportunity for kindness, especially on a Happy Friday!

Cheese Weasel Day

On April 4, 2016 give your favorite tech person a Thank You using #cheeseweaselday on Twitter. Send someone you know in the tech sector a Cheese Weasel Day Greeting card. Arrange secretly for a slice of cheese to be placed under the mouse pad of a tech person you know. They will understand.