Membership is involuntary in this club that has been around since 1922. It is so named as parachutes were made of silk at the time. The sole requirement for joining the Caterpillar Club is to make an emergency escape from a failing aircraft, then plummet to earth with the aid of a parachute. If you survive, you automatically become a member.
If you qualify, contact Airborne Systems, which owns the parachute producers Irvin Aerospace, GQ Parachutes, Para-Flite and Aircraft Materials, Ltd. In accordance with the Irvin protocols established in the 1920s, the company still issues gold pins and membership cards to Caterpillar Club members.
Incidentally, Charles Lindbergh was a member of the Caterpillar Club.
Sep 2, 2016
Point Roberts Double Currency
Point Roberts is a little tract of land attached to a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is officially part of Washington State, US, but inhabitants must cross through Canada to reach the rest of Washington State. Point Roberts has a small airport and a large marina for air and water access. These two point facilities allow the fourteen mile direct access to the rest of Washington State without the need to enter Canada.
Point Bob, as it is called, has a post office, with the ZIP code of 98281 had a population of 1,314 on the 2010 census. The US portion of the peninsula is about 2 miles (3 km) from north to south and about 3 miles (5 km) from east to west. It has a total area of 4.884 square miles (12.65 km2). From fourth grade on, American children must take a 40-minute ride through British Columbia, crossing back into the United States at Blaine, Washington.
It assumed its present political status in 1846, when the Oregon Treaty extended the 49th parallel as the boundary between American and British territory from the Rocky Mountains to Georgia Strait. Later, as the Boundary Commission was surveying the line, the British government realized that the peninsula of Point Roberts would be an isolated part of the United States.
Incidentally, The cash registers have two drawers in one. One side dispenses Canadian funds, the other side American. The registers are updated daily to properly calculate the current exchange rate.
Point Bob, as it is called, has a post office, with the ZIP code of 98281 had a population of 1,314 on the 2010 census. The US portion of the peninsula is about 2 miles (3 km) from north to south and about 3 miles (5 km) from east to west. It has a total area of 4.884 square miles (12.65 km2). From fourth grade on, American children must take a 40-minute ride through British Columbia, crossing back into the United States at Blaine, Washington.
It assumed its present political status in 1846, when the Oregon Treaty extended the 49th parallel as the boundary between American and British territory from the Rocky Mountains to Georgia Strait. Later, as the Boundary Commission was surveying the line, the British government realized that the peninsula of Point Roberts would be an isolated part of the United States.
Incidentally, The cash registers have two drawers in one. One side dispenses Canadian funds, the other side American. The registers are updated daily to properly calculate the current exchange rate.
Google Games
Did you know you can play some games with Google? If you want to
play Solitaire, search for "solitaire" on Google. Or you can
search for "tic-tac-toe".
To settle an argument, search for "flip a coin". To hear animal sounds, ask Google something like, "what sound does a cow make?" It will play the sound, and you can choose from a selection of other animals, including pig, horse, owl. zebra, dog, cat, and duck. Caveat Emptor, it can be addicting.
To settle an argument, search for "flip a coin". To hear animal sounds, ask Google something like, "what sound does a cow make?" It will play the sound, and you can choose from a selection of other animals, including pig, horse, owl. zebra, dog, cat, and duck. Caveat Emptor, it can be addicting.
National Biscuit Month
September is National Biscuit Month. A biscuit is a kind of small, flat-baked bread product that is usually made with a chemical leavener such as baking powder. The exact meaning varies in different parts of the world. A biscuit can be a hard baked sweet or savory product like a small, flat cake, which in North America may be called a "cookie" or "cracker". The term biscuit also applies to sandwich-type biscuits, where a layer of cream or icing is sandwiched between two biscuits. Some of the original biscuits were British naval hard tack.
In American English, a biscuit is a small bread made with baking powder or baking soda as a leavening agent rather than yeast. This roughly corresponds to a scone in British English usage.
Biscuits have a firm browned crust and a soft interior, similar to bannock from the Shetland Isles. A sweet biscuit layered or topped with fruit, typically strawberries, juice-based syrup, and cream is called shortcake. In Canada, both sweet and savory are referred to as biscuits, baking powder biscuits, or tea biscuits, although scone is now also used.
Biscuits are a common feature of Southern US cuisine and are often made with buttermilk. They are traditionally served as a side dish with a meal. As a breakfast item they are often eaten with butter and a sweet condiment. With other meals they are usually eaten with butter or gravy. However, biscuits covered in country gravy are usually served for breakfast, sometimes as the main course.
In American English, a biscuit is a small bread made with baking powder or baking soda as a leavening agent rather than yeast. This roughly corresponds to a scone in British English usage.
Biscuits have a firm browned crust and a soft interior, similar to bannock from the Shetland Isles. A sweet biscuit layered or topped with fruit, typically strawberries, juice-based syrup, and cream is called shortcake. In Canada, both sweet and savory are referred to as biscuits, baking powder biscuits, or tea biscuits, although scone is now also used.
Biscuits are a common feature of Southern US cuisine and are often made with buttermilk. They are traditionally served as a side dish with a meal. As a breakfast item they are often eaten with butter and a sweet condiment. With other meals they are usually eaten with butter or gravy. However, biscuits covered in country gravy are usually served for breakfast, sometimes as the main course.
Origin of Unlucky Thirteen
Fear of the number 13, known as
"triskaidekaphobia," has its origins in Norse mythology. In a
well-known tale, 12 gods were invited to dine at Valhalla, a
magnificent banquet hall in Asgard, the city of the gods. Loki,
the god of strife and evil, crashed the party, raising the
number of attendees to 13. The other gods tried to kick Loki
out, and in the struggle that ensued, Balder, the favorite among
them, was killed.
Scandinavian avoidance of 13-member dinner parties, and dislike of the number 13 itself, spread south to the rest of Europe. It was reinforced in the Christian era by the story of the Last Supper, at which Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the thirteenth guest at the table. See also LINK
Scandinavian avoidance of 13-member dinner parties, and dislike of the number 13 itself, spread south to the rest of Europe. It was reinforced in the Christian era by the story of the Last Supper, at which Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the thirteenth guest at the table. See also LINK
Aug 26, 2016
Happy Friday
Sharing happiness is
like shining a floodlight on your soul.
I always open my soul to friends when sharing a Happy Friday!
I always open my soul to friends when sharing a Happy Friday!
Mr. Hyde National Burger Day
Yesterday, 25
August was the fourth annual National Burger Day in the UK
(celebrated on last Thursday in August). It was launched by
Mr. Hyde, a daily email service for men covering style,
culture, film and places to eat meat. It began three
years ago in a fit of mild indignation that there was not a
National Burger Day in the UK, but were two in the US. The event
set out to right that wrong.
During 2015 there were 475 restaurants across England, Scotland, and Wales giving 20% discounts for burgers on the day. This year's events were bigger and better. As of last month, over 925 restaurants signed up nationwide to celebrate the big day. Nice to see our English cousins enjoy a good, wet, juicy burger almost as much as we do.
During 2015 there were 475 restaurants across England, Scotland, and Wales giving 20% discounts for burgers on the day. This year's events were bigger and better. As of last month, over 925 restaurants signed up nationwide to celebrate the big day. Nice to see our English cousins enjoy a good, wet, juicy burger almost as much as we do.
August Facts
In common years no other month starts on the same day of the week as August, except during leap years when February starts on the same day. August ends on the same day of the week as November every year.
What
we think of as tumbleweeds are actually Russian thistle, and they
first showed up in the US in a shipment of flax-seed that was sent
to South Dakota. A few years later, they were found all over the
West, from California and North into Canada.
Single plants can get as large as a small car and bear up to 250,000 seeds at once, making the invasive species a massive problem that was already getting the attention of the US Department of Agriculture in 1880.
Since tumbleweeds can thrive with little water, they were capable of taking over towns and driving people from their homes as they spread across the wide expanse of the West.
Single plants can get as large as a small car and bear up to 250,000 seeds at once, making the invasive species a massive problem that was already getting the attention of the US Department of Agriculture in 1880.
Since tumbleweeds can thrive with little water, they were capable of taking over towns and driving people from their homes as they spread across the wide expanse of the West.
Pony Express Facts
The Pony Express (The Central Overland California and Pikes
Peak Express) only lasted for 18 months and ended in October
1861 with the development of the telegraph. Since it was so
expensive to send mail, around $5 per ounce, it was generally
reserved for businesses and official correspondence rather than
personal mail. Riders were responsible for carrying the mail the
relatively short distance of about 32 kilometers (20 mi), and
most riders were boys.
Barometers and Smartphones
Weather predictions rely on sensors on the ground that report
data, such as barometric pressure, which can help scientists
determine when the weather is about to change. These sensors are
also used to help local forecasters predict the weather.
During the last five years, the number of pressure sensors in the world has exploded, because Smartphone manufacturers have started putting them in Smartphones. The purpose is to help determine a device’s altitude for location tracking. Samsung’s Galaxy Smartphones have barometers built-in since 2011, and the feature came to Apple’s iPhone during 2014.
Now, many of the almost three billion Smartphones in the world have one. Developers and weather forecasters have been talking about using smartphone sensors for years, but the phone operating systems do not make available the pressure readings taken by their Smartphones.
Recently, a popular weather app called Dark Sky introduced an opt-in feature that automatically takes barometric pressure readings. It gets more than a million pressure sensor reports a day.
Dark Sky has several different ways to inform about important weather conditions in the exact spot you are standing with your phone. Precise down-to-the-minute notifications alerts when rain or snow is about to start. Severe weather alerts inform of dangerous conditions, and more. It even has detailed maps. LINK
Another opt-in app, WeatherSignal, takes automatic readings and sends data to a number of academic partners for processing. Organizers are hoping for a commercial piece in the near future.
It may be time we begin to help the weathermen, rather than curse their ignorance.
During the last five years, the number of pressure sensors in the world has exploded, because Smartphone manufacturers have started putting them in Smartphones. The purpose is to help determine a device’s altitude for location tracking. Samsung’s Galaxy Smartphones have barometers built-in since 2011, and the feature came to Apple’s iPhone during 2014.
Now, many of the almost three billion Smartphones in the world have one. Developers and weather forecasters have been talking about using smartphone sensors for years, but the phone operating systems do not make available the pressure readings taken by their Smartphones.
Recently, a popular weather app called Dark Sky introduced an opt-in feature that automatically takes barometric pressure readings. It gets more than a million pressure sensor reports a day.
Dark Sky has several different ways to inform about important weather conditions in the exact spot you are standing with your phone. Precise down-to-the-minute notifications alerts when rain or snow is about to start. Severe weather alerts inform of dangerous conditions, and more. It even has detailed maps. LINK
Another opt-in app, WeatherSignal, takes automatic readings and sends data to a number of academic partners for processing. Organizers are hoping for a commercial piece in the near future.
It may be time we begin to help the weathermen, rather than curse their ignorance.
Windows 10 Touchpad Tips
Windows 10 has some awesome new Touchpad gestures
that should make navigating the OS a lot easier. There's
pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scroll, three-finger multitasking, and
more. Below, gesture for zoom in and zoom out - squeeze fingers
together or apart.
Some of these gestures are customizable as well, go to Settings > Devices > Mouse and Touchpad. You can change the actions of finger taps, adjust scrolling, right click, and more.
Some of these gestures are customizable as well, go to Settings > Devices > Mouse and Touchpad. You can change the actions of finger taps, adjust scrolling, right click, and more.
WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks stays in the news and has for many years, but few of
my friends have actually visited the website, or even know it
exists. It is described as an international non-profit,
journalistic organization that publishes secret information,
news leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. The
published editorial policy says it accepts only documents that
are "of political, diplomatic, historical, or ethical interest"
and excludes "material that is already publicly available." Its
website was initiated in 2006 in Iceland by the organization
Sunshine Press. It no longer uses the 'wiki' method of user
input and also is not related to Wikipedia.
WikiLeaks relies on volunteers and describes its founders as a mixture of Asian dissidents, journalists, mathematicians, and start-up company technologists from the United States, Taiwan, Europe, Australia, and South Africa. As of June 2009, the website had more than 1,200 registered volunteers and listed an advisory board, including Julian Assange and seven other people. It is entirely run on donations. Lawyers around the world provide pro bono assistance as needed.
Its leader, Julian Assange described himself in a private conversation as "the heart and soul of this organization, its founder, philosopher, spokesperson, original coder, organizer, financier, and all the rest." LINK
WikiLeaks relies on volunteers and describes its founders as a mixture of Asian dissidents, journalists, mathematicians, and start-up company technologists from the United States, Taiwan, Europe, Australia, and South Africa. As of June 2009, the website had more than 1,200 registered volunteers and listed an advisory board, including Julian Assange and seven other people. It is entirely run on donations. Lawyers around the world provide pro bono assistance as needed.
Its leader, Julian Assange described himself in a private conversation as "the heart and soul of this organization, its founder, philosopher, spokesperson, original coder, organizer, financier, and all the rest." LINK
Charlie Chaplin Music
Have written about his many talents before, but
keep finding more interesting info about him. Charlie Chaplin
composed the music for almost all of his films. In fact, he was
the only person to write, produce, direct, compose, conduct, and
act in his movies. Charlie was never classically trained in
music, but played a number of instruments. He even sang LINK.
Customarily in scoring silent pictures the Wagnerian Leitmotiv system, a distinctive musical theme associated with a character and idea. He wrote the ninety five musical cues in "City Lights" and the passages where the music follows or mimics the action in what is generally known as “mickey-mousing” from its use in the scoring of animated cartoons.
Here are a few of his songs: "Smile", "Eternally", "Terry's Theme", "Limelight", "This is My Song", "Oh that Cello", "There’s Always Someone You Can’t Forget", "Sing a Song”, “With you, Dear, in Bombay”, "Falling Star", “A Paris Boulevard”, “Tango Bitterness”, and “Rumba”.
A few of his songs have become classics, top ten hits, and endure long after his death on Christmas Day, 1977 (He was born in 1899). Have included a few links below for a brief musical interlude.
"Smile" was made famous by Nat King Cole LINK and was also covered by Michael Jackson, Timi Yuro, and Tony Bennett.
"Eternally" was covered by many, including Placido Domingo, Englebert Humperdink, Jerry Vale, Vic Damone, and Sarah Vaughn LINK.
"This is My Song" covered, among others by Petula Clark LINK and Judith Durham LINK.
Customarily in scoring silent pictures the Wagnerian Leitmotiv system, a distinctive musical theme associated with a character and idea. He wrote the ninety five musical cues in "City Lights" and the passages where the music follows or mimics the action in what is generally known as “mickey-mousing” from its use in the scoring of animated cartoons.
Here are a few of his songs: "Smile", "Eternally", "Terry's Theme", "Limelight", "This is My Song", "Oh that Cello", "There’s Always Someone You Can’t Forget", "Sing a Song”, “With you, Dear, in Bombay”, "Falling Star", “A Paris Boulevard”, “Tango Bitterness”, and “Rumba”.
A few of his songs have become classics, top ten hits, and endure long after his death on Christmas Day, 1977 (He was born in 1899). Have included a few links below for a brief musical interlude.
"Smile" was made famous by Nat King Cole LINK and was also covered by Michael Jackson, Timi Yuro, and Tony Bennett.
"Eternally" was covered by many, including Placido Domingo, Englebert Humperdink, Jerry Vale, Vic Damone, and Sarah Vaughn LINK.
"This is My Song" covered, among others by Petula Clark LINK and Judith Durham LINK.
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