Nuts can reduce the risk of diabetes and bring
down cholesterol and you only need just a handful of nuts a day, raw
if possible.
Tree nuts are increasingly regarded as wonder foods that lower the
risk of heart disease, some forms of cancer and type 2 diabetes
while providing essential vitamins and minerals including niacin,
zinc, folic acid, selenium and magnesium.
They contain more unsaturated fats than animal proteins and can cut
levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol, according to numerous studies.
Their mix of omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber will help you
feel full and suppress your appetite. The fat content helps release
satiety hormones in the digestive system, which also helps to curb
hunger, and lessen your desire to overeat later in the day.
Almonds are rich in vitamin E.
Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, a vital mineral and antioxidant.
Just two Brazil nuts a day may prevent heart disease and prostate
cancer and can also enhance mood.
Cashews are high in magnesium and are good sources of phytochemicals
and antioxidants.
Hazelnuts, the most fiber-rich of all the nuts, contain significant
levels of B-group vitamins including folate and vitamin B6.
Macadamia nuts are high in healthy mono-unsaturated fats, contain
all the essential amino acids and have been shown to lower blood
cholesterol.
Pecans reduce cholesterol and may delay age-related muscle nerve
degeneration.
Pine nuts - the edible seeds of pine trees, removed from pine cones
- contain zinc, niacin and manganese and are rich in
mono-unsaturated acids.
Pistachios are packed with protein, vitamin E and are an excellent
source of copper and manganese.
Walnuts are loaded with natural plant omega-3s called alphalinoleic
acid or ALA.
Peanuts, technically legumes but commonly referred to as nuts, are
high in vitamin E, folate (for brain development) and may reduce
cognitive decline. Be healthy, go nuts.
Aug 15, 2012
Wordology, Moot
This definition from the Oxford Dictionary
may surprise you. Definition of moot: adjective
1 subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty: whether the temperature rise was mainly due to the greenhouse effect was a moot point
2 North American having little or no practical relevance: the whole matter is becoming increasingly moot
- verb raise (a question or topic) for discussion; suggest (an idea or possibility): the scheme was first mooted last October. This whole thing is becoming moot.
1 subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty: whether the temperature rise was mainly due to the greenhouse effect was a moot point
2 North American having little or no practical relevance: the whole matter is becoming increasingly moot
- verb raise (a question or topic) for discussion; suggest (an idea or possibility): the scheme was first mooted last October. This whole thing is becoming moot.
Aug 8, 2012
Third Degree
To get the third degree means to be thoroughly
questioned. The third degree of something has been regarded as the
upper limit, or extreme since before the the time of Shakespeare
when he wrote, “For he’s in the thirde degree of drinke, he’s
drown’d.” He was referring to a very drunk man. It is a natural
progression when referring to the most extreme type of questioning,
it would be referred to as the third degree. It has come to also
mean inflicting of pain, physical or mental, to extract confessions
or statements.
In Masonic Lodges there is also the rituals involved before reaching the third, or highest level, which includes intense questioning.
In Masonic Lodges there is also the rituals involved before reaching the third, or highest level, which includes intense questioning.
Aluminum Foil Tip
Check each end of the foil or plastic wrap box and you
will find tabs. Press in the tabs and they hold the roll in place
while you pull out the foil.
Smiling Reduces Stress
Results of an interesting study to
find out if smiling, even forced smiling can reduce stress. The
Study is published in the journal Psychological Science.
Researchers used chopsticks to manipulate the facial muscles of their 169 participants into a neutral expression, a standard smile, or a Duchenne smile. A Duchenne smile engages the muscles around the mouth, raises the cheeks, and includes eyes.
In addition to the chopstick placement, some were explicitly instructed to smile. Then, they were subjected to a series of stress-inducing, multitasking activities, which they struggled to perform while continuing to hold the chopsticks in their mouths. The subjects' heart rates and self-reported stress levels were monitored throughout.
The participants who were instructed to smile recovered from the stressful activities with lower heart rates than participants who held neutral expressions. Those with Duchenne smiles were the most relaxed of all, with the most positive affect. Those with forced smiles held only by the chopsticks also reported more positive feelings than those who didn't smile.
When a situation has you feeling stressed or flustered, even the most forced smiles can genuinely decrease your stress and make you happier.
Researchers used chopsticks to manipulate the facial muscles of their 169 participants into a neutral expression, a standard smile, or a Duchenne smile. A Duchenne smile engages the muscles around the mouth, raises the cheeks, and includes eyes.
In addition to the chopstick placement, some were explicitly instructed to smile. Then, they were subjected to a series of stress-inducing, multitasking activities, which they struggled to perform while continuing to hold the chopsticks in their mouths. The subjects' heart rates and self-reported stress levels were monitored throughout.
The participants who were instructed to smile recovered from the stressful activities with lower heart rates than participants who held neutral expressions. Those with Duchenne smiles were the most relaxed of all, with the most positive affect. Those with forced smiles held only by the chopsticks also reported more positive feelings than those who didn't smile.
When a situation has you feeling stressed or flustered, even the most forced smiles can genuinely decrease your stress and make you happier.
Olympic Award Facts
For this year’s London Games, the gold
medals are roughly 93% silver, 6% copper and 1% gold.
The silver medals are 92% silver and 8% copper. The bronze medals
are 97% copper, 2.5% zinc and 0.5% tin.
Gold medals made from solid gold were introduced at the 1904 St. Louis Games, and four years later in London, the medals began to be awarded to the top three placing athletes in the gold-silver-bronze order we’re familiar with today. The 1912 Stockholm Games were the last time solid gold medals were awarded.
These days, the IOC charter only requires that the first place medals be silver gilt, containing “silver of at least 925-1000 grade and gilded with at least 6g of pure gold.” The second place silver medals must contain silver of a similar grade. Beyond that, the specific composition of the medals, and their design, is largely left to the host city’s organizing committee.
When the first modern Olympic games organized by the International Olympic Committee were held in 1896 in Athens, winners got a silver medal and an olive branch, and runners-up received a bronze medal and a laurel branch.
Ancient Greek competitors were given an olive branch from a wild olive tree that grew at Olympia along with some money upon returning home.
Gold medals made from solid gold were introduced at the 1904 St. Louis Games, and four years later in London, the medals began to be awarded to the top three placing athletes in the gold-silver-bronze order we’re familiar with today. The 1912 Stockholm Games were the last time solid gold medals were awarded.
These days, the IOC charter only requires that the first place medals be silver gilt, containing “silver of at least 925-1000 grade and gilded with at least 6g of pure gold.” The second place silver medals must contain silver of a similar grade. Beyond that, the specific composition of the medals, and their design, is largely left to the host city’s organizing committee.
When the first modern Olympic games organized by the International Olympic Committee were held in 1896 in Athens, winners got a silver medal and an olive branch, and runners-up received a bronze medal and a laurel branch.
Ancient Greek competitors were given an olive branch from a wild olive tree that grew at Olympia along with some money upon returning home.
Aug 3, 2012
Happy Friday
Reading is the best medicine for a sick man, the best music for a
sad man, the best counsel for a desperate man, the best comfort for
one afflicted.
I am not sick, sad, desperate, or afflicted, because I am having a Happy Friday!
I am not sick, sad, desperate, or afflicted, because I am having a Happy Friday!
Free Museum Maps
Visitors at the Smithsonian Institution
can use a smartphone to find their way through 17 museums, the
National Zoo in Washington and locations in northern Virginia and
New York City.
The interior maps totaling 2.7 million square feet can be accessed by visitors with Google Maps for Android. They include maps of the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History and National Museum of Natural History, which draw millions of visitors.
Maps also have been completed for the National Portrait Gallery and six other art museums.
The interior maps totaling 2.7 million square feet can be accessed by visitors with Google Maps for Android. They include maps of the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History and National Museum of Natural History, which draw millions of visitors.
Maps also have been completed for the National Portrait Gallery and six other art museums.
What's in a Name, Nanker Phledge
Mick Jagger and the
Rollin' Stones were paid 30 guineas (about 30 Pounds or about $50)
and played to a crowd of a bit more than 100 people. The pseudonym
Nanker Phelge was used between 1963 and 1965 for several Rolling
Stones group compositions.
Multicolor Penlight
In November 2012, Tomy will release a
multicolored penlight that can be used for long exposure light
painting on an iPhone or iPad.
Here is a LINK to see it in action. The subtitles are included below.
"Nowadays, penlight art is often used at wedding ceremonies and school festivals, but it requires an SLR and photography skills. We wanted to make penlight art easier, so people of all ages can enjoy it. What we've done is, we've created a simplified version of penlight art as an iPhone app."
"This penlight offers up to 27 colors at the touch of a button. It also provides straight lines, dotted lines, and gradation, so you can do a lot of things with it. This application really makes you want to get creative."
"You can also turn a series of photos into a video, like a flip book, and you can upload to Twitter and Facebook directly from the Album mode. So, you can share your photographic creations with everyone."
The multicolored penlight will be available for approximately $30 and the iPhone app can be downloaded for free. Beware, the site can be addicting because it has so much advanced, cool, fun, and useless technology.
-----------------------
Here is a LINK to see it in action. The subtitles are included below.
"Nowadays, penlight art is often used at wedding ceremonies and school festivals, but it requires an SLR and photography skills. We wanted to make penlight art easier, so people of all ages can enjoy it. What we've done is, we've created a simplified version of penlight art as an iPhone app."
"This penlight offers up to 27 colors at the touch of a button. It also provides straight lines, dotted lines, and gradation, so you can do a lot of things with it. This application really makes you want to get creative."
"You can also turn a series of photos into a video, like a flip book, and you can upload to Twitter and Facebook directly from the Album mode. So, you can share your photographic creations with everyone."
The multicolored penlight will be available for approximately $30 and the iPhone app can be downloaded for free. Beware, the site can be addicting because it has so much advanced, cool, fun, and useless technology.
-----------------------
Double Bacon Corn Dog
This year the Iowa State Fair has a
new treat. The Campbell’s Concessions’ Double Bacon Corn Dog makes
its debut.
The recipe - Wrap a hot dog in bacon, deep-fry it, dip it in 'bacon-bit-enriched' batter and deep fry it again. Mmmm!
The recipe - Wrap a hot dog in bacon, deep-fry it, dip it in 'bacon-bit-enriched' batter and deep fry it again. Mmmm!
Five Almost Famous Characters
Arthur Conan Doyle made notes
that indicated he considered the name “Sherringford” for Detective
Holmes.
Holmes’ assistant was originally going to be called “Ormond Sacker.” Arthur Conan Doyle decided the name was a bit too bizarre and changed it to John H. Watson.
Before “Nancy Drew” was decided upon, names kicked around included Stella Strong, Diana Drew, Diana Dare, Nan Nelson, Helen Hale, and Nan Drew.
Small Sam, Little Larry, and Puny Pete were all in the running before Charles Dickens settled on “Tiny Tim” for the sickly lad in A Christmas Carol.
Little Orphan Annie was Little Orphan Otto, until Harold Gray’s publisher at the newspaper syndicate suggested his character looked more female than male and told him to make it so.
Holmes’ assistant was originally going to be called “Ormond Sacker.” Arthur Conan Doyle decided the name was a bit too bizarre and changed it to John H. Watson.
Before “Nancy Drew” was decided upon, names kicked around included Stella Strong, Diana Drew, Diana Dare, Nan Nelson, Helen Hale, and Nan Drew.
Small Sam, Little Larry, and Puny Pete were all in the running before Charles Dickens settled on “Tiny Tim” for the sickly lad in A Christmas Carol.
Little Orphan Annie was Little Orphan Otto, until Harold Gray’s publisher at the newspaper syndicate suggested his character looked more female than male and told him to make it so.
Aug 1, 2012
Equiso
This is one of the newest devices for your TV and is
awesome. Details can be found on kickstarter.
The Smart TV is an HDMI dongle (left bottom of pic) that plugs into your television and essentially turns it into an Android tablet. You have access to apps, the web, and any video content you can stream and store on the device. it lets you play free YouTube movies and any other movies from the web. You can check your email, including replying, etc.
It includes a portable keyboard and the remote shoots a beam that makes it act like you are scrolling with your fingers. It is coming out soon and the price is slated to be only $69. I love technology and this is soon to be in my living room.
The Smart TV is an HDMI dongle (left bottom of pic) that plugs into your television and essentially turns it into an Android tablet. You have access to apps, the web, and any video content you can stream and store on the device. it lets you play free YouTube movies and any other movies from the web. You can check your email, including replying, etc.
It includes a portable keyboard and the remote shoots a beam that makes it act like you are scrolling with your fingers. It is coming out soon and the price is slated to be only $69. I love technology and this is soon to be in my living room.
Cheesburger in a Can
Swiss people have come up with the
product of the year. It's an import that is giving restaurants a run
for their money. They are actually made in Germany and available on
eBay.
The ad says Cheeseburger In A Can is a tasty treat when you are on the run. The can has an expiration date of one year. This does not beat the Japanese, who have come out with a powdered mini cheeseburger in a bag. Neither will be on my menu anytime soon.
The ad says Cheeseburger In A Can is a tasty treat when you are on the run. The can has an expiration date of one year. This does not beat the Japanese, who have come out with a powdered mini cheeseburger in a bag. Neither will be on my menu anytime soon.
Scratch Remedies
Most folks under 30 have never heard of
using the relatively painless Mercurochrome in lieu of that nasty
stinging Iodine. It stained your flesh pinkish-red. The FDA put
limitations on the sale of Mercurochrome in 1998 and stated that it
was no longer considered 'Generally Recognized As Safe'
over-the-counter product. The main active ingredient in
Mercurochrome is mercury.
Speaking of Iodine, it burned like fire when applied to an open wound, because it had an alcohol base. Many doctors today use a water-based iodine as an antiseptic, as it has one of the broadest germ-killing spectrums. This old school remedy is rarely found in home first aid kits anymore. Alas, change comes too late for some of us.
Speaking of Iodine, it burned like fire when applied to an open wound, because it had an alcohol base. Many doctors today use a water-based iodine as an antiseptic, as it has one of the broadest germ-killing spectrums. This old school remedy is rarely found in home first aid kits anymore. Alas, change comes too late for some of us.
List of Lists
It is finally here, more information that you
never knew or cared about. However, every now and then you need a
list to prove a point. Here it is from Wikipedia LINK.
Or you can wait a few weeks and get more interesting information from my upcoming 49th book 'Amazing Facts and Bite Sized Brain Food'.
Or you can wait a few weeks and get more interesting information from my upcoming 49th book 'Amazing Facts and Bite Sized Brain Food'.
Jul 27, 2012
Happy Friday
An old saying is 'to forgive is to forget'.
You do not need forgiveness for never forgetting to have a Happy Friday!
You do not need forgiveness for never forgetting to have a Happy Friday!
Salt
Saltiness is one of the five primary basic tastes the
human tongue can detect. Those five tastes being: salt, bitter,
sweet, sour, and umami (it is from glutamic acid, which is found in
many foods, particularly some meats, and is the basis of the flavor
enhancer monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG).
Extra salt has other effects, beside simply making things more salty it helps certain molecules in foods more easily release into the air, thus helping the aroma of the food, which is important in perception of taste.
Adding a bit of salt will also decrease the bitter taste perception in food, which is why it is often sprinkled on grapefruit.
Salt does not suppress sweet or sour flavors as with bitter flavors, but balances out the taste by making the perceived flavor of sugary candies or lemons, less one dimensional.
Extra salt has other effects, beside simply making things more salty it helps certain molecules in foods more easily release into the air, thus helping the aroma of the food, which is important in perception of taste.
Adding a bit of salt will also decrease the bitter taste perception in food, which is why it is often sprinkled on grapefruit.
Salt does not suppress sweet or sour flavors as with bitter flavors, but balances out the taste by making the perceived flavor of sugary candies or lemons, less one dimensional.
Sticky Tip
Use nonstick cooking spray in votive candle
holders and the remaining wax after burning will easily slip out.
Slut
This unpleasant term is used these days to refer to an
immoral or sexually promiscuous woman, but the origin of the term
had a more innocuous meaning. It actually meant a woman who did not
keep her room tidy. Another early meaning was kitchen maid or
drudge. Only later did it begin to mean immorality of a sexual type.
In Thomas Hoccleve’s 1402 Letter to Cupid, “The foulest slutte of al
a toune.”
In Victorian English, sluts wool referred to the little piles of dust that gather on the floor if it was not swept.
In Victorian English, sluts wool referred to the little piles of dust that gather on the floor if it was not swept.
Joe Shlabotnik
Charlie Brown’s favorite baseball player is
a guy whose career was anything but spectacular. After batting .004
in one season in the majors, Joe Shlabotnik was sent back down to
the minor leagues, where his most notable highlight was throwing out
a runner who fell down between first and second base.
When Shlabotnik became the manager for the Waffletown Syrups, Charlie Brown finally got to meet his hero. While in the stands, Charlie Brown snagged a foul ball, and he wanted Shlabotnik to sign it. Unfortunately, Shlabotnik had been fired in the middle of the game.
Like all adults, he is never actually seen in Peanuts.
---------------
When Shlabotnik became the manager for the Waffletown Syrups, Charlie Brown finally got to meet his hero. While in the stands, Charlie Brown snagged a foul ball, and he wanted Shlabotnik to sign it. Unfortunately, Shlabotnik had been fired in the middle of the game.
Like all adults, he is never actually seen in Peanuts.
---------------
Hires Root Beer
Like several other soft drinks, Hires Root
Beer (now owned by Dr Pepper Snapple) was developed by a pharmacist.
According to one of the many stories behind the origin of America’s
oldest root beer, Philadelphia’s Charles E. Hires discovered an
herbal tea made of roots, berries, and herbs while on his honeymoon.
Hires introduced a root beer powder mix that consumers could use to make their own root beer at the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, where Alexander Graham Bell showcased his telephone. Charles developed a soda fountain syrup version of his root beer in 1884 and began bottling the drink in 1893. Only Detroit's Vernor's Ginger Ale is older, introduced in 1866 and is now also owned by Dr Pepper Snapple.
His decision to market the beverage as a beer rather than a tea, as he had originally considered doing, appealed to the Pennsylvania miners and added to Hires’ popularity during Prohibition. Incidentally, the R-J on the bottle stood for Root Juices.
Hires introduced a root beer powder mix that consumers could use to make their own root beer at the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, where Alexander Graham Bell showcased his telephone. Charles developed a soda fountain syrup version of his root beer in 1884 and began bottling the drink in 1893. Only Detroit's Vernor's Ginger Ale is older, introduced in 1866 and is now also owned by Dr Pepper Snapple.
His decision to market the beverage as a beer rather than a tea, as he had originally considered doing, appealed to the Pennsylvania miners and added to Hires’ popularity during Prohibition. Incidentally, the R-J on the bottle stood for Root Juices.
Get Sick Saving the Planet
Plastic grocery bags may harm
the planet. Paper grocery bags deplete the forests. Reusable grocery
bags may contain lead and also cause illness from germs and cross
contamination.
Los Angeles became the largest US city to ban the use of plastic grocery bags, along with four dozen other California municipalities. Every county in Hawaii also prohibits them. Austin goes them one better and passed one of the broadest bag laws in the nation, agreeing to ban disposable paper and plastic bags starting in March 2013 in favor of reusable bags.
Reusable grocery bags carry E. coli germs along with a variety of other bacteria and some bags contain seven times the lead limit of many states. According to one study, Grocery shoppers must us their reusable bags 131 times to see the environmental benefits touted by global warming zealots. To be safe, reusable bags need to be washed and preferably bleached to prevent cross contamination, especially bags that transport meat, fish, fresh vegetables, or fruit.
Another source of potentially dangerous infectious comes from the checker scanning foods over the same surface of the scanner that everyone else's food passes over.
Many people reuse plastic bags for garbage, pet cleanup, transporting wet clothing, etc., so not using them causes these people to buy plastic garbage bags, which helps defeat the purpose of bag bans.
Lower priced reusable bags found in stores are either plastic themselves or made from 100% non-woven polypropylene. In 2010, a study found that over half are contaminated with bacteria, some even with E. coli, because 97 percent of shoppers say they never wash their totes.
Wash counters and cabinets where bags are stored and never let them rest on the floor, because they pick up germs from food packaging, shopping carts, car trunks, etc. Some suggest putting reusable bags in a microwave for a minute or two after each use to sanitize them.
An average family of four would need to keep at least a dozen or more bags for a normal shopping trip.
Los Angeles became the largest US city to ban the use of plastic grocery bags, along with four dozen other California municipalities. Every county in Hawaii also prohibits them. Austin goes them one better and passed one of the broadest bag laws in the nation, agreeing to ban disposable paper and plastic bags starting in March 2013 in favor of reusable bags.
Reusable grocery bags carry E. coli germs along with a variety of other bacteria and some bags contain seven times the lead limit of many states. According to one study, Grocery shoppers must us their reusable bags 131 times to see the environmental benefits touted by global warming zealots. To be safe, reusable bags need to be washed and preferably bleached to prevent cross contamination, especially bags that transport meat, fish, fresh vegetables, or fruit.
Another source of potentially dangerous infectious comes from the checker scanning foods over the same surface of the scanner that everyone else's food passes over.
Many people reuse plastic bags for garbage, pet cleanup, transporting wet clothing, etc., so not using them causes these people to buy plastic garbage bags, which helps defeat the purpose of bag bans.
Lower priced reusable bags found in stores are either plastic themselves or made from 100% non-woven polypropylene. In 2010, a study found that over half are contaminated with bacteria, some even with E. coli, because 97 percent of shoppers say they never wash their totes.
Wash counters and cabinets where bags are stored and never let them rest on the floor, because they pick up germs from food packaging, shopping carts, car trunks, etc. Some suggest putting reusable bags in a microwave for a minute or two after each use to sanitize them.
An average family of four would need to keep at least a dozen or more bags for a normal shopping trip.
What's in a Name, Balaclava
It has been a favorite headgear
of skiers and robbers and before that was worn by British troops
unaccustomed to the bitter cold Russian weather during the Crimean
War. They were also used as helmet liners as they could be rolled up
to just cover the head.
It started being called Balaclava almost 30 years later and the name comes from the town of Balaclava in present-day Ukraine where an important battle in the Crimean War was fought.
It started being called Balaclava almost 30 years later and the name comes from the town of Balaclava in present-day Ukraine where an important battle in the Crimean War was fought.
Cups and Balls
Sometimes it takes a new twist to make things
interesting again. Here is a master of the cup and balls illusion. LINK
Caskets and Coffins
The words coffin and casket are often
used interchangeably to describe a box used to bury a dead body in.
Although the general purpose of each is the same, there are small
differences between the two.
The term coffin has been used since the early 16th century to describe a container that holds a dead body for burial. The shape of a coffin typically resembles the shape of a body and has six or eight sides. It is wider at the top for the shoulders and gradually decreases in width toward the end where the feet are placed. The shape is considered to save wood for construction and can be cheaper than a casket. The word coffin is derived from the Greek word kophinos, meaning basket.
A casket originally described a box used to store jewelry and other small valuable items before coming to have an additional meaning with coffin around the mid-19th century. A casket is typically a four-sided rectangular box and, when used for burying people, often contains a split-lid for viewing purposes.
Interestingly, it is thought that the word casket was adopted as a substitute word for coffin because it was deemed less offensive, especially when morticians and undertakers began operating funeral parlors instead of mortuaries. The shape of a casket also was thought to be less dismal because it did not depict the shape of a dead body.
The main difference between a coffin and a casket is essentially just the shape. A casket may still refer to a jewelry box and not necessarily a box to bury a body in.
When a coffin is used to transport a deceased person, it can also be called a pall, a term that also refers to the cloth used to cover a coffin. The word pall bearers comes from those carrying the pall or coffin.
The term coffin has been used since the early 16th century to describe a container that holds a dead body for burial. The shape of a coffin typically resembles the shape of a body and has six or eight sides. It is wider at the top for the shoulders and gradually decreases in width toward the end where the feet are placed. The shape is considered to save wood for construction and can be cheaper than a casket. The word coffin is derived from the Greek word kophinos, meaning basket.
A casket originally described a box used to store jewelry and other small valuable items before coming to have an additional meaning with coffin around the mid-19th century. A casket is typically a four-sided rectangular box and, when used for burying people, often contains a split-lid for viewing purposes.
Interestingly, it is thought that the word casket was adopted as a substitute word for coffin because it was deemed less offensive, especially when morticians and undertakers began operating funeral parlors instead of mortuaries. The shape of a casket also was thought to be less dismal because it did not depict the shape of a dead body.
The main difference between a coffin and a casket is essentially just the shape. A casket may still refer to a jewelry box and not necessarily a box to bury a body in.
When a coffin is used to transport a deceased person, it can also be called a pall, a term that also refers to the cloth used to cover a coffin. The word pall bearers comes from those carrying the pall or coffin.
Jul 20, 2012
Happy Friday
Maturity is gratification delayed, opportunity parlayed, and
self-denial repaid.
I have delayed a week but parlayed the delay and repaid myself with a Happy Friday!
I have delayed a week but parlayed the delay and repaid myself with a Happy Friday!
Crwth
The crwth (Prounouced Crooth) is also called a crowd
and is an archaic stringed musical instrument, associated
particularly with Welsh music, once widely-played in
Europe.
Played like a violin. It has six strings tuned e e' a' a b' b'' and a flat bridge and fingerboard. It has begun to make a mini comeback in folk music circles.
Played like a violin. It has six strings tuned e e' a' a b' b'' and a flat bridge and fingerboard. It has begun to make a mini comeback in folk music circles.
'Merica Burger
Received this from my niece and a friend
on Facebook. Too good not to share. LINK
California burger chain Slater's 50/50 has a menu that features a burger made of 100 percent ground bacon and comes topped with a slice of thick-cut bacon, bacon island dressing, and bacon flavored cheddar cheese. It's only non-bacon topping is a sunny-side-up egg. Alas, it is only offered in July and it is called 'Merica
Its regular flagship burger is made of half ground beef and half ground bacon.
The 'Merica follows previous burgers-of-the-month, including a Pulled Pork Burger and a Chili Cheese Frito Burger. Slater's offers several other bacon-themed goodies, including a bacon brownie and the Bakon Mary, a twist on the Bloody Mary cocktail featuring bacon-infused vodka, a rim of bacon salt and a slice of thick-cut bacon as garnish. Almost makes me wish I was still back there, except for the fact that it is California.
California burger chain Slater's 50/50 has a menu that features a burger made of 100 percent ground bacon and comes topped with a slice of thick-cut bacon, bacon island dressing, and bacon flavored cheddar cheese. It's only non-bacon topping is a sunny-side-up egg. Alas, it is only offered in July and it is called 'Merica
Its regular flagship burger is made of half ground beef and half ground bacon.
The 'Merica follows previous burgers-of-the-month, including a Pulled Pork Burger and a Chili Cheese Frito Burger. Slater's offers several other bacon-themed goodies, including a bacon brownie and the Bakon Mary, a twist on the Bloody Mary cocktail featuring bacon-infused vodka, a rim of bacon salt and a slice of thick-cut bacon as garnish. Almost makes me wish I was still back there, except for the fact that it is California.
Looking at Tomorrow
There are two islands known as the
Diomedes, about two and a half miles apart in the middle of the
Bering Strait, between Siberia, Russia and Alaska. One of them,
Little Diomede, belongs to the US, and has a population of about
150. The other island, Big Diomede belongs to Russia and is
uninhabited, except for Russian border guards.
The space between these two islands marks not only an international border, but the International Date Line as well, making it possible for the folks on Little Diomede to wake up on a Sunday and look across the water to Big Diomede, where it’s already Monday. I guess this means the Russians are ahead of the US, at least by a day.
The space between these two islands marks not only an international border, but the International Date Line as well, making it possible for the folks on Little Diomede to wake up on a Sunday and look across the water to Big Diomede, where it’s already Monday. I guess this means the Russians are ahead of the US, at least by a day.
Four Fun Food Facts
NECCO Wafers - New England
Confectionery COmpany.
The Quaker Oats guy's name is Larry.
Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
Kool-Aid was originally marketed as “Fruit Smack.”
The Quaker Oats guy's name is Larry.
Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
Kool-Aid was originally marketed as “Fruit Smack.”
Going Dutch
Some pejorative expressions using Dutch were
created through cultural enmity between the English and the Dutch
during their fight for naval supremacy in the seventeenth century.
Some included: Dutch reckoning (a bill presented without any
details and which gets bigger if you argue), Dutch widow (a
prostitute) and Dutch feast (an alcohol-fueled event in which the
host gets drunk ahead of his guests).
Others, including Dutch courage and Dutch uncle, Going Dutch, Dutch lunch, Dutch treat, Dutch party, and Dutch supper, all with closely similar meanings, are American creations from the nineteenth century.
They were used in the literal sense of a meal reflecting a particular culture. The evidence shows they were more correctly German, as in Pennsylvania Dutch. A newspaper report in 1894 mentions that for a Dutch supper to be successful everything must be “consistently expressive of the fatherland” and mentions rye bread, cabbage salad, Wienerwursts (hot dogs), and beer. Americans invented the terms based on their observations of the habits of the immigrants. Early users applied them as straightforward descriptions and not as derogatory terms. So, let's do lunch, Dutch treat.
Others, including Dutch courage and Dutch uncle, Going Dutch, Dutch lunch, Dutch treat, Dutch party, and Dutch supper, all with closely similar meanings, are American creations from the nineteenth century.
They were used in the literal sense of a meal reflecting a particular culture. The evidence shows they were more correctly German, as in Pennsylvania Dutch. A newspaper report in 1894 mentions that for a Dutch supper to be successful everything must be “consistently expressive of the fatherland” and mentions rye bread, cabbage salad, Wienerwursts (hot dogs), and beer. Americans invented the terms based on their observations of the habits of the immigrants. Early users applied them as straightforward descriptions and not as derogatory terms. So, let's do lunch, Dutch treat.
Chantilly Lace
Some of you might remember the Big
Bopper’s hit of the same name in 1958. LINK
Some will remember what it looks like. This style of lace-making dates to the 1600s. While the majority of the lace was actually produced elsewhere, it gets its name from the town of Chantilly, France.
Some will remember what it looks like. This style of lace-making dates to the 1600s. While the majority of the lace was actually produced elsewhere, it gets its name from the town of Chantilly, France.
Jul 19, 2012
Sons of the Desert Convention
The 18th annual (held every
other year) international convention is being held July 17 - 22 in
Manchester New Hampshire. It is attended by folks who love a good
time and follow Laurel and Hardy. I have attended a few and had a
great time. During one convention in California, we staged a pie
fight to commemorate a scene from another of L&H movies. It
turned out to be the largest pie fight in the world and we were on
the TV show 'Real People'. Took me days to get the lemon custard out
of every nook and cranny of my body.
The 'Sons of the Desert' name is taken from a lodge that the boys belonged to in the movie of the same name. It is an international fraternal organization devoted to lives and films of comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Each participating city has a "tent" with the name taken from one of their movies. The exception is Detroit, which took the name 'Dancing Cuckoos' from the theme song.
The group is loosely formed and has never approved the bylaws, which Stan Laurel said must maintain a 'half-assed dignity'. Meetings consist of watching their old movies and enjoying drinks and popcorn. Each year the bylaws are brought up for vote and ceremoniously ignored. The leader of the group has the title 'Exhausted Ruler', also taken from one of the movies. It was formed in 1964.
The 'Sons of the Desert' name is taken from a lodge that the boys belonged to in the movie of the same name. It is an international fraternal organization devoted to lives and films of comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Each participating city has a "tent" with the name taken from one of their movies. The exception is Detroit, which took the name 'Dancing Cuckoos' from the theme song.
The group is loosely formed and has never approved the bylaws, which Stan Laurel said must maintain a 'half-assed dignity'. Meetings consist of watching their old movies and enjoying drinks and popcorn. Each year the bylaws are brought up for vote and ceremoniously ignored. The leader of the group has the title 'Exhausted Ruler', also taken from one of the movies. It was formed in 1964.
Six Types of Collectors
Deltiologists study and
collect postcards.
Phillumenists collect matchbooks and other match-related items. The world’s top phillumenist has a collection of over 700,000 different labels.
Pannapictagraphists collect comic books and probably can't even spell what they are.
Vexillophiles collect and display flags.
Plangonologist are collectors of dolls.
Arctophiles collect teddy bears.
Phillumenists collect matchbooks and other match-related items. The world’s top phillumenist has a collection of over 700,000 different labels.
Pannapictagraphists collect comic books and probably can't even spell what they are.
Vexillophiles collect and display flags.
Plangonologist are collectors of dolls.
Arctophiles collect teddy bears.
What's in a Name, Wedgwood
Josiah Wedgwood may be
remembered today in his eponymous pottery, but his life was far more
exciting than that association would lead one to think.
In his day he was a prominent abolitionist, and his pottery company made a medallion with the design of a black slave on his knees with the motto, “Am I not a man and brother?” He produced large quantities of the medallion and distributed them for free through the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Fashionable women started wearing them as jewelry and men smoked pipes with the image on the side. It became the most widely recognized image of a black person during the 1700s. Josiah died before slavery was abolished in England.
He also has the distinction of being the grandfather of Charles Darwin.
In his day he was a prominent abolitionist, and his pottery company made a medallion with the design of a black slave on his knees with the motto, “Am I not a man and brother?” He produced large quantities of the medallion and distributed them for free through the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Fashionable women started wearing them as jewelry and men smoked pipes with the image on the side. It became the most widely recognized image of a black person during the 1700s. Josiah died before slavery was abolished in England.
He also has the distinction of being the grandfather of Charles Darwin.
Olympic 3D
While the 2008 Olympics were the first to be
broadcast entirely in HD, the 2012 Olympics are the first to
broadcast in HD as well as 3D. The games were first televised in
Berlin in 1936 and played on big screens about the city. Then came
the first games to enter households, strictly in London in 1948,
followed by the first internationally televised games during the
1960 Olympics in Rome.
Jul 13, 2012
Happy Friday
Take Risks - If you win you will be happy, if you lose you will be
wise.
I am happy that I am wise enough to enjoy a Happy Friday!
I am happy that I am wise enough to enjoy a Happy Friday!
History of Mooning
Some sources have cited mooning, or baring
one’s butt at another as an insult that stretches back to the
Romans, but the gesture as we know it today seems to have started in
the Middle Ages.
Wikipedia claims that the first known instance of mooning was recorded by the famous Roman-Jewish historian Josephus in the 1st century A.D. According to Josephus’ account in The Wars of the Jews, a Roman soldier bared his rear to an audience of Jews celebrating Passover, and incited a riot that killed “upwards of thirty thousand.” However, a closer examination of Josephus’s account shows that the soldier was not mooning the crowd, but rather farting in their general direction. Josephus puts it more delicately, “One of the soldiers, raising his robe, stooped in an indecent attitude, so as to turn his backside to the Jews, and made a noise in keeping with his posture.”
One of the earliest known instances of mooning happened during the Fourth Crusade around 1203, when Western Europeans attempted to take Constantinople. As the crusaders’ ships pulled away after the failed attack, the Byzantines hooted and hollered and “showed their bare buttocks in derision to the fleeing foe.” Another account tells of the Italian nobleman and troubadour Alberico da Romano, who was so indignant at losing his favorite falcon during a hunt that he “dropped his trousers and exposed his rear to the Lord as a sign of abuse and reviling."
Though it was a worldwide phenomenon by the 19th century, mooning didn’t get its name until the 1960s. The Oxford English Dictionary dates moon and mooning to student slang of the 1960s, when the gesture became increasingly popular at American universities. The term derives from the use of moon or moons as slang for the bare buttocks.
Wikipedia claims that the first known instance of mooning was recorded by the famous Roman-Jewish historian Josephus in the 1st century A.D. According to Josephus’ account in The Wars of the Jews, a Roman soldier bared his rear to an audience of Jews celebrating Passover, and incited a riot that killed “upwards of thirty thousand.” However, a closer examination of Josephus’s account shows that the soldier was not mooning the crowd, but rather farting in their general direction. Josephus puts it more delicately, “One of the soldiers, raising his robe, stooped in an indecent attitude, so as to turn his backside to the Jews, and made a noise in keeping with his posture.”
One of the earliest known instances of mooning happened during the Fourth Crusade around 1203, when Western Europeans attempted to take Constantinople. As the crusaders’ ships pulled away after the failed attack, the Byzantines hooted and hollered and “showed their bare buttocks in derision to the fleeing foe.” Another account tells of the Italian nobleman and troubadour Alberico da Romano, who was so indignant at losing his favorite falcon during a hunt that he “dropped his trousers and exposed his rear to the Lord as a sign of abuse and reviling."
Though it was a worldwide phenomenon by the 19th century, mooning didn’t get its name until the 1960s. The Oxford English Dictionary dates moon and mooning to student slang of the 1960s, when the gesture became increasingly popular at American universities. The term derives from the use of moon or moons as slang for the bare buttocks.
Nitpicking, Bigwigs, and Perukes
By 1580, syphilis had
become the worst epidemic to strike Europe since the Black Death.
Without antibiotics, victims developed open sores, nasty rashes,
blindness, dementia, and patchy hair loss.
Powdered wigs, called perukes saved the day. Victims hid their baldness, as well as the bloody sores that scored their faces, with wigs made of horse, goat, or human hair and coated with powder scented with lavender or orange, to hide the odor. Wigs were not necessarily stylish, just a shameful necessity.
When Louis XIV was only 17 his hair began thinning. He hired 48 wig makers to save his image. Five years later, the King of England, Louis’ cousin, Charles II, did the same thing when his hair started to gray. Other aristocrats immediately copied the two kings. They sported ostentatious wigs, and the style trickled down to the upper-middle class.
The cost of wigs increased, and perukes became a scheme for flaunting wealth. An everyday wig cost about 25 shillings, a week’s pay for a commoner. The bill for large, elaborate perukes could cost as much as 800 shillings. The word 'bigwig' was coined to describe snobs who could afford big, flowing wigs.
At the same time, head lice were everywhere and nitpicking was a painful and time-consuming chore. Wigs curbed the problem. Lice stopped infesting people’s hair, which had to be shaved for the wig to fit, and moved to the wigs. Delousing a wig was much easier than delousing a head of hair. A wig-maker would simply boil the wig to remove the nits.
Powdered wigs, called perukes saved the day. Victims hid their baldness, as well as the bloody sores that scored their faces, with wigs made of horse, goat, or human hair and coated with powder scented with lavender or orange, to hide the odor. Wigs were not necessarily stylish, just a shameful necessity.
When Louis XIV was only 17 his hair began thinning. He hired 48 wig makers to save his image. Five years later, the King of England, Louis’ cousin, Charles II, did the same thing when his hair started to gray. Other aristocrats immediately copied the two kings. They sported ostentatious wigs, and the style trickled down to the upper-middle class.
The cost of wigs increased, and perukes became a scheme for flaunting wealth. An everyday wig cost about 25 shillings, a week’s pay for a commoner. The bill for large, elaborate perukes could cost as much as 800 shillings. The word 'bigwig' was coined to describe snobs who could afford big, flowing wigs.
At the same time, head lice were everywhere and nitpicking was a painful and time-consuming chore. Wigs curbed the problem. Lice stopped infesting people’s hair, which had to be shaved for the wig to fit, and moved to the wigs. Delousing a wig was much easier than delousing a head of hair. A wig-maker would simply boil the wig to remove the nits.
Facts About Television
The first time color TV sets outsold
B&W was in 1972. That was also the first year that broadcast
satellite TV began, although cable had been around for years before
that. Only 20% of U.S. households had two or more sets at the time,
and almost all portable TVs (usually the choice for a second set)
were still black and white due to the technology involved for color.
By 1979 no more black and white consoles were made. About six
channels were available for watching and the average screen size was
22 inches.
During the 90s the average screen size was 27 inches and the 'giant size screens' were 40 inches. The average TV screen size is about 37 inches today and expected to average 60 inches by 2015.
Later this year super HiDef will be coming at four times the 1080p of today and the TV set definition will be 16 times greater by 2015, likely with prices to match.
During the 90s the average screen size was 27 inches and the 'giant size screens' were 40 inches. The average TV screen size is about 37 inches today and expected to average 60 inches by 2015.
Later this year super HiDef will be coming at four times the 1080p of today and the TV set definition will be 16 times greater by 2015, likely with prices to match.
Jul 11, 2012
Social Site Facts
Twitter has 901 million users, Twitter
has 555 million users, Google+ has 170 million users, and Linkedin
has 150 million users. The average user spends 405 minutes on
Facebook, 89 minutes on Twitter, 3 minutes on Google+, and 21
minutes on Linkedin.
Presidential Height Index
Did you know that in the past 27
US presidential elections, the shorter candidate has won only six
times? Handlers for Jimmy Carter (5' 9") went to great lengths to
prevent him from standing next to the taller Gerald Ford (6'). It
worked, Carter won.
The tallest President elected to office was Abraham Lincoln at 6' 4" and George Washington was 6' 2". Eighteen presidents have been 6 foot or taller. James Madison was the shortest at 5 foot 4.
Mitt Romney is 6’2” and Barack Obama is 6’1”.
Michigan is the only state that has a statute prohibiting height discrimination. (Maybe because Jimmy Hoffa was 5'5").
The tallest President elected to office was Abraham Lincoln at 6' 4" and George Washington was 6' 2". Eighteen presidents have been 6 foot or taller. James Madison was the shortest at 5 foot 4.
Mitt Romney is 6’2” and Barack Obama is 6’1”.
Michigan is the only state that has a statute prohibiting height discrimination. (Maybe because Jimmy Hoffa was 5'5").
YouTube Free Movies
Have you seen any free movies on
YouTube? Check these out. LINK If
you have a big monitor or can hook your PC to your TV, as you can do
with most flat screens, this is a cheap alternative to pay-for-view.
Is It Cheaper
When offered the possibility of 33% off a
product or the same product with 33% more quantity, which would you
choose?
The Economist sums up the results of a new study published in the Journal of Marketing, which reveals that most consumers view these options as essentially the same proposition, but they are not. The discount is by far the better deal. The Economist says, most shoppers don’t realize that a “50% increase in quantity is the same as a 33% discount in price.”
In one part of the study, the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, asked undergraduate students to evaluate two deals on loose coffee beans, one with 33% more beans for free and the other at 33% off the price. The students viewed the offers as equal.
The initial price is $10 for 10 oz. of coffee beans or $1 per oz. An extra 33% more free beans would bring the total up to 13.3 oz. for $10. That $10 divided by 13.3 oz. give us a unit price of $0.75 per oz. With a 33% discount off the initial offer, though, the proposition becomes $6.67 for 10 oz., for a unit price of $0.67 per oz.
In another marketing experiment involving hand lotion in an actual store, researchers sold 73% more when it came in a bonus pack than when it was priced at a discount with the same exact unit price. Caveat Emptor and go for the discount.
The Economist sums up the results of a new study published in the Journal of Marketing, which reveals that most consumers view these options as essentially the same proposition, but they are not. The discount is by far the better deal. The Economist says, most shoppers don’t realize that a “50% increase in quantity is the same as a 33% discount in price.”
In one part of the study, the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, asked undergraduate students to evaluate two deals on loose coffee beans, one with 33% more beans for free and the other at 33% off the price. The students viewed the offers as equal.
The initial price is $10 for 10 oz. of coffee beans or $1 per oz. An extra 33% more free beans would bring the total up to 13.3 oz. for $10. That $10 divided by 13.3 oz. give us a unit price of $0.75 per oz. With a 33% discount off the initial offer, though, the proposition becomes $6.67 for 10 oz., for a unit price of $0.67 per oz.
In another marketing experiment involving hand lotion in an actual store, researchers sold 73% more when it came in a bonus pack than when it was priced at a discount with the same exact unit price. Caveat Emptor and go for the discount.
Jul 6, 2012
Who was Charlotte Braun
She was written as a female
version of Charlie Brown. In fact, she looked just like him, except
she had curly hair. She was also ostracized by her peers, but it was
because she was loud and obnoxious, a fact she constantly pointed
out during her appearances in the comic strip.
Shortly after her introduction in 1954, Schulz received a letter from Elizabeth Swain, a young fan in Pittsburgh, who told him to get rid of Braun because Swain found the character annoying and unfunny.
Schulz wrote Swain a letter saying that he would soon “discard” Braun as requested. He added a touch of dark humor by saying that Swain would “have the death of an innocent child on your conscience. Are you prepared to accept such responsibility?”
Next to his signature, he included a sketch of Charlotte Braun with an ax stuck in her head. Braun showed up in the comic one more time, but then never returned. He really did have a sense of humor.
Shortly after her introduction in 1954, Schulz received a letter from Elizabeth Swain, a young fan in Pittsburgh, who told him to get rid of Braun because Swain found the character annoying and unfunny.
Schulz wrote Swain a letter saying that he would soon “discard” Braun as requested. He added a touch of dark humor by saying that Swain would “have the death of an innocent child on your conscience. Are you prepared to accept such responsibility?”
Next to his signature, he included a sketch of Charlotte Braun with an ax stuck in her head. Braun showed up in the comic one more time, but then never returned. He really did have a sense of humor.
Wordology, Petrichor
This word describes the scent of rain on dry earth. The word is constructed from Greek, petra, meaning stone + ichor, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.
The term was coined in 1964 by two Australian researchers, Bear and Thomas, for an article in the journal Nature, where the authors describe how the smell derives from an oil exuded by certain plants during dry periods and is absorbed by clay-based soils and rocks. During rain, the oil is released into the air along with another compound, geosmin, producing the distinctive scent. Now you have a name for that great aroma.
The term was coined in 1964 by two Australian researchers, Bear and Thomas, for an article in the journal Nature, where the authors describe how the smell derives from an oil exuded by certain plants during dry periods and is absorbed by clay-based soils and rocks. During rain, the oil is released into the air along with another compound, geosmin, producing the distinctive scent. Now you have a name for that great aroma.
Interesting Facts about Taxis
Back in England, the Hansom
cab was a kind of two wheel horse-drawn carriage designed and
patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York. The
vehicle was developed and tested by Hansom in Hinckley,
Leicestershire, England. Originally called the Hansom Safety Cab,
Hansom's design was modified by John Chapman (not Johnny Appleseed
and not Dallas' John Chapman) and several others to improve its
practicability, but retained Hansom's name. Hansom also set up a
company in New York in 1869.
Hackney was an area of London, England and before Hansoms, hackney was also a name for carriages for hire to get around the city. It is also where we get the name 'hack' for modern cab drivers.
Harry Nathaniel Allen of The New York Taxicab Co., who imported the first 600 gas-powered New York taxicabs from France, coined the word "taxicab" as a contraction of "taximeter cabriolet", with cabriolet reflecting the design of the carriage.
There are essentially four distinct forms of taxicab, which can be identified by slightly differing terms in different countries:
1 - Hackney carriages, also known as public hire, hailed or street taxis, licensed for hailing on the street. Hansom's were Hackneys.
2 - Private hire vehicles, also known as minicabs or private hire taxis, licensed for pre-booking only.
3 - Taxibuses, also known as Jitneys, operating on preset routes typified by multiple stops and multiple independent passengers.
4 - Limousines, specialized vehicle licensed for operation by pre-booking.
Taxi service is typically provided by automobiles, but various human-powered vehicles, such as the rickshaw or pedicab and animal-powered vehicles, or boats, such as water taxis or gondolas are also used
The first taxi service in Toronto was established in 1837 by Thornton Blackburn, an ex-slave from the US. He designed and built a red and yellow box cab named 'The City', drawn by a single horse, and able to carry four passengers, with a driver in a box at the front, which he, himself, would operate. It became the nucleus of a taxicab company, the city's first, a successful venture
The firm Checker, which also made cars in addition to the eponymous cabs, came into existence back then, and stopped manufacturing cabs in 1982. It continued operation at partial capacity making Cadillac parts for General Motors until January 2009 when it declared bankruptcy.
Hackney was an area of London, England and before Hansoms, hackney was also a name for carriages for hire to get around the city. It is also where we get the name 'hack' for modern cab drivers.
Harry Nathaniel Allen of The New York Taxicab Co., who imported the first 600 gas-powered New York taxicabs from France, coined the word "taxicab" as a contraction of "taximeter cabriolet", with cabriolet reflecting the design of the carriage.
There are essentially four distinct forms of taxicab, which can be identified by slightly differing terms in different countries:
1 - Hackney carriages, also known as public hire, hailed or street taxis, licensed for hailing on the street. Hansom's were Hackneys.
2 - Private hire vehicles, also known as minicabs or private hire taxis, licensed for pre-booking only.
3 - Taxibuses, also known as Jitneys, operating on preset routes typified by multiple stops and multiple independent passengers.
4 - Limousines, specialized vehicle licensed for operation by pre-booking.
Taxi service is typically provided by automobiles, but various human-powered vehicles, such as the rickshaw or pedicab and animal-powered vehicles, or boats, such as water taxis or gondolas are also used
The first taxi service in Toronto was established in 1837 by Thornton Blackburn, an ex-slave from the US. He designed and built a red and yellow box cab named 'The City', drawn by a single horse, and able to carry four passengers, with a driver in a box at the front, which he, himself, would operate. It became the nucleus of a taxicab company, the city's first, a successful venture
The firm Checker, which also made cars in addition to the eponymous cabs, came into existence back then, and stopped manufacturing cabs in 1982. It continued operation at partial capacity making Cadillac parts for General Motors until January 2009 when it declared bankruptcy.
Taximeter and Flag Falls
Taximeter is the device that
calculates the charge and has been a device with a flag that a cab
driver pushes down to start the charge count. The origin is a
minimum charge for hiring a taxi, to which the rate per kilometer or
mile is then added. It dates back to the old mechanical taximeters,
which were equipped with a flag-like lever that could be seen from
outside the cab. Think tax (charge) by the meter, as in kilometer.
Flagfall or flag fall is a common Australian expression for a fixed start fee, especially in the haulage and railroad industry. From the Australia mobile phone industry, the expression has recently begun to spread to other English language countries, as business jargon for an initial fixed fee for establishing each phone call. It is also beginning to find its way into other businesses as a synonym to 'start fee'.
Flagfall or flag fall is a common Australian expression for a fixed start fee, especially in the haulage and railroad industry. From the Australia mobile phone industry, the expression has recently begun to spread to other English language countries, as business jargon for an initial fixed fee for establishing each phone call. It is also beginning to find its way into other businesses as a synonym to 'start fee'.
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