The phrase "the butler did it" is commonly attributed to Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876-1958). Mary was a very popular writer who authored over 50 books, many of which became best-sellers. Mary (also a playwright) at one point had three plays running simultaneously on Broadway.
She also created a super-criminal called The Bat in 1920, who was cited by Bob Kane as one of his inspirations for Batman. Mary's first book The Circular Stairs was published in 1908.
In 1930, her book The Door was published and in the story the butler really did it. Although Mary Roberts Rinehart is generally credited with the origin of the expression, the words "the butler did it" do not actually appear in the book. Mary used the "butler as criminal" device in other novels as well. After that, the bit became so popular it was considered a cliche and spawned many satirical jabs.
Sep 19, 2012
Sep 14, 2012
Happy Friday
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to
continue that counts.
You cannot fail when you have the courage to have another successful Happy Friday!
You cannot fail when you have the courage to have another successful Happy Friday!
Talk Like a Pirate Day
The establishment of International
Talk Like a Pirate Day took off in 2002 when Dave Barry mentioned us
in his nationally syndicated newspaper column, and the date
September 19th was based on someone’s ex-wife’s birthday. There is a
Facebook page, Twitter account, and much more on the web. The
official website provides lingo in English, German, Dutch, and more.
LINK
Here are some origins of pirate words: A starboard is a steering paddle or rudder and in England, it was on the right side of the ship, hence starboard side.
The port side of a ship was originally called the larboard side, or loading side, but became verbally confusing, especially in bad weather or battles, so it was changed to port side.
Duffel is a sailor's personal belongings and the bag that carries them. It is named after the Flemish town of Duffel that produced the woolen cloth which the bags were made of.
Avast comes from the Dutch phrase 'houd vast' which meant 'hold fast' or 'stop'. Over time it became 'hou vast' and later 'avast'.
Poop deck originates from the French word for stern, la poupe. The poop deck is technically a stern deck, which in sailing ships was usually elevated as the roof of the stern cabin, also known as the 'poop cabin'. In sailing ships, an elevated position was ideal for both navigation and observation of the crew and sails.
Here are some origins of pirate words: A starboard is a steering paddle or rudder and in England, it was on the right side of the ship, hence starboard side.
The port side of a ship was originally called the larboard side, or loading side, but became verbally confusing, especially in bad weather or battles, so it was changed to port side.
Duffel is a sailor's personal belongings and the bag that carries them. It is named after the Flemish town of Duffel that produced the woolen cloth which the bags were made of.
Avast comes from the Dutch phrase 'houd vast' which meant 'hold fast' or 'stop'. Over time it became 'hou vast' and later 'avast'.
Poop deck originates from the French word for stern, la poupe. The poop deck is technically a stern deck, which in sailing ships was usually elevated as the roof of the stern cabin, also known as the 'poop cabin'. In sailing ships, an elevated position was ideal for both navigation and observation of the crew and sails.
Ink Jet Printer Origin
A Canon engineer discovered this one
when he set a hot soldering iron a bit too close to his pen. The pen
reacted by spitting out ink just moments later, and the principle
behind a new piece of tech was born.
Why Crustaceans Turn Red
Crabs, lobsters, crayfish,
shrimp, and some other crustaceans turn red/orange when cooked from
their typical blue-green to grayish color.
The exoskeletons of such creatures are made up of several pigments, one of which is a carotenoid called astaxanthin, which provides it’s reddish coloring (astaxanthin is the same carotene that gives salmon its color). At normal temperatures and when alive the astaxanthin pigments are hidden because they are covered with other protein chains that give their shells the bluish-gray or brownish-green color we see.
Exposure to heat destroys this protein coating, while the carotenoid pigment, astaxanthin still remains stable. So when you cook a crab or lobster or other crustaceans, the heat breaks down all the pigments except for astaxanthin, causing the bright red color we see in cooked lobsters, crabs, and crayfish or the reddish-orange color of cooked shrimp.
Only the albino crab and lobster do not turn red when cooked because they have no pigmentation, so they remain the same white color even when cooked.
A one pound lobster is about seven to eight years old, and a eight pounder may be 20 to 50 years old. Lobsters are capable of living over 100 years.
The exoskeletons of such creatures are made up of several pigments, one of which is a carotenoid called astaxanthin, which provides it’s reddish coloring (astaxanthin is the same carotene that gives salmon its color). At normal temperatures and when alive the astaxanthin pigments are hidden because they are covered with other protein chains that give their shells the bluish-gray or brownish-green color we see.
Exposure to heat destroys this protein coating, while the carotenoid pigment, astaxanthin still remains stable. So when you cook a crab or lobster or other crustaceans, the heat breaks down all the pigments except for astaxanthin, causing the bright red color we see in cooked lobsters, crabs, and crayfish or the reddish-orange color of cooked shrimp.
Only the albino crab and lobster do not turn red when cooked because they have no pigmentation, so they remain the same white color even when cooked.
A one pound lobster is about seven to eight years old, and a eight pounder may be 20 to 50 years old. Lobsters are capable of living over 100 years.
Swiffer Substitutes
Microfiber cloths are great and cheaper
substitutes for disposable cloths. When one side is soiled, turn the
cloth over and use the other side, same as with the disposables.
Microfiber cloths can be tossed into the wash instead of thrown away
and one package of reusable microfiber cloths cost less than a
package of disposable wipes for the Swiffer.
Sep 12, 2012
Myth: Earth is Close to Overpopulation
This is a myth has
been around since the 18th century, but the world is a really big
place with plenty of space.
Let's look at how much land it really takes to hold 6 billion people. To give you an idea, consider the small nation of Japan, which has about 143,000 square miles of land. One square mile has 27.9 million square feet. Japan has a total of about 4 trillion square feet, enough to give each person on earth 670 square feet. If we housed people in families of four in simple two-level buildings (8 people per building, one family of four per level), each building could be on a lot of over 5300 square feet.
Using the American average of 8,000 square feet to house four people, the entire population of the planet would fit into a space the size of Texas and Nevada combined or less than the state of Alaska. That leaves a bunch of unused space for growing crops, sailing, and going on vacations.
Let's look at how much land it really takes to hold 6 billion people. To give you an idea, consider the small nation of Japan, which has about 143,000 square miles of land. One square mile has 27.9 million square feet. Japan has a total of about 4 trillion square feet, enough to give each person on earth 670 square feet. If we housed people in families of four in simple two-level buildings (8 people per building, one family of four per level), each building could be on a lot of over 5300 square feet.
Using the American average of 8,000 square feet to house four people, the entire population of the planet would fit into a space the size of Texas and Nevada combined or less than the state of Alaska. That leaves a bunch of unused space for growing crops, sailing, and going on vacations.
Ellen Henrietta Swallow Richards
She was the first woman to
graduate from a scientific institute in the United States. She was
the first female student and received a Bachelor of Science degree
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She met her husband,
Robert Richards at MIT. Ellen Richards was also the first woman to
be elected to the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical
Engineers.
In addition, she was a leading figure in the study of nutrition and hygiene. Ecology was a word coined by her. Ellen was an instructor in the laboratory of sanitary chemistry at the Lawrence Experiment Station. She also became the first president of the American Home Economics Association in 1908. In 2011, she was listed as #8 on the MIT150 list of the top 150 innovators and ideas from MIT. Ellen was born in 1842 and died in 1911.
In addition, she was a leading figure in the study of nutrition and hygiene. Ecology was a word coined by her. Ellen was an instructor in the laboratory of sanitary chemistry at the Lawrence Experiment Station. She also became the first president of the American Home Economics Association in 1908. In 2011, she was listed as #8 on the MIT150 list of the top 150 innovators and ideas from MIT. Ellen was born in 1842 and died in 1911.
Bacon Barter
They have finally done it. Driving across
country with no money and no credit cards. Josh Sankey is
freeloading his way across the US armed with nothing more than
a truckload of bacon.
Oscar Mayer supplied enough bricks of Butcher Thick Cut Bacon fill his refrigerated truck.
Sankey is literally hauling a trailer full of 3,000 pounds of bacon from New York to L.A., going coast to coast with zero cash, cards, or checks. He is relying only on the goodness of Americans and the goodness of bacon. He offers bacon to finagle whatever he wants from whomever he wants and so far it's working.
Sankey kicked off the cross-country adventure at the Jets' opener, crashing the tailgate party with a red wagon load of bacon. His goal was to get tickets to the game by trading bacon. He stacked his odds with Camille Burford, host of The Movie Show. They scored two seats. He went on to Maryland, and is now through Charleston. I imagine when he needs a snack, he just throws a few rashers on the engine block to heat them up.
Oscar Mayer supplied enough bricks of Butcher Thick Cut Bacon fill his refrigerated truck.
Sankey is literally hauling a trailer full of 3,000 pounds of bacon from New York to L.A., going coast to coast with zero cash, cards, or checks. He is relying only on the goodness of Americans and the goodness of bacon. He offers bacon to finagle whatever he wants from whomever he wants and so far it's working.
Sankey kicked off the cross-country adventure at the Jets' opener, crashing the tailgate party with a red wagon load of bacon. His goal was to get tickets to the game by trading bacon. He stacked his odds with Camille Burford, host of The Movie Show. They scored two seats. He went on to Maryland, and is now through Charleston. I imagine when he needs a snack, he just throws a few rashers on the engine block to heat them up.
Doughnut Crumbs
No one really knows when donuts were
invented or who invented them. One theory suggests they were
introduced into North America by Dutch settlers, who were
responsible for popularizing other American desserts, including
cookies, cream pie, and cobbler. Another theory is the English
brought the recipes over when they settled in the US.
Doughnut is the more traditional spelling, and still dominates outside the US. Doughnut and the shortened form donut are both pervasive in American English.
Donuts were originally made as a long twist of dough. It was also common in England for doughnuts to be made in a ball shape and injected with jam after they were cooked. Both methods of cooking involved no human intervention as the balls and twists turn over when the underside is cooked.
Hansen Gregory, an American, claimed to have invented the ring donut in 1847 when he was traveling on a steam boat. He was not satisfied with the texture of the center of the donut so he pressed a hole in the center with the ship’s tin pepper box. Excuse me, I feel the need to graze on a glazed.
------------------
Doughnut is the more traditional spelling, and still dominates outside the US. Doughnut and the shortened form donut are both pervasive in American English.
Donuts were originally made as a long twist of dough. It was also common in England for doughnuts to be made in a ball shape and injected with jam after they were cooked. Both methods of cooking involved no human intervention as the balls and twists turn over when the underside is cooked.
Hansen Gregory, an American, claimed to have invented the ring donut in 1847 when he was traveling on a steam boat. He was not satisfied with the texture of the center of the donut so he pressed a hole in the center with the ship’s tin pepper box. Excuse me, I feel the need to graze on a glazed.
------------------
Sep 7, 2012
Happy Friday
Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they
merely determine where you start.
My circumstances always cause me to have a Happy Friday!
My circumstances always cause me to have a Happy Friday!
Hansel and Gretel
In the widely known version of Hansel and
Gretel, we read of two little children who become lost in the
forest, eventually finding their way to a gingerbread house which
belongs to a wicked witch. The children end up enslaved for a time
as the witch prepares them for eating. They figure their way out and
throw the witch in a fire and escape.
In an earlier French version of this tale (called The Lost Children), instead of a witch we have a devil. Now the wicked old devil is tricked by the children (in much the same way as Hansel and Gretel) but he works it out and puts together a sawhorse to put one of the children on to bleed (that isn’t an error – he really does). The children pretend not to know how to get on the sawhorse so the devil’s wife demonstrates. While she is lying down the kids slash her throat and escape.
In an earlier French version of this tale (called The Lost Children), instead of a witch we have a devil. Now the wicked old devil is tricked by the children (in much the same way as Hansel and Gretel) but he works it out and puts together a sawhorse to put one of the children on to bleed (that isn’t an error – he really does). The children pretend not to know how to get on the sawhorse so the devil’s wife demonstrates. While she is lying down the kids slash her throat and escape.
Sliced Bread Fact
Hansel and Gretel remind me of
breadcrumbs and here is a crumb about sliced bread. Claude R.
Wickard, the head of the War Foods Administration as well as the
Secretary of Agriculture, got the idea to ban pre-sliced bread in
America, which he did on January 18, 1943.
He said it was about conservation of resources, such as to conserve wax paper and secondary goals of conserving wheat and steel.
However, there was no shortage of wax paper at the time the ban was put in place. He also thought that by banning pre-sliced bread, the amount of bread consumed would go down and reduce the demand for flour and wheat, and thus, decrease prices of those products while increasing stockpiles of wheat. However, at the time of the ban, the US had already stockpiled over 1 billion bushels of wheat, which would be enough to meet the United States’ needs for about two years, even if no new wheat was harvested.
After a severe consumer backlash, the ban was rescinded three months later on March 8, 1943. Upon rescinding the ban, Wickard stated, “Our experience with the order, however, leads us to believe that the savings are not as much as we expected…”
He said it was about conservation of resources, such as to conserve wax paper and secondary goals of conserving wheat and steel.
However, there was no shortage of wax paper at the time the ban was put in place. He also thought that by banning pre-sliced bread, the amount of bread consumed would go down and reduce the demand for flour and wheat, and thus, decrease prices of those products while increasing stockpiles of wheat. However, at the time of the ban, the US had already stockpiled over 1 billion bushels of wheat, which would be enough to meet the United States’ needs for about two years, even if no new wheat was harvested.
After a severe consumer backlash, the ban was rescinded three months later on March 8, 1943. Upon rescinding the ban, Wickard stated, “Our experience with the order, however, leads us to believe that the savings are not as much as we expected…”
Automatic Bread Slicer
As long as we are talking of bread
slicing, The world’s first automatic bread slicer was invented by
Otto Frederick Rohwedder in Davenport, Iowa. He first built a
prototype of his bread slicer in 1912. Unfortunately, his blueprints
and machine were destroyed in a fire in 1917. It took him until 1927
to re-build the machine and produce a model ready to use in an
actual bakery.
The first pre-sliced loaf of bread using his machine, was sold on July 7, 1928. A friend of Rohwedders installed a bread slicing machine at the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri. Sliced bread sales skyrocketed.
Pre-sliced bread became a national hit thanks to Wonder Bread, then owned by Continental Baking, who began commercially producing the pre-sliced bread in 1930 using a modified version of Rohwedder’s machine. Crumb is a term bakers use to define the part of bread inside the crust. Unrelated, Jackie Gleason called his drinking buddies crumb bums.
The first pre-sliced loaf of bread using his machine, was sold on July 7, 1928. A friend of Rohwedders installed a bread slicing machine at the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri. Sliced bread sales skyrocketed.
Pre-sliced bread became a national hit thanks to Wonder Bread, then owned by Continental Baking, who began commercially producing the pre-sliced bread in 1930 using a modified version of Rohwedder’s machine. Crumb is a term bakers use to define the part of bread inside the crust. Unrelated, Jackie Gleason called his drinking buddies crumb bums.
The Weeping Woman
The picture below was painted by Pablo
Picasso in 1937. The model used for this painting is Dora Maar. She
was a French photographer, poet and painter. She was also Picasso’s
mistress, from 1936 until 1944. They were introduced when she was 29
and Picasso was 54.
In the course of their relationship, Picasso said, “Dora, for me, was always a weeping woman… and it’s important, because women are suffering machines”. Picasso also referred to Dora as his “private muse.” She spent her last years alone, in a house near Paris that Picasso had given her.
In the course of their relationship, Picasso said, “Dora, for me, was always a weeping woman… and it’s important, because women are suffering machines”. Picasso also referred to Dora as his “private muse.” She spent her last years alone, in a house near Paris that Picasso had given her.
Sep 6, 2012
Weird Tracks
NASA's Mars Curiosity rover does not have
built-in GPS. The only way to track Curiosity's whereabouts and how
far it has traveled is by following the six explorer's wheel marks.
For this reason, engineers put holes in Curiosity's treads so that every time the wheels turn, they leave a unique imprint on Mars. Orbiters photograph the print and scientists can determine how far the rover has moved.
The track pattern spells out "JPL" in Morse code through a series of "dots" and "dashes." JPL is an acronym for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the agency arm in charge of Curiosity.
For this reason, engineers put holes in Curiosity's treads so that every time the wheels turn, they leave a unique imprint on Mars. Orbiters photograph the print and scientists can determine how far the rover has moved.
The track pattern spells out "JPL" in Morse code through a series of "dots" and "dashes." JPL is an acronym for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the agency arm in charge of Curiosity.
Bacon Coffee
Starbucks subsidiary brand Seattle’s Best have
combed state fairs across the country and are officially gearing up
to release a bacon coffee drink.
The new flavor combines Level 5 Seattle’s Best Coffee, caramelized bacon, and subtle hints of pumpkin pie spice. It is a result of a country-wide search for the most “imaginative new coffee drink.”
The winner was Des Moines native Eileen Fannon, who calls her concoction the “How to Win a Guy with One Sip.” The key to America’s collective male heart is apparently coffee with a hint of bacon.
According to a Starbucks press release, Eileen “will have the chance to see her coffee drink featured in participating Seattle’s Best Coffee locations across north America.”
PS - The Texas State Fair has breaded, deep fried, bacon crusted cinnamon rolls this year, Yumm.
The new flavor combines Level 5 Seattle’s Best Coffee, caramelized bacon, and subtle hints of pumpkin pie spice. It is a result of a country-wide search for the most “imaginative new coffee drink.”
The winner was Des Moines native Eileen Fannon, who calls her concoction the “How to Win a Guy with One Sip.” The key to America’s collective male heart is apparently coffee with a hint of bacon.
According to a Starbucks press release, Eileen “will have the chance to see her coffee drink featured in participating Seattle’s Best Coffee locations across north America.”
PS - The Texas State Fair has breaded, deep fried, bacon crusted cinnamon rolls this year, Yumm.
Tiffany and Company
The jewelry and silverware company
was originally a stationer called Tiffany, Young, and Ellis when it
started in 1837. In 1853 Tiffany switched its core business and
began focusing on jewelry.
Sugar Cure
Healers in Africa have been putting crushed
sugar cane on wounds for generations. A study was conducted testing
sugar on patients with bed sores, leg ulcers and amputations before
dressing the wounds.
Results showed sugar can reduce pain and kill bacteria that slow healing. Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it naturally absorbs water which the bacteria need to survive. Sugar is also much cheaper than many antibiotics. Try giving that cut a sprinkle of sugar before putting on a band-aid.
Results showed sugar can reduce pain and kill bacteria that slow healing. Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it naturally absorbs water which the bacteria need to survive. Sugar is also much cheaper than many antibiotics. Try giving that cut a sprinkle of sugar before putting on a band-aid.
Aug 31, 2012
Happy Friday
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances,
but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.
My circumstances move my attitude and my attitude moves my circumstances toward having a Happy Friday!
My circumstances move my attitude and my attitude moves my circumstances toward having a Happy Friday!
Touching Birds and Eggs Myth
Many of us have heard that
handling a baby bird or bird egg will cause the parent birds to
reject it.
Most birds have a very poor sense of smell, so they are unable to notice human scent on baby birds (even a skunk’s spray doesn’t seem to bother many types of birds). In most cases, even if the nest is destroyed by wind or other means, you could create a new one and put all the nestlings back in it and the parents wouldn’t care that their baby birds were in a different nest when they come back; so long as the new nest near where the old one was so they can find it.
Hoopoe
Ducks and Hoopoe will often poop on their own eggs with particularly smelly discharge to discourage predators from eating them.
Most birds have a very poor sense of smell, so they are unable to notice human scent on baby birds (even a skunk’s spray doesn’t seem to bother many types of birds). In most cases, even if the nest is destroyed by wind or other means, you could create a new one and put all the nestlings back in it and the parents wouldn’t care that their baby birds were in a different nest when they come back; so long as the new nest near where the old one was so they can find it.
Hoopoe
Ducks and Hoopoe will often poop on their own eggs with particularly smelly discharge to discourage predators from eating them.
Parking Tip
Since most of us have smart phones and usually
do not carry pencils, pens, or paper - take a picture of the nearest
sign where you parked so when you return, it will be easy to find
your vehicle.
Whats in a Name, Union Station
Many towns have a Union
Station. Some larger ones are in Chicago, Chattanooga, Cincinnati,
Denver, El Paso, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville,
St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and many more.
Union stations or depots were constructed to consolidate rail traffic into a single terminal instead of having each railroad build a separate station and approach-track system. They formed a 'union', or coming together of railroad companies, facilities, and tracks.
The intent was to save money and hundreds of acres of valuable downtown real estate. It was and remains a success for achieving those goals. In addition, It is handy for travelers to have one place to go, regardless of final destination.
A railroad operating only a handful of trains per day through a town couldn't afford to build a fancy station, but several railroads sharing one facility could. Many Union Stations were impressive works of architecture that were preserved long after the trains that used them disappeared.
Union stations or depots were constructed to consolidate rail traffic into a single terminal instead of having each railroad build a separate station and approach-track system. They formed a 'union', or coming together of railroad companies, facilities, and tracks.
The intent was to save money and hundreds of acres of valuable downtown real estate. It was and remains a success for achieving those goals. In addition, It is handy for travelers to have one place to go, regardless of final destination.
A railroad operating only a handful of trains per day through a town couldn't afford to build a fancy station, but several railroads sharing one facility could. Many Union Stations were impressive works of architecture that were preserved long after the trains that used them disappeared.
Sticking to Legend
According to legend, Scotch tape earned
its name when a frustrated customer told a 3M scientist to “take it
back to your Scotch bosses and tell them to put more adhesive on
it.” Today, Scotch “Magic Tape” is manufactured in one place in the
world: Hutchinson, Minn.
The Real Little Mermaid
In the Disney version, the film
ends with Ariel the mermaid being changed into a human so she can
marry Eric. They marry in a wonderful wedding attended by humans and
merpeople.
In the original version by Hans Christian Andersen, the mermaid sees the Prince marry a princess and she despairs. She is offered a knife with which to stab the prince to death, but rather than do that she jumps into the sea and dies by turning to froth.
Andersen later modified the ending to make it more pleasant. In the new ending, instead of dying when turned to froth, she becomes a 'daughter of the air' waiting to go to heaven.
In the original version by Hans Christian Andersen, the mermaid sees the Prince marry a princess and she despairs. She is offered a knife with which to stab the prince to death, but rather than do that she jumps into the sea and dies by turning to froth.
Andersen later modified the ending to make it more pleasant. In the new ending, instead of dying when turned to froth, she becomes a 'daughter of the air' waiting to go to heaven.
Aug 28, 2012
Nero Didn't Fiddle
The violin (fiddle) was invented a
thousand years after the Great Fire of Rome. It belongs to a family
of stringed instruments, which includes the cello and viola. Among
these three, it is the highest-pitched and smallest.
Renowned violin maker Andrea Amati constructed the very first violin sometime in 1555. Before that, there was a violin-like instrument called violetta, which only had three strings instead of the usual four strings that are found in modern-day violins.
Many archive documents relate that from about 1585 Brescia, Italy was the cradle of a magnificent school of string players and makers, all called with the title of 'maestro' of all the different sort of multi-string instruments of the Renaissance: viola da gamba, violone, lyra, lyrone, violetta, and viola da brazzo.
A Persian geographer, Ibn Khurradadhbih of the 9th century was the first to cite the bowed Byzantine lira, which is held upright as a typical instrument of the Byzantines and equivalent to the rabāb used in the Islamic Empires of that time. The Byzantine lira spread through Europe westward and in the 11th and 12th centuries European writers use the terms fiddle and lira interchangeably when referring to bowed instruments.
The rabāb was introduced to the Western Europe and both bowed instruments spread widely throughout Europe giving birth to various European bowed instruments.
Renowned violin maker Andrea Amati constructed the very first violin sometime in 1555. Before that, there was a violin-like instrument called violetta, which only had three strings instead of the usual four strings that are found in modern-day violins.
Many archive documents relate that from about 1585 Brescia, Italy was the cradle of a magnificent school of string players and makers, all called with the title of 'maestro' of all the different sort of multi-string instruments of the Renaissance: viola da gamba, violone, lyra, lyrone, violetta, and viola da brazzo.
A Persian geographer, Ibn Khurradadhbih of the 9th century was the first to cite the bowed Byzantine lira, which is held upright as a typical instrument of the Byzantines and equivalent to the rabāb used in the Islamic Empires of that time. The Byzantine lira spread through Europe westward and in the 11th and 12th centuries European writers use the terms fiddle and lira interchangeably when referring to bowed instruments.
The rabāb was introduced to the Western Europe and both bowed instruments spread widely throughout Europe giving birth to various European bowed instruments.
Lutherie
This is the practice of crafting stringed
instruments, such as a violin or guitar. Lutherie is commonly
divided into two main categories: makers of plucked or strummed
string instruments or makers of stringed instruments that are bowed,
which may require the additional help of an archetier. An archetier
is someone skilled in the crafting of bows.
Experimental luthiers are craftsman who design string instruments with altered parts, or who create new and original instruments as are commonly used in the rock and jazz genres. Most instruments are never replicated or mass produced on a scale like the guitar or violin. However, additions to major instruments, such as the original vibrato bar become a vital part of the instrument.
Experimental luthiers are craftsman who design string instruments with altered parts, or who create new and original instruments as are commonly used in the rock and jazz genres. Most instruments are never replicated or mass produced on a scale like the guitar or violin. However, additions to major instruments, such as the original vibrato bar become a vital part of the instrument.
Yogurt Breath
Research shows that the live bacteria in
yogurt can suppress levels of bad breath causing bacteria. "Good"
bugs in yogurt may crowd out the "bad" stink-causing bacteria or
create an unhealthy environment for it.
Wordology, Called on the Carpet
To be called 'on the
carpet', i.e. for reprimand by superior, is likely an early 1900's,
American colloquial, from one's uncarpeted work area to carpeted
offices of one's superior.
During the early 1700s it also referred to a cloth (carpet) covering a conference table and therefore came to mean "under consideration or discussion." In 19th-century America, however, carpet meant "floor covering," and the expression, first recorded in 1902, alluded to being called before or reprimanded by a person rich or powerful enough to have a carpet.
During the early 1700s it also referred to a cloth (carpet) covering a conference table and therefore came to mean "under consideration or discussion." In 19th-century America, however, carpet meant "floor covering," and the expression, first recorded in 1902, alluded to being called before or reprimanded by a person rich or powerful enough to have a carpet.
Aug 25, 2012
Happy Friday
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to
be happy, practice compassion.
To be truly happy, practice compassion while having a Happy Friday!
To be truly happy, practice compassion while having a Happy Friday!
Picnics and Barbecues
Just about all the ingredients to
make a perfect ‘All-American’ picnic come from German origins.
There is the hot dog, wiener, or a Frankfurter; a pork sausage that originated in 13th century Germany. We also cannot forget the Brats or Bratwurst and Knackwurst, both great grilled. All of these washed down with a chilled beer, while not originating in Germany, was certainly made popular there many years ago.
Ketchup was developed by Heinz, and Mayonnaise, developed by Hellman, both German immigrants. Some of those items are based off earlier recipes (Ancient Rome: ketchup; France: mayonnaise) but the favorites eaten today are definitely German.
Then, of course, there is the Potato Salad. There are many different versions to this dish, one of the most popular variations is the traditional German potato salad.
There is the hot dog, wiener, or a Frankfurter; a pork sausage that originated in 13th century Germany. We also cannot forget the Brats or Bratwurst and Knackwurst, both great grilled. All of these washed down with a chilled beer, while not originating in Germany, was certainly made popular there many years ago.
Ketchup was developed by Heinz, and Mayonnaise, developed by Hellman, both German immigrants. Some of those items are based off earlier recipes (Ancient Rome: ketchup; France: mayonnaise) but the favorites eaten today are definitely German.
Then, of course, there is the Potato Salad. There are many different versions to this dish, one of the most popular variations is the traditional German potato salad.
Smallest Park in the World
The smallest park in the world
is Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon. It is 452 square inches or
barely two feet across and not quite suitable for a barbecue. The
nearby Forest Park is 60 million times as big.
Mill Ends started in 1948, when Oregon Journal journalist Dick Fagan noticed a forgotten hole outside his office on Front Street. He planted flowers and began to write a weekly column about goings-on there.
When Fagan died in 1969, Portland took up the tradition and dedicated Mill Ends as an official city park in 1976. Sometimes it has a swimming pool for butterflies, with diving board, a miniature Ferris wheel, and statues. It hosts snail races, weddings, and regular rose plantings.
Mill Ends started in 1948, when Oregon Journal journalist Dick Fagan noticed a forgotten hole outside his office on Front Street. He planted flowers and began to write a weekly column about goings-on there.
When Fagan died in 1969, Portland took up the tradition and dedicated Mill Ends as an official city park in 1976. Sometimes it has a swimming pool for butterflies, with diving board, a miniature Ferris wheel, and statues. It hosts snail races, weddings, and regular rose plantings.
A Long Rhode Island
Speaking of small, it is the smallest
state with the longest name. The official name, used on all state
documents, is “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.”
Remembering Elvis
Elvis Presley died at age 42 in August
1977. Thousands lined the streets of Presley’s hometown on the day
of his funeral. The nation, the music world, and fans from around
the world were in shock over his passing. Even to this day, some say
that Elvis didn’t die, he just wanted to get away from it all.
The sales numbers may seem small compared to a few of today's musicians, but then many have come and gone without fanfare and few remained on top for 25 years. The number of hits remains large as Elvis had an 107 hits on the pop music charts. His first hit was Heartbreak Hotel in 1956 and his last was Guitar Man, after his death in 1981. Presley had 28 gold records, 12 number one songs and 38 top-ten hits.
The sales numbers may seem small compared to a few of today's musicians, but then many have come and gone without fanfare and few remained on top for 25 years. The number of hits remains large as Elvis had an 107 hits on the pop music charts. His first hit was Heartbreak Hotel in 1956 and his last was Guitar Man, after his death in 1981. Presley had 28 gold records, 12 number one songs and 38 top-ten hits.
What's in a Name, Jacuzzi
The seven Jacuzzi brothers
emigrated from Italy to California in the early 1900s. In
California, they began developing innovations for the big new craze:
the airplane. Their biggest hit was the creation of the first plane
with an enclosed cabin, which the US Postal Service bought to
deliver mail.
According to legend, their mother was worried about her sons’ safety and eventually convinced the brothers to change jobs. They started concentrating on hydraulic pumps for irrigation and hospital use. In the late 1940s, Candido Jacuzzi’s young son Kenneth started suffering from arthritis. He received hydrotherapy at a hospital, but his father decided his son needed to have access to it at home as well. He filed a patent for his invention, but it wasn’t until another relative, Roy joined the business years later that they started selling their Jacuzzi tubs to the public. Well, that is just about the hot and cold of it.
According to legend, their mother was worried about her sons’ safety and eventually convinced the brothers to change jobs. They started concentrating on hydraulic pumps for irrigation and hospital use. In the late 1940s, Candido Jacuzzi’s young son Kenneth started suffering from arthritis. He received hydrotherapy at a hospital, but his father decided his son needed to have access to it at home as well. He filed a patent for his invention, but it wasn’t until another relative, Roy joined the business years later that they started selling their Jacuzzi tubs to the public. Well, that is just about the hot and cold of it.
Aug 21, 2012
Smarter Pills
The Food and Drug Administration has just
approved a device that is integrated into pills and let’s doctors
know when patients take their medicine and when they don’t.
The device, made by Proteus Digital Health, is a silicon chip about the size of a sand particle. With no battery and no sensor, it is powered by the body itself. The chip contains small amounts of copper and magnesium. After being ingested the chip will interact with digestive juices to produce a voltage that can be read from the surface of the skin through a detector patch, which then sends a signal via mobile phone to inform the doctor that the pill has been taken.
Sensors on the chip also detect heart rate and can estimate the patient’s amount of physical activity. It will allow doctors to better assess if a person is responding to a given dose, or if that dose needs to be adjusted.
It has been in clinical trials since 2009, but currently the FDA has only approved the chip for placebo pills, which were used in trials showing the chip to be safe and highly accurate. Proteus hopes to gain approval to use the digestible chip with other medicines. Andrew Thompson, chief executive of Proteus, says the chip has already been tested with treatments for tuberculosis, mental health, heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes.
The company is currently working with makers of metformin, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and the most commonly prescribed drug in the world. The company also plans on adding a wireless glucose meter to their device so that dosage amount and frequency can be correlated with changes in blood glucose levels.
The device, made by Proteus Digital Health, is a silicon chip about the size of a sand particle. With no battery and no sensor, it is powered by the body itself. The chip contains small amounts of copper and magnesium. After being ingested the chip will interact with digestive juices to produce a voltage that can be read from the surface of the skin through a detector patch, which then sends a signal via mobile phone to inform the doctor that the pill has been taken.
Sensors on the chip also detect heart rate and can estimate the patient’s amount of physical activity. It will allow doctors to better assess if a person is responding to a given dose, or if that dose needs to be adjusted.
It has been in clinical trials since 2009, but currently the FDA has only approved the chip for placebo pills, which were used in trials showing the chip to be safe and highly accurate. Proteus hopes to gain approval to use the digestible chip with other medicines. Andrew Thompson, chief executive of Proteus, says the chip has already been tested with treatments for tuberculosis, mental health, heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes.
The company is currently working with makers of metformin, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and the most commonly prescribed drug in the world. The company also plans on adding a wireless glucose meter to their device so that dosage amount and frequency can be correlated with changes in blood glucose levels.
To Bee or Not to Bee
It is not exactly clear where the word
derives from, but “bee” as in “spelling bee” means a gathering or
get together. One early case referred to a “spinning bee”, where
people would gather to protest purchasing goods from Britain due to
the high taxes on those items. Other gatherings that were commonly
labeled with “bee” were: apple bee, logging bee, quilting bee, barn
bee, hanging bee, sewing bee, and corn husking bee.
Any competition or work gathering, with a specific task in mind, tended to get the “bee” label added on the end. With many of these bees being tedious work events, it was also customary to serve refreshments and provide entertainment at the end of the task.
Any competition or work gathering, with a specific task in mind, tended to get the “bee” label added on the end. With many of these bees being tedious work events, it was also customary to serve refreshments and provide entertainment at the end of the task.
Wordology, Aluminum
Aluminum is the older term, while
aluminium was created later by the British to make it sound more
like the other elements. Here is a timeline:
1808: Sir Humphrey Davy isolates the metal for the first time. He calls it alumium
1812: Sir Humphrey decides to change the spelling of his element: he renames it to aluminum (the term adopted in the United States)
1812: British scientists dislike the new name and change it to aluminium to match the other classic sounding elements, such as Magnesium, Helium, Potassium, etc.
That's my symposium on aluminum. - Incidentally, the Greek symposium was originally a drinking party and forum for men of good family to debate, plot, boast, or simply to revel with others.
1808: Sir Humphrey Davy isolates the metal for the first time. He calls it alumium
1812: Sir Humphrey decides to change the spelling of his element: he renames it to aluminum (the term adopted in the United States)
1812: British scientists dislike the new name and change it to aluminium to match the other classic sounding elements, such as Magnesium, Helium, Potassium, etc.
That's my symposium on aluminum. - Incidentally, the Greek symposium was originally a drinking party and forum for men of good family to debate, plot, boast, or simply to revel with others.
Aug 17, 2012
Happy Friday
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate
the mind on the present.
I do not dwell in the past or dream of the future, I am concentrating on having a Happy Friday!
I do not dwell in the past or dream of the future, I am concentrating on having a Happy Friday!
Soft Drink Facts
Soft Drink refers to nearly all beverages
that do not contain significant amounts of alcohol as hard drinks
do.
The term soft drink is typically used mostly for flavored carbonated beverages and that is because of advertising. Flavored carbonated beverage makers were having a difficult time creating national advertisements due what people call their product varies from place to place.
In parts of the United States and Canada, flavored carbonated beverages are referred to as “pop”; in other parts “soda”; in yet other parts “coke”; and there are a variety of other names commonly used as well. In England these drinks are called fizzy drinks and in Ireland called minerals.
Since beverage makers can’t refer to their product in the generic sense in national or international advertisements due to the varied terms, they have chosen the term soft drink to be more or less a universal term for flavored carbonated beverages.
The term soft drink is typically used mostly for flavored carbonated beverages and that is because of advertising. Flavored carbonated beverage makers were having a difficult time creating national advertisements due what people call their product varies from place to place.
In parts of the United States and Canada, flavored carbonated beverages are referred to as “pop”; in other parts “soda”; in yet other parts “coke”; and there are a variety of other names commonly used as well. In England these drinks are called fizzy drinks and in Ireland called minerals.
Since beverage makers can’t refer to their product in the generic sense in national or international advertisements due to the varied terms, they have chosen the term soft drink to be more or less a universal term for flavored carbonated beverages.
First US Government Building
This should come as no
surprise. Construction started with the laying of the cornerstone in
the first building to be used solely as a US Government building.
The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia was built in 1792.
Bird Poop
Today I learned why bird poop is usually white
vs. other animal and human poop. Birds do not urinate. While their
kidneys extract nitrogenous waste it is not expelled in the urea as
ours (and many other animals) does. It is excreted in the form of
uric acid, which has low solubility and, when combined with other
waste comes out like white paste. Other colors from various fruits,
etc., do not change as they pass through the system, so they come
out the color of the fruit ingested. Some vegans seem to pass green
due to the excess green vegetables and iron in the body.
In order to fly efficiently, birds, especially smaller birds need to eliminate waste often. A budgie may excrete 40 to 50 times in a day, whereas a macaw may only go 15 or 20 times.”
Since birds only have one opening, it is used for sex, waste elimination, and dropping eggs.
The word poop comes from the Middle English word poupen or or latin puppis, and it originally meant fart it acquired its current meaning around 1900.
In order to fly efficiently, birds, especially smaller birds need to eliminate waste often. A budgie may excrete 40 to 50 times in a day, whereas a macaw may only go 15 or 20 times.”
Since birds only have one opening, it is used for sex, waste elimination, and dropping eggs.
The word poop comes from the Middle English word poupen or or latin puppis, and it originally meant fart it acquired its current meaning around 1900.
Flush Tax
You pee, you poo, you pay. A while back, the
Maryland Legislature took a step towards protecting the Chesapeake
Bay and its tributaries when it passed what has become known as “the
flush tax.”
The bill established the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Restoration Fund to be supported by a $2.50 a month fee on sewer bills and an equivalent $30 annual fee on septic system owners. These funds are collected by the County and turned over to the State which distributes the funds to utilities to upgrade waste-water treatment plants to reduce nitrogen discharge which causes algae blooms that harm other aquatic life.
The revenues from septic tank users are used to upgrade or replace failing septic systems and to provide financial assistance to farmers to help plant cover crops to prevent nutrient runoff from agricultural land. This is the government equivalent of the pay toilet. The government has now completed the cycle where what we eat and drink is taxed when it goes in and now it is taxed when it comes out.
The bill established the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Restoration Fund to be supported by a $2.50 a month fee on sewer bills and an equivalent $30 annual fee on septic system owners. These funds are collected by the County and turned over to the State which distributes the funds to utilities to upgrade waste-water treatment plants to reduce nitrogen discharge which causes algae blooms that harm other aquatic life.
The revenues from septic tank users are used to upgrade or replace failing septic systems and to provide financial assistance to farmers to help plant cover crops to prevent nutrient runoff from agricultural land. This is the government equivalent of the pay toilet. The government has now completed the cycle where what we eat and drink is taxed when it goes in and now it is taxed when it comes out.
Wordology, Taser
Few people, including police know that
Taser stands for Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle.
"Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land" was a young adult novel published in 1911. It was one of a series of more than a hundred books about Tom Swift, with the most recent series in 2007.
In the novel, Swift's invention of the electric rifle, which fires bolts of electricity can be calibrated to different levels of range, intensity and lethality. It can shoot through solid walls without leaving a hole, and is powerful enough to kill a rampaging whale. With the electric rifle, Tom and friends bring down elephants, rhinoceroses, and buffalo, while he saves their lives several times in pitched battle with the red pygmies.
In one book, written in 1912, Tom develops a telephone that can actually send pictures.
The Taser was really invented by Jack Cover, completed in 1974, and marketed by Taser International.
"Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land" was a young adult novel published in 1911. It was one of a series of more than a hundred books about Tom Swift, with the most recent series in 2007.
In the novel, Swift's invention of the electric rifle, which fires bolts of electricity can be calibrated to different levels of range, intensity and lethality. It can shoot through solid walls without leaving a hole, and is powerful enough to kill a rampaging whale. With the electric rifle, Tom and friends bring down elephants, rhinoceroses, and buffalo, while he saves their lives several times in pitched battle with the red pygmies.
In one book, written in 1912, Tom develops a telephone that can actually send pictures.
The Taser was really invented by Jack Cover, completed in 1974, and marketed by Taser International.
Aug 15, 2012
What's in a Name, Crash Blossoms
What's in a Name, Crash Blossoms - Crash Blossoms are
ambiguous headlines that usually convey more than one meaning and
make you want to scratch your head. Here are a few examples.
"Chinese cooking fat heads for Holland"
"Analysis: China currency move nails hard landing risk coffin"
"Doctor Testifies in Horse Suit"
"American Ships Head to Libya"
"Don't help old, blind council tells parking officers"
"McDonald's fries the holy grail for potato farmers"
"Dog helps lightning strike Redruth mayor."
"Virginia Beach man accused of decapitating son to stay in hospital"
"Kids Make Nutritious Snacks"
"Miners Refuse to Work After Death"
"Teacher Strikes Idle Kids"
"US President Wins on Budget, but More Lies Ahead"
"Chinese cooking fat heads for Holland"
"Analysis: China currency move nails hard landing risk coffin"
"Doctor Testifies in Horse Suit"
"American Ships Head to Libya"
"Don't help old, blind council tells parking officers"
"McDonald's fries the holy grail for potato farmers"
"Dog helps lightning strike Redruth mayor."
"Virginia Beach man accused of decapitating son to stay in hospital"
"Kids Make Nutritious Snacks"
"Miners Refuse to Work After Death"
"Teacher Strikes Idle Kids"
"US President Wins on Budget, but More Lies Ahead"
Gummi Bears
The sweet treats were invented in the 1920′s by
German Hans Riegel Sr. when he started the Haribo company. Not only
do they produce Gummi Bears, and all other chewy candy under the
Haribo name, but the company also makes all Trolli brands of gummy
candy, like gummi worms.
English and the Internet
According to the translation firm
Smartling, native English speakers only represented 3% of the total
Internet population in 2011. Yet, 56% of online pages are
English-only.
Many would not spend time on a Japanese website without understanding Japanese if Google Translate didn’t exist. Conversely, many would not spend time on an English website without an online translator.
Many would not spend time on a Japanese website without understanding Japanese if Google Translate didn’t exist. Conversely, many would not spend time on an English website without an online translator.
Happy Friday
If you seek happiness for yourself you will never find it. Only when
you seek happiness for others will it come to you.
If you are happy after reading this, we will both have a Happy Friday!
If you are happy after reading this, we will both have a Happy Friday!
Top Ten Movie Lines
According to the American Film
Institute, here they are:
1- Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. (GONE WITH THE WIND)
2 - I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse. (THE GODFATHER)
3 - You don’t understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could’ve been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am. (ON THE WATERFRONT)
4 - Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. (THE WIZARD OF OZ)
5 - Here’s looking at you, kid. (CASABLANCA)
6 - Go ahead, make my day. (SUDDEN IMPACT)
7 - All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up. (SUNSET BLVD.)
8 - May the Force be with you. (STAR WARS)
9 - Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night. (ALL ABOUT EVE)
10 - You talking to me? (TAXI DRIVER)
Laurel and Hardy came in 60th with the famous line delivered by Ollie in many of their movies, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" You can find more of the top 100 here. LINK
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1- Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. (GONE WITH THE WIND)
2 - I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse. (THE GODFATHER)
3 - You don’t understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could’ve been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am. (ON THE WATERFRONT)
4 - Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. (THE WIZARD OF OZ)
5 - Here’s looking at you, kid. (CASABLANCA)
6 - Go ahead, make my day. (SUDDEN IMPACT)
7 - All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up. (SUNSET BLVD.)
8 - May the Force be with you. (STAR WARS)
9 - Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night. (ALL ABOUT EVE)
10 - You talking to me? (TAXI DRIVER)
Laurel and Hardy came in 60th with the famous line delivered by Ollie in many of their movies, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" You can find more of the top 100 here. LINK
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