In the 16th century, when North American
turkeys were first introduced to Europe, there was another bird that
was popularly imported throughout Europe, called a guinea fowl. This
guinea fowl was imported from Madagascar via the Ottoman Empire. The
merchant importers were known as “turkey merchants”. The guinea fowl
themselves eventually were popularly referred to as “turkey fowl”,
similar to how other product imported through the Ottoman Empire
acquired their names, such as “turkey corn”, “turkey wheat”, etc.
The North American turkey was first introduced to Spain in the very
early 16th century and later introduced to all of Europe. The North
American turkey was thought by many to be a species of the type of
guinea fowl that was imported from the Ottoman Empire and also were
called a “turkey fowl” in English and later shortened to just
turkey.
Nov 23, 2013
Turkey Pickings
A group of turkeys is technically called a
“rafter”, though they are often incorrectly referred to as a
“gobble” or a “flock”.
Due to the reputation of turkeys being thought of as stupid, the term turkey began being used as a slang, derogatory term meaning dumb or idiot in the early 20th century. Of course, domestic turkeys are stupid, but wild turkeys are not.
The phrase “Turkey Shoot” comes from the mid-20th century practice of tying turkeys behind logs, with only their heads exposed, and then holding a marksmanship competition, trying to shoot the turkey’s head off.
Due to the white meat being the most popular part of a turkey, turkeys have been bred to have huge breasts. Because of this, modern domesticated turkeys are no longer typically able to mate, due to the breasts getting in the way of a male mounting the female. Most hatcheries use artificial insemination to fertilize the eggs of the domestic turkey.
Due to the reputation of turkeys being thought of as stupid, the term turkey began being used as a slang, derogatory term meaning dumb or idiot in the early 20th century. Of course, domestic turkeys are stupid, but wild turkeys are not.
The phrase “Turkey Shoot” comes from the mid-20th century practice of tying turkeys behind logs, with only their heads exposed, and then holding a marksmanship competition, trying to shoot the turkey’s head off.
Due to the white meat being the most popular part of a turkey, turkeys have been bred to have huge breasts. Because of this, modern domesticated turkeys are no longer typically able to mate, due to the breasts getting in the way of a male mounting the female. Most hatcheries use artificial insemination to fertilize the eggs of the domestic turkey.
Pilgrims and Thanksgiving
Pilgrims did not celebrate the
first Thanksgiving in America. In fact, the particular Pilgrim event
that is often cited as the first Thanksgiving was not even the
Pilgrim’s first Thanksgiving. They had several before at various
times and none were celebrated annually. The days were merely a
particular time when people had something significant to thank God
for, so would set aside a day to do so.
Around the time the Pilgrims came to America in 1620, it was common in England and many parts of Europe to frequently set aside days for giving thanks to God. In the New World, where life was harsh in the beginning, there were numerous opportunities to hold such days of thanks, such as any time a particularly good crop would come in, when drought would end, when a particularly harsh winter was survived, when a group repelled an attack by Native Americans, when a supply ship arrived safely from Europe, etc. Seems like they had many reasons to party.
These celebrations remained fairly common up until the time when Thanksgiving became a national holiday. Most of these celebrations bore little resemblance to what we think of as Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims celebrations bore little resemblance to what is depicted now.
No one knows for sure who actually celebrated the first actual Thanksgiving in America. The most popular examples often referenced as the actual “firsts” include:
Around the time the Pilgrims came to America in 1620, it was common in England and many parts of Europe to frequently set aside days for giving thanks to God. In the New World, where life was harsh in the beginning, there were numerous opportunities to hold such days of thanks, such as any time a particularly good crop would come in, when drought would end, when a particularly harsh winter was survived, when a group repelled an attack by Native Americans, when a supply ship arrived safely from Europe, etc. Seems like they had many reasons to party.
These celebrations remained fairly common up until the time when Thanksgiving became a national holiday. Most of these celebrations bore little resemblance to what we think of as Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims celebrations bore little resemblance to what is depicted now.
No one knows for sure who actually celebrated the first actual Thanksgiving in America. The most popular examples often referenced as the actual “firsts” include:
- The day of thanksgiving celebrated in September 1565 by a
group of Spaniards lead by Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de
Avilé, in Saint Augustine, Florida. Pedro invited the Timucua
tribe to dine with them on that Thanksgiving.
- The group led by Spanish explorer Juan de Onate in 1598 in San
Elizario, Texas held a Thanksgiving festival after successfully
crossing 350 miles of Mexican desert.
- The thirty-eight settlers who landed on James River by
Jamestown in December 1619. Their charter required that the day
of landing be set aside as a day of thanksgiving both on that
first date and every year after.
- The Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving that took place sometime between September and October of 1621.
Thanksgiving Traditions Origin
The Pilgrim Thanksgiving
that happened in the fall of 1621 is the most popular reference to
the first Thanksgiving in the US. This is largely because of Sarah
Josepha Hale, author of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
and one of the most influential women in American history.
She was particularly enamored with the Pilgrim event she had read about in a passage by William Bradford in 'Of Plymouth Plantation' as well as the particular Thanksgiving tradition which was somewhat common in New England at the time. She tirelessly campaigned for over 20 years to have Thanksgiving become a national holiday with a set date.
Through her highly circulated editorials, she was largely responsible for much of why we view the Pilgrim’s 1621 Thanksgiving how we do and was also largely responsible for many of the traditions we now tend to attribute to that Thanksgiving, even though there are actually only two brief passages that record what happened during the Thanksgiving celebration in 1621.
Things like the tradition of eating turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving were all popularized by her while it is unlikely that the Pilgrims ate any of those things.
She was particularly enamored with the Pilgrim event she had read about in a passage by William Bradford in 'Of Plymouth Plantation' as well as the particular Thanksgiving tradition which was somewhat common in New England at the time. She tirelessly campaigned for over 20 years to have Thanksgiving become a national holiday with a set date.
Through her highly circulated editorials, she was largely responsible for much of why we view the Pilgrim’s 1621 Thanksgiving how we do and was also largely responsible for many of the traditions we now tend to attribute to that Thanksgiving, even though there are actually only two brief passages that record what happened during the Thanksgiving celebration in 1621.
Things like the tradition of eating turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving were all popularized by her while it is unlikely that the Pilgrims ate any of those things.
Seventeen Beer Facts
Much beer is guzzled during
the holidays so here are a few beer facts that can be used to
impress the relatives.
After he won the Nobel Prize, Niels Bohr was given a perpetual supply of beer piped into his house. (He lived next to a brewery).
The Code of Hammurabi decreed that bartenders who watered down beer would be executed.
At the Annual Wife Carrying World Championships (in Finland), the first prize is the wife's weight in beer.
The builders of the Great Pyramid of Giza were paid with a daily ration of beer.
The top five states for beer consumption per capita: 1. North Dakota, 2. New Hampshire, 3. Montana, 4. South Dakota, 5. Wisconsin.
Germany is home to a beer pipeline. Taps in Veltsin-Arena are connected by a 5km (3 mile) tube of beer.
Thomas Jefferson wrote parts of the Declaration of Independence in a Philadelphia tavern.
George Washington insisted his continental army be permitted a quart of beer as part of their daily rations.
At spas in Europe, you can literally bathe in beer as a physical and mental therapeutic treatment.
In the 1990s, the Beer Lovers Party ran candidates in Belarus and Russia.
J.K. Rowling, of Harry Potter fame invented Quidditch in a pub.
Beer helped Joseph Priestly discover oxygen. He noticed gases rising from the big vats of beer at a brewery and asked to do some experiments.
A Buddhist temple in the Thai countryside was built with over a million recycled beer bottles.
The moon has a crater named Beer.
Beer soup was a common breakfast in medieval Europe.
At the start of Bavarian Beer Week in Germany, an open-air beer fountain dispenses free beer to the public.
In the 1980s, a beer-drinking goat was elected mayor of Lajitas, TX.
After he won the Nobel Prize, Niels Bohr was given a perpetual supply of beer piped into his house. (He lived next to a brewery).
The Code of Hammurabi decreed that bartenders who watered down beer would be executed.
At the Annual Wife Carrying World Championships (in Finland), the first prize is the wife's weight in beer.
The builders of the Great Pyramid of Giza were paid with a daily ration of beer.
The top five states for beer consumption per capita: 1. North Dakota, 2. New Hampshire, 3. Montana, 4. South Dakota, 5. Wisconsin.
Germany is home to a beer pipeline. Taps in Veltsin-Arena are connected by a 5km (3 mile) tube of beer.
Thomas Jefferson wrote parts of the Declaration of Independence in a Philadelphia tavern.
George Washington insisted his continental army be permitted a quart of beer as part of their daily rations.
At spas in Europe, you can literally bathe in beer as a physical and mental therapeutic treatment.
In the 1990s, the Beer Lovers Party ran candidates in Belarus and Russia.
J.K. Rowling, of Harry Potter fame invented Quidditch in a pub.
Beer helped Joseph Priestly discover oxygen. He noticed gases rising from the big vats of beer at a brewery and asked to do some experiments.
A Buddhist temple in the Thai countryside was built with over a million recycled beer bottles.
The moon has a crater named Beer.
Beer soup was a common breakfast in medieval Europe.
At the start of Bavarian Beer Week in Germany, an open-air beer fountain dispenses free beer to the public.
In the 1980s, a beer-drinking goat was elected mayor of Lajitas, TX.
Nov 15, 2013
Difference between Turtle, Terrapin, and Tortoise
All three
animals come under the class of reptiles, in the taxonomic order of
Testudines or Chelonia. They all have the major characteristics of
reptiles as they are cold-blooded, have scales, breathe air, and lay
eggs on land.
The distinction between them comes mainly from what living habitat they are adapted for, though the terminology differs slightly in certain countries. In Australia, other than marine sea turtles, they are all called tortoises. In the United States, the term ‘turtles’ is given to chelonians that live in or near water.
In general there are a few commonly accepted distinctions between turtles, tortoises, and terrapins. Turtles may be completely aquatic, like sea turtles, which rarely come up onto land, except to lay eggs. Other types of turtles are semi-aquatic and live by fresh water ponds or lakes. They tend to swim, but also spend a lot of time on land, basking in the sun and occasionally burrowing in the mud. Turtles have adapted to an aquatic life and are streamlined for swimming with webbed feet, or in the case of sea turtles, long flippers. Turtle are omnivores. Depending on the type of turtle, they may eat jelly-fish, small invertebrates, sea sponges, and other sea-vegetation. In the case of fresh water turtles, they may eat plants, insects, and small fish.
Tortoises are almost exclusively land-dwelling, usually with stubby feet, and are not good swimmers. They occasionally enter water to clean themselves off or drink water, but can easily drown in the deep or in strong currents. Their bodies are adapted to living on land and have high domed shells and column shaped feet much like elephants. They also sometimes have sharp claws for digging . Tortoises are mostly herbivorous and primarily eat low-lying shrubs, cacti, grasses, weeds, fruit, and other vegetation.
The term terrapins is sometimes used for turtles that are semi-aquatic and live near brackish waters or swampy regions. They are sort of like a mix between a turtle and tortoise, as they spend most of their time divided between water and land. They are also usually small and have a hard-shell that is shaped somewhere between a turtle’s streamlined one and a tortoise’s rounded dome shaped one.
The distinction between them comes mainly from what living habitat they are adapted for, though the terminology differs slightly in certain countries. In Australia, other than marine sea turtles, they are all called tortoises. In the United States, the term ‘turtles’ is given to chelonians that live in or near water.
In general there are a few commonly accepted distinctions between turtles, tortoises, and terrapins. Turtles may be completely aquatic, like sea turtles, which rarely come up onto land, except to lay eggs. Other types of turtles are semi-aquatic and live by fresh water ponds or lakes. They tend to swim, but also spend a lot of time on land, basking in the sun and occasionally burrowing in the mud. Turtles have adapted to an aquatic life and are streamlined for swimming with webbed feet, or in the case of sea turtles, long flippers. Turtle are omnivores. Depending on the type of turtle, they may eat jelly-fish, small invertebrates, sea sponges, and other sea-vegetation. In the case of fresh water turtles, they may eat plants, insects, and small fish.
Tortoises are almost exclusively land-dwelling, usually with stubby feet, and are not good swimmers. They occasionally enter water to clean themselves off or drink water, but can easily drown in the deep or in strong currents. Their bodies are adapted to living on land and have high domed shells and column shaped feet much like elephants. They also sometimes have sharp claws for digging . Tortoises are mostly herbivorous and primarily eat low-lying shrubs, cacti, grasses, weeds, fruit, and other vegetation.
The term terrapins is sometimes used for turtles that are semi-aquatic and live near brackish waters or swampy regions. They are sort of like a mix between a turtle and tortoise, as they spend most of their time divided between water and land. They are also usually small and have a hard-shell that is shaped somewhere between a turtle’s streamlined one and a tortoise’s rounded dome shaped one.
Eleven Benefits of Chocolate
As we approach the holidays,
let me make it easier for you to indulge on a traditional holiday
treat. A recently completed European study of chocolate eating among
teens showed those who regularly consumed chocolate have less total
and abdominal body fat than those who do not. The findings are based
on data from 1,458 youths ages 12 to 17, who were part of the
Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study, which
examines lifestyle habits among youths in nine countries in Europe.
The study did not differentiate between dark or light chocolate.
Although most studies claim dark chocolate is better for you, there is no need to rule out light chocolate.
Benefits of eating chocolate show:
A 20% reduced risk of stroke,
Lower blood pressure,
Lower risk of heart attack,
Helps keep you feeling fuller longer,
Increases insulin sensitivity (reducing risk of diabetes),
Dark chocolate flavonoids are good for your skin,
Theobromine in chocolate reduces activity of the vagus nerve to ease coughing,
Increases a positive mood and reduces stress,
Cocoa has blood thinning properties,
Improves vision.
White chocolate is really not chocolate, because it does not contain cocoa solids. It is a chocolate derivative and usually consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and salt.
Although most studies claim dark chocolate is better for you, there is no need to rule out light chocolate.
Benefits of eating chocolate show:
A 20% reduced risk of stroke,
Lower blood pressure,
Lower risk of heart attack,
Helps keep you feeling fuller longer,
Increases insulin sensitivity (reducing risk of diabetes),
Dark chocolate flavonoids are good for your skin,
Theobromine in chocolate reduces activity of the vagus nerve to ease coughing,
Increases a positive mood and reduces stress,
Cocoa has blood thinning properties,
Improves vision.
White chocolate is really not chocolate, because it does not contain cocoa solids. It is a chocolate derivative and usually consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and salt.
Baked Eggs
Baked eggs are better because they are less
sulfurous smelling and the texture of the finished eggs is creamier.
Try baking them at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. You might enjoy the
difference.
Even More Inventions from Women
Patsy Sherman's role in the invention of Scotchgard™ was a "happy
mistake". As a research chemist with 3M in 1953, a lab mishap with
fluorochemicals lead her to a new discovery. An assistant
accidentally dropped a bottle of synthetic latex that Sherman had
made, it splashed onto the assistant's white canvas tennis shoes.
The substance did not change the look of the shoes it couldn't be
washed away by any solvents, and it repelled water, oil and other
liquids.
In 1813, Tabitha Babbitt created the circular saw. It was circular so that the teeth would continue cutting, unlike the straight saws that only cut on the pull and not the push motion. Her other building innovations, like machine-cut nails instead of individually hand-crafted nails. As a Massachusetts Shaker community member, she helped create tool innovations for furniture making. She lived a simple Shaker life and never applied for patents.
The inventor of "Liquid Paper" or "White-Out" was Betty Nesmith Graham. Graham got an idea she had seen done by sign painters, which was to add another layer of paint to cover-up mistakes. She used a kitchen blender to mix-up her first batch of substance to cover-up over mistakes made on paper at work. After much experimenting and then being fired for spending so much time distributing her product as a trial, she received a patent in 1958.
In 1813, Tabitha Babbitt created the circular saw. It was circular so that the teeth would continue cutting, unlike the straight saws that only cut on the pull and not the push motion. Her other building innovations, like machine-cut nails instead of individually hand-crafted nails. As a Massachusetts Shaker community member, she helped create tool innovations for furniture making. She lived a simple Shaker life and never applied for patents.
The inventor of "Liquid Paper" or "White-Out" was Betty Nesmith Graham. Graham got an idea she had seen done by sign painters, which was to add another layer of paint to cover-up mistakes. She used a kitchen blender to mix-up her first batch of substance to cover-up over mistakes made on paper at work. After much experimenting and then being fired for spending so much time distributing her product as a trial, she received a patent in 1958.
Google Package Track
Here is a Google feature that may
come in handy around the holidays. Track your packages by entering
any tracking number into Google search and it will show you where
your mail is. No need to login to USPS or FedEx.
200 Types of Cancer
The reason is that there are over 200
different types of cells in the human body with each of these having
the potential to become cancerous. Cancer can develop in any of the
over 60 organs in the body. Cancers are named for the part of the
body where it started and the type of cell that has become
cancerous. All cancers start because abnormal cells grow out of
control. There are two general categories of cancer. Carcinomas are
cancers that develop on the surface linings of the organs. Sarcomas
are cancers that develop in the cells, and they affect solid
tissues, such as muscle and bone. They can also develop in the blood
vessels. Cancer tumors can either be malignant or benign.
Normal healthy cells divide and die as they should. The average number of times normal healthy cells divide is known as the Hayflick Limit. It was named after Dr. Leonard Hayflick, who in 1965 noticed that cells divide a specific number of times before the division stops. The average was between 40-60. (There is one woman who had tissue in her body that could divide apparently forever: The Woman with Immortal Cells)
If you took every cell in your body, at the time you were born, and accounted for all the cells they would produce and multiplied that number by the average time it takes for those cells to die, you get what is known as the ultimate Hayflick limit or the maximum number of years you can theoretically live. This is how researchers come up with the theoretical life limit of 120 years.
For the first time since the government began collecting mortality data early in the last century, cancer death rates began to decline in 1993. It significantly declined from 1994 to 1998 with a non-significant decline from 1998 to 2001 and falling death rates from 2001 to 2008. In 2008, the death rate for all cancers was 175.67 per 100,000 people in the US. Cancer is not contagious.
Normal healthy cells divide and die as they should. The average number of times normal healthy cells divide is known as the Hayflick Limit. It was named after Dr. Leonard Hayflick, who in 1965 noticed that cells divide a specific number of times before the division stops. The average was between 40-60. (There is one woman who had tissue in her body that could divide apparently forever: The Woman with Immortal Cells)
If you took every cell in your body, at the time you were born, and accounted for all the cells they would produce and multiplied that number by the average time it takes for those cells to die, you get what is known as the ultimate Hayflick limit or the maximum number of years you can theoretically live. This is how researchers come up with the theoretical life limit of 120 years.
For the first time since the government began collecting mortality data early in the last century, cancer death rates began to decline in 1993. It significantly declined from 1994 to 1998 with a non-significant decline from 1998 to 2001 and falling death rates from 2001 to 2008. In 2008, the death rate for all cancers was 175.67 per 100,000 people in the US. Cancer is not contagious.
Future of the Internet
Cisco does annual predictions about
the internet and here are few interesting predictions for the year
2017.
- In the year 2017 more data will move on the internet than the beginning of the internet.
- The Asia pacific region will generate 36% of all internet traffic by 2017.
- There will be 3.6 billion internet users.
- There will be over 19 billion connection.
- Internet speeds will be 3.5 times faster than 2012.
- Almost half of the world's population will have internet access.
- Personal tablet access will increase from 27 million 2012 to 190 million.
- Overall tablets will be about 425 million.
- More than 827 million TVs will have internet access.
- Average household internet traffic will increase from equivalent 13 hours of HDTV to 30.
- Smartphones and tablets will increase to 29% of all usage and PCs will slip from 88% to 57%.
Twelve Famous Firsts
Thomas Jefferson 1801 --- First US
president to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C.
Sam Patch 1829 --- First first known person to survive the jump off of Niagara Falls.
Edward Smith 1831 --- First indicted bank robber in the US. He was sentenced to five years hard labor on the rock pile at Sing Sing Prison.
William Henry Harrison 1841 --- First US president to die in office. At 32 days, he also had the shortest term in office.
Elizabeth Blackwell 1849 --- First woman to receive medical degree in US. (from the Medical Institution of Geneva, N.Y.)
Jefferson Long 1870 --- First African American elected to U.S. House of Representatives, Georgia.
Victoria Woodhall 1872 --- First woman to run for President of the US.
Grover Cleveland 1886 --- First President married inside the White House.
William Kemmler 1890 --- First criminal to be executed by electrocution (in Auburn N.Y. Prison)
Annie Moore 1892 --- First immigrant to pass through Ellis Island. She was 15 years old and from County Cork, Ireland.
Queen Isabella of Spain 1893 --- First woman to appear on a US postage stamp.
John J. McDermott 1897 --- First annual Boston Marathon winner - the first of its type in the US. (Winning time was 2:55:10 vs. 2012 winning time of 2:3:2.
Sam Patch 1829 --- First first known person to survive the jump off of Niagara Falls.
Edward Smith 1831 --- First indicted bank robber in the US. He was sentenced to five years hard labor on the rock pile at Sing Sing Prison.
William Henry Harrison 1841 --- First US president to die in office. At 32 days, he also had the shortest term in office.
Elizabeth Blackwell 1849 --- First woman to receive medical degree in US. (from the Medical Institution of Geneva, N.Y.)
Jefferson Long 1870 --- First African American elected to U.S. House of Representatives, Georgia.
Victoria Woodhall 1872 --- First woman to run for President of the US.
Grover Cleveland 1886 --- First President married inside the White House.
William Kemmler 1890 --- First criminal to be executed by electrocution (in Auburn N.Y. Prison)
Annie Moore 1892 --- First immigrant to pass through Ellis Island. She was 15 years old and from County Cork, Ireland.
Queen Isabella of Spain 1893 --- First woman to appear on a US postage stamp.
John J. McDermott 1897 --- First annual Boston Marathon winner - the first of its type in the US. (Winning time was 2:55:10 vs. 2012 winning time of 2:3:2.
Nov 8, 2013
Happy Friday
In the endless war between trees and matches, trees always win
because they have learned to grow.
We also grow as we strive to enjoy a Happy Friday!
We also grow as we strive to enjoy a Happy Friday!
Laser Headlights are Coming
BMW is working on laser
(Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation)
headlights to be introduced on selected 2014 models. They promise
to be much better than the relatively recent LED headlights. The
laser lights will put out more light and use two-thirds the power
of LEDs, which use one fourth the power of ordinary headlights.
They are also much more efficient and brighter than the current
Xenon headlights used on some cars. In addition, they are just 10
square micrometers and 1/10,000th the size of a
1-square-millimeter LED.
The inventor of the headlights says Laser lighting may even do away with household LED and CFL lighting before either takes off. These new Laser lights are also ideal for businesses, signage, and projectors used in movie theaters, as well as smartphone projectors. The Laser lights are different than you might think of a laser beam. These lights are diffused blue beams and reconstituted to a white specific width for use. There is no danger of an accident creating a beam that could be harmful to the naked eye.
Einstein came up with the theoretical foundation for lasers in 1917 and they were first demonstrated in 1947. They have been in use since then for various applications, but almost always as a concentrated beam.
It took from 1879, when the incandescent light began until a few years ago for radical change, now we have another whole new generation of lighting in about five years. In spite of the hype from manufacturers, it will likely be a few more years before we can buy one for our homes.
The inventor of the headlights says Laser lighting may even do away with household LED and CFL lighting before either takes off. These new Laser lights are also ideal for businesses, signage, and projectors used in movie theaters, as well as smartphone projectors. The Laser lights are different than you might think of a laser beam. These lights are diffused blue beams and reconstituted to a white specific width for use. There is no danger of an accident creating a beam that could be harmful to the naked eye.
Einstein came up with the theoretical foundation for lasers in 1917 and they were first demonstrated in 1947. They have been in use since then for various applications, but almost always as a concentrated beam.
It took from 1879, when the incandescent light began until a few years ago for radical change, now we have another whole new generation of lighting in about five years. In spite of the hype from manufacturers, it will likely be a few more years before we can buy one for our homes.
World Toilet Day
The United Nations General Assembly
adopted a resolution to mark "World Toilet Day." The day will be
celebrated November 19. "The amusement and laughter likely to
follow the designation of 19 November as 'World Toilet Day' would
all be worthwhile if people’s attention was drawn to the fact that
2.5 billion people lacked proper sanitation and 1.1 billion were
forced to defecate in the open, the General Assembly heard today,"
a U.N. press release reads.
“Ending open defecation will lead to a 35 per cent reduction in diarrhea, which results in over 750,000 deaths of children under five years of age every year,” Singapore’s representative said. Apart from establishing World Toilet Day, the text also urged Member States and the United Nations system to encourage behavioral change, to introduce policies that would increase sanitation among the poor.
India's novel approach is to encourage families not to let their daughters marry if the potential husband does not have a toilet. The initiative from the government is called "No toilet, no bride". There are more temples than toilets in India, said Union Minister Jairam Ramesh.
The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh pays for a wedding and provides qualifying couples with housewarming gifts totaling 15,000 rupees (about $270) if they can prove the husband-to-be's house has a toilet.
Over 75 per cent of the 1.2 billion Indian population currently have a mobile phone subscription, but only 50 per cent of households have a toilet and only 11 per cent have one connected to the sewerage system, according to the 2011 Indian census. I love the headline from the Washington Post, "In India, New Seat of Power for Women".
“Ending open defecation will lead to a 35 per cent reduction in diarrhea, which results in over 750,000 deaths of children under five years of age every year,” Singapore’s representative said. Apart from establishing World Toilet Day, the text also urged Member States and the United Nations system to encourage behavioral change, to introduce policies that would increase sanitation among the poor.
India's novel approach is to encourage families not to let their daughters marry if the potential husband does not have a toilet. The initiative from the government is called "No toilet, no bride". There are more temples than toilets in India, said Union Minister Jairam Ramesh.
The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh pays for a wedding and provides qualifying couples with housewarming gifts totaling 15,000 rupees (about $270) if they can prove the husband-to-be's house has a toilet.
Over 75 per cent of the 1.2 billion Indian population currently have a mobile phone subscription, but only 50 per cent of households have a toilet and only 11 per cent have one connected to the sewerage system, according to the 2011 Indian census. I love the headline from the Washington Post, "In India, New Seat of Power for Women".
Four More Inventions by Women
Stephanie Kwolek
invented Kevlar, a tough durable material now used to make
bulletproof vests. For years she'd worked on the process at DuPont
and in 1963, she got the polymers or rod-like molecules in fibers
to line up in one direction. This made the material stronger than
others, where molecules were arranged in bundles. In fact, the new
material was as strong as steel! Kwolek's technology also went on
to be used for making suspension bridge cables, helmets, brake
pads, skis, and camping gear.
Patricia Bath, MD - Patented in 1988, a new method of removing cataracts. The medical laser instrument made the procedure more accurate and is termed the cataract Laserphacoprobe. As a laser scientist and inventor, she has 5 patents on the laser cataract surgery device covering the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe.
What is the Blissymbol Printer? It's a software program invented by a Canadian 12-year-old in the mid-1980s. Rachel Zimmerman's printer enables those with severe physical disabilities like cerebral palsy, to communicate. The user records their thoughts by touching symbols on a page or board through the use of a special touch pad, the printer then translates the symbols into a written language. Zimmerman's system started as a project for a school science fair, but ended up competing and winning a silver medal in a nationwide contest, as well as gaining her the YTV Television Youth Achievement Award.
Before the paper bag, the first version was shaped like an envelope, with no flat bottom. Margaret Knight created a machine to cut, fold, and glue square bottoms to paper bags and gained a patent for it in 1871, but not without a lawsuit against a fellow who stole her idea. His defense was "a woman could never design such an innovative machine," but she had the drawings to prove the invention was hers and she won the case. Knight's career with inventions started at age 12, when she developed a stop-motion device that immediately brought industrial machines to a halt if something was caught in them. Over the course of her lifetime, she was awarded over 26 patents.
---------------
Patricia Bath, MD - Patented in 1988, a new method of removing cataracts. The medical laser instrument made the procedure more accurate and is termed the cataract Laserphacoprobe. As a laser scientist and inventor, she has 5 patents on the laser cataract surgery device covering the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe.
What is the Blissymbol Printer? It's a software program invented by a Canadian 12-year-old in the mid-1980s. Rachel Zimmerman's printer enables those with severe physical disabilities like cerebral palsy, to communicate. The user records their thoughts by touching symbols on a page or board through the use of a special touch pad, the printer then translates the symbols into a written language. Zimmerman's system started as a project for a school science fair, but ended up competing and winning a silver medal in a nationwide contest, as well as gaining her the YTV Television Youth Achievement Award.
Before the paper bag, the first version was shaped like an envelope, with no flat bottom. Margaret Knight created a machine to cut, fold, and glue square bottoms to paper bags and gained a patent for it in 1871, but not without a lawsuit against a fellow who stole her idea. His defense was "a woman could never design such an innovative machine," but she had the drawings to prove the invention was hers and she won the case. Knight's career with inventions started at age 12, when she developed a stop-motion device that immediately brought industrial machines to a halt if something was caught in them. Over the course of her lifetime, she was awarded over 26 patents.
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Top Ten Vitamin C Foods
Top ten foods that have more vitamin C than
oranges. Guava with 376 mg of vitamin C for 1 cup. Next are red
bell peppers followed by lychee, a small Asian fruit, followed by
parsley, kiwi, broccoli, brussels sprouts, papaya, strawberries,
and pineapple. Bringing up the rear are oranges.
What's in a Name, White Elephant
Sacred white elephants
were and are kept by some Southeast Asian monarchs. Possessing a
white elephant was regarded, and still is in Thailand and Burma
(Myanmar) as a sign that the monarch reigned with justice and
power, and that the kingdom was blessed with peace and prosperity.
It derives from stories that the kings of Siam would make a present of one of these animals to courtiers who were obnoxious or unpleasing, in order to ruin the recipient by the cost of its maintenance. A white elephant was a valuable, but burdensome possession, which its owner could not dispose of and whose cost and upkeep was out of proportion to its usefulness or worth.
These days a white elephant can mean an object, business venture, etc., that is without practical use or value. The term is used in business and even more frequently used during the gift-giving holiday season as friends and relatives strive to find unique gifts to give. Many people consider dried fruit cakes as white elephants.
It derives from stories that the kings of Siam would make a present of one of these animals to courtiers who were obnoxious or unpleasing, in order to ruin the recipient by the cost of its maintenance. A white elephant was a valuable, but burdensome possession, which its owner could not dispose of and whose cost and upkeep was out of proportion to its usefulness or worth.
These days a white elephant can mean an object, business venture, etc., that is without practical use or value. The term is used in business and even more frequently used during the gift-giving holiday season as friends and relatives strive to find unique gifts to give. Many people consider dried fruit cakes as white elephants.
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the intrinsic pressure
within your arteries and veins. Your body needs this pressure to
adequately supply all your tissues and organs with nutrients. Like
the plumbing in your house, adequate pressure is needed, but if
that pressure gets too high it causes problems.
High blood pressure is a combination of environmental risk factors and genes. High blood pressure is defined as any systolic pressure (top number) above 140 or diastolic (bottom number) higher than 90.
High blood pressure is not a disease itself, but indicates a risk factor for several other conditions like heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. The most beneficial way to control blood pressure is naturally. This is because medications that control blood pressure come with serious side effects. These side effects can sometimes be more harmful than the high blood pressure itself.
Things like lack of exercise and bad eating habits can cause a buildup of plaque inside your arteries. Excessive plaque on the interior walls of your arteries makes them smaller, known as “Atherosclerosis”. When the pipes that transport fluid get smaller, the pressure that same volume of fluid exerts goes up. If the blood pressure gets too high, arteries have a greater chance of bursting. Arteries get larger or smaller depending on the needs of the body. Excessive plaque makes this increasingly more difficult for a body to achieve.
A person’s blood pressure can also be too high due to genetics. A landmark study published in Nature in 2011 found 29 genetic variants that affected blood pressure. The authors found any one variant in a gene did not increase risk of hypertension, but people with multiple variants were much more likely to have high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a combination of environmental risk factors and genes. High blood pressure is defined as any systolic pressure (top number) above 140 or diastolic (bottom number) higher than 90.
High blood pressure is not a disease itself, but indicates a risk factor for several other conditions like heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. The most beneficial way to control blood pressure is naturally. This is because medications that control blood pressure come with serious side effects. These side effects can sometimes be more harmful than the high blood pressure itself.
Things like lack of exercise and bad eating habits can cause a buildup of plaque inside your arteries. Excessive plaque on the interior walls of your arteries makes them smaller, known as “Atherosclerosis”. When the pipes that transport fluid get smaller, the pressure that same volume of fluid exerts goes up. If the blood pressure gets too high, arteries have a greater chance of bursting. Arteries get larger or smaller depending on the needs of the body. Excessive plaque makes this increasingly more difficult for a body to achieve.
A person’s blood pressure can also be too high due to genetics. A landmark study published in Nature in 2011 found 29 genetic variants that affected blood pressure. The authors found any one variant in a gene did not increase risk of hypertension, but people with multiple variants were much more likely to have high blood pressure.
Bat Myths Debunked
Bats eyes are very functional. Bats'
retinas have an abundance of rods (a prerequisite for night
vision) and also two types of cones: the ordinary, that serves
them well in daylight conditions, and UV-sensitive that gives them
night vision. Bats use, but do not depend exclusively on their
sonar. Some bats can see better than others, but none are
blind. Some varieties of bats can see color and others can
only see black and white.
Bats groom themselves by meticulously licking and scratching themselves and each other for hours. Bats are the only mammals that can fly. An average bat lives about thirty years. Out of the 900 species of bats, there are only three vampire bats in the entire world and they are generally found in South America. The remaining species of bats over the world feed off of fruit, nectar, pollen, and insects.
Bats groom themselves by meticulously licking and scratching themselves and each other for hours. Bats are the only mammals that can fly. An average bat lives about thirty years. Out of the 900 species of bats, there are only three vampire bats in the entire world and they are generally found in South America. The remaining species of bats over the world feed off of fruit, nectar, pollen, and insects.
Wayback Machine
Did you know there is a site that serves
up web pages that are no longer active? The site is https://archive.org/web/
and is known as the Wayback Machine, because it goes way back to
show pages that have long since been gone. It works kind of like
Google, but for old, rather than current web pages. Interesting
place to go if you are looking for old facts or to check how a
story changes over time. It is especially interesting to see
how politicians change their story depending on which way the
wind blows.
Nov 1, 2013
Daylight Savings
Nov 3, 2013 is time to turn back your
clocks. Benjamin Franklin often gets credited with the idea, but he
only mentioned it in jest in a satirical essay. The idea was never
seriously pushed until 1895 when George Vernon Hudson, presented the
idea as a way for people to have more daylight and consequently more
leisure time after work. While there was interest in Hudson’s idea,
it still didn't catch on until 1916 when Germany adopted DST as a
method to save fuel during World War I. Others, including the US and
Great Britain, used DST during World War I and II, yet reverted to
standard time during peace years.
It wasn't until about 40 years ago, during the energy crisis of the 1970s, that Daylight Savings Time was made permanent in many areas.
It wasn't until about 40 years ago, during the energy crisis of the 1970s, that Daylight Savings Time was made permanent in many areas.
Wordology
I find it fascinating how some words can be a
definition of themselves, such as 'word' is a word that tells us it
is a word. Here are a few more self explanatory words:
English - Not German
Erudite - Scholarly word that means scholarly.
Noun - Is a noun
Used - This word has been used
Polysyllabic - This word has multiple syllables
Common - This word is
Unhyphenated - This word is
Floccinaucinihilipilificatious - A worthless word meaning to estimate worthless
Obfuscatory - Is and means not easy to understand
Suffixed - Has a suffix
Hyphen-bearing - Contains a hyphen
Monepic - Describes a one-word sentence
Cacophony - Sounds like and describes disagreeable sounds
Parallel - The Ls are
English - Not German
Erudite - Scholarly word that means scholarly.
Noun - Is a noun
Used - This word has been used
Polysyllabic - This word has multiple syllables
Common - This word is
Unhyphenated - This word is
Floccinaucinihilipilificatious - A worthless word meaning to estimate worthless
Obfuscatory - Is and means not easy to understand
Suffixed - Has a suffix
Hyphen-bearing - Contains a hyphen
Monepic - Describes a one-word sentence
Cacophony - Sounds like and describes disagreeable sounds
Parallel - The Ls are
Texas Motor Speedway
Last chance, NASCAR is out with a
beer-and-bacon milkshake combining real bits of bacon with vanilla
ice cream and half a bottle of Rahr & Sons Ugly Pug Black Lager.
It is a 16-ounce drink, dubbed the "Shake'N Bacon Brew," and will be
available for NASCAR's AAA Texas 500 races (Fort Worth, Texas) until
Nov. 3. The bacon bits are candied and bacon-flavored syrup is also
added into the mix. The whole thing is topped with whipped cream. Thought
you might like to know.
What's in a Name, Snake Oil
Snake oil is now a generic term
meaning a substance with no medicinal value sold as a remedy for
physical ailments. The term most likely comes from the use of oil
derived from Chinese water snakes as a topical lotion. Chinese
immigrants working on the construction of the Transcontinental
Railroad in the 1860s would use it to alleviate joint pain. This
ancient Chinese remedy was laughed at by other medicine salesmen,
who called it a scam. In time, the term “snake oil” developed a
negative connotation.
In the mid-1980s, a California psychiatrist named Richard Kunin decided to explore the question if snake oil was quackery or was it a legitimate treatment for joint pain, like the Chinese laborers claimed it was. He shared his findings in a 1989 letter to the Western Journal of Medicine.
Snake oil, especially the oil from the fatty tissue found in Chinese water snakes was unusually high in omega-3 fats. Kunin concluded, this meant that it could actually do what its advocates claimed, "snake oil is a credible anti-inflammatory agent and might confer therapeutic benefits. Since essential fatty acids are known to absorb transdermally, it is not far-fetched to think that inflamed skin and joints could benefit by the actual anti-inflammatory action of locally applied oil just as the Chinese physicians and our medical quacks have claimed.”
Kunin believed that snake oil actually worked. Subsequent research suggests that he was right. Unfortunately, while Kunin’s conclusions are mostly correct, there is one significant omission. The Chinese snake oil came from water snakes, which, perhaps coincidentally fed on fish which themselves contained high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. American-sold snake oil came from rattlesnakes, which do not have anywhere nearly the omega-3 amounts needed to provide the promised therapeutic benefits.
In the mid-1980s, a California psychiatrist named Richard Kunin decided to explore the question if snake oil was quackery or was it a legitimate treatment for joint pain, like the Chinese laborers claimed it was. He shared his findings in a 1989 letter to the Western Journal of Medicine.
Snake oil, especially the oil from the fatty tissue found in Chinese water snakes was unusually high in omega-3 fats. Kunin concluded, this meant that it could actually do what its advocates claimed, "snake oil is a credible anti-inflammatory agent and might confer therapeutic benefits. Since essential fatty acids are known to absorb transdermally, it is not far-fetched to think that inflamed skin and joints could benefit by the actual anti-inflammatory action of locally applied oil just as the Chinese physicians and our medical quacks have claimed.”
Kunin believed that snake oil actually worked. Subsequent research suggests that he was right. Unfortunately, while Kunin’s conclusions are mostly correct, there is one significant omission. The Chinese snake oil came from water snakes, which, perhaps coincidentally fed on fish which themselves contained high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. American-sold snake oil came from rattlesnakes, which do not have anywhere nearly the omega-3 amounts needed to provide the promised therapeutic benefits.
A Diversion
This guy moves like Mercury. If you want to
give your mind a break for a few minutes, watch this video. LINK
Still More Inventions by Women
In 1949, Marion Donovan's
first successful invention called "Boaters" was a waterproof baby
diaper cover that prevented diaper rash. She also created the
disposable diapers, Pampers in 1961.
Hedy Lamarr the actress, patented a secret communications system in 1941. The system manipulated radio frequencies with an unbreakable code to prevent classified messages from being intercepted by enemies. The device was meant to be used against the Nazis in WWII, but in actuality it came into use 20 years later. Lamarr was raised in Austria, grew to despise the Nazis and eventually escaped to London and then to the U.S.
African American, Alice H. Parker filed the first U.S. patent for the precursor to a central heating system in 1919. The system was able to regulate the temperature of a building and carry heat from room to room. The drawings included for the patent show a heating furnace powered by gas. An entire house required several heating units, each controlled by individual hot air ducts. The ducts directed heat to different parts of a building structure.
Hedy Lamarr the actress, patented a secret communications system in 1941. The system manipulated radio frequencies with an unbreakable code to prevent classified messages from being intercepted by enemies. The device was meant to be used against the Nazis in WWII, but in actuality it came into use 20 years later. Lamarr was raised in Austria, grew to despise the Nazis and eventually escaped to London and then to the U.S.
African American, Alice H. Parker filed the first U.S. patent for the precursor to a central heating system in 1919. The system was able to regulate the temperature of a building and carry heat from room to room. The drawings included for the patent show a heating furnace powered by gas. An entire house required several heating units, each controlled by individual hot air ducts. The ducts directed heat to different parts of a building structure.
BMI and Life Expectancy
A comprehensive review published
in 2013 in the 'Journal of the American Medical Association'
examined the relationship of BMI (Body Mass Index) to death rates.
The study researchers found that increasing levels of obesity were
associated with progressively higher premature death rates.
Mildly obese people, however, did not have a significantly greater risk of death compared to those with a normal BMI. In fact, the finding that people classified as overweight but not obese had a lower overall death rate compared to those with a normal BMI. Researchers are exploring possible reasons for this finding.
The 'International Journal of Obesity' published a study in 2012 comparing BMI and waist circumference as predictors of life expectancy. The authors reported that waist circumference is a better predictor of death from any cause than BMI. The researchers also found that adults with a high waist circumference had an increased risk of death regardless of BMI. Although neither BMI nor waist size can accurately foretell the life expectancy of any individual, waist circumference may be a better tool for estimating longevity. In other words, they are saying 'we cannot accurately tell life expectancy with either of these measurements, but it does help get us grants and headlines'.
Mildly obese people, however, did not have a significantly greater risk of death compared to those with a normal BMI. In fact, the finding that people classified as overweight but not obese had a lower overall death rate compared to those with a normal BMI. Researchers are exploring possible reasons for this finding.
The 'International Journal of Obesity' published a study in 2012 comparing BMI and waist circumference as predictors of life expectancy. The authors reported that waist circumference is a better predictor of death from any cause than BMI. The researchers also found that adults with a high waist circumference had an increased risk of death regardless of BMI. Although neither BMI nor waist size can accurately foretell the life expectancy of any individual, waist circumference may be a better tool for estimating longevity. In other words, they are saying 'we cannot accurately tell life expectancy with either of these measurements, but it does help get us grants and headlines'.
New Potato Chip Flavor
Starting this month, Lay's Canada
has a new flavor, 'Maple Moose'. Trying them will not be on my
to do list.
Six Cooking Tips from HGTV
When you deep-fry, hold
each piece of food with long tongs as you add it to the oil. Hold it
just below the oil's surface for five seconds before releasing it.
This will seal the exterior and stop it from sticking to the pot or
the other food.
If you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in a stream along the edges of the pan so that by the time the oil reaches the ingredient being cooked, it will be heated.
Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta, because it will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta. Also, After you drain pasta, while it's still hot, grate some fresh Parmesan on top before tossing it with your sauce to give the sauce something to stick to.
When making burgers, add in a bit (or a lot) of bacon bits or pork bits while mixing for added flavor.
When making mashed potatoes, after you drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan, cover tightly and let steam for 5 minutes. This allows the potatoes to mash with a beautiful texture and soak up the butter and cream more easily.
If you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in a stream along the edges of the pan so that by the time the oil reaches the ingredient being cooked, it will be heated.
Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta, because it will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta. Also, After you drain pasta, while it's still hot, grate some fresh Parmesan on top before tossing it with your sauce to give the sauce something to stick to.
When making burgers, add in a bit (or a lot) of bacon bits or pork bits while mixing for added flavor.
When making mashed potatoes, after you drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan, cover tightly and let steam for 5 minutes. This allows the potatoes to mash with a beautiful texture and soak up the butter and cream more easily.
New Non Religion
The Jedi census is a grassroots movement
that was created in 2001 for citizens of a number of
English-speaking countries to record their religion as "Jedi" or
"Jedi Knight" on the national census. The campaign was loosely
organized by circulating e-mails claiming that if enough people
entered "Jedi", it would be recognized as an official religion by
the government. The emails also implored people to report their
religion as "Jedi", "Because you love Star Wars" or "just to annoy
people".
If Jedi had been counted as an answer in the 2001 census it would have been the second largest religion in New Zealand.
If Jedi had been counted as an answer in the 2001 census it would have been the second largest religion in New Zealand.
Oct 25, 2013
Happy Friday
"Love enters a man through his eyes, woman through her ears."
My eyes and ears both appreciate a Happy Friday!
My eyes and ears both appreciate a Happy Friday!
Halloween Stuff
Halloween is next week, so I thought I would add a few thoughts
about it, beginning with a real tombstone and apt epitaph.
Eight Brain Myths Debunked
Many myths persist even after
being thoroughly proven to be incorrect. Here are some myths that
are incorrect, but still linger:
- It has been scientifically proven that fatty acid supplements (omega-3 and omega-6) have a positive effect on academic achievement. Wrong
- We only use 10% of our brain. Wrong
- The brains of boys and girls develop at the same rate. Wrong
- Individuals learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (auditory, visual, etc.). Wrong
- Mental capacity is hereditary and cannot be changed by the environment or experience. Wrong
- Brain training does not work. Wrong
- Differences in hemispheric dominance (left brain, right brain) can help explain individual differences among learners. Wrong
- Children are less attentive after consuming sugary drinks and/or snacks. Wrong
New Types of Glass
At a recent industry show, Nippon showed off some new glass
that is amazing. It first seemed like a joke as a sign said
"Invisible glass" with arrows pointing into thin air. Visitors
were asked if they could see the glass and many could not. There
really was glass, but it didn't become apparent until viewed
from the side. The glass reflects just 0.08 percent of the light
that travels through it. A normal sheet of glass reflects about
4 percent of light. Nippon Electric Glass said it is targeted at
museums where items need to be displayed, but protected.
It also showed off G-Leaf glass, which is so thin and flexible that it is supplied on a roll to customers. It looks exactly like a roll of plastic film, but the 35-micron thick sheet is actually glass. It has been used in flexible display panels and can be gently curved around corners.
Nippon also showed the impact resistance of its chemically strengthened glass that is already used in smartphones and tablet PCs. A sheet of Zero glass was on display and every thirty seconds a one pound steel ball dropped from a height of three feet onto a sheet of the glass the size of a small TV screen. Every time the ball fell, it bounced off the glass with no damage to the glass. Sorry, no picture available for the invisible glass.
It also showed off G-Leaf glass, which is so thin and flexible that it is supplied on a roll to customers. It looks exactly like a roll of plastic film, but the 35-micron thick sheet is actually glass. It has been used in flexible display panels and can be gently curved around corners.
Nippon also showed the impact resistance of its chemically strengthened glass that is already used in smartphones and tablet PCs. A sheet of Zero glass was on display and every thirty seconds a one pound steel ball dropped from a height of three feet onto a sheet of the glass the size of a small TV screen. Every time the ball fell, it bounced off the glass with no damage to the glass. Sorry, no picture available for the invisible glass.
Food for Thought
Kiwifruit was once called Chinese
Gooseberry, but changed for marketing reasons. Kiwifruit has more
vitamin C than oranges and about as much potassium as a banana. Kiwi
also tastes great.
More Inventions by Women
Mary Phelps Jacob was awarded a US
patent in 1914 for a Brassiere that supported the breasts up from
the shoulders and separated them into two individual shapes. People
had experimented with making Brassieres before, but it was the idea
of separating the breasts, that made her design unique. Prior to
Brassieres, women’s undergarments were uncomfortable, containing
whalebones and steel rods. They virtually squeezed the wearer into
shape. Jacobs' design was soft, light, and conforming to the
wearer’s anatomy. During WWI her bra design became popular when the
U.S. government requested that women stop purchasing corsets in
order to conserve metal.
Sarah E.Goode was granted a U.S. patent in 1885 for the invention of the Foldaway Bed. The bed could be tucked-up into a cabinet while it wasn’t in use. It made an attractive piece of furniture that could also be used as a roll top desk or a stationary shelf. Bibliographies speculate that Goode was born a US slave and emancipated after the Civil War. Versions of her original bed design are still made today.
Dr. Maria Telkes was a biophysicist who invented the first home solar heating system. She grew up in Hungary and moved to the US in 1925. She became an American citizen after receiving her Doctorate in physical chemistry. Telkes’ other solar-powered inventions included a distilling system for life rafts and a solar oven.
Sarah E.Goode was granted a U.S. patent in 1885 for the invention of the Foldaway Bed. The bed could be tucked-up into a cabinet while it wasn’t in use. It made an attractive piece of furniture that could also be used as a roll top desk or a stationary shelf. Bibliographies speculate that Goode was born a US slave and emancipated after the Civil War. Versions of her original bed design are still made today.
Dr. Maria Telkes was a biophysicist who invented the first home solar heating system. She grew up in Hungary and moved to the US in 1925. She became an American citizen after receiving her Doctorate in physical chemistry. Telkes’ other solar-powered inventions included a distilling system for life rafts and a solar oven.
Wordology
Dysania means having difficulty getting out of bed in the morning. Griffonage means illegible handwriting. Acnestis is the area between your shoulder blades. Semordnilap is a word or phrase that reads one way forward and another backward (parts/strap). Scroop is the sound produced by the movement of silk, as in long dresses. Penthera phobia is fear of your mother-in-law.
Punt is the indent on the bottom of a wine bottle. Agraffe is the wire that keeps the cork on a bottle of champagne. Barm is the foam on the top of a glass of beer. Box Tent is the little plastic piece used in pizza boxes to keep the top from smashing the pizza. Kemmerspeck is the weight gained from emotional overeating (literally grease bacon).
String is a group of ponies. Business is an assembly of ferrets. Smack is a group of jellyfish. Gam is a group of whales. Murder is a group of crows. Trip is a group of goats. Parliament is a group of owls. Pass is a group of donkeys. Prickle is a group of porcupines.
Punt is the indent on the bottom of a wine bottle. Agraffe is the wire that keeps the cork on a bottle of champagne. Barm is the foam on the top of a glass of beer. Box Tent is the little plastic piece used in pizza boxes to keep the top from smashing the pizza. Kemmerspeck is the weight gained from emotional overeating (literally grease bacon).
String is a group of ponies. Business is an assembly of ferrets. Smack is a group of jellyfish. Gam is a group of whales. Murder is a group of crows. Trip is a group of goats. Parliament is a group of owls. Pass is a group of donkeys. Prickle is a group of porcupines.
Bionic Man
For those who missed the Smithsonian 'Incredible
Bionic Man' show this past Sunday, here is a LINK
to watch it online, sans commercials. This is a fascinating
look at an attempt to combine the best of current artificial body
parts into a functioning bionic man. Don't want to give any
secrets away here. Suffice it to say it is well worth a viewing if
you are interested in modern bionics and robotics, including
artificial heart, kidneys, limbs, etc. The length is 46 minutes.
Antony Gormley
British sculptor Antony Gormley is known
around the world for his figurative sculptures. His series titled
Another Place, features 100 cast iron sculptures and has turned
Crosby Beach, UK into a tourist attraction. Originally, Gormley's
pieces were installed on different beaches in Germany, Norway, and
Belgium and were scheduled to make a move to New York after their
display in England. They never made it to New York, but officially
settled in the Merseyside coastline. Now, they still stand in the
sand, weathered and worn by the sea.
The permanent UK installation consists of 100 life-size figures of men reaching over 6', weighing over 1,400 lbs. and spread over a 2 mile stretch between Waterloo and Blundellsands. The figures, which are casts of the artist's own body, are scattered about the beach, facing out to the sea. Altogether, the installed sculptures serve to represent the shared sentiments of emigrants who are sad to leave their country but hopeful of their future in a new land. The figures are smaller, but eerily reminiscent of the Easter Island figures facing out to sea.
The permanent UK installation consists of 100 life-size figures of men reaching over 6', weighing over 1,400 lbs. and spread over a 2 mile stretch between Waterloo and Blundellsands. The figures, which are casts of the artist's own body, are scattered about the beach, facing out to the sea. Altogether, the installed sculptures serve to represent the shared sentiments of emigrants who are sad to leave their country but hopeful of their future in a new land. The figures are smaller, but eerily reminiscent of the Easter Island figures facing out to sea.
Halloween Fears
Boo! Samhainophobia is an intense and
persistent fear of Halloween, and it can cause panic attacks for
people who suffer from it. The word is derived from the old Celtic
festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the Celtic year. They
believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to the Earth on this
day. Other Halloween related fears are wiccaphobia, fear of witches:
phasmophobia, fear of ghosts; and coimetrophobia, fear of
cemeteries.
Epitaphs
Here are the epitaphs of
my heroes Laurel and Hardy.
A master of comedy
His genius in the art of humor
Brought gladness
To the world he loved.
Stan Laurel
A genius of comedy
His talent brought joy and
Laughter to all the world.
Oliver Hardy
and
"That's All Folks!"
The Man of a Thousand Voices
Mel Blanc
A master of comedy
His genius in the art of humor
Brought gladness
To the world he loved.
Stan Laurel
A genius of comedy
His talent brought joy and
Laughter to all the world.
Oliver Hardy
and
"That's All Folks!"
The Man of a Thousand Voices
Mel Blanc
Oct 18, 2013
Happy Friday
If you really know everything, you will realize that you do not.
One thing I do know is that today is already a Happy Friday!
One thing I do know is that today is already a Happy Friday!
Cinnamon and Cassia
Did you know the cinnamon in Cinnabon
rolls is actually not "true" cinnamon? True cinnamon or Ceylon
cinnamon is a spice made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum verum
tree. It has a citrusy fragrance and complex yet mild taste without
the "bite" we associate with the spice.
Cinnamon is produced from the inner bark of a small evergreen tree belonging to the Laurel family with the genus Cinnamomum. Although there are four commercial species of Cinnamomum, the global cinnamon market recognizes the product from one species as true cinnamon. The product from the other three species, widely sold as cinnamon, is actually cassia.
The last two are more closely related to cassia than cinnamon
True cinnamon – Cinnamomum verum
Cassia – Cinnamomum aromaticum
Indonesian - Cinnamomum burmannii
Vietnamese - Cinnamomum loureiroi
About a hundred years ago, American traders started importing cassia because of a rise in the price of Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia continues to be the main variety sold in supermarkets in the US and Canada. American labeling laws do not require that a distinction be made between cassia and cinnamon in the retail market.
The "cinnamon" found in Cinnabon and your kitchen is actually cassia, derived from Cinnamomum burmannii, a tree native to Indonesia. Of all the Cinnamomum species, this form of cassia (known as Indonesian cassia or Korintje cassia) has the lowest oil content and is therefore the cheapest. Cinnabon trademarked its supply of Korintje cassia as "Makara Cinnamon." Cinnamon and cassia have numerous health benefits.
Cinnamon is produced from the inner bark of a small evergreen tree belonging to the Laurel family with the genus Cinnamomum. Although there are four commercial species of Cinnamomum, the global cinnamon market recognizes the product from one species as true cinnamon. The product from the other three species, widely sold as cinnamon, is actually cassia.
The last two are more closely related to cassia than cinnamon
True cinnamon – Cinnamomum verum
Cassia – Cinnamomum aromaticum
Indonesian - Cinnamomum burmannii
Vietnamese - Cinnamomum loureiroi
About a hundred years ago, American traders started importing cassia because of a rise in the price of Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia continues to be the main variety sold in supermarkets in the US and Canada. American labeling laws do not require that a distinction be made between cassia and cinnamon in the retail market.
The "cinnamon" found in Cinnabon and your kitchen is actually cassia, derived from Cinnamomum burmannii, a tree native to Indonesia. Of all the Cinnamomum species, this form of cassia (known as Indonesian cassia or Korintje cassia) has the lowest oil content and is therefore the cheapest. Cinnabon trademarked its supply of Korintje cassia as "Makara Cinnamon." Cinnamon and cassia have numerous health benefits.
Four Simpson Facts
The show features clips from a movie
starring McBain, a movie star in the same vein as Schwarzenegger and
Stallone. These clips are dispersed among many episodes, but if you
put the clips together, you can actually form a full coherent story.
Many characters are named after streets in Portland, Oregon.
As soon as Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, was given a drawing of the characters in yellow by an animator, he knew it was perfect. The idea was that whenever someone was flipping through the channels, they would automatically know The Simpsons was on when they saw the yellow bodies flash by.
All, except one of the characters are a one finger short of a human hand. The only character to have five fingers on a hand is God.
Many characters are named after streets in Portland, Oregon.
As soon as Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, was given a drawing of the characters in yellow by an animator, he knew it was perfect. The idea was that whenever someone was flipping through the channels, they would automatically know The Simpsons was on when they saw the yellow bodies flash by.
All, except one of the characters are a one finger short of a human hand. The only character to have five fingers on a hand is God.
Blood Pressure
The first known experiment to measure the
exact pressure of blood was performed by Stephen Hales on December
1, 1733. He took a live horse, attached a tube to her left crural
artery, then allowed her blood to rush through the tube and it rose
to a height of 8’3”.
He noted that “when it was at its full height, it would rise and fall at and after each pulse 2, 3,or 4 inches”. The horse bled out, but he performed the experiment on a horse that was about to be put down.
He noted that “when it was at its full height, it would rise and fall at and after each pulse 2, 3,or 4 inches”. The horse bled out, but he performed the experiment on a horse that was about to be put down.
Quotes from '1984'
George Orwell penned these prescient
sobering quotes in his book, released in 1948.
“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever.”
“Big Brother is Watching You.”
“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”
“Until they became conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.”
“The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.”
“The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power.”
“Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”
“Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.”
“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever.”
“Big Brother is Watching You.”
“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”
“Until they became conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.”
“The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.”
“The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power.”
“Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”
“Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.”
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