Ceuta and Melilla are fragments of Europe on north Africa's
Mediterranean coast. They came under Spanish control about 500
years ago. Madrid says they are integral parts of Spain. On three
sides they are surrounded by Morocco. For both, the currency used
is the Euro.
Ceuta is an
18.5-square-kilometre (7.1 sq mi) Spanish autonomous city
located on the north coast of Africa, separated by 14 kilometers
from Cadiz province on the Spanish mainland by the Strait of
Gibraltar and sharing a 6.4 kilometer land border in the Kingdom
of Morocco. It lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean
Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is one of nine populated Spanish
territories in Africa and, along with Melilla, one of two
populated territories on mainland Africa. It was part of Cádiz
province until 14 March 1995 when the city's Statute of Autonomy
was passed.
Melilla is a Spanish autonomous city
located on the north coast of Africa, sharing a border with
Morocco with an area of 12.3 square kilometres (4.7 sq mi).
Melilla is one of two permanently inhabited Spanish cities in
mainland Africa. It was part of Málaga province until 14 March
1995 when the city's Statute of Autonomy was passed.
Melilla, like Ceuta,
was a free port before Spain joined the European Union. As of
2011, it had a population of 78,476 made up of ethnic Spaniards,
ethnic Riffian Berbers, and a small number of Sephardic Jews and
Sindhi Hindus. Both Spanish and Riffian-Berber are the two most
widely spoken languages, with Spanish as the only official
language.
This year, migrants
were attempting to reach Ceuta to get to the rest of Europe.
Only two were successful, but both were injured scaling the
six-metre (20 ft) surrounding fence and needed hospital
treatment. The attempt comes after more than 400 migrants
succeeded in breaching Ceuta's fence in December. Hundreds of
sub-Saharan African migrants living illegally in Morocco try to
enter Ceuta and Melilla each year in hope of getting to Europe.
Jun 16, 2017
Gift Card Tips
If you have a gift card with a balance of less than ten dollars,
most states have laws that stores and restaurants are legally
required to give you the balance in cash if you ask for it. Some
states have a $5 or other lower limit.
Most gift cards cannot contain an expiration date or a service fee. Tip - fold your receipt around the card to remember the balance.
Most gift cards cannot contain an expiration date or a service fee. Tip - fold your receipt around the card to remember the balance.
Political Correctness
I have always lacked my fair share of
political correctness, mainly because it defies logic and common
sense. Here are a few passages I have come across that describe
it rather well.
The 2007 winning entry from an annual contest at Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term 'Political Correctness'. The winner wrote: "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
“No one should ever underestimate the stupidity induced in bureaucrats by the procedures they are enjoined to follow.”
"The perverse incentives that bureaucrats are often given nowadays are also worth a mention. On the false grounds that it is better to measure something than to measure nothing, the work of a bureaucracy (and therefore bureaucrats) is judged by some target or other plucked from the ether of political vacuity by their bosses."
The 2007 winning entry from an annual contest at Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term 'Political Correctness'. The winner wrote: "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
“No one should ever underestimate the stupidity induced in bureaucrats by the procedures they are enjoined to follow.”
"The perverse incentives that bureaucrats are often given nowadays are also worth a mention. On the false grounds that it is better to measure something than to measure nothing, the work of a bureaucracy (and therefore bureaucrats) is judged by some target or other plucked from the ether of political vacuity by their bosses."
Medical Paperwork
A PricewaterhouseCoopers study for the American Hospital
Association chronicled more than 40 layers of paperwork
associated with caring for a typical Medicare patient who
arrives at an emergency room with a broken hip and receives
treatment until recuperation. Some of the findings:
- Roughly 60 minutes of paperwork were performed for every hour of emergency department care, 36 minutes of paperwork for every hour of surgery and acute inpatient care, 30 minutes of paperwork for every hour of skilled nursing care, and 48 minutes of paperwork for every hour of home healthcare.
- “Each time a physician orders a test or a procedure, the physician documents the order in the patient’s record, and the government requires additional documentation to prove the necessity for the test or procedure.”
- “Many forms … must be completed daily by clinical staff to submit to the government to justify the care provided to skilled nursing facility patients.”
- Medicare and Medicaid “rules and instructions” are more than 130,000 pages (three times larger than the IRS code and its associated regulations), and “medical records must be reviewed by at least four people to ensure compliance” with Medicare program requirements.
- “A Medicare patient arriving at the emergency department is required to review and sign eight different forms, just for Medicare.”
- “Each time a patient is discharged, even if only from the acute unit of the hospital to an on-site skilled nursing unit, multiple care providers must write a discharge plan for the patient. This documentation, as long as 30 pages, applies to all patients, regardless of the complexity of care received within the hospital or required post-hospital setting.”
- In addition to regulation by state agencies, local agencies, private accrediting organizations, and insurers, hospitals are regulated by more 30 federal agencies.
First Martini
Like many drink recipes, Martini origins are
fuzzy. The precise origins of the martini remain obscure, with a
number of people and locations vying for the honor of being home
to the cocktail. The town of Martinez, California put up a
plaque to proclaim itself the birthplace of the Martini.
According to the plaque, situated at 911 Alhambra Avenue, the
very first Martini was mixed on that spot.
The plaque records the story: “On this site in 1874, Julio Richelieu, bartender, served up the first Martini when a miner came into his saloon with a fistful of nuggets and asked for something special. He was served a 'Martinez Special'. After three or four drinks, however, the ‘Z’ would get in the way. The drink consisted of 2/3 gin, 1/3 vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, poured over crushed ice and served with an olive.”
Another theory suggests it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez served sometime in the early 1860s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, which people frequented before taking an evening ferry to the nearby town of Martinez.
Others assert that the drink was named after “Martini & Rossi” vermouth, which was first created in the mid-1800s. Apparently in the interest of brevity, the drink became known as the 'Martini'.
The plaque records the story: “On this site in 1874, Julio Richelieu, bartender, served up the first Martini when a miner came into his saloon with a fistful of nuggets and asked for something special. He was served a 'Martinez Special'. After three or four drinks, however, the ‘Z’ would get in the way. The drink consisted of 2/3 gin, 1/3 vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, poured over crushed ice and served with an olive.”
Another theory suggests it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez served sometime in the early 1860s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, which people frequented before taking an evening ferry to the nearby town of Martinez.
Others assert that the drink was named after “Martini & Rossi” vermouth, which was first created in the mid-1800s. Apparently in the interest of brevity, the drink became known as the 'Martini'.
Jun 9, 2017
Happy Friday
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers
knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” ~Isaac Asimov
There is wisdom in celebrating every Happy Friday!
There is wisdom in celebrating every Happy Friday!
Wordology, Cornicione
The outer edge of pizza is called the cornicione, pronounced -
"cor-nee-cho-nay", which means cornice or molding. The crust is
the name for the base that the toppings are added to.
Care by the Numbers
Medicaid and Medicare are similar
programs that are publicly run. They cover 62 million and 43
million Americans, respectively. They each use their large
membership to negotiate lower prices with hospitals and doctors.
Medicaid tends to have the lowest payment rates. On average,
Medicaid pays 66 percent of what Medicare pays doctors.
Incidentally, US Census Bureau as of 2015 shows population of about 318 million Americans, including 23 million non-citizens.
Incidentally, US Census Bureau as of 2015 shows population of about 318 million Americans, including 23 million non-citizens.
Origins of Golf Terms
The website ScottishGolfHistory.org
cites a golf glossary published in 1857 that included the word
fore. Historians at the British Golf Museum have surmised that
the term 'fore', as a warning in golf, evolved from forecaddie.
A forecaddie is a person who accompanies a grouping of golfers
around the golf course, going forward on each hole to be in a
position to pinpoint the locations of the group members' shots.
Mary Queen of Scots was likely the first woman to play golf. It was during her reign that the famous golf course at St. Andrews was built, in 1552. Mary coined the term caddie by calling her assistants cadets. Of course, le cadet is French for youngster of the family. Some argue French military 'cadets' carried clubs for golfing royalty and this practice came to Scotland when Queen Mary Stuart returned in 1561.
One of the most common misconceptions is that the word GOLF is an acronym for Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden. The first documented mention of the word 'golf' is in Edinburgh on 6th March 1457, when King James II banned 'ye golf', in an attempt to encourage archery practice, which was being neglected. During 1460, Sir Gilbert Hay translated an old French poem into the Scottish language. It uses the word 'golf' twice. "Therefore I am sending you a ball to play with and a 'golf staff' to hit it with, as children do round the streets."
Also, according to Grammarist the most correct spelling is caddie (an attendant who carries the golf clubs for a player), not caddy (a can for storing tea). Although the word caddy is currently loosely accepted for caddie
Mary Queen of Scots was likely the first woman to play golf. It was during her reign that the famous golf course at St. Andrews was built, in 1552. Mary coined the term caddie by calling her assistants cadets. Of course, le cadet is French for youngster of the family. Some argue French military 'cadets' carried clubs for golfing royalty and this practice came to Scotland when Queen Mary Stuart returned in 1561.
One of the most common misconceptions is that the word GOLF is an acronym for Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden. The first documented mention of the word 'golf' is in Edinburgh on 6th March 1457, when King James II banned 'ye golf', in an attempt to encourage archery practice, which was being neglected. During 1460, Sir Gilbert Hay translated an old French poem into the Scottish language. It uses the word 'golf' twice. "Therefore I am sending you a ball to play with and a 'golf staff' to hit it with, as children do round the streets."
Also, according to Grammarist the most correct spelling is caddie (an attendant who carries the golf clubs for a player), not caddy (a can for storing tea). Although the word caddy is currently loosely accepted for caddie
Joys of Golf
Here is a fun quickie of someone who adds
insult to injury while taking a shot and losing a wedge. LINK
Pounds and Ounces
These words must seem weird to
those who follow the metric system, so a bit of history might
help explain. The Latin word Libra is abbreviated to 'lb'. Libra
is widely known as the astrological sign for balance, but it was
also part of the Roman unit of weight, libra pond, which
translates to “pound weight." Britain derived pound from that
expression as its unit of measurement and also as a term for its
currency because centuries ago, a pound in money was considered
equal to the value of a pound of silver.
Ounces - The Spanish ounce (Onza) was 1⁄16 of a pound. It is a unit of mass used in most British systems of measurement. It is most pervasive in the retail sale of groceries in the United States, but is also used in many other matters of domestic and international trade between imperial or customary measurement driven countries.
Ounces - The Spanish ounce (Onza) was 1⁄16 of a pound. It is a unit of mass used in most British systems of measurement. It is most pervasive in the retail sale of groceries in the United States, but is also used in many other matters of domestic and international trade between imperial or customary measurement driven countries.
Organic Food
Multi-ingredient agricultural products in the US
“Made with organic” category must contain at least 70 percent
certified organic ingredients (not including salt or water).
These products may contain up to 30 percent of allowed
non-organic ingredients. All ingredients – including the 30
percent non-organic ingredients – must be produced without GMOs.
Ten Interesting Tidbits of Knowledge
Jun 2, 2017
Happy Friday
"Happiness is a state
of mind, and depends very little on outward circumstances." ~
Helen Keller
I always have a Happy state of mind, especially on a Happy Friday!
I always have a Happy state of mind, especially on a Happy Friday!
National Donut Day
It is celebrated on the first Friday in June. That
sweet, doughy goodness that has a day set aside holey in its
honor. Go out for some freebies from your favorite donut shop
today.
Incidentally, the name was originally hyphenated, as in "balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat, and called dough-nuts, or oly koeks(oily cakes): a delicious kind of cake made by Dutch families.” When phonetic-based spelling reform came along, it was changed to donut, which was popularized by Dunkin' Donuts and has become the more popular spelling.
Incidentally, the name was originally hyphenated, as in "balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat, and called dough-nuts, or oly koeks(oily cakes): a delicious kind of cake made by Dutch families.” When phonetic-based spelling reform came along, it was changed to donut, which was popularized by Dunkin' Donuts and has become the more popular spelling.
Gandhi Tale
This interesting bit of fiction takes place when Gandhi was
studying law at the University College of London, a white
professor Peters disliked him. The two had many arguments and
confrontations.
Mr. Peters was having lunch at the dining room of the University, and Gandhi came along with his tray and sat next to the professor. The professor said, "Mr. Gandhi, you do not understand. A pig and a bird do not sit together to eat." Gandhi looked at him and calmly replied, "You do not worry professor. I'll fly away," and went to sat at another table.
Mr. Peters decided to take revenge on the next test paper, but Gandhi responded brilliantly to all questions. Mr. Peters asked him the following question. "Mr. Gandhi, if you were walking down the street and found a package, and within was a bag of wisdom and another bag with a lot of money, which one would you take?" Without hesitating, Gandhi responded, "The one with the money, of course."
Mr. Peters said, "I, in your place, would have taken the wisdom, don't you think?"
Gandhi shrugged and responded, "Each one takes what he does not have."
Mr. Peters wrote on Gandhi's exam sheet the word "idiot" and gave it to Gandhi. Gandhi took the exam sheet and sat down at his desk trying to remain calm while he contemplated his next move.
A few minutes later, Gandhi got up, went to the professor and said to him in a dignified, but sarcastically polite tone, "Mr. Peters, you signed the sheet, but you did not give me the grade."
Mr. Peters was having lunch at the dining room of the University, and Gandhi came along with his tray and sat next to the professor. The professor said, "Mr. Gandhi, you do not understand. A pig and a bird do not sit together to eat." Gandhi looked at him and calmly replied, "You do not worry professor. I'll fly away," and went to sat at another table.
Mr. Peters decided to take revenge on the next test paper, but Gandhi responded brilliantly to all questions. Mr. Peters asked him the following question. "Mr. Gandhi, if you were walking down the street and found a package, and within was a bag of wisdom and another bag with a lot of money, which one would you take?" Without hesitating, Gandhi responded, "The one with the money, of course."
Mr. Peters said, "I, in your place, would have taken the wisdom, don't you think?"
Gandhi shrugged and responded, "Each one takes what he does not have."
Mr. Peters wrote on Gandhi's exam sheet the word "idiot" and gave it to Gandhi. Gandhi took the exam sheet and sat down at his desk trying to remain calm while he contemplated his next move.
A few minutes later, Gandhi got up, went to the professor and said to him in a dignified, but sarcastically polite tone, "Mr. Peters, you signed the sheet, but you did not give me the grade."
Languages
According to Ethnologue, there are over 7,000 distinct languages
in the world and about 40,000 dialects. Some languages, like
Russian and Hindi, are written from left-to-right, while others,
like Hebrew and Persian, are written right-to-left.
The nation of Papua New Guinea has the highest language diversity in the world. There are 820 languages spoken in an area the size of Spain.
There are logographic languages, like Japanese and Korean, where symbols represent words, and there are Dongba and Nsibidi which are pictographic languages where symbols represent ideas.
Incidentally, there are over 1.5 billion speakers of English globally. In 2015, out of the total 195 countries in the world, 67 nations have English as the primary language of 'official status'. Plus there are 27 countries where English is spoken as a secondary 'official' language.
The nation of Papua New Guinea has the highest language diversity in the world. There are 820 languages spoken in an area the size of Spain.
There are logographic languages, like Japanese and Korean, where symbols represent words, and there are Dongba and Nsibidi which are pictographic languages where symbols represent ideas.
Incidentally, there are over 1.5 billion speakers of English globally. In 2015, out of the total 195 countries in the world, 67 nations have English as the primary language of 'official status'. Plus there are 27 countries where English is spoken as a secondary 'official' language.
TV Watching
Nielsen’s fourth-quarter Comparable Metrics Report says that
adults spent 509 billion minutes viewing on TVs during the
quarter and another 63.6 billion minutes viewing on TV-connected
devices. Viewing video on PCs accounted for 31.7 billion
minutes, smartphone video 10.9 billion, and 4.4 billion minutes
on tablets.
TV Antenna Facts
If you decide to cut the cord and use an antenna to get local
TV, you do not need to worry about a special 4K antenna, because
there is no broadcast 4K content - and there may never be. Just
as with cables, an antenna does not know and does not care what
kind of signal it receives as long as it is within the
designated frequency (channel) range.
Any digital antenna will work fine for digital TV, HD, and 4K. There is nothing that would make an antenna better or worse for digital, HD, or 4K. However, broadcasters are not required to put out a 4K signal and that means that they probably will not. Current 4K content comes from cable channels and other digital operators, such as Sling TV, DirectTV Now, HULU, etc. None of them require an antenna.
Amplified vs. non-amplified antenna - If you are running a very long length of coax cable or more than one TV, an amplifier might improve your TV reception. It should be placed at the end closest to the antenna, not at the end closest to the TV. For most situations, a non-amplified antenna is equal and sometimes better than an amplified antenna. An amplified antenna may overpower some signals and you actually lose channels, because they amplify noise as well as channel signals.
Bottom line, if you want a digital antenna, buy one, but do not give in to hype about being 4K ready or any other mumbo jumbo from the salesperson. Also, using an antenna will produce a noticeably better picture on your TV, because antennas do not compress the signal as cable companies do.
Any digital antenna will work fine for digital TV, HD, and 4K. There is nothing that would make an antenna better or worse for digital, HD, or 4K. However, broadcasters are not required to put out a 4K signal and that means that they probably will not. Current 4K content comes from cable channels and other digital operators, such as Sling TV, DirectTV Now, HULU, etc. None of them require an antenna.
Amplified vs. non-amplified antenna - If you are running a very long length of coax cable or more than one TV, an amplifier might improve your TV reception. It should be placed at the end closest to the antenna, not at the end closest to the TV. For most situations, a non-amplified antenna is equal and sometimes better than an amplified antenna. An amplified antenna may overpower some signals and you actually lose channels, because they amplify noise as well as channel signals.
Bottom line, if you want a digital antenna, buy one, but do not give in to hype about being 4K ready or any other mumbo jumbo from the salesperson. Also, using an antenna will produce a noticeably better picture on your TV, because antennas do not compress the signal as cable companies do.
Netflix
Netflix can take up almost half of US bandwidth during peak
hours. Sandvine reports that Netflix accounts for over 35% of
web traffic in North America, followed by YouTube at 17.5%, and
Amazon Video at 4.3%. On average, Netflix customers consume 125
million hours a day. On a big day, single-day viewership hours
have approached 250 million. The study concluded that viewers
consume over 800,000 minutes of internet video per second each
day. Netflix now has 50 million US customers and 93 million
subscribers worldwide.
Chesty Tax Deduction
Every now and then something I read is so completely crazy it
tickles me. Thought I would share this IRS story. If you are an
exotic dancer who needs the biggest assets possible to get the
biggest tips, they might be deductible. The IRS initially denied
the write off, which “Chesty Love” submitted for her (56-FF)
breast augmentation. However, the Court allowed her 'stage
props' as depreciable assets.
Graffiti
The
term graffiti referred to the inscriptions and figure drawings
found on the walls of ancient sepulchers or ruins, as in the
catacombs of Rome or at Pompeii. Use of the word has evolved to
include any graphics applied to surfaces in a manner that
constitutes vandalism.
Graffiti are writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or painted illicitly on a wall or other surface, often within public view. Graffiti range from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and they have existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.
Both "graffiti" and its occasional singular form "graffito" are from the Italian word graffiato ("scratched").
Graffiti are writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or painted illicitly on a wall or other surface, often within public view. Graffiti range from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and they have existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.
Both "graffiti" and its occasional singular form "graffito" are from the Italian word graffiato ("scratched").
May 29, 2017
Happy Friday
Even mediocre happiness
is eternally better than none.
My happiness knows no bounds, especially on a Happy Friday!
My happiness knows no bounds, especially on a Happy Friday!
Pinch Bum Day
I always chuckle when I add this holiday. May 29,
also known as Pinch-Bum Day, to commemorate the return of
Charles II to London on that date in 1660. Those who did not
wear oak leaves could be pinched. Our ancestors were clearly
over-fond of this form of retribution, but at least women could
do it to men, too.
Electronic Spam
Spam is shoulder pork and ham and is also unsolicited junk
email. Eighty six percent of the world's email traffic is spam.
That amounts to more than 400 billion messages sent a day,
according to a report by Cisco Systems.
One way to eliminate spam might be for all of us to reply to the spammer with a copy of the email. When they get 400 billion messages back, they may just understand what we deal with every day. Oh, delete your signature line, but do not worry that they will get your email address. Obviously they already have it.
One way to eliminate spam might be for all of us to reply to the spammer with a copy of the email. When they get 400 billion messages back, they may just understand what we deal with every day. Oh, delete your signature line, but do not worry that they will get your email address. Obviously they already have it.
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
It is part of Appalachian Mountains, Canada, and France.
The Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French: Collectivité Territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) is an overseas collectivity of France located in the North Atlantic Ocean about 30 kilometers (19 mi) south of the Canadian Island of Newfoundland. It comprises a group of small islands, the main ones being Saint Pierre and Miquelon located in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the center of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic, 25 kilometers (16 mi) southwest of Newfoundland.
The archipelago is composed of eight islands, totaling 242 square kilometers (93 sq mi), and of which only two are inhabited. The islands are bare and rocky, with steep coasts, and only a thin layer of peat to soften the hard landscape. It is geologically part of the northeastern end of the Appalachian Mountains along with Newfoundland.
Saint Pierre Island, whose area is smaller, 26 square kilometers (10 sq mi), is the most populous and the commercial and administrative center of the archipelago. A new airport, Saint-Pierre Airport, has been in operation since 1999 and is capable of accommodating long-haul flights from France.
Miquelon-Langlade, the largest island, is composed of two islands, Miquelon Island (also called Grande Miquelon), 110 square kilometers (42 sq mi), connected to Langlade Island (Petite Miquelon), 91 square kilometres (35 sq mi), by the Dune de Langlade, a 10-kilometre (6.2 mi) long sandy split. A storm had severed them in the 18th century, separating the two islands for several decades, before currents reconstructed the isthmus. The waters between Langlade and Saint-Pierre were called "the Mouth of Hell" until about 1900, as more than 600 shipwrecks have been recorded in that point.
The official currency is the Euro, but the Canadian dollar is also widely accepted. The islands issue their own stamps. The inhabitants have French citizenship, speak French and their customs and traditions are similar to the ones found in metropolitan France.
The total population of the islands at the January 2011 census was 6,080, of which 5,456 lived in Saint-Pierre and 624 in Miquelon-Langlade.
French overseas collectivities like the French regions, are first-order administrative divisions of France. Other collectivities of France include, the Islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy, (Atlantic Ocean) Reunion island, Mayotte, the French Southern, and Antarctic Lands (Indian Ocean) French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna (Pacific Ocean).
The Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French: Collectivité Territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) is an overseas collectivity of France located in the North Atlantic Ocean about 30 kilometers (19 mi) south of the Canadian Island of Newfoundland. It comprises a group of small islands, the main ones being Saint Pierre and Miquelon located in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the center of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic, 25 kilometers (16 mi) southwest of Newfoundland.
The archipelago is composed of eight islands, totaling 242 square kilometers (93 sq mi), and of which only two are inhabited. The islands are bare and rocky, with steep coasts, and only a thin layer of peat to soften the hard landscape. It is geologically part of the northeastern end of the Appalachian Mountains along with Newfoundland.
Saint Pierre Island, whose area is smaller, 26 square kilometers (10 sq mi), is the most populous and the commercial and administrative center of the archipelago. A new airport, Saint-Pierre Airport, has been in operation since 1999 and is capable of accommodating long-haul flights from France.
Miquelon-Langlade, the largest island, is composed of two islands, Miquelon Island (also called Grande Miquelon), 110 square kilometers (42 sq mi), connected to Langlade Island (Petite Miquelon), 91 square kilometres (35 sq mi), by the Dune de Langlade, a 10-kilometre (6.2 mi) long sandy split. A storm had severed them in the 18th century, separating the two islands for several decades, before currents reconstructed the isthmus. The waters between Langlade and Saint-Pierre were called "the Mouth of Hell" until about 1900, as more than 600 shipwrecks have been recorded in that point.
The official currency is the Euro, but the Canadian dollar is also widely accepted. The islands issue their own stamps. The inhabitants have French citizenship, speak French and their customs and traditions are similar to the ones found in metropolitan France.
The total population of the islands at the January 2011 census was 6,080, of which 5,456 lived in Saint-Pierre and 624 in Miquelon-Langlade.
French overseas collectivities like the French regions, are first-order administrative divisions of France. Other collectivities of France include, the Islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy, (Atlantic Ocean) Reunion island, Mayotte, the French Southern, and Antarctic Lands (Indian Ocean) French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna (Pacific Ocean).
Chocolate Diamonds
Another way jewelers have found to separate people from their
money. Chocolate diamonds are brown diamonds. These are the most
common diamonds, and up until the ad campaign, they were almost
worthless. However, with a bit of rebranding, they are now being
sold for the same price as other diamonds.
For every carat of diamond that is mined, 1,750 tons of rock needs to be mined and discarded.
For every carat of diamond that is mined, 1,750 tons of rock needs to be mined and discarded.
Night Vision
The first practical night vision devices were developed in
Germany in the mid-1930s. Night vision goggles are usually
green, because people can see more shades of green than other
colors. Because the eye is most sensitive to light wavelengths
nearer green, the display can be a little dimmer, which
conserves battery power.
Photons that hit the lens at the front of night vision goggles are carrying light of all colors, but when they are converted to electrons, there is no way to preserve that information. Effectively, the incoming, colored light is turned into black and white. It is also easier to look at green screens for long periods than to look at black and white ones. That is also why early computer screens were mostly green.
Photons that hit the lens at the front of night vision goggles are carrying light of all colors, but when they are converted to electrons, there is no way to preserve that information. Effectively, the incoming, colored light is turned into black and white. It is also easier to look at green screens for long periods than to look at black and white ones. That is also why early computer screens were mostly green.
YouTube Facts
During 2012, YouTube was watched 700 billion times, and 99% of
the views were of only 30% of the videos.
During 2017 - Amount of content YouTube users watch annually:
46,000 years worth of content are watched annually,
One billion hours are watched per day,
400 hours of video are loaded each minute.
During 2017 - Amount of content YouTube users watch annually:
46,000 years worth of content are watched annually,
One billion hours are watched per day,
400 hours of video are loaded each minute.
May 19, 2017
Happy Friday
"As a well-spent day
brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death."
~Leonardo Da Vinci
Happy days are always well-spent days, especially on a Happy Friday!
Happy days are always well-spent days, especially on a Happy Friday!
21 Gun Salute
The origin of gun salutes is usually attributed to soldiers or
other armed types demonstrated peaceful intentions by placing
their weapons in a position that rendered them ineffective. As
cannons and small arms came into use, a good way to render them
ineffective and demonstrating peaceful intentions, was to fire
them, as reloading was a real pain. At sea, seven shots became
the norm, probably because of superstition and mysticism about
the number seven. On land, with a less limited supply of
gunpowder, they could fire three guns for every one shot from a
ship, so a salute from a ship of seven guns would be answered by
a salute from the shore batteries of 21 guns. When gunpowder
technology and storage improved, ships at sea adopted the salute
of 21 guns.
There is a complex protocol for salutes. Twenty one guns are only used to salute a national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and anyone who has ever been elected President of the US. A vice-president, speaker of the house, American or foreign ambassador, a premier or prime minister (unless sovereign), chief justice, cabinet member, state governor, secretary or ranking general of a branch of the armed forces, and president pro tem of the senate all receive 19 gun salutes on entering. Generals, admirals, the assistant secretary of defense, and chairpersons of House committees receive 17. There are 15, 13, and 11 gun salutes for people of descending rank, both military and civilian.
For a full-honor funeral at Arlington, a President gets 21 guns. A secretary of defense, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or other military officer given command over multiple branches of the service receives 19. Seventeen guns are fired for a four-star general, 15 for a three-star, 13 for a two-star, and 11 for a one-star.
There is a complex protocol for salutes. Twenty one guns are only used to salute a national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and anyone who has ever been elected President of the US. A vice-president, speaker of the house, American or foreign ambassador, a premier or prime minister (unless sovereign), chief justice, cabinet member, state governor, secretary or ranking general of a branch of the armed forces, and president pro tem of the senate all receive 19 gun salutes on entering. Generals, admirals, the assistant secretary of defense, and chairpersons of House committees receive 17. There are 15, 13, and 11 gun salutes for people of descending rank, both military and civilian.
For a full-honor funeral at Arlington, a President gets 21 guns. A secretary of defense, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or other military officer given command over multiple branches of the service receives 19. Seventeen guns are fired for a four-star general, 15 for a three-star, 13 for a two-star, and 11 for a one-star.
Taco Bell Beef
Taco Bell 'meat' is made up of 36 percent beef. The other 64
percent includes: water, isolated oat product, wheat oats, soy
lecithin, maltodrextrin, anti-dusting agent, autolyzed yeast
extract, modified corn starch and sodium phosphate, as well as
beef and seasonings.
Two Amazing Costco Facts
Costco sells over 100 million hot dogs a year,
according to the Daily Meal. That is more than all the major
league baseball parks combined sell in an entire season. I
also think they are better dogs than sold in many of the
stadiums, and they are cheaper.
It is also one of the largest pizza chains in the US.
It is also one of the largest pizza chains in the US.
Natural Foods
Natural is a broad term used to describe products that are
minimally processed, and free of synthetic dyes, coloring,
flavorings and preservatives. Products labeled “natural” can
still contain fructose corn syrup and GMOs. The term is largely
unregulated by the USDA. Even meat, poultry, and egg products
can still have antibiotics and growth hormones, and can be fed
on GMO feed. The US FDA has not developed a definition for use
of the term natural or its derivatives.
The USDA says, claims indicating that a product is natural food, such as “natural chili” or “chili - a natural product” would be unacceptable for a product containing beet powder which artificially colors the finished product. However, “all natural ingredients” might be an acceptable claim for such a product.
The UK FSA guidance states: "The term ‘natural’ without qualification should be used ... to describe single foods, of a traditional nature, to which nothing has been added and which have been subjected only to such processing as to render them suitable for human consumption."
Natural or all natural labels are more marketing than fact based. Naturally, this is all unnatural label mumbo jumbo that means little, but makes us feel good.
The USDA says, claims indicating that a product is natural food, such as “natural chili” or “chili - a natural product” would be unacceptable for a product containing beet powder which artificially colors the finished product. However, “all natural ingredients” might be an acceptable claim for such a product.
The UK FSA guidance states: "The term ‘natural’ without qualification should be used ... to describe single foods, of a traditional nature, to which nothing has been added and which have been subjected only to such processing as to render them suitable for human consumption."
Natural or all natural labels are more marketing than fact based. Naturally, this is all unnatural label mumbo jumbo that means little, but makes us feel good.
Divorce Rate
Just read that 67% of second marriages and 73% of third
marriages end in divorce. The average divorce rate for first
marriages is about 41% in the United States, and the divorce
rate figures have been declining.
YouTube Tips
Here are a few YouTube keyboard shortcuts to increase your
viewing pleasure.
K = pause or play
J = rewind 10 seconds
L = fast forward 10 seconds
M = turn off the sound
Number 0 = jump to the start of the video
Numbers 1 to 9 = jump to between 10% and 90% of the way through the video.
Find your favorite artist’s page - type # + the artist’s name (without spaces) in the search bar.
To use theater or full screen mode, click on the small rectangle or the open box next to it in the lower right corner of the video.
To change the speed of a video, click on the gear symbol in the lower right corner of any video.
K = pause or play
J = rewind 10 seconds
L = fast forward 10 seconds
M = turn off the sound
Number 0 = jump to the start of the video
Numbers 1 to 9 = jump to between 10% and 90% of the way through the video.
Find your favorite artist’s page - type # + the artist’s name (without spaces) in the search bar.
To use theater or full screen mode, click on the small rectangle or the open box next to it in the lower right corner of the video.
To change the speed of a video, click on the gear symbol in the lower right corner of any video.
Thomas Edison Phonograph
This was written during 1877 about his
phonograph. The same might be said about social apps and smart
phones today.
“He has been addicted to electricity for many years,” the phonograph, with its ability to record speech, “will eventually destroy all confidence between man and man.”
Another paper of the time outlined ways phonographic technology might go wrong: greedy thieves might trick elderly millionaires into vocally amending their wills; sketchy neighbors might use opera recordings to lure women out of their homes; and wives might frighten their husbands out of sleep by playing a tape that yells “POLICE! FIRE!” over and over again. Editorial fear-mongering has not changed much during the past 140 years.
“He has been addicted to electricity for many years,” the phonograph, with its ability to record speech, “will eventually destroy all confidence between man and man.”
Another paper of the time outlined ways phonographic technology might go wrong: greedy thieves might trick elderly millionaires into vocally amending their wills; sketchy neighbors might use opera recordings to lure women out of their homes; and wives might frighten their husbands out of sleep by playing a tape that yells “POLICE! FIRE!” over and over again. Editorial fear-mongering has not changed much during the past 140 years.
What is DLNA
TVs and many devices usually include DLNA as one of the
features. For most of us, it is unimportant and we do not even
know what it means. Since it is a standard, manufacturers and
stores to not use it as a selling point, because almost all
devices have the feature.
DLNA stands for Digital Living Network Alliance, the trade group founded by Sony in 2003 to define the interoperability guidelines.
It separates multimedia devices into 10 certified classes subdivided into three broad categories: Home Network Devices (PCs, TVs, AV receivers, game consoles), Mobile Handheld Devices (smartphones, tablets, digital cameras), and Home Infrastructure Devices (routers and hubs). All DLNA-certified devices use Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) to discover and talk to each other on the network.
DLNA stands for Digital Living Network Alliance, the trade group founded by Sony in 2003 to define the interoperability guidelines.
It separates multimedia devices into 10 certified classes subdivided into three broad categories: Home Network Devices (PCs, TVs, AV receivers, game consoles), Mobile Handheld Devices (smartphones, tablets, digital cameras), and Home Infrastructure Devices (routers and hubs). All DLNA-certified devices use Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) to discover and talk to each other on the network.
May 12, 2017
Happy Friday
Family and friends are not our whole life, but make our lives
whole.
Family and friends always make my life whole, especially on a Happy Friday!
Family and friends always make my life whole, especially on a Happy Friday!
National Limerick Day
It is observed annually on May 12 and celebrates the
birthday of English artist, illustrator, author, and poet Edward
Lear. He is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry,
prose, and limericks.
National Limerick Day also celebrates the limerick poem, a very short, humorous, nonsense poem. Within a limerick, there are five lines. The first two lines rhyme with the fifth line and the third and fourth line rhyme together. The first, second, and fifth lines must have seven to ten syllables while rhyming and having the same verbal rhythm. The third and fourth lines only have to have five to seven syllables, and have to rhyme with each other and have the same rhythm. The limerick also has a particular rhythm which is officially described as anapestic trimeter
A limerick example of a nursery rhyme.
“Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
And down he run,
Hickory, dickory, dock.”
There once was a man named Lodge,
who had seat belts installed in his Dodge.
When his date was strapped in,
He committed a sin,
without ever leaving the garage.
National Limerick Day also celebrates the limerick poem, a very short, humorous, nonsense poem. Within a limerick, there are five lines. The first two lines rhyme with the fifth line and the third and fourth line rhyme together. The first, second, and fifth lines must have seven to ten syllables while rhyming and having the same verbal rhythm. The third and fourth lines only have to have five to seven syllables, and have to rhyme with each other and have the same rhythm. The limerick also has a particular rhythm which is officially described as anapestic trimeter
A limerick example of a nursery rhyme.
“Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
And down he run,
Hickory, dickory, dock.”
There once was a man named Lodge,
who had seat belts installed in his Dodge.
When his date was strapped in,
He committed a sin,
without ever leaving the garage.
A
bather whose clothing was strewed
By winds that left her quite nude
Saw a man come along
And unless I am wrong
You expected this line to be lewd.
By winds that left her quite nude
Saw a man come along
And unless I am wrong
You expected this line to be lewd.
Mother's Day
In the US, Mother's Day is celebrated May
14. In the UK, Mothering Day was celebrated March 26, where it
is always celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, three weeks
before Easter Sunday.
Anna Jarvis had originally conceived of Mother's Day as a day of personal celebration between mothers and families. During 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day in the US. It wasn’t to celebrate all mothers. It was to celebrate the best mother you have ever known, your mother.
The day took off in Britain when a vicar's daughter, Constance Smith was inspired by a newspaper report of Jarvis' campaign and began a push for the day to be officially marked in England. Smith founded the Mothering Sunday Movement and even wrote a booklet, "The Revival of Mothering Sunday" in 1920. Interestingly, neither Smith nor Jarvis became mother’s themselves.
The French celebrate Mother's Day on the last Sunday in May. Mother’s Day in Spain is celebrated on December 8th.
Anna Jarvis had originally conceived of Mother's Day as a day of personal celebration between mothers and families. During 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day in the US. It wasn’t to celebrate all mothers. It was to celebrate the best mother you have ever known, your mother.
The day took off in Britain when a vicar's daughter, Constance Smith was inspired by a newspaper report of Jarvis' campaign and began a push for the day to be officially marked in England. Smith founded the Mothering Sunday Movement and even wrote a booklet, "The Revival of Mothering Sunday" in 1920. Interestingly, neither Smith nor Jarvis became mother’s themselves.
The French celebrate Mother's Day on the last Sunday in May. Mother’s Day in Spain is celebrated on December 8th.
Wordology, Donnybrook
A donnybrook is a free-for-all or brawl and is usually a public quarrel or dispute. Usage of the word stems from history of a place in Ireland. The word donnybrook comes from Domhnach Broc, meaning 'The Church of Saint Broc'. A donnybrook is larger than a fight, but smaller than a brouhaha or hubbub.
The Donnybrook Fair was an annual eight to fourteen day event held in Donnybrook, Ireland from the 1200s to the mid 1800s. The fair was legendary for the vast quantities of liquor consumed, the number of hasty marriages performed during the week following it, and for the frequent brawls that erupted throughout it. From the 1790s on there were campaigns against the drunken brawl the fair had become. The event was abolished in 1855, but not before its name had become a generic term for a free-for-all.
Incidentally, there is an annual Donnybrook Fair held in Walsh, Ontario, Canada named after the Dublin fair.
The Donnybrook Fair was an annual eight to fourteen day event held in Donnybrook, Ireland from the 1200s to the mid 1800s. The fair was legendary for the vast quantities of liquor consumed, the number of hasty marriages performed during the week following it, and for the frequent brawls that erupted throughout it. From the 1790s on there were campaigns against the drunken brawl the fair had become. The event was abolished in 1855, but not before its name had become a generic term for a free-for-all.
Incidentally, there is an annual Donnybrook Fair held in Walsh, Ontario, Canada named after the Dublin fair.
Five Time Tips for Success
Planning for success is
necessary for achieving success. Remember the old adage,
"Failure to plan means planning for failure." Here are a few
tips that might help increase your chances for success.
Take time at the beginning of each day tо рlаn your dау. If you do not know what you are going to do, you will never know if you achieved it.
Create your ToDo list with A,B,C priorities, with A being most important to you. Spend Eighty percent of your time on A items, fifteen percent of your time on B items, and the remainder on C items. If you do this each day, you can satisfy your own needs as well as others, but with the proper priority for your own success.
Take time before еvеrу call аnd tаѕk tо dесіdе what rеѕult you desire. Define success and you can achieve it. When on the phone smile, it will do wonders for your attitude.
Do not answer the phone, email, or text just because they happen. I call this letting others steal your time. In order to be the most productive, schedule time to put phone in airline mode and shut down email and text. When you are ready for others, turn them back on and answer with your priorities, not others'.
Every day, compliment at least one person. Also, try to smile at people more often. An engaging smile is a precursor to success.
Take time at the beginning of each day tо рlаn your dау. If you do not know what you are going to do, you will never know if you achieved it.
Create your ToDo list with A,B,C priorities, with A being most important to you. Spend Eighty percent of your time on A items, fifteen percent of your time on B items, and the remainder on C items. If you do this each day, you can satisfy your own needs as well as others, but with the proper priority for your own success.
Take time before еvеrу call аnd tаѕk tо dесіdе what rеѕult you desire. Define success and you can achieve it. When on the phone smile, it will do wonders for your attitude.
Do not answer the phone, email, or text just because they happen. I call this letting others steal your time. In order to be the most productive, schedule time to put phone in airline mode and shut down email and text. When you are ready for others, turn them back on and answer with your priorities, not others'.
Every day, compliment at least one person. Also, try to smile at people more often. An engaging smile is a precursor to success.
Quote
Someone on the web made a picture for one of my
quotes. In fact I found at least 12 sites that have reposted
this quote.
HDMI Cable Facts
So, you bought a new 4k TV and the salesperson is trying to
sell you new whizbang goochi goochi 4k, or Ultra HDMI, or HDMI-2
cables to handle the new high speeds. Do not listen. It is a
scam to increase store profit.
It is important to understand that HDMI cables are pipes, just like water pipes. Liquid goes in liquid comes out. The pipe does not care whether it is water or soda or rum. In HDMI cables, data goes in and data comes out. No decisions are made, nothing is done to the data, it simply passes through the cable. The cable does not care what type of data it is.
A quote from HDMI.org: "Version 2.0 of the HDMI Specification does not define new cables or new connectors. Current High Speed cables (category 2 cables) are capable of carrying the increased bandwidth."
By definition, HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. There have been two HDMI cable standards, standard and high speed. Standard HDMI cables have been out of date since about 2010, but still support devices up to 1080. High speed cables support everything, including 4k, etc. They do not care whether the signal is standard, HDR, 4K, ULTRA, HDMI1, or HDMI2. HDMI cables are marked on the package and on the cable, so just avoid cables marked "standard" and you will be fine for 4K.
Gold ends, fancy cord wrapping, etc., are pretty, but not important for delivering signals to the TV. Manufacturing quality may have some slight affect and might not last long if abused. Of course, when was the last time you abused your cables. You plug them in, hide them behind the TV and forget about them.
The difference in cable quality does matter when you buy longer lengths. Usually HDMI cables are less than about 9 feet in length. If you want to string a 50 foot HDMI cable to a different part of the house, then quality is important, so the signal is not lost along the length. It still has nothing to do HDR, 4K, etc., it is simply manufacturing quality and potential signal loss.
Incidentally, there is a new standard coming out toward the end of 2017 called HDBaseT. The HDBaseT cable combines audio and video signals, USB, network, and even power into one single cable and is set to replace HDMI in the long run. It will be in the next generation devices, but that will likely take years.
It is important to understand that HDMI cables are pipes, just like water pipes. Liquid goes in liquid comes out. The pipe does not care whether it is water or soda or rum. In HDMI cables, data goes in and data comes out. No decisions are made, nothing is done to the data, it simply passes through the cable. The cable does not care what type of data it is.
A quote from HDMI.org: "Version 2.0 of the HDMI Specification does not define new cables or new connectors. Current High Speed cables (category 2 cables) are capable of carrying the increased bandwidth."
By definition, HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. There have been two HDMI cable standards, standard and high speed. Standard HDMI cables have been out of date since about 2010, but still support devices up to 1080. High speed cables support everything, including 4k, etc. They do not care whether the signal is standard, HDR, 4K, ULTRA, HDMI1, or HDMI2. HDMI cables are marked on the package and on the cable, so just avoid cables marked "standard" and you will be fine for 4K.
Gold ends, fancy cord wrapping, etc., are pretty, but not important for delivering signals to the TV. Manufacturing quality may have some slight affect and might not last long if abused. Of course, when was the last time you abused your cables. You plug them in, hide them behind the TV and forget about them.
The difference in cable quality does matter when you buy longer lengths. Usually HDMI cables are less than about 9 feet in length. If you want to string a 50 foot HDMI cable to a different part of the house, then quality is important, so the signal is not lost along the length. It still has nothing to do HDR, 4K, etc., it is simply manufacturing quality and potential signal loss.
Incidentally, there is a new standard coming out toward the end of 2017 called HDBaseT. The HDBaseT cable combines audio and video signals, USB, network, and even power into one single cable and is set to replace HDMI in the long run. It will be in the next generation devices, but that will likely take years.
Pay TV Dropout Rate
Over 750,000 American
households ditched pay TV during the first quarter of 2017.
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