I've been collecting a number of these "hmmm, that's interesting" one liners: For a light Friday, I think this is a good opportunity to start to spread them out:
Food:
It takes approximately 2 million flowers worth of nectar to produce a pound of honey.
Music:
Axl Rose's real name is William Bailey (per the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). I'd change it too if I was going into show bizness - already too many of them out there.
Frank Sinatra had a record label (Reprise Records)who - even though he swore it would not be a home to "rock and roll" signed a variety of such performers including Barenaked Ladies and Eric Clapton.
Movies:
John Wayne holds the record for the most leading roles by one actor (142). However, most films/movies is still up for discussion.
Sports:
The player who holds the record for breaking up the most perfect games with homeruns is Ricky Henderson (This is a great "trick" question, since every baseball game is a perfect game when it starts. His homers were all in the leadoff position where this question is concerned).
General Knowledge:
"A pint is a pound the world around" Refers to the weight of water by volume.
Cram that in your Cranium.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Congrats Arizona and the Dept of Commerce & Labor
Well, it's February 14th again. That "Hallmark Holiday." The "American Greetings Anniversary." While it's not as manufactured (in my opinion) as it's September Counterpart, Valentines Day is not what I would call an authentic holiday. My standards include things like:
1903 US Dept of Commerce & Labor established
1912 Arizona becomes 48th state
So Happy times to all you non-conformity fans out there.
- Do I get a day off work
- Is there a big meal involved
- Does it tend to bring a large group of people together
- Is there historical/religious/political significance to the day
If I get to 3 or more yeses out of that list. I count it. Today... not so much.
My wife and I don't celebrate the day in what would be called the "typical fashion." Now that we have small children, that is likely to change in the very near future. However we will continue to live in our dream world of mini-pseudo-antidisestablishmentarianism. (I've always wanted to use that in an actual conversation). We do so by celebrating non-traditional events or holidays on this 14th day of February.
Here's a good site where you can find historical events on any given holiday. Today my two favorites (per today's title) are as follows.
1903 US Dept of Commerce & Labor established
1912 Arizona becomes 48th state
So Happy times to all you non-conformity fans out there.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Six Degrees of Brubaker, the Movie Trivia Maker
I was flipping through channels this weekend and came across the movie Brubaker starring Robert Redford (among others). It's a veritable 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon jackpot. Whenever I get a really good story that has that aire of believability, I try to find out if it's a real story.
Per Yahoo answers: Yepper!
"Based on the real-life efforts of former prison administrator Thomas O. Murton to reform Tucker and Cummins Prison Farms in Arkansas in 1967-68. Murton served as a technical advisor for the film." - Thanks Mamaontherun!
My next question: Was this the origin on the slow crowd clap to end a movie? Can anyone find an earlier example?
I added this piece of knowledge to my general movie trivia knowledge. Speaking of which: I've started getting involved more in Facebook as I get up to speed on the new social media phenomenon. Apparently, I'm a freakin movie trivia genius. (Hold your applause ; ). Seriously though, this Neverending Movie Trivia application is seriously addictive. And so far only about 5 million people are better at it than me. I've already left about 3.9 million people in the dust in the matter of about 2 days... Much better than my last marathon showing.
Per Yahoo answers: Yepper!
"Based on the real-life efforts of former prison administrator Thomas O. Murton to reform Tucker and Cummins Prison Farms in Arkansas in 1967-68. Murton served as a technical advisor for the film." - Thanks Mamaontherun!
My next question: Was this the origin on the slow crowd clap to end a movie? Can anyone find an earlier example?
I added this piece of knowledge to my general movie trivia knowledge. Speaking of which: I've started getting involved more in Facebook as I get up to speed on the new social media phenomenon. Apparently, I'm a freakin movie trivia genius. (Hold your applause ; ). Seriously though, this Neverending Movie Trivia application is seriously addictive. And so far only about 5 million people are better at it than me. I've already left about 3.9 million people in the dust in the matter of about 2 days... Much better than my last marathon showing.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Handicapping Horse Races
Most mornings my drive to work takes me past Northfield Park in Cleveland. They flash things up on their signage like "Santa Anita Handicapping Competition."
Now, I understand the concept. Handicapping is the process of "assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning." Ok, so what goes into that process?
Here's where it gets interesting - just about everything (thanks Wiki):
"Horse racing
An impost is the weight that must be carried by a horse in a race. Horses carry lead weights during the course of a race as a form of handicap. Such a race is also sometimes termed a "handicap." These weights supplement a jockey's weight to give a horse his assigned impost. The jockeys use saddle pads with pockets called lead pads to hold the lead weights.
These riding weights are assigned by the racing secretary based on factors such as performances, distance so as to equalize the chances of the competitors.
The weight for age scale was introduced by Admiral Rous, a steward of the Jockey Club. In 1855 he was appointed public handicapper. In that role he introduced the weight for age scale.
Predicting the outcome of races: Thoroughbred handicapping is the art of predicting horses who have the greatest chance of winning a race, and profiting from these predictions at the horse races. The Daily Racing Form (DRF), a newspaper-style publication, is an important tool of the handicapper or horseplayer. The DRF details statistical information about each horse entered in a race, including detailed past performance results, lifetime records, amount of money earned, odds for the particular horse in each past race, and a myriad of other information available for casual or serious study.
The handicapping process can be simple or complex but usually includes the following elements prior to the race:
1) Study of the Daily Racing Form
2) Observing the horses’ body language and behaviour in the paddock and/or post parade, in particular, its ears and tail. Ears should work together and look forward or backward. The tail should be "quiet." A swishing tail indicates something is bothering the horse.
3) Watching the tote board for the changing odds of each horse and thus for clues about how the betting public views a horse’s chances of winning the upcoming race
“Trip Handicapping” takes place during the race and involves watching the horses (usually with binoculars) and noting relevant information about how a horse runs during that race.
Handicapping theory is possibly one of the most enigmatic theories in all of sports.[citation needed] Horseplayers consider the following elements when handicapping a horse race:
Speed Those horses who run the fastest, win the most races. The DRF lists times at certain call points of each race, and the lengths back from the lead at each call point. Speed handicappers compare race times to help ascertain which horses will most likely win the race. The DRF now contains a numerical summation of the speed that each horse ran in every race, called a Beyer speed figure. This number is generated through a method developed by Andrew Beyer, and described in his 1975 book Picking Winners. The Beyer speed figures takes into account the individual class of a race as well as how the racetrack was playing on a particular day to create an aggregate number for each horse. The basic error behind this approach is that the sample size each day which is used to create the track variant for the speed figure is very small, and hence subject to massive errors in standard deviation. For example, there may be only one turf (grass) race on a given day, and the Beyer system has to extract a variant for that race from a sample of one.
Pace Pace is probably the single most important factor in determining the outcome of a race. Pace handicappers classify each horse’s running style (i.e. front runner, stalker, presser, closer) and then find contenders based on the predicted pace of today’s race. The difficulty is that the jockey has control over where a horse is placed in a race and how fast that race goes in the early stages. This takes the prediction of pace for a given race out of the realm of mathematics and into the realm of mere speculation.
Pace Handicapping In horseracing, until 1995, for pace handicapping purposes, the time generally allotted by pace handicappers for a horse to run a length (approximately 11 feet) during the course of a race was long thought to be a fifth of a second. This long held misconception was turned on its head by the works of Gonzalo Sandoval via his research into the internal fractions of thousands of Thoroughbred horse races. The resultant formulas and algorithms are what comprise his subsequent empirical pace handicapping work called REXPOINTE Pace Handicapping. This method of pace handicapping is used by many fans of the Sport of Kings.
Form Those horses who looked “sharp” in their past race or past few races, win the most races. A sharp horse could have finished strongly, stayed among the leaders, finished “in the money” (1st, 2nd or 3rd) or recovered from a bad racing trip. Likewise, a horse showed dull form if it gave up, looked sluggish or chased the pack. Horses with sharp form have the lowest odds and hence return the least money per bet. Also, often horses will race off a "layoff." A layoff is a rest varying in length from usually two months to a year or more. In this case, workouts, horse appearance, and trainer patterns are the best guides to whether the horse is ready to run after a rest.
Class Horse races occur at different levels of competition. Generally, high caliber horses are entered in races with other high caliber horses and slower horses are entered in races with other slower horses. But a horse can move up or down in class, depending on where the trainer decided to enter the horse based on the results of its last race. Note that the strength of the same class of race, such as a Maiden Special Weight race, will vary greatly from track to track, as well as from race to race at the same track, making this too an inexact determinant of class.
Post Position The horse nearer the inside of a race track will have a shorter distance to run than a horse on the outside track, although it is also more vulnerable to being cut off by horses that start off faster and head to the inside rail.
Other Factors Other factors affecting the outcome of a race are track condition, weather, weight that the horses have to carry, daily bias of the racing surface, and many more factors that the handicapper cannot know."
Now, I understand the concept. Handicapping is the process of "assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning." Ok, so what goes into that process?
Here's where it gets interesting - just about everything (thanks Wiki):
"Horse racing
An impost is the weight that must be carried by a horse in a race. Horses carry lead weights during the course of a race as a form of handicap. Such a race is also sometimes termed a "handicap." These weights supplement a jockey's weight to give a horse his assigned impost. The jockeys use saddle pads with pockets called lead pads to hold the lead weights.
These riding weights are assigned by the racing secretary based on factors such as performances, distance so as to equalize the chances of the competitors.
The weight for age scale was introduced by Admiral Rous, a steward of the Jockey Club. In 1855 he was appointed public handicapper. In that role he introduced the weight for age scale.
Predicting the outcome of races: Thoroughbred handicapping is the art of predicting horses who have the greatest chance of winning a race, and profiting from these predictions at the horse races. The Daily Racing Form (DRF), a newspaper-style publication, is an important tool of the handicapper or horseplayer. The DRF details statistical information about each horse entered in a race, including detailed past performance results, lifetime records, amount of money earned, odds for the particular horse in each past race, and a myriad of other information available for casual or serious study.
The handicapping process can be simple or complex but usually includes the following elements prior to the race:
1) Study of the Daily Racing Form
2) Observing the horses’ body language and behaviour in the paddock and/or post parade, in particular, its ears and tail. Ears should work together and look forward or backward. The tail should be "quiet." A swishing tail indicates something is bothering the horse.
3) Watching the tote board for the changing odds of each horse and thus for clues about how the betting public views a horse’s chances of winning the upcoming race
“Trip Handicapping” takes place during the race and involves watching the horses (usually with binoculars) and noting relevant information about how a horse runs during that race.
Handicapping theory is possibly one of the most enigmatic theories in all of sports.[citation needed] Horseplayers consider the following elements when handicapping a horse race:
Speed Those horses who run the fastest, win the most races. The DRF lists times at certain call points of each race, and the lengths back from the lead at each call point. Speed handicappers compare race times to help ascertain which horses will most likely win the race. The DRF now contains a numerical summation of the speed that each horse ran in every race, called a Beyer speed figure. This number is generated through a method developed by Andrew Beyer, and described in his 1975 book Picking Winners. The Beyer speed figures takes into account the individual class of a race as well as how the racetrack was playing on a particular day to create an aggregate number for each horse. The basic error behind this approach is that the sample size each day which is used to create the track variant for the speed figure is very small, and hence subject to massive errors in standard deviation. For example, there may be only one turf (grass) race on a given day, and the Beyer system has to extract a variant for that race from a sample of one.
Pace Pace is probably the single most important factor in determining the outcome of a race. Pace handicappers classify each horse’s running style (i.e. front runner, stalker, presser, closer) and then find contenders based on the predicted pace of today’s race. The difficulty is that the jockey has control over where a horse is placed in a race and how fast that race goes in the early stages. This takes the prediction of pace for a given race out of the realm of mathematics and into the realm of mere speculation.
Pace Handicapping In horseracing, until 1995, for pace handicapping purposes, the time generally allotted by pace handicappers for a horse to run a length (approximately 11 feet) during the course of a race was long thought to be a fifth of a second. This long held misconception was turned on its head by the works of Gonzalo Sandoval via his research into the internal fractions of thousands of Thoroughbred horse races. The resultant formulas and algorithms are what comprise his subsequent empirical pace handicapping work called REXPOINTE Pace Handicapping. This method of pace handicapping is used by many fans of the Sport of Kings.
Form Those horses who looked “sharp” in their past race or past few races, win the most races. A sharp horse could have finished strongly, stayed among the leaders, finished “in the money” (1st, 2nd or 3rd) or recovered from a bad racing trip. Likewise, a horse showed dull form if it gave up, looked sluggish or chased the pack. Horses with sharp form have the lowest odds and hence return the least money per bet. Also, often horses will race off a "layoff." A layoff is a rest varying in length from usually two months to a year or more. In this case, workouts, horse appearance, and trainer patterns are the best guides to whether the horse is ready to run after a rest.
Class Horse races occur at different levels of competition. Generally, high caliber horses are entered in races with other high caliber horses and slower horses are entered in races with other slower horses. But a horse can move up or down in class, depending on where the trainer decided to enter the horse based on the results of its last race. Note that the strength of the same class of race, such as a Maiden Special Weight race, will vary greatly from track to track, as well as from race to race at the same track, making this too an inexact determinant of class.
Post Position The horse nearer the inside of a race track will have a shorter distance to run than a horse on the outside track, although it is also more vulnerable to being cut off by horses that start off faster and head to the inside rail.
Other Factors Other factors affecting the outcome of a race are track condition, weather, weight that the horses have to carry, daily bias of the racing surface, and many more factors that the handicapper cannot know."
Monday, February 11, 2008
What Image File Format? GIF vs JPG vs PNG
I had the opportunity to sit in on a Lunch and Learn today - my office's version of a brown bag peer education program (Nicely done Chad). I love jumping into these - especially when it's something I know little to nothing about. Today's topic was about how our creative developers cut up images to turn them into individual elements to then make up an interactive webpage.
These are some seriously talented people I get to work with.
One of the conversation topics that we touched upon today was different file formats. I've done my share of Photoshop, image file manipulation, picture-save-as, etc. But I can't say that I ever really new what the difference was between them. JPG, GIF and PNG files. Lucky for me, these guys knew:
JPG (or JPEG) files:
"Short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the original name of the committee that wrote the standard. JPG is one of the image file formats supported on the Web. JPG is a lossy compression technique that is designed to compress color and grayscale continuous-tone images. The information that is discarded in the compression is information that the human eye cannot detect. JPG images support 16 million colors and are best suited for photographs and complex graphics. The user typically has to compromise on either the quality of the image or the size of the file. JPG does not work well on line drawings, lettering or simple graphics because there is not a lot of the image that can be thrown out in the lossy process, so the image loses clarity and sharpness."
GIF Files:
"Short for Graphics Interchange Format, another of the graphics formats supported by the Web. Unlike JPG, the GIF format is a lossless compression technique and it supports only 256 colors. GIF is better than JPG for images with only a few distinct colors, such as line drawings, black and white images and small text that is only a few pixels high. With an animation editor, GIF images can be put together for animated images. GIF also supports transparency, where the background color can be set to transparent in order to let the color on the underlying Web page to show through. The compression algorithm used in the GIF format is owned by Unisys, and companies that use the algorithm are supposed to license the use from Unisys."
PNG Files (this was a new one to me today):
"Short for Portable Network Graphics, the third graphics standard supported by the Web (though not supported by all browsers). PNG was developed as a patent-free answer to the GIF format but is also an improvement on the GIF technique. An image in a lossless PNG file can be 5%-25% more compressed than a GIF file of the same image. PNG builds on the idea of transparency in GIF images and allows the control of the degree of transparency, known as opacity. Saving, restoring and re-saving a PNG image will not degrade its quality. PNG does not support animation like GIF does. "
Another day, another full memory cell...
These are some seriously talented people I get to work with.
One of the conversation topics that we touched upon today was different file formats. I've done my share of Photoshop, image file manipulation, picture-save-as, etc. But I can't say that I ever really new what the difference was between them. JPG, GIF and PNG files. Lucky for me, these guys knew:
JPG (or JPEG) files:
"Short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the original name of the committee that wrote the standard. JPG is one of the image file formats supported on the Web. JPG is a lossy compression technique that is designed to compress color and grayscale continuous-tone images. The information that is discarded in the compression is information that the human eye cannot detect. JPG images support 16 million colors and are best suited for photographs and complex graphics. The user typically has to compromise on either the quality of the image or the size of the file. JPG does not work well on line drawings, lettering or simple graphics because there is not a lot of the image that can be thrown out in the lossy process, so the image loses clarity and sharpness."
GIF Files:
"Short for Graphics Interchange Format, another of the graphics formats supported by the Web. Unlike JPG, the GIF format is a lossless compression technique and it supports only 256 colors. GIF is better than JPG for images with only a few distinct colors, such as line drawings, black and white images and small text that is only a few pixels high. With an animation editor, GIF images can be put together for animated images. GIF also supports transparency, where the background color can be set to transparent in order to let the color on the underlying Web page to show through. The compression algorithm used in the GIF format is owned by Unisys, and companies that use the algorithm are supposed to license the use from Unisys."
PNG Files (this was a new one to me today):
"Short for Portable Network Graphics, the third graphics standard supported by the Web (though not supported by all browsers). PNG was developed as a patent-free answer to the GIF format but is also an improvement on the GIF technique. An image in a lossless PNG file can be 5%-25% more compressed than a GIF file of the same image. PNG builds on the idea of transparency in GIF images and allows the control of the degree of transparency, known as opacity. Saving, restoring and re-saving a PNG image will not degrade its quality. PNG does not support animation like GIF does. "
Another day, another full memory cell...
Friday, February 8, 2008
Chocolate Liquor
Now I know what you're thinking "Isn't it a bit early in the day for a drink?" First off, no, it isn't - if you're somewhere in Europe right this second.
And secondly, that's now the kind of liquor we're talkin about today. In this context, Chocolate Liquor is the stuff that makes chocolate...well... chocolaty.
It's the essence of the flavor whose concentration in what we call "chocolate" gives it that distinctive taste. For Example, the higher the percentage of Chocolate Liquor in a chocolate bar, the more bitter the taste will be:
Bitter Chocolate- 90% Chocolate Liquor
Bitter Sweet Chocolate - 35% Chocolate Liquor
Semi Sweet Chocolate- 15 - 30% Chocolate Liquor
Milk Chocolate - 10% Chocolate Liquor
White Chocolate -0% Chocolate Liquor (but contains cocoa butter)
And there's the interesting factoid for today. Technically, White chocolate should not be called "chocolate" at all, however it has cocoa butter which makes it close enough for marketing folks.
However, if you were still hoping for the first thing you thought of, here's a nice sampling of liqueurs.
And secondly, that's now the kind of liquor we're talkin about today. In this context, Chocolate Liquor is the stuff that makes chocolate...well... chocolaty.
It's the essence of the flavor whose concentration in what we call "chocolate" gives it that distinctive taste. For Example, the higher the percentage of Chocolate Liquor in a chocolate bar, the more bitter the taste will be:
Bitter Chocolate- 90% Chocolate Liquor
Bitter Sweet Chocolate - 35% Chocolate Liquor
Semi Sweet Chocolate- 15 - 30% Chocolate Liquor
Milk Chocolate - 10% Chocolate Liquor
White Chocolate -0% Chocolate Liquor (but contains cocoa butter)
And there's the interesting factoid for today. Technically, White chocolate should not be called "chocolate" at all, however it has cocoa butter which makes it close enough for marketing folks.
However, if you were still hoping for the first thing you thought of, here's a nice sampling of liqueurs.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
508 Compliance and Formula 409
It's a numbers game today. So I'm working on a couple of "where'd that come from's" today.
Let's start with 508 Compliance:
508 is the Internet's version of the Americans with Disabilities Act - making legal requirements for designs and accessibility of publicly accessible buildings back in 1990. You know, there have to be ramps into the building, elevators where needed, wider restroom stalls, braille on signs - all of those items. As far as the internet goes, there're a whole different host of potential issues, many centered on the sight and hearing impaired.
So where does the number 508 come from? It refers to the Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: per Wiki...
In 1998 the US Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. 794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.
Now for the question I know you've all been asking. Is there really a Formula 410 per the commercial? And if so, how do I get me some?
Sadly, no - at least not that you can get without a prescription or high military clearance. So why Formula 409? Per the products website:
Formula 409 didn't get it's name from the area code where it was developed. And it's not the birthdate of the creator's daughter. Formula 409 got its name from perseverance...
...A Cleaner like that doesn't get created on the first try. And in the eyes of these two persistent scientists, it doesn't get created on the 101st, 201st, 301st, or 401st try either. Only when they had created their 409th formula were these two young men satisfied that they had created the ultimate cleaner. Formula 409.
Wow - I probably would have just bought the other guy's product. But that's just me - not much for patience.
Let's start with 508 Compliance:
508 is the Internet's version of the Americans with Disabilities Act - making legal requirements for designs and accessibility of publicly accessible buildings back in 1990. You know, there have to be ramps into the building, elevators where needed, wider restroom stalls, braille on signs - all of those items. As far as the internet goes, there're a whole different host of potential issues, many centered on the sight and hearing impaired.
So where does the number 508 come from? It refers to the Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: per Wiki...
In 1998 the US Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. 794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.
Now for the question I know you've all been asking. Is there really a Formula 410 per the commercial? And if so, how do I get me some?
Sadly, no - at least not that you can get without a prescription or high military clearance. So why Formula 409? Per the products website:
Formula 409 didn't get it's name from the area code where it was developed. And it's not the birthdate of the creator's daughter. Formula 409 got its name from perseverance...
...A Cleaner like that doesn't get created on the first try. And in the eyes of these two persistent scientists, it doesn't get created on the 101st, 201st, 301st, or 401st try either. Only when they had created their 409th formula were these two young men satisfied that they had created the ultimate cleaner. Formula 409.
Wow - I probably would have just bought the other guy's product. But that's just me - not much for patience.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Super Tuesday and Mardi Gras - Together Again
Two of the more interesting days of February have once again converged their encitement to the same calendar slot.
Super Tuesday and Mardi Gras:
What's so great about them? Funny I should ask -
Super Tuesday is the nickname given to the primary voting day when the most states (24 this year) cast concurrent ballots for their state primary elections.
I'm more interested in the Democratic race as it's closer - so I checked out some results online. Of course, when I'm watching live - C-SPAN is the only place for me ; )
Why so many on the same day? Wow - I'm full of poignant questions today: Per Wikipedia -
As of February 2007, eight states were scheduled to hold primary or caucus elections on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico Democrats, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia Republicans‡.[3][8] However to increase their importance in the candidate selection process, several states moved up their contests, which some pundits criticized as being "pure self-interest."[1]
The following states have changed their elections to February 5: Alaska,[9] Arizona,[10][11] California,[8] Colorado,[10] Connecticut,[12] Georgia,[9] Idaho Democrats,[13] Illinois,[14] Kansas Democrats†,[15] Massachusetts,[16] Minnesota,[17] Montana Republicans§,[18] New Jersey,[19] New York,[20] and Tennessee.[21]
In an attempt to keep states from moving their primary or caucus elections even earlier, the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee have established penalties for states holding elections earlier than 5 February 2008.[4] As a result, the Democratic National Committee has stripped the states of Michigan and Florida of all convention delegates.[22] The Republican National Committee has reduced by half the number of convention delegates from five states: Wyoming, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, and Michigan.
What could possibly make this day more fun? Beads and Booze of course. I'm talking http://www.mardigras.com/New Orleans style Mardi Gras:
So where's the history behind it? Becky Retz of the Times Picayune drops some knowledge:
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the final day of Carnival, which begins on the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6. Also known as Kings' Day or Twelfth Night, Jan. 6 celebrates the arrival of the three kings at Jesus' birthplace, thus ending the Christmas season. And in New Orleans, simultaneously starting Carnival. This festival of fun finds its roots in various pagan celebrations of spring, dating back 5,000 years.
Pope makes it official
But it was Pope Gregory XIII who made it a Christian holiday when, in 1582, he put it on his Gregorian calendar (the 12-month one we still use today). He placed Mardi Gras on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. That way, all the debauchery would be finished when it came time to fast and pray. Much of the first part of the Carnival season is invitation-only coronation balls and supper dances hosted by private clubs known as krewes. The public portion comes to life a couple of weeks before Mardi Gras when the krewes hit the streets, staging more than 70 parades in metropolitan New Orleans. Mardi Gras arrived in North America with the LeMoyne brothers, Iberville and Bienville, in the late 17th century, when King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France's claim on the territory of Louisiana.
Well, time now for some much needed piety.
Super Tuesday and Mardi Gras:
What's so great about them? Funny I should ask -
Super Tuesday is the nickname given to the primary voting day when the most states (24 this year) cast concurrent ballots for their state primary elections.
I'm more interested in the Democratic race as it's closer - so I checked out some results online. Of course, when I'm watching live - C-SPAN is the only place for me ; )
Why so many on the same day? Wow - I'm full of poignant questions today: Per Wikipedia -
As of February 2007, eight states were scheduled to hold primary or caucus elections on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico Democrats, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia Republicans‡.[3][8] However to increase their importance in the candidate selection process, several states moved up their contests, which some pundits criticized as being "pure self-interest."[1]
The following states have changed their elections to February 5: Alaska,[9] Arizona,[10][11] California,[8] Colorado,[10] Connecticut,[12] Georgia,[9] Idaho Democrats,[13] Illinois,[14] Kansas Democrats†,[15] Massachusetts,[16] Minnesota,[17] Montana Republicans§,[18] New Jersey,[19] New York,[20] and Tennessee.[21]
In an attempt to keep states from moving their primary or caucus elections even earlier, the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee have established penalties for states holding elections earlier than 5 February 2008.[4] As a result, the Democratic National Committee has stripped the states of Michigan and Florida of all convention delegates.[22] The Republican National Committee has reduced by half the number of convention delegates from five states: Wyoming, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, and Michigan.
What could possibly make this day more fun? Beads and Booze of course. I'm talking http://www.mardigras.com/New Orleans style Mardi Gras:
So where's the history behind it? Becky Retz of the Times Picayune drops some knowledge:
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the final day of Carnival, which begins on the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6. Also known as Kings' Day or Twelfth Night, Jan. 6 celebrates the arrival of the three kings at Jesus' birthplace, thus ending the Christmas season. And in New Orleans, simultaneously starting Carnival. This festival of fun finds its roots in various pagan celebrations of spring, dating back 5,000 years.
Pope makes it official
But it was Pope Gregory XIII who made it a Christian holiday when, in 1582, he put it on his Gregorian calendar (the 12-month one we still use today). He placed Mardi Gras on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. That way, all the debauchery would be finished when it came time to fast and pray. Much of the first part of the Carnival season is invitation-only coronation balls and supper dances hosted by private clubs known as krewes. The public portion comes to life a couple of weeks before Mardi Gras when the krewes hit the streets, staging more than 70 parades in metropolitan New Orleans. Mardi Gras arrived in North America with the LeMoyne brothers, Iberville and Bienville, in the late 17th century, when King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France's claim on the territory of Louisiana.
Well, time now for some much needed piety.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
February is Mustache History Month
Really? There's a month devoted to the upper lip warmer? Not sure I believe my buddies on this one, but I did some digging. And as part of that investigation, I ran across the AMI. The American Mustache Institute. No joke. They give a full rundown on the various styles which I reproduce here due to their obvious authority on the subject - they're an entire Institute for cryin out loud...
"...Dali - narrow, long points bent or curved steeply upward; areas past the corner of the mouth must be shaved. Artificial styling aids needed. Named after Salvador Dalí who was known to sport such a style later in his life and featured in the short-lived Broadway play “Hello, Dali!” starring Gene Shalit in the lead.
English - narrow, beginning at the middle of the upper lip the whiskers are very long and pulled to the side, slightly curled; the ends are pointed slightly upward; areas past the corner of the mouth usually shaved. Artificial styling may be needed, especially if you are, actually, English.
Fu Manchu - long, downward pointing ends, generally beyond the chin:
Pancho Villa - similar to the Fu Manchu but thicker; also known as a "droopy mustache", generally much more so than that normally worn by the critically revered Cheech Marin.
Handlebar - bushy, with small upward pointing ends. See baseball pitcher Rollie Fingers. Also known as a "spaghetti mustache", because of its stereotypical association with Italian men.
Horseshoe - Often confused with the Fu Manchu style, the horseshoe was possibly popularized by modern cowboys and consists of a full mustache with vertical extensions from the corners of the lips down to the jawline and resembling an upside-down horseshoe.
Imperial - whiskers growing from both the upper lip and cheeks, curled upward (distinct from the royale, or impériale).
Moustachio - bushy mustache, with hair sometimes growing down the sides of the mouth. Also known as the Nosebeard, or the Moustachio Fantastico, with mustachio being a US variant on the spelling.
Taylor mustache - a thin row of fine dark hairs along the upper lip. Sometimes know as the Lilibrow.
Pencil mustache - narrow, straight and thin like a pencil, closely clipped, outlining the upper lip, with a wide shaven gap between the nose and mustache. Also known as a Mouthbrow. See John Waters.
Office model – favored by middle managers who live in fear of doing anything unusual.
Toothbrush or Dictator - thick, but shaved except for about an inch (2.5 cm) in the center; associated with Adolf Hitler and Charlie Chaplin. Considered the “third rail” of mustaches so out of favor today that its appearance is considered a symptom of insanity.
The Zappa – a controversial mustache with soul patch, the rights to which are currently owned by the secretive Zappa family, and of course a style which is disputed by the American Mustache Institute as it contains chin coverage which eliminates the trueness of the mustache.
Walrus - bushy, hanging down over the lips, often entirely covering the mouth.
The GG - bushy hair grown only over the corners of the mouth, shaved in the middle. Named after musician and performing artist GG Allin, the most well-known wearer of the style."
Happy February
"...Dali - narrow, long points bent or curved steeply upward; areas past the corner of the mouth must be shaved. Artificial styling aids needed. Named after Salvador Dalí who was known to sport such a style later in his life and featured in the short-lived Broadway play “Hello, Dali!” starring Gene Shalit in the lead.
English - narrow, beginning at the middle of the upper lip the whiskers are very long and pulled to the side, slightly curled; the ends are pointed slightly upward; areas past the corner of the mouth usually shaved. Artificial styling may be needed, especially if you are, actually, English.
Fu Manchu - long, downward pointing ends, generally beyond the chin:
Pancho Villa - similar to the Fu Manchu but thicker; also known as a "droopy mustache", generally much more so than that normally worn by the critically revered Cheech Marin.
Handlebar - bushy, with small upward pointing ends. See baseball pitcher Rollie Fingers. Also known as a "spaghetti mustache", because of its stereotypical association with Italian men.
Horseshoe - Often confused with the Fu Manchu style, the horseshoe was possibly popularized by modern cowboys and consists of a full mustache with vertical extensions from the corners of the lips down to the jawline and resembling an upside-down horseshoe.
Imperial - whiskers growing from both the upper lip and cheeks, curled upward (distinct from the royale, or impériale).
Moustachio - bushy mustache, with hair sometimes growing down the sides of the mouth. Also known as the Nosebeard, or the Moustachio Fantastico, with mustachio being a US variant on the spelling.
Taylor mustache - a thin row of fine dark hairs along the upper lip. Sometimes know as the Lilibrow.
Pencil mustache - narrow, straight and thin like a pencil, closely clipped, outlining the upper lip, with a wide shaven gap between the nose and mustache. Also known as a Mouthbrow. See John Waters.
Office model – favored by middle managers who live in fear of doing anything unusual.
Toothbrush or Dictator - thick, but shaved except for about an inch (2.5 cm) in the center; associated with Adolf Hitler and Charlie Chaplin. Considered the “third rail” of mustaches so out of favor today that its appearance is considered a symptom of insanity.
The Zappa – a controversial mustache with soul patch, the rights to which are currently owned by the secretive Zappa family, and of course a style which is disputed by the American Mustache Institute as it contains chin coverage which eliminates the trueness of the mustache.
Walrus - bushy, hanging down over the lips, often entirely covering the mouth.
The GG - bushy hair grown only over the corners of the mouth, shaved in the middle. Named after musician and performing artist GG Allin, the most well-known wearer of the style."
Happy February
Monday, February 4, 2008
Back on Track - Food Knowledge for all last week!
Ok - So I took a week off. Crazy busy schedule. (wah wah, I know, I know - we have all these efficiency tools and all we seem to do if find other things to fill all that "free" time!) C'est la vie.
So I've stored up a full week of new food related items I've learned about. Jam packed with tasty goodness.
First up: Chipotles.
No, not the restaurant with their tasty fajitas that were single handedly responsible for my food comas experienced during the entire year of 2005. No, I'm referring to the peppers. What did I learn about them? They're simply Smoked Jalepano Peppers. Here I thought they were a specific variety that were grown that way.
Next: Grains of Paradise.
"Grains of Paradise have a zesty flavor reminiscent of pepper, coriander and cardamom. Alton Brown seems to favor these for Okra, as seen on his recent show "Okraphobia", where he makes okra and tomatoes with grains of paradise. "
Thanks Spice House, that's exactly where I learned about them. By the way - you can go to The Spice House and get 8 oz. for $19. Not something you sprinkle on the old Mc'y D's fries.
Fruit Skinning.
This one is a technique item for those of you who don't like potato peelers. Let's say you're in the mood for a cobbler and want a quick and easy way to skin the peaches. Boil the water, drop in the fruit for a minute or so, then transfer to an ice bath, then rub off the skin with a paper towel (like you were a pitcher working a new baseball) in about 3 seconds? Pretty slick!
Hmm. what's next? Ah yes, Toys!
Infrared Thermometers. This was cool. No more need for the stabbing the roast and trying to see if that's closer to the 145 or the 150, worrying about carryover heat... Just point and measure. Awesome! How does it work? Funny you should ask:
Infrared thermometers measure temperature using blackbody radiation (generally infrared) emitted from objects. They are sometimes called laser thermometers if a laser is used to help aim the thermometer, or non-contact thermometers to describe the device’s ability to measure temperature from a distance. By knowing the amount of infrared energy emitted by the object and its emissivity, the object's temperature can be determined.
So I've stored up a full week of new food related items I've learned about. Jam packed with tasty goodness.
First up: Chipotles.
No, not the restaurant with their tasty fajitas that were single handedly responsible for my food comas experienced during the entire year of 2005. No, I'm referring to the peppers. What did I learn about them? They're simply Smoked Jalepano Peppers. Here I thought they were a specific variety that were grown that way.
Next: Grains of Paradise.
"Grains of Paradise have a zesty flavor reminiscent of pepper, coriander and cardamom. Alton Brown seems to favor these for Okra, as seen on his recent show "Okraphobia", where he makes okra and tomatoes with grains of paradise. "
Thanks Spice House, that's exactly where I learned about them. By the way - you can go to The Spice House and get 8 oz. for $19. Not something you sprinkle on the old Mc'y D's fries.
Fruit Skinning.
This one is a technique item for those of you who don't like potato peelers. Let's say you're in the mood for a cobbler and want a quick and easy way to skin the peaches. Boil the water, drop in the fruit for a minute or so, then transfer to an ice bath, then rub off the skin with a paper towel (like you were a pitcher working a new baseball) in about 3 seconds? Pretty slick!
Hmm. what's next? Ah yes, Toys!
Infrared Thermometers. This was cool. No more need for the stabbing the roast and trying to see if that's closer to the 145 or the 150, worrying about carryover heat... Just point and measure. Awesome! How does it work? Funny you should ask:
Infrared thermometers measure temperature using blackbody radiation (generally infrared) emitted from objects. They are sometimes called laser thermometers if a laser is used to help aim the thermometer, or non-contact thermometers to describe the device’s ability to measure temperature from a distance. By knowing the amount of infrared energy emitted by the object and its emissivity, the object's temperature can be determined.
Thanks Wiki-contributors.
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