Saturday, June 30, 2012

Today's Leap Second And Atomic Clocks

Earth Clock : Earth Clock
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Atomic clocks run at the same speed over millions of years, but the earth very gradually slows down spinning on its axis.  So in order to keep clocks accurate in time, every so often a second is added.  Twenty-four seconds have been added since 1972, but our days are not 24 seconds longer.  The seconds are added only to the date in which they are inserted.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, June 29, 2012

Who Is YOUR Friday Named After?

Venus : Ancient marble statue of Venus isolated on whiteFreya : Freya Norse goddess of love and beauty riding a chariot pulled by her two cats and wild boar.

Photo of Venus and Freya courtesy 123rf.com

I knew that Friday was named after the Norse Goddess Freya, but I didn't know that is not true for all western languages.  In some languages Friday is named after the Greek Goddess Venus.  So, in French Friday is called Vendredi, which I knew since I speak French, but I never questioned the origin.  In Romanian Friday is Vineri.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Sun-Baked Food

Sun : Sky Sun Clouds
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

About this time of year people start talking about how hot it is, such as "It's so hot you could fry and egg on a sidewalk."  People also start doing more cooking outdoors in order to keep the house cool, such as grilling on a barbeque, making sun tea, and wrapping uncooked dinner ingredients in foil and placing it in their car's rear window in the morning before they leave for work.

I thought I'd look to see if anyone had come up with anything new in this area, and although it looks like this isn't new, it's certainly new to me:  sun ovens!  It's basically a mirrored-lined or metal-lined box in which you place your food, and the food is cooked by the intensified heat of the sun.  There are also numerous blogs about sun oven recipes!  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

For a Headache: Treat Your Feet!

Head : woman with head ache  Stock Photo

Feet : Beautiful Woman Feet with flower.Spa or pedicure concept

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

There are many recommended treatments for headaches, including the use of ginger paste, eucalyptus steam, apples with salt, cinnamon paste, and aloe vera gel.  I'd never heard of hot foot baths for headaches.  It's recommended to soak feet and legs in hot water for 15 minutes before going to bed for two to three weeks for chronic headaches.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Benjamin Britten, Pack-Rat!

Orchestra : A night at the symphony concert - playing violins Stock PhotoOrchestra : Clarinetist performanceTimpani : Bristol, England - July 31, 2011 - Percussionists on stage at the 40th annual Harbour Festival attended by an estimated 280,000 peopleOrchestra : ISTANBUL - JULY 11: Members of the Maltepe Symphonic Orchestra perform live at Maltepe open air stage on July 11, 2010 in Istanbul, Musicians playing contrabass

Photos of orchestral instruments courtesy 123rf.com

Thanks to the English Chamber Orchestra from South Ealing, London, @ECOrchestra on Twitter, for suggesting today's topic:  Benjamin Britten.

One of my favorite childhood memories is discovering The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten.  Later I enjoyed the interactive computer program designed by a Mr. Winter in southern California that taught more about Britten and the Guide.  One of my most profound experiences as a young lady was seeing the Metropolitan Opera's production of Billy Budd in New York.  Then during my first semester in grad school I was assigned to read and report on the 744 page Benjamin Britten:  A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter.  So to say that Britten has been a thread throughout my life isn't an exageration.

What I didn't know is that Britten saved nearly everything he wrote, he rarely threw anything away, so that now the collection of his works, letters, and other writings is the most comprehensive collection by a composer of any other in the world.  This collection is kept in his home in England, The Red House, for all to see.  For more information click here.

Thanks again to the English Chamber Orchestra, @ECOrchestra on Twitter, for suggesting today's topic.  What did you learn today?

Monday, June 25, 2012

Giraffes Dropped Five Feet At Birth

Giraffe Family : Isolated giraffe and baby Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Giraffes give birth standing up, and the baby giraffe falls about five feet to eath usually unharmed.  Within about 30 minutes the baby stands, and can begin running with the giraffe family within ten hours.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Insalata Caprese's SWISS Origins?

Insalata Caprese : Closeup of Salad
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Insalata Caprese is my favorite salad, and it's so pretty, too.  It's a composed salad like Salade Nicoise, which means it's assembled on a platter, not tossed in a bowl.  Many assume that because of its name the salad originated on the Isle of Capri, but some say it originated in Switzerland!  It was possibly named because a Capri native, who worked as a maitre d' at a hotel in Switzerland, had it so often that hotel patrons asked for the salad that the man from Capri made.

For more information click here and click here.  For the original recipe that also includes suggestions for wine pairings click here.  What did you learn today?

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Almanacs Through The Ages

Ancient Rome : Ancient greek man and woman
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Almanacs go back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans.  The earliest Roman almanac, the "dies fasti", listed days when legal business should and should not be conducted.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, June 22, 2012

Farmer's Almanac History

Farmers Almanac : Collection of very old, original farmer's almanacs.
Photo of antique almanacs courtesy 123rf.com


Wednesday was the first day of summer, and the summer solstice.  So, I went to The Farmer's Almanac for information, just as my grandparents and great-grandparents used to do. 

The Farmer's Almanac has been published continually since 1792, and there is something in every annual publication for everyone, no matter their occupation or location.

For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Thursday, June 21, 2012

A Dalmatian For Your Coach

Dalmation : A portrait view of a happy dalmatian
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

In England Dalmatians are still called English Coach Dogs or Carriage Dogs.  In the 19th century, Dalmatians were trained to run alongside coaches and carriages to chase away highwaymen (robbers), and to keep dangerous animals away from the horses.  For more information click here1 and click here2 and click here3.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Surgeon's Chainsaw

Antique Surgery : old surgical tools used by dentist - antique medical equipment
Photo of antique surgical instruments courtesy 123rf.com

Surgeon Bernard Heine invented the chainsaw in 1830 to use in orthopedic surgery and brain surgery.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Domestic Cats Are About 9,000 Years Old

Cats : cats and kitten on a white background
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The modern domestic cat descended from Sardinian, Central Asian, European, and Sub-Saharan African wild cats, and the Chinese desert cat.  Archaeologists and historians estimate that cats became domesticated about 8,000 or 9,000 years ago.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Time Before Clocks

Clock : abstract 3d illustration of background with clock gear wheels and copy space
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

At the music convention this weekend, everyone was very much aware of the time as competitions, awards ceremonies, and other events all started strictly on time.  This made me wonder about clocks.

The first mechanical clock was erected in a tower in Italy in 1335.  Prior to this, people used water-clocks and marked candles, among other things, to keep up with the time of day.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, June 17, 2012

History of Fathers' Day

Fathers  Day : happy fathers day  on white
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Today is Fathers' Day in the U.S.A.  It became an official holiday in the 1970's, but people began thinking about a day to honor fathers as early as 1907, and some began celebrating it in June 1910.  It is celebrated on the third Sunday in the month of June.  For more information click here and click here.  Then click here for a chart showing the different dates Father's Day is celebrated in countries around the world.  What did you learn today? 

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Kayaking History

Kayak : pretty teenage girl with her kayak Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

I have always enjoyed canoing and white-water rafting, but of late I have become a kayaking enthusiast.  Early kayaks were covered in sealskin and used primarily for hunting.  Kayaking became popular as a sport in the 1800's, and became an Olympic event in 1936.  For more inforomation click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, June 15, 2012

Magna Carta Anniversary & Impact

Magna Carta : Carta Magna Memorial in Runnymede
Photo of the Carta Magna Memorial in Runnymede courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1215, King John of England sealed the Magna Carta that he was forced to sign on June 10.  The Magna Carta limited the king's powers, freed the church from royal influence, enumerated citizens' liberties, limited taxation, allowed for the formation of a powerful parliament, and is considered to be the beginning of constitutional government in England.  It is considered an influence on, if not a precursor to, the American constitution.  What I didn't know is King John had no intention to honor the document, which caused the conflict that had precipitated the writing of the document to resume.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Thursday, June 14, 2012

U.S. Army Birthday

Army Parade : Color guard of the United States with the National Flag
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1775 the oldest branch of the United States military was formed:  the U.S. Army.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Benny Goodman & Bela Bartok

Clarinet :  Clarinet on a sheet of music notes
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Benny Goodman (1909-1986), the King of Swing, also played classical music on his clarinet with the Budapest String Quartet, and commissioned Bela Bartok to write a work for him to perform with the quartet.  Mr. Goodman died on this day in 1986.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

The Newest Country on Earth

Republic Of Palau : Flag of Palau. Close Up.
Photo of Republic of Palau flag courtesy 123rf.com

The Republic of Palau became the newest country on Earth in 1994, when it declared its independence and became a republic in free association with the United States.  It is composed of six main islands and about 250 smaller islands located in the Pacific Ocean.  People first came to the islands about 3,000 years ago.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Monday, June 11, 2012

Hunting Bears in the Sky

Bootes : various constellations in a starry night sky Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Bootes (boo-OH-teez) is the most ancient of all constellations.  Depending on the society, he either hunts or protects the bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, as he follows them around the North Pole.  Bootes is visible in the northern hemisphere spring and summer, and crosses the meridian on June 15.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, June 10, 2012

BOR and Toilet Paper Placement

Toilet Paper : Roll of toilet paper on simple sketch
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

I just discovered a new book, The Book of Rules.  It's a very good book, a fun and funny book, and I'm very glad to have it.  Although it is right about everything else, it's wrong about toilet paper placement, which also happened to be the impetus for the author's writing the book.

The book states that toilet paper should be placed on the roller so that the sheets come out from below the roll.  In this position the sheets will touch the wall, which even in the cleanest homes do not escape the spray caused by a flushing toilet.  Also, more of the roll is exposed to the spray from a flushing toilet:  both the back of the sheets that aren't touching the dirty wall, and the top and outside of the roll.  When placed in this position the user also must touch the wall as well as more of the paper and roll in order to grasp and tear sheets off the roll.

If the roll is placed so that the sheets are dispensed from the top, then the sheets never touch the wall, the sheets are touched only by human hands.  People can roll off and throw away the four sheets that have been exposed to flushing toilet spray and the hands of the previous loo user.  Then everyone uses cleaner and less tainted paper than if they had placed the roll in the other direction.  Also, everyone touches less of the roll because the paper is easier to grasp.

My best friend and I tease each other about this, and when we were younger had a running joke-fest on this topic.  I know one young man who says he wouldn't marry a woman who didn't put the roll on the same way he does...  I have another friend who says that's the best reason for becoming rich enough to have separate bathrooms for the spouses; he also believes that strong marriages are based on separate loos...well, that's another topic.

For more information click here and click here.  Oh, and don't forget to check out the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia website.  What did you learn today?

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Dragons: Religion, History, & Science

Dragon : White dragon
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Dragons are mythical beasts found throughout history in many societies around the world.  Dragons have been featured in nearly all religions at some point in time.  Some dragons are serpentine, some have wings, some have bodies like dinosaurs, and some have all three of these characteristics.  Many believe that dragon myths are based on the last dinosaurs that roamed the earth.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, June 8, 2012

Big Ben and Queen Elizabeth II

Big Ben : Big Ben with flag of England, London, UK  Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The Palace of Westminster tower that goes by the nickname, Big Ben, is being renamed The Elizabeth Tower in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's 60-year reign.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Thursday, June 7, 2012

The Chances of Understanding the Rain Chances

Rain : Young blonde in walkway under rain Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

It's a rainy day in my area, so I checked the forecast, which says there is a 50% chance of rain today.  So, once again I wondered, "Does that mean it's going to rain 50% of the day, or out of 100% chance of rain there's only a 50% chance that it will rain?"  I've tried looking this up before and found no satisfactory answer.  This time I found a math blog that says weather organizations can't agree on what this means, each one having their own definition, which even further reduces my chances of understanding the rain chances...  For more information click here.  I hope you learned something more than I learned today.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Sun King Dines Alone With 300 People

Louis Xiv : Paris, France - August 4, 2007: Symbol of Louis XIV  (Sun King) on railing of Louvre.
Photo of symbol of Louis XIV on the railing of the Louvre courtesy 123rf.com

Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King of France (reigned from 1643-1715), in theory dined alone.  However, it took about 100 people to get him ready for the day after he woke in the morning, and these people were in attendance when he had his beef broth for breakfast.  At 1:00 P.M. he would lunch, again alone in his chamber, but he would simultaneously receive men of the court.  At dinner, again he would dine alone if not entertaining, but it would take about 300 people to arrange, prepare, and serve this meal, so he was never really alone for any meal of his life.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Venus Over The Sun

Venus Sun : 3d render of  venus planet
Photo of Venus courtesy 123rf.com

Today Venus will come between Earth and the Sun.  The last time this happened was 2004; the next time it will happen will be 2117.  This occurs in pairs eight years apart, and the pair-occurances are over 100 years apart.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Monday, June 4, 2012

The Shard on the Thames

Shard Thames : The Shard and Tower bridge London
Photo of The Shard and Tower Bridge courtesy 123rf.com

The tallest building in the European Union, The Shard, is on the banks of the Thames in London, and was built by a man whose last name is Piano, Renzo Piano.  For more information click here.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Music on the Thames for the Diamond Jubilee

Queen Elizabeth Ii : SCARBOROUGH, ENGLAND - MAY 20: Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II at opening of Royal Open Air Theater, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England.
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

There are ten music barges on the Thames today as part of Diamond Jubilee Celebration for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  For a list of the barges including their instruments and the list of the music being played, click here and enjoy!  What did you learn today?

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Still No Cloud Apps...

Clouds : Clouds on the blue sky Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

I've written before about wanting a cloud identification app for Kindle Fire--and there still isn't one, but I've found another cloud & weather book to download that has fabulous pictures to help in identifying clouds.  The book is a Peterson guide book, which are very good books.  I have several Peterson guide books in my backpack that I take hiking so that I can identify mammals, insects, birds, butterflies, etc.  Click here to get the Peterson First Guide to Clouds and Weather.  What did you learn today?

Friday, June 1, 2012

Giraffe's Blood Pressure

Giraffe Heart : giraffe in love
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The giraffe's blood pressure is highest of all animal species.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?