Lungzyn
Die For Me
The 'seeds' of a Strawberry are actually achenes
Trivia Today
- Thread starter historylover
- Start date
Bits on international etiquette
Coffee Break We may gulp lattes all day long, regardless of what time it is here, but in many European countries cappuccinos and other coffee drinks made with milk are enjoyed during the morning hours only. Espresso is what's consumed in the afternoons and evenings. So, don't be surprised when you get a funny look from the waiter after ordering your double latte with extra cream after that pesto pasta lunch.
No Ketchup Please Many French chefs are appalled if guests add condiments like ketchup and mustard to their culinary masterpieces before taking the first bite. They think it masks the true taste of the food -- so get used to your "pommes frites" without that dousing of ketchup.
Oops, All Gone Here in the States, it seems we've been taught to always clear our plates. In China on the other hand, if you gobble up every last morsel it could be insulting to the host as it means that he/she hasn't provided enough food. Keep things on the up and up and leave a few bites left. We're guessing it's probably best not to ask for a doggie bag, either!
Heads Up In Thailand, no matter how adorable someone's child is, resist the urge to give them a friendly pat on the noggin. It's taboo to touch the head, which is a revered body part.
No Sharing No matter how mouthwatering your palak paneer is, offering someone a taste from your plate is a big no-no in India, since it's considered unclean. Enjoy your dinner and rave about it all you want, but keep it to yourself.
A Few Pointers In India, if you want to call someone over, never use your finger to point or wag -- it's seen as condescending and insulting. Instead, hold your hand out, palm down, and scoop with your fingers. You'll get much better results!
Better Than Butter While dining out in Spain, get used to the idea of bread without butter. Ask for it at a restaurant and you'll most likely be told they don't have any. The preferred practice is to dip bread in olive oil -- and if you ask us, it's much yummier anyway!
A - O - K Never give anyone in Brazil the "OK" hand signal (using your thumb and pointer finger to make an O)... it's an obscene gesture that's likely to get you labeled both ignorant and extremely offensive!
Meat 'n' Milk In Israel, unless you know otherwise, assume that a household keeps kosher. That means mixing meat and dairy is not allowed. So no milk in your coffee after a belly-busting beef dinner (and no cheese on that burger, either!).
Sticky Splinters We're all familiar with the wooden chopsticks you get at Asian restaurants. They come stuck together, and you snap them apart which usually leaves a few stray splinters on the end. If this happens in Japan, holding the chopsticks between your palms and loudly clattering them together is a big insult to the waiter or sushi chef because it indicates that his utensils are cheap. Instead, rub one chopstick against the other gently.
Throw In The Towel In a Japanese restaurant, if you're given a hot rolled towel, use it only to wipe your hands. It's generally considered rude to wipe your face with (although at more informal restaurants, people may occasionally be seen doing it).
Service With A Smile Here in the US, many of us are used to serving ourselves and digging in family style at meals. But in China it's common for the host to place food on the guest's plates, so resist the urge to scoop up another helping of rice -- practice sitting back and relaxing, and enjoy letting the host put you on a pedestal.
Sole Purpose Think twice before sitting too casually in Egypt, or even stretching out your gams. Showing the soles of your feet or shoes is considered to be terribly rude -- yes, even if you're sporting Jimmy Choos!
Lip Service No matter how parched your lips may be, when traveling in Zimbabwe, never lick your lips while looking at someone of the opposite sex. While it may seem innocent enough to you, they consider it an obscene gesture.
Baby Steps Have a friend in Russia who's expecting a babe? Go ahead and browse all you want, but don't give them anything until after the little one arrives. It's considered bad luck to do so sooner.
Coffee Break We may gulp lattes all day long, regardless of what time it is here, but in many European countries cappuccinos and other coffee drinks made with milk are enjoyed during the morning hours only. Espresso is what's consumed in the afternoons and evenings. So, don't be surprised when you get a funny look from the waiter after ordering your double latte with extra cream after that pesto pasta lunch.
No Ketchup Please Many French chefs are appalled if guests add condiments like ketchup and mustard to their culinary masterpieces before taking the first bite. They think it masks the true taste of the food -- so get used to your "pommes frites" without that dousing of ketchup.
Oops, All Gone Here in the States, it seems we've been taught to always clear our plates. In China on the other hand, if you gobble up every last morsel it could be insulting to the host as it means that he/she hasn't provided enough food. Keep things on the up and up and leave a few bites left. We're guessing it's probably best not to ask for a doggie bag, either!
Heads Up In Thailand, no matter how adorable someone's child is, resist the urge to give them a friendly pat on the noggin. It's taboo to touch the head, which is a revered body part.
No Sharing No matter how mouthwatering your palak paneer is, offering someone a taste from your plate is a big no-no in India, since it's considered unclean. Enjoy your dinner and rave about it all you want, but keep it to yourself.
A Few Pointers In India, if you want to call someone over, never use your finger to point or wag -- it's seen as condescending and insulting. Instead, hold your hand out, palm down, and scoop with your fingers. You'll get much better results!
Better Than Butter While dining out in Spain, get used to the idea of bread without butter. Ask for it at a restaurant and you'll most likely be told they don't have any. The preferred practice is to dip bread in olive oil -- and if you ask us, it's much yummier anyway!
A - O - K Never give anyone in Brazil the "OK" hand signal (using your thumb and pointer finger to make an O)... it's an obscene gesture that's likely to get you labeled both ignorant and extremely offensive!
Meat 'n' Milk In Israel, unless you know otherwise, assume that a household keeps kosher. That means mixing meat and dairy is not allowed. So no milk in your coffee after a belly-busting beef dinner (and no cheese on that burger, either!).
Sticky Splinters We're all familiar with the wooden chopsticks you get at Asian restaurants. They come stuck together, and you snap them apart which usually leaves a few stray splinters on the end. If this happens in Japan, holding the chopsticks between your palms and loudly clattering them together is a big insult to the waiter or sushi chef because it indicates that his utensils are cheap. Instead, rub one chopstick against the other gently.
Throw In The Towel In a Japanese restaurant, if you're given a hot rolled towel, use it only to wipe your hands. It's generally considered rude to wipe your face with (although at more informal restaurants, people may occasionally be seen doing it).
Service With A Smile Here in the US, many of us are used to serving ourselves and digging in family style at meals. But in China it's common for the host to place food on the guest's plates, so resist the urge to scoop up another helping of rice -- practice sitting back and relaxing, and enjoy letting the host put you on a pedestal.
Sole Purpose Think twice before sitting too casually in Egypt, or even stretching out your gams. Showing the soles of your feet or shoes is considered to be terribly rude -- yes, even if you're sporting Jimmy Choos!
Lip Service No matter how parched your lips may be, when traveling in Zimbabwe, never lick your lips while looking at someone of the opposite sex. While it may seem innocent enough to you, they consider it an obscene gesture.
Baby Steps Have a friend in Russia who's expecting a babe? Go ahead and browse all you want, but don't give them anything until after the little one arrives. It's considered bad luck to do so sooner.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The FIRST TRANSOCEANIC CABLE MESSAGE was sent on August 16,
1858 and said "Europe and America are united by telegraph.
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will
towards men."
***
Ian Fleming, creator of the JAMES BOND adventure novels also
wrote "CHITTY-CHITTY BANG BANG".
***
What is usually considered to be the first modern battery
was created by Alessandro Volta in 1800, but a device for
storing an electrical charge was discovered in Iraq and is
estimated to have been invented around 200 BC.
***
The Fab Four
The BEATLES played Shea Stadium in New York City on August
15, 1965 playing for 35 minutes and sang 12 songs in front
of 56,000 fans. They were paid $160,000.
***
Old Glory
There were 15 stripes on the official AMERICAN FLAG before
Congress passed a law forever setting the number to 13. The
number had increased to 15 in 1795 to include Kentucky and
Vermont. Since more and more states were joining the Union,
the number of stripes was reduced to 13 as of July 4, 1818
to represent the original 13 states.
***
The Panama Canal
The United States gained control of the Panama Canal because
it learned to eradicate disease. during construction of the
canal, the French spent $260 million and lost over 20,000
lives to yellow fever before finally giving up. When the
Americans took over in 1904 the U.S. Army physician in
charge, William Crawford Gorgas, learned that the disease
was passed on by mosquitoes and was able to eradicate yellow
fever in Panama within a year.
***
RANDOM TIDBITS
Any month that starts on a Sunday will have a Friday the
13th in it.
***
Easter is the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after
March 21.
***
During pregnancy, the average woman's uterus expands up to
five hundred times its normal size.
***
That's Progress
The average home size in the United States is now 2,200
square feet, up from 1,400 square feet in 1970, according
to the National Association of Home Builders.
***
More Power to You
In 1957, the Shipping port Atomic Power Station in Pennsyl-
vania, the first nuclear facility to generate electricity
in the United States, went on line. (It was taken out of
service in 1982.)
***
I Got the Power
The last thing to happen is the ultimate. The next-to-last
is the penultimate, and the second-to-last is the ante-
penultimate.
The FIRST TRANSOCEANIC CABLE MESSAGE was sent on August 16,
1858 and said "Europe and America are united by telegraph.
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will
towards men."
***
Ian Fleming, creator of the JAMES BOND adventure novels also
wrote "CHITTY-CHITTY BANG BANG".
***
What is usually considered to be the first modern battery
was created by Alessandro Volta in 1800, but a device for
storing an electrical charge was discovered in Iraq and is
estimated to have been invented around 200 BC.
***
The Fab Four
The BEATLES played Shea Stadium in New York City on August
15, 1965 playing for 35 minutes and sang 12 songs in front
of 56,000 fans. They were paid $160,000.
***
Old Glory
There were 15 stripes on the official AMERICAN FLAG before
Congress passed a law forever setting the number to 13. The
number had increased to 15 in 1795 to include Kentucky and
Vermont. Since more and more states were joining the Union,
the number of stripes was reduced to 13 as of July 4, 1818
to represent the original 13 states.
***
The Panama Canal
The United States gained control of the Panama Canal because
it learned to eradicate disease. during construction of the
canal, the French spent $260 million and lost over 20,000
lives to yellow fever before finally giving up. When the
Americans took over in 1904 the U.S. Army physician in
charge, William Crawford Gorgas, learned that the disease
was passed on by mosquitoes and was able to eradicate yellow
fever in Panama within a year.
***
RANDOM TIDBITS
Any month that starts on a Sunday will have a Friday the
13th in it.
***
Easter is the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after
March 21.
***
During pregnancy, the average woman's uterus expands up to
five hundred times its normal size.
***
That's Progress
The average home size in the United States is now 2,200
square feet, up from 1,400 square feet in 1970, according
to the National Association of Home Builders.
***
More Power to You
In 1957, the Shipping port Atomic Power Station in Pennsyl-
vania, the first nuclear facility to generate electricity
in the United States, went on line. (It was taken out of
service in 1982.)
***
I Got the Power
The last thing to happen is the ultimate. The next-to-last
is the penultimate, and the second-to-last is the ante-
penultimate.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Michigan has the longest-inland shoreline. It's more than
3,100 miles of freshwater shoreline includes four of the
five Great Lakes - Michigan, Superior, Huron, and Erie.
***
If you were to take a square inch column of the air ex-
tending six hundred miles above the earth, its weight and
pressure exerted on the earth at sea level would be 14.7
lbs. This is called atmospheric pressure.
***
The Taliban ordered demolition experts to blow up the Great
Buddhas of Bamiyan, carved in the 5th century. At 175 feet
and 120 feet, the twin monuments were two of Asia's greatest
archeological treasures.
***
RICE
According to Shinto belief, the Emperor of Japan is the
living embodiment of the god of the ripened rice plant,
Ninigo-no-mikoto.
***
RHUBARB
Its primary function was to induce vomiting, although
rhubarb is also a mild astringent. This medicinal role
caused the price of the dried root to rise. In 1542,
rhubarb sold for ten times the price of cinnamon in
France and in 1657 rhubarb sold for over twice the price
of opium in England.
***
SHRIMP
Some 40% of the shrimp eaten in the U.S. is farmed raised
shrimp from Asia and South America. World shrimp production
is over 5 billion pounds a year, about 20 % of which is
farmed.
Michigan has the longest-inland shoreline. It's more than
3,100 miles of freshwater shoreline includes four of the
five Great Lakes - Michigan, Superior, Huron, and Erie.
***
If you were to take a square inch column of the air ex-
tending six hundred miles above the earth, its weight and
pressure exerted on the earth at sea level would be 14.7
lbs. This is called atmospheric pressure.
***
The Taliban ordered demolition experts to blow up the Great
Buddhas of Bamiyan, carved in the 5th century. At 175 feet
and 120 feet, the twin monuments were two of Asia's greatest
archeological treasures.
***
RICE
According to Shinto belief, the Emperor of Japan is the
living embodiment of the god of the ripened rice plant,
Ninigo-no-mikoto.
***
RHUBARB
Its primary function was to induce vomiting, although
rhubarb is also a mild astringent. This medicinal role
caused the price of the dried root to rise. In 1542,
rhubarb sold for ten times the price of cinnamon in
France and in 1657 rhubarb sold for over twice the price
of opium in England.
***
SHRIMP
Some 40% of the shrimp eaten in the U.S. is farmed raised
shrimp from Asia and South America. World shrimp production
is over 5 billion pounds a year, about 20 % of which is
farmed.
Fucking savages! Oh, well, what do they care about anthropological heritage, so long as men don't shave and wear diapers on their heads, and womens' rights are still somewhere in the Stone Age? "Allah tell me to ride camel and destroy infidel monuments!" :thefinger
You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything - even poverty - you can survive it: Bill Cosby.
RANDOM TIDBITS - Jobs They Had Before They Were Stars
Mick Jagger: The Rolling Stones lead singer once worked as
a porter at the Bexley Mental Hospital while he was a
student at the London School of Economics. His salary? A
whopping 4 pounds, 10 shillings per week (about $7.80 U.S.).
***
David Letterman: Before his stint as the late night talk
show host, Letterman worked at Indianapolis television
station WLWI (now called WTHR) as a local anchor and
weatherman. He was eventually fired for his unpredictable
on-air behavior, which included erasing state borders from
the weather map and predicting hail stones "the size of
canned hams.
***
Clint Eastwood: This Hollywood icon once earned his pay
digging swimming pools for the rich folks of Beverly Hills,
while auditioning for parts at night. He also spent time as
a lumberjack, steel mill worker, aircraft factory worker,
and gas station attendant.
***
Whoopi Goldberg: Life was not always so glamorous for the
Academy Award-winning Whoopi. Once upon a time while living
in the Chelsea projects of New York City, she worked as a
bricklayer, garbage collector, and even a funeral makeup
artist.
***
Sean Connery: Known for playing James Bond seven times,
Connery has made quite a name for himself in show business.
However, before finding fame and fortune, Connery first
worked as a milkman in his native Scotland. After a stint
in the Royal Navy, he took on numerous jobs in the late
1940s and early 1950s, including lifeguard, ditch digger,
and artist's model. In 1953, he even competed in the Mr.
Universe contest, placing third in the tall man's division.
***
Madonna: The Material Girl once worked a number of low-
paying jobs to make ends meet in her early years. She was
let go from her job at a Dunkin' Donuts in Times Square
when she squirted jelly filling all over customers!
RANDOM TIDBITS - Jobs They Had Before They Were Stars
Mick Jagger: The Rolling Stones lead singer once worked as
a porter at the Bexley Mental Hospital while he was a
student at the London School of Economics. His salary? A
whopping 4 pounds, 10 shillings per week (about $7.80 U.S.).
***
David Letterman: Before his stint as the late night talk
show host, Letterman worked at Indianapolis television
station WLWI (now called WTHR) as a local anchor and
weatherman. He was eventually fired for his unpredictable
on-air behavior, which included erasing state borders from
the weather map and predicting hail stones "the size of
canned hams.
***
Clint Eastwood: This Hollywood icon once earned his pay
digging swimming pools for the rich folks of Beverly Hills,
while auditioning for parts at night. He also spent time as
a lumberjack, steel mill worker, aircraft factory worker,
and gas station attendant.
***
Whoopi Goldberg: Life was not always so glamorous for the
Academy Award-winning Whoopi. Once upon a time while living
in the Chelsea projects of New York City, she worked as a
bricklayer, garbage collector, and even a funeral makeup
artist.
***
Sean Connery: Known for playing James Bond seven times,
Connery has made quite a name for himself in show business.
However, before finding fame and fortune, Connery first
worked as a milkman in his native Scotland. After a stint
in the Royal Navy, he took on numerous jobs in the late
1940s and early 1950s, including lifeguard, ditch digger,
and artist's model. In 1953, he even competed in the Mr.
Universe contest, placing third in the tall man's division.
***
Madonna: The Material Girl once worked a number of low-
paying jobs to make ends meet in her early years. She was
let go from her job at a Dunkin' Donuts in Times Square
when she squirted jelly filling all over customers!
Hmm... I'm not sure it was jelly filling. After all, it is Madonna we're talking about here... :eek:
RANDOM TIDBITS - How did we get our modern icons?
The Aflac Duck: Art director Eric David was trying to come
up with an idea for a campaign when he realized that the
company's name sounds quite similar to a duck's quack.
***
The California Raisins: Frustration led to the famous
Claymation icons. In 1987, a copywriter at Foote, Cone &
Belding was working on the California Raisin Advisory Board
campaign and said, "We have tried everything but dancing
raisins singing 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine.'" The
idea was pitched to the client, and the sale of raisins
increased by 20 percent!
***
The Coppertone Girl: The pig-tailed little girl was created
by artist Joyce Ballantyne in the image of her three-year-
old daughter Cheri. When the ad was originally created, it
was believed that a suntan was healthy. The drawing has
since been revised to reveal only the girl's lower back.
***
The Gerber Baby: In 1928, Gerber was on the hunt for a baby
face to help promote their new brand of baby food. Dorothy
Hope Smith submitted a simple charcoal sketch of tot (later
turned novelist) Ann Turner Cook - promising to complete it
if chosen. However, company execs liked it just the way it
was, and Cook has been the baby face of Gerber ever since.
***
The Pillsbury Doughboy: The chubby doughboy was created by
the Leo Burnett advertising agency in 1965. The original
idea was for the icon to be animated, but agency producers
instead incorporated a stop-action technique used on The
Dinah Shore Show. Actor Paul Frees lent his voice to the
Doughboy. Frees was also the voice for Boris Badenov and
Dudley Do-Right on The Adventures of Bullwinkle and Rocky.
***
Ronald McDonald: The beloved clown made his television
debut in 1963, played by future Today weatherman Willard
Scott. Nicknamed the "hamburger-happy clown," Ronald's
look was a bit different back then: He had curly blond
hair, a fast-food tray for a hat, a magic belt, and a paper
cup for a nose.
The Aflac Duck: Art director Eric David was trying to come
up with an idea for a campaign when he realized that the
company's name sounds quite similar to a duck's quack.
***
The California Raisins: Frustration led to the famous
Claymation icons. In 1987, a copywriter at Foote, Cone &
Belding was working on the California Raisin Advisory Board
campaign and said, "We have tried everything but dancing
raisins singing 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine.'" The
idea was pitched to the client, and the sale of raisins
increased by 20 percent!
***
The Coppertone Girl: The pig-tailed little girl was created
by artist Joyce Ballantyne in the image of her three-year-
old daughter Cheri. When the ad was originally created, it
was believed that a suntan was healthy. The drawing has
since been revised to reveal only the girl's lower back.
***
The Gerber Baby: In 1928, Gerber was on the hunt for a baby
face to help promote their new brand of baby food. Dorothy
Hope Smith submitted a simple charcoal sketch of tot (later
turned novelist) Ann Turner Cook - promising to complete it
if chosen. However, company execs liked it just the way it
was, and Cook has been the baby face of Gerber ever since.
***
The Pillsbury Doughboy: The chubby doughboy was created by
the Leo Burnett advertising agency in 1965. The original
idea was for the icon to be animated, but agency producers
instead incorporated a stop-action technique used on The
Dinah Shore Show. Actor Paul Frees lent his voice to the
Doughboy. Frees was also the voice for Boris Badenov and
Dudley Do-Right on The Adventures of Bullwinkle and Rocky.
***
Ronald McDonald: The beloved clown made his television
debut in 1963, played by future Today weatherman Willard
Scott. Nicknamed the "hamburger-happy clown," Ronald's
look was a bit different back then: He had curly blond
hair, a fast-food tray for a hat, a magic belt, and a paper
cup for a nose.
To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the
time comes to let it go, to let it go: Mary Oliver.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The smallest bones in the human body are the stapes, incus,
and malleus bones, which are located in the ear.
***
In Czechhoslovakia, there is a church that has a chandelier
made of human bones.
***
Humans are born with 300 bones in their body, however when
a person reaches adulthood they only have 206 bones. This
occurs because many of them join together to make a single
bone.
***
The chances of getting a cavity is higher if candy is eaten
slowly throughout the day compared to eating it all at once
and then brushing your teeth.
***
Adult human bones account for 14% of the body's total weight.
***
The "funny bone" is not a bone. It's the spot where the
ulnar nerve touches the humerus.
time comes to let it go, to let it go: Mary Oliver.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The smallest bones in the human body are the stapes, incus,
and malleus bones, which are located in the ear.
***
In Czechhoslovakia, there is a church that has a chandelier
made of human bones.
***
Humans are born with 300 bones in their body, however when
a person reaches adulthood they only have 206 bones. This
occurs because many of them join together to make a single
bone.
***
The chances of getting a cavity is higher if candy is eaten
slowly throughout the day compared to eating it all at once
and then brushing your teeth.
***
Adult human bones account for 14% of the body's total weight.
***
The "funny bone" is not a bone. It's the spot where the
ulnar nerve touches the humerus.
My gut accounts for about 43% of my total weight. :o
:rofl::rofl::rofl:
But it's not just learning things that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters: Norton Juster.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The Native Americans were supposedly using yo-yos about
1000 B.C. The earliest surviving yo-yo dates to 500 B.C.
and is made using turlte skin disks. Greek records from the
period describe toys made out of wood, metal, or painted
terra cotta (clay).
***
In 1928, a Filipino American named Pedro Flores opened the
Yo-yo Manufacturing Company in Santa Barbara, California.
The business started with a dozen handmade toys; by November
1929, Flores was operating two additional factories in Los
Angeles and Hollywood, which altogether employed 600 workers
and produced 300,000 units daily.
***
Donald F. Duncan, an entrepreneur first encountered the
yo-yo during a business trip to California. A year later,
in 1929, he returned and bought the company from Flores,
acquiring both the toy and the yo-yo name. About this time,
Duncan introduced the looped slip-string, which allows the
yo-yo to sleep.
***
The yo-yo gained greater popularity in the 1930s, when
Duncan sent out teams of traveling yo-yo men who would
spend three, four, and five weeks in cities and towns
across America, teaching tricks, selling yo-yos, and
running contests. The yo-yo reached fad levels in the late
1940s, throughout the 1950s, and into the early 1960s.
***
In 1965, a federal court ruled in favor of the Royal Tops
Company, stating the the yo-yo name had become a part of
common speech and that Duncan no longer had exclusive
rights to the term. The expenses of the case caused the
Duncan family to sell the company name and associated
trademarks in 1968 to Flambeau Plastics. They continue to
run the company today.
***
In 1990, Tom Kuhn released the SB-2 yo-yo (short for Silver
Bullet 2), a high-performance ball bearing transaxle made
with aluminum. This marked a major breakthrough for the
modern yo-yo, as it was the first ball bearing yo-yo that
actually worked. This creation eventually brought him the
title "Father of the modern yo-yo," receiving the "Donald
F. Duncan Family Award for Industry Excellence" in 1998.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The Native Americans were supposedly using yo-yos about
1000 B.C. The earliest surviving yo-yo dates to 500 B.C.
and is made using turlte skin disks. Greek records from the
period describe toys made out of wood, metal, or painted
terra cotta (clay).
***
In 1928, a Filipino American named Pedro Flores opened the
Yo-yo Manufacturing Company in Santa Barbara, California.
The business started with a dozen handmade toys; by November
1929, Flores was operating two additional factories in Los
Angeles and Hollywood, which altogether employed 600 workers
and produced 300,000 units daily.
***
Donald F. Duncan, an entrepreneur first encountered the
yo-yo during a business trip to California. A year later,
in 1929, he returned and bought the company from Flores,
acquiring both the toy and the yo-yo name. About this time,
Duncan introduced the looped slip-string, which allows the
yo-yo to sleep.
***
The yo-yo gained greater popularity in the 1930s, when
Duncan sent out teams of traveling yo-yo men who would
spend three, four, and five weeks in cities and towns
across America, teaching tricks, selling yo-yos, and
running contests. The yo-yo reached fad levels in the late
1940s, throughout the 1950s, and into the early 1960s.
***
In 1965, a federal court ruled in favor of the Royal Tops
Company, stating the the yo-yo name had become a part of
common speech and that Duncan no longer had exclusive
rights to the term. The expenses of the case caused the
Duncan family to sell the company name and associated
trademarks in 1968 to Flambeau Plastics. They continue to
run the company today.
***
In 1990, Tom Kuhn released the SB-2 yo-yo (short for Silver
Bullet 2), a high-performance ball bearing transaxle made
with aluminum. This marked a major breakthrough for the
modern yo-yo, as it was the first ball bearing yo-yo that
actually worked. This creation eventually brought him the
title "Father of the modern yo-yo," receiving the "Donald
F. Duncan Family Award for Industry Excellence" in 1998.
love the thread, a lot
love learning new things and dusting off old thoughts
love learning new things and dusting off old thoughts
:hatsoff:
**********
Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are: Bernice Johnson Reagon.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is the
religious name for Mardi Gras. New Orleans's fabled French
Quarter, a neighborhood along Bourbon Street, is the center
of Mardi Gras activities.
***
The Brazilian celebration is called Carnival. Portuguese
immigrants first celebrated Carnival in Rio in the early
1800s with a game called entrudo, during which poor people
sprayed each other with mud and sewage, while the elite
used perfume sprays. The first masked ball was held in 1840,
while the first street parades took place a few years later.
They have evolved into a vast spectacle involving thousands
of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators.
***
Around 1900 in New Orleans there was increasing interaction
between poor black musicians, whose drum playing was
influenced by African musical styles, and mixed-race
Creoles, who were trained in European classical music. The
fusion of the various traditions created jazz, which soon
spread up the Mississippi River to Memphis and Chicago, and
across the country to Harlem, New York.
***
"Krewe" is a fanciful spelling of "crew." In 1857 a group
of men founded the Krewe of Comus, because they feared the
wild antics at Mardi Gras would prompt the authorities to
stop the celebrations. They felt a secret organization
might have a better chance of surviving. Since then, a
number of other krewes have been established.
***
King Cakes are large, round cinnamon rolls covered with
white icing and sprinkled with the Mardi Gras colors. A
plastic baby the size of an almond is hidden inside.
Whoever finds the baby is the next king or queen and must
host the next King Cake party.
***
In 1872 Russian grand duke Alexis Romanoff visited New
Orleans during Mardi Gras. A group of businessmen organized
the Krewe of Rex to hold a parade and named a king and
queen for the day, a tradition that has endured. They also
used the colors of the House of Romanoff: purple for
justice, green for faith, and gold for power. These have
remained the official colors of Mardi Gras.
The road to happiness lies in two simple principles;
find what interests you and that you can do well, and put
your whole soul into it - every bit of energy and ambition
and natural ability you have: John D. Rockefeller.
RANDOM TIDBITS - Pretzels!
In A.D. 610, while baking bread, an Italian monk decided
to create a treat to motivate his students. He rolled out
ropes of dough, twisted them to resemble hands crossed on
the chest in prayer, and baked them. The monk named his
snacks pretiola, Latin for "little reward." When pretiola
arrived in Germany, they were called bretzels.
***
The pretzel has long been considered a good-luck symbol.
German children wear pretzels around their necks on New
Year's Day. In Austria in the 16th century, pretzels
adorned Christmas trees, and they were hidden along with
hard-boiled eggs on Easter morning.
***
Hard pretzels were "invented" in the late 1600s, when a
snoozing apprentice in a Pennsylvania bakery accidentally
overbaked his pretzels, creating crunchy, seemingly
inedible, knots. Lucky for him that the master baker took
a bite of his creation and loved it!
***
Until the 1930s, pretzels were handmade, and the average
worker could twist 40 a minute. In 1935, the Reading
Pretzel Machinery Company introduced the first automated
pretzel machine, which enabled large bakeries to make 245
pretzels per minute, or five tons in a day.
***
More than $550 million worth of pretzels are sold in the
United States annually; 80 percent are made in
Pennsylvania, where hard pretzels originated.
***
Julius Sturgis opened the first commercial pretzel bakery
in Lititz, Pennsylvania, in 1861. He received his original
pretzel recipe as a thank you from a down-on-his-luck job
seeker after Sturgis gave the man dinner.
find what interests you and that you can do well, and put
your whole soul into it - every bit of energy and ambition
and natural ability you have: John D. Rockefeller.
RANDOM TIDBITS - Pretzels!
In A.D. 610, while baking bread, an Italian monk decided
to create a treat to motivate his students. He rolled out
ropes of dough, twisted them to resemble hands crossed on
the chest in prayer, and baked them. The monk named his
snacks pretiola, Latin for "little reward." When pretiola
arrived in Germany, they were called bretzels.
***
The pretzel has long been considered a good-luck symbol.
German children wear pretzels around their necks on New
Year's Day. In Austria in the 16th century, pretzels
adorned Christmas trees, and they were hidden along with
hard-boiled eggs on Easter morning.
***
Hard pretzels were "invented" in the late 1600s, when a
snoozing apprentice in a Pennsylvania bakery accidentally
overbaked his pretzels, creating crunchy, seemingly
inedible, knots. Lucky for him that the master baker took
a bite of his creation and loved it!
***
Until the 1930s, pretzels were handmade, and the average
worker could twist 40 a minute. In 1935, the Reading
Pretzel Machinery Company introduced the first automated
pretzel machine, which enabled large bakeries to make 245
pretzels per minute, or five tons in a day.
***
More than $550 million worth of pretzels are sold in the
United States annually; 80 percent are made in
Pennsylvania, where hard pretzels originated.
***
Julius Sturgis opened the first commercial pretzel bakery
in Lititz, Pennsylvania, in 1861. He received his original
pretzel recipe as a thank you from a down-on-his-luck job
seeker after Sturgis gave the man dinner.
Ah, the elusive search for the exact origins of Jazz. Yes, Creole music and black slave field songs were part of its origins, but there was also the influence of marching bands, European ballroom dance music, and the blues. Of course, if you believe Jelly Roll Morton, he invented it "on a fine Tuesday afternoon."
In Mexico they have a similar tradition on January 6th, which is the day when the 3 Wise Men (the kings, not Jim, Johnny, and Jack) arrived in Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus. A large rosca de reyes, or round of kings, is served at parties. Attendants cut their own pieces of the cake, which contains small plastic babies at random places. The people who find the babies are obliged to organize a party on Candlemas Day, February 2nd.
You've been watching Good Eats! on the Food Network, haven't you?
RANDOM TIDBITS
The oldest winner of a competitive Oscar was Jessica Tandy,
who was 80 when she took Best Actress for Driving Miss
Daisy in 1989. The oldest ever Best Actor was Henry Fonda
who was 76 when he won for On Golden Pond in 1981.
***
The first actor to receive an Oscar posthumously was Peter
Finch who died of a heart attack while leaving the Beverly
Hills Hotel to do a pre-Oscar ceremony TV interview with
Good Morning America. His wife picked up the Best Actor
award he won for 1976's Network.
***
The Oscars are so nicknamed thanks to Margaret Herrick,
former librarian for the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And
Sciences, who commented that the statues looked like her
Uncle Oscar (Pierce). The name stuck.
***
The statues were designed in 1928 by MGM art director
Cedric Gibbons, who doodled the design during an early
meeting of the Academy. Unemployed sculptor George Stanley
was paid $500 to create the first batch.
***
The first person to refuse their Oscar was Dudley Nichols,
who got Best Writer (Screenplay) in 1935 for The Informer.
He was trying to drum up support for the Writers' Guild
who had organized a boycott of the Academy Awards in an
effort to gain recognition from the studios.
***
The movie which won the most Oscars without winning Best
Picture was Cabaret, which took eight awards in 1972.
The oldest winner of a competitive Oscar was Jessica Tandy,
who was 80 when she took Best Actress for Driving Miss
Daisy in 1989. The oldest ever Best Actor was Henry Fonda
who was 76 when he won for On Golden Pond in 1981.
***
The first actor to receive an Oscar posthumously was Peter
Finch who died of a heart attack while leaving the Beverly
Hills Hotel to do a pre-Oscar ceremony TV interview with
Good Morning America. His wife picked up the Best Actor
award he won for 1976's Network.
***
The Oscars are so nicknamed thanks to Margaret Herrick,
former librarian for the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And
Sciences, who commented that the statues looked like her
Uncle Oscar (Pierce). The name stuck.
***
The statues were designed in 1928 by MGM art director
Cedric Gibbons, who doodled the design during an early
meeting of the Academy. Unemployed sculptor George Stanley
was paid $500 to create the first batch.
***
The first person to refuse their Oscar was Dudley Nichols,
who got Best Writer (Screenplay) in 1935 for The Informer.
He was trying to drum up support for the Writers' Guild
who had organized a boycott of the Academy Awards in an
effort to gain recognition from the studios.
***
The movie which won the most Oscars without winning Best
Picture was Cabaret, which took eight awards in 1972.
An aching tooth is better out than in. To lose a rotting member is a gain: Richard Baxter.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Millions of people can crack a walnut with their teeth.
While most adults exert about 20 to 40 pounds of pressure
when their teeth make contact, millions of people exert as
much as 250 pounds of pressure on their teeth.
***
Swimming in overly chlorinated pools can wear away enamel.
Fluoride treatments can be given to help keep the teeth
strong.
***
Bulimia and acid reflux can destroy tooth enamel. Many
people suffering from bulimia are able to hide the disorder,
but it is difficult to keep it a secret from a dentist.
***
The average American drinks more than 53 gallons of soft
drinks each year, more than any other beverage, including
milk, beer, coffee, or water. Phosphoric acid in soda and
citric acid in citrus drinks can cause tooth enamel
corrosion and the sugar can cause cavities.
***
Eighty percent of Americans over 35 have gum disease. It
can range from simple gum inflammation, called gingivitis,
to serious disease that results in damage to the bone.
***
One in four adults over 60 has lost all of his or her teeth.
A good oral hygiene program should include twice daily
brushing, flossing, eating a balanced diet, limiting
between-meal snacks, and regular visits to your dentist for
professional cleaning and oral exams.
(Facts from Dental Heath Magazine)
RANDOM TIDBITS
Millions of people can crack a walnut with their teeth.
While most adults exert about 20 to 40 pounds of pressure
when their teeth make contact, millions of people exert as
much as 250 pounds of pressure on their teeth.
***
Swimming in overly chlorinated pools can wear away enamel.
Fluoride treatments can be given to help keep the teeth
strong.
***
Bulimia and acid reflux can destroy tooth enamel. Many
people suffering from bulimia are able to hide the disorder,
but it is difficult to keep it a secret from a dentist.
***
The average American drinks more than 53 gallons of soft
drinks each year, more than any other beverage, including
milk, beer, coffee, or water. Phosphoric acid in soda and
citric acid in citrus drinks can cause tooth enamel
corrosion and the sugar can cause cavities.
***
Eighty percent of Americans over 35 have gum disease. It
can range from simple gum inflammation, called gingivitis,
to serious disease that results in damage to the bone.
***
One in four adults over 60 has lost all of his or her teeth.
A good oral hygiene program should include twice daily
brushing, flossing, eating a balanced diet, limiting
between-meal snacks, and regular visits to your dentist for
professional cleaning and oral exams.
(Facts from Dental Heath Magazine)
Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of those pieces: Judith Viorst.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Forrest Mars came up with the idea for M&Ms during the
Spanish Civil War when he learned that soldiers were
looking for chocolate that could withstand hot temperatures.
He developed the famous candy, which he originally packaged
in heavy tubes.
***
In 1948, the packaging for M&Ms changed from a tube into the
famous brown bag that we still know today.
***
The year 1954 was big for M&Ms: peanut M&Ms (only in brown)
made their first appearance, the famous tagline, "melts in
your mouth, not in your hands," is born, and the cartoony
M&M characters make their television debut!
***
Red, green, and yellow colors were added to peanut M&Ms in
1960, but orange wasn't added until 1976.
***
M&Ms are introduced internationally in 1980, making their
way to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia,
The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.
***
In 1982, astronauts chose the candies to take with them
into space, and they have been part of shuttle missions
ever since!
RANDOM TIDBITS
Forrest Mars came up with the idea for M&Ms during the
Spanish Civil War when he learned that soldiers were
looking for chocolate that could withstand hot temperatures.
He developed the famous candy, which he originally packaged
in heavy tubes.
***
In 1948, the packaging for M&Ms changed from a tube into the
famous brown bag that we still know today.
***
The year 1954 was big for M&Ms: peanut M&Ms (only in brown)
made their first appearance, the famous tagline, "melts in
your mouth, not in your hands," is born, and the cartoony
M&M characters make their television debut!
***
Red, green, and yellow colors were added to peanut M&Ms in
1960, but orange wasn't added until 1976.
***
M&Ms are introduced internationally in 1980, making their
way to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia,
The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.
***
In 1982, astronauts chose the candies to take with them
into space, and they have been part of shuttle missions
ever since!