Have you studied climate change in school? Most of the world's scientists agree that our planet is warming. We are already seeing changes to our climate. Scientists expect we will notice these changes much more in the coming years.
The newspaper reporter talked with a scientist at NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to find out more about what is going on with our climate.
What is climate change?
Climate is the average of an area's weather over a long period of time. For example, in Alaska, the climate is much colder than in Flordia.
Experts usually say there is climate change if there are changes lasting for at least 30 years. We are seeing that throughout the world.
Warming and other changes
Many scientists are now using the term "climate change" instead of "global warming." The temperature of the air above the Earth is rising. But that is just one of several changes in the world's climate.
Some of the changes include:
* The 1980s broke all records for heat across the planet. Then the 1990s broke the 1980s record. The 2000s broke the 1990s record. In the past 30 years, each decade, or 10-year period, has broken the previous heat records.
* The Artic ice has been getting smaller and thinner each summer since 1979. The area of summer Artic ice has decreased by about 300,000 square miles. This is enough to cover both Texas and Kentucky.
* Sea level has risen 6 to 8 inches over the planet in the past 100 years.
* Precipitation, or moisture falling to Earth, has increased over much of the world in the last 100 years. This has brought flooding to areas such as Australia.
* Drought, or a long time with dry weather, has increased in some spots, including much of Africa.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Too Dry or Too Wet
Many different changes
Climate change does not affect every place the same way. Most places will see more moisture. But some places will be drier.
A warmer climate means more water will evaporate, or change from liquid to a gas. The liquid water is in our oceans and other bodies of water. Water gas, or vapor, goes into the air.
Failing water
The added water vapor in the air means that there will be more precipitation. But this moisture doesn't fall evenly across the Earth. Some places get too much, some get too little, and some get just enough.
If the air above the Earth is warm, it can hold more water. So more rain or snow may fall at once, causing stronger, more destructive storms. But more time may pass between storms.
Extreme weather
As the climate changes, extreme weather increases. For example:
* New York City had record-breaking snowfalls in January.
* Last spring, heavy rains caused massive flooding in Tennessee and Arkansas.
* Record heat waves spread across Europe and Asia last summer.
Climate change does not affect every place the same way. Most places will see more moisture. But some places will be drier.
A warmer climate means more water will evaporate, or change from liquid to a gas. The liquid water is in our oceans and other bodies of water. Water gas, or vapor, goes into the air.
Failing water
The added water vapor in the air means that there will be more precipitation. But this moisture doesn't fall evenly across the Earth. Some places get too much, some get too little, and some get just enough.
If the air above the Earth is warm, it can hold more water. So more rain or snow may fall at once, causing stronger, more destructive storms. But more time may pass between storms.
Extreme weather
As the climate changes, extreme weather increases. For example:
* New York City had record-breaking snowfalls in January.
* Last spring, heavy rains caused massive flooding in Tennessee and Arkansas.
* Record heat waves spread across Europe and Asia last summer.
Climate Change Forecasts
Storm superpowers
Scientists do not have enough information to predict how climate change will affect hurricanes and tornadoes.
We have seen an increase in hurricane strength in recent years. However, many hurricanes occur over the ocean. Until recently, no one has been able to measure how much power these hurricanes had.
Since the 1960s, we have been able to gather hurricane data from satellites. But there is no historical record to compare what we are seeing now with earlier patterns.
We have a similar problem with tornadoes. Although we have recorded more tornadoes in the last decade, we have only been able to accurately count the number of tornadoes since the 1990s, when Doppler radar was used throughout the country.
We don't know if these storms are really fiercer and more frequent, or if we just have better recording equipment, or both.
The effects of climate change
As the climate changes, people and wildlife will need to adjust. Animals may migrate farther north to avoid the heat.
We can't tell exactly how much climate change has been caused by humans, but we know it's significant. For example, in 2003, there were record heat waves across Europe. Experts say human activities have made the risk of similar heat waves about four times greater than with nature alone.
Rising sea levels will make storms more destructive as tides rise. Coastal flooding may increase. Some bridges and buildings may not last.
Taking action
Most experts believe human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels like oil and gas, are a major cause of climate change.
Computer models show that the planet will continue to warm even if we stop using fossil fuels completely right away. The Earth and oceans will take years to lose the extra heat.
Depending on how much we lower our use of fossil fuels and how well our planet can adjust, the world's temperature could rise by 2 to 6 degrees by 2100.
This doesn't sound like a lot, but even small temperature changes can cause big differences. For example, in the worst part of the last ice age, most of North America was covered by glaciers. But the planet was only 7 degrees colder than today.
Many of our bridges and buildings were designed for a different climate.
People may need to grow different crops. We will work it out, but we need to plan and change our habits.
Scientists do not have enough information to predict how climate change will affect hurricanes and tornadoes.
We have seen an increase in hurricane strength in recent years. However, many hurricanes occur over the ocean. Until recently, no one has been able to measure how much power these hurricanes had.
Since the 1960s, we have been able to gather hurricane data from satellites. But there is no historical record to compare what we are seeing now with earlier patterns.
We have a similar problem with tornadoes. Although we have recorded more tornadoes in the last decade, we have only been able to accurately count the number of tornadoes since the 1990s, when Doppler radar was used throughout the country.
We don't know if these storms are really fiercer and more frequent, or if we just have better recording equipment, or both.
The effects of climate change
As the climate changes, people and wildlife will need to adjust. Animals may migrate farther north to avoid the heat.
We can't tell exactly how much climate change has been caused by humans, but we know it's significant. For example, in 2003, there were record heat waves across Europe. Experts say human activities have made the risk of similar heat waves about four times greater than with nature alone.
Rising sea levels will make storms more destructive as tides rise. Coastal flooding may increase. Some bridges and buildings may not last.
Taking action
Most experts believe human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels like oil and gas, are a major cause of climate change.
Computer models show that the planet will continue to warm even if we stop using fossil fuels completely right away. The Earth and oceans will take years to lose the extra heat.
Depending on how much we lower our use of fossil fuels and how well our planet can adjust, the world's temperature could rise by 2 to 6 degrees by 2100.
This doesn't sound like a lot, but even small temperature changes can cause big differences. For example, in the worst part of the last ice age, most of North America was covered by glaciers. But the planet was only 7 degrees colder than today.
Many of our bridges and buildings were designed for a different climate.
People may need to grow different crops. We will work it out, but we need to plan and change our habits.
F. Y. I.
Bundle of Equals
Armadillos have four babies at a time and they are always all the same sex.
Before Fame
Chuck Berry, Art Garfunkel, Harrison Ford, Matt Le Blanc and Robert Redford all worked as carpenters early in their careers.
State Stats
Twenty-three states in the U.S. border an ocean.
Quotable
by Ed Asner, American actor
"Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare."
Count 'Em
The Empire State Building in New York City has 6,400 windows.
Still on the Books
In North Dakota, beer and pretzels can't be served at the same time in any bar or restaurant.
Armadillos have four babies at a time and they are always all the same sex.
Before Fame
Chuck Berry, Art Garfunkel, Harrison Ford, Matt Le Blanc and Robert Redford all worked as carpenters early in their careers.
State Stats
Twenty-three states in the U.S. border an ocean.
Quotable
by Ed Asner, American actor
"Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare."
Count 'Em
The Empire State Building in New York City has 6,400 windows.
Still on the Books
In North Dakota, beer and pretzels can't be served at the same time in any bar or restaurant.
F. Y. I.
Quotable
by Rachel Carson, American marine biologist and conservationist (1907-1964)
"It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know of wonder and humility."
Still on the Books
In Athens, Greece, a driver's license can be taken away by law if the driver is deemed "unbathed" or "poorly dressed".
Big Foot
The Statue of Liberty wears a size 879 sandal.
Did You Know?
Pigs were banished from Philadelphia's city streets in 1710.
Large Spread
One acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.
Try This
To remove crayon marks from walls, use a hair dryer to heat the wax.
by Rachel Carson, American marine biologist and conservationist (1907-1964)
"It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know of wonder and humility."
Still on the Books
In Athens, Greece, a driver's license can be taken away by law if the driver is deemed "unbathed" or "poorly dressed".
Big Foot
The Statue of Liberty wears a size 879 sandal.
Did You Know?
Pigs were banished from Philadelphia's city streets in 1710.
Large Spread
One acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.
Try This
To remove crayon marks from walls, use a hair dryer to heat the wax.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Baby Boomer moms keep supporting grown kids?
More than half of Baby Boom-generation mothers support adult children financially and 60 percent are the go-to person when their grown kids encounter problems, according to a survey issued on Thursday.
That trend contrasted with the 86 percent of those 46- to 65-year-old women surveyed who said they were fully independent of their own parents by age 25.
"We wanted to get the hell out as soon as possible," said Liz Kitchens, a partner in The Kitchens Group, a public opinion research firm in Orlando, Florida, that conducted the survey.
The company conducted the national online survey of 441 women between February 14 and March 14.
Eighty percent of the women said it was "very accurate" to describe themselves as reliable and dependable, a much stronger response than other self-described characteristics -- including "spontaneous and flexible," or "playful and fun" -- received.
Of women with children over age 18, nine percent said they had adult children living back home for indefinite periods. Twelve percent were primarily responsible for their adult child or children's financial well-being and 31 percent said they had children who returned home, relied on them but expected to become independent.
Kitchens, who is writing a book about "Lady Boomers," said in an interview that her survey and research suggest a shift in attitude not solely due to the current state of the economy.
Boomer moms, the first generation of women born amid the "baby boom" after the end of World War II, came of age amid the 1960's culture revolutions in the United States when protests over civil rights, feminism and the Vietnam War flourished.
Kitchens said many boomer moms enjoyed stimulating careers and had wrestled with guilt over leaving their children for work. She said mothers had perhaps indulged their kids in ways that made them happy to move back.
"I wasn't completely unhappy when both of my kids bounced back for periods of time," Kitchens said. "I think we've created good dinner companions."
Helen Bernstein, a 54-year-old former office worker from Casselberry, Florida, said her grown daughter moved back home with a new husband for a short time in 2008 while the young couple saved for a home of their own.
Bernstein now happily babysits full-time for her new grandchild but said returning home was something she herself never would have done.
"I left home at 17 and never looked back," she said. "I felt like once I left my parents' house, I would have been a failure to go back."
Denise Beumer, a 58-year-old manager of a bank branch near Orlando, has helped support two of her six adult children.
Although she moved back to her mother's home as a young divorcee, Beumer said her attitude was different.
"I didn't expect my mother to treat me like a child," Beumer said. "My son, he can't put the dishes in the dishwasher. It's like they feel it's an entitlement. I'm wondering if I made things too easy for them."
That trend contrasted with the 86 percent of those 46- to 65-year-old women surveyed who said they were fully independent of their own parents by age 25.
"We wanted to get the hell out as soon as possible," said Liz Kitchens, a partner in The Kitchens Group, a public opinion research firm in Orlando, Florida, that conducted the survey.
The company conducted the national online survey of 441 women between February 14 and March 14.
Eighty percent of the women said it was "very accurate" to describe themselves as reliable and dependable, a much stronger response than other self-described characteristics -- including "spontaneous and flexible," or "playful and fun" -- received.
Of women with children over age 18, nine percent said they had adult children living back home for indefinite periods. Twelve percent were primarily responsible for their adult child or children's financial well-being and 31 percent said they had children who returned home, relied on them but expected to become independent.
Kitchens, who is writing a book about "Lady Boomers," said in an interview that her survey and research suggest a shift in attitude not solely due to the current state of the economy.
Boomer moms, the first generation of women born amid the "baby boom" after the end of World War II, came of age amid the 1960's culture revolutions in the United States when protests over civil rights, feminism and the Vietnam War flourished.
Kitchens said many boomer moms enjoyed stimulating careers and had wrestled with guilt over leaving their children for work. She said mothers had perhaps indulged their kids in ways that made them happy to move back.
"I wasn't completely unhappy when both of my kids bounced back for periods of time," Kitchens said. "I think we've created good dinner companions."
Helen Bernstein, a 54-year-old former office worker from Casselberry, Florida, said her grown daughter moved back home with a new husband for a short time in 2008 while the young couple saved for a home of their own.
Bernstein now happily babysits full-time for her new grandchild but said returning home was something she herself never would have done.
"I left home at 17 and never looked back," she said. "I felt like once I left my parents' house, I would have been a failure to go back."
Denise Beumer, a 58-year-old manager of a bank branch near Orlando, has helped support two of her six adult children.
Although she moved back to her mother's home as a young divorcee, Beumer said her attitude was different.
"I didn't expect my mother to treat me like a child," Beumer said. "My son, he can't put the dishes in the dishwasher. It's like they feel it's an entitlement. I'm wondering if I made things too easy for them."
Dutch woman's bra cure for cleavage wrinkles a hit
Rachel de Boer finally told some friends a secret she'd kept for years: She slept with stuffed socks sewn between the cups of an old bra to prevent cleavage wrinkles and smooth out her neckline.
Three years later, a professionally designed and manufactured version of that same contraption is sold in 150 lingerie shops across the Netherlands and Belgium, approved by a research institute and getting interest from retail outlets in Germany, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Britain and France.
"It started out as my secret, I didn't want to talk about my wrinkles or the (first) bra I made, which was ugly," de Boer told Reuters on Thursday. "But I slept like that for seven years and then I turned 40, told my friends and they admitted they also had this problem."
Sceptical but curious, her friends also wanted sock bras to smooth out their cleavage wrinkles. So De Boer made five more versions of what is now called "La Decollette."
Her friends were so enthusiastic about the results, they encouraged the former real estate agent to stop selling houses and design an anti-wrinkle night bra that women would want to wear to bed.
La Decollette, which has a soft, padded rectangular piece of material between the collar bone and the sternum and sits between the breasts, was born and to De Boer's amazement, has addressed a problem many women all over Europe seem to share.
The cupless bra is worn at night and keeps the breasts "in place" to prevent the compressing of breasts together which De Boer says can create vertical wrinkles.
"If you sleep on your back, then you will never have this problem," she says adding, "Le Decollette works because the breast are separated through the night."
De Boer's anti-wrinkle bra has been a hit at lingerie shows around Europe and she said it also has the stamp of approval from the Parisian research institute CERCO or Center d'Etudes et de Recherches Cosmetologique.
CERCO carried out research on women between 35 and 60 years old and declared that those who wear the bra can see cleavage wrinkles reduced significantly after 24 hours, she said.
De Boer sold 12,000 of the 50-euro ($72) one-size fits all, anti-wrinkle bras last year, expects to sell 25,000 this year and 50,000 next year.
Talks are also underway to ship the bras to the United States and Canada.
Three years later, a professionally designed and manufactured version of that same contraption is sold in 150 lingerie shops across the Netherlands and Belgium, approved by a research institute and getting interest from retail outlets in Germany, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Britain and France.
"It started out as my secret, I didn't want to talk about my wrinkles or the (first) bra I made, which was ugly," de Boer told Reuters on Thursday. "But I slept like that for seven years and then I turned 40, told my friends and they admitted they also had this problem."
Sceptical but curious, her friends also wanted sock bras to smooth out their cleavage wrinkles. So De Boer made five more versions of what is now called "La Decollette."
Her friends were so enthusiastic about the results, they encouraged the former real estate agent to stop selling houses and design an anti-wrinkle night bra that women would want to wear to bed.
La Decollette, which has a soft, padded rectangular piece of material between the collar bone and the sternum and sits between the breasts, was born and to De Boer's amazement, has addressed a problem many women all over Europe seem to share.
The cupless bra is worn at night and keeps the breasts "in place" to prevent the compressing of breasts together which De Boer says can create vertical wrinkles.
"If you sleep on your back, then you will never have this problem," she says adding, "Le Decollette works because the breast are separated through the night."
De Boer's anti-wrinkle bra has been a hit at lingerie shows around Europe and she said it also has the stamp of approval from the Parisian research institute CERCO or Center d'Etudes et de Recherches Cosmetologique.
CERCO carried out research on women between 35 and 60 years old and declared that those who wear the bra can see cleavage wrinkles reduced significantly after 24 hours, she said.
De Boer sold 12,000 of the 50-euro ($72) one-size fits all, anti-wrinkle bras last year, expects to sell 25,000 this year and 50,000 next year.
Talks are also underway to ship the bras to the United States and Canada.
Man arrested for creating fake army unit
A Chinese man was arrested for creating a fake U.S. Army unit and convincing immigrants that joining the squad was a path to citizenship, authorities said.
Yupeng Deng, 51, allegedly gave his recruits military uniforms, had them parade in a Los Angeles suburb and took them to the decommissioned USS Midway aircraft carrier, which is a museum in San Diego.
Deng charged more than 100 fellow Chinese nationals a fee of between $300 and $450 to join the fake Army unit, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.
He called his bogus squad the U.S. Army/Military Special Forces Reserve unit, or MSFR for short, and he gave himself the lofty title of supreme commander, prosecutors said.
Aside from telling recruits that belonging to the unit was a path to U.S. citizenship, Deng also urged them to pay him cash for higher military rank, according to prosecutors.
He also allegedly provided them with fake documents and phony military identification cards.
Deng, a resident of the Los Angeles suburb of El Monte, was arrested on Tuesday by sheriff's deputies.
He was charged with theft by false pretenses, manufacturing deceptive government documents and counterfeit of an official government seal.
Deng faces up to eight years in prison if convicted. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, and is being held on $500,000 bail.
Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office, declined to comment on how Deng was caught.
"All the details and evidence will come out in a preliminary hearing," she said.
Yupeng Deng, 51, allegedly gave his recruits military uniforms, had them parade in a Los Angeles suburb and took them to the decommissioned USS Midway aircraft carrier, which is a museum in San Diego.
Deng charged more than 100 fellow Chinese nationals a fee of between $300 and $450 to join the fake Army unit, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.
He called his bogus squad the U.S. Army/Military Special Forces Reserve unit, or MSFR for short, and he gave himself the lofty title of supreme commander, prosecutors said.
Aside from telling recruits that belonging to the unit was a path to U.S. citizenship, Deng also urged them to pay him cash for higher military rank, according to prosecutors.
He also allegedly provided them with fake documents and phony military identification cards.
Deng, a resident of the Los Angeles suburb of El Monte, was arrested on Tuesday by sheriff's deputies.
He was charged with theft by false pretenses, manufacturing deceptive government documents and counterfeit of an official government seal.
Deng faces up to eight years in prison if convicted. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, and is being held on $500,000 bail.
Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office, declined to comment on how Deng was caught.
"All the details and evidence will come out in a preliminary hearing," she said.
New app calculates calories through photos of food
Worried about how many calories you are going to consume in that slice of pizza, chocolate cake or bag of fries? A new iPhone application may help.
After taking a picture of the meal with the phone, the app gives a calorie read-out almost instantly.
The app, called MealSnap, was developed by DailyBurn, a fitness social network that has created several other fitness and diet-related iPhone applications.
Within minutes of taking a picture of a meal and matching it to a database of some 500,000 food items, the app sends users an alert with a range of calories for the meal that was photographed.
"The database can quickly help identity the food, how many calories there are, proteins, fat, carbs, vitamins, whatever you may want to know," said DailyBurn CEO Andy Smith. "Users can then choose to share what they've eaten on Twitter or FourSquare, leading to social accountability."
Smith added that calorie counting can be a very time consuming process. But the app makes it easier to track the calories in food.
"The pure act of tracking something can cause a psychological change that can help people on their health and fitness journey," he explained. "Just the simple fact of logging it makes me more aware of what I'm eating."
Additionally, MealSnap can serve as a food diary, allowing users to keep a visual log of the meals they have eaten.
"It's like a food journal, but easier. All you do is take the picture," Smith said.
MealSnap is available on the iTunes store for $2.99.
After taking a picture of the meal with the phone, the app gives a calorie read-out almost instantly.
The app, called MealSnap, was developed by DailyBurn, a fitness social network that has created several other fitness and diet-related iPhone applications.
Within minutes of taking a picture of a meal and matching it to a database of some 500,000 food items, the app sends users an alert with a range of calories for the meal that was photographed.
"The database can quickly help identity the food, how many calories there are, proteins, fat, carbs, vitamins, whatever you may want to know," said DailyBurn CEO Andy Smith. "Users can then choose to share what they've eaten on Twitter or FourSquare, leading to social accountability."
Smith added that calorie counting can be a very time consuming process. But the app makes it easier to track the calories in food.
"The pure act of tracking something can cause a psychological change that can help people on their health and fitness journey," he explained. "Just the simple fact of logging it makes me more aware of what I'm eating."
Additionally, MealSnap can serve as a food diary, allowing users to keep a visual log of the meals they have eaten.
"It's like a food journal, but easier. All you do is take the picture," Smith said.
MealSnap is available on the iTunes store for $2.99.
Deer stands guard over goose nest in cemetery
A deer has been standing watch for several days over a female goose nesting in a city cemetery, a scene normally reserved for a children's movie.
"People always want to turn it into a Disney story and in this case it's not far off," said Gina Browning, director of the Erie County SPCA.
For at least four days, the buck stood guard near the nest of a Canada goose as she sits on her eggs inside a large urn at Forest Lawn cemetery, home to the remains of President Millard Fillmore and rock icon Rick James.
"He does appear to be guarding the goose, as it were," Erie County SPCA Wildlife Administrator Joel Thomas said. "He's within touching distance of her -- there's no doubt what's going on."
The deer, which he said looks like a buck that has shed its antlers, has not strayed from his post.
Employees at the cemetery were alerted to the situation after the animal positioned itself between the bird and an employee of a company that traps and relocates geese, which Thomas said have become a messy problem in large numbers.
"When he approached the bird with a net, the deer puts itself between him and the bird, and he's repeated that behavior for some time," he said.
Typically positioning himself broadside to any car or passerby who comes near the nest, the deer stares intently until the potential aggressor moves on, he said.
Why exactly the deer has chosen to champion a bird of a different feather is a complicated question, Thomas said. While interdependence among species in the wild is not unheard of, Thomas said whatever is causing this animal kingdom alliance is anybody's guess.
"From a human standpoint we can fill in a lot of blanks but it doesn't mean we're right," he said. "Does he know she's nesting? I don't know. Is he going to leave when the chicks hatch? I don't know."
One thing is clear: It could go on for some time.
The gestation period for a Canada goose is up to 31 days, Thomas said, with the nesting season only just beginning. While normally both the male and female share the task of keeping the eggs warm, the expectant mother at Forest Lawn appears not to have that luxury.
"If the deer is determined, he's going to be on the job for at least three weeks," Thomas said.
Devotion rather than emotion seems to be driving the buck.
"The deer and the goose are not in love," Thomas said.
"People always want to turn it into a Disney story and in this case it's not far off," said Gina Browning, director of the Erie County SPCA.
For at least four days, the buck stood guard near the nest of a Canada goose as she sits on her eggs inside a large urn at Forest Lawn cemetery, home to the remains of President Millard Fillmore and rock icon Rick James.
"He does appear to be guarding the goose, as it were," Erie County SPCA Wildlife Administrator Joel Thomas said. "He's within touching distance of her -- there's no doubt what's going on."
The deer, which he said looks like a buck that has shed its antlers, has not strayed from his post.
Employees at the cemetery were alerted to the situation after the animal positioned itself between the bird and an employee of a company that traps and relocates geese, which Thomas said have become a messy problem in large numbers.
"When he approached the bird with a net, the deer puts itself between him and the bird, and he's repeated that behavior for some time," he said.
Typically positioning himself broadside to any car or passerby who comes near the nest, the deer stares intently until the potential aggressor moves on, he said.
Why exactly the deer has chosen to champion a bird of a different feather is a complicated question, Thomas said. While interdependence among species in the wild is not unheard of, Thomas said whatever is causing this animal kingdom alliance is anybody's guess.
"From a human standpoint we can fill in a lot of blanks but it doesn't mean we're right," he said. "Does he know she's nesting? I don't know. Is he going to leave when the chicks hatch? I don't know."
One thing is clear: It could go on for some time.
The gestation period for a Canada goose is up to 31 days, Thomas said, with the nesting season only just beginning. While normally both the male and female share the task of keeping the eggs warm, the expectant mother at Forest Lawn appears not to have that luxury.
"If the deer is determined, he's going to be on the job for at least three weeks," Thomas said.
Devotion rather than emotion seems to be driving the buck.
"The deer and the goose are not in love," Thomas said.
Electronic stores in two states offer free guns
A chain of electronic stores in parts of the states of Idaho and Montana are offering free guns to first-time subscribers of satellite TV services.
The new promotions by combination RadioShack and Dish Network dealerships in western Montana and another in southwest Idaho have attracted crowds that range from the merely curious to the firearm-friendly.
John Marshall, owner of a RadioShack store in Mountain Home, Idaho near Boise, said the flagging economy was behind the program he began advertising this week.
"There's no problem with it here; this isn't New York City," he said about a gun giveaway that has sparked criticism on blogs by gun-control advocates elsewhere.
Under the arrangement, new subscribers to a Dish Network package are given a coupon for $135 to purchase a single-shot shotgun at a local sporting goods store.
The guns-for-subscriptions offer is the brainchild of Steve Strand, owner of a RadioShack store in Montana's Bitterroot Valley.
Strand said the promotional campaign he crafted last fall has proved a sure-fire strategy to target satellite subscribers in a region that favors firearms. Subscriptions for Dish Network packages have increased threefold since he began offering freebies on pistols or shotguns.
Strand said women make up the majority of his growing customer base.
"All I can tell you is, grandma is packing a gun in Montana," he said.
A RadioShack official questioned the promotion but the corporation has not prohibited it by franchise owners like Strand.
"I might not even consider such a program if I were in Detroit city but we have a different demographic out here," Strand said.
The new promotions by combination RadioShack and Dish Network dealerships in western Montana and another in southwest Idaho have attracted crowds that range from the merely curious to the firearm-friendly.
John Marshall, owner of a RadioShack store in Mountain Home, Idaho near Boise, said the flagging economy was behind the program he began advertising this week.
"There's no problem with it here; this isn't New York City," he said about a gun giveaway that has sparked criticism on blogs by gun-control advocates elsewhere.
Under the arrangement, new subscribers to a Dish Network package are given a coupon for $135 to purchase a single-shot shotgun at a local sporting goods store.
The guns-for-subscriptions offer is the brainchild of Steve Strand, owner of a RadioShack store in Montana's Bitterroot Valley.
Strand said the promotional campaign he crafted last fall has proved a sure-fire strategy to target satellite subscribers in a region that favors firearms. Subscriptions for Dish Network packages have increased threefold since he began offering freebies on pistols or shotguns.
Strand said women make up the majority of his growing customer base.
"All I can tell you is, grandma is packing a gun in Montana," he said.
A RadioShack official questioned the promotion but the corporation has not prohibited it by franchise owners like Strand.
"I might not even consider such a program if I were in Detroit city but we have a different demographic out here," Strand said.
Maine legalizing switchblades for one-armed people
Maine lawmakers on Wednesday approved legalizing switchblades for people with one arm, moving close to becoming the first state to make such an exception to laws that ban use of the spring-action knives.
Backers of the measure say legalizing switchblades would eliminate a need for one-armed people to be forced to open folding knives with their teeth in emergencies.
The bill to allow amputees and other one-armed people to carry the quick-opening knives cleared Maine's Senate on Wednesday after passing the House on Tuesday, Senate officials said.
Until now, Maine banned the use of switchblades by anyone.
In most states, carrying switchblades is illegal in most circumstances, though owning the knives may be allowed in some states.
Federal law allows their use by a person with one arm only on federal property if the blade is shorter than three inches.
The Maine bill requires that the knives have a blade that is three inches or shorter.
Governor Paul LePage is expected to sign the measure into law in the next couple of days, said spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett.
Backers of the measure say legalizing switchblades would eliminate a need for one-armed people to be forced to open folding knives with their teeth in emergencies.
The bill to allow amputees and other one-armed people to carry the quick-opening knives cleared Maine's Senate on Wednesday after passing the House on Tuesday, Senate officials said.
Until now, Maine banned the use of switchblades by anyone.
In most states, carrying switchblades is illegal in most circumstances, though owning the knives may be allowed in some states.
Federal law allows their use by a person with one arm only on federal property if the blade is shorter than three inches.
The Maine bill requires that the knives have a blade that is three inches or shorter.
Governor Paul LePage is expected to sign the measure into law in the next couple of days, said spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett.
POP QUIZ (CIVIL WAR)
This year is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, and this quiz focuses on that flash point, Fort Sumter.
1. In what state is Fort Sumter National Monument ?
a) Virginia.
b) North Carolina.
c) South Carolina.
d) Georgia.
2. Who fired the first shots of the Civil War?
a) federal troops inside the fort.
b) Confederates in the nearby harbor.
3. Who was the commander of the fort when the war started?
a) William T. Sherman.
b) Robert Anderson.
c) Ulysses S. Grant.
d) Ambrose Burnside.
4. Coincidentally, at West Point in the 1830s, the fort's commander had been the artillery instructor of the Confederate general whose troops opened fire. Name the Southern general.
a) Pierre G.T.Beauregard.
b) James Longstreet.
c) Braxton Bragg.
d) Joseph E. Johnston.
5. The first Union shot was fired by Capt. Abner Doubleday, later erroneously given credit for inventing baseball.
a) True.
b) False.
6. How long did the Confederate attack on the fort last before the besieged Union soldiers surrendered?
a) 6 hours.
b) 13 hours
c) 24 hours.
d) 34 hours.
7. The first Civil War death occurred on April 14. How did Pvt. Daniel Hough die?
a) Buried under rubble during the bombardment of the fort.
b) Killed when a cannon prematurely fired during the final salute to the U.S. flag before surrender.
c) Drowned when a boat capsized as troops were transported from fort to shore.
d) Shot while trying to escape after surrender.
8. What happened to the Union soldiers after the surrender?
a) Sent to POW camps.
b) Forced to swear allegiance to Confederacy.
c) Transported to a federal fleet that President Abraham Lincolon had sent to resupply Sumter.
d) Tried in military tribunals.
9. Sumter would be taken and retaken several times during the war.
a) True.
b) False.
10. Four years to the day later, the same U.S. flag lowered on the day of the surrender was raised again over Sumter. Who had the honor?
a) William T. Sherman.
b) Robert Anderson.
c) Ulysses S. Grant.
d) Ambrose Burnside.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers: 1. c ; 2. b ; 3. b ; 4. a ; 5. a ; 6. d ; 7. b ; 8. c ; 9. b ; 10. b
1. In what state is Fort Sumter National Monument ?
a) Virginia.
b) North Carolina.
c) South Carolina.
d) Georgia.
2. Who fired the first shots of the Civil War?
a) federal troops inside the fort.
b) Confederates in the nearby harbor.
3. Who was the commander of the fort when the war started?
a) William T. Sherman.
b) Robert Anderson.
c) Ulysses S. Grant.
d) Ambrose Burnside.
4. Coincidentally, at West Point in the 1830s, the fort's commander had been the artillery instructor of the Confederate general whose troops opened fire. Name the Southern general.
a) Pierre G.T.Beauregard.
b) James Longstreet.
c) Braxton Bragg.
d) Joseph E. Johnston.
5. The first Union shot was fired by Capt. Abner Doubleday, later erroneously given credit for inventing baseball.
a) True.
b) False.
6. How long did the Confederate attack on the fort last before the besieged Union soldiers surrendered?
a) 6 hours.
b) 13 hours
c) 24 hours.
d) 34 hours.
7. The first Civil War death occurred on April 14. How did Pvt. Daniel Hough die?
a) Buried under rubble during the bombardment of the fort.
b) Killed when a cannon prematurely fired during the final salute to the U.S. flag before surrender.
c) Drowned when a boat capsized as troops were transported from fort to shore.
d) Shot while trying to escape after surrender.
8. What happened to the Union soldiers after the surrender?
a) Sent to POW camps.
b) Forced to swear allegiance to Confederacy.
c) Transported to a federal fleet that President Abraham Lincolon had sent to resupply Sumter.
d) Tried in military tribunals.
9. Sumter would be taken and retaken several times during the war.
a) True.
b) False.
10. Four years to the day later, the same U.S. flag lowered on the day of the surrender was raised again over Sumter. Who had the honor?
a) William T. Sherman.
b) Robert Anderson.
c) Ulysses S. Grant.
d) Ambrose Burnside.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers: 1. c ; 2. b ; 3. b ; 4. a ; 5. a ; 6. d ; 7. b ; 8. c ; 9. b ; 10. b
KNOW WHAT WE'RE SAYIN' ?
We're all about language conservation and protection.
We're all about goin' red, not green; if we see our language being messed with, we stop it.
In fact, whenever we notice graffiti obscuring our blessed words and phrases, its days are numbered: We reach for Formula 409 and 86 it.
With that in mind, welcome to the wildly popular third annual "Lose it from the Lexicon" series.
Before we begin, let me draw your attention to the den wall, where mounted are some of the tragically misused words and phrases we've put to rest since our founding in 2009:
Misused and overused words and phrases such as like, totally, whatever, obviously, back story, perfect storm, phone tag, you know, don't go there, I mean, it is what it is, my bad, help me to help you, agree to disagree, are we having fun yet, at the end of the day, think outside the box, push the envelope, and thrown under the bus.
We've even made room on the wall for misused phrases (I could care less) and for words (irregardless) that mean the exact oppisite of what they're commonly used to express.
But just when you think all the language roaches have been eradicated, you turn on the lights and see new ones scatter into the baseboard.
Here are some of those pesty roaches:
Foodie: It's an annoying little word used by half-baked, self-absorbed people in order to make their love of food sound more important than yours. Coined 30 years ago and used in 1984 book "The Official Foodie Handbook," it has made a comeback. Can often be found on a foodie's Twitter profile between fan of Indonesian Balinese Gamelan music and Zen master apprentice. Ugh!
Spot on: Said to someone whose comments are believed to be correct. For example: "Your opinion that the Flyers, who are playing poorly a week before the playoffs begin, peaked too early was spot on." When I say that this term must go the way of the dodo, I would hope plenty of folks would respond, "Spot on."
Gone viral: It means some story, trend or idea has become unbelievably popular in a very short time ---and usually in cyberspace. It's another case where a term was created where none was needed. And like human viruses, there is no antibiotic to kill it, so we are left for it to run its course.
Having said that: If you just told me something and saw me nodding as though I understood every word you just spoke, why do you feel the need to begin your next sentence with that phrase? Having said that, this cockroach of a phrase needs to go.
So fun: Not sure if the geniuses who came up with this term---as in "This rollercoaster is so fun!"---added the "so" by accident or forgot to add "much" between the two. So fun? Hearing it is so not fun.
Know what I'm sayin'?: Had some fun messing with the not-fully-formed brains of some high school boys, who, after spotting me wearing a Red Sox cap, said, "Sox are in trouble. Know what I'm sayin'?" I said, "No, I don't know what you're sayin'."
The kid proceeded to explain himself and again finished by saying, "Know what I'm sayin'"? Again, and this time with furrowed brow, I responded by sayin' "Um, no, I don't know what you're sayin'."
That when one of the kid's pals pulled him by the sweatshirt and said, 'Dude's screwin' with ya." I said, "Your buddy's right. Know what I'm sayin'?"
This phrase, and all the other words and phrases above, have to go.
Know what I'm sayin'?
We're all about goin' red, not green; if we see our language being messed with, we stop it.
In fact, whenever we notice graffiti obscuring our blessed words and phrases, its days are numbered: We reach for Formula 409 and 86 it.
With that in mind, welcome to the wildly popular third annual "Lose it from the Lexicon" series.
Before we begin, let me draw your attention to the den wall, where mounted are some of the tragically misused words and phrases we've put to rest since our founding in 2009:
Misused and overused words and phrases such as like, totally, whatever, obviously, back story, perfect storm, phone tag, you know, don't go there, I mean, it is what it is, my bad, help me to help you, agree to disagree, are we having fun yet, at the end of the day, think outside the box, push the envelope, and thrown under the bus.
We've even made room on the wall for misused phrases (I could care less) and for words (irregardless) that mean the exact oppisite of what they're commonly used to express.
But just when you think all the language roaches have been eradicated, you turn on the lights and see new ones scatter into the baseboard.
Here are some of those pesty roaches:
Foodie: It's an annoying little word used by half-baked, self-absorbed people in order to make their love of food sound more important than yours. Coined 30 years ago and used in 1984 book "The Official Foodie Handbook," it has made a comeback. Can often be found on a foodie's Twitter profile between fan of Indonesian Balinese Gamelan music and Zen master apprentice. Ugh!
Spot on: Said to someone whose comments are believed to be correct. For example: "Your opinion that the Flyers, who are playing poorly a week before the playoffs begin, peaked too early was spot on." When I say that this term must go the way of the dodo, I would hope plenty of folks would respond, "Spot on."
Gone viral: It means some story, trend or idea has become unbelievably popular in a very short time ---and usually in cyberspace. It's another case where a term was created where none was needed. And like human viruses, there is no antibiotic to kill it, so we are left for it to run its course.
Having said that: If you just told me something and saw me nodding as though I understood every word you just spoke, why do you feel the need to begin your next sentence with that phrase? Having said that, this cockroach of a phrase needs to go.
So fun: Not sure if the geniuses who came up with this term---as in "This rollercoaster is so fun!"---added the "so" by accident or forgot to add "much" between the two. So fun? Hearing it is so not fun.
Know what I'm sayin'?: Had some fun messing with the not-fully-formed brains of some high school boys, who, after spotting me wearing a Red Sox cap, said, "Sox are in trouble. Know what I'm sayin'?" I said, "No, I don't know what you're sayin'."
The kid proceeded to explain himself and again finished by saying, "Know what I'm sayin'"? Again, and this time with furrowed brow, I responded by sayin' "Um, no, I don't know what you're sayin'."
That when one of the kid's pals pulled him by the sweatshirt and said, 'Dude's screwin' with ya." I said, "Your buddy's right. Know what I'm sayin'?"
This phrase, and all the other words and phrases above, have to go.
Know what I'm sayin'?
CHRISTMAS TREE AREN'T JUST FOR DECEMBER
Lately, it has felt as if my to-do list is continually piling up.
A project is due in two weeks, and my room needs to be cleaned by a certain time. I'm hoping I can negotiate a way out of that mess. If I take out the trash or help with yardwork, is that enough to convince my mom to clean my room?
The shorts and flip-flops I wore last year have grown small. Now I must race to the mall in order to buy my favorite styles before they are all gone.
This pattern of tasks that needs to be completed may seem endless, but in reality, procrastination can be a good thing.
For proof, look no further than my foyer.
A quick walk through my front door explains everything: Our Christmas tree is still standing. Yes, it is April, and our beloved tree is still standing proudly in our front room.
Blame it on laziness, but I enjoy having an evergreen live up to its name. It is an artificial tree my parents bought 14 years ago, and it still looks festive after all of that use. We plug it in from time to time amd watch it light up.
Sometimes, we even play with the interactive ornaments, such as the "Peanuts" gang ornament that sings, the Jonas Brothers' ornament that plays their theme song and an ornament that features sledding penquins.
Christmas trees are so comforting, especially because they remind everyone of that magical time of year. Hearing the holiday music and staring at presents fills me with such glee.
Holidays are a time for fun, even if they are celebrated each day of the year. Our friends have stared at us and asked about the tree's purpose. Usually, we just giggle, nod and explain that we haven't felt like taking it down.
In my opinion, why should we be pressured into taking something down that we will have to put up again in less than 200 days? We should celebrate each day, and live life to its fullest. I love winter, snow and all that cold weather brings. Hot chocolate and fireplaces bring a feeling of warmth that not even summer heat can replicate.
The feeling of a warm blanket against cold skin makes my mouth water. So many interesting things happen during winter that I wish December was one year long. Thirty-one days isn't enough to contain the happiness that consumes my being when that music plays and the light show opens.
Longings for snow may be unusal, but summer still isn't exciting for me. The sun stares into the earth, causing sunburn, sun poisoning and, in some cases, skin cancer. The humidity levels rise off the charts, and it feels as if no one can escape from the heat's uncenching fist.
Having a Christmas tree reminds me to take in each moment.
And it makes me feel as if it is still December.
A project is due in two weeks, and my room needs to be cleaned by a certain time. I'm hoping I can negotiate a way out of that mess. If I take out the trash or help with yardwork, is that enough to convince my mom to clean my room?
The shorts and flip-flops I wore last year have grown small. Now I must race to the mall in order to buy my favorite styles before they are all gone.
This pattern of tasks that needs to be completed may seem endless, but in reality, procrastination can be a good thing.
For proof, look no further than my foyer.
A quick walk through my front door explains everything: Our Christmas tree is still standing. Yes, it is April, and our beloved tree is still standing proudly in our front room.
Blame it on laziness, but I enjoy having an evergreen live up to its name. It is an artificial tree my parents bought 14 years ago, and it still looks festive after all of that use. We plug it in from time to time amd watch it light up.
Sometimes, we even play with the interactive ornaments, such as the "Peanuts" gang ornament that sings, the Jonas Brothers' ornament that plays their theme song and an ornament that features sledding penquins.
Christmas trees are so comforting, especially because they remind everyone of that magical time of year. Hearing the holiday music and staring at presents fills me with such glee.
Holidays are a time for fun, even if they are celebrated each day of the year. Our friends have stared at us and asked about the tree's purpose. Usually, we just giggle, nod and explain that we haven't felt like taking it down.
In my opinion, why should we be pressured into taking something down that we will have to put up again in less than 200 days? We should celebrate each day, and live life to its fullest. I love winter, snow and all that cold weather brings. Hot chocolate and fireplaces bring a feeling of warmth that not even summer heat can replicate.
The feeling of a warm blanket against cold skin makes my mouth water. So many interesting things happen during winter that I wish December was one year long. Thirty-one days isn't enough to contain the happiness that consumes my being when that music plays and the light show opens.
Longings for snow may be unusal, but summer still isn't exciting for me. The sun stares into the earth, causing sunburn, sun poisoning and, in some cases, skin cancer. The humidity levels rise off the charts, and it feels as if no one can escape from the heat's uncenching fist.
Having a Christmas tree reminds me to take in each moment.
And it makes me feel as if it is still December.
F. Y. I.
Still on the Books
In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk.
Heavy Load
Traveling at 2 to 3 mph, camels can carry up to 1,000 pounds on their backs.
Did You Know ?
Children have more taste buds than adults.
Of Note
When it was opened in 1965, the Houston Astrodome was the world's largest air-conditioned room, reportedly capable of fitting an 18-story building inside it.
Quotable
by Sir Winston Churchill, British prime minister (1874-1965)
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."
What's in a Name?
Mountain goats aren't actually goats. They're antelopes.
In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk.
Heavy Load
Traveling at 2 to 3 mph, camels can carry up to 1,000 pounds on their backs.
Did You Know ?
Children have more taste buds than adults.
Of Note
When it was opened in 1965, the Houston Astrodome was the world's largest air-conditioned room, reportedly capable of fitting an 18-story building inside it.
Quotable
by Sir Winston Churchill, British prime minister (1874-1965)
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."
What's in a Name?
Mountain goats aren't actually goats. They're antelopes.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A TANG--Y TASTE OF NASA'S PAST
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. ------ You know what it feels like to be in space?
Like you're sick.
Think head cold.
"Your face gets kind of puffy," said Gerald Carr, 78, who once spent 84 days orbiting the Earth. "But you become used to it."
And launching?
"Like you're riding on a train with square wheels," he said. "It's noisy, bumpy and busy. You're too busy to enjoy the ride."
It was a Tuesdayafternoon in a Kennedy Space Center banquet room on Florida's salty-aired, sun-kissed Atlantic Coast. Forty visitors and I were there for the daily "Lunch With an Astronaut," and, for an hour, Carr, still lean in his gray NASA jacket, was our astronaut.
The two pads from which every shuttle mission has launched sat a few miles away. So did the control room where the United States first sent a man into space, and the site of the 1967 Apollo 1 fire that killed three astronauts during a training exercise. I would be seeing all those.
For the moment, my visit to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was chicken with mushroom sauce, vegetable medley, pitchers of Tang (a reference seemingly lost on youth) and Carr, a former Skylab commander who visited space in the mid-1970s.
But for all his tales from orbit, it didn't take long to take up the issue at the forefront of Space Coast minds these days: the end of NASA's space shuttle program.
The once-proud program is ending, almost 50 years to the day since Alan Shepard became the first American in space, igniting a nation's imagination and giving central Flordia an international tourist attraction 10 years before Disney World popped up 50 miles west.
The last scheduled shuttle missions are set for Feb.24 and April 18. The third and final mission has a launch date of June 28 but has yet to receive funding, according to NASA Space Operations chief Bill Gerstenmaier.
The end of the shuttle program means at least two things: First, that the United States, at least in the short term, will send astronauts spaceward through the space programs of other countries, such as Russia, an archrival in the space race not so long ago.
"For many of us, this is not very palatable," Carr told us. "But it's the decision that has been made."
The second thing is that for the first tme in decades, NASA and its partner agencies have no clear mission. Layoffs are expected, and a question is raised: What will become of tourism at the sprawling Space Coast beyond the occasional unmanned rocket launch?
The two days I spent on the Space Coast demonstrated that NASA and the Kennedy Space Center remain well-positioned to attract those fascinated by the history of space exploration.
Like you're sick.
Think head cold.
"Your face gets kind of puffy," said Gerald Carr, 78, who once spent 84 days orbiting the Earth. "But you become used to it."
And launching?
"Like you're riding on a train with square wheels," he said. "It's noisy, bumpy and busy. You're too busy to enjoy the ride."
It was a Tuesdayafternoon in a Kennedy Space Center banquet room on Florida's salty-aired, sun-kissed Atlantic Coast. Forty visitors and I were there for the daily "Lunch With an Astronaut," and, for an hour, Carr, still lean in his gray NASA jacket, was our astronaut.
The two pads from which every shuttle mission has launched sat a few miles away. So did the control room where the United States first sent a man into space, and the site of the 1967 Apollo 1 fire that killed three astronauts during a training exercise. I would be seeing all those.
For the moment, my visit to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was chicken with mushroom sauce, vegetable medley, pitchers of Tang (a reference seemingly lost on youth) and Carr, a former Skylab commander who visited space in the mid-1970s.
But for all his tales from orbit, it didn't take long to take up the issue at the forefront of Space Coast minds these days: the end of NASA's space shuttle program.
The once-proud program is ending, almost 50 years to the day since Alan Shepard became the first American in space, igniting a nation's imagination and giving central Flordia an international tourist attraction 10 years before Disney World popped up 50 miles west.
The last scheduled shuttle missions are set for Feb.24 and April 18. The third and final mission has a launch date of June 28 but has yet to receive funding, according to NASA Space Operations chief Bill Gerstenmaier.
The end of the shuttle program means at least two things: First, that the United States, at least in the short term, will send astronauts spaceward through the space programs of other countries, such as Russia, an archrival in the space race not so long ago.
"For many of us, this is not very palatable," Carr told us. "But it's the decision that has been made."
The second thing is that for the first tme in decades, NASA and its partner agencies have no clear mission. Layoffs are expected, and a question is raised: What will become of tourism at the sprawling Space Coast beyond the occasional unmanned rocket launch?
The two days I spent on the Space Coast demonstrated that NASA and the Kennedy Space Center remain well-positioned to attract those fascinated by the history of space exploration.
IT WAS A JOKE
Attention, everyone who read the article 'Fatal' Facebook Offenses -- It was an April Fools' joke!
That's right, you no longer need to worry about all that time you've been spending on Facebook recently, how many emoticons you use or all those random friends you've accumulated.
So take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and let that sink in: It was all a joke.
If you went and deleted posts and pictures that seemed questionable, is that a bad thing?
Because, while the article was fictional, it's true that colleges and employers care what you post online.
I recently talked with Mike Pesce, who works as a secondary education coordinator for a Jamison-based organization called the Network of Victim Assistance. And while he assured me that your Farmville use and chat speak won't hurt your college chances, other things on your Facebook can.
When I asked him how much of what we post online colleges can see, Pesce answered with a blunt "all of it." He said it doesn't matter what your Facebook security settings are or how you try to get around it: If you post it online, it's basically the world's to see.
According to Pesce, just the other week, he was talking to a girl who had been denied admission to four different schools based on what she had on her Facebook ---- four! Although he never said what it was she had on her pages, or which universities denied her, the fact remains: What you post onlinehas the potential to impact your life.
It's a growing trend among colleges to check on potential students' Facebook usage. Pesce said that often, a college will ask you to "friend" them on Facebook (and don't think about lying and saying you don't have a Facebook ---- it's easy to check). Especially in the more elite schools, what you have online can severly impact whether or not you are accepted.
Many colleges will also do a quick Google search ---- so make sure nothing incriminating will come up.
"As an interviewer for Harvard College, I do occasionally Google students I'm interviewing," Allison Otis blogged in Feburary at www.quora.com/Allison-Otis ." "So that will turn up Facebook profiles or anything else that is public. As far as I know, we are not given specific instructions to exclude it.
"I think it's always better to be safe than sorry----when you apply to college you spend such a long time crafting an image through your applications and essays that to be careless about your online data is just silly."
In the same blog post, Otis acknowledged that a Facebook profile could influence her before she interviews a candiate, even if she tries not to let it.
"If you care about your college career, one of the best things you can do is Google yourself, then pull anything off that you wouldn't voluntarily show your parents' friends," she wrote.
As far as what will or will not hurt you to post on Facebook, it seems that minor offenses like cursing aren't terrible as long they're not too extensive.
(Basically, if you dropped a bad word or two into a couple statuses, it's nothing to sweat over.)
But any picture that could be misconstrued as something inappropriate can be extremely harmful. Having pictures of you holding a red cup, whether it had alcohol in it or not, is a big no-no, for instance. Really, anything related to partying, drinking,smoking, etc., should stay off of your Facebook.
Colleges also don't like to see any form of harassment going on. Keep statuses about that crazy b*&# that you want to die to yourself; they'll come back to haunt you.
Complaining about school is all right; colleges understand that it's more or less part of every high school experience. But keep posts about looking forward to college partying or drinking, etc., off of the web. Colleges don't wantto seethat all you're interested in is partying it up.
Basically, Pesce's message was this: Think about what you put online before you post it. What's so easy to put on the Internet is almost impossible to remove, and it's going to be attached to your name forever, floating around in cyberspace.
If you wouldn't want colleges, or your future bosses to see it, it's probably not a good idea to post it.
But......Yes, the article about colleges revoking scholarships for common (and harmless) Facebook trends was an April Fools' gag. But what you post on Faacebook absolutely can influence your future. An expert warns of online activity that really could keep you out of college.
That's right, you no longer need to worry about all that time you've been spending on Facebook recently, how many emoticons you use or all those random friends you've accumulated.
So take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and let that sink in: It was all a joke.
If you went and deleted posts and pictures that seemed questionable, is that a bad thing?
Because, while the article was fictional, it's true that colleges and employers care what you post online.
I recently talked with Mike Pesce, who works as a secondary education coordinator for a Jamison-based organization called the Network of Victim Assistance. And while he assured me that your Farmville use and chat speak won't hurt your college chances, other things on your Facebook can.
When I asked him how much of what we post online colleges can see, Pesce answered with a blunt "all of it." He said it doesn't matter what your Facebook security settings are or how you try to get around it: If you post it online, it's basically the world's to see.
According to Pesce, just the other week, he was talking to a girl who had been denied admission to four different schools based on what she had on her Facebook ---- four! Although he never said what it was she had on her pages, or which universities denied her, the fact remains: What you post onlinehas the potential to impact your life.
It's a growing trend among colleges to check on potential students' Facebook usage. Pesce said that often, a college will ask you to "friend" them on Facebook (and don't think about lying and saying you don't have a Facebook ---- it's easy to check). Especially in the more elite schools, what you have online can severly impact whether or not you are accepted.
Many colleges will also do a quick Google search ---- so make sure nothing incriminating will come up.
"As an interviewer for Harvard College, I do occasionally Google students I'm interviewing," Allison Otis blogged in Feburary at www.quora.com/Allison-Otis ." "So that will turn up Facebook profiles or anything else that is public. As far as I know, we are not given specific instructions to exclude it.
"I think it's always better to be safe than sorry----when you apply to college you spend such a long time crafting an image through your applications and essays that to be careless about your online data is just silly."
In the same blog post, Otis acknowledged that a Facebook profile could influence her before she interviews a candiate, even if she tries not to let it.
"If you care about your college career, one of the best things you can do is Google yourself, then pull anything off that you wouldn't voluntarily show your parents' friends," she wrote.
As far as what will or will not hurt you to post on Facebook, it seems that minor offenses like cursing aren't terrible as long they're not too extensive.
(Basically, if you dropped a bad word or two into a couple statuses, it's nothing to sweat over.)
But any picture that could be misconstrued as something inappropriate can be extremely harmful. Having pictures of you holding a red cup, whether it had alcohol in it or not, is a big no-no, for instance. Really, anything related to partying, drinking,smoking, etc., should stay off of your Facebook.
Colleges also don't like to see any form of harassment going on. Keep statuses about that crazy b*&# that you want to die to yourself; they'll come back to haunt you.
Complaining about school is all right; colleges understand that it's more or less part of every high school experience. But keep posts about looking forward to college partying or drinking, etc., off of the web. Colleges don't wantto seethat all you're interested in is partying it up.
Basically, Pesce's message was this: Think about what you put online before you post it. What's so easy to put on the Internet is almost impossible to remove, and it's going to be attached to your name forever, floating around in cyberspace.
If you wouldn't want colleges, or your future bosses to see it, it's probably not a good idea to post it.
But......Yes, the article about colleges revoking scholarships for common (and harmless) Facebook trends was an April Fools' gag. But what you post on Faacebook absolutely can influence your future. An expert warns of online activity that really could keep you out of college.
SUBJECT : THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.
Must I ?
I realize now, it was a privilege to be a kid, growing up in the fifties. Back then, a family could consist of upwards of eight children so there was always someone to play with. On our block, hide and seek was the big thing, and most nights we stayed out until well after dark. I don't remember having any fears then. It was a carefree less stressful time. It was before the computer.
When the sixties came along, everything changed. Man was going to the moon. With that, came news of robots; and not just in outer space. Broadcasters were predicting that before long, these mechanical people would take the place of humans on the job.
In came the seventies and out went the World Book Encyclopedia. The computer had arrived, and no one, not even a stay-at-home mom like me could hide from it. One day, I remember I was at the market, second in line waiting to pay, when I over heard the cashier say "I'm sorry, I can't run your card. The computer is down." When my turn came, I placed the exact change on the counter. "The drawer won't open," she said. "I can't even figure the tax ." No problem, I assured her, "I figured the tax in my head." As for the drawer, I refrained from saying "Over in aisle six there's a Fisher-Price Cash Register, batteries included, that works like a champ." Instead I just said, "Be a sweetie and hand me my bag."
There's one invention I did actually like --- the cordless phone. Having one of these new devices meant that I could now throw in a wash and order a pizza simultaneously. Other than that, life at our house remained uneventful........ or at least until we got the word processor. For the first time, my daughter was enjoying her homework! It was then that I began to feel guilty. Why was I so afraid of Progress? Could all this new technology really be a good thing? NOT TODAY! Before I could apologize for being such a skeptic, my little girl accidentally kicked the plug, disconnecting it from the outlet. Her school report was gone. I know I spoke for the entire family, and the dog, when I wrapped my arms around her and whispered "Please stop screaming."
It's 2011 now, and I'm still writing letters the old fashioned way. I guess I enjoy a trip to the post office as much as I do the supermarket. Don't get me wrong. I've come a LONG way. I do own a cell phone, feel right at home at the ATM and find myself gasping when I misplace the remote for my flat-screen T.V. Would I consider a computer in the future? I don't know. I'd much rather have a robot that could take out the trash.
I realize now, it was a privilege to be a kid, growing up in the fifties. Back then, a family could consist of upwards of eight children so there was always someone to play with. On our block, hide and seek was the big thing, and most nights we stayed out until well after dark. I don't remember having any fears then. It was a carefree less stressful time. It was before the computer.
When the sixties came along, everything changed. Man was going to the moon. With that, came news of robots; and not just in outer space. Broadcasters were predicting that before long, these mechanical people would take the place of humans on the job.
In came the seventies and out went the World Book Encyclopedia. The computer had arrived, and no one, not even a stay-at-home mom like me could hide from it. One day, I remember I was at the market, second in line waiting to pay, when I over heard the cashier say "I'm sorry, I can't run your card. The computer is down." When my turn came, I placed the exact change on the counter. "The drawer won't open," she said. "I can't even figure the tax ." No problem, I assured her, "I figured the tax in my head." As for the drawer, I refrained from saying "Over in aisle six there's a Fisher-Price Cash Register, batteries included, that works like a champ." Instead I just said, "Be a sweetie and hand me my bag."
There's one invention I did actually like --- the cordless phone. Having one of these new devices meant that I could now throw in a wash and order a pizza simultaneously. Other than that, life at our house remained uneventful........ or at least until we got the word processor. For the first time, my daughter was enjoying her homework! It was then that I began to feel guilty. Why was I so afraid of Progress? Could all this new technology really be a good thing? NOT TODAY! Before I could apologize for being such a skeptic, my little girl accidentally kicked the plug, disconnecting it from the outlet. Her school report was gone. I know I spoke for the entire family, and the dog, when I wrapped my arms around her and whispered "Please stop screaming."
It's 2011 now, and I'm still writing letters the old fashioned way. I guess I enjoy a trip to the post office as much as I do the supermarket. Don't get me wrong. I've come a LONG way. I do own a cell phone, feel right at home at the ATM and find myself gasping when I misplace the remote for my flat-screen T.V. Would I consider a computer in the future? I don't know. I'd much rather have a robot that could take out the trash.
IT'S A PARADOX!
The Hangman.
There is a hangman who stands on a hill along a road to town. Every person who passes is asked the same question: "Where are you going?" If the passerby answers honestly, he or she is allowed to continue. If he tells a lie, he is hanged. There is, however, one reply for which the hangman can neither hang the person nor let him go.
What is that reply?
Well suppose a man comes along the road and the hangman asks him, "Where are you going?" The man replies that he is coming here so that the hangman can hang him. This answer creates an irreconciliable paradox. It is unfair for the hangman to hang the traveler, for the traveler has told the truth. If he lets the traveler go, however, it is also unfair, for then the traveler would have been lying.
There is a hangman who stands on a hill along a road to town. Every person who passes is asked the same question: "Where are you going?" If the passerby answers honestly, he or she is allowed to continue. If he tells a lie, he is hanged. There is, however, one reply for which the hangman can neither hang the person nor let him go.
What is that reply?
Well suppose a man comes along the road and the hangman asks him, "Where are you going?" The man replies that he is coming here so that the hangman can hang him. This answer creates an irreconciliable paradox. It is unfair for the hangman to hang the traveler, for the traveler has told the truth. If he lets the traveler go, however, it is also unfair, for then the traveler would have been lying.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
REARRANGE THE LETTERS AND LOOK WHAT YOU GET!
Scrabble anyone?
Presbyterian -- Best in prayer
Astronomer -- Moon starer
Desperation -- A Rope Ends It
The Eyes -- They See
George Bush -- He Bugs Gore
The Morse Code -- Here Come Dots
Dormitory -- Dirty Room
Slot Machines -- Cash Lost in Me
Animosity -- Is No Amity
Election Results -- Lies --- Let's Recount
Snooze Alarms -- Alas! No More Z's
A Decimal Point -- I'm Not a Dot In Place
The Earthquakes -- That Queer Shake
Eleven Plus Two -- Twelve Plus One
Mother-In-Law -- Woman Hilter........Oops!
Scrabble anyone?
Presbyterian -- Best in prayer
Astronomer -- Moon starer
Desperation -- A Rope Ends It
The Eyes -- They See
George Bush -- He Bugs Gore
The Morse Code -- Here Come Dots
Dormitory -- Dirty Room
Slot Machines -- Cash Lost in Me
Animosity -- Is No Amity
Election Results -- Lies --- Let's Recount
Snooze Alarms -- Alas! No More Z's
A Decimal Point -- I'm Not a Dot In Place
The Earthquakes -- That Queer Shake
Eleven Plus Two -- Twelve Plus One
Mother-In-Law -- Woman Hilter........Oops!
IT'S NOT ABOUT LOOKS..........
It was rumored that Attila the Hun was a dwarf.
Pepin the Short, Aesop, Gregory of Tours, Charles III of Naples and the Pasha Hussain were all less than 3 1/2 feet tall.
Lord Byron, though considered one of the most dashing and attractive men of his time, was fat and had a club foot.
Josef Stalin and Kaiser Whilhelm had crippled left arms.
Pepin the Short, Aesop, Gregory of Tours, Charles III of Naples and the Pasha Hussain were all less than 3 1/2 feet tall.
Lord Byron, though considered one of the most dashing and attractive men of his time, was fat and had a club foot.
Josef Stalin and Kaiser Whilhelm had crippled left arms.
WINES FOR YOUR EASTER TABLE
Ham is the most popular entree served for Easter Dinner. Let us help you with your wine pairings.
For those who enjoy a dry white wine we suggest Gewurztraminer. The spiceness of this wine will pair with baked ham very nicely. Another nice selection is Dry Riesling. Many people have never had a dry style Riesling but it appeals to those who enjoy Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. But it's a Riesling that pairs well with ham. If you're a honey glaze ham lover, Semi-Sweet Riesling or Rose' are great choices; some fruitness without delivering a lot of sweetness, yet pairing well with the glaze. If you're entertaining a large group, you might want to select Riesling for its versatility. It pleases the palate of a wide variety of wine lovers. For the die hard red wine drinker the best option is Pinot Noir. I suggest you select a wine from a cooler growing region like Burgundy, Washington, New York or Pennsylvania.
Here is a great glaze for ham:
Alpine Spice Glazed Ham
2/3C. golden brown sugar, firmly packed
1C. Sand Castle Alpine Spice
1/8 C. honey
Combine sugar, Alpine Spice, and honey; simmer on stove until it thickens to a syrupy consistency.
Remove ham 30 minutes before baking ends; remove drippings. Score top of ham in criss-cross pattern.
Cover ham with glaze. Bake in hot oven (400F).
Continue to baste ham with rest of glaze, in two or three applications every 8-10 minutes. Do not baste ham with rest of glaze that has run down into drippings as it dulls luster of glaze.
And if You're Enjoying Lamb..................
Roasted Leg of Lamb is a popular entree choice for many. The important role that garlic and rosemary play in a lamb dish contribute to the selection of a proper wine. Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, and Barbara grape based wines do well with lamb, the gaminess of the meat and robust herbs. Wines from Northern Italy and Burgundy are excellent choices. Want to try something new? Go with Egri Bikaver (Bull's Blood) from Hungary.
Remember, wine is a condiment to a meal; it is designed to highlight the dish, not complete with it or over power it. If you're spending good hard earned money on food make sure the wine showcases the food.
For those who enjoy a dry white wine we suggest Gewurztraminer. The spiceness of this wine will pair with baked ham very nicely. Another nice selection is Dry Riesling. Many people have never had a dry style Riesling but it appeals to those who enjoy Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. But it's a Riesling that pairs well with ham. If you're a honey glaze ham lover, Semi-Sweet Riesling or Rose' are great choices; some fruitness without delivering a lot of sweetness, yet pairing well with the glaze. If you're entertaining a large group, you might want to select Riesling for its versatility. It pleases the palate of a wide variety of wine lovers. For the die hard red wine drinker the best option is Pinot Noir. I suggest you select a wine from a cooler growing region like Burgundy, Washington, New York or Pennsylvania.
Here is a great glaze for ham:
Alpine Spice Glazed Ham
2/3C. golden brown sugar, firmly packed
1C. Sand Castle Alpine Spice
1/8 C. honey
Combine sugar, Alpine Spice, and honey; simmer on stove until it thickens to a syrupy consistency.
Remove ham 30 minutes before baking ends; remove drippings. Score top of ham in criss-cross pattern.
Cover ham with glaze. Bake in hot oven (400F).
Continue to baste ham with rest of glaze, in two or three applications every 8-10 minutes. Do not baste ham with rest of glaze that has run down into drippings as it dulls luster of glaze.
And if You're Enjoying Lamb..................
Roasted Leg of Lamb is a popular entree choice for many. The important role that garlic and rosemary play in a lamb dish contribute to the selection of a proper wine. Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, and Barbara grape based wines do well with lamb, the gaminess of the meat and robust herbs. Wines from Northern Italy and Burgundy are excellent choices. Want to try something new? Go with Egri Bikaver (Bull's Blood) from Hungary.
Remember, wine is a condiment to a meal; it is designed to highlight the dish, not complete with it or over power it. If you're spending good hard earned money on food make sure the wine showcases the food.
HOW TO BATTLE SPRING ALLERGIES
While we all are sure to welcome spring this year after the cold and snowy winter we just endured, this time of year does bring a bit of misery for those with allergies. The sneezing, sniffling, wheezing, coughing, itchy and watery eyes, and sinus pain can put a damper on their enjoyment of the warming days.
The biggest culprit is pollen, those tiny spores released into the air by budding weeds, flowers, grasses and trees meant to fertilize other plants. When those who are sensitive to pollen breathe it in, it sends their immune systems into overdrive, releasing antibodies to attack the allergen and releasing histamines into the blood. It's the histamines that cause the misery-inducing symptoms.
Airborne allergens also can cause asthma symptoms in those predisposed to the condition. Asthmatics airways will narrow, making it tough to breathe and leading to coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Allergy sufferers know that breezy days are the worst, as pollen can be carried on the wind for miles. Rainy days, on the other hand, can bring some relief, as the water droplets tamp down the blowing pollen and wash it away.
If you have springtime allergies, following are some tips that can help alleviate your sympoms.
Get an allergy test
If you've never been formally diagnosed with allergies, but you suspect that's what's causing your symptoms, see your doctor. He or she may refer you to an allergist who will do some tests to determine if that actually is the culprit.
Medications
If you're diagnosed with allergies, your physician may advise you to take either a prescription medication or an over-the-counter drug. There are several classes of drugs for this condition.
Antihistamines will reduce your symptoms by lowering the histamine level in your body. It's important to note that some antihistamines can make you feeldrowsy, so you may need to be cautious about taking them during the day. In recent years, non-drowsy formulas have been introduced.
Your doctor may advise that you take a decongestant to help clear the mucus from your nasal passages and relieve the congestion and swelling. A cromolyn sodium nasal spray may halt histamine release before it can cause allergy symptoms. And eye drops will help to relieve your itchy and watery eyes.
Lifestyle changes
Make it a daily habit to check the pollen count in your area. Click on www.pollen.com/allergy-weather-forecast.asp, then select your state and nearest city. Bookmark that for future reference. And you can download an app for this onto your smartphone.
The counts range from 0 (non-existent) to 12 (very high). Several days last week the pollen count hovered just below 8, which is enough to cause some allergy symptoms. The predominant culprits in the Delaware Valley last week were budding maple and juniper trees. Note that pollen count usually peaks in the morning.
Try to stay indoors as much as possible on high-pollen-count days. Keep your doors and windows closed. You may find that an air purifier will help clear your air of allergens.
Regularly clean the air filters in your home. Also, clean vents, bookshelves and other places where allergens can collect. Vacuum at least twice a week, as pollen can ride along on people's shoes and in your dog's fur right into your carpets. Consider wearing a mask as you vacuum.
After you've been outdoors, wash your hair to get the pollen out, and drop your clothes into a closed hamper or directly into the washing machine. Wash your bedding weekly in hot water.
Remember, the goal is to limit your exposure to the pollen spores floating outside. And don't hesitate to talk with your doctor if your allergy symptoms are putting a crimp on your quality of life.
The biggest culprit is pollen, those tiny spores released into the air by budding weeds, flowers, grasses and trees meant to fertilize other plants. When those who are sensitive to pollen breathe it in, it sends their immune systems into overdrive, releasing antibodies to attack the allergen and releasing histamines into the blood. It's the histamines that cause the misery-inducing symptoms.
Airborne allergens also can cause asthma symptoms in those predisposed to the condition. Asthmatics airways will narrow, making it tough to breathe and leading to coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Allergy sufferers know that breezy days are the worst, as pollen can be carried on the wind for miles. Rainy days, on the other hand, can bring some relief, as the water droplets tamp down the blowing pollen and wash it away.
If you have springtime allergies, following are some tips that can help alleviate your sympoms.
Get an allergy test
If you've never been formally diagnosed with allergies, but you suspect that's what's causing your symptoms, see your doctor. He or she may refer you to an allergist who will do some tests to determine if that actually is the culprit.
Medications
If you're diagnosed with allergies, your physician may advise you to take either a prescription medication or an over-the-counter drug. There are several classes of drugs for this condition.
Antihistamines will reduce your symptoms by lowering the histamine level in your body. It's important to note that some antihistamines can make you feeldrowsy, so you may need to be cautious about taking them during the day. In recent years, non-drowsy formulas have been introduced.
Your doctor may advise that you take a decongestant to help clear the mucus from your nasal passages and relieve the congestion and swelling. A cromolyn sodium nasal spray may halt histamine release before it can cause allergy symptoms. And eye drops will help to relieve your itchy and watery eyes.
Lifestyle changes
Make it a daily habit to check the pollen count in your area. Click on www.pollen.com/allergy-weather-forecast.asp, then select your state and nearest city. Bookmark that for future reference. And you can download an app for this onto your smartphone.
The counts range from 0 (non-existent) to 12 (very high). Several days last week the pollen count hovered just below 8, which is enough to cause some allergy symptoms. The predominant culprits in the Delaware Valley last week were budding maple and juniper trees. Note that pollen count usually peaks in the morning.
Try to stay indoors as much as possible on high-pollen-count days. Keep your doors and windows closed. You may find that an air purifier will help clear your air of allergens.
Regularly clean the air filters in your home. Also, clean vents, bookshelves and other places where allergens can collect. Vacuum at least twice a week, as pollen can ride along on people's shoes and in your dog's fur right into your carpets. Consider wearing a mask as you vacuum.
After you've been outdoors, wash your hair to get the pollen out, and drop your clothes into a closed hamper or directly into the washing machine. Wash your bedding weekly in hot water.
Remember, the goal is to limit your exposure to the pollen spores floating outside. And don't hesitate to talk with your doctor if your allergy symptoms are putting a crimp on your quality of life.
EASY IDEAS FOR A PRODUCTIVE SPRING
Spring is in the air.
The weather is warming up and the trees are starting to bud with flowers.
After such a long, harsh winter, I bet you weren't expecting that, were you?
No matter the circumstances, spring is here ---- and we need to prepare for it!
Here are just a few ways to greet the new season:
Replace your clothes
After months of wearing sweatpants, heavy winter coats, boots, and other winter accessories, it's time to put those clothes away. Hide all of your winter clothes and break out your old spring attire. If you've outgrown them, go to the mall and start investing in short sleeves, shorts and flip-flops!
Clean up
We've all heard of spring cleaning, so let's put our words into actions! Clean out everything from under your bed, get rid of clothes that don't fit you, clean off your desk, organize your closet, vacuum your floor, wipe your windows, put new sheets on the bed, etc. If you don't have screens in your windows, put them in so you can open your window during the warmer days.
Set goals for the new season
Since swimsuit season is coming up, some people may want to get into shape for the summer. That's just one popular example of a goal many people have during the spring season. Your goal may pertain to school, extracurricular activities, music, your friends, or anything else. Spring is a time for change, so think up some realistic goals for a new you!
Plant a garden
With your parents' permission, of course, plant some new flowers or vegetables in your backyard. Not only does it give your backyard a splash of color, it's good for the environment. If you choose to plant a vegetable garden, you'llbe saving the family money by harvesting your own vegetables!
Spring is a wonderful season and following these tips could make it even more enjoyable for you and your family.
Happy Spring, everyone!
The weather is warming up and the trees are starting to bud with flowers.
After such a long, harsh winter, I bet you weren't expecting that, were you?
No matter the circumstances, spring is here ---- and we need to prepare for it!
Here are just a few ways to greet the new season:
Replace your clothes
After months of wearing sweatpants, heavy winter coats, boots, and other winter accessories, it's time to put those clothes away. Hide all of your winter clothes and break out your old spring attire. If you've outgrown them, go to the mall and start investing in short sleeves, shorts and flip-flops!
Clean up
We've all heard of spring cleaning, so let's put our words into actions! Clean out everything from under your bed, get rid of clothes that don't fit you, clean off your desk, organize your closet, vacuum your floor, wipe your windows, put new sheets on the bed, etc. If you don't have screens in your windows, put them in so you can open your window during the warmer days.
Set goals for the new season
Since swimsuit season is coming up, some people may want to get into shape for the summer. That's just one popular example of a goal many people have during the spring season. Your goal may pertain to school, extracurricular activities, music, your friends, or anything else. Spring is a time for change, so think up some realistic goals for a new you!
Plant a garden
With your parents' permission, of course, plant some new flowers or vegetables in your backyard. Not only does it give your backyard a splash of color, it's good for the environment. If you choose to plant a vegetable garden, you'llbe saving the family money by harvesting your own vegetables!
Spring is a wonderful season and following these tips could make it even more enjoyable for you and your family.
Happy Spring, everyone!
F. Y. I.
That's Longevity
The oldest living animal ever found was a 405-year-old clam, named Ming by researchers.
Famous Firsts
The jalapeno was the first pepper to be taken into space.
Did You Know?
The average sea turtle can't reproduce until it's 25 years old.
Still on the Books
In Arizona, any misdemeanor commited while wearing a red mask is considered a felony.
Count 'Em
A duck has three eyelids.
Quotable
by Whoopi Goldberg, actor
"Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine."
The oldest living animal ever found was a 405-year-old clam, named Ming by researchers.
Famous Firsts
The jalapeno was the first pepper to be taken into space.
Did You Know?
The average sea turtle can't reproduce until it's 25 years old.
Still on the Books
In Arizona, any misdemeanor commited while wearing a red mask is considered a felony.
Count 'Em
A duck has three eyelids.
Quotable
by Whoopi Goldberg, actor
"Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine."
Giant yellow teddy bear to brighten New York City
London has Paddington Bear but New York now has a giant yellow teddy bear, a great sculptural masterpiece that could sell for more than $9 million at auction in May, Christie's said on Saturday.
A 23-foot high, bronze teddy bear slumped under a black bedside lamp will be on display for five months in midtown Manhattan from next week and be a highlight of the Post-War & Contemporary sale on May 11.
The 35,000 pound sculpture, Untitled (Lamp/Bear), is the work of New York-based Swiss artist Urs Fischer. Brett Gorvy, Christie's deputy chairman for Post-War and Contemporary Art, described Fischer as the Jeff Koons of his generation.
"We have seen contemporary sculpture works by Jeff Koons selling at $25 million and Urs Fischer is the leading pretender to the throne," he said. "He is considered the most important, the most provocative of contemporary artists today."
Gorvy said the U.S. collector selling the sculpture, whom he declined to name, had already turned down a private offer of $9 million.
"The anticipation is that it will make more than that," he said. "There's a very good chance it's going to go to a museum or a private institution."
The teddy bear, which has button eyes, is currently being assembled in the plaza of the architecturally acclaimed Seagram Building skyscraper on Park Avenue. Gorvy said getting the city permits to install the sculpture was a project in itself.
An added feature of the sculpture, according to the auction house, is that the table lamp above the bear's head works, so the bear can be lit up at night.
"A true landmark sculpture of this nature appeals to private collectors and museums around the world, but could be acquired by a city as a means of attracting cultural tourism," said Gorvy.
Christie's said the sculpture had been inspired by Fischer's own much-loved teddy bear. Fischer sewed together a one-foot tall teddy bear and scanned it with a 3-D laser to generate drawings to create the sculpture.
It is one of three created in 2005/06. The other two teddy bears are privately owned. U.S. collector Adam Lindemann has installed his sculpture on a bluff at his property on Long Island in New York.
A 23-foot high, bronze teddy bear slumped under a black bedside lamp will be on display for five months in midtown Manhattan from next week and be a highlight of the Post-War & Contemporary sale on May 11.
The 35,000 pound sculpture, Untitled (Lamp/Bear), is the work of New York-based Swiss artist Urs Fischer. Brett Gorvy, Christie's deputy chairman for Post-War and Contemporary Art, described Fischer as the Jeff Koons of his generation.
"We have seen contemporary sculpture works by Jeff Koons selling at $25 million and Urs Fischer is the leading pretender to the throne," he said. "He is considered the most important, the most provocative of contemporary artists today."
Gorvy said the U.S. collector selling the sculpture, whom he declined to name, had already turned down a private offer of $9 million.
"The anticipation is that it will make more than that," he said. "There's a very good chance it's going to go to a museum or a private institution."
The teddy bear, which has button eyes, is currently being assembled in the plaza of the architecturally acclaimed Seagram Building skyscraper on Park Avenue. Gorvy said getting the city permits to install the sculpture was a project in itself.
An added feature of the sculpture, according to the auction house, is that the table lamp above the bear's head works, so the bear can be lit up at night.
"A true landmark sculpture of this nature appeals to private collectors and museums around the world, but could be acquired by a city as a means of attracting cultural tourism," said Gorvy.
Christie's said the sculpture had been inspired by Fischer's own much-loved teddy bear. Fischer sewed together a one-foot tall teddy bear and scanned it with a 3-D laser to generate drawings to create the sculpture.
It is one of three created in 2005/06. The other two teddy bears are privately owned. U.S. collector Adam Lindemann has installed his sculpture on a bluff at his property on Long Island in New York.
Thieves steal diamonds worth millions from fair
Thieves stole four diamonds worth several million dollars from a trader's stand at the world's biggest watch and jewelry fair in Basel on Wednesday, prosecutors said.
"Three men engaged the staff in a sales talk while one or two others opened the showcase," said Markus Melzl, spokesman for the Basel prosecutor's office. "These were real pros who had done some research ahead."
Watch and jewelry makers meet retailers from all over the world at the Basel fair which closes its doors on Thursday.
"Three men engaged the staff in a sales talk while one or two others opened the showcase," said Markus Melzl, spokesman for the Basel prosecutor's office. "These were real pros who had done some research ahead."
Watch and jewelry makers meet retailers from all over the world at the Basel fair which closes its doors on Thursday.
April Fools' jokes poke fun at royal wedding
Britain's royal wedding is off! Oh no it's not, it's an April Fools' joke. The big royal occasion later this month was the top target for traditional April 1 pranks in the press on Friday, including bride-to-be Kate Middleton shopping for baby clothes and the left-leaning Guardian joining the pro-monarchy bandwagon.
Beyond the royal nuptials, British tycoon Richard Branson has snapped up Pluto in a bid to reinstate it as a planet while his Virgin Atlantic airline will encourage first class travelers to grow their own vegetables on long-haul flights.
And the Daily Telegraph reported a "secret memo" about Labor Party plans to hold royal wedding-style street parties to mark the upcoming marriage of its leader Ed Miliband on May 27.
In terms of journalistic resources, few put in as much effort as the Guardian, traditionally a bastion of royal-bashing republicanism.
"In something of an about turn, the Guardian today pledges its 'full throated support' for the monarchy," it said in its online edition, which features a comprehensive live blog poking fun at rival newspapers and broadcasters.
It includes a photograph of Prince William's best man and brother Prince Harry holding "what appears to be a draft of his best man's speech" which refers to an incident involving a goat and royal pal Guy Pelly at the exclusive Bouji's nightclub.
A Breaking News headline at 10:11 a.m. declared the royal wedding was off, but four minutes later a "Correction" informed readers that it was on.
Most readers were in on the joke, but those in two minds might refer to the blog heading in Latin: "Sis tranquillus est iocum." Fret not, it's a joke.
The Daily Mail has a Middleton look-a-like studying infants' clothes a month before she gets married. The photographer was "Will Sandkate."
PULLING YOUR LEG?
On a half-page advertisement in the Guardian, BMW refers all queries regarding its special Royal Edition M3 Coupe to pauline.yorlegg@bmw.co.uk.
An emailed request for comment from Reuters elicited the following response from the BMW team:
"Thank you for your interest in the BMW M3 Royal Edition. We would be delighted to send you more details about the model if it weren't for the fact that it was an April Fool's joke."
Branson was arguably the day's most outlandish prankster with an interplanetary deal.
A statement from his Virgin Group said he planned to bulk up Pluto's planetary mass in order to have it reinstated as a planet after its ignominious downgrade to dwarf planet in 2006.
The mission was to "set an example for struggling entrepreneurs facing setbacks."
Low cost airline Ryanair promised to introduce "child free" flights from October in what most people assumed was a joke.
However, the idea of a peaceful journey clearly appealed to some online commentators reacting to the "story." "All airlines should offer child-free flights. If you have ever flown for six hours with some brat kicking the back of your seat the whole way, then you would agree," wrote "PM62" on USA Today's website.
Beyond the royal nuptials, British tycoon Richard Branson has snapped up Pluto in a bid to reinstate it as a planet while his Virgin Atlantic airline will encourage first class travelers to grow their own vegetables on long-haul flights.
And the Daily Telegraph reported a "secret memo" about Labor Party plans to hold royal wedding-style street parties to mark the upcoming marriage of its leader Ed Miliband on May 27.
In terms of journalistic resources, few put in as much effort as the Guardian, traditionally a bastion of royal-bashing republicanism.
"In something of an about turn, the Guardian today pledges its 'full throated support' for the monarchy," it said in its online edition, which features a comprehensive live blog poking fun at rival newspapers and broadcasters.
It includes a photograph of Prince William's best man and brother Prince Harry holding "what appears to be a draft of his best man's speech" which refers to an incident involving a goat and royal pal Guy Pelly at the exclusive Bouji's nightclub.
A Breaking News headline at 10:11 a.m. declared the royal wedding was off, but four minutes later a "Correction" informed readers that it was on.
Most readers were in on the joke, but those in two minds might refer to the blog heading in Latin: "Sis tranquillus est iocum." Fret not, it's a joke.
The Daily Mail has a Middleton look-a-like studying infants' clothes a month before she gets married. The photographer was "Will Sandkate."
PULLING YOUR LEG?
On a half-page advertisement in the Guardian, BMW refers all queries regarding its special Royal Edition M3 Coupe to pauline.yorlegg@bmw.co.uk.
An emailed request for comment from Reuters elicited the following response from the BMW team:
"Thank you for your interest in the BMW M3 Royal Edition. We would be delighted to send you more details about the model if it weren't for the fact that it was an April Fool's joke."
Branson was arguably the day's most outlandish prankster with an interplanetary deal.
A statement from his Virgin Group said he planned to bulk up Pluto's planetary mass in order to have it reinstated as a planet after its ignominious downgrade to dwarf planet in 2006.
The mission was to "set an example for struggling entrepreneurs facing setbacks."
Low cost airline Ryanair promised to introduce "child free" flights from October in what most people assumed was a joke.
However, the idea of a peaceful journey clearly appealed to some online commentators reacting to the "story." "All airlines should offer child-free flights. If you have ever flown for six hours with some brat kicking the back of your seat the whole way, then you would agree," wrote "PM62" on USA Today's website.
MINI JOKES (1st BATCH)
Atticus: How do alligators make telephone calls?
Angela: They crocodial!
Iris: How do we know the invisible woman has no children?
Irma: Because she's not apparent!
Ingrid: What kind of children would an invisible couple have?
Ian: I don't know, but they wouldn't be much to look at!
Ivan: What does the invisible baby drink in his bottle?
Irene: Evaporated milk!
Camilla: When do candles relax?
Corey: On wickends!
Cecilia: Which would burn longer, a red candle or a green candle?
Christopher: Neither --- candles burn shorter.
Caesar: What did the candle say to the fire?
Chase: "Are you going out tonight?"
Patrick: What do you call a plumber's new assistant?
Paula: A drainee!
Pete: What did the plumber say to his noisy helper?
Patton: "Pipe down!"
Patience: What is a plumber's favorite pair of shoes?
Parker: Clogs!
Angela: They crocodial!
Iris: How do we know the invisible woman has no children?
Irma: Because she's not apparent!
Ingrid: What kind of children would an invisible couple have?
Ian: I don't know, but they wouldn't be much to look at!
Ivan: What does the invisible baby drink in his bottle?
Irene: Evaporated milk!
Camilla: When do candles relax?
Corey: On wickends!
Cecilia: Which would burn longer, a red candle or a green candle?
Christopher: Neither --- candles burn shorter.
Caesar: What did the candle say to the fire?
Chase: "Are you going out tonight?"
Patrick: What do you call a plumber's new assistant?
Paula: A drainee!
Pete: What did the plumber say to his noisy helper?
Patton: "Pipe down!"
Patience: What is a plumber's favorite pair of shoes?
Parker: Clogs!
MINI JOKES (2nd BATCH)
Jack: What was Abraham Lincolon's nickname when he was an infant?
Mike: Babe Lincolon!
Maggie: If George Washington and Abraham Lincolon were alive today, what would be the most amazing fact about them?
Riley: Their age!
Charlie: How do you catch a chimpanzee?
Charlotte: Hang upside down and make a noise like a banana!
Chase: What kind of ice cream do great apes eat?
Camille: Chocolate chimp!
Charlize: What flower do chimps plant in their gardens?
Chester: Pansies!
Charles: What cheese can't stop talking?
Cybil: "Chatter" cheese!
Cyd: What do you get when you mix a dog and breakfast?
Charlize: A beagle and cream cheese!
Cosmo: What kind of cheese is found in a haunted house?
Carmel: Muenster cheese!
Alice: What do you get if you cross an alligator with a pickle?
Alvin: A crocodill!
Angus: I'd like to get a pair of alligator shoes.
Arlo: Fine --- what size does your alligator wear?
Mike: Babe Lincolon!
Maggie: If George Washington and Abraham Lincolon were alive today, what would be the most amazing fact about them?
Riley: Their age!
Charlie: How do you catch a chimpanzee?
Charlotte: Hang upside down and make a noise like a banana!
Chase: What kind of ice cream do great apes eat?
Camille: Chocolate chimp!
Charlize: What flower do chimps plant in their gardens?
Chester: Pansies!
Charles: What cheese can't stop talking?
Cybil: "Chatter" cheese!
Cyd: What do you get when you mix a dog and breakfast?
Charlize: A beagle and cream cheese!
Cosmo: What kind of cheese is found in a haunted house?
Carmel: Muenster cheese!
Alice: What do you get if you cross an alligator with a pickle?
Alvin: A crocodill!
Angus: I'd like to get a pair of alligator shoes.
Arlo: Fine --- what size does your alligator wear?
MINI JOKES ( 3rd BATCH)
Cathy: Why is chocolate always tardy?
Cassie: Because it is choco-late, not choco-early!
Chester: What kind of ice cream do monkeys eat?
Carly: Chocolate-chimp!
Carole: What drink did the electrician order?
Corey: A hot shockolate!
Cassie: What did the doctor say to the patient who swallowed a camera?
Charlie: 'Lets just see what develops!"
Chase: What is the best way to borrow a camera?
Cecelia: When someone "lens" it to you!
Corey: What do you get when you cross a mirror and a camera?
Caesar: A camera that takes pictures of itself!
Carla: What is a good way to cross a moat?
Charles: In a moater boat!
Chester: What did the king say to Sir Lancelot at the end of the evening?
Chris: "Good knight"!
Charlotte: How can you measure a castle?
Cindy: With a ruler!
Cassie: Because it is choco-late, not choco-early!
Chester: What kind of ice cream do monkeys eat?
Carly: Chocolate-chimp!
Carole: What drink did the electrician order?
Corey: A hot shockolate!
Cassie: What did the doctor say to the patient who swallowed a camera?
Charlie: 'Lets just see what develops!"
Chase: What is the best way to borrow a camera?
Cecelia: When someone "lens" it to you!
Corey: What do you get when you cross a mirror and a camera?
Caesar: A camera that takes pictures of itself!
Carla: What is a good way to cross a moat?
Charles: In a moater boat!
Chester: What did the king say to Sir Lancelot at the end of the evening?
Chris: "Good knight"!
Charlotte: How can you measure a castle?
Cindy: With a ruler!
Friday, April 8, 2011
MINI JOKES (4th BATCH)
Mary: Who composed music as he made popcorn?
Maurice: Orville Redenbach!
Melvin: What music does a convict like to dance to?
Millie: Rock 'n' parole!
Martin: What is a balloon's least favorite music?
Morris: Pop songs!
Mary: Why are calendars so popular?
Melvin: Because they have a date every day!
Monica: Why did the tired worker tear off part of the calendar?
Maurice: Because he wante to take a month off!
Melanie: Why do soldiers get so tired in the third month?
Millie: Because it's the month of March!
Brian: Why do bananas have to use suntan lotion?
Beth: Because bananas peel!
Bailey: Why did the policeman give the banana a speeding ticket?
Beverly: Because he was caught peeling out of the parking lot!
Bernard: What do you call two bananas?
Bill: A pair of slippers!
Chris: Why was George Washington always standing in official portraits?
Annie: Because he could never lie!
Maurice: Orville Redenbach!
Melvin: What music does a convict like to dance to?
Millie: Rock 'n' parole!
Martin: What is a balloon's least favorite music?
Morris: Pop songs!
Mary: Why are calendars so popular?
Melvin: Because they have a date every day!
Monica: Why did the tired worker tear off part of the calendar?
Maurice: Because he wante to take a month off!
Melanie: Why do soldiers get so tired in the third month?
Millie: Because it's the month of March!
Brian: Why do bananas have to use suntan lotion?
Beth: Because bananas peel!
Bailey: Why did the policeman give the banana a speeding ticket?
Beverly: Because he was caught peeling out of the parking lot!
Bernard: What do you call two bananas?
Bill: A pair of slippers!
Chris: Why was George Washington always standing in official portraits?
Annie: Because he could never lie!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
APRIL FOOLS' TIME LINE
1508 / Poet Eloy d'Amerval refers to Poisson d'Avril (April fish), the French term for April fools.
1539 / Flemish writer Eduard de Dene publishes a comic poem about a nobleman who sends his servants on "foolish" errands on April 1.
1698 / One of the earliest April Fools' stunts: People are invited to go to the Tower of London to see the "annual ceremony of washing the lions."
1789 / Residents of horse-free Venice wake on April 1 to find Piazza San Marco dotted with piles of horse manure.
1992 / Posing as Richard Nixon, impressionist Rich Little announces his candidacy for U.S. president on NPR's Talk of the Nation, saying, "I never did anything wrong, and I won't do it again."
1993 / A German radio station reports that Cologne officials have outlawed joggers running faster than six mph so as not to disturb mating squirrels.
2002 / A U.K. supermarket advertises genetically modified "whistling carrots." Tapered airholes cause them to whistle when cooked.
2009 / British newspaper the Guardian announces it will publish only stories of fewer than 140 characters, via Twitter. Here's how it would have covered the 1939 invasion of Poland: "OMG Hilter invades Poland, allies declare war, see tinyurl.com/b5x6e for more."
1539 / Flemish writer Eduard de Dene publishes a comic poem about a nobleman who sends his servants on "foolish" errands on April 1.
1698 / One of the earliest April Fools' stunts: People are invited to go to the Tower of London to see the "annual ceremony of washing the lions."
1789 / Residents of horse-free Venice wake on April 1 to find Piazza San Marco dotted with piles of horse manure.
1992 / Posing as Richard Nixon, impressionist Rich Little announces his candidacy for U.S. president on NPR's Talk of the Nation, saying, "I never did anything wrong, and I won't do it again."
1993 / A German radio station reports that Cologne officials have outlawed joggers running faster than six mph so as not to disturb mating squirrels.
2002 / A U.K. supermarket advertises genetically modified "whistling carrots." Tapered airholes cause them to whistle when cooked.
2009 / British newspaper the Guardian announces it will publish only stories of fewer than 140 characters, via Twitter. Here's how it would have covered the 1939 invasion of Poland: "OMG Hilter invades Poland, allies declare war, see tinyurl.com/b5x6e for more."
APRIL FOOL DAY ( A GLOBAL PUNKING)
Denmark
In 1965, a Copenhagen newspaper reported that Parliament had passed a law that all dogs be painted white to improve road safety because they could then be seen clearly at night.
France
According to LeParisien, in 1986, the Eiffel Tower was going to be dismantled and rebuilt inside the new Euro Disney park.
Norway
In 1987, after reading that the government was planning to distribute 10,000 liters of wine confiscated from smugglers, hundreds of citizens turned up carring empty bottles and buckets.
China
Claiming that it would reduce the need for foreign experts, the China Youth Daily joked in 1933 that the government had decided to exempt PhDs from the nation's one-child-per-family policy. After foreign press picked up the hoax, the government condemned April Fools' Day as a Western tradition.
Canada
In 2008, West Jet airlines advertised its overhead cabin bins as "among the most spacious of any airline" and said it would charge passengers an extra $12 to use these "sleeper cabins."
Taiwan
In 2009, the Taipei Times claimed that "Taiwan-China relations were dealt a severe setback yesterday when it was found that the Taipei Zoo's pandas are not what they seem." The paper reported that the pandas, a gift from the Chinese government, were brown forest bears dyed to resemble pandas. Among the complaints sent to the paper was one from the zoo's director.
Germany
In 2009, BMW ran an ad promoting its new "magnetic tow technology." The invention enabled drivers to turn off their engine and get a "free ride" by locking onto the car ahead via a magnetic beam.
Jordan
Residents fled the desert town of Jahr in 2010 after a local newspaper reported that flying saucers piloted by ten-foot-high creatures had landed.
In 1965, a Copenhagen newspaper reported that Parliament had passed a law that all dogs be painted white to improve road safety because they could then be seen clearly at night.
France
According to LeParisien, in 1986, the Eiffel Tower was going to be dismantled and rebuilt inside the new Euro Disney park.
Norway
In 1987, after reading that the government was planning to distribute 10,000 liters of wine confiscated from smugglers, hundreds of citizens turned up carring empty bottles and buckets.
China
Claiming that it would reduce the need for foreign experts, the China Youth Daily joked in 1933 that the government had decided to exempt PhDs from the nation's one-child-per-family policy. After foreign press picked up the hoax, the government condemned April Fools' Day as a Western tradition.
Canada
In 2008, West Jet airlines advertised its overhead cabin bins as "among the most spacious of any airline" and said it would charge passengers an extra $12 to use these "sleeper cabins."
Taiwan
In 2009, the Taipei Times claimed that "Taiwan-China relations were dealt a severe setback yesterday when it was found that the Taipei Zoo's pandas are not what they seem." The paper reported that the pandas, a gift from the Chinese government, were brown forest bears dyed to resemble pandas. Among the complaints sent to the paper was one from the zoo's director.
Germany
In 2009, BMW ran an ad promoting its new "magnetic tow technology." The invention enabled drivers to turn off their engine and get a "free ride" by locking onto the car ahead via a magnetic beam.
Jordan
Residents fled the desert town of Jahr in 2010 after a local newspaper reported that flying saucers piloted by ten-foot-high creatures had landed.
APRIL FOOLS DAY
Whether you paste a Kick Me sign on some poor slob's back or pull off an elaborate corporate hoax, April 1 is a day when it's acceptable to play practial jokes on your family, neighbors, colleagues, friends, and enemies. What are you waiting for?
Fishy story
Although not all April Fools' experts agree (yes, they exist), some argue the day originated in 16th-century France, when Pope Gregory XIII mandated that the new year begin on January 1 instead of the end of March. Those who failed to follow the new calendar were dubbed April fish. Others claim it originated from ancient spring festivals that included mischief making.
Spaghetti Harvest Causes a Stir
Arguably, the greatest prank ever perpetrated was pulled off a half-century ago by BBC TV. In 1957, the news show Panorama reported that thanks to a mild winter, Swiss farmers enjoyed a bumper crop of spaghetti. To prove this, it broadcast a three-minute report of field hands carefully plucking, or "harvesting," strands of spaghetti from trees. Legions of viewers were duped, and many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their very own spaghetti trees. The BBC advised each caller: "Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce, and hope for the best."
Bored at Work?
Try pulling these pranks.
Make a dozen photocopies of a paper clip and put them in the machine's paper tray so future copies will include a paper clip. Your colleagues will go crazy looking for the "lost" clip in the copier.
On a friend's computer, open Microsoft Word, click on Tools, and choose AutoCorrectOptions.
Type in a common word like then and replace it with something odd like hyper giraffe. Every time someone types then in Word, it will be replaced with hyper giraffe.
YOUTUBE FLIPS OUT
On April 1,2009, YouTube turned some of its videos upside down. A page on "Tips for Viewing the New Layout" suggested users hang their monitors upside down from the ceiling.
CHIMES OF TIME
In 1980, those serial pranksters at the BBC announced that Big Ben, London's historic clock tower, would undergo a face-lift and become digital to keep up with the times. Enraged callers flooded the station with complaints.
CORPORATE CAPERS
Reasoning that a well-executed prank can result in valuable publicity, firms such as Google, Microsoft, BMW, Guinness, and Virgin regularly try to get in on the fun. In 1996, fast-food chain Taco Bell, which it claimed it was renaming the "Taco Liberty Bell" and relocating from Philadelphia to its headquarters in California. The company claimed publicity from the hoax increased sales by $1 million over a 24-hour period. Google is another chronic hoaxer. It once insisted that it was launchinga broadband service using cables that would run through the sewer system. In fact, its reputation for pranking was such that when the company launched its Gmail service on April 1, 2004, few believed them.
Fishy story
Although not all April Fools' experts agree (yes, they exist), some argue the day originated in 16th-century France, when Pope Gregory XIII mandated that the new year begin on January 1 instead of the end of March. Those who failed to follow the new calendar were dubbed April fish. Others claim it originated from ancient spring festivals that included mischief making.
Spaghetti Harvest Causes a Stir
Arguably, the greatest prank ever perpetrated was pulled off a half-century ago by BBC TV. In 1957, the news show Panorama reported that thanks to a mild winter, Swiss farmers enjoyed a bumper crop of spaghetti. To prove this, it broadcast a three-minute report of field hands carefully plucking, or "harvesting," strands of spaghetti from trees. Legions of viewers were duped, and many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their very own spaghetti trees. The BBC advised each caller: "Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce, and hope for the best."
Bored at Work?
Try pulling these pranks.
Make a dozen photocopies of a paper clip and put them in the machine's paper tray so future copies will include a paper clip. Your colleagues will go crazy looking for the "lost" clip in the copier.
On a friend's computer, open Microsoft Word, click on Tools, and choose AutoCorrectOptions.
Type in a common word like then and replace it with something odd like hyper giraffe. Every time someone types then in Word, it will be replaced with hyper giraffe.
YOUTUBE FLIPS OUT
On April 1,2009, YouTube turned some of its videos upside down. A page on "Tips for Viewing the New Layout" suggested users hang their monitors upside down from the ceiling.
CHIMES OF TIME
In 1980, those serial pranksters at the BBC announced that Big Ben, London's historic clock tower, would undergo a face-lift and become digital to keep up with the times. Enraged callers flooded the station with complaints.
CORPORATE CAPERS
Reasoning that a well-executed prank can result in valuable publicity, firms such as Google, Microsoft, BMW, Guinness, and Virgin regularly try to get in on the fun. In 1996, fast-food chain Taco Bell, which it claimed it was renaming the "Taco Liberty Bell" and relocating from Philadelphia to its headquarters in California. The company claimed publicity from the hoax increased sales by $1 million over a 24-hour period. Google is another chronic hoaxer. It once insisted that it was launchinga broadband service using cables that would run through the sewer system. In fact, its reputation for pranking was such that when the company launched its Gmail service on April 1, 2004, few believed them.
IT' S POETRY MONTH
Poets of every age have penned verses about April, the first full month of spring.
Geoffrey Chaucer began "The Canterbury Tales ---- and thus the whole of modern English poetry ---- with a classic description of the season:
"Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote,
The drought of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which virtu engendred is the flour....."
If you read it out loud, it still sort of makes sense, even after 600 years.
For the American Walt Whitman, April became the month "when lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd," a time of mourning that will forever remind him of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
And for that pinch-faced fusspot T.S. Eliot, April was the cruelest month, rekindling hopes that, he thought, would only come to nothing.
How appropriate, then, that in 1996 the Academy of American Poets named April National Poetry Month.
The purpose of the observance, according to the academy website, http://www.poets.org/, is to "celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture."
Like Black History Month in Feburary and Women's History Month in March, National Poetry month draws special attention to something that should never be forgotten in the first place.
Poetry today lies at the bottom of the literary heap. In terms of books sold, shelf space and regular readers, it lags far behind fiction, which itself lags far behind biography, memoirs and self-help.
The reasons are not hard to find. The diction can be difficult, the meanings obscure, and, let's face it, there is something un-American about an art form that exists for its own sake and demands to be read slowly. We Americans like speed and conventience, and we want our literature to be like our movies ---- uplifting, edifying, funny or violent. It's got to teach us something, or provide entertainment, and it is surprising to think that at one time, poetry did perform these functions: in Elizabethan times, Shakespeare's iambic pentameter packed the house while purveying lessons in English history. Poe's "Raven" was a national sensation.
No poem that is not set to a pop or rap beat would achieve similar status these days, given the competition of TV and Youtube. Indeed, the very word "poetry" carries a whiff of stuffy classrooms and dusty library shelves.
Nevertheless, verse continues to occupy an important, if neglected, region of the soul. We still turn to poetry at critical moments to express our deepest sentiments. W,H. Auden's "Stop All the Clocks" became a staple at memorial services a few years ago after it appeared in the motion picture "Four Weddings and a Funeral," and Shakespeare"s most romantic sonnets still grace many a wedding.
The Academy of Poets is correct: America has produced many poets of international stature ---- more even, perhaps, than novelists ---- and they have written something to suit every taste. From the sweeping grandeur of Whitman to the quirky, off-kilter rhythms of Ogden Nash to the disorienting associations of John Ashbery, this country has given everyone something to appreciate.
So April, when the lilacs are blooming and the sweet showers pierce the drought of March, mixing memory and desire, is the right time to dip once again into that old high school anthology, or explore the 811 section of your public library.
Read a poem.
Better yet, memorize one.
Geoffrey Chaucer began "The Canterbury Tales ---- and thus the whole of modern English poetry ---- with a classic description of the season:
"Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote,
The drought of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which virtu engendred is the flour....."
If you read it out loud, it still sort of makes sense, even after 600 years.
For the American Walt Whitman, April became the month "when lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd," a time of mourning that will forever remind him of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
And for that pinch-faced fusspot T.S. Eliot, April was the cruelest month, rekindling hopes that, he thought, would only come to nothing.
How appropriate, then, that in 1996 the Academy of American Poets named April National Poetry Month.
The purpose of the observance, according to the academy website, http://www.poets.org/, is to "celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture."
Like Black History Month in Feburary and Women's History Month in March, National Poetry month draws special attention to something that should never be forgotten in the first place.
Poetry today lies at the bottom of the literary heap. In terms of books sold, shelf space and regular readers, it lags far behind fiction, which itself lags far behind biography, memoirs and self-help.
The reasons are not hard to find. The diction can be difficult, the meanings obscure, and, let's face it, there is something un-American about an art form that exists for its own sake and demands to be read slowly. We Americans like speed and conventience, and we want our literature to be like our movies ---- uplifting, edifying, funny or violent. It's got to teach us something, or provide entertainment, and it is surprising to think that at one time, poetry did perform these functions: in Elizabethan times, Shakespeare's iambic pentameter packed the house while purveying lessons in English history. Poe's "Raven" was a national sensation.
No poem that is not set to a pop or rap beat would achieve similar status these days, given the competition of TV and Youtube. Indeed, the very word "poetry" carries a whiff of stuffy classrooms and dusty library shelves.
Nevertheless, verse continues to occupy an important, if neglected, region of the soul. We still turn to poetry at critical moments to express our deepest sentiments. W,H. Auden's "Stop All the Clocks" became a staple at memorial services a few years ago after it appeared in the motion picture "Four Weddings and a Funeral," and Shakespeare"s most romantic sonnets still grace many a wedding.
The Academy of Poets is correct: America has produced many poets of international stature ---- more even, perhaps, than novelists ---- and they have written something to suit every taste. From the sweeping grandeur of Whitman to the quirky, off-kilter rhythms of Ogden Nash to the disorienting associations of John Ashbery, this country has given everyone something to appreciate.
So April, when the lilacs are blooming and the sweet showers pierce the drought of March, mixing memory and desire, is the right time to dip once again into that old high school anthology, or explore the 811 section of your public library.
Read a poem.
Better yet, memorize one.
HELPFUL TIPS
BY Linda Cobb
Getting thin, black ring out of your toilet
Question : Please tell me how to get a thin, black ring out of the toilet bowl. I have tried Tilex, cleanser, and a scrubber and have gotten no results. ?
Answer: Indoor plumbing is great, but the downside is you have to clean the toilet every once in a while. To get that black ring out, try this method: Put some white vinegar in a spray bottle, and spray the inside of the bowl heavily. Then sprinkle with 20 Mule Team Borax (available in the laundry aisle of the supermarket.) Let soak for about 30 minutes, and then scrub with a piece of fine drywall sandpaper. Look for it at your local hardware store; it looks like a window screen. If you have an old stain, you might have to repeat this several times.
While we're on the topic of toilets, why not keep yours clean the easy way with Tang breakfast drink? Put several tablespoons in the toilet before you leave for work or at bedtime. Let soak, use the toilet brush to swish around under the rim, and flush. Your dog will love you for it!
Imitation Marble Tub
Question: I have one of those imitation marble tubs. When we moved into this house, I placed a terra cotta planter on the surface. When I moved it to clean a few weeks later, there was a stain on the surface. I have used many cleaners, but nothing seems to work. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Answer: To remove stains from cultured marble, try hydrogen peroxide mixed with cream of tartar or white, nongel toothpaste rubbed in with a soft cloth and rinsed off. You could also try rubbing out the stain with either baking powder or 20 Mule Team Borax on a damp sponge or cloth. Once you remove the stain, keep that tub shiny as new with a solution of 1/3 cup liquid fabric softner to 2/3 cup water. Clean thoroughly, and polish with a soft cloth.
Mosquitoes
Question: I know there are numerous products to repel mosquitoes, even down to certain Vitamins to take, and I've tried them all! Is there any type of remedy that will get rid of these pests?
Answer: Growing up, I was plagued by mosquitoes. My mother used to say it was because I was so sweet. Scientists have found that there might be something to that theory after all. Some of us are thinner-skinned than others, making a tastier and easier target for these pesky little bugs. Short of wearing overalls and long-sleeved shirts all summer, there are a couple of things you can try. Before you step outdoors, slather on Skin-So-Soft lotion or spray (made by Avon). Keep a tube or spray bottle in your car and your purse. Mosquitoes hate the smell ----- but everyone around you will love it, and your skin will stay nice and soft, too. You can also tuck a dryer fabric softener sheet into your belt loops, or try wiping your arms with undiluted white vinegar ----- the bugs will hate the way you taste. When you're outdoors entertaining or cooking, try lighting citronella candles (available at hardware stores). They cast a nice, romantic light and emit odors that repel mosquitoes. Hope this helps.
Getting thin, black ring out of your toilet
Question : Please tell me how to get a thin, black ring out of the toilet bowl. I have tried Tilex, cleanser, and a scrubber and have gotten no results. ?
Answer: Indoor plumbing is great, but the downside is you have to clean the toilet every once in a while. To get that black ring out, try this method: Put some white vinegar in a spray bottle, and spray the inside of the bowl heavily. Then sprinkle with 20 Mule Team Borax (available in the laundry aisle of the supermarket.) Let soak for about 30 minutes, and then scrub with a piece of fine drywall sandpaper. Look for it at your local hardware store; it looks like a window screen. If you have an old stain, you might have to repeat this several times.
While we're on the topic of toilets, why not keep yours clean the easy way with Tang breakfast drink? Put several tablespoons in the toilet before you leave for work or at bedtime. Let soak, use the toilet brush to swish around under the rim, and flush. Your dog will love you for it!
Imitation Marble Tub
Question: I have one of those imitation marble tubs. When we moved into this house, I placed a terra cotta planter on the surface. When I moved it to clean a few weeks later, there was a stain on the surface. I have used many cleaners, but nothing seems to work. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Answer: To remove stains from cultured marble, try hydrogen peroxide mixed with cream of tartar or white, nongel toothpaste rubbed in with a soft cloth and rinsed off. You could also try rubbing out the stain with either baking powder or 20 Mule Team Borax on a damp sponge or cloth. Once you remove the stain, keep that tub shiny as new with a solution of 1/3 cup liquid fabric softner to 2/3 cup water. Clean thoroughly, and polish with a soft cloth.
Mosquitoes
Question: I know there are numerous products to repel mosquitoes, even down to certain Vitamins to take, and I've tried them all! Is there any type of remedy that will get rid of these pests?
Answer: Growing up, I was plagued by mosquitoes. My mother used to say it was because I was so sweet. Scientists have found that there might be something to that theory after all. Some of us are thinner-skinned than others, making a tastier and easier target for these pesky little bugs. Short of wearing overalls and long-sleeved shirts all summer, there are a couple of things you can try. Before you step outdoors, slather on Skin-So-Soft lotion or spray (made by Avon). Keep a tube or spray bottle in your car and your purse. Mosquitoes hate the smell ----- but everyone around you will love it, and your skin will stay nice and soft, too. You can also tuck a dryer fabric softener sheet into your belt loops, or try wiping your arms with undiluted white vinegar ----- the bugs will hate the way you taste. When you're outdoors entertaining or cooking, try lighting citronella candles (available at hardware stores). They cast a nice, romantic light and emit odors that repel mosquitoes. Hope this helps.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
YOU KNOW IT !
Have you and your friends ever chanted this rhyme while jumping rope?
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, show your shoe,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, that will do!
Kids are great poets, but most don't even know it! The rhymes we learn when we're very young stick with us for years and years. This is because poetry makes our words more memorable.
April is National Poetry Month. To celebrate, The newspaper talked with an expert about children's poetry.
What is poetry?
Poetry is not always rhyming words. But it always uses language in a remarkable way.
Ancient people believed that because poets could build a story or a thought in an interesting way, they had more power than ordinary people. For instance, religious texts might be written in a rhythmic verse. These words seemed inspired by higher powers.
Even some words from the Hebrew Bible are written in verse. For example, from the book of Genesis, chapter 8:
While the earth remains,
seedtime and harvest, and cold
and heat,
and summer and winter, and day
and night
shall not cease.
Not just religious
People also made warnings and curses more memorable with verse, such as this saying:
Red sky at night, sailor's delight;
red sky at morning, sailors take warning.
Kids are natural poets
Children make up rhymes all the time, even using nonsense words.
That's what makes poetry fun!
Poet JonArno Lawson plays withwords in his poem "Tickle Tackle Botticelli":
Chomp alompa omphalos
charber choparoo.
Listen up and look around and
think a little, too.
Favorite poets
Some of children's favorite authors are poets, including Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss, who was famous for nonsense words like these (from "Bartholomew and the Oobleck"):
Shuffle, duffle, muzzle, muff!
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, show your shoe,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, that will do!
Kids are great poets, but most don't even know it! The rhymes we learn when we're very young stick with us for years and years. This is because poetry makes our words more memorable.
April is National Poetry Month. To celebrate, The newspaper talked with an expert about children's poetry.
What is poetry?
Poetry is not always rhyming words. But it always uses language in a remarkable way.
Ancient people believed that because poets could build a story or a thought in an interesting way, they had more power than ordinary people. For instance, religious texts might be written in a rhythmic verse. These words seemed inspired by higher powers.
Even some words from the Hebrew Bible are written in verse. For example, from the book of Genesis, chapter 8:
While the earth remains,
seedtime and harvest, and cold
and heat,
and summer and winter, and day
and night
shall not cease.
Not just religious
People also made warnings and curses more memorable with verse, such as this saying:
Red sky at night, sailor's delight;
red sky at morning, sailors take warning.
Kids are natural poets
Children make up rhymes all the time, even using nonsense words.
That's what makes poetry fun!
Poet JonArno Lawson plays withwords in his poem "Tickle Tackle Botticelli":
Chomp alompa omphalos
charber choparoo.
Listen up and look around and
think a little, too.
Favorite poets
Some of children's favorite authors are poets, including Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss, who was famous for nonsense words like these (from "Bartholomew and the Oobleck"):
Shuffle, duffle, muzzle, muff!
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