Did you know that: April 2013

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

When Xerxes tried to cross the Dardanelles straight to invade Greece in the 2nd Greco-Persian war, he built a floating bridge which then collapsed because of sea currents. In revenge he had the sea whipped.

Did you know that when Xerxes tried to cross the Dardanelles straight to invade Greece in the 2nd Greco-Persian war, he built a floating bridge which then collapsed because of sea currents. In revenge he had the sea whipped.

The strait has often played a strategic role in history. The Dardanelles is unique in many respects. The very narrow and winding shape of the strait is more akin to that of a river. It is considered one of the most hazardous, crowded, difficult and potentially dangerous waterways in the world. The currents produced by the tidal action in the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara are such that ships under sail must await at anchorage for the right conditions before entering the Dardanelles.

The ancient city of Troy was located near the western entrance of the strait, and the strait’s Asiatic shore was the focus of the Trojan War. Troy was able to control the marine traffic entering this vital waterway. The Persian army of Xerxes I of Persia and later the Macedonian army of Alexander the Great crossed the Dardanelles in opposite directions to invade each other’s lands, in 480 BC and 334 BC respectively.

Herodotus tells us that, circa 482 BC, Xerxes I (the son of Darius) had two pontoon bridges built across the width of the Hellespont at Abydos, in order that his huge army could cross from Persia into Greece. This crossing was named by Aeschylus in his tragedy The Persians as the cause of divine intervention against Xerxes.[3]

According to Herodotus (vv.34), both bridges were destroyed by a storm and Xerxes had those responsible for building the bridges beheaded and the strait itself whipped. The Histories of Herodotus vii.33-37 and vii.54-58 give details of building and crossing of Xerxes’ Pontoon Bridges. Xerxes is then said to have thrown fetters into the strait, given it three hundred lashes and branded it with red-hot irons as the soldiers shouted at the water.[4]

Herodotus commented that this was a “highly presumptuous way to address the Hellespont” but in no way atypical of Xerxes. (vii.35)

Harpalus the engineer eventually helped the invading armies to cross by lashing the ships together with their bows facing the current and, so it is said, two additional anchors.

When Xerxes tried to cross the Dardanelles straight to invade Greece in the 2nd Greco-Persian war, he built a floating bridge which then collapsed because of sea currents. In revenge he had the sea whipped.

During WWII a Canadian soldier single-handedly liberated the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands from German occupation. He also captured 93 German soldiers during The Battle of Scheldt while on a solo reconnaissance mission...

Did you know that during WWII a Canadian soldier single-handedly liberated the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands from German occupation. He also captured 93 German soldiers during The Battle of Scheldt while on a solo reconnaissance mission…

Corporal Léo Major (1921 – 12 October 2008) was a French Canadian soldier in the Régiment de la Chaudière in World War II. He was one of only three Canadian soldiers in the British Commonwealth to be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), the only Canadian to have been awarded the honour twice (bar to the DCM), and the only Allied soldier to be awarded two DCMs in two different wars (World War II and Korea)[citation needed].

On the night of 13 April 1945, Major single-handedly liberated the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands from German army occupation.[1] This action earned him his first Distinguished Conduct Medal. He received his second DCM during the Korean War for leading the capture of a key hill.

He died in Montreal on 12 October 2008, survived by: Pauline De Croiselle, his wife of 57 years; four children; and five grandchildren.[2]

Léo Major is buried at the Last Post Fund National Field of Honour in Pointe-Claire, Quebec.

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During WWII a Canadian soldier single-handedly liberated the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands from German occupation. He also captured 93 German soldiers during The Battle of Scheldt while on a solo reconnaissance mission...

The marshmallow plant has been used as a herbal remedy for many different ailments including sore throats, ulcers, and to even stimulate the flow of breast milk. While it used to be in commercial marshmallows, it is ironically no longer an ingredient

Did you know that the marshmallow plant has been used as a herbal remedy for many different ailments including sore throats, ulcers, and to even stimulate the flow of breast milk. While it used to be in commercial marshmallows, it is ironically no longer an ingredient.

The leaves, flowers and the root of A. officinalis (marshmallow) all have medicinal properties. These are reflected in the name of the genus, which comes from the Greek ἄλθειν (althein), meaning “to heal”.[1] In traditional Chinese medicine, Althaea officinalis is known as 藥蜀葵 (pinyin: yàoshǔkuí). It increases the flow of breast milk and soothes the bronchial tubes.[2][unreliable source?]

Marshmallow is traditionally used as a treatment for the irritation of mucous membranes, including use as a gargle for mouth and throat ulcers, and gastric ulcers.[3] A study on rats concluded that an extract from the flowers has potential benefits for hyperlipidemia, gastric ulcers and platelet aggregation.[4] The root has been used since the Middle Ages in the treatment of sore throat.[5]

The root extract (halawa extract) is sometimes used as flavouring in the making of a Middle Eastern snack called halva. The flowers and young leaves can be eaten, and are often added to salads or are boiled and fried.

The later French version of the recipe, called pâte de guimauve (or “guimauve” for short), included an eggwhite meringue and was often flavored with rose water. Pâte de guimauve more closely resembles contemporary commercially available marshmallows, which no longer contain any actual marshmallow.

The marshmallow plant has been used as a herbal remedy for many different ailments including sore throats, ulcers, and to even stimulate the flow of breast milk. While it used to be in commercial marshmallows, it is ironically no longer an ingredient

The reason old people always seem to have large ears and noses is because our ears and noses never stop growing

Did you know that the reason old people always seem to have large ears and noses is because our ears and noses never stop growing.

Do you think you stopped growing at age 18? If that’s true, how come the older you get, the bigger your nose and ears seem to be? Ok, you might find some teenagers with large noses, but big ears are just not found on young people. Well, here’s the news flash: it turns out that scientists in Italy have confirmed – ears actually do grow as we age.

That’s right. Bones, stop growing after puberty and muscle and fat cells also stop dividing. But cartilage – that’s the plastic-like stuff in ears and noses – cartilage continues to grow until the day you die. Not only does cartilage grow, but the earlobes elongate from gravity. And that makes ears look even larger.

The reason old people always seem to have large ears and noses is because our ears and noses never stop growing

Saddam was almost assassinated after A woman marked Saddam's limousine in blood from a sheep that had been slaughtered in his honour but the president's instinct told him to swap cars and he avoided a hail of bullets

Did you know that Saddam was almost assassinated after “A woman marked Saddam’s limousine in blood from a sheep that had been slaughtered in his honour but the president’s instinct told him to swap cars and he avoided a hail of bullets”

There is little sympathy for Saddam Hussein in the town of Dujail. Almost every family has a tragic story to tell about the massacre of its inhabitants after a failed assassination attempt on the former Iraqi president.

Where once olive trees and palm dates stood, there is still a desolate air in the town 23 years after the destruction carried out by the Republican Guard.

The butchering of Dujail would have proved a footnote in history if the event had not registered as the first formal charge being brought against Saddam by Iraq’s special tribunal, the body set up to dispense justice on the former Ba’athist officials from his regime. A conviction could lead to a swift execution, making future prosecutions redundant.

In 1982 an ambush was launched on Saddam’s presidential motorcade by men in the predominantly Shia town who belonged to the Dawaa movement formed in protest against the invasion of Shia areas of Iran.

Saddam was almost assassinated after A woman marked Saddam's limousine in blood from a sheep that had been slaughtered in his honour but the president's instinct told him to swap cars and he avoided a hail of bullets

Ronda Rousey, UFC Women's bantamweight champion, claims that having a lot of sex before a match is good for female fighters because it boosts testosterone levels

Did you know Ronda Rousey, UFC Women’s bantamweight champion, claims that having a lot of sex before a match is good for female fighters because it boosts testosterone levels.

Ronda Rousey might just have won herself a few extra fans ahead of her UFC debut, by revealing that she has plenty of sex in the build-up to a fight in order to boost her testosterone level.

Strikeforce bantamweight champion Rousey recently signed with the UFC and is expected to be part of the first female bout for the promotion in 2013.

Highly talented as a mixed martial artist, with an undefeated 6-0 record, Rousey is tipped to become a star of the future given her media-friendly image and excellence inside the Octagon.

Ronda Rousey, UFC Women's bantamweight champion, claims that having a lot of sex before a match is good for female fighters because it boosts testosterone levels

because of his lack of identity documents and shabby clothing, Antoni Gaudi a famous architect of Barcelona was assumed to be a beggar and did not receive immediate aid which led to his death

Did you know that because of his lack of identity documents and shabby clothing, Antoni Gaudi, a famous architect of Barcelona was assumed to be a beggar and did not receive immediate aid which led to his death

Gaudí’s professional life was distinctive in that he never ceased to investigate mechanical building structures. Early on, Gaudí was inspired by oriental arts (India, Persia, Japan) through the study of the historicist architectural theoreticians, such as Walter Pater, John Ruskin and William Morris. The influence of the Oriental movement can be seen in works like the Capricho, the Güell Palace, the Güell Pavilions and the Casa Vicens. Later on, he adhered to the neo-Gothic movement that was in fashion at the time, following the ideas of the French architect Viollet-le-Duc. This influence is reflected in the Colegi de les Teresianes, the bishop’s palace in Astorga, the Casa Botines and the Bellesguard house as well as in the crypt and the apse of the Sagrada Família. Eventually, Gaudí embarked on a more personal phase, with the organic style inspired by nature in which he would build his major works.

During his time as a student, Gaudí was able to study a collection of photographs of Egyptian, Indian, Persian, Mayan, Chinese and Japanese art owned by the School of Architecture. The collection also included Moorish monuments in Spain, which left a deep mark on him and served as an inspiration in many of his works. He also studied the book Plans, elevations, sections and details of the Alhambra by Owen Jones, which he borrowed from the School’s library.[51] He took various structural and ornamental solutions from nazarí and mudéjar art, which he used with variations and stylistic freedom in his works. Notably, Gaudí observed of Islamic art its spatial uncertainty, its concept of structures with limitless space; its feeling of sequence, fragmented with holes and partitions, which create a divide without disrupting the feeling of open space by enclosing it with barriers.[52]

Undoubtedly the style that most influenced him was the Gothic Revival, promoted in the latter half of the 19th century by the theoretical works of Viollet-le-Duc. The French architect called for studying the styles of the past and adapting them in a rational manner, taking into account both structure and design.[53] Nonetheless, for Gaudí the Gothic style was “imperfect”, because despite the effectiveness of some of its structural solutions it was an art that had yet to be “perfected”. In his own words:

Gothic art is imperfect, only half resolved; it is a style created by the compasses, a formulaic industrial repetition. Its stability depends on constant propping up by the buttresses: it is a defective body held up on crutches. (…) The proof that Gothic works are of deficient plasticity is that they produce their greatest emotional effect when they are mutilated, covered in ivy and lit by the moon.[54]

The salamander in Park Güell has become a symbol of Gaudí’s work.

After these initial influences, Gaudí moved towards Modernisme, then in its heyday. Modernisme in its earlier stages was inspired by historic architecture. Its practitioners saw its return to the past as a response to the industrial forms imposed by the Industrial Revolution’s technological advances. The use of these older styles represented a moral regeneration that allowed the bourgeoisie to identify with values they regarded as their cultural roots. The Renaixença (rebirth), the revival of Catalan culture that began in the second half of the 19th century, brought more Gothic forms into the Catalan “national” style that aimed to combine nationalism and cosmopolitanism while at the same time integrating into the European modernizing movement.[55]

Some essential features of Modernisme were: an anticlassical language inherited from Romanticism with a tendency to lyricism and subjectivity; the determined connection of architecture with the applied arts and artistic work that produced an overtly ornamental style; the use of new materials from which emerged a mixed constructional language, rich in contrasts, that sought a plastic effect for the whole; a strong sense of optimism and faith in progress that produced an emphatic art that reflected the atmosphere of prosperity of the time, above all of the esthetic of the bourgeoisie.[56]

[edit]Quest for a new architectural language

Gaudí is usually considered the great master of Catalan Modernism, but his works go beyond any one style or classification. They are imaginative works that find their main inspiration in nature. Gaudí studied organic and anarchic geometric forms of nature thoroughly, searching for a way to give expression to these forms in architecture. Some of his greatest inspirations came from visits to the mountain of Montserrat, the caves of Mallorca, the saltpetre caves in Collbató), the crag of Fra Guerau in the Prades Mountains behind Reus, the Pareis mountain in the north of Mallorca and Sant Miquel del Fai in Bigues i Riells.[57]

because of his lack of identity documents and shabby clothing, Antoni Gaudi a famous architect of Barcelona was assumed to be a beggar and did not receive immediate aid which led to his death

A man was once given a 5 month prison term for training his dog Adolf to raise his right paw in a Nazi salute every time the command "Heil Hitler!" was uttered

Did you know that a man was once given a 5 month prison term for training his dog Adolf to raise his right paw in a Nazi salute every time the command “Heil Hitler!” was uttered

Today in Germany, Nazi salutes in written form, vocally, and even straight-extending the right arm as a saluting gesture (with or without the phrase), are illegal.[51][52] It is a criminal offence punishable by up to three years of prison (Strafgesetzbuch section 86a).[52][53] Usage for art, teaching and science is allowed unless “the existence of an insult results from the form of the utterance or the circumstances under which it occurred”.[53] Use of the salute has also been illegal in Austria since the end of World War II.

Usage that is “ironic and clearly critical of the Hitler Greeting” is exempt, which has led to legal debates as to what constitutes ironic use.[54] One recent case involved Prince Albrecht of Hanover, who was brought to court after using the gesture as a commentary on the behavior of an unduly zealous airport baggage inspector.[54] On 23 November 2007, the Amtsgericht Cottbus sentenced Horst Mahler to six months of imprisonment without parole for having, according to his own claims, ironically performed the Hitler salute when reporting to prison for a nine-month term a year earlier.[55] The following month, a pensioner named Roland T was given a prison term of five months for, amongst other things, training his dog Adolf to raise his right paw in a Nazi salute every time the command “Heil Hitler!” was uttered.[56]

Modified versions of the salute are sometimes used by neo-Nazis. One such version is the so-called “Kühnen salute” with extended thumb, index and middle finger, which is also a criminal offence in Germany.[57] In written correspondence, the number 88 is sometimes used by some neo-Nazis as a substitute for “Heil Hitler” (“H” as the eighth letter of the alphabet).[58] Swiss neo-nazis were reported to use a variant of the Kühnengruss, thought extending one’s right arm over their head and extending said three fingers has a different historical source for Switzerland, as the first three Eidgenossen or confederates are often depicted with this motion.

On 28 May 2012, BBC current affairs programme Panorama examined the issues of racism, antisemitism and football hooliganism, which it claimed were prevalent among Polish and Ukrainian football supporters. The programme, titled Euro 2012: Stadiums of Hate, included recent footage of Ukrainian supporters giving the Nazi salute and shouting “Sieg Heil”. The two countries hosted the international football competition UEFA Euro 2012.[59]

On 16 March 2013, Greek footballer Giorgos Katidis was handed a life ban from the Greek national team for performing the salute after scoring a goal against Veria F.C. in Athens’ Olympic Stadium.

A man was once given a 5 month prison term for training his dog Adolf to raise his right paw in a Nazi salute every time the command "Heil Hitler!" was uttered

Over 70 percent of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks

Did you know that over 70 percent of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks.

Low self-esteem is a thinking disorder in which an individual views him/herself as inadequate, unworthy, unlovable, and/or incompetent. Once formed, this negative view of self permeates every thought, producing faulty assumptions and ongoing self-defeating behavior.

Among high school students, 44 percent of girls and 15 percent of guys are attempting to lose weight.

Over 70 percent of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks.

More than 40 percent of boys in middle school and high school regularly exercise with the goal of increasing muscle mass.

75 percent of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities like cutting, bullying, smoking, drinking, or disordered eating. This compares to 25 percent of girls with high self-esteem.

Over 70 percent of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks

While Pixar was making Toy Story 2, someone accidentally ran a Unix command which deleted the film's data. It was restored thanks to an animator who kept a copy of the data at home so she could work on the movie while caring for her new baby

Did you know that while Pixar was making Toy Story 2, someone accidentally ran a Unix command which deleted the film’s data. It was restored thanks to an animator who kept a copy of the data at home so she could work on the movie while caring for her new baby.

While Pixar was making Toy Story 2, someone accidentally ran a Unix command which deleted the film's data. It was restored thanks to an animator who kept a copy of the data at home so she could work on the movie while caring for her new baby

A treasure hunter named Tommy Thompson located a ship that sank in 1857 called the SS Central America. The ship carried several tons of gold, and in 1987, he recovered over $1 billion worth of gold from it. He never paid back his crew or investors, and hasn't been seen in years

Did you know that a treasure hunter named Tommy Thompson located a ship that sank in 1857 called the SS Central America. The ship carried several tons of gold, and in 1987, he recovered over $1 billion worth of gold from it. He never paid back his crew or investors, and hasn’t been seen in years.

Two decades ago investors gave Tommy Thompson millions for a piece of buried treasure. Will they ever see their money?

Where is Tommy G. Thompson? Not so long ago the marine engineer from Columbus, Ohio was everywhere, raising $55 million in equity and debt financing and promoting the latest underwater technology to salvage gold from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. He once gave frequent press interviews and authorized books and TV documentaries to commemorate his recovery of a vast sunken treasure from the shipwrecked S.S. Central America–hundreds of gold Double Eagle coins, bars and ingots valued at $100 million to $400 million. Some of that loot went on national tour; an estimated $100 million was sold in heavily publicized sales and auctions.

Today Thompson, 54, is hard to find. His last residential address in public records: a trailer park in Fort Pierce, Fla. No one answers the phone there or at his former Columbus address. Investors who financed Thompson’s Recovery Limited Partnership haven’t seen a penny of returns, 19 years after the recovery of the treasure, and fear that Thompson left town with many millions. It’s been so long, the limited partners are dying off. Some of the surviving partners are suing to see their money again–or, at least, get an accounting.

“Has plaintiff’s investment in [the part-nership] been squandered or lost–or worse?” asks frustrated attorney Steven Tigges, who is representing Dispatch Publishing and former Ohio Company president Donald Fanta. Tigges has learned very little because Thompson’s attorneys are doing their best to keep everything secret. In late February they persuaded a state judge to seal the Ohio investor pleadings and dockets. (A federal judge unsealed them in May at the request of FORBES and others.)

A treasure hunter named Tommy Thompson located a ship that sank in 1857 called the SS Central America. The ship carried several tons of gold, and in 1987, he recovered over $1 billion worth of gold from it. He never paid back his crew or investors, and hasn't been seen in years

While in the army Mr. T was given the punishment of chopping down trees. The sergeant didn't tell him how many, so Mr. T single-handedly chopped down 70 in 3.5 hours

Did you know that while in the army Mr. T was given the punishment of chopping down trees. The sergeant didn’t tell him how many, so Mr. T single-handedly chopped down 70 in 3.5 hours.

Before he nearly pounded Rocky Balboa into submission in Rocky III, and went on to fame as B.A. Baracus on the hit TV show A-Team, Mr. T was a member of the biggest team of them all — the U.S. Army.

In the beginning Mr. T was just plain old Laurence Tureaud, a kid from the projects in Chicago, part of a large family (four sisters and seven brothers) just struggling to get by. His physical abilities were evident from an early age, when he became the city-wide wrestling champion two years in a row at high school. Unfortunately, he also didn’t have much motivation for academics, and ended up getting expelled from Prairie View A&M University after one year on a football scholarship.

After leaving school Tureaud enlisted in the United States Army in the mid-70s, and served in the Military Police Corps. In November 1975 he was awarded a letter of recommendation by his drill sergeant, and in a cycle of six thousand troops he was elected “Top Trainee of the Cycle” and promoted to Squad Leader. In July 1976 his platoon sergeant punished him by giving him the detail of chopping down trees during training camp at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, but the sergeant did not specify how many trees that were to be cut down — so Tureaud single-handedly chopped down over 70 trees in the span of three and a half hours before being relieved of the detail.

While in the army Mr. T was given the punishment of chopping down trees. The sergeant didn't tell him how many, so Mr. T single-handedly chopped down 70 in 3.5 hours

In the story of the Buddha, the Buddha was a real Prince. His father tried to shield him from all sickness and suffering. One day the Prince saw an old man by surprise, and was so upset at finding out that people eventually get old, he escaped the castle to search for truth

Did you know that in the story of the Buddha, the Buddha was a real Prince. His father tried to shield him from all sickness and suffering. One day the Prince saw an old man by surprise, and was so upset at finding out that people eventually get old, he escaped the castle to search for truth.

The Life of Buddha

Gautama Buddha, the historical Buddha, lived between 563 and 483 BC in the area known now as the Indo-Nepalese region. As a bodhisattva, he had passed through thousands of existences before coming to Earth for his ultimate transmigration.

This last lifetime he began as a son of the King of the realm Sakya, Sudhodana, who ruled at Kapilavastu, in Ancient India on the border of present-day Nepal, and was born in a village called Lumbini into the warrior tribe called the Sakyas (from where he derived the title Sakyamuni, meaning “Sage of the Sakyas”).

According to ancient tradition, Queen Maya, his mother, first had a dream of a beautiful white elephant coming down into her womb, and this was interpreted as a sign that the Buddha, or a universal emperor, was about to be born. When her time came, Queen Maya went into the garden and gave painless birth to the bodhisattva. He immediately walked, spoke, and was received by Brahma.

Five days after his birth, the young prince received the name of Siddhartha. When his parents took him to the temple, the statues of the gods prostrated themselves before him, great were the rejoicings of the people over the birth of this illustrious prince. Also at this time a devout old man named Asita came down from the Himalayas to meet the newborn prince. An ascetic of high spiritual attainments, Asita was particularly pleased to hear this happy news. Having been a tutor to the King, he visited the palace to see the royal baby. The king, who felt honoured by his unexpected visit, carried the child up to him in order to make the child pay him due reverence. To the surprise of all, the child’s legs turned and rested on the matted locks of the ascetic.

Instantly, the ascetic rose from his seat and recognizing in the young child the 80 signs that are pledges to a highly religious vocation, and foreseeing with his supernormal vision the child’s future greatness, saluted him with clasped hands. The Royal father did likewise. The great ascetic smiled at first and then was sad. Questioned regarding his mingled feelings, he answered that he smiled because the prince would eventually become a Buddha, an Enlightened One, and he was sad because he would not be able to benefit from the superior wisdom of the Enlightened One owing to his prior death and rebirth in a Formless Plane.

After seven days Queen Maya died, and her place as mother was taken by her sister, whose devotion and love became legendary.

When the young prince was in his twelfth year, the king called the wise Brahmans in council. They revealed that Siddhartha would devote himself to asceticism if he cast his eyes on age, sickness, or death ~ and, if he were to meet a hermit.

Wanting his son to be a universal monarch instead, the king surrounded the palace with a triple enclosure and guard and proclaimed that the use of the words death and grief were forbidden. The most beautiful princess in the land, Yasodhara, was found for his bride, and after Siddhartha proved himself in many tournaments calling for strength and prowess, when he was 16, the two were wed.

Siddhartha was kept amused and entertained for some time by this privileged life behind the palace walls until one day his divine vocation awoke in him, and he decided to visit the nearby town. The king called for everything to be swept and decorated, and any ugly or sad sight to be removed. But these precautions were in vain for while Siddhartha was travelling through the streets, an old wrinkled man appeared before him. In astonishment the young prince learned that decrepitude is the fate of those who live life through. Still later he met an incurable invalid and then a funeral procession. Finally heaven placed in his path an ascetic, a beggar, who told Siddhartha that he had left the world to pass beyond suffering and joy, to attain peace at heart.

Confirmed in his meditation, all these experiences awakened in Siddhartha the idea of abandoning his present life and embracing asceticism. He opened his heart to his father and said, “Everything in the world is changing and transitory. Let me go off alone like the religious beggar.”

Grief-stricken at the idea of losing his son, the king doubled the guard around the walls and increased the pleasures and distractions within. And at this point, Yasodhara bore him a son whom he called Rahula (meaning “chain” or “fetter”), a name that indicated Gautama’s sense of dissatisfaction with his life of luxury, while the birth of his son evoked in him much tenderness. His apparent sense of dissatisfaction turned to disillusion when he saw three things from the window of his palace, each of which represented different forms human suffering: a decrepit old man, a diseased man, and a corpse.Yet even this could not stop the troubling thoughts in his heart or close his eyes to the realizations of the impermanence of all life, and of the vanity and instability of all objects of desire.

His mind made up, he awoke one night and, casting one last look at his wife and child, mounted his horse Kataka and rode off accompanied by his equerry Chandaka. At the city gates Siddhartha turned over his horse to Chandaka, then he cut off his hair, gave up his sumptuous robes, and entered a hermitage where the Brahmans accepted him as a disciple. Siddhartha had now and forever disappeared. He became the monk Gautama, or as he is still called, Sakyamuni, the ascetic of the Sakyas.

For many years Gautama studied the doctrines until, having felt the need to learn more elsewhere, he traveled and fasted. His two teachers had showed him how to reach very deep states of meditation (samadhi). This did not, however, lead to a sense of true knowledge or peace, and the practice of deep meditation was abandoned in favour of a life of extreme asceticism which he shared with five companions. But again, after five or six years of self-mortification, Siddhartha felt he had failed to achieve true insight and rejected such practices as dangerous and useless.

Resolved to continue his quest, Siddharta made his way to a deer park at Isipatana, near present day Benares. Here he sat beneath a tree meditating on death and rebirth. Discovering that excessive fasts destroy strength, he learned that as he had transcended earthly life, so must he next transcend asceticism. Alone and weak, he sat beneath the sacred Bodhi tree of wisdom, and swore to die before arising without the wisdom he sought.

Mara, the demon, fearful of Gautama’s power, sent his three beautiful daughters to distract him. When that failed, Mara sent an army of devils to destroy him. Finally Mara attacked Gautama with a terrible weapon capable of cleaving a mountain. But all this was useless, and the motionless monk sat in meditation.

It was here that Siddharta attained a knowledge of the way things really are; it was through this knowledge that he acquired the title Buddha (meaning “awakened one”). This awakening was achieved during a night of meditation, which passed through various stages as the illumination that Gautama had sought slowly welled up in his heart. He knew the exact condition of all beings and the causes of their rebirths. He saw beings live, die and transmigrate. In meditating on human pain, he was enlightened about both its genesis and the means of destroying it.

In this first stage he saw each of his previous existences, and then understood the chain of cause and effect. In the second he surveyed the death and rebirth of all living beings and understood the law that governs the cycle of birth and death. In the third he identified the Four Noble Truths: the universality of suffering, the cause of suffering through selfish desire, the solution to suffering and the way to overcome suffering. This final point is called the Noble Eightfold Path, this being eight steps consisting of wisdom (right views, right intention) ethics (right speech, right action, right livelihood), mental discipline (right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration), which ultimately lead to liberation from the source of suffering.

In the story of the Buddha, the Buddha was a real Prince. His father tried to shield him from all sickness and suffering. One day the Prince saw an old man by surprise, and was so upset at finding out that people eventually get old, he escaped the castle to search for truth

A pitcher plant in Borneo has evolved into a toilet for tree shrews. The plant provides nectar to attract shrews and the shrews poop in the pitcher, feeding the plant

Did you know that a pitcher plant in Borneo has evolved into a toilet for tree shrews. The plant provides nectar to attract shrews and the shrews poop in the pitcher, feeding the plant.

A large N. raja pitcher awaits its fill

The largest meat-eating plant in the world is designed not to eat small animals, but small animal poo.

Botanists have discovered that the giant montane pitcher plant of Borneo has a pitcher the exact same size as a tree shrew’s body.

But it is not this big to swallow up mammals such as tree shrews or rats.

Instead, the pitcher uses tasty nectar to attract tree shrews, then ensures its pitcher is big enough to collect the feeding mammal’s droppings.

A pitcher plant in Borneo has evolved into a toilet for tree shrews. The plant provides nectar to attract shrews and the shrews poop in the pitcher, feeding the plant

Shortly after completing 'Toy Story', the chief creative staff for Pixar got together for a lunch meeting in 1994 that would become one of the most defining moments in the studio's history. The Pixar team came up with 4 movies in a single hour-long lunch

Did you know that shortly after completing ‘Toy Story’, the chief creative staff for Pixar got together for a lunch meeting in 1994 that would become one of the most defining moments in the studio’s history. The Pixar team came up with 4 movies in a single hour-long lunch.

1995’s ‘Toy Story’ wasn’t just an epic success because it was the first feature length animated film done entirely with computer graphics and one of the highest grossing films of the year. It was also a film that put the name “Pixar” on everyone’s lips.

From ‘Toy Story’ on through this year’s ‘Brave,’ Pixar established a level of quality by never talking down to kids or resorting to cheap gags and goofy characters. Their 13 films feature stories that can speak to kids and adults who used to be kids by entertaining them both on a very deep level while also making them laugh and cry. (Well, except for ‘Cars 2.’) With the release of ‘Finding Nemo 3D,’ we’ve decided to offer up a few fun facts about the house that Woody and Buzz helped to build.

1. Pixar was started under George Lucas, not Steve Jobs

2. The toy from the short film ‘Tin Toy’ was supposed to be the star of ‘Toy Story’

3. The Pixar team came up with four movies in a single lunch

4. ‘Toy Story 2’ almost went direct-to-video, ‘Toy Story 3′ was almost made by another animation studio

5. The Pixar staff are allowed to design their own work spaces

6. Pixar has its own “cereal bar”

7. The “Pizza Planet Truck” has a cameo in every Pixar movie except one

8. The voice of Boo in ‘Monsters Inc.’ wouldn’t sit still long enough to be recorded

9. Tom Hanks’ brother Jim is also the voice of Woody

10. The water they made for ‘Finding Nemo’ was too real

Shortly after completing 'Toy Story', the chief creative staff for Pixar got together for a lunch meeting in 1994 that would become one of the most defining moments in the studio's history. The Pixar team came up with 4 movies in a single hour-long lunch

There is no such thing as a 'triangle player' in an orchestra. The guy playing the triangle is called a percussionist, and must master at least 35 different instruments

Did you know that there is no such thing as a triangle player in an orchestra. The guy playing the triangle is called a percussionist, and must master at least 35 different instruments.

Do directors find sex scenes embarrassing? Is the urinal in my local pub art? How does a triangle player make a living? What’s the difference between pornographic and erotic photos? Our experts from the worlds of music, literature, film and art answer those intriguing questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Interviews by Ally Carnwath, Tom Templeton and Katie Toms

There is no such thing as a 'triangle player' in an orchestra. The guy playing the triangle is called a percussionist, and must master at least 35 different instruments

Copper socks exist. You can wear them for days and your feet won't smell. These were given to chilean miners that were trapped for 70 days

Did you know that copper socks exist. You can wear them for days and your feet won’t smell. These were given to chilean miners that were trapped for 70 days.

The ancient Greeks were the first to discover the disinfecting power of copper thousands of years ago. Since then, copper has been used worldwide to help eliminate the growth of bacteria and fungi in the treatment of ulcers and skin diseases among other uses.

In 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved copper as the only metal in the world recognized to help prevent pathogens. Tests performed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) show that 99.9 percent of disease-causing bacteria and viruses are eliminated within two hours on surfaces made of copper or its alloys.

Copper socks exist. You can wear them for days and your feet won't smell. These were given to chilean miners that were trapped for 70 days

Monday, April 29, 2013

Test Post from www.alearned.com

Test Post from www.alearned.com http://www.alearned.com

The reason Saddam Hussein refused to fully cooperate with UN inspectors before the war was because he didn't want Iran to find out he actually had no active WMD stockpile

Did you know that the reason Saddam Hussein refused to fully cooperate with UN inspectors before the war was because he didn’t want Iran to find out he actually had no active WMD stockpile.

The reason Saddam Hussein refused to fully cooperate with UN inspectors before the war was because he didn't want Iran to find out he actually had no active WMD stockpile

A man with a chronic ear infection cured himself with his own earwax. He was given a number of drugs by doctors, but nothing worked. In desperation he took earwax from his good ear and placed it in his bad. Two days later he was fine

Did you know that a man with a chronic ear infection cured himself with his own earwax. He was given a number of drugs by doctors, but nothing worked. In desperation he took earwax from his good ear and placed it in his bad. Two days later he was fine.

Although we have conquered or suppressed many diseases with the invention of antibiotics, the science surrounding bacteria and viruses has not answered why the 21st Century has seen explosions of obesity, celiac disease, asthma, allergy syndromes, and Type 1 diabetes. Are we killing off bacteria that help to limit these diseases? We deliver about a third of the four million babies born in the United States by Cesarean section. These babies do not get the shower of bacteria as they pass through the birth canal. Is this why children born by Cesarean have much higher incidences of allergies and asthma? Before antibiotics a woman was born with 10,000 species of bacteria. Each generation born “after antibiotics” has fewer live species of bacteria. Researchers have not counted how many species a modern woman has left from her great grandma’s 10,000. Is it 9,000? Is it 7,000? Inquiring minds and bodies need to know. We are entering a world we know little about.

We spend over $2 billion treating several million cases of sinusities with antibiotics each year. New research indicates that our sinus passages contain 1,200 species of bacteria—if we are healthy. But the person with chronic sinusities has only 900 left. So something has killed off 300 species that allow the sinus passages to be filled with gunk. Just maybe …

An earwax story out of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is also illuminating. A man came to the clinic with a chronic infection in his left ear. He told doctors that other doctors had tried everything: anti-fungal drops, antibiotics, and many other treatments. The Pittsburgh doctors gave him additional antibiotics. The patient came back to the clinic a week later and said he was cured. The clinic doctors told him they were glad they had helped him. He said: “You didn’t. I suffered so much after your drugs I took some earwax from my right ear and put it in my diseased left. In two days I was fine, infection cured.” The clinic doctors finally got the answer. The good ear contained good bacteria that killed off the bad in the bad ear. Nothing like an earwax transplant to solve an infection! But what to do if both ears are infected…

A man with a chronic ear infection cured himself with his own earwax. He was given a number of drugs by doctors, but nothing worked. In desperation he took earwax from his good ear and placed it in his bad. Two days later he was fine

Scientists in Boston have discovered that it may be possible to learn complex tasks, such as mastering Kung-Fu or the Piano, with little to no conscious effort, just like in The Matrix

Did you know that scientists in Boston have discovered that it may be possible to learn complex tasks, such as mastering Kung-Fu or the Piano, with little to no conscious effort, just like in The Matrix.

New research suggests it may be possible to learn complex tasks with little to no conscious effort, just like in The Matrix. Whoa, indeed.

PROBLEM: Unlike Neo in The Matrix or the titular superspy in the comedy series Chuck, we can’t master kung fu just by beaming information to our brain. We have to put in time and effort to learn new skills.

Scientists in Boston have discovered that it may be possible to learn complex tasks, such as mastering Kung-Fu or the Piano, with little to no conscious effort, just like in The Matrix

During the time Michael Vick was serving 1.5 years in prison for fighting dogs, Donté Stallworth of the Cleveland Browns hit and killed a pedestrian while driving drunk, yet only served 24 days in jail

Did you know that during the time Michael Vick was serving 1.5 years in prison for fighting dogs, Donté Stallworth of the Cleveland Browns hit and killed a pedestrian while driving drunk, yet only served 24 days in jail.

In July 2007, Vick and three other men were charged by federal authorities with felony charges of operating an unlawful interstate dog fighting venture known as “Bad Newz Kennels”. Vick was accused of financing the operation, directly participating in dog fights and executions, and personally handling thousands of dollars in related gambling activities.[84] Federal prosecutors indicated they intended to proceed under the provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.[85]

By August 20, Vick and the other three co-defendants agreed to separate plea bargains for the federal charges.[86][87] They were expected to each receive federal prison sentences of between 12 months and five years. Four days later, Vick filed plea documents with the federal court. He pleaded guilty to “Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture”. He admitted to providing most of the financing for the operation and to participating directly in several dog fights in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. He admitted to sharing in the proceeds from these dog fights. He further admitted that he knew his colleagues killed several dogs who did not perform well. He admitted to being involved in the destruction of 6–8 dogs, by hanging or drowning. The “victimization and killing of pit bulls” was considered an aggravating circumstance, allowing prosecutors to exceed the federal sentencing guidelines for the charge. Vick denied placing any side bets on the dogfights.[88] On August 27, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted Vick’s guilty plea, but reminded Vick that he (Hudson) was under no obligation to accept the prosecution’s recommendation of a reduced sentence.[89]

While free on bail, Vick tested positive for marijuana in a random drug test.[90][91] This was a violation of the conditions of his release while awaiting sentencing in federal court.[90][91] Vick’s positive urine sample was submitted on September 13, 2007, according to a document filed by a federal probation officer on September 26.[90][91] As a result, Hudson ordered Vick confined to his Hampton, Virginia home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. with electronic monitoring until his court hearing date in December.[92] He was ordered to submit to random drug testing.[90][91]

In November, Vick turned himself in early to begin accruing time-served credit against his likely federal prison sentence. He was held at Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Virginia awaiting sentencing on the federal convictions.[93] On December 10, Vick appeared in U.S. District Court in Richmond for sentencing. Judge Hudson said he was “convinced that it was not a momentary lack of judgment” on Vick’s part, and that Vick was a “full partner” in the dog fighting ring, and he was sentenced to serve 23 months in federal prison.[94] Hudson noted that despite Vick’s claim to have accepted responsibility for his actions, his failure to cooperate fully with federal officials, coupled with a failed drug test and a failed polygraph, showed that he had not taken full responsibility for “promoting, funding and facilitating this cruel and inhumane sporting activity”.[95] Vick was assigned to United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, a federal prison facility in Leavenworth, Kansas, to serve his sentence.[96]

At the request of federal authorities before sentencing, Vick agreed to deposit nearly $1 million in an escrow account with attorneys for use to reimburse costs of caring for the confiscated dogs, most of which were being offered for adoption on a selective basis under supervision of a court-appointed specialist.[97] Experts said some of the animals would require special care for the rest of their lives.[98] During his bankruptcy trial, the U.S. Department of Labor complained that these funds were paid at least partially with unlawfully withdrawn monies that Vick held in trust for himself and eight other employees of MV7, a celebrity marketing company he owned

During the time Michael Vick was serving 1.5 years in prison for fighting dogs, Donté Stallworth of the Cleveland Browns hit and killed a pedestrian while driving drunk, yet only served 24 days in jail

So many British people make tea after the tv show "Eastenders" finishes, that backup power stations go on standby to cope with the massive surge in electricity

Did you know that so many British people make tea after the tv show “Eastenders” finishes, that backup power stations go on standby to cope with the massive surge in electricity

the British… If you needed another reason to point at them and say they truly are one-of-a-kind, then look no further than the British National Grid electricity transmission network. Only in the UK is the daily regimen so ingrained in society that you can literally set your watch by surges in electrical activity.

Unlike in the US, where the choice of what to watch on TV is vast and almost intimidating, those across the pond are not quite as free-spirited. Even thought the choice of TV channels and streaming options is growing, their love of soaps means millions of people watch the same shows at the same time on a daily basis. As a result, a phenomenon called “TV pickup” has spawned.

Described as an electricity nuance completely unique to Great Britain, it refers to the fact that massive swaths of the nation’s population will all get up at the same time — at the end of a popular TV show — and cause a surge in electricity usage simply by boiling a kettle full of water to make a cup of tea.

Bill Gates told his University professors that he would become a millionaire by age 30. He became a billionaire at age 31

Did you know that Bill Gates told his University professors that he would become a millionaire by age 30. He became a billionaire at age 31.

Fact 1:

Bill Gates was born on 28th of October 1955 in Seattle, Washington.

Fact 2:

Bill Gates full name is William Henry Gates III.

Fact 3:

As of 2011, his fortune is worth $59 billion.

Fact 4:

Gates told his university teachers he would be a millionaire by age 30. He became a billionaire at age 31.

Fact 5:

Gates graduated high school in 1973 and scored 1590 of 1600 on the SAT.

Bill Gates told his University professors that he would become a millionaire by age 30. He became a billionaire at age 31

The world's largest parrot is also flightless and nocturnal. There are only 126 left in the world, and they spend their days hiding from giant eagles that went extinct hundreds of years ago

Did you know that the world’s largest parrot is also flightless and nocturnal. There are only 126 left in the world, and they spend their days hiding from giant eagles that went extinct hundreds of years ago.

The world's largest parrot is also flightless and nocturnal. There are only 126 left in the world, and they spend their days hiding from giant eagles that went extinct hundreds of years ago

Jennifer Hudson gets free Burger King for life after she sarcastically thanked them for being a part of her success

Did you know that Jennifer Hudson gets free Burger King for life after she sarcastically thanked them for being a part of her success

Burger King has awarded Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson an all-you-can-eat pass for their fast food restaurants… for life! Have it your way… forever!

Hudson reacted to Simon Cowell’s criticism of her for not thanking “American Idol” in her Oscar speech. She reportedly snapped back, “If I’d been any better at my job when I was at Burger King in my middle teens, I wouldn’t be here either, so should I thank them, too?” Hudson worked at the BK on East 87th and State Street in Chicago. Burger King was her first job at age 16, where she worked with her sister, who claims she sang while working the drive-thru and flipping burgers.

Jennifer Hudson gets free Burger King for life after she sarcastically thanked them for being a part of her success

Christopher Lee, 'Saruman' from the LOTR movies, made his acting debut in 1948 and has since appeared in over 275 films, making him the Guinness World Record holder for most acting roles

Did you know that Christopher Lee, ‘Saruman’ from the LOTR movies, made his acting debut in 1948 and has since appeared in over 275 films, making him the Guinness World Record holder for most acting roles.

Christopher Lee, 'Saruman' from the LOTR movies, made his acting debut in 1948 and has since appeared in over 275 films, making him the Guinness World Record holder for most acting roles

Dolphins can rapidly heal from extreme injuries, such as shark bites, and regenerate their original body shape

Did you know that dolphins can rapidly heal from extreme injuries, such as shark bites, and regenerate their original body shape.

Dolphins are marine mammals closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from 1.2 m (4 ft) and 40 kg (90 lb) (Maui’s dolphin), up to 9.5 m (30 ft) and 10 tonnes (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons) (the orca or killer whale). They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, eating mostly fish and squid. The family Delphinidae is the largest in the Cetacean order, and evolved relatively recently, about ten million years ago, during the Miocene. Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals, and their often friendly appearance, an artifact of the “smile” of their mouthline, and seemingly playful attitude have made them very popular in human culture.

Dolphins can rapidly heal from extreme injuries, such as shark bites, and regenerate their original body shape

A man returned a 99-year overdue book to the New Bedford library. The overdue fine was a penny a day, or about $360

Did you know that a man returned a 99-year overdue book to the New Bedford library. The overdue fine was a penny a day, or about $360

A few days, yes. A week, sure. A month, maybe. Plenty of overdue books are returned to libraries around the country. But 99 years?

A 75-year-old man from Mansfield walked into the New Bedford Public Library on Monday to return a book that was due in 1910.

Stanley Dudek returned the book, “Facts I Ought to Know about the Government of My Country” by William H. Bartlett, which was due on May 2, 1910. Dudek said he had found the book in his mother’s possessions after she died in 1998 and didn’t realize it was a library book until last year.

A man returned a 99-year overdue book to the New Bedford library. The overdue fine was a penny a day, or about $360

In the US alone, approximately seven surgeries are performed on the wrong patient or body part every day

Did you know that, in the US alone, approximately seven surgeries are performed on the wrong patient or body part every day.

(CNN) — Early one morning in April, Tasha Gaul and Dale Matlock took their young son, Jesse, to a hospital in Portland, Oregon, for surgery to correct his lazy eye. It was supposed to be an easy procedure: Jesse, who was 3 at the time, wouldn’t even have to spend the night at the hospital.

The surgery was indeed quick and simple. The problem was, it was on the wrong eye.

Gaul says she remembers what the surgeon, Dr. Shawn Goodman, said to her as she exited the operating room.

According to Gaul, Goodman told her, “Frankly, I lost my sense of direction, and by the time I realized it was the left eye, I was almost done.”

Gaul claims that after Goodman realized her mistake, she performed the surgery on the correct eye.

In a statement to CNN, Goodman’s office, Child Eye Care Associates, wrote that she cares very much about all of her patients and wants only the best for them. Because of patient confidentiality (HIPAA), she cannot talk about any patient to the public, the statement said.

I’m just beside myself. I have no idea what happened in that operating room,” said Gaul, who’d been taking her son to Goodman for two years before the surgery.

In the US alone, approximately seven surgeries are performed on the wrong patient or body part every day

Sunday, April 28, 2013

After a particularly intense exchange between Truman and Stalin at the Postsdam Conference, Truman's Soviet Adviser slipped him a note saying I think Stalin's feelings are hurt, please be nice to him

Did you know that after a particularly intense exchange between Truman and Stalin at the Postsdam Conference, Truman’s Soviet Adviser slipped him a note saying “I think Stalin’s feelings are hurt, please be nice to him.”

After a particularly intense exchange between Truman and Stalin at the Postsdam Conference, Truman's Soviet Adviser slipped him a note saying I think Stalin's feelings are hurt, please be nice to him

South Korea has had a total of 2 military casualties during the war in Afghanistan. One was killed in a suicide bomb attack, and the other was shot by a fellow officer for not following an order to speak quietly on the telephone

Did you know that South Korea has had a total of 2 military casualties during the war in Afghanistan. One was killed in a suicide bomb attack, and the other was shot by a fellow officer for not following an order to speak quietly on the telephone.

South Korea has had a total of 2 military casualties during the war in Afghanistan. One was killed in a suicide bomb attack, and the other was shot by a fellow officer for not following an order to speak quietly on the telephone

Every one of the 2,000 people who attended Gengis Khan's funeral was reportedly massacred by 800 soldiers, who in turn were killed to ensure his grave was never found

Did you know that every one of the 2,000 people who attended Gengis Khan’s funeral was reportedly massacred by 800 soldiers, who in turn were killed to ensure his grave was never found.

Archaeologists believe they have found the burial site and treasure trove of the Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan.

The discovery of a walled burial ground containing at least 60 unopened tombs has increased speculation that an expedition that is under way will succeed in tracking down the elusive conqueror, who was buried amid great secrecy and slaughter in 1227.

John Woods, a history professor at the University of Chicago, said, “It is an exciting discovery because it’s located near where some other important events occurred in Khan’s life.” Professor Woods leads the American-Mongolian team that has been scouring the steppes since last year.

These locations include Genghis Khan’s likely birthplace and the Great Kuriltai, where 20,000 people crowned him Khan of Khans, and ruler of “all who live in felt tents.”

After his crowning, the warrior let loose one of the most effective fighting forces assembled in the pre-firearms era. More than three million people may have died during the bloody creation of the largest contiguous land empire in history. At their height, the Mongolians simultaneously challenged the Germans and the Japanese.

Every one of the 2,000 people who attended Gengis Khan's funeral was reportedly massacred by 800 soldiers, who in turn were killed to ensure his grave was never found

The Western Chimpanzee displays very unique, humanlike behavior, making spears to hunt other primates, living in caves, diving in water for fun, and sharing plant food with each other. This has never been seen in any other chimpanzee species

Did you know that the Western Chimpanzee displays very unique, humanlike behavior, making spears to hunt other primates, living in caves, diving in water for fun, and sharing plant food with each other. This has never been seen in any other chimpanzee species.

In addition to the sword taps on the shoulder, one was often slapped across the face when being knighted. These together were the last affronts he could accept without redress

Did you know that in addition to the sword taps on the shoulder, one was often slapped across the face when being knighted. These together were “the last affronts he could accept without redress.”

This section contains the “standard” ceremony for admittance of a new member, the alternate for a spokesman, the alternate for a Master-At-Arms.

HERALD: CHECK WITH THE ROYALTY BEFORE TALKING TO THE CANDIDATE. This may be a surprise peerage, and if so, you could spoil the surprise by talking to the candidate first.

Before the ceremony, the following items need to be assembled or arranged:

The Order of Chivalry are responsible for:

A CHAIN (Knight)

A BELT (Knight) or BALDRIC (Master-at-Arms)

A PAIR OF SPURS (Knight)

The name of the Spokesperson (if any):

Attendants (if any):

Which ‘Optional Opening’ is to be used? (There are 3)

The Candidate is responsible for:

What sword to swear fealty on?

What sword to be knighted by?

Will the candidate swear fealty? If not, use the MASTER AT ARMS alternate.

Is the candidate a member of the Queen’s Guard?

Is the candidate squired to a knight?

Will the candidate accept the buffet?

Which ‘Optional Opening’ is to be used? (There are 3)

The Heralds are responsible for (talk to the candidate if not a surprise):

The blazon of the candidate’s arms. This should be placed on a post-it note, and placed in the appropriate box in the (appropriate) ceremony below.

Will the candidate swear fealty? If not, use the MASTER AT ARMS alternate.

Is the candidate a member of the Queen’s Guard?

Is the candidate squired to a knight?

Will the candidate accept the buffet?

Which ‘Optional Opening’ is to be used? (There are 3)

In addition to the sword taps on the shoulder, one was often slapped across the face when being knighted. These together were the last affronts he could accept without redress

The Dutch East India Company was the most valuable company ever in world history. With a value of 78 million Dutch Guilders, adjusted to 2012 dollars it was worth $7.4 trillion

Did you know that the Dutch East India Company was the most valuable company ever in world history. With a value of 78 million Dutch Guilders, adjusted to 2012 dollars it was worth $7.4 trillion.

1. The Dutch East India Company in 1637
Value then: 78 million Dutch Guilders // Adjusted to 2012 dollars: $7.4 trillion
HOW IT GOT SO BIG: Founded in 1602, the world’s first publicly traded company on the world’s first stock exchange started off as a spice trader. Its competitive edge: The largest fleet shipping goods between Europe and Asia. In the 17th century, it grew tremendously thanks to rampant speculation on the value of tulip bulbs. The …

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The Dutch East India Company was the most valuable company ever in world history. With a value of 78 million Dutch Guilders, adjusted to 2012 dollars it was worth $7.4 trillion

Mucophagy, or eating your own boogers, strengthens the immune system and children who do this are healthier and happier than their peers

Did you know that mucophagy, or eating your own boogers, strengthens the immune system and children who do this are healthier and happier than their peers

In the scientific and medical communities, the technical name for using one’s finger to extract boogers is rhinotillexis, and doing so compulsively is termed rhinotillexomania. The act of eating the resulting harvest is called mucophagy.

There is an Austrian doctor who has gained notoriety by advocating the picking of one’s nose and the consumption of the resulting bounty, particularly in children. Dr. Friedrich Bischinger, a lung specialist working in Innsbruck, would have us believe that people who pick their noses with their fingers are healthier, happier, and more in tune with their bodies. His argument stems from the notion that exposing the body to the dried germ corpses helps to reinforce the immune system. The good doctor feels that society should adopt a new approach to nose-picking, and encourage children to take up the habit.

Dr. Bischinger has been quoted as saying (in an Austrian accent), “With the finger you can get to places you just can’t reach with a handkerchief, keeping your nose far cleaner. And eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body’s immune system.” He then added, “Medically it makes great sense and is a perfectly natural thing to do. In terms of the immune system the nose is a filter in which a great deal of bacteria are collected, and when this mixture arrives in the intestines it works just like a medicine.”

Mucophagy, or eating your own boogers, strengthens the immune system and children who do this are healthier and happier than their peers

Tigers and a type of African Jackal (Dhole) have a relationship where a lone jackal will trail a tiger, eating the large cat's kills. The dhol will also warn nearby dhols of the tiger's presence, in exchange for also alerting tigers to nearby kills. Tigers have trained hunting dogs

Did you know that Tigers and a type of African Jackal Dhole have a relationship where a lone jackal will trail a tiger, eating the large cat’s kills. The dhol will also warn nearby dhols of the tiger’s presence, in exchange for also alerting tigers to nearby kills. Tigers have trained hunting dogs.

Tigers usually prefer to eat prey they have caught themselves, but are not above eating carrion in times of scarcity and may even pirate prey from other large carnivores. Although predators typically avoid one another, if a prey item is under dispute or a serious competitor is encountered, displays of aggression are a regular occurrence. If these are not sufficient, the conflicts may come turn violent and tigers may kill such formidable competitors as leopards, striped hyenas, pythons and even crocodiles on occasion.[88][89][90][91] In some cases, rather than being strictly competitive, the attacks by tigers on other large carnivores seem to be predatory in nature. Situations where smaller predators, such as badgers, lynxes, and foxes are attacked, are almost certainly predatory.[70] Interestingly, this species’ closest living relative, the lion, deals with competing predators very differently, undoubtedly because it lives in large prides. Lions do not treat other predators as prey, as do tigers, but invest a good deal of time proactively tracking down other predators and killing them, then leaving their bodies uneaten. Lions kill competitors from honey badgers to spotted hyenas and, in protected areas of Africa, are the leading cause of mortality for African wild dogs and cheetahs. The tiger does not spend as much time tracking down other predators.[17][92]

Occasionally, a large crocodile may attempt to prey upon a tiger. When seized by a crocodile, a tiger will strike at the reptile’s eyes with its paws.[77] When killing crocodiles, after stunning them about the face, tigers will flip the reptile’s body over and disembowel it through the softer belly rather try to penetrate the thick, well-armored upper hide.[93] Eighteenth-century physician Oliver Goldsmith described the frequent conflicts between mugger crocodiles and tigers that occurred during that time. Thirsty tigers would frequently descend to the rivers to drink and on occasion were seized and killed by the muggers, though more often the tiger escaped and the reptile was disabled.[94] Mature mugger crocodiles may target much the same prey as the tiger, including sambar and water buffalo. Occasionally, a mugger and a tiger will try to claim a carcass killed by either one, resulting in a “tug of war” at the water’s edge until one of them comes away with it.[95] A potentially more formidable foe is the larger, more aggressive Saltwater Crocodile, which the tiger rarely encounters outside of estuarian regions of eastern India. The first confirmed case of a saltwater crocodile predating an adult tiger occurred in that region in 2011.[96] There is a second-hand account of a tiger killing a “small” saltwater crocodile.[93]

The considerably smaller leopard dodges competition from tigers by hunting in different times of the day and hunting different prey.[97] In India’s Nagarhole National Park, most prey selected by leopards were from 30 to 175 kg (66 to 390 lb) against a preference for prey weighing over 176 kg (390 lb) in the tigers. The average prey weight in the two respective big cats in India was 37.6 kg (83 lb) against 91.5 kg (202 lb). With relatively abundant prey, tigers and leopards were seen to successfully coexist without competitive exclusion or interspecies dominance hierarchies that may be more common to the savanna (where the leopard may coexist with the lion).[98] Tigers have been known to suppress wolf populations in areas where the two species coexist, mainly via competitive exclusion.[99][100] There four proven records of Siberian tigers killing wolves and not eating them.[101] Dhole packs have been observed to challenge the big cats in disputes over food and have even killed tigers in rare cases. However, tigers have also been observed killing multiple dholes at once, and dholes will typically only attack a tiger directly if the pack is quite large.[85] Lone golden jackals expelled from their pack have been known to form commensal relationships with tigers. These solitary jackals, known as kol-bahl, will attach themselves to a particular tiger, trailing it at a safe distance to feed on the big cat’s kills. A kol-bahl will even alert a tiger to a kill with a loud pheal. Tigers have been known to tolerate these jackals: one report describes how a jackal confidently walked in and out between three tigers walking together a few feet away from each other.[102] When in the presence of a tiger, a golden jackal pack will emit a howl very different from its normal vocalization that is thought to function as a warning to other jackals.[103]

Other than the rare large crocodile or large dhole pack, the only serious competitors to tigers are bears. Some bears, especially the brown bear of the north, will try to steal tigers’ kills, although the tiger will sometimes defend its kill. However, in some cases, bears (especially cubs) are preyed upon by tigers. Although it hunts all its prey by ambush, tigers are especially cautious when handling bears, as many bears are capable of killing a tiger whilst defending themselves. Predation seems especially prevalent in India, where tigers may attack sloth bears. The sloth bears can be quite aggressive and will sometimes displace young tigers away from their kills or successfully defend themselves with counterattacks. Despite this, sloth bears are killed with some regularity and react fearfully to the presence of tigers or even stimuli related to them (i.e. the call of the sambar deer due to the tiger’s impersonation of it).[5][77] Bears (Asiatic black bears and brown bears) make up 5–8% of the tiger’s diet in the Russian Far East.[5] Some accounts claim black bears more successfully avoid predation by tigers because they are skilled tree-climbers, although dietary research has contrarily indicated the smaller, less aggressive black bear (comprising 4–6.5% of the tiger’s local diet) is the more common prey species than the brown bear (at 1–1.5% of the diet).[5][104] Siberian tigers and brown bears usually avoid confrontation, but can sometimes be competitors, with dominance seemingly determined by the age, sex, and size of the rivals rather than species. Older and larger males of both species tend to dominate in this interspecies conflict.[5] Some brown bears, upon emerging from hibernation, follow tigers habitually to steal their kills.[104] Tigers will kill brown bear cubs and even adults on some occasions, especially if they find the bears in their dens during the hibernation cycle or in periods of low prey density in the fall.[72] There are also records of brown bears killing tigers up to the size of adult males, either in self-defense or in disputes over kills.[5][25] Tigers may additionally prey upon the other bear species it encounters (or had encountered historically), which includes giant pandas and sun bears, but information is very limited on such interactions

Tigers and a type of African Jackal (Dhole) have a relationship where a lone jackal will trail a tiger, eating the large cat's kills. The dhol will also warn nearby dhols of the tiger's presence, in exchange for also alerting tigers to nearby kills. Tigers have trained hunting dogs

Listening to music which we have an emotional attachment to, the body releases dopamine, resulting in goosebumps, or "chills." The stronger the attachment, the more dopamine that is produced

Did you know that listening to music which we have an emotional attachment to, the body releases dopamine, resulting in goosebumps, or “chills.” The stronger the attachment, the more dopamine that is produced.

Goose bumps, also called goose flesh, goose pimples, the medical term cutis anserina, are the bumps on a person’s skin at the base of body hairs which may involuntarily develop when a person is cold or experiences strong emotions such as fear, nostalgia, pleasure, euphoria, awe, admiration and sexual arousal.[1]

The reflex of producing goose bumps is known as arasing, piloerection, or the pilomotor reflex. It occurs in many mammals besides humans; a prominent example is porcupines, which raise their quills when threatened, or sea otters when they encounter sharks or other predators.

Other creatures get goose bumps for the same reason, for example this is why a cat or dog’s hair stands on end. In cold situations, the rising hair traps air between the hairs and skin, creating insulation and warmth. In response to fear, goose bumps make an animal appear larger – hopefully scaring away the enemy.

Listening to music which we have an emotional attachment to, the body releases dopamine, resulting in goosebumps, or "chills." The stronger the attachment, the more dopamine that is produced

Smarties were originally not allowed to be white for fear that children would associate medicinal tablets with smarties

Did you know that smarties were originally not allowed to be white for fear that children would associate medicinal tablets with smarties.

Smarties. Photograph: David Sillitoe

The distinctive blue Smartie, dropped amid concerns over artificial additives nearly three years ago, is to make a comeback, it was revealed today.

Nestle, which manufactures Smarties, reformulated the ingredients of the multi-coloured sugar-coated chocolate sweets to rid them of artificial colours and flavours.

Smarties were originally not allowed to be white for fear that children would associate medicinal tablets with smarties

A man on death row escaped from prison the night before his execution only to be killed in a bar fight the following night

Did you know that a man on death row escaped from prison the night before his execution only to be killed in a bar fight the following night.

Troy Leon Gregg (1953 – July 29, 1980) was the first condemned individual whose death sentence was upheld by the United States Supreme Court after the Court’s decision in Furman v. Georgia invalidated all previously enacted death penalty laws in the United States.

Gregg was convicted of having murdered Fred Edward Simmons and Bob Durwood Moore, who had given him and another man a ride when they were hitchhiking. The crime occurred on 21 November 1973.

In Gregg v. Georgia, the Supreme Court held that the State of Georgia could constitutionally put Gregg to death.

Gregg never made it to the electric chair. He escaped from prison in July, 1980, the night before his set date for execution, but died the following night in a bar fight in North Carolina.

GREGG v. THE STATE.

Murder. Gwinnett Superior Court. Before Judge Merritt.

GRICE, Chief Justice.

Troy Leon Gregg was tried and convicted in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County for the murders and armed robberies of Fred Edward Simmons and Bob Durwood (“Tex”) Moore. The case is before this court on appeal and mandatory review of the death sentences imposed on each of the four counts charging these crimes.

The evidence which the state presented to prove guilt is that which follows.

On Wednesday morning, November 21, 1973, the appellant Gregg (age 25) and a traveling companion Floyd Ralford (“Sam”) Allen (age 16) were hitchhiking north in Florida. They had only $8 between them when they were given a ride by the above named victims.

About two hundred forty miles north of Miami on the Florida Turnpike, their automobile broke down. A Florida State Highway Patrolman accompanied Simmons and Moore to an automobile dealer where Simmons purchased a 1960 red and white Pontiac. Thereafter, they again picked up Gregg and Allen and resumed their journey northward. En route, both Simmons and Moore were seen in possession of large sums of money.

A man on death row escaped from prison the night before his execution only to be killed in a bar fight the following night

Salvador Dalí would avoid paying tabs at restaurants by drawing on his check. His assumption was that nobody would want to cash such valuable artwork

Did you know that Salvador Dalí would avoid paying tabs at restaurants by drawing on his check. His (often correct) assumption was that nobody would want to cash such valuable artwork.

Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, 1st Marqués de Dalí de Pubol (May 11, 1904 – January 23, 1989), known as Salvador Dalí (Catalan pronunciation: [səɫβəˈðo ðəˈɫi]), was a prominent Spanish surrealist painter born in Figueres, Spain.

Dalí was a skilled draftsman, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work. His painterly skills are often attributed to the influence of Renaissance masters.[1][2] His best-known work, The Persistence of Memory, was completed in 1931. Dalí’s expansive artistic repertoire included film, sculpture, and photography, in collaboration with a range of artists in a variety of media.

Dalí attributed his “love of everything that is gilded and excessive, my passion for luxury and my love of oriental clothes”[3] to a self-styled “Arab lineage”, claiming that his ancestors were descended from the Moors.

Dalí was highly imaginative, and also enjoyed indulging in unusual and grandiose behavior. His eccentric manner and attention-grabbing public actions sometimes drew more attention than his artwork, to the dismay of those who held his work in high esteem, and to the irritation of his critics.[4]

Salvador Dalí would avoid paying tabs at restaurants by drawing on his check. His assumption was that nobody would want to cash such valuable artwork

Test Post from www.alearned.com

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Salvador Dalí would avoid paying tabs at restaurants by drawing on his check. His assumption was that nobody would want to cash such valuable artwork

Did you know that Salvador Dalí would avoid paying tabs at restaurants by drawing on his check. His (often correct) assumption was that nobody would want to cash such valuable artwork.

Salvador Dalí would avoid paying tabs at restaurants by drawing on his check. His assumption was that nobody would want to cash such valuable artwork

Odds of dying in a car accident are 1 in 5000. Odds of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million. And even if you are involved in a plane crash, statistically you have a 76% chance of survival

Did you know that odds of dying in a car accident are 1 in 5000. Odds of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million. And even if you are involved in a plane crash, statistically you have a 76% chance of survival.

It’s something that fills many a flier with dread: the prospect of crashing. Odds-wise, they’re still incredibly rare, but crashes do happen to an unlucky few. What are their odds for survival?

Curiosity contributor Bambi Turner found some surprisingly hopeful news when she mined the statistics.

It’s no surprise that about 40 percent of passengers express some form of fear or anxiety about flying [source: Baskas]. Much of this fear can be attributed to the perception that the odds of surviving a crash are slim.

Notwithstanding that fear, the odds of being in an airplane accident are incredibly small. Accidents occur at a rate of one per 1.2 million flights, and the odds of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million [sources: Clarke, Ropeik]. The odds of dying in a car accident are around 1 in 5,000, so you’re much more likely to die getting to the airport than you are flying in the plane [source:Ropeik].

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Odds of dying in a car accident are 1 in 5000. Odds of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million. And even if you are involved in a plane crash, statistically you have a 76% chance of survival

Early in her career Mila Kunis, who immigrated from Ukraine, auditioned to play a Russian girl who moves to America. Instead, she was cast as a Mexican

Did you know that early in her career Mila Kunis, who immigrated from Ukraine, auditioned to play a Russian girl who moves to America. Instead, she was cast as a Mexican.

Mila Kunis is a big believer in things happening for a reason. Take her acting career, for example. The raven-haired beauty never set out to be an actress and yet today finds herself not only in the enviable position of being in high demand in Hollywood, but also of being financially secure enough, thanks to her TV work on That ’70s Show and the cult animated series Family Guy, to take risks.

Last year, the BBFC received more complaints about her girl-on-girl sex scene with Natalie Portman in Black Swan than about anything else in 2011. Her latest film, Ted – the politically incorrect directorial debut of Family Guy creator Seth Macfarlane – in which she acts with a sweary, bong-smoking CGI teddy bear, is unlikely to have the same impact but is edgy nonetheless.

Cast as Mark Wahlberg’s girlfriend, Lois, Kunis’s humour and emotional honesty, round out what could easily have been a two-dimensional stock part. “If there’s anything I try to bring to every character, it’s honesty,” she says. “I’m a very open person. When I go into meetings, it’s not like I put up a wall and try to be something I’m not.”

This is easier now than it was in the past. As a young girl growing up under Communism in Chernivtsi, in the Ukraine, she had to hide the fact that she was Jewish for fear of persecution. Even so, her parents made sure that she was raised knowing who and what she was, and the price that her family had paid during World War 2. “My grandparents were in the Holocaust [they survived, but other relatives weren't as lucky], and I’m very much part of that story,” she says.

Early in her career Mila Kunis, who immigrated from Ukraine, auditioned to play a Russian girl who moves to America. Instead, she was cast as a Mexican