ESPN et al Duped By Fake Football Team

     This is hilarious. I am not a football fan, but this sports story caught my eye. On Sunday, August 29, an Ohio high school football team known as Bishop Sycamore played IMG Academy of Bradenton, Florida, at Canton, Ohio's Hall of Fame Stadium in a game that was nationally televised on ESPN. Story on Channel 3 HERE

     After the game, which IMG Academy won 58-0, there were questions about the legitimacy of Bishop Sycamore as a high school. The marketing agency that scheduled the game for ESPN is claiming that it was "misled" by the Columbus, Ohio based football team. 

 A Former Bishop Sycamore Football Player Exposes the Dark Secrets of the Program - HERE  

Additional information on Wikipedia HERE

Hard Advice For Men To Take

     A recent survey by the Cleveland Clinic found, among other things, that 65 percent of the respondents said they avoid going to the doctor as long as possible and 37 percent said they had withheld information from their doctor because they weren’t ready to deal with the potential diagnosis that might result if they told the truth. 

     One doctor told me he had seen men in the throes of a heart attack deny that there was anything wrong. And, a friend who was approaching middle age told me that he didn't go to the doctor because if there was anything wrong he didn't want to know about it. 

     That characteristic of men makes the following advice, which came from several reliable sources, hard to take. When it comes to voiding one's bladder, standing up is the manly thing to do, but research has shown that sitting down is healthier.

     According to research from the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, sitting down allows for ‘"a more favorable urodynamic profile." In non-scientific terms that means the flow is stronger. Why is that important? It helps ward off that old man botheration - prostate problems. 

     The study suggests that when a man voids his bladder while standing, it activates muscles around the lower abdomen, pelvis and spine which actually prevents proper urination. 

     The report says that sitting down is actually the best option for men with prostate problems or for men who, for whatever reason, can't stand up for a long time. For men with prostate problems fully evacuating the bladder is a problem and sitting down can help get those last few squirts out. 

     The Dutch research also suggested that problems with standing also arise because men engage extra pee-stifling muscles while using public toilets. The reason? The muscles engaged to hold in the loud and embarrassing passing of gas are also muscles involved in preventing further urination. 

     Culturally men just don't empty their bladders in this fashion, but countries such as Sweden and Japan are actively encouraging men to do so.

1950s Rock n' Roll

Extreme Short-Duration Temperature Changes in the U.S.

 

     As soon as we get home hot and tired the temptation is to crank up the air conditioning (or is it crank it down?!). But, did you know we are advised against doing that? 

     The reason is, the experts say, is that a sudden drop in temperature from hot to cold can be harmful to the human body and especially for people who have chronic cold-related problems. A sudden and extreme change in temperature between inside and outside harms the body and puts it under stress as the body is forced to adjust to the extreme change in temperature. 

     The sudden change in temperature can dry the skin, the mucus membrane and eyes. The result can be itchy eyes and sneezing and even eye, respiratory infections and muscle spasms. Other problems that sudden temperature changes can bring about are runny nose, asthma attacks, muscular pains, sinusitis, flu, colds, sore throat, pains and muscular aches. Extremely low temperature can worsen an existing medical condition, especially in older people. 

     A sudden change in temperature can cause cardiac events in patients with existing heart issues can also take place. Such people should also not work or sleep in temperatures that are too low. 

     The ideal temperature inside malls, offices, hospitals and other closed environments should be between 68 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer, the recommended thermostat setting
is 78 degrees and in the winter 68 degrees is recommended for energy savings. Personally, I prefer the other way around...I don't mind paying a little extra in utility bills to be comfortable. 

     It's recommended that when the temperature is too hot outside, the air conditioner be turned off foe awhile before going out into the heat. Question: who's going to do that?! 

     Experts say that our body needs time to acclimatize from extreme temperature changes because the blood vessels are affected. In the cold they store heat while in the heat the opposite occurs and this sudden change boogers up the process which affects the heart. Therefore, it is advised that we slowly switch temperatures. That's why when the temperature changes with the seasons we often get sick. Spending long hours in air conditioning can make you heat intolerant when you go outside. This makes you feel exhausted and dizziness, fatigue, headache, difficulty in breathing even heat stroke may result. 

     But, sometimes nature strikes with extreme temperature change. For example, on January 15, 1972 in Loma, Montana in a 24 hour period the temperature rose from minus 54 degrees to to 49 degrees, a 103 degree spread. What could cause such a thing? Find out HERE. 

 

Question...if it is 0 degrees F. and it's twice as cold tomorrow, what will the temperature be? Answer

Good News Doesn't Sell

     Why does the media concentrate on the bad things in life, rather than the good? In a disheartening social experiment, the Russian news site City Reporter only reported good news for an entire day. The result was no one wanted to read the stories. It was so bad that the City Reporter lost two-thirds of its normal readership that day. 

     Bad news is more likely to attract a casual reader's eye than good news, but that's not news to journalists. In fact, if you want readers it's a good idea even to put a negative slant on good news! People are likely to read a story if the headline implies something bad rather than good. 

     Many people say that they would prefer good news, but that does not appear to be true. Researchers ran an experiment at McGill University in Canada. Volunteers were first asked to select stories about politics to read from a news website. Participants often chose negative stories rather than neutral or positive stories. People who were more interested in current affairs and politics were particularly likely to choose the bad news. Yet when asked, these people said they preferred good news and the media was too focused on negative stories. 

     Psychologists call this negativity bias...a term for our hunger to hear and remember bad news. The reason for this, they say, is because bad news could be a signal that we need to do something to avoid danger. 

     Evidence suggests that people respond quicker to negative words than good words. In lab experiments when words like cancer, bomb or war are flashed on a screen people hit a button quicker than i when words like baby, smile or fun were flashed. 

     Another theory is that we pay attention to bad news because we think the world is a nicer place than it really is. This view makes bad news more surprising. 

     If you feel depressed and angry news headlines last year about the pandemic, wildfires and the Presidential election there are websites that specialize in uplifting news. 

Good News 

Positive News 

Optimist Daily 

Happy News 

CNN Good Stuff 

Today Good News

An Airplane Tale Stranger Than Fiction

Online OCR

     For some time I have been using Copyfish to capture a portion of the screen and convert it to OCR, but the program will not, for whatever reason, always work. 

     If you are interested in an occasional screen capture of some text that you want converted to OCR then Screenshot OCR Online works pretty good. You can use the windows snipping tool to snip the position of the screen you want and then you paste it into a box on the Screenshot OCR Online site and in a few seconds you have a pretty good copy of the OCR text you can then copy and paste into Word.

What time is it? It's Howdy Doody time!

     Howdy Doody was a pioneer in children's television programming that aired on television from December 27, 1947, until September 24, 1960. It was a television programming and set the pattern for many similar shows. It was also a pioneer in early color TV and NBC used the show in part to sell color television sets in the 1950s. 

     Buffalo Bob Smith created Howdy Doody during his days as a radio announcer. At that time, Howdy Doody was only a voice Smith performed on the radio. When Smith made an appearance on a television program called Puppet Playhouse on December 27, 1947, the reception was great enough that Frank Paris, a puppeteer whose puppets appeared on the program, was asked to create a Howdy Doody puppet. 

     Bob Smith, the show's host, was dubbed "Buffalo Bob" early in the show's run. At first the set was supposed to be a circus tent, but soon was changed to a western town. Smith wore cowboy garb, as did Howdy. 

     The name Howdy Doody was derived from the expression "howdy doody" or "howdy do," a commonplace corruption of the phrase "How do you do?" that was used in the western United States. 

     As both the character and television program grew in popularity, by 1948, toy makers and department stores had been approached with requests for Howdy Doody dolls and similar items. 

     Paris, who had created the puppet, and Bob Smith, who owned the rights to the character, got into an argument ensued between the two men. Paris felt he was being cheated out of any financial benefits and after one disagreement, he took angrily left the studios about four hours before the show was to air live and took Howdy with him. As a result, the live program with no Howdy. And, that wasn't the first time that happened. 

     The whereabouts of Howdy was hastily concocted...he was busy with the elections on the campaign trail. Even a map was constructed that allowed viewers toknow where Howdy was. During that time Howdy's appearance was improved and a couple of Disney animators designed a new, better looking puppet. The original Howdy had been called the ugliest puppet imaginable by Bob Smith. Howdy's voice would stay the same however. 

     A distinctive feature of the show was the Peanut Gallery, bleachers seating about 40 children. Each show began with Buffalo Bob asking, "Say kids, what time is it?" and the kids yelling in unison, "It's Howdy Doody Time!" Then the kids sang the show's theme song. This made it one of the first television shows with audience participation as a major component. 

     In many of the 1949–54 episodes the children sang jingles for commercials with Buffalo Bob or Howdy leading them. The products included Colgate toothpaste, Halo Shampoo, 3 Musketeers candy bars, Poll Parrot Shoes and Wonder Bread.

     Howdy Doody's face had 48 freckles, one for each state of the union. The Howdy marionette on the original show was operated with 11 strings: two heads, one mouth, one eye, two shoulders, one back, two hands and two knees. Three strings were added when the show returned—two elbows and one nose. 

     The popularity of the Peanut Gallery led executives at United Features Syndicate to use the name Peanuts for syndication of Charles M. Schulz's Li'l Folks comic strip, reportedly to the lifelong chagrin of Schulz. 

     The original marionette now resides at the Detroit Institute of Arts. There were duplicate Howdy Doody puppets, designed to be used expressly for off-the-air purposes (lighting rehearsals, personal appearances, etc.), although surviving kinescope recordings show that the duplicate puppets were occasionally used on the air. Besides Howdy, the other characters included both puppets and human characters. 

     The most notable human character was Clarabell, the mute clown who communicated in mime, by honking a horn on his belt and by squirting seltzer. Originally played by Bob Keeshan, who went on to create Captain Kangaroo, Clarabell was later played by Robert Nicholson and finally by Lew Anderson. Clarabell did not talk because he would have to be paid scale and it was a low-budget show. At the end of the final episode, telecast on September 24, 1960, Clarabell broke his silence to say the final words of the final broadcast: "Goodbye, kids." 

Judy Taylor

     Princess Summerfall Winterspring (portrayed by Judy Tyler) used the opportunity to starring roles on Broadway and eventually Hollywood, where she co-starred with Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock before dying in an auto accident in 1957.

Religion and Anti-vaxxers

     I must admit to being perplexed after reading that after Denver announced this month that city employees and workers in hospitals and other high-risk settings must be vaccinated against COVID-19, that Colorado’s Catholic bishops told parishioners how to seek a religious exemption. That’s very odd because the Catholic Church does not oppose the vaccines and Pope Francis has said he believes that, ethically, everyone should get one. 

     In Louisiana, the Attorney General Jeff Landry created a form for those who object to mask and vaccine mandates, allowing them avoid having their children forced to wear a mask because their child "is created in the image of God.” The form goes on to state, “I believe that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that I am called to honor God in how I care for my body." I suppose that could also be argued as an reason to get vaccinated in order to protect yourself, your children and others, but we are talking about unreasonable people here.

     Even though most major religions don’t object to vaccines, the large number of people seeking religious exemptions threaten to undercut mandates designed to lessen the spread of the virus. 

     In the US back in 1905 the Supreme Court ruled that states could require residents to be vaccinated in order to protect the public in the event of a communicable disease. 

     Religious exemptions for school immunizations requirements began in the 1960s to accommodate Christian Scientists and other similar minorities. But, courts have since struck down religious exemptions limited to organized or established religions as too narrow. They must also apply if a person’s beliefs are “sincerely held.”  In 2012, a federal court in Ohio held that being a vegan could be considered a religious belief.

     Religious freedom is a core value in the United States, but one suspects many are falsely claiming religious beliefs just to avoid vaccinations. The bottom line is that most of those refusing are scared and somehow they believe the vaccine is a bigger health risk than the coronavirus itself even though far more people have died from the virus than from the cure! 

      I suspect that if questioned many of those objecting to the vaccine have not stopped wearing glasses, or taking their blood pressure medicine or diabetes medicine or any other medicine they take on "religious grounds."

     Yes, God can intervene and heal and certainly we should go to Him in prayer, but this doesn't mean we shouldn't seek medical advice when we are sick or injured. God gave doctors and their medical knowledge to us and one of the Apostle Paul's closest companions was Luke, whom he called "the beloved physician." 

     In Isaiah we read that when Hezekiah, king of Judah, was sick with a potentially fatal boil which some say suggests that he had bubonic plague, he prayed and, also, the prophet Isaiah said to take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover. Jesus said “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick." The implication is that sick people need to see a doctor.

     The unvaccinated stubbornly ignore the facts and, as predicted, they are rapidly becoming sick from the ultra-contagious delta variant, and they are a source of frustration to everybody. The Santa Monica Daily Press called it "a surge of straight stupidity" as the levels of infections in unvaccinated people increase the risk to everyone and yet they persist.

     But, blaming and name calling only serves to entrench their decision not to get vaccinated. Nothing works with unreasonable people because, well, they are unreasonable. Many of them have subtle personality disorders. 

     According to Dr. Susan Biali Haas, an award-winning physician who speaks and writes about stress management, burnout prevention, mental health, wellness and resilience, some of the signs are: 

 

* In a conversation they twist your words or totally confuse you and then tell you that you're the one who doesn't know how to communicate. 

* They make subtly demeaning comments or say things to you disguised as a joke. * They don't respect boundaries and seem to enjoy stepping all over one after you've placed it 

* They aren't willing to consider your point of view or listen to your side of things. 

* They are bullies, verbal or emotional abusers. 

* They are manipulators. 

* They are liars 

* They are people who leave you feeling bad, sad, shaky or feeling sick in the pit of your stomach 

* They provoke you into acting crazy or unbalanced and love making you feel like there's something wrong with you when you do. 

* They are excessively charming and have an ulterior motive.

Liquid Smoke

     Occasionally I like to watch a fake reality television show called BBQ Pitmasters which follows barbecue cooks as they compete for cash and prizes in barbecue cooking competitions around the country, mostly in the south. The pitmasters babysit their smokers as they throw in chips of hickory or applewood and they watch temperatures and timers like a hawk. They do all this in hopes of getting a nice "bark" on the meat and a rich, smoky essence. 

     That's the hard way. For some, instead of hours of careful work, all they have to do is spend a few seconds and dump some liquid smoke on the meat and...done. Needless to say, barbecue purists groan and roll their eyes and, no surprise, some health groups are very concerned over possible health effects of this approach.

     Where did liquid smoke come from? Tradition has it that back in 1895 a Kansas City, Missouri pharmacist named Ernest H. Wright created it. His inspiration was the memory of "a drop of liquid trickling down the stove-pipe" in the print shop he worked at as a teenager. Ten years later he realized that smoke condenses when it comes into contact with the cold air. Thus, if he ran smoke from burning hickory through a condenser he could collect the droplets containing the chemicals. The droplets could then be used as a cheap alternative to smoking meat.

     Originally the liquid smoke was marketed as a preservative primarily to farmers in the South where Wright was selling it. In those days producers used smokehouses to preserve their ham and pork belly. The problem was that bugs love the taste of pork and flies laid eggs on the meat in the smokehouse thereby ruining it. Wright's liquid smoke did add a smoke flavor to meat, but he marketed it primarily as a cheap preservative. When he claimed his product was a preservative he wasn't just blowing smoke...liquid smoke does have some anti-microbacterial properties, and brining or topically applying it to meat can extend its shelf life. It goes without saying that competition quickly cropped up and others began selling their own brand of preservative. 

     By the 1950s and '60s backyard cookouts became popular and people began to get an appetite for the taste of smoke. At the same time canned, jarred and other forms of convenient foods became popular. Conditions were right for liquid smoke to come on the scene as a flavoring. It became popular because it was quick and cheap.

     In 1960 the Food and Drug Administration gave liquid smoke its safety blessing and by the 1970s liquid smoke was being used as a flavoring agent by backyard BBQers as well as in ketchup, barbecue sauces, cheese, oysters and bacon. 

     Many brands of liquid smoke produce it the old fashioned way just like Wright did...they condense the hot vapors from the smoke. But, it's not surprising that other stuff is added, stuff like like molasses, salt or vinegar. 

     It's also not surprising that in recent years the howler monkeys among health experts, scientists and dietitians are terrified over health concerns and the the dangers of liquid smoke use. 

     Fear stems from the fact that liquid smoke contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a family of chemical compounds. A few of those compounds have been linked to carcinogenic effects and DNA damage. For example, a flavoring derived from burning beechwood is considered a safety concern due to findings that it might cause DNA mutations when consumed. The type and amount of these compounds depends on the type of hardwood used and the temperature at which it's burned.

Results of DNA mutation

     Many of the more reasonable scientists believe the concentrations in liquid smoke are far too low for any genuine health concern. The reason they aren't concerned is because the evil chemicals found in liquid smoke are no different than those you'd find in traditionally smoked meats or fish. 

     In the culinary world liquid smoke is a shortcut to achieving the barbecue flavor. Here's an interesting tidbit: ingredient labels refer to liquid smoke as "natural smoke flavoring" or some such. You'll find this "natural smoke flavoring" in McDonald's McRib sauce and Lay's potato chips, for example. 

     Barbecue purists cringe at the very thought of liquid smoke...it ruins the meat. Others, while they wouldn't think of putting it directly on the meat have no problem with incorporating it in a sauce to be slathered on the meat. Some consumers, myself included, dislike the taste of smoke, natural or liquid, and would never think of eating anything that is smoked.

Are Vaccine Passports in the Future?

     Yahoo news has an interesting story. With COVID-19 surging among the unvaccinated (more than 97 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the country are unvaccinated) some states are looking at requirements that government employees get vaccinated or face regular testing and a number of major companies are now requiring the vaccine for their employees. Even the National Football League is getting tough on players and teams for not getting vaccinated. 

     New York City will require proof of at least one dose of vaccination for some leisure activities like dining out inside, indoor entertainment and working out at the gym. All state employees will be required to get vaccinated or get tested weekly beginning Labor Day. Some leaders across they country are even considering "vaccination passports." Reminds me of my time in the military when we all had to carry "shot cards" showing that our immunizations were up to date.

     Naturally some people are against all this. Conspiracy theorist see it as a sinister plot, some see it as racist...the mayor of Boston is terrified of doing anything "that would further create a barrier" or "disproportionally impact" black, indigenous and people of color in the city. It's not clear how this is racist since everybody, even white people, must comply. Others see it as a violation of their civil rights. Never mind that their refusal to comply could put others, especially those more vulnerable, at risk because it's all about them. Then there was the young man who told me that he won't get vaccinated because some people have died from it. I didn't bother pointing out that many, many more people have died from the disease than the cure.

     Actually, the whole issue was settled in 1905 when a Cambridge, Massachusetts law mandated all city residents to be vaccinated against smallpox and a resident and early anti-vaxxer named Henning Jacobson refused on the grounds that the law violated his right to care for his own body how he knew best. He took his case all the way to the Supreme Court. 

     In the first ever case concerning the power of states in public health law, the Court found in Massachusetts' favor when it ruled that the state can enact compulsory laws to protect the public in the event of a communicable disease outbreak. 

 

History of anti-vaccination movements HERE

The Fascinating Life of Sir Jeffrey Hudson

     Sir Jeffrey Hudson (1619 – circa 1682), England's smallest man, was normally proportioned but only 18 inches tall until well into middle age, when he grew to a height of 3 feet 6 inches. 

     Hudson was a court dwarf of the English queen Henrietta Maria of France. He was famous as the "Queen's dwarf" and "Lord Minimus", and was considered one of the "wonders of the age" because of his extreme but well-proportioned smallness.

     He fought with the Royalists in the English Civil War and fled with the Queen to France but was expelled from her court when he killed a man in a duel. He was captured by Barbary pirates and spent 25 years as a slave in North Africa before being ransomed back to England. His parents, three brothers, and a half-sister were all of typical size. Hudson's father John was keeper of the baiting bulls for George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. 

     Hudson's smallness and normal proportions became apparent in early childhood. Various theories existed for his size, including that his mother choked on a gherkin while pregnant, but he probably suffered from a growth hormone deficiency caused by a pituitary gland disorder. 

     In 1626, Hudson was presented to the Duchess of Buckingham as a "rarity of nature" and she invited him to join the household. A few months later, the Duke and Duchess entertained King Charles I and his young French wife, Queen Henrietta Maria, in London. The climax of the lavish banquet was the presentation of Jeffrey to the Queen, served in a large pie. When the pie was placed in front of the Queen, Hudson arose from the crust, 18 inches tall and dressed in a miniature suit of armor. The Queen was delighted and the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham offered Hudson to her as an amusing gift. 

     Hudson moved to London in late 1626, where the Queen maintained her royal household. There he was one of several natural curiosities and pets, among whom were a giant Welsh porter named William Evans, two dwarfs and a monkey. He later developed a routine with Evans in which Evans pulled Hudson out of his pocket along with a loaf of bread and proceeded to make a sandwich. As he grew older Hudson learned to amuse and entertain with his wit and courtly behavior as well as his appearance. 

     Dwarfs were not rare in the courts of Europe but Hudson's proportions and tiny size made him uniquely famous. His size was described as 18 or 19 inches. Hudson rode a horse with the queen and her household. He was provided with an elaborate saddle of velvet with laces and silver and silk fringes. Hudson was educated in the Queen's household and learned the manners of the court and was brought up in the Roman Catholic Church. 

     By 1640 the relationship between King Charles and the Parliament had deteriorated to the point of plots and attempted arrests. Armed conflict broke out between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians in 1642. The Queen took a small number of her retinue, including Hudson, to the Netherlands to raise money and support for for the King. By selling articles from her palace she raised enough to buy some supplies for the King's army but was unsuccessful in obtaining official support from the Protestant Dutch government. 

     She returned to England with her courtiers and they found themselves in the middle of a civil war. Upon return the Queen appointed Hudson a "Captain of Horse." It is not known whether he commanded troops or saw combat, but he considered the appointment an honor and later continued to call himself Captain Jeffrey Hudson. 

     The Queen fled to France in 1643 with a small group of courtiers and household staff, again including Hudson. Ailing after a difficult delivery, the Queen moved her court in exile to the spa at Nevers. This time Hudson apparently had no interest in being a pet or clown and let it be known he would suffer no more jokes or insults.

     There is no record of the reason, but in October 1644, Hudson challenged the brother of William Crofts, an English gentleman and servant to the Queen, to a duel. Crofts arrived at the duel brandishing a large water squirt gun, but Hudson, who had a real gun, shot him in the forehead and killed him. 

     Crofts's death was a disaster for Hudson. Dueling had been outlawed in France plus William Crofts was a powerful figure as the Queen's Master of Horse and head of her lifeguard. Hudson was sentenced to death, but the Queen interceded and he was sent back to England. 

     After he left the Queen's court in late 1644 at the age of 25, within months he was on a ship captured by the Barbary pirates and was taken to North Africa as a slave, where he spent perhaps his next 25 years. The date and circumstances of his rescue are not known but it was in the 1660s that several missions were sent from England to Algeria and Tunis to ransom English captives, and his first documented presence back in England was in 1669. 

     No details of his captivity were recorded except one fact: he claimed to have grown to 45 inches during this time, doubling his height after 30 years. He attributed to the buggery he had regularly suffered at the hands of his captors. 

     The few records of Hudson's years between 1669 and his death in 1682 consist of a few receipts for grants of money from the Duke of Buckingham and the new King and he never returned to the Queen's court. 

     In 1676 Hudson returned to London where he had the misfortune of arriving at a time of anti-Catholic activity and he was imprisoned for a considerable time. Being a Roman Catholic was his only offense, but he was not released until 1680. He died about two years later and was buried in an unmarked Catholic paupers' grave.