The Corrs
(This is one very good Brother and Sisters act.)
(This is one very good Brother and Sisters act.)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Hotel rooms in wine-casks
The Netherlands' Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren features rooms built inside giant, 14,500 liter wine-casks:
The rooms offer two single beds as well as an attached sitting room and bathroom. These rooms have been pretty popular with tourists in the sleepy village of Stavoren. If you get tired of the in-room television and radio, you can rent a bicycle and travel along one of the many popular bike paths to see the old growth forests and beach. There is even a famous statue of “Lady van Stavoren” to keep an eye on the harbor as well as an eccentric local story to go along with it.
The wine casks are a great reuse as hotel rooms because of their ability to seal tightly. Visitors have stayed in the hotels four special recycled rooms from all over the world. Prices for the rooms range from approximately $150 a night to about $40 a night depending on the length of your stay and the season you go in. How can you afford not to?
Gives a new meaning to the phrase Sleep it Off Inside a Wine Cask doesn't it?!
Trends
Speaking of trends and such ...
Just when I post that our readers are trending to be the most on Wednesdays, they up and do it this past week on Monday. So much for that particular trend, then.
One trend that is going strong is the trend toward more readers - we are now just half a million places out of first place as the blog with the most authority on Technorati's list ... not too shabby for only being on their list for only three months, and started out over two million places out of first.
We want to thank our readers for making this possible for this little ol'blog.
Just when I post that our readers are trending to be the most on Wednesdays, they up and do it this past week on Monday. So much for that particular trend, then.
One trend that is going strong is the trend toward more readers - we are now just half a million places out of first place as the blog with the most authority on Technorati's list ... not too shabby for only being on their list for only three months, and started out over two million places out of first.
We want to thank our readers for making this possible for this little ol'blog.
The Best (and Worst) Fast-Food French Fries
Looking at these seven:
-Arby's Curly Fries
-Burger King's French Fries
-Carl's Jr.'s Natural-Cut Fries
-Dairy Queen's French Fries
-Jack in the Box's Natural Cut Fries
-McDonald's French Fries
-Wendy's French Fries
-Arby's Curly Fries
-Burger King's French Fries
-Carl's Jr.'s Natural-Cut Fries
-Dairy Queen's French Fries
-Jack in the Box's Natural Cut Fries
-McDonald's French Fries
-Wendy's French Fries
Notes: The numbers below are estimated reports by each restaurant's official website.
Calorie-wise:
The Best
Dairy Queen wins with 2.69 calories/gram
Jack in the Box is close behind with 2.71 calories/gram
The Worst
McDonald's it is, with 3.25 calories/gram
Those stats may sound like just a few calories' difference, but that's a 21% difference, which adds up since a large serving tends to be around 190 grams.
But there are other stats to look at...
Here's the zero trans fat team:
Burger King
Carl's Jr.
Dairy Queen
McDonald's
Wendy's
This one is the trans fattiest:
Jack in the Box
How about saturated fat?
The Best
Dairy Queen (0.018g saturated fat/gram of fries)
The Worst
Arby's (0.037g saturated fat/gram of fries)
Also remember that a good deal in dollars, doesn't translate to your diet, and a "large fries" means something different to everyone:
Large Fries Serving Sizes
McDonald's: 154g
Carl's Jr.: 184g
Wendy's: 184g
Dairy Queen: 186g
Arby's: 190g
Burger King: 194g
Jack in the Box: 236g
Just remember they are stil French FRIES and know what you're getting.
Corn Syrup vs. Sugar
From TreeHugger:
In an article published Friday in the New York Times, Kim Severson reports on how food manufacturers are moving away from using low-priced but high calorie corn syrup to sugar. The reason: customer perception. What, did you expect health and nutrition?
Article continues: Corn Syrup vs. Sugar: Which is sweeter for your diet?
Land Degradation Endangers Quarter of World Population
From TreeHugger:
Land degradation is the decline in soil, water, and vegetation quality - the very things we depend on for life. For the first time scientists have used satellite pictures and GIS software to assess the degradation of land over the entire Earth. They found that from 1981-2003, 24% of the globes land surface has been degraded, often in productive areas.
"Degradation is primarily driven by land management and catastrophic natural phenomena." said Dr. David Dent, one of the authors.
Article continues: Land Degradation Endangers Quarter of World Population
Oil Spill Clean-Up May Be More Harmful to Fish than the Oil Spill
From TreeHugger:
Photo: ingrid taylar
Oil spills just got messier. According to a biologist at Queen's University, the detergents used to clean oil spills may be more harmful to fish than the oil that gets spilled. Biology professor Peter Hodson warns that the oil-dispersing detergents that do such a bang-up job of degrading and diluting oil in the long term increase the bioavailability and the toxicity of the oil to rainbow trout by 100-fold in the short term.
Article continues: Oil Spill Clean-Up May Be More Harmful to Fish than the Oil Spill
How to Get Bruce Lee Like Strength Without Ever Going to a Gym
This should be of interest to some.
Bruce Lee was a paragon of cool and an icon of the ultimate bad-ass. Not only were his martial arts skills incredible, but he had such an impressive physique that even bodybuilders in the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger admired him.
How to Get Bruce Lee Like Strength Without Ever Going to a Gym
Wall Street's Economic Crimes Against Humanity
From Truthout:
By refusing to consider the consequences of their actions, those who created the financial crisis exemplify the banality of evil, writes Shoshana Zuboff.
By refusing to consider the consequences of their actions, those who created the financial crisis exemplify the banality of evil, writes Shoshana Zuboff.
The financiers at AIG were awarded millions in bonuses because their contracts were based on the transactions they completed, not the consequences of those transactions. A 32-year-old mortgage broker told me: "I figured my job was to get the transaction done ... Whatever came after the transaction - that was on him, not me." A long list of business executives have reaped sumptuous rewards even though they fractured the world's economy, destroyed trillions of dollars in value, and disfigured millions of lives.
Unusual Holidays and Celebrations
Today has been International Goof-Off Day!
And I have been observing this celebration with gusto today - goofing off every chance I can get.
And I have been observing this celebration with gusto today - goofing off every chance I can get.
Healthy Cooking
Latin American recipes are full of ingredients that are medicinal (and taste good too).
Some things common in Latin cuisine are:
Some things common in Latin cuisine are:
Chamomile (manzanilla): Used by adults to soothe an upset stomach, as a sleep aid and to treat irritated or red eyes.
Cinnamon tea (te de canela): Believed to help regulate blood sugar in diabetics, relieve cold symptoms and cure diarrhea.
Cactus (nopal): Cactus is thought to have beneficial effects on blood sugar levels in diabetics, to aid digestion and to help heal stomach ulcers.
Flaxseed (linaza): Scientifically proven to be a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed is thought to clean the intestines and help prevent arteriosclerosis.
Chili Peppers (chilies): Offer relief from the common cold by promoting mucus drainage.
To find out more got to latinonutrition.org/.
Also, chilies help with blood flow by acting as blood thinners and making it easier for cholesterol to be reduced.
The Weirdest laws in the world
In these countries, don't stroll around in your swimsuit, pay with pennies, or chew gum.
No Feeding Pigeons
Italy: Laws here are city-specific, and Venice takes issues with pigeons speckling their beloved buildings with pigeon poop. Likewise, officials don’t appreciate tourists adding to the crowd and mess in St. Marks Square by feeding said pigeons. They also don’t want visitors sitting around shirtless, climbing into fountains, or even sitting on the sidewalk eating a sandwich. In Rome, climbing into fountains to cool off causes similar stress.
Penalty: At first, just a warning; fines can reach up to $600, though probably no more than $50 or $60 if you pay quickly. “The local police are quite tolerant about tourists feeding pigeons just to take a picture,” says a Venice spokesman.
Stopping On the Autobahn
Germany: As though driving the autobahn in Germany weren’t daunting enough, the laws add other risks. Running out of gas on the legendary highway is illegal — and your troubles snowball from there. Say you do find the needle on “E” and have to pull over to hoof it, in pursuit of gas. Walking along the autobahn is illegal, too... not to mention terrifying.
Penalty: A little under $100 for endangering other drivers — once for running out of gas, and again for walking.
Driving Shirtless
Thailand: Don’t let the tropical weather tempt you to joy ride with your shirt off in Thailand. Police can (and do) hand out tickets if they spot you topless while driving a car or motorcycle.
Penalty: A mere slap on the wrist (or sun-burned shoulders). Tickets go for a few hundred baht (about $10).
Paying in Pennies
Canada: Canada’s Currency Act of 1985 sets out the guidelines for how coins should be used, including reasonable limits for the shelling out of endless coins. What’s reasonable? Don’t try using all coins to buy something that costs $10, or even using all one-dollar coins (sometimes called “loonies”) to pay for an item that costs more than $25. But then, what kind of loony wants to carry so many coins anyway?
Penalty: If the seller actually wants to take all your pennies, he can, but by law he can also tell you to scram.
No Kissing at Train Stations
France and England: By some accounts, April 5, 1910 was the day romance died on French railways: Kissing was reportedly banned to help deter lover-induced rail delays. But the law seems to be unheard of today. “Are you sure this isn’t a law in Great Britain?” a French spokeswoman at the consulate asked us. What a coincidence: It turns out that Virgin Trains has recently posted “No Kissing” signs at its station in Warrington Bank Quay, in northwest England.
Penalty: While there’s no penalty now for train-related kissing in France, the folks at Warrington Bank Quay will politely ask you to move your smooching to the designated “kissing zone” near the car park.
Driving a Dirty Car
Moscow: Some say this is just an excuse for Moscow police to over-ticket drivers, but you should still watch the filth factor on your rental car. How dirty is dirty? That’s unclear. A recent newspaper survey explored the idea of how to even define “dirty” — almost half said a car was too filthy if you couldn’t read the license plate, while 9 percent said the determining factor was if you couldn’t see the driver.
Penalty: You can get a ticket. Fines might be, shall we say, open to interpretation. Here is a case where you might politely offer to pay the officer up front — $100 should cover it — and be on your way.
Strolling in a Bathing Suit
Grenada: Visiting cruise-ship passengers have gotten under the skin of the local police in Grenada, who cringe at tourists walking off the beach during their shore excursions and into town wearing nothing but their swimsuits. The police chief instituted a fine, and supposedly has also expressed interest in fining folks who wear their jeans too low.
Penalty: In theory, a $270 ticket, though the tourist board assures us that they don’t think it has really been enforced.
Driving With Headlights Off
Denmark: Renting a car? You must always drive with headlights on, says the law in Denmark, to distinguish you from a parked car. Do the Danes really drive so slow that there’d be any confusion? Actually, studies have found that other drivers are more aware of surrounding vehicles when other cars’ lights are on, thus reducing accidents. The law may get adopted across the European Union.
Penalty: Driving without headlights will get you a fine of a little under $100.
Chewing Gum
Singapore: Feeding birds, spitting, and not flushing public toilets will also get you in trouble. Singapore’s most quirky-seeming laws stem from the government’s well-meaning desire to keep things tidy — and let’s face it, gum wads, pigeon droppings, and unflushed toilets aren’t pretty. The infamous gum law actually loosened up in 2004, and Nicorette is now legal (though you have to get it through a doctor and they take down names). Selling regular gum is more of a problem than just casually chewing it, a spokesman says. And more changes are on the way: Gambling will become legal later in 2009, and you can now legally dance on top of bars.
Penalty: About $100 a ticket, especially for leaving a toilet un-flushed; many public loos auto-flush, we learned, but it’s wise to double-check on your way out.
Gallows humor to get you through the day
President Obama, in an interview that aired Sunday on CBS News' "60 Minutes," talked about the need to spend taxpayer money to save financial firms and the auto industry.
"I just want to say that the only thing less popular than putting money into banks is putting money into the auto industry," Obama said with a laugh.
Interviewer Steve Kroft asked how that laughter might be perceived, given the economy's troubles.
"There's got to be a little gallows humor to get you through the day," Obama said. "If you had said to us a year ago that the least of my problems would be Iraq, which is still a pretty serious problem, I don't think anybody would have believed it."
Protein From Yellow Peas May Lower Blood Pressure
This is interesting ...
Certain proteins found in the yellow garden pea appear to help lower blood pressure and delay, control or even prevent the onset of chronic kidney disease, at least in rats, a Canadian study has found."What we seem to have here is sort of a natural approach to treating this disease, as opposed to the normal pharmacological approach," said the study's lead author, Rotimi E. Aluko, an associate professor in the department of human nutritional sciences at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. "We're talking about an edible product, not a drug, which can help to reduce blood pressure and, at the same time, reduce the severely negative impact of kidney disease."
Aluko and his colleagues were to present their findings Sunday at the American Chemical Society's national meeting in Salt Lake City. The study was underwritten by several Canadian government entities.
Kidney disease affects an estimated 13 percent of American adults, the authors noted, and is a notoriously difficult disease to treat, with most people eventually succumbing to cardiovascular complications from high blood pressure linked to kidney malfunction.
Because of this, the researchers focused on the potential effect on blood pressure that might come from peas, long-heralded as a cholesterol-free source of fiber and protein.
After purifying a mix of yellow garden pea proteins, collectively called "pea protein hydrolysate," the researchers spent eight weeks feeding the derivative to rats that had kidney disease.
They found that blood pressure dropped 20 percent in the rats treated with the pea protein mixture, compared with the blood pressure of untreated rats.
They also found that urine production, which can be severely curtailed by kidney function breakdown, improved by upwards of 30 percent among the treated rats.
Despite the positive findings, the researchers do not advocate the ad hoc consumption of yellow green peas. They explained that a complex protein purification process is needed to activate what is otherwise a dormant vegetable benefit.
The pea protein would need to be mixed with certain enzymes into a food additive or nutritional supplement in liquid or pill form. In that form, Aluko said, it might be easier to tolerate than blood pressure drugs, given the pea protein's natural sourcing. A natural treatment, he said, would also eliminate the risk for overdosing.
He said that human trials are underway and that, if successful, a pea-based therapy might be available in two to three years.
Dr. George Bakris, director of the hypertensive diseases unit at the University of Chicago, described the finding as "fascinating."
"This is not the first time that the secret to blood pressure control has been found in Mother Nature," Bakris noted. "Ten years ago, a substance was isolated in celery, for example, that also had a controlling effect. But here what they seem to have shown is that there is a substance in this pea, when cleaved, which works in a similar fashion to the ACE inhibitors that have been out for the last 25 years. So basically, they have a natural substance that works like standard drugs we know a lot about."
"Of course, we have to see what the human studies show, " Bakris cautioned. "But if the results are as compelling as they were in animals, then this would potentially be a very reassuring, exciting and positive development as it is certainly very difficult to control blood pressure in people with kidney disease."
I guess I better learn to eat peas then ... want to keep the blood pressure as low as I can and still be healthy.
Alert level raised for Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano
Increased earthquake activity has prompted scientists to raise the alert level for Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano.
Geologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory said Sunday that seismic activity had increased over the past two days. On Sunday morning, 40 to 50 earthquakes were being recorded every hour.
Scientists said conditions may evolve rapidly and culminated in an eruption within days to weeks at the volcano roughly 100 miles southwest of Anchorage.
A steam plume rising about 1,000 feet above the mountain peak was observed Saturday.
The observatory issued a warning in late January that an eruption could occur at any time.
Bikers brawl through Australian airport;
Warring bikers brawled through Australia's largest airport Sunday, beating one suspected gang member to death and brandishing metal poles "like swords" as they rampaged through the main domestic terminal in front of terrified travelers.
Police said a group of suspected gang members was ambushed as they disembarked from an airplane.
"A fight ensued, the fight moved through various parts of the terminal," said Police Detective Inspector Peter Williams. He said 15 men were involved in the violence, which rampaged from the ground floor up one level to the departures hall before most of the men fled.
Williams said one man died in a hospital from head injuries after the brawl, which appeared to bear out warnings of an impending biker war in Sydney.
Algal blooms dump toxins
The neurotoxin in algal blooms that causes shellfish poisoning sinks to the ocean floor and could poison marine mammals, birds and humans.
Algal blooms dump toxins on the ocean floor
Frisbeetarianism
'Frisbeetarianism' is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.
The 'God Particle'
Something that the fundies don't want to happen because it will upset their world dynamic (ok, ok, ok, so everything upsets their world dynamic).
The next set of results out of the Tevatron particle accelerator might just reveal a sighting of the elusive Higgs boson.
Search closes in on the 'God particle'
Spelunking = Deadly?
A fungal infection called white nose syndrome is killing US bats, and cavers could be carriers.
Are cavers spreading lethal bat disease?
Crackdown on Big Pharma
Critics of the drugs industry hope that a case of prominent scientific fraud will spark a crackdown on the use of science for marketing ends by Big Pharma.
Drug data fraud may spark marketing crackdown
Jakobshavn and Rubber Ducks
Sometime, it is just that simple.
To keep track of climate change, scientists around the world employ some of the most sophisticated devices and machines found in the 21st century.
Still, sometimes scientists just need a rubber ducky.
To keep track of climate change, scientists around the world employ some of the most sophisticated devices and machines found in the 21st century.
Still, sometimes scientists just need a rubber ducky.
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Norwich, England, United Kingdom
Charleroi, Hainaut, Belgium
Mumbai, Maharashta, India
Chenni, Tamil Nadu, India
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Skopje, Aracinovo, Macedonia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Poznan, Wiekopolskie, Poland
Amsterdam, Noor-Holland, Netherlands
Bangkok, Krung Thep, Thailand
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
as well as Denmark, Norway, Ireland and Greece
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Norwich, England, United Kingdom
Charleroi, Hainaut, Belgium
Mumbai, Maharashta, India
Chenni, Tamil Nadu, India
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Skopje, Aracinovo, Macedonia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Poznan, Wiekopolskie, Poland
Amsterdam, Noor-Holland, Netherlands
Bangkok, Krung Thep, Thailand
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
as well as Denmark, Norway, Ireland and Greece
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
Words are your best weapon now, because your wit is sharp and your jokes are funny.
Damn! Those horoscope people are good!
Words are your best weapon now, because your wit is sharp and your jokes are funny.
Damn! Those horoscope people are good!
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