YES VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS AND WE CAN STILL PLAY JUST AS GOOD AS WE USED TO…

This is a true story. The names of the teams, the place and date have been intentionally left out to preclude the possibility of our team trophy being taken away because of the negligible contribution of two old men.

For years I had this recurring dream. It was always the same. I am in my college locker room at half-time when my Coach comes up and grabs me by the shoulder and says, “Boy, am I glad to see you. We need you to suit up and help us out tonight!” He pulls me over to a locker with my name on it and says, “We have your old gear all ready for you!” I look and there is my old number 85 hanging up with all my equipment. After all these years the Coach needs me to suit up!

Each dream was identical. There was never any variation. I start suiting up, get taped, strap on my pads and pull on my jersey. The Coach fires us up with a last minute Knute Rockne speech. We lock hands as a team and shout our battle cry together. Then everybody is yelling, jumping up and down, banging the lockers with their forearms and helmets, hitting each others shoulder pads and storming out the door. Outside it is a crisp, clear, cold night with halos around the bright lights shining on the field. You can see your breath in the air. The crowd is screaming and stomping in the stands as we come running on to the grass. We run through our warm ups and drills in preparation for the coming sixty minute contest.

I run out and line up with the kickoff team. I am unbelievably pumped up and ready for battle. The Ref holds his hand up and we all lean forward in anticipation. The whistle blows and we charge off the line. Then at the moment the kicker makes contact with the ball I suddenly wake up!

I used to lie in bed with eyes closed tight, still as death, trying to fall back asleep. Desperately attempting to get back to the dream — back into the game, dying to make it past the kickoff, but it was no use. It was always the same. The Coach tells me he needs me, I get taped and dressed, run out under the lights, do warm-ups, line up for the kickoff, the game starts and I am wide awake. No matter what I did or how hard I tried — as soon as the ball was kicked I was awake for good. Nothing would bring back the game.

I don’t know how many times I had the dream over the years. More than I can count. No doubt Freud would have had a theory about it, but I just wanted to get past the opening kickoff and get out there and mix it up one more time. I think I just missed playing the game.

As each new season started I would get amped about football. Heck, every time I smelled cut grass from a lawn being mowed it reminded me of the smell of grass smashed into my faceguard at the bottom of a pile and I’d get horny for football. Each fall, watching and envying the players, I would inevitably imagine what it would be like to play one more time. What if just like in my dream the Coach came to me and said he needed me to play? Over the years I had plenty of help, too. My buddies would sit around with me fantasizing and boasting of how we’d play if given another chance – engaging in the old guy’s favorite sport of pre-season mutual delusion.

You know how it goes — whatever your sport is. You don’t have to be good , just capable/ but you have to love it. Long after ability fades and our bodies begin to degrade we kid ourselves into thinking we still have something left. We look in the mirror holding in our gut and pretend that if we hit the gym real hard we could get it back enough to play in some obscure venue. We nurture the delusion until one day we wake up and have to face up to the realization that the dream is over and the chance will never come again. It is a hard truth we all have to eventually accept. Never again will we strap on our battle gear and step onto the playing field. Never again will we feel the fear, pain and sheer exhilaration of a hard fought game. Never, ever again.

For me it came one cruel day when I had just stepped out of the shower. I looked in the mirror and realized that I looked just like my Dad naked! ( When you cross that line you

KNOW your time has come and gone). But even that horrible scare didn’t stop me from dreaming about it or imagining what it would be like to put the pads on for one more round. It’s because of one of those Man-gene things — we can’t help it.

There is something about the camaraderie, the anticipation of a game, playing in the mud rain and heat, trash talking across the line, Coaches pushing us in practice until we were hard and tough and eager for contact. Above all else I think we just missed having a manly contract with the other team to go out on the gridiron for one hour and physically battle until the final second — may the best team win. There is something special about football that touches something deep in all of us – sort of an inner warrior. Refined by centuries of civilization, but still there, that hearkens back to a primitive need to defend the tribe and territory. It is in all of us and football especially seems to trigger the instinctual awakening that occurs whenever the need arises to protect our turf and defeat the enemy.

Like I said, I knew my time had come and gone long ago. Then one day I received a telephone call from a college buddy. He said his high school was set for an Alumni Game that Friday and they were short defensive lineman. He wanted to know if my cousin (also my former roommate /teammate) and I would consider driving down and help them field a team! When? Friday? I thought it over for a whole half nano-second before committing.

“Yes! No problem (don’t worry that I am forty-eight years old and haven’t run any farther than the bathroom in recent years). “Yes, yes, yes!” There was magic in the air. The sun was shining, birds were singing, “Coach needs you!” — I was ecstatic! Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Clause!

So a few days later my cousin and I hopped into the car and headed south as excited as two little kids. We were going to play football again! Not that wussy flag or touch stuff either. This was the real thing. Helmets, pads and full contact. Wahoo!

On the way we stopped at Sport Mart and bought shoes and mouthpieces. Next we stopped at McDonalds and dipped the mouthpieces into their boiling hot coffee to melt and shape them to our teeth. Sweeeeeeeeet! Soon we were on the freeway again practicing growling with our mouthpieces in and grimacing at the other cars. We were psyching up, getting ready to kick some butt!

We made it to the field about an hour before game time. We man-hugged our buddy, signed useless insurance waivers promising not to sue no matter how badly we were maimed, got fitted for our pads and uniforms and hit the locker room. It was like going back in time. Everybody was in high spirits, talking and joking and excited about the game. They had been practicing together and knew each other. We only knew our host and we were so excited we forgot who were even playing for and almost got busted a couple of times when our “teammates” asked what year we played and who the Coach was. We mumbled made-up names for our fictional Coaches and had to fudge a little on when we played. It turned out that my cousin and I were the two oldest players on BOTH teams! The next oldest after us was the guy who invited us. Some of our teammates had not even been born when we hung up our cleats. Hell, I had shoes at home older than most of them.

But as we dressed the years fell away and the old competitive feelings came back. We weren’t old, fat used-to-bes any longer — we were players! I even got into it in the locker room before the game with a couple of guys from the other team (when they refused to let me borrow some of their tape). Momentarily forgetting that I was old enough to have played with their grandfathers, I reverted back to the old form and told them I would pay them back on the field. — Much to their glee.

They offered me to get me Geritol and a box of Depends, but told me I was too old to use tape all by myself. I was a bit taken aback by the lack of respect, but mustered up my dignity and walked away declaring that they would respect me after the game. As I left they called out for me to remember that the school had a policy of no “walkers” on the football field Funnnnnnnnnnnnnnny.

Back in our locker room I pulled on my stuff and couldn’t wait to see what I looked like. In the day, I looked big and tough in my pads so as soon as I dressed I ran to a mirror to admire my fierceness. It was at this moment that reality first started to rear its ugly head. What I saw looked like my Dad again – this time dressed up as a football player for Halloween! (Whose belly was that hanging out beneath my jersey?) I didn’t look scary — I looked silly! Like a player in a bad SNL skit. Now, looking big and mean to intimidate your opponent is part of the game, but, looking in that mirror I realized that nobody was going to be intimidated by me. No wonder the jerks from the other team laughed at me! My confidence took the first hit of the game as I started to consider the wisdom of taking the field with my old body against a bunch of young athletes in their prime.

From there it only got worse. Out on the field the air, the lights and the crowd were just like in my dream, but as we were warming up an enthusiastic teammate came up and brought both fists banging down on my shoulder pads. I turned to my cousin and mouthed an alarmed, “OWWWWWW!” His eyes got big and we shared one of those “Uh, Oh” looks. I was thinking if that hurt what was the game going to be like? This wasn’t exactly like I had imagined. Across the field the other team was looking awful big and mean (like I had imagined I would look). I couldn’t help wondering how banging into them was going to feel. If I had the time, I would’ve run back right then and put on a cup and maybe one of those rubber dog training suits…. I had a feeling I was going to need all the protection I could get.

During calisthenics while everybody else was touching their toes I was barely able to reach my knees. When it came to drills I couldn’t get down into a proper stance so I assumed a stylized crouch. On one drill we had to run out and pop a linebacker. He hurt me so bad I almost lay down and called for a stretcher. I was seriously starting to worry. The closer we got to kickoff the more anxious I became. My whole body was in pain and the game had not even started yet. By the time we lined up for the kickoff I started wondering what the Hell we were thinking when we agreed to this.(I was also thinking I’d sue our “buddy” who had talked us into this if we got hurt too bad). Looking at the other team I had already decided to amend my goal of impressing everybody with my strength and prowess to just making it through the game without ending up in the local ER. My cousin said he was just hoping to live until morning. We both took the precaution of writing our blood types on our inner arms with Magic Markers and jotted quick notes to our families before taking the field.

It turned out that enough people showed up for the game that we were able to field two defensive teams. So we divided up and alternated series. I was surprised at the amount of talent and how well the game was played. Our side boasted a former USC linebacker, a wide receiver from Stanford, a former Canadian League Quarterback and a couple of lineman from BYU – among others. Both sides played hard and it got very physical. Pent up aggression was vented and glory sought for four hard hitting quarters. It was pure primeval football. It was what everybody came for.

It started out as a pretty even contest, but as the game progressed we began to hammer the opposition and they started to wear down. Offensively we took it to them for the entire sixty minutes. Our wideout from Stanford made a series of spectacular catches until he got his bell rung early in the second half. But then our other receivers stepped up pulling balls in all over the field and racking up the yards. Our ex-Canuck QB was throwing bombs

Up front, our line opened hole after hole and we had a couple of halfbacks that went through their defense like hot knives through butter. Our defense crushed every drive their offense tried to put together. It was beautiful. Our side played well together as a team and it showed.

We totally dominated through four of the shortest quarters I have ever experienced. Because we were alternating series our side was fresh and well rested the entire game.

We won easily by a four touchdown margin. I played defensive end and my cousin played nose guard. We both made a couple of tackles and got in a few assists. I’ll admit I got pushed around the first ten minutes or so, but then I got warmed up and did alright.

I got in my crouch with my back to the sideline and nobody got around me all night.. For me, it was a great game. For a little while we forgot our age and we were young and tough again. It was way more fun than any two old guys should be allowed to have. It was by far, one of the most cherished experiences of my life.

We drove home euphoric. We had pulled it off. We had suited up with the young guns and lived to tell about it. We were beat up and bruised, but still ambulatory. Nobody nominated us for game MVPs, but we hadn’t embarrassed ourselves either. For a little while we had been part of a team again and as one teammate crowed in the locker room after the game, “We came to their house and ate their dinner!”

I brought a video of the game home and drove my family, friends and neighbors crazy with it for weeks. Every time I rummaged around in the media cabinet my kids would start groaning,”Not the football video again, Dad!” The neighbors would suddenly remember something important at their house. I’d be like, “Wait, just watch this!”, and I’d run it back and forth three or four times showing my plays. Even my best friends would roll their eyes when I brought it out. Finally, I couldn’t find it anymore. (I am guessing it had a little help getting lost.)

And remember the two guys I had words with in the locker room before the game? The ones who offered to send me Geritol? One of them played offensive tackle and every chance I got as soon as the ball was snapped I lunged over and forearmed him under the chin and slapped his helmet with my other hand (the way we used to in the old days before they changed the rules). As the fourth quarter was starting I looked across the line and saw a look in his eyes like he couldn’t wait for this night to end. Seeing that I went after him even harder right up to the final gun. After the game he walked over where we were taking pictures. He put his arm around me, smiled and said, “I guess the old lions still have a few teeth.” What could have been better than that? I’ll probably be remembering that the moment I die.

Oh yeah, the dream? Never had it again, but that’s OK — Now I have the video of the WHOLE game (somewhere).

Originally published here.

B.D. Fenton is a freelance writer living in Southern California.

YES VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS AND WE CAN STILL PLAY JUST AS GOOD AS WE USED TO…

This is a true story. The names of the teams, the place and date have been intentionally left out to preclude the possibility of our team trophy being taken away because of the negligible contribution of two old men.

For years I had this recurring dream. It was always the same. I am in my college locker room at half-time when my Coach comes up and grabs me by the shoulder and says, “Boy, am I glad to see you. We need you to suit up and help us out tonight!” He pulls me over to a locker with my name on it and says, “We have your old gear all ready for you!” I look and there is my old number 85 hanging up with all my equipment. After all these years the Coach needs me to suit up!

Each dream was identical. There was never any variation. I start suiting up, get taped, strap on my pads and pull on my jersey. The Coach fires us up with a last minute Knute Rockne speech. We lock hands as a team and shout our battle cry together. Then everybody is yelling, jumping up and down, banging the lockers with their forearms and helmets, hitting each others shoulder pads and storming out the door. Outside it is a crisp, clear, cold night with halos around the bright lights shining on the field. You can see your breath in the air. The crowd is screaming and stomping in the stands as we come running on to the grass. We run through our warm ups and drills in preparation for the coming sixty minute contest.

I run out and line up with the kickoff team. I am unbelievably pumped up and ready for battle. The Ref holds his hand up and we all lean forward in anticipation. The whistle blows and we charge off the line. Then at the moment the kicker makes contact with the ball I suddenly wake up!

I used to lie in bed with eyes closed tight, still as death, trying to fall back asleep. Desperately attempting to get back to the dream — back into the game, dying to make it past the kickoff, but it was no use. It was always the same. The Coach tells me he needs me, I get taped and dressed, run out under the lights, do warm-ups, line up for the kickoff, the game starts and I am wide awake. No matter what I did or how hard I tried — as soon as the ball was kicked I was awake for good. Nothing would bring back the game.

I don’t know how many times I had the dream over the years. More than I can count. No doubt Freud would have had a theory about it, but I just wanted to get past the opening kickoff and get out there and mix it up one more time. I think I just missed playing the game.

As each new season started I would get amped about football. Heck, every time I smelled cut grass from a lawn being mowed it reminded me of the smell of grass smashed into my faceguard at the bottom of a pile and I’d get horny for football. Each fall, watching and envying the players, I would inevitably imagine what it would be like to play one more time. What if just like in my dream the Coach came to me and said he needed me to play? Over the years I had plenty of help, too. My buddies would sit around with me fantasizing and boasting of how we’d play if given another chance – engaging in the old guy’s favorite sport of pre-season mutual delusion.

You know how it goes — whatever your sport is. You don’t have to be good , just capable/ but you have to love it. Long after ability fades and our bodies begin to degrade we kid ourselves into thinking we still have something left. We look in the mirror holding in our gut and pretend that if we hit the gym real hard we could get it back enough to play in some obscure venue. We nurture the delusion until one day we wake up and have to face up to the realization that the dream is over and the chance will never come again. It is a hard truth we all have to eventually accept. Never again will we strap on our battle gear and step onto the playing field. Never again will we feel the fear, pain and sheer exhilaration of a hard fought game. Never, ever again.

For me it came one cruel day when I had just stepped out of the shower. I looked in the mirror and realized that I looked just like my Dad naked! ( When you cross that line you

KNOW your time has come and gone). But even that horrible scare didn’t stop me from dreaming about it or imagining what it would be like to put the pads on for one more round. It’s because of one of those Man-gene things — we can’t help it.

There is something about the camaraderie, the anticipation of a game, playing in the mud rain and heat, trash talking across the line, Coaches pushing us in practice until we were hard and tough and eager for contact. Above all else I think we just missed having a manly contract with the other team to go out on the gridiron for one hour and physically battle until the final second — may the best team win. There is something special about football that touches something deep in all of us – sort of an inner warrior. Refined by centuries of civilization, but still there, that hearkens back to a primitive need to defend the tribe and territory. It is in all of us and football especially seems to trigger the instinctual awakening that occurs whenever the need arises to protect our turf and defeat the enemy.

Like I said, I knew my time had come and gone long ago. Then one day I received a telephone call from a college buddy. He said his high school was set for an Alumni Game that Friday and they were short defensive lineman. He wanted to know if my cousin (also my former roommate /teammate) and I would consider driving down and help them field a team! When? Friday? I thought it over for a whole half nano-second before committing.

“Yes! No problem (don’t worry that I am forty-eight years old and haven’t run any farther than the bathroom in recent years). “Yes, yes, yes!” There was magic in the air. The sun was shining, birds were singing, “Coach needs you!” — I was ecstatic! Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Clause!

So a few days later my cousin and I hopped into the car and headed south as excited as two little kids. We were going to play football again! Not that wussy flag or touch stuff either. This was the real thing. Helmets, pads and full contact. Wahoo!

On the way we stopped at Sport Mart and bought shoes and mouthpieces. Next we stopped at McDonalds and dipped the mouthpieces into their boiling hot coffee to melt and shape them to our teeth. Sweeeeeeeeet! Soon we were on the freeway again practicing growling with our mouthpieces in and grimacing at the other cars. We were psyching up, getting ready to kick some butt!

We made it to the field about an hour before game time. We man-hugged our buddy, signed useless insurance waivers promising not to sue no matter how badly we were maimed, got fitted for our pads and uniforms and hit the locker room. It was like going back in time. Everybody was in high spirits, talking and joking and excited about the game. They had been practicing together and knew each other. We only knew our host and we were so excited we forgot who were even playing for and almost got busted a couple of times when our “teammates” asked what year we played and who the Coach was. We mumbled made-up names for our fictional Coaches and had to fudge a little on when we played. It turned out that my cousin and I were the two oldest players on BOTH teams! The next oldest after us was the guy who invited us. Some of our teammates had not even been born when we hung up our cleats. Hell, I had shoes at home older than most of them.

But as we dressed the years fell away and the old competitive feelings came back. We weren’t old, fat used-to-bes any longer — we were players! I even got into it in the locker room before the game with a couple of guys from the other team (when they refused to let me borrow some of their tape). Momentarily forgetting that I was old enough to have played with their grandfathers, I reverted back to the old form and told them I would pay them back on the field. — Much to their glee.

They offered me to get me Geritol and a box of Depends, but told me I was too old to use tape all by myself. I was a bit taken aback by the lack of respect, but mustered up my dignity and walked away declaring that they would respect me after the game. As I left they called out for me to remember that the school had a policy of no “walkers” on the football field Funnnnnnnnnnnnnnny.

Back in our locker room I pulled on my stuff and couldn’t wait to see what I looked like. In the day, I looked big and tough in my pads so as soon as I dressed I ran to a mirror to admire my fierceness. It was at this moment that reality first started to rear its ugly head. What I saw looked like my Dad again – this time dressed up as a football player for Halloween! (Whose belly was that hanging out beneath my jersey?) I didn’t look scary — I looked silly! Like a player in a bad SNL skit. Now, looking big and mean to intimidate your opponent is part of the game, but, looking in that mirror I realized that nobody was going to be intimidated by me. No wonder the jerks from the other team laughed at me! My confidence took the first hit of the game as I started to consider the wisdom of taking the field with my old body against a bunch of young athletes in their prime.

From there it only got worse. Out on the field the air, the lights and the crowd were just like in my dream, but as we were warming up an enthusiastic teammate came up and brought both fists banging down on my shoulder pads. I turned to my cousin and mouthed an alarmed, “OWWWWWW!” His eyes got big and we shared one of those “Uh, Oh” looks. I was thinking if that hurt what was the game going to be like? This wasn’t exactly like I had imagined. Across the field the other team was looking awful big and mean (like I had imagined I would look). I couldn’t help wondering how banging into them was going to feel. If I had the time, I would’ve run back right then and put on a cup and maybe one of those rubber dog training suits…. I had a feeling I was going to need all the protection I could get.

During calisthenics while everybody else was touching their toes I was barely able to reach my knees. When it came to drills I couldn’t get down into a proper stance so I assumed a stylized crouch. On one drill we had to run out and pop a linebacker. He hurt me so bad I almost lay down and called for a stretcher. I was seriously starting to worry. The closer we got to kickoff the more anxious I became. My whole body was in pain and the game had not even started yet. By the time we lined up for the kickoff I started wondering what the Hell we were thinking when we agreed to this.(I was also thinking I’d sue our “buddy” who had talked us into this if we got hurt too bad). Looking at the other team I had already decided to amend my goal of impressing everybody with my strength and prowess to just making it through the game without ending up in the local ER. My cousin said he was just hoping to live until morning. We both took the precaution of writing our blood types on our inner arms with Magic Markers and jotted quick notes to our families before taking the field.

It turned out that enough people showed up for the game that we were able to field two defensive teams. So we divided up and alternated series. I was surprised at the amount of talent and how well the game was played. Our side boasted a former USC linebacker, a wide receiver from Stanford, a former Canadian League Quarterback and a couple of lineman from BYU – among others. Both sides played hard and it got very physical. Pent up aggression was vented and glory sought for four hard hitting quarters. It was pure primeval football. It was what everybody came for.

It started out as a pretty even contest, but as the game progressed we began to hammer the opposition and they started to wear down. Offensively we took it to them for the entire sixty minutes. Our wideout from Stanford made a series of spectacular catches until he got his bell rung early in the second half. But then our other receivers stepped up pulling balls in all over the field and racking up the yards. Our ex-Canuck QB was throwing bombs

Up front, our line opened hole after hole and we had a couple of halfbacks that went through their defense like hot knives through butter. Our defense crushed every drive their offense tried to put together. It was beautiful. Our side played well together as a team and it showed.

We totally dominated through four of the shortest quarters I have ever experienced. Because we were alternating series our side was fresh and well rested the entire game.

We won easily by a four touchdown margin. I played defensive end and my cousin played nose guard. We both made a couple of tackles and got in a few assists. I’ll admit I got pushed around the first ten minutes or so, but then I got warmed up and did alright.

I got in my crouch with my back to the sideline and nobody got around me all night.. For me, it was a great game. For a little while we forgot our age and we were young and tough again. It was way more fun than any two old guys should be allowed to have. It was by far, one of the most cherished experiences of my life.

We drove home euphoric. We had pulled it off. We had suited up with the young guns and lived to tell about it. We were beat up and bruised, but still ambulatory. Nobody nominated us for game MVPs, but we hadn’t embarrassed ourselves either. For a little while we had been part of a team again and as one teammate crowed in the locker room after the game, “We came to their house and ate their dinner!”

I brought a video of the game home and drove my family, friends and neighbors crazy with it for weeks. Every time I rummaged around in the media cabinet my kids would start groaning,”Not the football video again, Dad!” The neighbors would suddenly remember something important at their house. I’d be like, “Wait, just watch this!”, and I’d run it back and forth three or four times showing my plays. Even my best friends would roll their eyes when I brought it out. Finally, I couldn’t find it anymore. (I am guessing it had a little help getting lost.)

And remember the two guys I had words with in the locker room before the game? The ones who offered to send me Geritol? One of them played offensive tackle and every chance I got as soon as the ball was snapped I lunged over and forearmed him under the chin and slapped his helmet with my other hand (the way we used to in the old days before they changed the rules). As the fourth quarter was starting I looked across the line and saw a look in his eyes like he couldn’t wait for this night to end. Seeing that I went after him even harder right up to the final gun. After the game he walked over where we were taking pictures. He put his arm around me, smiled and said, “I guess the old lions still have a few teeth.” What could have been better than that? I’ll probably be remembering that the moment I die.

Oh yeah, the dream? Never had it again, but that’s OK — Now I have the video of the WHOLE game (somewhere).

Originally published here.

B.D. Fenton is a freelance writer living in Southern California.

Brainstorming teaches us the importance of spontaneous, uninhibited thought. It makes us realize that even when we look at old, familiar problems we can see new solutions if we don’t let preconceived judgment and prejudice rule our mind. It shows us how new and important ideas come to those who aren’t obsessed with what can’t be done.

One scientist, in talking about a genius who has had little formal training, told me, “He doesn’t have a great deal to unlearn. Most of us with Ph.D. degrees know all the things that can’t be done. He doesn’t. He tries them, and they work.”

One way to get new ideas is to use a check list. Make up your own list. Paste it on the bottom of a desk drawer, carry it in a notebook or your head, but use it.

Look around you, and you will see how other people have thought up, if not new ideas at least new and profitable variations by the use of such a list.

You’ll be surprised how often a simple mental trick like reversing a problem can often solve it. Someone saw a couple of crossed knives and made a pair of scissors. Then the pair of scissors gave someone the idea for a pair of pliers.

Finding the right frame of reference and breaking out of the wrong one is a valuable step in creative thinking. For example, when the Pennsylvania Railroad had a problem getting their switching engines around their yards, they naturally thought up all sorts of switching engines – that ran on tracks. The problem was solved when someone broke out of that frame of reference and developed a switching engine which runs on great rubber wheels and can be run along tracks or, just as easily, across them.

To turn the problem upside down, inside out, or backward. Henry Ford didn’t worry about how to get workmen to the parts needed in an auto-mobile, but how to get the parts to them. That was the basic idea of the assembly line.

A good brainstormer never takes the obvious for granted. He knows the best ideas seem obvious after they have been developed. Take an ordinary envelope.
Why lick the stamps? The embossed stamped envelope.
Why type return address? It’s printed on.
Why type the address on the letter and the envelope as well?
The window envelope.
There is color coding for air mail.

Look at it to see the changes that creative thinking has made. One way to build an inventory of problems and solutions is carry an idea trap.

What’s that? It’s a pocket notebook you always carry with you so you can catch a fleeting idea on the wing – while you are stopped for a traffic light or riding the subway, eating lunch, waiting for a doctor’s appointment, walking by a store window, or watching the World Series on television.

Some men even keep special idea traps in the bathroom, on their car dashboard, or have one by their bed that is equipped with a small battery lamp so ideas can be trapped efficiently in the dark of the night.

Make up an idea museum. It can be catalogues of parts, models, or even pictures. For a fashion designer it might be fashions of the past; for a car designer, models of old-time autos. An upholstering company might have all sorts of materials from canvas to leather that its idea men could look at, touch, test, feel, tug.

The idea man who thinks up uses is as important as the one who invents products themselves. Charles Bar bier, a French army officer, developed a system of night writing which made use of raised dots on paper. He designed it so his soldiers could read messages in the dark. It was a good idea, but the man who saw a new use for it changed the lives of thousands upon thousands of blind people. The man who saw that new use in 1829 was named Louis Braille.

Use the above suggestions and you will never be short of a good idea!

Originally published here.

Discover The Secret Brainstorming Techniques To Solve Problems, Quickly & More Effectively Than Even Before!

Click here for FREE online Ebook

http://www.brainstormtechnique.org/

Police supplies vary in countries. In industrialized countries like the US and the UK, police forces are equipped with modern and high-tech weaponry.

Policemen or Law enforcers are employed agents that enforce the law and social order through the use of legitimized forces. In certain jurisdictions, police officers are allowed to carry firearms. They have non-lethal equipments that are primarily used for controlling riots. These equipments would include batons, rubber bullets as well as electro-shock weaponry. The usage of guns is basically the last resort. Officers also carry with them handcuffs in order to restrain their suspects. Handcuffs have also become varied. These days, cops have a variety of handcuffs. Although there are still stainless and metal cuffs, a special plastic or nylon type of restraints have become a more common variation.

In modern countries, the government has a large budget for their police force. They make use of radio communications that are installed in cars. There are also computers that are installed in the police cars.

Actually, there are lots of police supplies. Some of them include tactical gears, police magazines, police books, police equipments, police gifts as well as police software.

Listed below are some of the most used police supplies:

* TM Stoplite: This is designed to function as a double rifle. It is a personal defense device. The stoplight is powered by four 123CR batteries. It also functions as a digital camera and laser.

* Blaser Tactical Two (2): This rifle will provide reliable performance during an operation. It has a range of 1600 meters depending on ammunition and caliber. This has a straight-pull action and a 360-degree radial barrel. A Tactical 2 riffle has a weight of about 2.2 to 3.3 lbs.

* Platinum Elite (P226): This gun is designed for personal defense. It has a front strap, cocking serrations, beavertail grip. This police equipment has a high speed shooting range and about 60 percent faster shooting return.

* Flash II (Tini Blade): This police equipment is probably the coolest set of knives that is not commonly available in the local market. It can handle rails and race cars. Flash tini blade features a SOG Technology that has an easy release slide and powerful lock.

* Tactical Outer Vest: The comfortable design of this vest is intended for the Police and Sheriff Law Enforcers. It comes with five standard pouches that can be converted to a concealable vest.

* ASP Chain Handcuff: This stainless eyelet design brings smooth rotation, and reinforcing collar. Each spin is protected by stainless steel. It’s made from TLG stainless steel.

* Galco Ankle Glove Holster: This comfortable hand-molded ankle holster offers thick neoprene ankle bandage. It provides sheepskin padding. It is made from premium leather and calf strap.

* Bianchi Accumold Covered Handcuff: This exclusive designed handcuff combines ultimate performance, durability and light weight features. It is popular in many police forces. It carries a large variety of sporting accessories, duty holsters and any kind of piston gun.

* Expandable Baton Frictionlock 26: This durable 4 stage telescopic, expandable built-in baton is easy to hold, control and access. This baton is usually used on a vertical position, particularly with tactics, and techniques. The lightweight type of baton actually provides more effective hits.

* Smith and Wilson Gear Bag: This large gear bag is for carrying police gear and training equipment. It comes with a unique large zipper, two front pockets as well as two large end pockets.

* Blackhawk Boots: This most agile, lightest, fastest footwear is designed specially for special operations. Blackhawk footwear is washable, and waterproof. It is also lightweight, made from nylon mesh, breathable, high-abrasion resistant and quick-drying.

* T-shirt under Vest: The bullet-proof t-shirt or vest is designed for officers who undergo tunic situations. It is a fully adjustable vest with a single closure on one arm. It is a lightweight flexible vest that offers maximum safety and ballistic protection to the user.

* Police Vest: This bulletproof vest is made in order to cover any officer. It has full planned body armor for operational situations. This bulletproof vest will cover the officer starting from the neck down to the body. This type of police vest is actually washable.

* Ballistic Helmet: This unique built helmet is intended for protection from high impact trauma, hearing protection, and head shooting. A ballistic helmet is ideal for police tactical teams that need protection from hearing, and communication.

* Trainer Dummy Rounds: This trainer dummy round is used for shooting problems, malfunction drills, classroom work and gun handling. There are many types of trainer dummy rounds in case the weather condition changes.

* Duty Gear: This equipment is long-lasting and lightweight that and can actually stand with the abuse. It is made from leather and smooth shiny material. Thus, a horizontal carrier has the following features:

 It can fit on chains
 It can fit in a police radio, and
 It can keep keys secure and safe.

* Super Tac flashlight: This police equipment is extremely made up of high-quality materials. It is lithium-powered and great for tactical use. It is powered by four CR123AA batteries. A super tac flashlight generates 4x the brightness, as compared to ordinary flashlights.

Originally published here.

For more information on List of Common Police Supplies please visit our website.

Police supplies vary in countries. In industrialized countries like the US and the UK, police forces are equipped with modern and high-tech weaponry.

Policemen or Law enforcers are employed agents that enforce the law and social order through the use of legitimized forces. In certain jurisdictions, police officers are allowed to carry firearms. They have non-lethal equipments that are primarily used for controlling riots. These equipments would include batons, rubber bullets as well as electro-shock weaponry. The usage of guns is basically the last resort. Officers also carry with them handcuffs in order to restrain their suspects. Handcuffs have also become varied. These days, cops have a variety of handcuffs. Although there are still stainless and metal cuffs, a special plastic or nylon type of restraints have become a more common variation.

In modern countries, the government has a large budget for their police force. They make use of radio communications that are installed in cars. There are also computers that are installed in the police cars.

Actually, there are lots of police supplies. Some of them include tactical gears, police magazines, police books, police equipments, police gifts as well as police software.

Listed below are some of the most used police supplies:

* TM Stoplite: This is designed to function as a double rifle. It is a personal defense device. The stoplight is powered by four 123CR batteries. It also functions as a digital camera and laser.

* Blaser Tactical Two (2): This rifle will provide reliable performance during an operation. It has a range of 1600 meters depending on ammunition and caliber. This has a straight-pull action and a 360-degree radial barrel. A Tactical 2 riffle has a weight of about 2.2 to 3.3 lbs.

* Platinum Elite (P226): This gun is designed for personal defense. It has a front strap, cocking serrations, beavertail grip. This police equipment has a high speed shooting range and about 60 percent faster shooting return.

* Flash II (Tini Blade): This police equipment is probably the coolest set of knives that is not commonly available in the local market. It can handle rails and race cars. Flash tini blade features a SOG Technology that has an easy release slide and powerful lock.

* Tactical Outer Vest: The comfortable design of this vest is intended for the Police and Sheriff Law Enforcers. It comes with five standard pouches that can be converted to a concealable vest.

* ASP Chain Handcuff: This stainless eyelet design brings smooth rotation, and reinforcing collar. Each spin is protected by stainless steel. It’s made from TLG stainless steel.

* Galco Ankle Glove Holster: This comfortable hand-molded ankle holster offers thick neoprene ankle bandage. It provides sheepskin padding. It is made from premium leather and calf strap.

* Bianchi Accumold Covered Handcuff: This exclusive designed handcuff combines ultimate performance, durability and light weight features. It is popular in many police forces. It carries a large variety of sporting accessories, duty holsters and any kind of piston gun.

* Expandable Baton Frictionlock 26: This durable 4 stage telescopic, expandable built-in baton is easy to hold, control and access. This baton is usually used on a vertical position, particularly with tactics, and techniques. The lightweight type of baton actually provides more effective hits.

* Smith and Wilson Gear Bag: This large gear bag is for carrying police gear and training equipment. It comes with a unique large zipper, two front pockets as well as two large end pockets.

* Blackhawk Boots: This most agile, lightest, fastest footwear is designed specially for special operations. Blackhawk footwear is washable, and waterproof. It is also lightweight, made from nylon mesh, breathable, high-abrasion resistant and quick-drying.

* T-shirt under Vest: The bullet-proof t-shirt or vest is designed for officers who undergo tunic situations. It is a fully adjustable vest with a single closure on one arm. It is a lightweight flexible vest that offers maximum safety and ballistic protection to the user.

* Police Vest: This bulletproof vest is made in order to cover any officer. It has full planned body armor for operational situations. This bulletproof vest will cover the officer starting from the neck down to the body. This type of police vest is actually washable.

* Ballistic Helmet: This unique built helmet is intended for protection from high impact trauma, hearing protection, and head shooting. A ballistic helmet is ideal for police tactical teams that need protection from hearing, and communication.

* Trainer Dummy Rounds: This trainer dummy round is used for shooting problems, malfunction drills, classroom work and gun handling. There are many types of trainer dummy rounds in case the weather condition changes.

* Duty Gear: This equipment is long-lasting and lightweight that and can actually stand with the abuse. It is made from leather and smooth shiny material. Thus, a horizontal carrier has the following features:

 It can fit on chains
 It can fit in a police radio, and
 It can keep keys secure and safe.

* Super Tac flashlight: This police equipment is extremely made up of high-quality materials. It is lithium-powered and great for tactical use. It is powered by four CR123AA batteries. A super tac flashlight generates 4x the brightness, as compared to ordinary flashlights.

Originally published here.

For more information on List of Common Police Supplies please visit our website.

The first advice for any parent is to be prepared, and that includes knowledge and training (CPR, etc.), as well as having the proper resources on hand. In this case, a well-stocked First-Aid Kit for your home and car. Here are some of the items such a kit might include and do be sure to keep said kit out of the reach of curious young hands!

1. Alcohol wipes
2. Bandages
3. Gauze pads/roll of gauze
4. Adhesive tape
5. Scissors, tweezers, thermometer
6. Antibacterial ointment
7. Hydrocortisone and/or itch-relief cream
8. Cold pack
9. Hand sanitizer
10. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen
11. Aloe vera gel

Next, especially in the case of toddlers and small children, you’ll want to accident-proof your home (and your routines) as much as possible. Let’s do this by looking at areas of the house where many accidents occur.

1. Bathroom and bathtub. Even though most parents don’t typically leave their young kids alone in the tub, more than half of infant drownings occur in the bathroom. In as little as two minutes, a child can lose consciousness underwater. Irreversible brain damage can occur within four minutes. One of the biggest culprits in bathtub drownings is bath seats or rings. Parents believe such seats will hold a child, but such seats and rings are NOT safety devices. The suction cups at the bottom can come loose, causing a child to tip over. And a baby can even slip through the leg openings. That means parents should never leave small children unattended in the tub. Also, be sure to get safety latches for all toilets and empty any containers that collect water. Also in the bathroom, keep items such as razors, cosmetics, scissors, cotton balls/swabs, cleaning solutions, and medicines in a locked cabinet or drawer.

2. In the dining room. Food accounts for most child choking emergencies. The most common culprits are small, hard, round, gummy foods (nuts, grapes, hard or gummy candies, popcorn, carrots, seeds, marshmallows, taffy/caramel, hot dogs, etc.) that can easily block the airway. To help prevent choking, cut all foods into small pieces and make sure your kids are seated while eating. Teach them to take small bites and chew food slowly and thoroughly. Avoid small, round, hard or gummy foods.

3. Doors. Think of everything in your neighbourhood (pools, traffic, dogs, etc.) that could harm your small child if he/she gets outside the house when you’re distracted for even a moment. One way to prevent this is to have alarms/chimes that sound whenever they’re opened to alert you to a child slipping out of the house. Also consider four-wall fencing on your property, as well as asking neighbours with pools or other potentially dangerous items to also keep their gates/fences locked.

4. In the family room/home office, elsewhere. Routinely check under sofas and cushions for loose change and other choking hazards. Avoid displaying artificial fruit, as toddlers can often mistake it for the real thing. Also avoid items such as potpourri and arrangements that have small rocks or marbles or anything else that can be swallowed (don’t forget the rubber door stoppers). Cut or tie window-blind cords to prevent strangulation. Secure bookcases and other furniture that a small child could topple, and consider only furniture with rounded edges (or cover sharp edges with cushioning). Hide/secure electrical cords and power strips behind furniture (never under carpeting), and cover up any exposed electrical outlets with screw-on covers or cap plugs. Also keep office supplies where your child can’t get to them.

5. In the kitchen. Refrigerator magnets should be high enough to be out of reach. Make sure to lock the door of the dishwasher, oven, washer and dryer or any other appliance/cupboard your child might get into. Knives should be kept away from the countertop edges, pot handles should be turned away from the front when cooking, and all cleaners, plastics, foils, bags, wastebaskets/garbage containers, etc. should be locked up. Also consider unplugging small appliances when not in use.

6. Away from home. When you first arrive, scan the area for anything that could be a problem and move them or hide them from your small child. If you plan to stay awhile, consider brining your own crib, outlet cap plugs, cabinet locks and latches, tub mats, etc. Also be aware that some bathroom doors can be locked from the inside, so consider hanging a towel over the top of the door to prevent a child locking him/herself in.

Originally published here.

Gareth Williams has been an expert in the field of parenting for well over 25 years and is the author of the highly acclaimed ebook ‘Harmony at Home – A Parent’s Companion’. If you’re interested in learning the close guarded secrets of the ‘Whole Child Approach’ which will quickly sky rocket your parenting skills to unparalled success then please visit-http://www.instantparentsuccess.com

A lawyer is a person who practises law; one who conducts lawsuits for clients or advises clients of their legal rights and obligations. A barrister is a legal practitioner whose main function is to practice advocacy in court. They often have less interaction with clients. Barristers spend their working hours in chambers where they prepare their cases.

WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THE KEW GARDEN?

Kew Gardens in Thames, London is best known for being the home of the Royal Botanical Gardens (now a world heritage site). Other points of interest-include the Kew Palace and the National Archives (previously known as the Public Records Office) The Kew Gardens is special because it is an important international botanical research and education institution with a staff of over 700 people.

WHAT IS THE ‘COOL BIZ’ CAMPAIGN?

This is a campaign introduced by Japan. In order, to save energy, it asks office goers and politicians to remove their ties and jackets to minimise the use of air conditioners and thereby reduce consumption of electricity and also the emission of greenhouse gases. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel who is currently visiting Japan to discuss, among other things, ways to tackle global warming, had a taste of the ‘cool biz’ campaign when the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe informed her that his entourage wouldn’t be wearing their ties to adhere to the ‘cool biz’ campaign.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM POCKET MONEY?

Before the advent of pockets in shirts and trousers, money was kept in bags and sachets. Later, a smart tailor made a pocket on a garment and it became so useful, further innovations made a pocket suitable to safely keep money From then on, money kept in pockets for expenses came to known as pocket money

WHAT IS ENTABLATURE?

It is the horizontal upper part of a wall or storey of a building designed on the principles of classical architecture. It is usually supported on columns, and consists of  three parts. These are the architrave, the lowermost part; the frieze, the decorative band in the middle; and the cornice, the crowning ornamental projection. Entablature was originally conceived by Vitruvius, an ancient Roman architect.

WHICH IS THE WORLD’S FIRST AIR SHOW?

The world’s first air show was the International Air Meet held at Rheims, Franceheld in 1909. India’s first air show, AVIA-93 was held in December, 1993 in Bangalore. The world’s biggest air show was the  47th Paris Air Show. However, the world’s largest military air show  the RoyalInternational Air Tattoo (RAF Fairford, United Kingdom), held annually in July.

WHAT IS A CIRCUIT FILTER?

A circuit filter is used in trading of shares in stock exchange. It’s applied to all the shares, to supposedly safeguard the interest of general investors from the extreme volatilities in markets by preventing any unexpected fall or rise of share price in a single day beyond a limit. If the limit is crossed by any of the shares in a single trading day it is frozen for trade.

WHAT IS THE GINI COEFFICIENT?

The Gini Coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. It is defined as a ratio with values between 0 and 1: the numerator is the area between the Lorenz curve of the distribution and the uniform distribution line; the denominator is the area under the uniform distribution line. Thus, a low Gini Coefficient indicates more equal income or wealth distribution, while a high Gini Coefficient indicates more unequal distribution.

WHAT IS THE TRIPLE FINGER SALUTE?

The three-finger salute is used by members of Scouts and Guides organisations around the world when greeting other Scouts and Guides and at some ceremonies. The salute is made with the palm face out, the thumb holding down the little finger, and the fingertips on the brow. In computer parlance, the triplefmger salute refers to describe the three-key sequence — Alt + Ctrl + Del — developed by David Bradley This term became popular after IBM PC compatible users continually hold down these keys each time their computers froze or had other problems.

WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS THE WELL-COME COLLECTION?

The Wellcome Collection traces The development of medicine through history and spanning several cultures. Located in central London, it is a combination of exhibitions, libraries and cafes where people can learn more about the development of medicine. Part of the Well-come Trust, it was founded by Sir Henry Wellcome, a pharmacist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and collector, who garnered  a unique collection of articles relating to medicine and health. Recently, a British heart transplant patient, Jennifer Sutton, donated her old heart to the Well-come Collection, after receving a new one.

WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE BAUDHAYAN THEOREM?

Baushayan Sulv Sutra (1000 BC) is today known as the Pythogorus theorem, which states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. In Baudhayan theorem, this has been expressed as follows: in a Deerghchatursh (triangle), the chetra (square) of rajju (hypotenuse) is equal to the sum of squares of the parshvamani (base) and triyangmani (perpendicular line). It is amazing to note that the pythagorus theorem was known in our country as far back as 1000 BC.

WHY IS THE NUMBER 1 NOT CONSIDERED A PRIME NUMBER THOUGH IT FITS THE DEFINITION?

The number 1, in fact, does not fit the definition of a prime number. A positive integer is called a prime number only if there are exactly two divisors of that number. Since 1 has exactly one divisor (which is 1 itself), it does not fit this definition. Another equivalent definition of a prime number is this prime number’s only positive divisor should be less than 1 and itself. Again, 1 does not fit this definition either— there are no positive divisors of 1 which are less that 1.

WHICH NATION HAS THE SMALLEST ARMY IN THE WORLD?

Vatican City, the world’s smallest country, has the smallest army. This army of 110 men, is also known as the Swiss Guard. Last year, the Vatican celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Swiss Guard. The celebration commemorated the 150 Swiss Helvetian mercenaries who came to Rome to serve Pope Julius II, on January 22,1506. The mercenaries covered a distance of 723 km in 27 days to enter Rome from Bellinzona, Switzerland. Swiss Helvetian mercenaries, famous for their courage, die-hard attitude and loyalty to their employers, were part of the regular armies of various countries at that time. As allies of the Pope, they helped to shape Italy’s destiny and thus they were granted the title ^Defenders of the Church’s freedom’ by the Pope. During the Sack of Rome on May 6, 1527, the Swiss Guard, comprising 189 personnel at that time, resisted a Spanish attack on Rome and the Vatican. But they had to retreat after suffering heavy casualties. Only 42 men survived the attack. However, the Guard was able to ensure Pope Clement VII’s escape to safety.

WHERE WAS WINE FIRST MADE?

Wine is the fermented juice of grapes. Probably, the first people to make wine were Persian farmers living near the Caspian Sea. The Egyptians learned how to make wine from them as long back as 3000 BC. In the fourth century BC., the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great carried grapevines and the knowledge of wine-making to Central Asia. Roman invaders probably took vines to northern France and Germany in later centuries. Wine was common in the everyday lives of the early Greeks and Romans. It was important to their religious ceremonies. The God of wine was called Bacchus by the Romans and Dionysus by the Greeks.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MARXISM AND SOCIALISM?

Socialism is a modern doctrine and is Western in origin, emerging with the development of industrial capitalism at the start of the nineteenth century. Socialism denotes a broad system of ideas. Marxism is a materialistic conception of history which seeks to explain the development of all societies and furthermore, make predictions about future social change. Marxists consider the material world, nature and society as constantly moving. Whereas, the socialists emphasise the organic unity of society. Marxists consider the material world as an integrated whole in which all things and phenomena are interconnected and interdependent. Whereas, socialists believe in equality and abolition of private enterprise. Marxism provides a scientific explanation of nature and society and hence, was a powerful instrument for revolutionary transformation. The society envisaged by socialists rests on certain values: redistribution of wealth to get rid of inequality, cooperative production to get rid of selfish competitors and new patterns of work and education to promote the growth of well-rounded individuals.

WHAT IS A HYPERCUBE?

Hypercube is the generalization in n-dimensions of a square in two dimensions and a cube in three dimensions. A square has four vertices (22), a cube, 8 vertices (23). Similarly, an n-dimensional hypercube has 2n vertices. In the famous painting ‘Christus Hypercubus’, Salvador Dali depicted Christ crucified on an unfolded four-dimensional hypercube. Examining the shadow of a cube reveals a square within a square. Similarly, the shadow of a four-dimensional hypercube will be a cube within a cube.

WHY IS THE ALPHABET WRITTEN IN A SPECIFIC ORDER?

The alphabet has often been described as an arbitrary collection of symbols representing an arbitrary collection of sounds. Its order is equally random. The word alphabet comes from alpha and beta, the first two words in the Greek alphabet.

WHAT IS STEAMING DISTANCE?

Steaming distance is the shortest distance between two ports, which a ship traverses while sailing from one port to another. It need not be along a straight line as, due to various physical and political constraints, it may not be always be desirable to sail along a straight route.

WHICH IS THE OLDEST CIVILIZATION IN THE WORLD?

This has long been a subject of much debate and to this day no one is absolutely sure which is the oldest civilisation. This is mostly because people cannot agree on the definition of the word civilisation. The most common definition of the word is ‘an advanced state of development in human society, marked by progress in the arts and sciences, the extensive use of writing, and complex political and social institutions’. Mesopotamia is considered as the most likely answer to the question, based on archaeological evidence and the above definition. It is believed that Mesopotamian history starts from the emergence of urban societies in Southern Iraq in the 4th millennium.

HOW IS A COUNTRY’S GDP MEASURED?

GDP or Gross Domestic Product is the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period. GDP is customarily reported on an annual basis. It is the nation’s broadest gauge of economic health. It includes all of private and public consumption, government outlays, investments and exports and imports that occur within a defined territory The most common approach to measuring GDP is the expenditure method: GDP = consumption + investment (govern- ment spending) + (exports – imports). Another way of measuring GDP is to measure the total income payable in the GDP income accounts. This should provide the same figure as the expenditure method. Another formula is: GDP = rent + interests + profits + statistical adjustments (like corporate income taxes, dividends, undistributed corpo-1 rate profits) + wages.

WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF TOULOUSE?

University of Toulouse is one of the oldest universities of France and is located in Toulouse, a city in Southern France on the banks of the Garonne river. It was founded in 1229 AD as a result of the Paris Treaty marking the end of the battle between the Roman Catholic Church and its opponents. Foulques de Toulouse, the then bishop of Toulouse, played a major role in the setting up of the university. Now, the university has an enrolment exceeding 1,00,000, and is the second largest university in France. The sixteenth century philosopher and astronomer Bruno and the Chemistry Nobel Laureate Sabatier, and the artist Dulac were some of its most illustrious faculty members.

IN ANCIENT TIMES, WHY WERE PIGEONS USED FOR SENDING MESSAGES?

Pigeons were used for sending messages not only in ancient times, but as recently as early the 1900s, during World War I. A particular breed of pigeons called homing pigeons are specially suited for carrying messages, because they possess the uncanny ability of flying back to their home over long distances at high speeds. According to some reports, a homing pigeon flew back to its home after flying over 1600 miles at the peak speed of 60 miles per hour. Exactly how such birds navigate themselves is still not clear. Scientists hypothesise that the pigeon uses a variety of sources like the direction of the Sun, Earth’s magnetism, and odours associated with different places for finding its direction. Before the advent of telegraph, telephone and radio, using pigeons for sending messages was quite popular among the military, newspapers, and stock brokers. Such a messaging system was known as pigeon post.

WHAT IS AN ATLAS CALLED SO?

Atlas is the term used to refer to a collection of maps, printed in a set order: world map, maps of the continents, each followed by maps of the several regions within that continent, and with an alphabetical gazetteer or list of place names, giving coordinates for various places, rivers, regions etc. The first use of the term atlas dates back to 1595 with the publication in Duisburg of the Atlas Sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de Fabrica Mundi Et Fabricati Figura by Gerard Mercator (1512-94). It was named after King Atlas, a mythical King of Mauretania in Libya, who was, according to legend, a wise philosopher, mathematician and astronomer and who supposedly made the first celestial globe. However, the more widely known Atlas is a figure from Greek mythology He is the son of the Titan lapetus and Clymene^or Asia), and brother of Prometheus. Atlas was punished by Zeus and made to bear the weight of the heavens and Earth on his back.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM ‘RULE OF THUMB’ ?

One theory about the phrase’s origin lies in the misplaced public belief that the English law allowed a man to beat his wife with a stick measuring no longer than his thumb. There was actually no such English law enacted at any time. This phrase has been in circulation since the 17th century This phrase commonly refers to any means of estimation based on a practical and ready method but not on scientific measurement. Another theory concerning the phrase’s origin involves the numerous ways in which thumbs have been used for estimation. Some examples are — measurement of distance based on an estimated inch which is about the length of a thumb; judging the alignment or distance of an object by holding the thumb at eye level etc.

WHAT IS RED CORNER NOTICE?

Certain requests used by Interpol are sent in the forms of notices. The colour of each notice determines the type of information being sent or received by Interpol and its members. A red corner notice is issued at the request of a country’s law enforcement authority. The requesting country asks for a red notice to be issued when a criminal evades arrest and escapes from the country.

WHICH IS THE SMALLEST AND LARGEST CITY IN THE WORLD BY AREA AND POPULATION?

The largest city in the world by population is Tokyo with over 35 million people. It was the world’s most populous urban area between 1965 and 1970. However, despite Japan’s declining population, it is still growing. The smallest city in the world by population is Hum. It has a population of only 23 people. It is a tiny town in the central part of Istria, North-West Croatia, 7 km from Roh, 14 km South-East of Buzet on a hill above the Mirna Valley The largest city in the world by area is Hulun Buir, encompassing 263,953 km. The smallest city in the world by area is Vatican City with an area of 44 hectares (108.7 acre). It is a landlocked sovereign city state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. It is officially called State of the Vatican City.

WILL CREATING TWO TIME ZONES FOR INDIA SAVE ENERGY?

There is no statistical evidence of two time zones being economically beneficial other than restoring a sense of normalcy to the area that follows its local meridian time zone. India geographically extends from 68 degrees East to 97 degrees East (29 degrees) from Gujarat to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, thereby encompassing two time zones. However, it has adopted the Allahabad meridian of 72 degrees, which makes it convenient for the railways, airlines and media. This leads to weird experiences for travelers from Central India who visit the North-Eastern states which receive daylight before 5 am. This entails an extra cost to the economy in terms of industrial arid office lighting spent in these regions, since daybreak here doesn’t coincide with the rest of the country. Also, there tends to be more traffic when it is dark.

IS IT TRUE THAT CREATING TWO TIME ZONES FOR INDIA WILL SAVE ENERGY?

The Indian Standard Time is based on the meridian at 82 1/2 degrees East, which is 5 1/2 hours ahead of the Greenwich meridian. India’s geographical middle lies at 82 1/2 degrees East, which was incorrectly mentioned as 72 degrees East.

WHAT IS SECURITISATION?

Securitisation is the process through which existing assets or future cash flows are converted into marketable securities. Those assets or cash flows are, inherently, not marketable. There are two types of securitisation — assetbacked securitisation and futureflows securitisation. Some of the assets that can be securitised are loans and future cash flows like credit card payments, car rentals or any other form of future receivables. Securitisation is common in the US and Europe, but in India it is in a nascent stage.

WHEN AND WHERE WAS THE NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED?

Acta Diurna’ was the first news paper published in Rome, around 59 BC. In 1605, the first printed weekly newspaper to be published in Antwerp was called Relation. Johann Carolus (1575-1634) was the publisher of the Relation aller Furnemmen und gedenckwurdigen Historien (Collection of all Distinguished and Commemorable News). The ^Relation’ is recognized by the World Association of Newspapers, as well as many authors, as the world’s first newspaper. The German Relation was published in Strasbourg, which had the status of an imperial free city in the holy Roman empire of the German nation.

WHEN WAS THE BATTLE OF LOS ANGELES?

The Battle of Los Angeles took place during the night of February 24/25, 1942 in Los Angeles, California. The battle involved heavy firing of anti-aircraft shells by the US forces aimed at several mysterious flying objects reportedly sighted in the sky over Los Angeles. These objects were thought to be Japanese military aircraft. However, even till today, their identity has not convincingly established. Even though six civilians lost their lives in the bombardment, there was no evidence that the firing destroyed any flying object. The firing was preceded by a blackout and Sounding of air raid sirens. Now, many believe that the battle was the result of a false alarm, triggered by weather balloons, or Japanese blimps. Some even think the source of the alarm could be a flying object of extraterrestrial origin.

WHO IS LADY JUSTICE?

The origin may be Themis, a Greek mythological goddess, who advised Zeus after his purge of the old pantheon. A daughter of Themis and Zeus, Dike, known as a goddess of justice but not divine justice, presided over the apportionment of things among mortals, the protection of individuals and the social and political order. At times, Dike is said to be the same as (or is confused with) Astraea. Astraea is also a daughter of Themis and Zeus and is known as a goddess of justice. In western tradition, Lady Justice sometimes wears a blindfold and carries a sword and scales. She symbolises the fair and equal administration of the law, without corruption, avarice, prejudice, or favour.

WHO DESIGNED THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL?

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. is a United States presidential memorial built to honour its 16th President Abraham Lincoln. The architect is Henry Bacon (an American Beaux-Arts architect), the sculptor is Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the murals inside is Jules Guerin. The building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple and contains a large, seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of two well-known speeches by Lincoln.

WHICH COUNTRY HAS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES?

According to UNESCO, India tops the list with 8,407 universities. It’s followed by the United States  (5,759), Argentina (1,705) and Spain (1,415).

WHO ARE HOBOS?

Hobos is an American word which refers to homeless people wandering about in search of work. In earlier days, hobos were supposed to move around by hopping from one freight train to another, just to save the cost of transportation. Hobos and hobo culture began in mid-19fh century, when the ending of the Civil War caused severe unemployment in the US and several people left their homes and started moving about the whole country in search of jobs. A similar phenomenon happened during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Although the term owes its origin to the above phenomena, it is used today to refer to a tramp in general, an aimless traveller not necessarily looking for work. There are several theories related to how the word hobo got coined: some say the word has been derived from the phrase hopping box cars, and some others that it is a shortened version of the rail-road greeting ‘Ho Beau,’ popular in the 19th century

WHICH CONTINENT HAS THE MOST NUMBER OF PORTS?

With over 1,000 ports, Europe is perhaps the continent with most number of ports. The UK alone has over 200 ports and European ports handle about 3.5 billion tones of cargo.

WHY IS A SANDLOT USED AS A PLAYING AREA FOR CHILDREN?

A sandlot refers to a vacant lot used by children to play games, mostly unorganised ones. Unlike a playground specifically created for certain games, sandlots perhaps developed as informal spaces which children made use of to serve as makeshift playgrounds. In the US, sandlot baseball refers to an advanced version of the game played by teams not affiliated with either the Major or Minor leagues in the country

WHO ARE WING WALKERS?

Wing walkers are those who walk on wings of an airplane in flight. Recently, a wing walker hung from a 450 Stearman aircraft when it was in flight. This stunt was performed as part of the Flying Circus Air Show in Bealeton, Virginia.

WHAT ARE P-NOTES?

P-Notes are financial instruments that facilitate investment in Indian securities by foreign investors or hedge funds that are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Indian brokerage houses buy the securities on behalf of these foreign investors and hedge funds and issue P-Notes to them. Any dividends or capital gains collected from the underlying securities will keep going back to the foreign investors and hedge funds. The value of P-Notes is determined on the basis of shares listed on the stock exchanges.

WHY IS THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA REFERRED TO AS A RAINBOW NATION?

The Republic of South Africa is referred to as a Rainbow Nation to describe the unity of various cultural, racial or ethnic groups in the country during the postapartheid era (after 1994) compared to the earlier divisiveness based on skin colour. This phrase was coined by the then Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, and later used by Nelson Mandela, the first President of the Republic of South Africa elected in the first polls conducted after apartheid rule officially ended. In some South African cultures, the rainbow is always associated with hope and a bright future. Incidentally, the South African Hag also has six rainbow-like colours.

WHO IS THE SECOND ASIAN AFTER RABINDRANATH TAGORE TO WIN THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE?

Shmuel Yosef Agnon (1888-1970) of Israel shared the 1966 Nobel Prize for Literature with Nelly Leonie Sachs (1891-1970), a GermanSwedish poet. This was 53 years after Tagore won the prize in 1913. The first Asian after Tagore to win it solo was Kawabata Yasunari (1899-1972), a Japanese novelist, in 1968.

WHICH IS THE WORLD’S FIRST POST OFFICE?

Although the origins of the postal system date back to antiquity, the British Postal Museum claims the oldest functioning post office in the world is on High Street in Sanquhar, Scotland. According to the museum, this post office has functioned continuously since 1712 AD. Sanquhar is a quiet, insignificant town, but in its heyday, its residents included many influential aristocrats, who must have played a significant role in having the first post office located there. Those days, horses and stage coaches would carry mail.

WHAT IS A CALLIOPE?

It is a musical instrument with a loud, shrill sound that’s audible miles away It is used to attract attention at circuses and fairs. It was invented in the United States around 1850 by A S Denny and patented in 1855 by Joshua C Stoddard. It consists of a boiler which forces steam through a set of whistle pipes. Either a keyboard or a pinned cylinder (like that of a barrel organ or music box) controls the entry of steam into the pipes.

• Calliope was one of the nine muses in Greek mythology. Her name means beautiful voiced and she was the daughter of Zeus (God of sky and thunder) and Mnemosyne (Goddess of memory). She is the muse of epic poetry and eloquence. She was the oldest and wisest of the muses as well as the most assertive. She is often represented as a stately young woman whose brow is crowned with gold, while in some legends, she is seen with a writing tablet, scroll, or book in her hand and wearing a gold crown. She is best known as the inspiration for Homer’s Miad and the Odyssey. WHY IS SUN TEMPLE, KONARK CALLED THE ‘BLACK PAGODA?

Today, the Sun Temple, a magnificent pagoda, is located 2 km from the sea but, in olden times, it was much closer. So, the temple was used as a navigational point by European sailors. They referred to it as the ‘Black Pagoda’ due to its dark colour and its magnetic power that drew ships into the shore and caused shipwrecks.

WHEN WAS THE SICAB HORSE SHOW FIRST HELD?

In 1980, the first Sicab (Salon Internacional del Caballo) was organised in Seville. The following year, it took place in Madrid. Today, there are more than 200 horse shows a year dedicated exclusively to the Purebred Spanish Horse.

WHEN WERE CHOPSTICKS FIRST USED?

Chopsticks were made over 5,000 years ago in China. The earliest version of chopsticks were plain sticks or branches from trees which were used to retrieve food from fire. The teachings of Confucius forbade followers to use knives at the dining table, which further increased the popularity of chopsticks in Eastern Asia. Today, chopsticks are no longer confined to culinary purposes. Japan has even launched a bra called ‘My Chopsticks Bra’ which is made from recycled chopsticks. This would reduce the decimation of entire forests to manufacture chopsticks.

WHAT IS A ‘BREATHING FABRIC’?

A ‘breathing fabric’ is designed to prevent the wearer from getting too hot or cold by adjusting itself to both the internal and external temperatures. The textile is made up of a layer of thin spikes of wool, or another water-absorbent material that opens up when it’s made wet by the wearer’s sweat. When the layer dries out, the spikes automatically close up again. A second layer underneath protects the wearer from the rain.

WHAT IS A TITANIUM TOOTHBRUSH?

Titanium toothbrushes, which were invented in Japan and now are being exported to the US, might help do away with toothpaste. One variety of the toothbrush uses titanium dioxide, which causes an electrochemical reaction while brushing and this helps remove plaque. The other type uses titanium bristles that last for several years.

WHY IS SATURN ASSOCIATED WITH AGRICULTURE?

In Roman mythology, Saturn is regarded as the god of agriculture. He is usually depicted holding a scythe to harvest land. Farmers in ancient Rome believed that Saturn had the power to bring a good harvest and if made angry could destroy it. In order to receive his blessings, they held a festival named Saturnalia. According to another myth, Saturn established the Golden Age in Rome. He introduced agriculture to his people by teaching them how to farm the land.

WHAT CAUSES THE HEILIGENSCHEIN EFFECT? WHO DISCOVERED IT?

If an observer stands on dew-covered grass with his or her back turned towards the early morning sun, the observer is likely to observe a faint glow around the shadow of his or her head on the grass. Such a faint glow is called Heiligenschein, and the above optical phenomenon, the Heiligenschein effect. It occurs because the dew droplets act as tiny lenses focusing both the sunlight falling on the surface on which the shadow is cast, and the light that is back-scattered by the surface. In general, when a long shadow is cast on certain irregular surfaces with specific optical characteristics, the above effect occurs. Although Heiligenschein must have been known for a long time, it was first described in writing by the Italian sculptor and painter Benevenuto Cellini (1500-1571). Sometimes it’s called the Cellinis halo. In German, Heiligenschein means holy glow.

WHAT ARE THE OLEFINS?

An alkene, olefin or olefine is a class of highly reactive unsaturated hydrocarbons, recovered from petroleum, with at least one carbon-carbon double bond. The simplest alkenes, with only one double bond and no other functional groups, form a homologous series of hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n, eg. Ethylene (ethane), propylene (propene), butylenes (butene) and so on. The olefins are widely used for making synthetic fibres.

WHO BROKE THE SOUND BARRIER?

Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier on October 14,1947. He flew a plane faster than the velocity of the sun and broke the sound barrier which caused explosive vibrations over the atmosphere.

WHAT IS THE MONTY HALL PROBLEM?

The Monty Hall problem talks about a situation where there are three closed doors —a goat lies behind two and a car behind the third. A person is asked to select a door (which is not opened immediately). Instead, one of the two unchosen doors are opened and the content is revealed, which incidentally turns out to be a goat. The person is now asked whether he would like to switch his choice to the other unopened door. This gets him thinking. Will changing his choice increase the possibility of winning the car? Common knowledge lets us assume that since now there are two closed doors (one with a goat and the other with a car), chances of winning a car if either of the doors are chosen is 1/2. Hence, it really isn’t a winning situation to motivate a person to change the choice. However, what one needs to remember is the fact that when the person initially made the choice, all three doors were closed and the probability of having a goat behind a closed -toor was 2/3. Now that we already know of ie door that has a goat behind it, chances f winning the door with the car if the peron decides to change his initial choice is /3, which is higher than what he would am if he refuses to change his decision.

WHO INVENTED THE HELICOPTER?

French inventor Launoy and Bienvenue created a toy with rotary wings which could take off vertically and fly The term helicopter was later coined by French writer Ponton D’Amecot: helico for spiral and pter for wing. It was only in 1907 that the first helicopter was piloted by PaulCornu, who also created the model. The 100th anniversary of the helicopter’s first flight was celebrated on November 13,2007.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE LAUGHING BUDDHA?

Hotel or Pu-Tai is better known as the Laughing Buddha. The image of Hotel is based on a Chinese Zen monk who lived over 1000 years ago. Many regarded him a future Buddha because of his benevolent nature. It was due to his large protruding stomach and smile that he came to be known as the Laughing Buddha; His image graces many temples, restaurants and homes in China and Japan. Legend has it that if one rubs the Laughing Buddha’s great belly, it brings wealth, good luck and prosperity

WHAT ARE BLUELAWS AND WHY THEY ARE CALLED SO?

A bluelaw is enacted by the people of the Dominion of New Haven. These laws in the United States and Canada are designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest. They came to be known as bluelaws because they were supposedly printed on blue paper. Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence to support this assertion.

WHO IS CREDITED WITH HAVING THE HIGHEST IQ?

Marilyn vos Savant is an American magazine columnist, author, lecturer and playwright who rose to fame through her listing in the Guinness Book of World Records under the Highest IQ category, with a score of 228. She wrote for acolumn called Ask Marilyn in a magazine in which she answers questions from readers on a variety of subjects.

WHICH IS THE WORLD’S FIRST COURIER SERVICE?

Overseas Courier Service, the world’s first courier service providing firm, was established in 1957 by a consortium of major newspaper publishers in Tokyo as a global, overnight delivery system for time-sensitive business publications. It was the first such private international network, dedicated entirely to overseas air-speed shipping.

WHY IS LAS VEGAS CALLED SO?

Las Vegas was named by Spaniards in the Antonio Armijo Party, who used the water in the area while heading along the Old Spanish Trail from Texas. In the 1800s, areas of the Las Vegas Valley contained artesian wells that supported extensive green areas or meadows (vegas in Spanish) and hence the name Las Vegas.

WHO INVENTED THE CLOCK?

The earliest way of telling the time was by looking at the progress of the shadow cast by a twig stuck up-right in the ground. Round about 1300 BC, this was developed by the inhabitants of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia into the sundial. The sundial served for a thousand years until the invention of the clepsydra, or water clock. This was the first clock with moving parts. The mechanical clock was not invented until the 13th century and it was driven by weights. The spring-driven clock was invented sometime around 1450 AD.

WHO INVENTED THE CLOCK?

The primitive type of clock was invented by Henry de Wick in 1368. He installed it on the tower of the castle of the king of France. Using the technique of a pendulum, the clock was developed by French engineer Hyudhence in 1639. Electricity was deployed in the clock by Alexander Ben around 1840-50.

WHO ARE ‘THE LITTLE EMPERORS’?

They refer to obese little boys in China without any siblings. They are heavily doted on by their parents and grandparents, who feed them calorie-laden candies and fast food. As a result, obesity has become a problem amongst Chinese teenagers. It’s also seen as a fallout of the strict population policy of China which restricts couples from having more than one child, because of which parents and relatives tend to spoil their children with fatty foods.

WHAT WERE GULAG CAMPS?

The Gulag, a system of forced labour camps in the former USSR, was first established in 1919 under the Cheka, its secret police. Prisoners included murderers, thieves, and other common criminals along with political and religious dissenters. The Gulag, whose camps were located mainly in remote regions of Siberia and the far North of USSR made significant contributions to the Soviet economy in the period of Joseph Stalin. Conditions in the camps were extremely harsh. After Stalin died in 1953, the Gulag population was reduced significantly, and condition of inmates somewhat improved.

WHO IS CHE GUEVARA?

Ernesto Che Guevara was a Cuban revolutionary leader. Though communism may have lost its fire, he remains the symbol of rebellion and the alluring zeal of revolution. By the time Ernesto Guevara, known to us as Che, was murdered in the jungles of Bolivia in October 1967, he was already a legend, not only in Latin America but also around the world. His fearless last words, reportedly, were “Shoot, coward, you’re only going to kill a man”.

WHO IS CHE GUEVARA?

Though a comrade of Fidel Castro in the Cuban revolution, Ernesto Che Guevara was actually from Argentina, not Cuba. His nickname ‘Che’ (loosely translates as ‘yaar’ in India) is an Argentinian slang.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF JAZZ MUSIC?

Jazz originated among the Black people in New Orleans in the late 19th century and is characterized by syncopated rhythms and improvisation. It has since developed various styles. Jazz originally drew on Ragtime, Gospel, Black spiritual songs, West African rhythms, and European harmonies. The term jazz originated in southern United States (it is first recorded in 1909, applied to a type of ragtime dance), and it is tempting to speculate that its ancestor crossed the Atlantic on the slave ships from Africa. In the absence of any certain origin, various colourful alternative theories have been put forward, for instance, the name jazz came from the nickname of a certain Jasbo Brown, an itinerant musician along the banks of the Mississippi.

WHAT IS AGENT ORANGE?

Agent Orange is a defoliant herbicide mixture used during the Vietnam War to destroy forests in Vietnam. The United States sprayed 20 million gallons of Agent Orange over forests in Vietnam, and as a result, members of the armed forces were exposed to it. Agent Orange, named as such due to the orange colour of its storage drums, is a 50:50 mixture of the butyl esters of 2, 4-D and 2,4,5-T. It is probable that damage to humans would be due to the highly toxic impurity dioxin present in Agent Orange.

HOW OLD IS THE JERUSALEM OLD CITY?

Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities of the world, having a history that begins in the fourth millennium BC. There was a mention of the city even in the Egyptian texts that belonged to 20th century BC. David was the first Jewish king to conquer the city of Jerusalem in 1007 BC and adopt it as his capital. Over the next several centuries, the city has been conquered and ruled by several different groups of people and countries, and has become a holy city for Jews, Muslims and Christians. Today, it is under the control of Israel and happens to be Israel’s largest city. What has been the city of Jerusalem until 1860s, is the 0.9 square kilometre walled portion inside the modern city of Jerusalem. The walled portion is called the old city today. The old city is divided into four quarters, Armenian, Muslim, Christian, and Jewish, and houses many important shrines.

WHO IS KNOWN AS A MATHLETE?

Just as athletes participate in athletic events, matheletes are those who compete in mathematics competitions. The word is a trademark of MathCount Foundation. Recently, a French mathlete named Alexis Lemaire calculated the 13th root of a 200-digit number in just over 70 seconds. By doing so, he beat his own previous record of 72.4 seconds at an event in London’s Science Museum.

WHAT IS A MOM-AND-POP SHOP?

A mom-and-pop shop is a colloquial expression for a single-family operated business with few or no employees other than the owners. Sometimes, fewer than ten employees work in these small or micro businesses. People who speak of mom-and-pop businesses often refer to the unique perspective offered by patronizing a family business. Some encourage the unknown experience of entering a mom-and-pop establishment over franchise businesses, which typically offer comparable stores and similar consumer experiences, regardless of location. For example, mom-and-pop businesses are often highlighted in travel guides, because going to a business owned and operated by a family allows a traveller to fully experience and understand the people of another culture.

WHO INVENTED CHEWING GUM?

Thomas Adams, a rubber scientist, invented chewing gum. He was working with a substance called chicle, a gum prepared from the latex of the saphodila tree, a tropical evergreen plant. By chance, he popped a small piece of chicle into his mouth and chewed it casually to while away time. Suddenly, it occurred to him that others may derive pleasure from chewing chicle, which is, even today, a chief ingredient in chewing gum.

WHICH IS THE LONGEST ACRONYM IN USE?

Adcomsubordcomphibspac is the longest English acronym. It’s a navy term which stands for Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FRESCO AND A MURAL?

A mural is any large painting on a wall, ceiling or any other large structure. There are many techniques used to make them. A fresco, executed using water-soluble paints on wet or dry limestone, is one of the techniques and probably the most popular. A primary characteristic of a fresco is that the paintings, though often done in parts, are generally related by a common thread. For example, the frescoes on the walls and ceilings of Ajanta caves in India (6th century) depict the Jataka tales — stories from Buddha’s life.

WHAT DOES THE WORD ‘WOOT’ MEAN?

If lay persons say ‘yay’, then hardcore gamers would say ‘wOOt’. This phrase, an expression of joy by on-line gamers, has been selected as the word of the year by the US dictionary publisher Merriam Webster.

WHAT IS THE NYQUIST RATE?

In data communication, the sampling theorem states that a continuous signal can be completely represented in its sampled form and recovered from the sampled form if the sampling frequency f is equal to 2W, where W is the maximum frequency of that continuous signal. This minimum sampling rate of 2W samples per second for a signal having maximum frequency of W is called the Nyquist Rate.

WHAT IS THE PHOBIA OF ALIENS CALLED?

Fear or dislike of foreigners or aliens is called xenophobia. The word xenophobia is a combination of two Greek words — xenos (foreigners) and phobos (fear). When a majority of people in a country suffer from xenophobia, the phobia can lead to mass expulsion of people of foreign origin, or banning of certain foreign cultural elements. Xenophobia is different from racism, although often both words are used interchangeably Racism implies a hatred of people of other races, irrespective of whether they belong to one’s own country, whereas xenophobia implies hatred of people of other countries or regions. In science fiction, xenophobia refers to fear of extraterrestrial beings. Scientists explain xenophobia as a defence mechanism evolved in humans in response to the need to win in inter-group competition in society and Nature.

WHAT IS THE GUDERMANNIAN FUNCTION?

The Gudermannian function, named after Christoph Gudermann (1798 -1852), relates to the circular and hyperbolic trigonometric functions without using complex numbers.

HOW IS A BARGE DIFFERENT FROM A REGULAR BOAT?

The word originally referred to any small boat; the modern meaning arose around 1480. A barge is a flatbottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Most barges are not self-propelled and need to be moved by tugboats or towboats. Barges on canals contended with the railways in the early industrial revolution but were outclassed when it came to carrying high-value items due to the higher speed, falling costs, and route flexibility of rail transport. A boat is a watercraft designed to float on, and provide transport over water.

WHAT’S THE GREEN GOLD PROJECT?

The Green Gold or Oro Verde project seeks to ensure the safety of miners and also protect them from exploitation. A jewellery shop in Chichester, England along with miners in a cooperative in Choco in North-East Colombia and the Fair Trade Foundation embarked on this project which promotes the purchase of green gold or jewellery which isn’t created by putting labourers through hardships.

WHAT IS THE ANTARCTICA TREATY?

The Antarctica Treaty, signed in 1959, was a path-breaking agreement among countries of the world. There are certain regions located beyond the sovereign jurisdiction of any country of the world. Therefore, they require common governance by the international community These are known as ‘res communis humanitatis’ or Global Commons. It includes not only Antarctica but also the ocean floor and outer space. According to the treaty, Antarctica’s environment and ecosystem will be protected. Since 1959, activities in the area have been limited to scientific research and development, fishing and tourism. Even these limited activities have not prevented this region from being degraded by waste, for example, oil spills. The expansion of the treaty was Antarctic Environmental Protocol of 1991.

WHAT IS A PAGODA?

A pagoda, in South-east Asia, is a cone-shaped monumental structure built in memory of the Buddha. But in the Far East, a pagoda is a tower-like, multi-storeyed structure of stone, brick, or wood, usually associated with a Buddhist temple complex. The pagoda is derived from the stupa of ancient India, which was a dome-shaped commemorative monument, usually erected over the remains or relics of a holy man or king.

WHY DOES FEBRUARY HAVE 28 DAYS, AND JULY AND AUGUST, 31 DAYS?

According to a popular legend, July was named after Julius Caesar and hence it had 31 days. Later, when Augustus Caesar took over the Roman Empire, he wanted August, the month named after him, to have 31 days as well. Hence, the two extra days were taken from February, which was then left with 28 days. However, some historians d.on’t agree with this reasoning. They believe February always had 28 days ever since the time of King Numa Pompilius. He decided that a year would have 355 days, the length of 12 lunar cycles. Back then, even numbers were considered unlucky So, he created seven months with 29 days, and four with 31. Since he now needed one short even-numbered month, he chose February, as it was considered the least favourite month for it arrived during the middle of winter. And hence, it was given only 28 days.

WHAT IS RICE WINE?

Rice wine is made from fermenting freshly steamed glutinous rice. Most rice wines are low in alcohol content, light in colour, noncarbonated and have a sweet flavour. Rice wine is categorized according to the degree to which rice is polished. It does not usually improve with age and should be preferably consumed within one year of bottling.

WHY WAS THE NEW AMSTERDAM COLONY ESTABLISHED?

New Amsterdam was established by Dutch colonisers in 1624 in what is known today as New York city The town of New Amsterdam became a city in 1653 when it received municipal rights and was reincorporated as New York city in June 1665. The town was founded on the southern tip of Manhattan island as the most optimal place for permanent settlement by the Dutch West India Company and was strategically located on the south of the Hudson river. The location was best suited to defend the integrity of the New Netherlands province and was entrusted to safeguard the West India Company’s exclusive access to New Netherlands’ other two estuaries — the Delaware river and Connecticut river.

WHICH WAS THE FIRST WAR FOUGHT IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND?

If we define war as a large-scale violent conflict between two states employing the military, the earliest recorded wars might have taken place between various city states in the Mesopotamian region during the period 3,000-2,300 BC in the Bronze Age. The first recorded evidence of such a war was the one between the two city states Lagash and Umma, estimated to have taken place in 2525 BC. From the stone slabs bearing inscriptions related to the war, it could be inferred that the war employed professional soldiers wearing helmets who moved on chariots. The weapons employed were maces and swords.

WHERE DOES SANTA CLAUS LIVE?

The original Santa Claus lived nowhere near the North Pole. If the 4th century bishop known as Saint Nicholas of Myra — the inspiration for Santa Claus — existed at all, he lived in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey Santa Claus is a corruption of the Dutch name Sinte Klaas for St Nicholas, the patron saint of children and unmarried girls. Tradition says he gave bags of gold to three daughters from a noble, but poor family as their dowries, thus saving them from a life of prostitution. As the legends developed in the Netherlands, the three bags of gold were replaced by a bulging sack of presents which Santa Claus distributed to children on December 6, St Nicholas’ feast day Later, this custom caught on to other parts of the world, to give gifts to good people and punish the bad.

WHAT IS THE SEEHECK EFFECT?

The principle of the thermocouple was first described by Seebeck in 1821. Seebeck discovered that when wires of two dissimilar metals were joined together to form a circuit of at least two junctions, a current would flow when the junctions were at different temperatures. This phenomenon, called the Seebeck Effect, is the basis upon which thermocouples are designed.

WHAT IS FOUR-DIMENSIONAL CINEMA?

What we normally see today in theatres are two-dimensional movies with multi-channel sound. In three-dimensional movies, viewers are required to wear special glasses which create 3-D images of objects in the movie. Chhota Chetan and Shiva Ka Insaaf were such movies released two decades ago. Fourth dimension in a movie creates an overall different experience. In addition to the effects of 3-D features, viewers can experience the movies through other senses like sight, sound, odour, touch and also have personal remote control. Viewers are seated in special seats which have bass shockers and other special fittings which make them a part of the complete 4-D experience.

WHAT IS BOW SHOCK?

In aerodynamics, bow shock is a normal shock that occurs in front of an object within a supersonic flow. Unlike an oblique shock, the bow shock is not attached to the tip, off the object in the flow. Oblique shock angles are limited in formation based on the corner angle and upstream Mach number. When these limitations are exceeded, a bow shock occurs instead of an oblique shock. Therefore, bow shocks are often seen forming around blunt objects. In astrophysics, bow shock is a boundary between a magnetosphere and an ambient medium. For stars, this is typically the boundary between their stellar wind and the interstellar medium. In a planetary magnetosphere, the bow shock is the boundary at which the solar wind abruptly drops because of its approach to the magnetopause.

WHAT IS ASSUMPTION DAY?

Assumption Day is, according to the Roman Catholic church, the day on which the Blessed Virgin Mary was, along with her body and soul, accepted (or ‘assumed’) in heaven. It is usually celebrated on August 15 by Roman Catholics. In some parts of the world, Assumption Day is a public holiday; in some parts it is a day of solemnity and prayers, whereas in some other parts, it is a day of feasting and festivities. Although in the early days of Christianity some held that it was not certain how the Virgin Mary’s life ended, from the 5th century AD onwards, Christians believed that the Virgin Mary did not actually suffer a physical death and that she passed into heaven with her physical body and soul on Assumption Day The above day was officially recognised through a Dogma by the Church only in 1950. The Assumption has also been a subject of Christian art for several centuries.

WHAT IS HEIRLOOM GARDENING?

An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, or (especially in the UK) heirloom vegetable is an open-pollinated cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Since most popular heirloom plants are vegetables, the term heirloom vegetable is often used instead. The trend of growing heirloom plants in gardens has been growing in popularity in the United States and Europe over the last decade. This is called heirloom gardening. Some examples are heirloom tomato, forbidden rice and Bhutanese red rice.

WHAT IS DIES IRAE?

Dies Irae literally means day of wrath. The mediaeval Christians were preoccupied with the end of the world; they anticipated the Last Judgement, followed by the millennium. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the West there was a revival of the belief in the end of time. The year 1000 likewise excited mythological speculation, as did famines, plagues, and earthquakes. Most influential were the views of the visionary Joachim of Fiore. He divided history into several ages and said that 1260 would be the fulfilment of the Age of the Spirit, which had begun with St Benedict. At that time, mankind could expect a new revelation, the coming of the anti-Christ, and the last days of wrath. This myth, written down at the behest of the Papacy, exerted a potent influence on mediaeval thought, and in its vision of a future world where the Holy Roman Empire and the Church of Rome would give place to a free community of perfected beings who have no need of clergy or sacraments or scripture, it anticipated modern millennial theories.

HOW MANY COUNTRIES DOES THE DNIEPER FLOW THROUGH?

Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are the three countries through which Europe’s third-longest river flows. It originates in the south-west of Moscow and flows through Smolensk (Russia), Mogilev (Belarus), Kiev (capital of Ukraine), Dnepropetrovsk and Kherson (Ukraine) and empties into the Black Sea.

WHAT IS ANTHROPOCENE EPOCH?

The current geological epoch we live in is called Holocene, which began around 9600 BC. However, considering the way humans have altered the course of the Earth scientists suggest that the epoch be renamed anthropocene. Nobel-prize winning chemist Paul Crutzen coined this term in a casual remark in 2002, while talking about how the Earth was entering a new epoch due to increasing human population and economic activity However, other scientists want this word to refer to the human impact upon the planet.

WHAT IS ANTI-DUMPING DUTY?

If any company exports a product at a price lower than what it normally charges in its home market, then it is dumping the product. Opinions differ as to whether or not this is unfair competition, but many countries take action against dumping by imposing anti-dumping duty Thus, anti-dumping duty is an extra import duty on a particular product from a particular country in order to bring its prices closer to the normal value of that product in the country it is imported to. It is done to protect its own industry from predatory pricing. The World Trade Organisation does not prohibit antidumping policies and allows any country to take anti-dumping action against the countries which violate the principles of General Agreement on Trade and Tariff.

WHAT IS A CASCADE EFFECT?

An unforseen chain of events due to an act affecting a system, much like how a waterfall cascades down, is called cascade effect. Cascade effects are commonly visualised in tree structures called event trees.

WHAT IS LAPIS LAZULI?

Lapis Lazuli is an intense blue semiprecious stone. It has been mined for 6,500 years in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. It has lazurite as the main component. It’s used in jewellery, mosaics, architecture and as a pigment called ultramarine in tempera paintings. It was used by Assyrians and Babylonians for seals, as an eyeshadow by Cleopatra and Romans believed it to be an aphrodisiac. It was thought to keep limbs healthy and free the soul from error, envy and fear.

WHAT ARE MAGIC BULLETS IN PHARMACEUTICAL TERMS?

In pharmaceutical terms, magic bullets are those drugs which attack the affected organ/cells and not the healthy ones. For example, the medicine for blood cancer I — called Glivec — is known to be a magic bullet as it attacks only those cells which are affected by the disease and not the healthy or surrounding cells.

WHAT IS THE ‘ART OF MOVING’?

‘The art of moving’ or Parkour involves moving from one point to another as quickly and efficiently as possible. It entails overcoming obstacles using the power of the human body and is practised in several urban areas the world over. Recently, members of the Du Yize Parkour Club of Beijing showed their prowess at the Forbidden City

WHAT ARE POLAR COORDINATES?

It is a system of coordinates in Geometry whereby the position of a point, say P, in a plane can be determined with reference to a fixed point called origin, denoted by 0, and a predetermined direction represented by a ray OA. The measure of length OP, denoted by r, and the measure of the angle that OP makes with OA, generally denoted by a Greek letter theta, are called polar coordinates of P and, P is called the graph of r and theta. One pair of values of r and theta corresponds to only one point in the plane and one point in the plane corresponds to only one pair of the values of r and theta.

WHAT ARE SLATS?

These are thin narrow flat strips made of wood or metal, which are used as an auxiliary air foil at the leading edge of the wing of an aeroplane.

WHEN AND WHERE DID JALLIKATTU ORIGINATE?

Jallikattu, which is bull-baiting or bull fighting, is an ancient Tamilian tradition. There are several rock paintings, more than 3,500 years old, at remote Karikkiyur village in the Nilgiri district in Tamil Nadu that show men chasing bulls. Another single painting discovered in a cave at Kalluthu Mettupatti, about 35 km west of Madurai, between Madurai and Dindigul, shows a lone man trying to control a bull, Researchers estimate that this painting, done in white kaolin, is about 1,500 years old.

WHAT’S THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM ‘TOP DOG’?

‘Top dog’ means one who is dominant or victorious. When wooden planks were sawn by hand, two men did the job using a two-handed saw. The senior man took the top handle, standing on the wood, and the junior took the bottom, in the saw-pit below. The irons that were used to hold the wood were called dogs and that the bottom position was much more uncomfortable. The term ‘top dog’ originated from this practice.

WHICH IS THE FIRST ART GALLERY?

The term art gallery refers to two different kinds of places: 1. A place which exhibits items of art (an art museum), and 2. A place which sells art items. The oldest art museum is supposed to be housed in the Cosquer Caves, the under-water caves, near Marseilles. The caves consist of finger tracings, impressions of painted hands, and painted and engraved figures of animals. The oldest works in these caves were estimated to have been created 29,000 years ago. Art galleries that exhibit and sell works of art on a large scale have been in existence since the 17th century AD. Most of the oldest art auction houses that exist today in Europe have been founded in the first half of the 18th century Viennabased auction house Dorothium, which claims to be the oldest art auction house of the world, was founded in 1707, and Sothebys, the oldest and largest art auction house of England, was founded in 1744.

WHAT ARE TEXTONYMS?

They refer to the new language developed by cellphone-addicted teenagers, based on predictive text on their handsets. They are also known as adaptonyms or cellodromes. Using predictive text, the first alternative to certain keywords are used in textonyms.

WHAT ARE BANKURA HORSES?

The vibrant tradition of folk art in West Bengal’s Bankura district includes a variety of clay handicrafts. The district’s most famous product is the Bankura Horse, a very stylised figure with a long neck and elongated ears, in warm terracotta colours. Artisans have used the same techniques of hollow clay moulding and firing for generations. Sizes vary from minute, palm-sized to gigantic creations over 1 metre high. The horses are votive figures and are usually kept or placed in front of local deities.

WHO WAS THE FIRST INDIAN TO BE KNIGHTED?

Queen Victoria founded The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India in 1861, which was an order of chivalry, meant to be given to viceroys of India, nawabs and princes for their meritorious service and loyalty to the British empire. The people admitted to this order were called knights. In the year of its founding, Nawab Sikandar Begum Sahiba, Nawab Begum of Bhopal was made the Knight Grand Commander of the Star of India (GCSI). La

Originally published here.

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Questions and Answers About Cooking

Q: What are the best apples for baking?

A: Cortland, or Ida Redor Paula Red. You want a large apple that will hold its texture (and its flavor) during the long baking process. Apples that are good for applesauce, such as Macintosh, are useless for baking because they’ll turn to mush.

Q: Can you substitute baking soda and baking powder for one another?

A: Not directly. But baking soda—sodium bicarbonate—is a good leaven in pastries that contain acid such as buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt. If there is little or no acid in a recipe and you want to use baking soda (or you’ve run out of baking powder), mix 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons cream of tartar. This works because cream of tartar is acidic and eliminates the need for additional acid in the batter. You can use this as a replacement for commercial baking powder—on a one-for-one basis—but you must work quickly once you combine wet and dry ingredients.

Why? Because this homemade baking powder is a single-action baking powder and begins to do its work the instant it is combined with liquid. Commercial baking powders are double-action; they partly begin to work when exposed to liquid, but another part works only when exposed to heat. You can see this: Little bubbles form between the time you combine ingredients and move the batter to the pan, but the batter continues to rise in the oven.

Commercial baking powder, therefore, is more effective than the homemade kind. But it isn’t necessarily more desirable because it has a distinctive flavor. (This is especially true of those containing aluminum.) It also becomes less effective over time. You should replace your baking powder, even if it isn’t used up, at least once a year.

Q: What sort of training do I need to become a professional chef?

A: If you want to train to be a practical chef—the kind of person who runs a hotel restaurant, a restaurant that’s part of a chain, a large catering operation, or anything corporate—it’s best to go to an accredited cooking school. They exist in almost every major metropolitan center and at many universities.

If you want to be a celebrity chef, however, all you need are ambition, personality, creativity, talent, about 15 years of hard work, and a lot of luck. The best way to start is to apprentice under an old-fashioned chef and stick with it.

Q: When I roast a whole chicken, what’s the best way of testing whether it is fully cooked?

A: To be sure, you need two methods: The first is an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh; it should read at least 155 degrees (some people say 165 or more to insure perfect safety). The second is to make sure the juices in the cavity and at the bone joints run clear, not bloody (a touch of pink is probably okay). Usually, the thermometer is enough, and the second method just a precaution; it depends on your level of paranoia. In time, you will know when a chicken is done just by looking and touching.

Q: If a cake recipe requires three 8-by-2-inch cake pans, is it OK to use three 9-by-2-inch pans instead?

A: Yes—as long as you keep an eye on things; the cooking time will be significantly shorter, but as no cooking times are ironclad it should be fine.

Q: Does searing a large cut of meat such as tenderloin before roasting it really ’seal in’ all of the juices and flavor?

A: Not at all. You can’t seal the juices in a piece of meat any more than you can seal the blood in your body (sorry, but it’s the best analogy). If you poke a hole, some of those juices will come out, and searing will do nothing to change that. (On the other hand, poking a hole is not the same as popping a balloon but more like cutting yourself; some juices will come out, but on the whole the damage will not be noticeable.)

However, searing—or browning, a more understandable word—adds flavor to foods, by creating complex flavors. So there is still a good reason to do it, if time allows. If time does not allow, it’s a step that can usually be skipped.

Q: If a recipe calls for dark brown sugar, can I substitute light brown sugar? Is there any real difference?

A: Absolutely you can substitute; the only difference is the amount of molasses they each contain. The flavor of dark brown sugar is somewhat more complex (and bitter, in the way that molasses is bitter), but not noticeably in most recipes. Remember that usually either is but one of many ingredients in a given preparation.

Q: Is there any advantage to using a cast-iron skillet rather than a regular or nonstick skillet?

A: Cast iron is inexpensive and lasts forever; it’s virtually indestructible. It has a couple of disadvantages, however: One, it is heavy, and, especially when loaded with food, requires strength to handle. Two, it is not nonstick until it develops the patina that comes with use. (You can encourage this nonstick surface to develop by washing cast-iron pans with little or no soap and wiping them dry; wiping them with a tiny bit of oil every now and then also helps.) But all in all it remains an excellent material for skillets and sauté pans.

Q: What exactly is ‘deglazing,’ and how does one do it?

A: If you’ve made gravy after roasting a turkey, you’ve ‘deglazed.’

When you cook meat, fish, or vegetables in fat—oil or butter, usually—some of the flavor (and, if you’re not using a nonstick pan, some of the meat, fish, or vegetable) stays behind in the pan. This flavor can be recaptured and turned into a sauce by adding a bit of liquid—typically wine or stock, but really any liquid, like juice, coffee, or even water—to the pan and stirring over high heat until the liquid reduces in volume a bit. (Another term for deglazing is ‘making a reduction.’) The resulting sauce can be enriched by stirring in a little butter or olive oil, but it isn’t necessary. Here’s a recipe, with plenty of options (from The Minimalist Cooks at Home):

Basic Reduction Sauce

Total time: 20 minutes

Makes about 2 cups

2 tablespoons minced shallot, onion, or scallion

3 cups stock or water

2 tablespoons softened butter or olive oil (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Remove whatever meat, fish, or poultry you’ve cooked from the roasting pan or skillet and pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat (if there are non-fatty juices in the skillet or roasting pan leave them in there). Place the pan over high heat (use two burners if the pan is large). Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 1 minute.

2. Add the liquid and cook, stirring and scraping to loosen the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to boil for about 5 minutes, or until about a third of it evaporates. (This is a good time to carve the meat, if that’s necessary, as the boiling liquid need not be stirred except very occasionally.)

3. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the butter or oil, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition to incorporate it. Taste and season if necessary with salt and pepper, then serve with the meat.

There are several ways to add weight to a reduction:

Reduce 1/2 to 1 cup of wine, fortified wine, or fruit or vegetable juice to just a couple of tablespoons before adding the stock or water.

Make the flavor even stronger by stirring in a teaspoon or more of prepared mustard, horseradish, soy sauce, or other condiments.

Add minced fresh or dried herbs to the mixture along with the shallots: a few tablespoons of parsley or small amounts of sage, tarragon, or thyme are all good. You can also add capers, anchovies, chopped bell pepper, or minced garlic.

Q: What kind of consistency can I expect for gravy if I use flour and butter? Cornstarch?

Cornstarch is the easiest: A tablespoon or two of cornstarch, mixed with a tablespoon or two of cold water, and stirred into a cup of simmering liquid, will thicken it instantly (the more cornstarch you use, the thicker it will get) and without any lumps. Butter and flour is more difficult, because flour does lump. There are ways around that, but they’re much more complicated than using cornstarch. Or skip the thickening entirely, as it is essentially cosmetic; if it’s flavor you’re after, just stir in a little bit of butter.

Q: What are some tips for buying fish?

A: It can be simple: Good fish looks and smells good. If it smells bad, it can’t taste good. Some fishmongers at supermarket seafood counters may not allow you to smell fish before buying it. If this is the case but the fish passes the appearance test, you might consider buying it, opening the package on the spot, and—if the smell is at all off—handing it right back.

Steaks and fillets are best cut to order from whole fish. Whole fish keep better than precut steaks and fillets. In addition, cutting to order allows you to dictate the size and thickness of the steak, as well as to request fillets from the best-looking fish. Quality is probably a top priority for a store that provides this service.

However, most fillets and even steaks are cut from fish before they reach the fish counter. So here are a few general rules:

*Start with your eyes: The surface of the fish should glisten; it should be bright, clear, reflective, and almost translucent. Generally, you don’t want any fish whose surface appears brown, dull, opaque, or muddy. Remember, fillets and steaks should be on—not in—ice, and there should be no puddles of water.

*Use your fingers: Most fishmongers won’t let you touch fish—it’s usually against local health standards, and reasonably so. But you can ask the counterperson to press his or her finger into the fish’s flesh; it should appear firm and elastic. If it looks mushy, or if the finger leaves a lasting impression, move on.

*Finish with your nose: As stated above, if fish doesn’t smell sweet, if it doesn’t smell like the sea, turn your nose up.

Q: What is the best way to cook pasta?

A: The most important thing is to start with good pasta, made from 100 percent durum wheat; the country of origin is less important, but you’re most likely to find good pasta at a good price from Italy.

Cook the pasta in a gallon or even five quarts of well-salted water per pound. Boil the water, and keep it boiling as the pasta cooks; stir the pasta so it does not stick (you do not need oil). Don’t overcook the pasta, but don’t undercook it either. Drain it quickly, but leave some water on it; sauce it well, but don’t kill it with sauce; and put it in a hot bowl so it stays hot.

Q: What’s the best way to cook a turkey?

A: The best way to cook a turkey is FAST, as in this recipe:

Roast Turkey (from The Minimalist Cooks at Home, by Mark Bittman)

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Makes at least 12 servings, with leftovers

12-pound turkey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets; save the liver for any stuffing you choose to make. Loosely pack the turkey cavity with stuffing if you’d like, then tie the legs together to enclose the vent.

Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pan, along with the turkey neck, gizzard, and any other trimmings. Place in the oven, legs first.

Roast 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Continue to roast, checking every 30 minutes or so; if the top threatens to brown too much, lay a piece of aluminum foil directly onto it. If the bottom dries out, add water, about 1/2 cup at a time. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh measures 165 degrees. If, when the turkey is nearly done, the top has not browned enough, turn the heat back up to 425 degrees for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.

Remove the turkey from the oven. Take off the rack and make pan gravy or other sauce while the bird rests (let it sit for about 20 minutes before carving).

Q: In good cooking is it more important to be creative or to be precise?

A: You must differentiate between cooking and baking. In cooking, anyone with a modicum of skills and experience—and I would think cooking 50 meals over a six-month period would get you into this category—would gain enough experience to begin improvising, with the help of recipes. After five years of steady cooking, few people rely on cookbooks in the same way they do when they are beginning.

Baking is another story: It’s chemistry. It takes a great deal of skill and experience to be able to bake, especially desserts, without following a recipe.

Q: How do you cook an artichoke?

A: You can start by cutting the pointed tips from artichoke leaves before cooking, but you don’t have to. It’s best to use a paring knife to peel around the base and cut off the bottom one-quarter inch, then break off the roughest and darkest layers of exterior leaves.

Artichokes contain an enzyme that makes them discolor as soon as they’re cut and cooked; this doesn’t affect the flavor. If you want to preserve their color, drop them into a mixture of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar per cup of water as you prepare them, and add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to the cooking water. It’s also best to use nonaluminum knives and cooking utensils when working with artichokes.

Steaming is the easiest way to cook an artichoke—just make sure the pot doesn’t boil dry. Here’s a recipe:

Basic Steamed Artichokes

Time: 45 minutes

Makes 4 servings

4 large or 12 very small artichokes

Several sprigs fresh tarragon or thyme (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

With scissors or a large knife, trim the top 1/2 inch or so from the artichokes. Using a paring knife, peel around the base and cut off the bottom 1/4 inch. Break off the roughest of the exterior leaves.

Place artichokes bottom up in a steamer. Cover and cook 20 to 40 minutes. Sample an outer leaf; when it pulls away easily and its meat is tender, the artichokes are done.

Drain the artichokes upside down for a minute or two longer before serving hot; store upside down if you plan to serve them later. Serve hot with melted butter, at room temperature with vinaigrette, or cold with mayonnaise. Or serve at any temperature with lemon or salt.

Q: When I make scones, they often crumble—but I’m hesitant to keep adding more fatty butter into the mix. Can you recommend a low-fat scone recipe?

A: Scones are rich muffins, or ultra-rich biscuits: You can’t make them without eggs, and they’re best with cream or butter. You can substitute oil for the butter (although that doesn’t reduce the fat, just the cholesterol) and skim milk for the cream, but if you take things any further than that it isn’t a scone any more!

Here is a recipe for Cream Scones I particularly like (from How To Cook Everything; Hungry Minds Publishing, 1998):

2 cups (about 9 ounces) all-purpose or cake flour, plus more as needed

1 scant teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons cold butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup dried currants or raisins

1 tablespoon water

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl or food processor, reserving 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cut the butter into bits and either pulse it in the food processor (this is the easiest method) or pick up a bit of the dry ingredients, rub them with the butter between your fingers, and drop them again. All the butter should be thoroughly blended before you move to the next step.

3. Beat 2 of the eggs with the cream; with a few swift strokes, combine them with the dry ingredients. Use only a few strokes more to stir in the currants.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it ten times, but no more. If it is very sticky, add a little flour, but very little; don’t worry if the dough sticks to your hands a bit.

5. Press the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or a glass. Place the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently reshape the leftover dough and cut again.

6. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush this mixture on the top of each scone. Sprinkle each with a little of the remaining sugar.

7. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until the scones are a beautiful golden brown. These scones keep better than biscuits, but they should still be eaten the same day you make them.

Makes 10 to 14 scones

Time: 20 minutes

Q: Do you have a recipe for a good macaroni and cheese?

A: I think so:

Baked Macaroni and Cheese (from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, 1998).

This is macaroni and cheese for grown-ups; not that kids won’t like it, but it’s far from sweet and gooey. Rather, it is fragrant and almost sharp, thanks to the bay leaves and Parmesan.

Time: about 45 minutes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 1/2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)

2 bay leaves

1 pound elbow, shell, ziti, or other cut pasta

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups grated cheese, such as sharp cheddar or Emmenthal

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup or more plain bread crumbs, preferably fresh

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta to the point where it is almost done but still needs another minute or two to become tender. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop cooking, and place it in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns (about 5 minutes). Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring all the while with a wire whisk. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk, and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar or Emmenthal and stir.

Pour the sauce over the pasta, toss in the Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Use the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to grease a 9-by-13-inch size baking pan and turn the noodle mixture into it. Top liberally with bread crumbs and bake until the crumbs turn brown (about 15 minutes). Serve piping hot.

Q: What is the difference between mixing and folding ingredients?

A: When a recipe says to mix, you can attack the ingredients and combine them however you like, even using a blender. Folding is a technique that allows ingredients containing large amounts of air—most often beaten cream or egg whites—to retain their volume when mixed with thicker substances, such as batter. To fold, scoop the bottom of the batter over the top of the beaten substance using a rubber spatula, a wooden spoon, or—the best tool—your cupped hand. Generally, the mixture should be combined only enough to integrate, not until it is perfectly smooth.

Q: Is it worth the higher price to use organic foods for cooking?

A: This is a personal choice more than anything else. Organic foods have become popular enough that they are no longer much more expensive than ‘regular’ foods. Do organic foods taste better? In general, they don’t taste any better than high-quality nonorganic foods. Are they healthier? I think so. Personally, I buy organic meats, vegetables, grains, and legumes when I can, but I am not a fanatic about it.

Q: I have a young daughter, and I’m nervous about her consuming raw eggs because of the health risks. Is there any substitute for raw egg whites in recipes for food like cake frosting?

A: Although I’m not a health expert, my understanding is that the risk of an individual egg containing salmonella is about 1 in 10,000, so I would not be too concerned. The risk is multiplied when large numbers of eggs are mixed together—as happens in commercial kitchens—because a bad egg would contaminate the whole batch.

Nevertheless, the easiest thing to do is to avoid the issue entirely by making a frosting that does not contain any eggs. Sweetened whipped cream is the easiest substitute for eggs. Here’s another alternative:

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting (from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman).

Time: 10 minutes

Makes enough frosting and filling for one 9-inch layer cake, or two dozen cupcakes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

6 tablespoons cream or milk, plus a little more if needed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Use a fork or electric mixer to cream the butter. Gradually work in the sugar, alternating with the cream and beating well after each addition.

2. Stir in the vanilla. If the frosting is too thick to spread, add a little more cream, one teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin (unlikely, but possible, especially after the addition of lemon or orange juice as a variation), refrigerate; it will thicken as the butter hardens.

Q: Can you tell me how to make a simple salad dressing that only uses basic ingredients commonly found at home?

A: It’s a breeze, and you have two options. One is to toss the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and good vinegar (sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or good wine vinegar), just to taste; take it easy on the vinegar. Lemon juice, which is less acidic (strain out the seeds), is another alternative. Or do something like this:

Basic Vinaigrette

Time: 5 minutes

Makes about 3/4 cup

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons or more good wine vinegar

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 large shallot (about 1 ounce), peeled and cut into chunks, optional

Combine all ingredients, except the shallot, in a blender. A creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste, and add vinegar, a teaspoon or two at a time, until the balance tastes right to you.

Add the shallot and turn the machine on and off a few times until the shallot is minced within the dressing. Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve. (This is best made fresh but will keep in the refrigerator for a few days. Return to room temperature and whisk briefly before using.)

Q: Where can I purchase a handheld sausage-stuffer like my Dad used years ago? It was so simple, but I can’t find it anywhere.

A: You might find one in Cook’s Catalogue, but your best bet is an old-fashioned store or country market in Italy.

Q: I’m looking for a recipe for smoothies. Can you help?

A: The word “smoothie” means different things to different people, but here are two recipes I like very much. The two smoothies, both cold and sweet, are adapted from my book How to Cook Everything.

Banana-Yogurt Shake

When your bananas become overripe, peel them and wrap them in plastic wrap, then freeze them. Use them to make this great smoothie.

Time: 5 minutes

Makes 2 servings

1 frozen banana

1 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed

1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Banana-Vanilla Shake

Time: 5 minutes

Makes 2 servings

1 ripe banana (frozen is okay)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup crushed ice

Sugar or sugar syrup to taste

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, plus more if necessary

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more vanilla or sugar syrup if necessary.

Instead of vanilla, you can also use a grating of nutmeg and a little cinnamon.

Q: Do you have a tasty recipe for spaghetti that is easy for teenagers to make?

A: This is a good recipe that is a little different, and most kids like it. (Excerpted from How to Cook Everything.)

Penne with Ricotta, Parmesan, and Peas

The butter is optional in this recipe, but it lends a nice richness and creaminess. Add a bit of minced sautéed ham or mushrooms to this sauce if you like.

Makes about 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

1 cup freshly shelled or frozen peas

1 pound penne, ziti, or other cut pasta

About 1 cup fresh ricotta, available in Italian and specialty food markets

1 tablespoon softened butter (optional)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2. Cook the peas in boiling salted water to cover, just until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking; drain and set aside.

3. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta. While it is cooking, mix together the ricotta, butter, cooked peas, and half of the Parmesan in the bottom of a warm bowl. When the pasta is just about done, remove about a cup of the pasta cooking water and use as much of it as you need to smooth the ricotta mixture into a sauce.

4. Toss the pasta with the ricotta mixture, add additional pasta cooking water if necessary, and serve, passing the remaining Parmesan at the table.

Discover The Secret Recipes From Your Favorite Restaurants And Easily Cook Them Yourself!

Originally published here.

History:

Aikido in its present form is a relatively recent innovation within the martial arts tradition. It was developed in Japan in the early 20th century by Morihei Ueshiba (1883 – 1969), who was introduced to the classical martial arts as a boy by his father, Yoroku. He is known to have studied some martial arts, such as various styles of Ju-jitsu as well as Kenjutsu and the art of the spear.

Philosophy:

If we are attacked by a force and we apply force ourselves, a collision of energies ensues which results in disharmony. Thus, accordingly the stronger force wins. If, however, we meet the force with an absorbing movement and then exhaust it to the point of imbalance before applying a force of our own (the Aikido way), we are in fact restoring harmony or redressing an imbalance. This is the basic logic and underlying philosophy of Aikido.

Training:

Aikido is a discipline that seeks not to meet violence with violence, but instead looks towards harmonising with and restraining and opponent. Aikido is, in many ways, unique among the martial arts, in that the majority of techniques are based on the aggressor making the first move. Therefore, Aikido techniques are usually aimed at joint immobilisation and throws which utilise an opponent’s energy, momentum and aggression. Many body movements have been taken from Japanese sword and spear fighting arts, and the use of the bokken (a replica sword) and jo (a stick) is intended to build the practitioner’s understanding and skill.

Aikido teaches one-on-one and multiple attack defence. It incorporates knife-taking, sword-taking and stick-taking, and even defence from a kneeling position. Differences in size, weight, strength or age negated as we learn to use our inner ki (flow of energy). Weapon training with a bokken and jo indicates the ancestry of the discipline as well as helping to improve our body movements.

It should be emphasised that Aikido is a budo (literally a martial way). We practise each technique with total commitment, as if our life depended on its success, for only in this way is it possible to bring about the true spirit of budo. This is not to say that training has to be hard or violent. It is possible to be physically soft and still generate the power to control a confrontational encounter.

Styles of Aikido:

In reality, there are several major styles of Aikido today. As Ueshiba was continually refining and modifying the art he had created, some of his students at various stages left to pursue their own ideals. Thus, Master Gozo Shioda created the yoshinkan style, characterised by short and sharp movements and powerful joint applications; Kenji Tomiki developed sport Aikido, as it is widely known, characterised by competitions in which rubber knives are used; Minoru Mochizuki successfully amalgamated Aikido with other martial arts within the International Martial Arts Federation; and Koichi Tohei created shin-shin toitsu Aikido, which concentrates on the ki aspect of Aikido. All of these men trained with and listened to Ueshiba and yet each came away with a different idea of the discipline.

Originally published here.

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